Sand and Airpots?! ehh? (critter barrier)

Yam

Active Member
So, I've been thinking of a way to use sand as a barrier against soil dwelling critters. But I also want to keep my soil light and aerated. SO I thought, what about using an air pot and filling the top half inch with sand for critter prevention. any thoughts?

also this is my soil mix that I will be using..
-1/5 perlite
-2/5 Jiffy Mix
-1/5 MG Mix (moisture control)
-1/5 Vermiculite..

1. what do you think of the air pot and sand?
2. thoughts on my soil mix? (with or without sand)
 

Aolelon

Well-Known Member
I've read about it with a lot of people having success and might try it out, I have a soul cooking outside and am worried about tracking bugs in so if I do, I may resort to that. I havent heard about the pooling water problem, if you dont over water and water slow I think it should be fine.
Also I dont know if I would add the MG soil. They have a bad reputation for MJ growing. Their PH is pretty high too from my experience.
 

Yam

Active Member
Thanks Aolelon,
ok, so would I just add more of the other (jiffy mix, perlite, ec) instead of MG? would I have to use nutes sooner without the fertilized MG in there? and maybe at a faster rate?

I use RAW brand nutes.. and also some MG plant food but thinking of switching that out bc I've heard bad things.
 

andy s

Well-Known Member
Thanks Aolelon,
ok, so would I just add more of the other (jiffy mix, perlite, ec) instead of MG? would I have to use nutes sooner without the fertilized MG in there? and maybe at a faster rate?

I use RAW brand nutes.. and also some MG plant food but thinking of switching that out bc I've heard bad things.
dont use sand use biotenacious earth
 

andy s

Well-Known Member
Heard to use that as well. Might try that instead as well
ive used it wheni had gnats once or twice and literally once it was there they werent lol. works great and doesnt have any negative effects like sand allows the soil to still breathe
 

Aolelon

Well-Known Member
Thanks Aolelon,
ok, so would I just add more of the other (jiffy mix, perlite, ec) instead of MG? would I have to use nutes sooner without the fertilized MG in there? and maybe at a faster rate?

I use RAW brand nutes.. and also some MG plant food but thinking of switching that out bc I've heard bad things.
Yea add more, also I'm unsure of what's in those other souls to make that call, I would assume you would have to feed at some point.
 

BigHornBuds

Well-Known Member
I would advise against DE as a soil topper

Once you water , the de will go into your soil, this will turn your soil into concrete (will stop air) where the de concentrates will not want to dry out, every time you water you’ll need to replace continuing the problem And making it worse.
Sand is better but not good
Gnat nix is a good product, but you need to run drip lines
If you water it to fast, soil will mix in with it making it useless
Your probably better off making a cover out of panda or bubble insolation , and watering a bit less .
 

Aolelon

Well-Known Member
What if you but a medium in between such as river rock or larger pebbles. Wouldn't that work to keep the sand/DE from seeping into the soil.
 

Aolelon

Well-Known Member
Plus a lot of organic soil recipes use it in their soil so I wouldn't imagine it's too has too bad of an effect
 

andy s

Well-Known Member
I would advise against DE as a soil topper

Once you water , the de will go into your soil, this will turn your soil into concrete (will stop air) where the de concentrates will not want to dry out, every time you water you’ll need to replace continuing the problem And making it worse.
Sand is better but not good
Gnat nix is a good product, but you need to run drip lines
If you water it to fast, soil will mix in with it making it useless
Your probably better off making a cover out of panda or bubble insolation , and watering a bit less .
It's not powder.. and it will not happen like that by any means have you personally used this product? Looks like perlite
 

andy s

Well-Known Member
Either way its adding it into the soil. You're comment is the only negative one I've seen about DE so far.
Bc he' dumb and it' completely false lol it not powder.. it doesn' break down like he says. I have a quarter inch maybe a half in on top of my soil and after 9 weeks it was still there didn' have any concrete in my pot lol
 

andy s

Well-Known Member
DE is a very fine powder ,
Do you have any experience with it ?
Check it out bud it might be available in powder form but Def not what I use lol its exactly the same consistency as perlite check it out sometime I've seen the powder you talk about but still no concrete from that either
 
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