Why You Don't Need Super soil (video)

iplantthings

iplantthings

Member
Ah cool, ya for the bio assessment I mean looking at the ratio of bacteria : fungi and spotting any ciliates, that type of thing. Some soil tests have that option when you send in a sample, and it can also be done with a microscope at your grow.

It's funny, did you know that super soil is actually a trademarked name? We all use it though. And I generally use it to describe any mix of soil that I'm building, even it it's intended to be ROLS or whatever.

Good stuff though, keep it up!
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
iplantthings said:
Ah cool, ya for the bio assessment I mean looking at the ratio of bacteria : fungi and spotting any ciliates, that type of thing. Some soil tests have that option when you send in a sample, and it can also be done with a microscope at your grow.

It's funny, did you know that super soil is actually a trademarked name? We all use it though. And I generally use it to describe any mix of soil that I'm building, even it it's intended to be ROLS or whatever.

Good stuff though, keep it up!
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Haha yep, in the 1970s I think? I usually use the phrase to refer to the subcool's super soil recipe and grow method. I disagree with his nutrient dense soil on the bottom approach, along with the expensive and inefficient ingredient list. Those are the main things I try to educate people on.
 
iplantthings

iplantthings

Member
Rasta Roy said:
Haha yep, in the 1970s I think? I usually use the phrase to refer to the subcool's super soil recipe and grow method. I disagree with his nutrient dense soil on the bottom approach, along with the expensive and inefficient ingredient list. Those are the main things I try to educate people on.
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Ya I think we are aligned on those thoughts.

From looking at the search volume of terms like "living soil" "true living organics" "no till" VS. "super soil" it's clear that most people are looking for super soil.

Back when I was doing landscaping I would either sell people compost or super soil from the soil supply company. I'm rather sure the super soil was just compost with more compost added in (haha, but seriously...).

So since more people know about the term "super soil" I'm thinking it's a worthwhile effort to try and change its meaning to something more along the lines of living soil. Cuz comparatively there's definitely a winner. Many people just haven't found it yet :) and maybe by kind of hijacking that term it is possible to spread the good word about living soil faster/more efficiently.

Interested in your thoughts
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
iplantthings said:
Ya I think we are aligned on those thoughts.

From looking at the search volume of terms like "living soil" "true living organics" "no till" VS. "super soil" it's clear that most people are looking for super soil.

Back when I was doing landscaping I would either sell people compost or super soil from the soil supply company. I'm rather sure the super soil was just compost with more compost added in (haha, but seriously...).

So since more people know about the term "super soil" I'm thinking it's a worthwhile effort to try and change its meaning to something more along the lines of living soil. Cuz comparatively there's definitely a winner. Many people just haven't found it yet :) and maybe by kind of hijacking that term it is possible to spread the good word about living soil faster/more efficiently.

Interested in your thoughts
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Yeah man if you google anything about organic cannabis or even when you come to the organic section on this site...the first thing you see is super soil recipes. It's the first stuff I looked at when I was first switched to growing organic. I feel like I finally jumped the shark once I realized growing weed is no different than growing a vegetable garden.

I used to run a paint crew and bartend, then I started buying peat moss, compost, and perlite wholesale from a landscape supplier and selling potting soil...now I make my own compost...fish fertilizer...ready to use guano tea bags...no longer am I covered in paint and dealing with drunks. Now I'm always covered in dirt, but it's much better lol.

I hijack the word a little bit when I talk to people about what they need but I say "Skip the super soil and make your soil super!" Not that corny though haha. I'm gonna be doing some packaging this spring though so I might write something that corny on the bag if I can get away with it.
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
But it would nice if we could redefine what people think of when they think super soil. I've just been doing a lot of negative association with the phrase. I should be trying to take a more positive approach though!
 
iplantthings

iplantthings

Member
Rasta Roy said:
But it would nice if we could redefine what people think of when they think super soil. I've just been doing a lot of negative association with the phrase. I should be trying to take a more positive approach though!
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Ya I think that's a healthy way to go about it. Who knows, but it seems to be a worthwhile effort! More eyeballs = more chance for impact
 
GreenSanta

GreenSanta

Well-Known Member
calliandra said:
Haha good one :bigjoint:
I didn't get the part with the nitrification inhibitor, can you write that out?

I love mulch too and keep catching myself chucking stuff onto my soil tho I've sworn to stop at least until I get rid of the fungus gnat infestation I have in my closet - just feels so naked without!

Cheers!
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gnats are the easiest, buy 50 millions nematodes and you are done, split that 50 millions in 3 applications over the course of 10-14 days, veg room / flower room, everything ... then you are done. I have not had problem with gnats pretty much ever since I did that years ago... though I did try nematodes again for thrips control ...but cucumeris are way better for thrips.
 
calliandra

calliandra

Well-Known Member
GreenSanta said:
gnats are the easiest, buy 50 millions nematodes and you are done, split that 50 millions in 3 applications over the course of 10-14 days, veg room / flower room, everything ... then you are done. I have not had problem with gnats pretty much ever since I did that years ago... though I did try nematodes again for thrips control ...but cucumeris are way better for thrips.
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Yeah so you'd think, but nope :mrgreen:
I did 2 rounds of that, the second time I already had my microscope so I checked whether the nematodes were even alive. They were. Didn't help much anyways, quite the contrary, I found the fungus gnat population exploded a few weeks afterwards, both times. Tried bacillus thuringiensis too, didn't help either.

What really solved the problem for me was a physical barrier in the form of quartz sand. While the occasional hatched fungus gnat gets out, they can't lay their eggs in the nice n moist soil anymore, just the barren sand. End of cycle :bigjoint:
Cheers!
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
calliandra said:
Yeah so you'd think, but nope :mrgreen:
I did 2 rounds of that, the second time I already had my microscope so I checked whether the nematodes were even alive. They were. Didn't help much anyways, quite the contrary, I found the fungus gnat population exploded a few weeks afterwards, both times. Tried bacillus thuringiensis too, didn't help either.

What really solved the problem for me was a physical barrier in the form of quartz sand. While the occasional hatched fungus gnat gets out, they can't lay their eggs in the nice n moist soil anymore, just the barren sand. End of cycle :bigjoint:
Cheers!
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Fastslappy

Fastslappy

Well-Known Member
i use a three prong pest management for knats dio earth dustings , saturation spray the soil surface with BT mix spray of a gallon of BT that sat overnite to let the bacto breed ) , & if when the outbreak is really bad
(as in the soil looks crawling new flies , my orange oil,soap,ISO alky mix lightly sprayed soil surface 3 days straight Lightly Sprayed not a saturation spray like with the BT mix )
this did Not seem to effect my 100% oragnic gro at all as if you teas daily then you have no issue with the slight orange oil in the soil
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
Another video update...26 days into flower.

Buds are looking fat and chunky already.

This is my first round where I was able to use my own homemade worm castings and compost. I have the cow manure in there for the first time as well but I don't think the manure is doing anything extra for the plants this round, it's definitely adding organic matter to the soil. But I think the home made compost and castings are making a big difference. Along with the wood mulching I did. Previously I would just mulch with compost. But after talking to a fellow Rasta on RIU, I decided to give wood mulch a try. I've grown all of these strains before and this is the biggest I've had them this early.

 
P

platt

Well-Known Member
Rasta Roy said:
it's definitely adding organic matter to the soil.
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looks so, mon ami. My fish poo, its rated at 38% OM over Dry basis. Heavyweight shit. And it costs 10$ 6Kg. Starting from fresh bagsoil, its easy to suck 1 kilo of product from 2 kg poo. A bit more than 2 kilos and its over due to the container size im with

3 dollars. .

Nice garden
 
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Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
platt said:
looks so, mon ami. My fish poo, its rated at 38% OM over Dry basis. Heavyweight shit. And it costs 10$ 6Kg. Starting from fresh bagsoil, its easy to suck 1 kilo of product from 2 kg poo. A bit more than 2 kilos and its over due to the container size im with

3 dollars. .

Nice garden
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Thanks friend!
 
MANGOBICHE

MANGOBICHE

Well-Known Member
GreenSanta said:
gnats are the easiest, buy 50 millions nematodes and you are done, split that 50 millions in 3 applications over the course of 10-14 days, veg room / flower room, everything ... then you are done. I have not had problem with gnats pretty much ever since I did that years ago... though I did try nematodes again for thrips control ...but cucumeris are way better for thrips.
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Whereabouts can i buy nematodes?
Can i use caps packs? (og biowar series) while they are in the rooms?
 
GreenSanta

GreenSanta

Well-Known Member
Nematodes are microscopic, works better in an all organic settings. Google search they are easy to find online.
 
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