Live Stoner Chat Introductions #NewButNotNew

[Mañ'O'Green]

Why are you mixing coco into Bio-bizz light mix? Then Why worm castings? Coco is hydro, peat with forest products (light Mix) = soil (sort of). It makes keeping the nutrient balance in the pot very difficult. IMPO you should either go Hydo all the way or soil all the way not something in between?

 

[GardenOfWeedon]

Why are you mixing coco into Bio-bizz light mix? Then Why worm castings? Coco is hydro, peat with forest products (light Mix) = soil (sort of). It makes keeping the nutrient balance in the pot very difficult. IMPO you should either go Hydo all the way or soil all the way not something in between?

As I say I am trying something different based on this

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Granted it says to use soil with no added ferts etc, but I had already purchased the Lightmix. But it says to put the castings at the bottom, I think I will hold of and do a layer over the soil later on.

I did think of trying Hydro, but for me soil is just so much more natural and easier to keep the grows Organic. And I have read many articles from growers who use a mix of soil n Coco.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Ok, I see you are just trying to make do with what you have. Maybe with a 5 gallon pot you will make it to the end with what is in the pot? I would put 50% of the worm castings on the bottom and mix the rest in the other soil components. I am not a fan of layering substrates. The problem will come if the pot does not have enough nutrients to finish the plant - that problem is knowing what to add when the time comes. I suppose more worm castings in a top coating?

@Proph do you have any input on this idea?

 

[GardenOfWeedon]

Ok, I see you are just trying to make do with what you have. Maybe with a 5 gallon pot you will make it to the end with what is in the pot? I would put 50% of the worm castings on the bottom and mix the rest in the other soil components. I am not a fan of layering substrates. The problem will come if the pot does not have enough nutrients to finish the plant - that problem is knowing what to add when the time comes. I suppose more worm castings in a top coating?

@Proph do you have any input on this idea?

Yes from what I gather you simply feed worm castings as a top or as a tea. I see someone else recently talking about a similar grow, so going to drop him a message. But long and short of it is the worm castings should be enough throughout the plants life and has all the nutrients needed.

 

[Proph]

Yes from what I gather you simply feed worm castings as a top or as a tea. I see someone else recently talking about a similar grow, so going to drop him a message. But long and short of it is the worm castings should be enough throughout the plants life and has all the nutrients needed.

You may want to read up a little on worm castings and how they work in soil and as a tea. It's not as simple as you explained. Worm castings are a good source of Nitrogen and microbe life and trace nutrients.. It's npk is usually 1-0-0.. Which is not all the plant will need through out its life. Mixing soil and coco is asking for issues. Trust us.. If your experience level or information level is at the stage where you're thinking that top dressing with worm casting would be enough to get a plant to harvest, then you're probably not far enough along to recognize or resolve the issues that will come from mixing two entirely different mediums together. We see it a lot in the infirmary. I think there are 3-4 active grows in the infirmary right now that I've replied to this week that are having issues due to mixing soil and coco.. I will never tell someone not to do something, but I would never mix mediums myself, and would never recommend it to anyone else. Especially newer growers. I've been growing organic for years.. Unless you're growing in a 15-30 gallon pot, your medium will run out of nutrients at some point during the grow and will need more than what just worm castings and teas can provide. Layering soils is something photo period growers do... Usually at transplant before flip.. Im not sure why auto growers started trying it from seed.. Just think about it.. Most layered recipes say to put the "hot" layer, or the amendment at the bottom of the pot.. Let's say your in a 3 gallon pot with a layer of castings at the bottom.. Then you plant a seed in it.. What direction does a tap root grow? Straight down.. It's pulled by gravity.. It's heading straight to the bottom of the pot.. Its not stopping to hang out in the middle layer for a while or until it's ready for more food... The tap root grows straight down and once it hits a barrier (the bottom) it splits off into different directions (prunes itself).. In the case, this pruning would be happening in a layer of straight castings.. This is why most autos grown in layered pots show issues so early on.. Same goes for putting a light soil or something on the top layer.. The odds of the feeder roots making it back up to the top soil of a pot are slim to none..

But either way, we will be here to try to help should issues arise!