What’s growing on Dude, Scottie, Guru, and the rest of the DGC! Just wanted to post some nugs of the last couple runs in a 4×4 grow tent. I’m currently getting ready to run my 7th cycle in the same 15 gallon pots. Unfortunately I forgot to take photos the entire 6th run, typical stoner. The first two photos are Overflo OG from Archive Portland. The second two Photos are Sunset Sherbet clones I picked up from a club in Portland, OR.
Using a recipe from the Build-a-Soil page has made growing easier than I could have ever imagined. Here in the PNW, we are spoiled with having a farm and gardening store called Concentrates, that you can purchase high quality organic amendments and soil mixing materials for the best price in town. I paid $44 for a bag of 5 lb. Insect Frass from a local grow store and when I arrived at Concentrates there was a 50 lb bag for $52…I know Scotty loves his automation so I also use a Blumats watering system to put the grow on autopilot.
I also used more inputs from build-a-soil no-till bundle, including aloe, coconut powder, rootwise microbe, enzyme, and phosphorous products, thrive.n aminos, Recharge, build a bloom in flower. Once a week top dresses of Insect Frass, and Malted Barley powder. Which you can get from the oldest brew store in the country in Portland, Steinbarts, for extremely cheap. A few of inputs do the same thing but you know how it is if you have stuff siting around might as well use it until it’s gone.
Thanks DGC for everything you’ve taught me and the community. I haven’t had to purchase Cannabis Flower from a dispensary or free market in nearly 4 years because of the knowledge and dedication you have to making growers better. I just upgraded and purchased a 4×8 tent to start a perpetual grow. Can’t wait to share the progress and much love everyone!
That sherbet looks beautiful.
You doing no till? Or remixing the soil with new amendments?
I’m planning to do a second cycle with an amended fox farm cocoloco soil. Recycling the soil from 7 5 gal pots into 4 25 gal smart pots, and will be mixing with a 1:1:1 soil:compost:perlite plus amendments to fill the rest of the 90 gal.
Wondering what kinds of amendments I can include to help with soil longevity. Thinking of adding some rice hulls, and over the weekend I produced about 2 gallons of biochar that I made from wood chips and currently have charging up with my super compost that I’ll be adding at about 2-3% of soil volume.
Anyone have suggestion for building a long lasting soil?
Thanks for the comment TerpDaddy!
I started as No-Till but have evolved over time. Now at the end of each cycle I will top dress with a few amendments and mix it into the top few inches and water in. The Craft Blend from Build-a-Soil is the start of every reamend cycle. I’ve never dumped the soil out to mix in more amendments then put it back in the pot.
Thorvin Premium Kelp Meal
Karanja Cake – Terviva
Alfalfa Meal
CalPhos
Camelina Meal
Crustacean Meal
Fish Meal
3x Fish Bone Meal
Soybean Meal
Sul-Po-Mag (Also Known as K-Mag or Langbeinite)
Organic Malted Barley
Premium Calcium Montmorillonite
Micronized Basalt – Blue Ridge Meta
Gypsum
Oyster Flour
That’s straight from the website that’s in the product. You of coarse can purchase your own individual ingredients they have just done the hard work for you and made a good balanced mix. This along with malted barley powder to give your soil enzymes, insect frass, and high quality earth worm castings is it. Mix it in the first few inches and water in.
I use rice hulls in my soil mix in combination with Pumice to provide aeration. Eventually even though it takes quite a while the rice hulls break down into silica for the soil, so I don’t recommend using them as aeration by themselves. I’m not familiar with resuing the type of soil you have I just have experience with building it this way from build-a-soil. Lots of videos on there as well.
I forgot to mention this was with a single HLG 550 v2.
Looks nice.
I just finished my 9th grow on my 25 gallon no-till pots but had to retire the soil because of my mismanagement.
I let the cover crop just go way to wild, had roots on the clover like carrots and with the tons of old roots the soil was just too porus.
I opted to change to Buildasoil V3 this time over the Oly Mountain Modern Mix 2 just to try something different.
For amendments Craft Blend is pretty hard to beat.
9th grow? That’s impressive! I love cover crop but don’t always replant it every cycle for the reason you’re speaking of lol I usually like to let it grow pretty wild in between cycles and then chop it down as close to the soil I can and then cover it with straw.
You’ll have to show us the results from the V3 mix. I’ve been tempted to purchase some but the shipping out here always makes me change my mind. Plus nothing more exciting than smoking a few jay’s and turning some soil haha
Will do, I got two Cream & Cheese CBD and one Super Critical Bud about 8 days old right now.
They’re all looking good so far.
Excellent tops man. Cool colors too.
Thank you! I’ve been able to get these different colors near the end of the plants life without having to turn the temperature down. Mainly because I don’t have that ability lol This HLG 550 V2 absolutely crushes. I have 2 blurple lights that it out performs by itself.