Coco to NOTILL

[Stevenn420]

Hello everyone I'm on the verge of switching from Coco to soil. I have a few questions which I'm hoping someone could answer.

 

 

1. I understand you need to use big pots however ATM I am sort of doing a grow where my flowering ones are down the ones in veg are ready to go straight away. Can I veg these out in normal compost by potting up and then plant them into the living soil when they're "teens" to try stay in a cycle if that makes sense? 

 

2. Bugs etc...I don't mind the worms, I use them for fishing.. however what about like predator mites etc and the good bugs that are needed..do they stay in the soil ? Just don't want to find them creeping around the house or anything as my other half wouldn't be happy.

 

3. Looking at indoor organics. Is it simple as buy they're eco life soil (one bag per pot) and the amendment kit and away I go? I see they do a soil for life and then soil which comes in a box. Really don't know the difference?

 

4. Yield..just curious as to how people's yield has changed wether it be more or less when switching from any other method of growing to no till? I know it's not really the most important thing as quality always comes first but just nice to know.

 

5. I will be moving to a loft area soon where the temps can be very cold. I have managed in the past in a loft with just Coco and intaking hotter air and no heater but I guess with living soil I will have to supplement with a heater due to the things living inside the soil?

 

All answers appreciated, still learning so any other advice which you think will help please say, thanks.

[Stevenn420]

Ps also are indoor organics the people to go to for living soil or should I make my own mix? Attempt to even 

[buddy13]

how's it going dude?

 

no-till/living soil seems a bit complicated at first but that's only because its very different to growing any other way but once you can see the basics the rest does takes care of its self.

 

1. you can do as you said but the smaller the hole you make in the living soil the better.....

 

2. sometimes get the occasional worm falling out and drying/dying off but mostly everything stays in the soil where it is happiest.

 

3. there are a few people making ready mixed but its way more expensive that way and you learn very little as opposed to sourcing the ingredients and amendments yourself(i can send you loads of links, mostly amazon) and learning about them as you go .

 

4. funny 1 this.....I've nothing to compare to personally but if you get the basics right and everything else(environment, watering) right then 1gpw is easy....1.5gpw pretty regular

 

5. yep, keeping the soil above 20c is pretty important.

 

the best thing i can say for living soil is the growing number of people who I know personally and on here who would never go back to any other way of growing, its so easy and so rewarding, win-win 

 

good luck dude

[Stevenn420]

@buddy13 I'm spot on pal you? Merry Xmas and all the best. Cheers for all.the replies mate, cleared a lot up for me. I am going to make the move as dealing with run off in a loft is just too much work especially with multiple feedings a day.

 

I'd appreciate those links though please as I would really like to have a go at learning and building my own mix.

 

Would it be more beneficial to use a like a plant bed or pots? Just could build 2m x 1m bed to fit perfectly into the new tent.

 

Thanks for the replies, 

 

 

[Stevenn420]

My new area is 2m x 1m also, and I've seen a garland raised bed which will fit that size perfectly but the bed has a depth of 25cm.

 

Would this be enough depth? Also it holds 460ltrs of soil..my next worry would the the weight of that especially when it's wet in the loft. Thanks

[wifi-user]

On 12/24/2020 at 8:50 PM, Stevenn420 said:

Hello everyone I'm on the verge of switching from Coco to soil. I have a few questions which I'm hoping someone could answer.

Why the switch ? As far as I know you can still use coco with no-till, the purpose of no-till is so your spending less money? Fan leaves and stems for mulch etc, tea's and all that mad stuff

 

[Stevenn420]

Yeah Coco would be part of the mix however that's something I'm not using. I'm switching because it's too much effort dealing with run off in a loft with Coco. Thanks

[Guest]

You could try a stepping stone of doing a regular soil grow first, with organic feeds, no run-off to worry about.  

I've gone back and fourth between compost and coco many times, but never tried no-till.  

It blows my mind how long it takes to correct deficiencies in compost compared to coco, takes forever! 

Good luck tho bro, looks like everyone will be going peat free soon too. 

[Stevenn420]

@fatboy77 I've already been a soil grower mate..went from soil to Coco and I got on okay with soil but my main reason I don't want to go compost is because if you do get a deficiency they take forever like you say mate. Thanks

Edited December 27, 2020 by Stevenn420

[buddy13]

On 12/25/2020 at 7:41 PM, Stevenn420 said:

and I've seen a garland raised bed which will fit that size perfectly but the bed has a depth of 25cm.

 

that would work really well but you'd have to do your own thinking on whether you need to reinforce the floor a bit for the weight?

 

 

or just build it in yourself.....i'm about to do similar with my groom(3m x 1m x 50cm height) but its on ground level so no problems with the weight, i hope

 

[buddy13]

21 hours ago, wifi-user said:

use coco with no-till

 

you can but only as a small part of your mix.....you'll need o few more bits in there to get it "living" well.

[buddy13]

 

from my pp post....

 

 

mixing up 900ltrs of living soil consisting of;

350ltrs earth worm castings(got a great deal,£110 delivered for 1400ltrs)

250ltrs Irish moss peat(£15 for a 200ltr bale)

200ltrs from 3 years old living soil (was still going strong and mostly e.w.c , worms, woodlouse and all my other good little critters)

50ltrs rice hulls(aeration and silica when breaking down)

5 ltrs diatomaceous earth chunks(as above)

30ltrs buckwheat husks (more aeration) 

20kg bio char

50kg rock dust

20ltrs kelp meal

5ltrs alfalfa meal(still using a 20kg/£20 sack of horse feed pellets from 3 years ago)

5ltrs charge(frass)

5ltrs mixed shells

+ some soft rock phosphate, crab shells, calcified seaweed, Gypsum and dolomite lime.

all topped of with mulch from previous pots and lots of trim from past grows..

and plenty of sweat....

 

 

[wifi-user]

23 hours ago, Stevenn420 said:

Yeah Coco would be part of the mix however that's something I'm not using. I'm switching because it's too much effort dealing with run off in a loft with Coco. Thanks

@Stevenn420 Mate that's a shit excuse , I'm bone idle and mopping up a some run VS pissing about mixing potions seems more effort

 

If your in loft cant you just run a hose outside behind guttering drainpipe into garden ?

 

[Stevenn420]

@buddy13 hello mate. I've been speaking to a friend about the weight and the location of my tent is a above a load bearing wall or something, basically a wall that runs directly under my tent so it should be fine mate. 

 

Well since you're doing the 900 ltrs I'll just half you're mix haha..but however I don't have the old living soil..is this something I could replace with just a few bags of bio bizz or something ? 

 

Cheers.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by Stevenn420

[Stevenn420]

@wifi-user no chance pal doing 24 x 8ltr pots twice a day to run off isn't fun, it would make much more sense just to add water pal. 180ltrs nearly every feed I go through it's just not viable in a loft unfortunately.