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The re-use of our soil

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phr3d0m2gr0

why cant you just keep worms in the bed your growing in?
cut the plants, turn the soil a bit, and replant.
add some beneficial bacteria and stuff, an occasional dousing of enzymes

I have worms that are in my soil and live in my pots, but they simply can't poop enough to feed cannabis plants. Cannabis needs far more nutrients through the entire cycle so other organic material needs to added.
 
it wasnt my objective to feed the plants, but only to clean up the soil for me while truckin on with my grow

feed the plant some teas and enzymes, throw some bacterial beneficials

worms will aerate the soil and eat the decaying matter, like in nature

what do you think
 

Clackamas Coot

Active member
Veteran
This week I chopped down 4 'Jack Herer' plants. All of them were grown with a 'modified' version of the 'LC Soil Mixture' (for the most part).

For sh*ts and grins, I smelled the soil as I emptied the pots and there was 'no smell' at all. Just the smell of rich soil and ready to go again.

I transplanted 4 'Jack Herer' plants into this mixture to which was added compost, rice hulls, fish bone meal, et al. and the newly planted clones are screaming and moving forward.

Best decision ever, i.e. re-using ones soil.

CC
 

sunnydog

Drip King
Veteran
This week I chopped down 4 'Jack Herer' plants. All of them were grown with a 'modified' version of the 'LC Soil Mixture' (for the most part).

For sh*ts and grins, I smelled the soil as I emptied the pots and there was 'no smell' at all. Just the smell of rich soil and ready to go again.

I transplanted 4 'Jack Herer' plants into this mixture to which was added compost, rice hulls, fish bone meal, et al. and the newly planted clones are screaming and moving forward.

Best decision ever, i.e. re-using ones soil.

CC

I have about 6 50 gal rubbermaids full of soil.
When I harvest (approx 60 plants), I toss all plant matter rootballs etc, into a tub let it all breakdown, and mix with next batch, or batch after, depending.
Unbroken- down stuff gets sifted out and allowed to continue seperately.
I have one batch of soil growing, one aging!
Seems to work great!
Only makes sense,though.

SD :joint:
 

barletta

Bandaid
Veteran
I've been recycling my soil since I couldn't add it to the compost pile (~Nov), and it is some killer. It does get a lil weighed down with the mineral amendments that I like to use, but lots of perlite, and the occasional infusion of Promix keeps it fluffy. I ran out of castings, but the compost pile is starting to thaw all the way through, so I'll be able to start adding the screened compost in a few weeks.

I love the spring :D
 

MrBaker

Member
I'm goin' to have ~50 gal of use promix (used with chem ferts). I'll need ~25 gal of mix for the next grow.

Could I rinse off ~20 gal of used promix on an "unemployed" screen door (in batches) propped up 2 garbage cans, and then let the mix dry? Would that be enough to remove the salts in it, or would the tap water from the hose just add chlorine residue?

I figured after I wash the promix I'd just turn it into LC's mix #2, and then use bongaloid's guano mix. Good plan?
 

Mr_Spliff

Member
Would I be able to just dump my used soil in my backyard compost with blended plant matter, every day I blend up my banana peels, apple cores, potato skins ect and mix into my compost along with dry grass clippings and any organic wast. Once that is done I could reuse it right? Ive also thought about '"feeding" my compost pile just a little bit of fish emulsion mixed with a little bit of molasses every once in awhile as well as watering it with some teas i could make out of compost that is ready and thriving with microbes, mixed with worm casings and a lil molasses. Just wondering if im on the right track with my thinking im totally new to organics.
 
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vonforne

Would I be able to just dump my used soil in my backyard compost with blended plant matter, every day I blend up my banana peels, apple cores, potato skins ect and mix into my compost along with dry grass clippings and any organic wast. Once that is done I could reuse it right? Ive also thought about '"feeding" my compost pile just a little bit of fish emulsion mixed with a little bit of molasses every once in awhile as well as watering it with some teas i could make out of compost that is ready and thriving with microbes, mixed with worm casings and a lil molasses. Just wondering if im on the right track with my thinking im totally new to organics.


You are on the right track but I would keep the fresh compost and soil seperate from the un-finished. The compost will still contain active bacteria.

V
 

Mr_Spliff

Member
Yeah, im still trying to build my compost pile up, once its a size that I see is fine, im gonna start on another and allow that one to finish, at least thats what ive been thinkin, is that the way things are done?

So one cool thing for me would be that the used soil will "bulk" up my unfinished compost pile. What I did for microbes was buy a bag of some stuff that said "humus compost with microorganisms" and added a few shovel fulls of that to the organic waste, my thinking is that (like spawning brf cakes into a bulk substrate for shrooms) the micros in the store bought humus compost will feed off of the 'new' food and thuse multiply, my whole understanding of this is kinda coming from my studies in mycology. Ive been watering it and turning it to aerate it, and am planning on watering it with a lil fish emulsion and molasses, is that fine? Also thought about brewing a tea, it might go something like this off the top of my head....

Dry:

Humus compost
blood and bone meal
ewc if I can find some

wet:
not sure if this is cool to do or not
like a very lil fish emulsions
molasses, Karo, or honey

let me know if that sounds like a super basic tea I might be able to make, Im terribbly sorry ive put off organics for far too long, and this is about as far as my homework has gotten me. My idea is that by watering my unfinished compost with a tea it might speed things up by increasing microbial count and such, but im thinking this might be my more is more thinkin but why not, its life right, let it flourish.
 

barletta

Bandaid
Veteran
That is a great tea, Mr Spliff. :D Just remember that a lil goes a long way in a tea. I have saved SOOOO much money by recycling my soil, and feeding teas. No more soil$$ No more nute$$. I will get more maxicrop and LK when I run out, but molasses is cheap, compost is free, and there is enough R.phosphate, greensand, and cottonseed meal to last a few runs. A pound of guano lasts forever making tea. So do coffee cans of castings and chickenshit.
 

magiccannabus

Next Stop: Outer Space!
Veteran
Would I be able to just dump my used soil in my backyard compost with blended plant matter, every day I blend up my banana peels, apple cores, potato skins ect and mix into my compost along with dry grass clippings and any organic wast. Once that is done I could reuse it right? Ive also thought about '"feeding" my compost pile just a little bit of fish emulsion mixed with a little bit of molasses every once in awhile as well as watering it with some teas i could make out of compost that is ready and thriving with microbes, mixed with worm casings and a lil molasses. Just wondering if im on the right track with my thinking im totally new to organics.

Why even stop there? Why not actually compost things in an aerated bucket? Is this feasible?
 

Big Brother

Member
If you can afford a EC meter it will telll you the Salt levels, usally three 3 is nutral and around a 7 concerning ph levels, most cannabis like 6.6 to 6.8 or 6.9. If you are going to grow your script limit in the ground, and you have the money, you could send a sample to soil lamp, tell them you going to grow tomatoes.
 

Big Brother

Member
With Manure I usally like to mix it with good top soil and let age in an old garage can for a month or so, it mellows out and the manure is not as hot.
 
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vonforne

With Manure I usally like to mix it with good top soil and let age in an old garage can for a month or so, it mellows out and the manure is not as hot.


Manure should be composted for at least one year minimum. This is to insure no harmful pathogens are pass on to you via the plant.

V
 
what about grow bags? what method is recommended to re-use the soil inside a bag once harvest has been completed?

what came to mind was: remove the root ball/remaining stem, dump soil on a tarp, remix and repot...guerilla style
 

jaykush

dirty black hands
ICMag Donor
Veteran
you basically answered your own question dazed. except when remixing, add amendments needed for next grow.
 
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phr3d0m2gr0

@dazed: I might leave some of the root ball in the soil if you can get a rubber maid tub to store soil. It will break down and just provide more mass and goodies for the soil.
 
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