Silver said he shouldn't start such a thread since scarce shall time soon seem.

[silver hawaiian]

Get in line pal, you and the rest of anyone else who wants updates or even (gasp) photos

Funny you ask that. Roots on the sides, about midway-down, were nice and healthy and meaty and what you'd hope to see. Towards the bottom of the sides, things were a little more difficult to tell. The truth is that I was doing this in several increments of 180 seconds or less. (That's how most anything gets done in the inside garden these days) So, in these multi-trip-projects, I'll often have what seems like a reasonable idea, step away, and come back in "just get it done" mode.

In this case, that means I didn't examine for damage as much as you might think, for making such the f*cking mess. And I definitely didn't look on the exact underside. Who thinks about these things?

 

[tleaf jr.]

just a thought lol what made me ask is because the compaction of the soil has never affected growth from me as far as I understand but the pH problems can be a real PITA

 

[silver hawaiian]

Wow, that post is kind of hypnotic, with those four little guys, all in sync.

 

[Mister_D]

Well I'm here ......... oh wait you wanted some thoughts too

I think wildgrow might be on to something with checking out the root ball . It's not at all uncommon for ph and lock out issues to arise from overly compacted soil as a result of unintended over watering, or otherwise lack of oxygen in the root system. Pictures would be helpful though

 

[silver hawaiian]

his name is tleaf you highon



I have shitty cell phone pictures (one of the 180 second increments did not include running to get the camera that's a camera), just gotta save/strip/upload/post. .. You know, that which is a primary deterrent to posting all photos in the first place.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Edit: But mmmyeah, I'm thinkin' what you're stinkin' there _D. In fact, I think your suggestion of the pH led me back to my dense poo thought, which then led me to wonder about compaction and its effect on pH..

Still readin', still learnin, and definitely still f*ckin' shit up, with enthusiasm!

 

[Mister_D]

his name is tleaf you highon



Ah shit my bad . Between the spider venom and all the bubble I've been smoking I'm a bit out of it. Sorry about that tleaf

I have shitty cell phone pictures (one of the 180 second increments did not include running to get the camera that's a camera), just gotta save/strip/upload/post. .. You know, that which is a primary deterrent to posting all photos in the first place.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Edit: But mmmyeah, I'm thinkin' what you're stinkin' there _D. In fact, I think your suggestion of the pH led me back to my dense poo thought, which then led me to wonder about compaction and its effect on pH..

Still readin', still learnin, and definitely still f*ckin' shit up, with enthusiasm!

Well as long as you keep the enthusiasm it's all gravy bro

 

[tleaf jr.]

what the affect does drying out have on the medium and what about airpockets....wait why the fu** am I asking you guys for and im on the internet Mister-Dprolly got confused by the avi

 

[silver hawaiian]

Thinking out aloud (we can call it "gut science"):

Roots take up oxygen from small "pockets" in the soil (spaces between particles) - when the medium is compacted, there are less of these pockets.

Also as a result of compaction, drainage suffers - and in short, you're left with roots stuck in a perpetual sort of "muck." Can't breathe. No drainage = more difficult to achieve relative wet/dry cycles.

Then you add my excellent brainpower and shortly it's overwatered AND all f*cked up.

 

[tleaf jr.]

well when your sitting there staring at them all yellow and curled you start to throw all type of liquids on them ladies

 

[bobblehead]

You should probably give in and sign your plants over to me and start picking up an oz a month... Oh wait... Part of this statement is already true.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[silver hawaiian]

well when your sitting there staring at them all yellow and curled you start to throw all type of liquids on them

You must spread some reputation around before giving it to tleaf jr. again.

You should probably give in and sign your plants over to me and start picking up an oz a month... Oh wait... Part of this statement is already true.

Just thinking out loud.

Then your problems become my problems But you're right, I'm eternally thankful for the smoke-exchange-program. It's funny, we only revisit that when one of us is out

I was just remarking to someone - I'm hopeful full-on legalization will be here before our son is self-aware.

Otherwise, it's a countdown 'til you're able to grow 12 more plants, AKA when silver starts calling you incessantly because he has bugs under his skin and jUST NEEDS A FIX MAN

 

[silver hawaiian]

[laughing guy goes here] Holy shit, now I see why I have a camera that's a camera!

 

[silver hawaiian]

 

[Mister_D]

That soil mix looks crazy dense bro, get some floor dry or something in that shit pronto!

 

[bobblehead]

Or something more inert, without the high CEC... Homeboy said he up potted.

 

[dank.frank]

What is in your soil man??? Is that driveway gravel?

What was your base soil mix?

Ignore any and all suggestions to put floor-dri in there...that certainly isn't going ot fix anything. It IS NOT a 1:1 replacement for perlite - not even close. You'll have the exact same compaction issues you are having now.



dank.Frank

 

[silver hawaiian]

That soil mix looks crazy dense bro, get some floor dry or something in that shit pronto!

Or something more inert, without the high CEC... Homeboy said he up potted.

Added some fresh promix and perlite to things. And a pair of crossed fingers!

What is in your soil man??? Is that driveway gravel?

What was your base soil mix?

"No chemicals, only juices, and berries!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN4AEbI5_70

No driveway gravel (but I'm happy to know my otherwise halfassedery would make it plausible that I'd put shit from my driveway in the dirt ) - what you're seeing is bits of this:

Added 2, maybe 3 years ago.


..so let's yak for a minute about amendments for texture and porosity. When I bought the growstone thingies, the pitch was that they're "longer-lasting" than perlite, don't break down, blahblahblah. I've not learned it's not exactly a long-term product.

..perlite - what's with the hate on perlite? I've read some folks posts where they've sworn off perlite. Whysat?

..thought about lava rock, but ultimately I went with what's plentiful and readily available in the shed - a bale of promix and a bunch of perlite.

I oughtta get off my ass and re-amend evvvvvvvverything with some fluffernutter. The SWT/perlite/promix solution was a matter of opportunity - but for the rest of the shit, I'd like a longer-term solution (or at least one with more mental horsepower behind it, so's to at least make me feel like I put some effort forth)..

 

[silver hawaiian]

In re: "What's in your soil?"

I was able to dig up the base mix. This was mixed up 2-3 years ago. Since then, it's been fortified quite a bit, with some of this and a little'a that:

2.4 cu ft FFOF
2 cu ft ProMix HP
48 lbs EWC
2.4 C diatomaceous earth
1.8 C greensand
1.2 C Blood
3 C Bone
3 C Kelp meal
2.4 C lime


..added some indonesian guano, growstones, neem seed meal, azomite, glacial rock dust..

 

[tleaf jr.]

ive been running my same soil for a year now and there doesn't seemto be a degration of the perlite in it how long is this decomposition process take ? just wondering

 

[bobblehead]

When soil becomes demineralized it compacts. When was the last time you added some Ca? Worms couldn't hurt either.

OMG nevermind... just read your base. Too much ewc and ffof, not enough promix!