Alternatives to Perlite for soil aeration?

[Microbeman]

Always wondered why people feel the need to separate the two
they grow quite well together.
Had good luck with brassicas in the same small huglebed
and hella nice hybrid finished off in the large bed with no deficiencies

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=79959&pictureid=1937860&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=79959&pictureid=1937861&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

pics from 2017, a major drought year shows the power of pulp

We grew about 3500 cannabis plants separate from other crops because we used light deprivation shading to trigger flowering in July thereby getting the larger sized floral clusters and avoiding the harvest time choppers [fly over].

I don't think our tomatoes would appreciate the 12 hours of light.

Not sure if it has anything to do with genetics still.

 

[Rico Swazi]

bet those tomatoes appreciated the same excellent soil is what I am driving at.

I see some crazy expensive amendments suggested for cannabis that are not needed to grow plants in general. just my opinion tho as plenty of huge pot plants with those heavy dank 'Buds' grown with that stuff

 

[risasdemaria]

Always wondered why people feel the need to separate the two
they grow quite well together.
Had good luck with brassicas in the same small huglebed
and hella nice hybrid finished off in the large bed with no deficiencies

https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=79959&pictureid=1937860View Image https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=79959&pictureid=1937861View Image

pics from 2017, a major drought year shows the power of pulp

"forest garden" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GJFL0MD9fc

 

[Rico Swazi]

Cool vid Ris , I can relate to how Robert feels

“My philosophy in life about what to do in the world isn’t to go to a pristine area and live there and enjoy your life;

it’s to find a place that’s degraded and fix it up” - Robert Guyton.

Edit- forgot to add the punchline-

"I always felt that if you must leave a trace of your existence , make it a better one" - Rico and a host of others


Cvh
the topic has strayed from your OP "alternatives to perlite.." and I apologize for my part.

I admit to getting a bit carried away talking permiegeekspeak when given the chance and weed



my apologies

 

[Cvh]

^No problem, I'm enjoying reading it all. I learned a lot just over the last few pages.

 

[Rico Swazi]

Very cool of you Cvh and cool thread
Back on topic with a couple or three Qs for you



Have you grown in your soil mix without perlite?
How would you describe your (micro)climate?
Do you have a watering 'schedule' that you like to follow?

 

[Cvh]

Very cool of you Cvh and cool thread
Back on topic with a couple or three Qs for you



Have you grown in your soil mix without perlite?
How would you describe your (micro)climate?
Do you have a watering 'schedule' that you like to follow?

Maybe first a bit of background about me.
I'm only been growing organically (indoors) for the last 3 years. Before I grew for years synthetic/chemical in soil, soilless, coco,...etc. My former mentor literally twisted my arm to transition into an organic growingstyle.

9 months or so ago I started my first (vermi)compostbin. From which I had compost from a month or 2 ago.

I then created a thread to know if it's possible to grow in pure (vermi)compost.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=359129
The answers in this thread were that it's indeed possible to grow in pure (vermi)compost but that soil compactation and aeration/drainage might be an issue. Hence I started this thread for alternatives to perlite.

I started an outdoor raised bed with pure vermicompost straight from my bin a month ago. I planted as an experiment some hot pepper seedlings in it. Everything went fine until last weekend. The temperatures drastically dropped over night and they were frozen solid in the morning. I will plant again some new seedlings in a couple weeks.

To answer your questions:

Yes, I have grown in soil without perlite. I'm growing actually in it now. I use a highgrade brand of organic potting soil I get at my local regular gardenshop. (I don't want to pay the price anymore for Cannabis specific soil). It doesn't contain perlite and it works brilliant. I topdress it when needed.
I haven't yet made a soil from scratch.

I'm unsure about the English words to describe my climate, but I live in the tiny country above France.

My watering shedule for my outdoor grow would preferable be not to water. Just plant, forget about it and harvest in the end.

 

[Rico Swazi]

you answered my questions very well, thank you Cvh
My point in asking is this-
if your plants grow well in the soil without perlite,
the need for alternatives to it is a non issue

Kudos for the effort on (V)compost as it is one of the most important aspects of growing naturally and organic. The health of your garden relies on healthy composts so any energy you put into that will come back tenfold.

Little early for peppers but a good sign if things were going well as you say. You might try putting a cloche over them next time or if you have the money, using a product called Reemay or a similar row cover is a good bet. Sometimes called a frost blanket. A lightweight sheet is basically all it is.

You might try beets lettuce radish or one of the other cool weather crops in that (V)compost of yours. Good luck!

 

[Microbeman]

I just started cayenne outside and it is almost too hot [Mexico highlands] I'm hoping they go perennial.

 

[h.h.]

You may need a little microclimate for serranos. The bigger the pepper, the more they'll burn.
Chiltepins will take full sun and make a nice hedge.
If you have avacados, you should be able to overwinter.
Basil would do good. Keep the flowers cut off. Weave the branches to make a stalk.

I've had tomatoes go a few years.

Aloe of different varieties.
Find that yucca. Tea it up and spray everything.

 

[Rico Swazi]

15 C here during the day, 5 C at night, still a (slim)chance for frost, but boy howdy did we ever get some hail last couple days

In years past I never would attempt starting peppers outside here in the PNW but hey, a warming climate could be a good thing


probably not

 

[risasdemaria]

15 C here during the day, 5 C at night, still a (slim)chance for frost

we just left here the below 10ºC at night mark

 

[Rico Swazi]

we just left here the below 10ºC at night mark

Burrrrr.... all this talk of cold weather has caused a caravan to form going SOUTH


Tho I don't think King of the north and jimmy nardello would do very well there.

h.h. thanks for the reminder on the flea berries. Spent quite sometime with friends in middle texas and they had a very full hedge of Chiltepins. They wove the branches every winter. Incredibly hot for the size.

it will be end of may middle of june before my peppers touch native soil

 

[Mate Dave]

I get the fungal growth from this alone, This single ameliorant is as important as any part of the process.

 

[Mate Dave]

Burrrrr.... all this talk of cold weather has caused a caravan to form going SOUTH

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=79870&pictureid=1938427&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]
Tho I don't think King of the north and jimmy nardello would do very well there.

h.h. thanks for the reminder on the flea berries. Spent quite sometime with friends in middle texas and they had a very full hedge of Chiltepins. They wove the branches every winter. Incredibly hot for the size.

it will be end of may middle of june before my peppers touch native soil

Sounds like a shitty climate. My peppers got planted out in February & last week they kicked off big time

 

[Mate Dave]

You may need a little microclimate for serranos. The bigger the pepper, the more they'll burn.
Chiltepins will take full sun and make a nice hedge.
If you have avacados, you should be able to overwinter.
Basil would do good. Keep the flowers cut off. Weave the branches to make a stalk.

I've had tomatoes go a few years.

Aloe of different varieties.
Find that yucca. Tea it up and spray everything.

What Yucca do I need to find h.h?

Peppers in neighbours garden been in 6 years...I have many babies from them..

The Avo's are good. Flowering & harvesting now.

Even the new mango plantings on the west slope are doing well 0 losses on the winter planted Subtropicals. Holding a steady 20c ATM

Basil went in in February & started to flower recently, allunder 15cm tall..

They will become beasts

 

[Lyfespan]

What Yucca do I need to find h.h?

Peppers in neighbours garden been in 6 years...I have many babies from them..

The Avo's are good. Flowering & harvesting now.

Even the new mango plantings on the west slope are doing well 0 losses on the winter planted Subtropicals. Holding a steady 20c ATM

Basil went in in February & started to flower recently, allunder 15cm tall..

They will become beasts

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Raw-Yucca-Schidigera-Extract-Desert-Nectar-Hydro-Therm-X-70-Hygeias-Hydration/162354526145

 

[h.h.]

Yucca schidigera

 

[h.h.]

Agave

 

[Rico Swazi]

Sounds like a shitty climate. My peppers got planted out in February & last week they kicked off big time

The shitty part is the weather turned hot ,
Cool weather crops have taken a hit here.
kale bolted and peas dont produce flowers above 75F.

Temps are 25 deg above 'normal' for the month of May.

If it keeps up. I'll be planting peppers in February also