Good points for sure.
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Fundamentally understanding soil components
- Thread starter xBOBxSAGETx
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Good points for sure.
How are The Rev and Subcool "clowns in the industry"?
I've adapted The Rev's methods and I'm having the most trouble free grows in my experience.
I started out on the organic path with Soma's Organic Marijuana, Soma Style: The Pleasures of Cultivating Connoisseur Cannabis (Marijuana Tips). That was in 2005.
Then I learned more about nutrients, then supersoil and water reservoirs, and I've finally arrived at my own method with an emphasis on encouraging fungal activity.
The Rev's book is excellent, and you should have it if you mix your own supersoils, just for all the ingredients that are listed. The concept of having a reservoir with clean water the roots can grow into eliminated over/underwatering. The use of a mulch layer slows evaporation. If you use soft carbon based mulch (hemp bedding), it also encourages fungal activity. Add anything with calories like oat flakes, bananas, pears, and you're feeding the fungus what it can't produce - calories and carbon. The encourages the growth of mycorrhizal fungi, and I think also endophytic fungi or endophytes (hat tip to Jeff Lowenfels), which protect the plant against insects and other fungi.
Subcool has several videos out about making his own supersoil.
So why are these people considered "clowns in the industry"?
Spikes and layers?
Makes good compost. A tea might help keep nitrogen in the root zone instead of going into the atmosphere. Compost improves soil structure and in this case rabbit bedding is high in nutrients.
It would be nice to be able to have an entire grow fed from the supersoil only.
So it is often necessary to add something more. I like to see The Rev's spikes as one solution to the problem.
Layering is a very good principle, especially if the roots have the space (pot size) for the roots to diversify. Adding an extra layer of perlite to the supersoil increases drainage.
Personally I like to add things to the top, usually a simple paste made of whatever nutrient is needed, something with calories (Vinasse, oat flakes, cooked rice) and a few drops of water. You add that as a thin paste between the topsoil and the mulch layer. You also add soft fruit like bananas or pear to the top of the soil, which really energizes the fungi in the soil, while the mulch adds the carbon fungi are made of. And you give a light concentration of whatever nutrient you need to add, once, before the slower but longer acting solid nutrients take over again.
The so far Utopian ideal would be to have one soil, never add anything except water, and never have a problem with deficiencies or insects.
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Desert survival by W.E.C.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8kP2piN-03k
The idea of a super soil is just that, an idea. I would argue, not a good one.
This crop goes through cycles. The cycle needs to start with high Ca and adequate (not high) K. As you go further in to veg, you raise K to mature the roots and bulk up. Going into flower, Ca needs to be raised quickly again and K at the same time ramping up.
No way to run cycles in a super soil. Every one that I have taken an analysis from had terribly high K and Mg, no where near enough Ca. This will get you production, but it will be scratchy and the calyx won't finish correctly.
I wouldn't call someone a clown though. It must have worked for them given there stage of personal development.
Subcool even said his super soil isn't a great idea recently on GrowTube. He is now amending soil based on soil tests.
Folks evolve! Thank God! No substitute for well applied good science. Otherwise it is called GUESSING!
