Hiddenjems
Well-known member
I know it gets cheaper because of reusability, but how much work goes into that? Do you have to get all the old roots out? Any issues with pests or rot in reused soil?It's a little hard for me to give an exact answer in terms of my cost in the same way you have, because its harder to track with precision over the course of multiple cycles, and many inputs etc. I'll do my best.
Also, here's an article from KIS Organics on exactly this matter which you'll probably find quite insightful. https://www.kisorganics.com/blogs/news/a-cost-analysis-of-kis-organics-soil-over-a-3-year-period
A lot can change cost wise depending on location and local availability. When you start shipping heavy organic inputs across the world, the price skyrockets compared to organic inputs that can be sourced locally. They tend to be a lot larger and heavier than an equivalent amount of liquid based nutrients, so shipping costs can be exaggerated.
Not everyone is using the same soil either, or the same amendments, or making it themselves and adapting the recipe to local availability, and so these differences can account for a lot of discrepancies that aren't covered when people just say 'organic'. You also pay for convenience as with every other industry.
Some people haven't really figured out the reamending/recycling part of organic soil growing either, so if you're buying fresh bags of premade soil every single grow like some people, its gonna be expensive.
A lot of people get hooked into the marketing and buy all the extras products. Now some of these products are really good, but generally speaking, you can get top notch results with just good soil, tap water, and a healthy dash of love. Getting the soil, watering, environment, and lighting right is of 95% plus of the battle.
In my opinion, using one or two of the best extras sparingly, like a quality microbe complex can be worthwhile, but a lot of people get caught up in ALL the extras and fancy new brands/labels/products, instead of focusing on improving their grow skills which would raise the ceiling on their grows (metaphorically speaking) much more than any product could. Its just general consumerism bleeding into the grow world. New iPhone every year type shit. That sort of stuff really pushes up the overall costs.
Before I moved to the water only organic soil, I mostly grew with the Canna Terra liquid nutrient line. I know Canna is not the cheapest brand, but compared to my relatively low cost approach to organic water only soil growing, I'm pretty sure I was spending more with the liquid nutes. This is looking at things over the course of a few cycles recycling soil, and I've gone to quite an effort to reduce costs by DIYing soil, adapting to local availability, selecting cheaper amendments/sources without sacrificing quality, recycling soil etc.
I reuse 50% of my Hydroton because the labor it takes to clean the other half isn’t worth it.
I’ve been a hydro grower for a long time. Always curious about natural organic growing for my mother plants and breeding though.