Soma Style Grow Bed in a "Bus Tub"?

[Wooderson]

I have planned on doing a Soma Style Grow Bed in a "Bus Tub"? The Bus tubs are 17" x 22" x 7" with 2 plants in each. A layer of Clay Hydro-tron pellets at the bottom with layer of Landscaping cloth. Then mix of organic soil with some perlite. Then I will run some vinyl pipe with hole in it down the sides to the bottom for vents to the clay pellets. Do you think this will be enough drainage?

 

[socbutter]

Great! Would love to see this grow please post pictures when you have the time.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

I have planned on doing a Soma Style Grow Bed in a "Bus Tub"? The Bus tubs are 17" x 22" x 7" with 2 plants in each. A layer of Clay Hydro-tron pellets at the bottom with layer of Landscaping cloth. Then mix of organic soil with some perlite. Then I will run some vinyl pipe with hole in it down the sides to the bottom for vents to the clay pellets. Do you think this will be enough drainage?

Wooderson

Another MMJ grower that I've been helping with did almost exactly what you're talking about doing.

The only real difference is that he made a 'frame' (for lack of a better word) out of PVC pipe that has 4 legs (i.e. one in each corner) that are connected about 30" above the soil line.

Each 'leg' of this frame was cut at a 45* angle at the bottom. Along all of the legs holes were drilled to increase the level of air going down to the base (he used pumice - much cheaper than Hydro-tron).

Pretty nice grow and it gave me a moment to pause and to consider doing something along this line.

Best wishes on your project!

CC

 

[Wooderson]

Wooderson

Another MMJ grower that I've been helping with did almost exactly what you're talking about doing.

The only real difference is that he made a 'frame' (for lack of a better word) out of PVC pipe that has 4 legs (i.e. one in each corner) that are connected about 30" above the soil line.

Each 'leg' of this frame was cut at a 45* angle at the bottom. Along all of the legs holes were drilled to increase the level of air going down to the base (he used pumice - much cheaper than Hydro-tron).

Pretty nice grow and it gave me a moment to pause and to consider doing something along this line.

Best wishes on your project!

CC

Hey thanks for the help
Question; pumice like lava rock for landscaping?

 

[JackTheGrower]

Ah.. By chance are talking the old Soma roll around types?

Well air under the soil is what I feel Soma was after. After meeting Soma and seeing how Amsterdam is I think air is an essential element in Soma's designs. An influence that serves cannabis growers well.

7 inches... deep in top to bottom?

Are you designing a growing tray or an organic soil box..


Ernst

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Hey thanks for the help
Question; pumice like lava rock for landscaping?

Correct, sir!!

 

[redneck shogun]

I was really intrigued by the way soma grew when I first heard about it so it will be great to learn more about it. subrscribed

 

[Clackamas Coot]

I was really intrigued by the way soma grew when I first heard about it so it will be great to learn more about it. subrscribed

redneck shogun

A good place to learn about the 'science' behind the Soma Table paradigm would be to start with 'Darwin's Root Brain Theory' which was completely and totally rejected by soil scientists for over 100 years until about 3 years ago.

It's now an 'exciting' paradigm - go figure.

HTH

CC

 

[JackTheGrower]

Nice pdf @ http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/psb/article/10574/

Nice topic CC..

So with that I think CC and I are on the same page.. Root space makes for the best plants.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Nice pdf @ http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/psb/article/10574/

Nice topic CC..

So with that I think CC and I are on the same page.. Root space makes for the best plants.

The Doctor clone I had grew a huge tap root where other clones didn't so even clones can grow some deep roots.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

So with that I think CC and I are on the same page.. Root space makes for the best plants.

Yep - big time.

Plants can and do 'exchange' nutrients in a community grow paradigm. That's a fact and not an opinion.

Plants can also exchange agents to fight invasive agents like mites and powdery mildew.

Soma had the deal right - it's a shame that his method hasn't been more widely studied and tested, IMHO

YMMV

CC

 

[JackTheGrower]

I was really intrigued by the way soma grew when I first heard about it so it will be great to learn more about it. subrscribed

I was reading he switched to organic hydro as of late..

But a soil box is cool still.. Are you going to build a unit or many units?

Also how many of us here are in the big box grow group?

I never thought to ask before.

My box construction is a thread on another site. Let me know if I need to post the link. It can give folks some ideas..

Ernst

 

[JackTheGrower]

Yep - big time.

Plants can and do 'exchange' nutrients in a community grow paradigm. That's a fact and not an opinion.

Plants can also exchange agents to fight invasive agents like mites and powdery mildew.

Soma had the deal right - it's a shame that his method hasn't been more widely studied and tested, IMHO

YMMV

CC

They also fight.. I noticed competitive growth. That one will try and cover the other and hog the light..

Once I felt as if I had interrupted a chat, between the plants, session when i opened the door on the box. That was a strange moment.

We have more to learn.. Organic soil is a honest frame of reference for all cannabis folks..

 

[Wooderson]

Ah.. By chance are talking the old Soma roll around types?

Well air under the soil is what I feel Soma was after. After meeting Soma and seeing how Amsterdam is I think air is an essential element in Soma's designs. An influence that serves cannabis growers well.

7 inches... deep in top to bottom?

Are you designing a growing tray or an organic soil box..


Ernst

I have planned on doing a Soma Style Grow Bed in a "Bus Tub"? The Bus tubs are 17" x 22" x 7" with 2 plants in each. A layer of Clay Hydro-tron pellets at the bottom with layer of Landscaping cloth. Then mix of organic soil with some perlite. Then I will run some vinyl pipe with hole in it down the sides to the bottom for vents to the clay pellets. Do you think this will be enough drainage?

It's Bus Tub Like from a restaurant, 17" wide x 22" long x 7" Deep not really a grow tray or a soil box.

 

[Burt]

after seeing a couple fight it out years ago-i've stuck to one per planter

 

[JackTheGrower]

after seeing a couple fight it out years ago-i've stuck to one per planter

I see it.. That some "over grow" the rest especially the boys..

I have seen then all grow respectfully as well..

So i believe in "root brain"

Why would life only be intelligent in Man? That Man would think he is the King of it all because of religion is retarded.

Separateness is the root of our dysfunction.. Thinking we are separate from all other things, in a Universe when we are made from the stuff of stars like everything else, is a sickness.

That's is why I like the planter bed micro-environment system I have made. It isn't an alter to separateness in the image of Man's beliefs.

 

[HighonPottery]

i think you'll have better luck with a big rubbermaid tote vs a busser's tub. tub is not deep enough and the rubbermaid is relatively the same footprint. i've stuck up to 6 plants in a big rubbermaid (30gal?), but they didn't do as well - might have been more related to them being two different strains. i've put 1, 2, and 4 in them and they're awesome. never tried it soma style though - i just perforate the bottom and put a 2" layer of perlite, hydroton, rocks, whatever you got then a layer of screen/landscape fabric. works great!

 

[Wooderson]

i think you'll have better luck with a big rubbermaid tote vs a busser's tub. tub is not deep enough and the rubbermaid is relatively the same footprint. i've stuck up to 6 plants in a big rubbermaid (30gal?), but they didn't do as well - might have been more related to them being two different strains. i've put 1, 2, and 4 in them and they're awesome. never tried it soma style though - i just perforate the bottom and put a 2" layer of perlite, hydroton, rocks, whatever you got then a layer of screen/landscape fabric. works great!

Thanks for the advices HighonPottery, I was kind of thinking that bigger tub would be best;

Question; do you ventilate the soil with pvc pipes buried in it?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Question; do you ventilate the soil with pvc pipes buried in it?

Wooderson

If he doesn't then you should.

CC

 

[HighonPottery]

no. what i did was put about 50, 3/16" holes on the bottom of the tube and then did a row around the bottom, 1" up the side walls. I then put down about 2" of perlite and put a landscape fabric sheet over this. it's pretty well ventilated, but not with a tube like Soma uses - he also doesn't have drainage holes either. it seems to work out just fine, but what i have become more fond of recently is getting air all the way around the roots. i do this with "DIY smartpots" sewn from landscape fabric - for the larger ones, i'll put it inside of a milk crate to keep the shape.

i think you'll like the tub though if you're doing a bed. they're cheap and readily available. i could see the busser's tub being useful if you have height restrictions and wanted to put like one plant in there and do a SCROG.