Radogast 2 - Return of the Clones

SweetLeef said:
Hey Sue,

How often do you stir the soil during the 30 day cooking time? Weekly? Couple times a week?

Hoping to get some soil going in the next week or so!
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Once a week SweetLeef.
 
Thanks! :high-five:
 
Happy 420 peeps! pullout your good stuff, where Mama keeps the cookies...Top Shelf :yahoo:
 
I see you're having fun with the theme of the day. Happy 4/20 Rad. :laughtwo::green_heart:
 
I dry mixed 5 ten gallon geopots of Clackamas Coot LOS mix.
The large watering tray is in my empty 4x8 flowering room.
I'm warming another 10-12 gallons of tap water for a day
The flowering room is 55-65 °F. It's that warm enough to cook the soil in the dark?
Shall I cook the soil in 65-70°F CFL lit garden room instead? Shaded or under the lights?
 
Radogast said:
I dry mixed 5 ten gallon geopots of Clackamas Coot LOS mix.
The large watering tray is in my empty 4x8 flowering room.
I'm warming another 10-12 gallons of tap water for a day
The flowering room is 55-65 °F. It's that warm enough to cook the soil in the dark?
Shall I cook the soil in 65-70°F CFL lit garden room instead? Shaded or under the lights?
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Go with the warmth, cover the soil. Stir once a week and add more water if needed. In the end the soil should hold together when you squeeze a clump, but fall apart easily when touched. That's how you know you have it right. It works out to about 2 1/2-3 gallons of water per cubic foot.

The excitement level rises. This soil mix is incredible Rad. Prepare to be amazed. :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
SweetSue said:
Go with the warmth, cover the soil. Stir once a week and add more water if needed. In the end the soil should hold together when you squeeze a clump, but fall apart easily when touched. That's how you know you have it right. It works out to about 2 1/2-3 gallons of water per cubic foot.

The excitement level rises. This soil mix is incredible Rad. Prepare to be amazed. :cheesygrinsmiley:
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As a method of covering the soil, what do you think about storing fabric pots of damp soil in covered black plastic plastic bins?
 
I can't think of any reason why that wouldn't work. I store mine loose in a closed plastic bin. Nice touch with the fabric bags. What kind, if I may be so bold? Burlap sprang to mind when I read that. Made my silly heart skip a beat. :laughtwo::green_heart:
 
SweetSue said:
I can't think of any reason why that wouldn't work. I store mine loose in a closed plastic bin. Nice touch with the fabric bags. What kind, if I may be so bold? Burlap sprang to mind when I read that. Made my silly heart skip a beat. :laughtwo::green_heart:
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Nothing so rustic as burlap:). I went with Geopots from build a soil.


The second floor of ten-gallon Geopots.

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Geopot condominium overlooking the worm condo.


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They all look fantastic. Happy and healthy.
 
Those plants are awesome dude. Is that a dream catcher over the grey bucket in the back row :slide:
How many days are the new clones? The humidity looks great. :) I usually trim the leaves in half, it is supposed to help the hormones direct energy to making roots err something like that. At this point since I don't know when you took the cuttings I don't know if it would be helping or hurting by trimming the leaves. Might want to allow someone else to chime in on that to be sure :reading420magazine:
 
Ahhh Rad, so good to see lusciousness in your grow space again. (contented sigh) Once again the universe feels just right. They're taking off nicely now. :slide:
 
xtrchessreal said:
Those plants are awesome dude. Is that a dream catcher over the grey bucket in the back row :slide:
How many days are the new clones? The humidity looks great. :) I usually trim the leaves in half, it is supposed to help the hormones direct energy to making roots err something like that. At this point since I don't know when you took the cuttings I don't know if it would be helping or hurting by trimming the leaves. Might want to allow someone else to chime in on that to be sure :reading420magazine:
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Not an official dream catcher. I bent wire to hang stones to "inspire" the girls to grow :)

I cut about 1/3 of the larger leaves on the clones. The clones were taken about 10 days ago. They don't feel like they have really taken yet, which it's why I'm keeping the clone mothers alive in the 5 gallon buckets.
 
10 or more days, don't be impatient they will come along. I breathe into my dome every time I'm checking on them, for the CO2 and at this point I usually have the breathing holes open with a small fan oscillating over the dome. Whatever my instincts tell me.
Its like praying to the Midi-chlorians :) lol
 
SweetSue said:
Ahhh Rad, so good to see lusciousness in your grow space again. (contented sigh) Once again the universe feels just right. They're taking off nicely now. :slide:
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It still feels like I am playing catchup with the soil.

The seedlings are in an "uncooked" mix of potting soil, compost, sphagnum peat moss and perlite. I have been doing water only. There is a little burn/deficiency with Leilani but it's not getting worse at this time.

For my organic living soil, I used the CC mix and rock dust from build-a-soil with peat moss, worm castings/lobster compost, and perlite. I dry mixed, then mixed in water to a squeezed sponge dampness, and covered.

I feel like I missed a step.

_ _ _ _

I haven't purchased 8 bags of perlite to SWICK the 4x8' flowering room floor - yet.

I'm considering using the big black tubs for SWICK basins instead.

_ _ _ _ _

I ordered some kelp meal for plant tea tonight. I have various jarred herbs, including Comfrey and St. John's Wort that I could use in a pinch. I have popcorn for sprouts, but I don't have a plan for teas.

Outside, about the only greenery now is Skunk Cabbage. I'll have lots of ferns soon. I'll have a few dandelion soon after that. I'm planting Comfrey soon. As I said, I don't have a plan for teas.

_ _ _ _

I am considering adding earthworms and worm castings as a top dressing to the living soil, and mycorrhizae to roots when I pot up plants in about a month. I'm guessing I should add worm castings to pots about every 3 months- but if the worms enjoy the no-till pots I don't need to do this.

_ _ _

More than one thought there.. comments encouraged.
 
Radogast said:
It still feels like I am playing catchup with the soil.

The seedlings are in an "uncooked" mix of potting soil, compost, sphagnum peat moss and perlite. I have been doing water only. There is a little burn/deficiency with Leilani but it's not getting worse at this time.

For my organic living soil, I used the CC mix and rock dust from build-a-soil with peat moss, worm castings/lobster compost, and perlite. I dry mixed, then mixed in water to a squeezed sponge dampness, and covered.

I feel like I missed a step.
You may feel like that because you've watched me get all crazy with diversity in my mixes. LOL! The lobster compost - envy Rad. Excellent choice.

_ _ _ _

I haven't purchased 8 bags of perlite to SWICK the 4x8' flowering room floor - yet.

I'm considering using the big black tubs for SWICK basins instead.
I heartily endorse this thought.

_ _ _ _ _

I ordered some kelp meal for plant tea tonight. I have various jarred herbs, including Comfrey and St. John's Wort that I could use in a pinch. I have popcorn for sprouts, but I don't have a plan for teas.
Purchase some malted barley grain. The benefits are superior to everything else. The kelp meal is indispensable. Keep some reconstituted in the fridge for easy mixing. The powder does not mix well at all.

Outside, about the only greenery now is Skunk Cabbage. I'll have lots of ferns soon. I'll have a few dandelion soon after that. I'm planting Comfrey soon. As I said, I don't have a plan for teas.

You hit the new soil with a simple ACT to establish a strong microbial presence and then hit them with plant-based teas when the urge strikes. The soil will carry your plants through harvest if you do nothing other than water, so you have plenty of stress-free time to get used to the teas. I do my regular weekly thing because I'm no-till, but my first run I couldn't afford everything at once and the pots got minimal additions.
_ _ _ _

I am considering adding earthworms and worm castings as a top dressing to the living soil, and mycorrhizae to roots when I pot up plants in about a month. I'm guessing I should add worm castings to pots about every 3 months- but if the worms enjoy the no-till pots I don't need to do this.
You only need to top dress with vermicompost at the beginning of each cycle, as you reset the pots following harvest, at a depth of between 2-4", depending on the relative health of the last crop. Even with worms in the pot you want to top dress before beginning another cycle.

Definitely yes on the myco. You'll be transplanting into the soil, so dust the scored roots and the planting hole with myco and then let them go. By the time you get ready to harvest they will be firmly established.
_ _ _

More than one thought there.. comments encouraged.
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I like the way you're thinking it all through. It's that up front attentiveness and the ability to let it go at some point and let the soil run with it that brings the best results IMO. Once it's planted you can relax and enjoy the show.

Bedtime for me. It's been fun chasing you around tonight Rad. All these threads I keep starting are keeping me busy. Not that I'm complaining. :laughtwo::green_heart:

I know you won't see this until morning, so have a splendid day Rad. :Love:
 
SweetSue said:
I like the way you're thinking it all through. It's that up front attentiveness and the ability to let it go at some point and let the soil run with it that brings the best results IMO. Once it's planted you can relax and enjoy the show.

Bedtime for me. It's been fun chasing you around tonight Rad. All these threads I keep starting are keeping me busy. Not that I'm complaining. :laughtwo::green_heart:

I know you won't see this until morning, so have a splendid day Rad. :Love:
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I should have been asleep, but I still have almost 2 hours before my alarm goes off to shower before work...
 
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