SoilGirl's Indoor Organic Soil Medical Grow Journal - Mars II 1600 & Other LEDs

[akisunni]

So, I have a design in my head... it basically would hopefully (after some whoops no doubt) Tell you the soil moisture levels in your container for every X inches. ie 4 or 5 different readings, each one 2 inches deeper for example.

 

[SweetSue]

So, I have a design in my head... it basically would hopefully (after some whoops no doubt) Tell you the soil moisture levels in your container for every X inches. ie 4 or 5 different readings, each one 2 inches deeper for example.

That would be something I'd like to see aki. When you're gardening in deep pots there's a lot of faith that you're getting it right. Particularly with a no-till. I'm sure once I actually have plants growing it gets easier to gauge.

 

[B A R]

Hello SoulGirl. Your my first stop on this long journey catching back up...

 

[COorganics]

As far as watering big pots correctly goes...
I've really been combining bottom watering thru the saucer, then finishing with normal top watering of container. I think this is one of the better ways to ensure that the entire mass of soil gets thoroughly watered. The key is to go slow and steady through the entire watering process. Or one could invest in blumats.
Welcome | Sustainable Village

Gfcollective, As far as mulching indoor containers goes, maybe it isn't for everybody but it makes lots of sense if you think about it. I also have not been following member curso's journals, but I think what we are doing is a little more than adding canna leaves to used soil and recycling it. Simply put, we are just trying to replicate what happens in nature, but indoors in containers. I don't think the soil microbes have any idea that they are indoors, in a container. The concept of creating and nurturing a SFW driven growing system indoors is fascinating to some, like me, and the results are amazing.

Edit:
In the future I'd like to grow indoors in one large bed, using blumats to water. Container size is one of the limiting factors for yield, I think all agree with that??..or maybe not, idk. Anyway, massive containers with a system to keep them ideally moist all the time sounds like the ticket, easy and effective.

Edit edit:
SG,
I think mold is scary, although I have seen fuzzy mold in cooking soil bins, my mulch is never moldy. If part of it was moldy I'd probably toss that into the trash, if only to make me feel better about it. I don't see any mold on your mulch in above pic though, so I'm confused. Maybe it was on another pic on previous page. The mulch in picture above looks good. The point really is just to put SOMETHING on the top of your soil to protect it.

Edit edit edit, lol:
Here's a quick video a gentleman named Jeremy made, of the life under the barley mulch.

Not for the faint of heart.

 

[SoilGirl]

So, I have a design in my head... it basically would hopefully (after some whoops no doubt) Tell you the soil moisture levels in your container for every X inches. ie 4 or 5 different readings, each one 2 inches deeper for example.

That's awesome aki! I wish I was as tech savvy as you lol.

That would be something I'd like to see aki. When you're gardening in deep pots there's a lot of faith that you're getting it right. Particularly with a no-till. I'm sure once I actually have plants growing it gets easier to gauge.

Agreed.

Hello SoulGirl. Your my first stop on this long journey catching back up...

Hello Reg! Lol sorry for making your journey that much longer - yesterday was a talkative day for me. Best of luck catching up lol! (I know it can be a Very long task haha.) I hope you really enjoyed your thanksgiving with the family and everything is well and green in returning to the grow room.

As far as watering big pots correctly goes...
I've really been combining bottom watering thru the saucer, then finishing with normal top watering of container. I think this is one of the better ways to ensure that the entire mass of soil gets thoroughly watered. The key is to go slow and steady through the entire watering process. Or one could invest in blumats.
Welcome | Sustainable Village

Gfcollective, As far as mulching indoor containers goes, maybe it isn't for everybody but it makes lots of sense if you think about it. I also have not been following member curso's journals, but I think what we are doing is a little more than adding canna leaves to used soil and recycling it. Simply put, we are just trying to replicate what happens in nature, but indoors in containers. I don't think the soil microbes have any idea that they are indoors, in a container. The concept of creating and nurturing a SFW driven growing system indoors is fascinating to some, like me, and the results are amazing.

Edit:
In the future I'd like to grow indoors in one large bed, using blumats to water. Container size is one of the limiting factors for yield, I think all agree with that??..or maybe not, idk. Anyway, massive containers with a system to keep them ideally moist all the time sounds like the ticket, easy and effective.

Edit edit:
SG,
I think mold is scary, although I have seen fuzzy mold in cooking soil bins, my mulch is never moldy. If part of it was moldy I'd probably toss that into the trash, if only to make me feel better about it. I don't see any mold on your mulch in above pic though, so I'm confused. Maybe it was on another pic on previous page. The mulch in picture above looks good. The point really is just to put SOMETHING on the top of your soil to protect it.

Edit edit edit, lol:
Here's a quick video a gentleman named Jeremy made, of the life under the barley mulch.

Not for the faint of heart.

Yeahh, I didn't want the moldy bits to be on the top lol. I'm glad that was a good instinct lol, the thought of it touching my plant's living lower leaves was scary. So if they were on top while I was arranging the leaves and straw and twigs I moved them to the bottom of the mulch, like the more decayed leaves at the bottom of the leaf pile... also I noticed that when I watered some of the mold just slipped off the leaves, kinda like a pile of hair. no problems yet... I'll find a couple moldy bits and take pics later if I can haha. There's a couple small bits left on top, but they just look kinda... muddy now. Like leaves you find in a gutter.

ARGH!! Lol I love pill bugs but they can stay away from my mulch :O

LOL thanks so much for chipping in Corgie. I love your contributions here, always. Those blumats look awesome... another thing on the list of things I want... light movers... blumats... better mylar/panda plastic... more LED's... a legit air system... a better cloner, I could keep going forever. Always making little steps at least.

But yeah for watering I water with a water bottle really slowly, like 4-5 times over the watering day. and I've been watering every other day lately. I have lots of time lately. Lmao. >.< seems to work really well at least... the pots are so heavy afterwards.

 

[B A R]

Hello Reg! Lol sorry for making your journey that much longer - yesterday was a talkative day for me. Best of luck catching up lol! (I know it can be a Very long task haha.)

It's not a task at all SoulGirl. I enjoy 420ing & the company of all of you's...

 

[Gfcollective]

As far as watering big pots correctly goes...
I've really been combining bottom watering thru the saucer, then finishing with normal top watering of container. I think this is one of the better ways to ensure that the entire mass of soil gets thoroughly watered. The key is to go slow and steady through the entire watering process. Or one could invest in blumats.
Welcome | Sustainable Village

Gfcollective, As far as mulching indoor containers goes, maybe it isn't for everybody but it makes lots of sense if you think about it. I also have not been following member curso's journals, but I think what we are doing is a little more than adding canna leaves to used soil and recycling it. Simply put, we are just trying to replicate what happens in nature, but indoors in containers. I don't think the soil microbes have any idea that they are indoors, in a container. The concept of creating and nurturing a SFW driven growing system indoors is fascinating to some, like me, and the results are amazing.

Edit:
In the future I'd like to grow indoors in one large bed, using blumats to water. Container size is one of the limiting factors for yield, I think all agree with that??..or maybe not, idk. Anyway, massive containers with a system to keep them ideally moist all the time sounds like the ticket, easy and effective.

Edit edit:
SG,
I think mold is scary, although I have seen fuzzy mold in cooking soil bins, my mulch is never moldy. If part of it was moldy I'd probably toss that into the trash, if only to make me feel better about it. I don't see any mold on your mulch in above pic though, so I'm confused. Maybe it was on another pic on previous page. The mulch in picture above looks good. The point really is just to put SOMETHING on the top of your soil to protect it.

Edit edit edit, lol:
Here's a quick video a gentleman named Jeremy made, of the life under the barley mulch.

Not for the faint of heart.

hey COorganics! believe this is my first time speaking with you..

first i have a question for you, this bottom feeding. ive been reading about it and i dont understand what you guys mean, "feel up the saucer" when i feed my ladys, every feed water poors out my cloth pots and fills my saucer about half way. (is this the same concept you guys do accept you only poor a little water on top and then fill the saucer?)

the concept of mulcing makes perfect sense and im not trying to question it. i understand that leaves fall off, grass grows and dies, wind blows twigs and such so no bush or plant outside has a clean clear base. but the outside has enviornment conditions and natural predators that will help fight off the pests that form at the base of those (i believe). indoors you typically dont have those conditions to help battle if it does happen..

not saying it cant be done, im apparently watching it be done

About the mold, ill always fear the mold. i have heard of people welcoming mold into their compost piles, but i do believe its a specific form of mold. (not positive) i just know, i see any form of mold, and the spray bottle comes out and my milk mixture gets made. or in the case of my clones, i dont even risk opening the dome, they get tossed and container bleached outside.

have any of you mulchers thought of getting a transparent 3 or 5 gallon container and growing inside one of those? you could make a casing to keep the sunlight from the roots (same thing i do with my clones in dixy cups) and watch the roots form and attach to whatever it is you guys are creating down yonder

i think it would be a great step by step for people to watch and learn from (such as myself *cough cough*)

I&i

Edit : on the topic of lightmovers..

if your using the mars leds, from what i can see is the plug is not set up to be attached to a moving device such as a light mover. better safe then sorry, you wouldnt want a arc to happen because it wiggled the cord loose. i do love light movers, but ive only used them in hps grows where the cord is connected very well to the hood. i wouldnt put my 1600 on a light mover unless i rigged a better attachment for the cord.

 

[36Gr0w]

Bottom feeding is simply pouring your water/teas/w.e in your saucer and letting the medium soak it up. It is combined with a light top watering to stop the top from drying out. After a bit of practice now I can pretty accurately guess how much will be soaked up, give it that and come back 20 minutes or so later. I water up top at the same time I bottom feed, that way whatever I give up top doesn't quickly drain through.

 

[Gfcollective]

but lets say you poor 2 liters of water on the top, and half a liter fills the saucer while the rest soaks the medium..

then the medium continues to soak up the half liter at the bottom of the saucer. isnt this the same thing?

maybe its this chem dawg ive been smoking on but i just cant me sense of much these last couple days.. i have to many plants to do that with, its alot easier for me to grab my half gallon jug and poor it on top, the saucer usually gets a inch to inch and a half or feed filled up in her and i just leave it be, its always gone within a hour (never timed it)

seems like the same thing to me, just a different approach to it, i dano

I&i

Edit : im young but the old growers shaped me into their ways, ive been slowly breaking out into my own habbits ha

when you go to work for a grower, they actually rather you have little experience so they can teach you their way and you do it their way.. when you voice your different opinion as we do on here it just never works out that well haha

 

[COorganics]

Hey gfcollective,
Yes it is, and nice to "meet" ya!

Re: bottom watering, yes if you water 1st through the top, then it wouldn't work the same. Instead, when you have determined your plants need watering, you gently pour water into the saucer below the pot. The capillary action is amazing. My 10 gallon pots can soak up gallons of water through the bottom in short order (around 20 min). When I notice that they are slowing on soaking water up, I quit the bottom watering, wait for all that to soak up, then water a small amount slowly through the top. (I am going for minimal runoff here or none so the slowly part is key).

And I will have to certainly admit that when I previously used hydro clay balls as mulch I had less insect issues arise. I'm learning and growing all sorts off stuff and moving things indoors and out and back, sourcing materials from the forest, etc. so as you could imagine, I've been dealing with some bugs. But it's not bad, and it's a good learning experience. There are ways to combat anything, without buying anything, for real!! I think if you look at it as a trade off, healthy soil for potential bug issues, the good outweighs the bad.

Sounds like a pain in the ass to do all this for watering a large grow, or even a medium sized one, huh? I bet, I've never grown more than a handful of plants at a time, and I enjoy spending time with them watering them really nice slow and evenly. This isn't anything groundbreaking by anymeans, lol, just the way I like to water my plants now that my goal is never let the soil dry out, keeping it moist (not soaked) at all times. That's the goal, no more wet dry cycles, lifting the pot, reaching in with your fingers to see, etc etc.

 

[COorganics]

have any of you mulchers thought of getting a transparent 3 or 5 gallon container and growing inside one of those? you could make a casing to keep the sunlight from the roots (same thing i do with my clones in dixy cups) and watch the roots form and attach to whatever it is you guys are creating down yonder

i think it would be a great step by step for people to watch and learn from (such as myself *cough cough*)

I&i

Sounds cool. Ill watch if someone else does it. I'm already sold though, and I'd prefer just to keep my soil in the containers that it's already in. I think we would see the root system reaching up higher in the soil then it would sans mulch. It really would be interesting to see microscopic pictures of the soil micro organisms in the very top horizon of the soil, with mulch and without. I think that would be an eye opener.

On mold again really quick, in Colorado, indoor growers are fairly lucky when it comes to molds and mildew. My friends in the PNW and in MI battle mold and PM all the time. It's kinda a non issue fortunately where I'm at, for an example, I run a humidifier in the flower room, which my friends in MI think is absolutely nuts!

 

[SoilGirl]

I'm so happy seeing all this informational grow talk going on in here. Thanks everyone who has participated!! I really want this to be a good thread for conversation.

Gfc, I'd enjoy doing the transparent container idea eventually when I get to Real No-till growing. But that's a ways off for now. In the mean time, I can peel back some of the tape around RCB's container and show you guys what's going on down there haha. Would you like me to do that for now lol? I can have a few pics in no time.
And thank you for cautioning me about the power insert of the M II 1600 with light movers, that's something I hadn't really thought of :S dang - but whatever haha... light mover is about the last priority right now. But the concept fascinates me for sure. I really want those new topLED's that CO Finest is about to try out too (I saw you were interested too!), I'm gonna start saving up for 2 or 3 for a few months, then I should be set once they are on sale to general public.

Corgie, much love you awesome organic mountain man.

In a sec I'll do a update.

 

[SweetSue]

That video was beautiful. I can't figure out why we shy away from the deco posers of the animal kingdom, but then my yard always had more than my share of what I liked to call "spontaneous vegetation" but everyone called weeds. LOL

My pots sit above the tray on drain covers, so watering from the bottom would be impossible. You have me rethinking my set up, and I may set them right down onto the tray and follow your lead CO. It makes so much sense and solves that problem of guessing about the water.

 

[Gfcollective]

Hey gfcollective,
Yes it is, and nice to "meet" ya!

Re: bottom watering, yes if you water 1st through the top, then it wouldn't work the same. Instead, when you have determined your plants need watering, you gently pour water into the saucer below the pot. The capillary action is amazing. My 10 gallon pots can soak up gallons of water through the bottom in short order (around 20 min). When I notice that they are slowing on soaking water up, I quit the bottom watering, wait for all that to soak up, then water a small amount slowly through the top. (I am going for minimal runoff here or none so the slowly part is key).

And I will have to certainly admit that when I previously used hydro clay balls as mulch I had less insect issues arise. I'm learning and growing all sorts off stuff and moving things indoors and out and back, sourcing materials from the forest, etc. so as you could imagine, I've been dealing with some bugs. But it's not bad, and it's a good learning experience. There are ways to combat anything, without buying anything, for real!! I think if you look at it as a trade off, healthy soil for potential bug issues, the good outweighs the bad.

Sounds like a pain in the ass to do all this for watering a large grow, or even a medium sized one, huh? I bet, I've never grown more than a handful of plants at a time, and I enjoy spending time with them watering them really nice slow and evenly. This isn't anything groundbreaking by anymeans, lol, just the way I like to water my plants now that my goal is never let the soil dry out, keeping it moist (not soaked) at all times. That's the goal, no more wet dry cycles, lifting the pot, reaching in with your fingers to see, etc etc.

definetly makes sense and im in for the ride hah!

i dont have to lift my pots or stick my finger in them, ive been caregiving grows for so long that i know when and how much to water my medium for the size of pots i run. is there any noticable difference in bottom feeding? ive never had issues with roots or nutrient uptake other then me locking the nutes out myself with to high of a pH.

i know what you mean about spending time with your garden, as i sit here in our shop, talking on 420mag, my cellphone is displaying my 4 cameras in my grow. even when im away, i like to watch them. the only room i dont hang out in, is my led room. im not a fan of wearing glasses and that room i cant go around without glasses. but my veg room, i was in that room till 1am last night, fiance came in "im going to bed now" .."ok im a' coming"

i honestly dont have the time to spend 20 min per each plant (although i did just cut out 5 males last night) love when they show their sex just around 8 weeks in veg (20/4 light cycle)

if it was for my mother plants i could manage (only 6 of them), but right now im searching for 2 more mother plants out of 24. so 24(plants)x20(min) each = 480 min to wait for water to be uptaken.

so i could do this in the future, but is there a reason to? i have had no issues ever with watering other then not checking pH. but i use cloth pots, could this be the changing factor?

I&i

 

[Gfcollective]

I'm so happy seeing all this informational grow talk going on in here. Thanks everyone who has participated!! I really want this to be a good thread for conversation.

Gfc, I'd enjoy doing the transparent container idea eventually when I get to Real No-till growing. But that's a ways off for now. In the mean time, I can peel back some of the tape around RCB's container and show you guys what's going on down there haha. Would you like me to do that for now lol? I can have a few pics in no time.
And thank you for cautioning me about the power insert of the M II 1600 with light movers, that's something I hadn't really thought of :S dang - but whatever haha... light mover is about the last priority right now. But the concept fascinates me for sure. I really want those new topLED's that CO Finest is about to try out too (I saw you were interested too!), I'm gonna start saving up for 2 or 3 for a few months, then I should be set once they are on sale to general public.

Corgie, much love you awesome organic mountain man.

In a sec I'll do a update.

id prefer it be done with a test plant just so you dont break a taproot or disturb their rootzone. i dont want to cause a plant to die because of my curiosity.. dont let curiosity kill the plant! haha

it doesnt need to be done now or even in the next 2 months but i would love to see a small micro grow with this mulch concept and maybe even the saucer watering as well.. would make for a great journal!

I&i

Edit : they should make transparent pots with a sleeve to go on the outside, just so we can watch the magic below the soil!

 

[Gfcollective]

That video was beautiful. I can't figure out why we shy away from the deco posers of the animal kingdom, but then my yard always had more than my share of what I liked to call "spontaneous vegetation" but everyone called weeds. LOL

My pots sit above the tray on drain covers, so watering from the bottom would be impossible. You have me rethinking my set up, and I may set them right down onto the tray and follow your lead CO. It makes so much sense and solves that problem of guessing about the water.

haha o man my fiance would have a heart attack if i had that on the inside of our house, and shes a archaeologist, she plays in dirt all day haha.

i do love the living colonies in the soil, i believe that would actually benefit against pests like thirps gnats and mites (just leaves caterpillars for my area really)
but like i said above, i would need a garage like soilgirl has here or a shop outside. my fiance finds out i have a insecttopia in my tents and dear jah, cant imagine the conversation wed have haha

I&i

Edit : wow three posts in a row, sorry guys.. its a slow day and ive got 7 more hours sitting here ;P

 

[SoilGirl]

Gfc, it wouldn't disturb anything RCB is already in about a 1 gallon transparent container, I taped around the sides to block the light. I can just peel the stuff back, RCB is one of my healthiest, if not the healthiest plant. - and hey its my journal, post 10 times in a row if you feel like it lol.

 

[COorganics]

definetly makes sense and im in for the ride hah!

i dont have to lift my pots or stick my finger in them, ive been caregiving grows for so long that i know when and how much to water my medium for the size of pots i run. is there any noticable difference in bottom feeding? ive never had issues with roots or nutrient uptake other then me locking the nutes out myself with to high of a pH.

i know what you mean about spending time with your garden, as i sit here in our shop, talking on 420mag, my cellphone is displaying my 4 cameras in my grow. even when im away, i like to watch them. the only room i dont hang out in, is my led room. im not a fan of wearing glasses and that room i cant go around without glasses. but my veg room, i was in that room till 1am last night, fiance came in "im going to bed now" .."ok im a' coming"

i honestly dont have the time to spend 20 min per each plant (although i did just cut out 5 males last night) love when they show their sex just around 8 weeks in veg (20/4 light cycle)

if it was for my mother plants i could manage (only 6 of them), but right now im searching for 2 more mother plants out of 24. so 24(plants)x20(min) each = 480 min to wait for water to be uptaken.

so i could do this in the future, but is there a reason to? i have had no issues ever with watering other then not checking pH. but i use cloth pots, could this be the changing factor?

I&i

I "think" cloth pots would still soak up water. I have zero personal experience with those. As far as the 480 min to water, lol, that sounds terrible. It takes me around 20 minutes for my plants to take in lots of water through the bottom of the container. Ok yes, but It's like 20 min total, for all of them. They suck water up so quick, and the saucers only hold a little at a time, so you are moving from plant to plant, bottom watering them all until the containers aren't thirsty anymore, then a little water in the top too. It's not too time consuming. Watering has always been a little bit of a chore for me whatever the strategy was. Hell, I was carrying buckets into the attic, not too fun.

I wasn't trying to add anymore than a decent explanation of what works for me, and the style of organic farming/growing that I employ, I'm sure everyone has an opinion on what's the best way to water, and most ways probably work well. It's also worth noting that my soil has lots of drainage/aeration amendments in it, allowing the soil to be moist not soaking wet. Sometimes I water too much and have to drain the saucers, don't want them sitting in standing water. Those blumats and their sensors and one large raised bed would sure make this easy!

 

[SweetSue]

Gfcollective, that would be a product I would try. The challenge would be to find a pot material that could be transparent but also have the air rooting effect of fabric pots. I probably won't ever grow in plastic again.

 

[Gfcollective]

I "think" cloth pots would still soak up water. I have zero personal experience with those. As far as the 480 min to water, lol, that sounds terrible. It takes me around 20 minutes for my plants to take in lots of water through the bottom of the container. Ok yes, but It's like 20 min total, for all of them. They suck water up so quick, and the saucers only hold a little at a time, so you are moving from plant to plant, bottom watering them all until the containers aren't thirsty anymore, then a little water in the top too. It's not too time consuming. Watering has always been a little bit of a chore for me whatever the strategy was. Hell, I was carrying buckets into the attic, not too fun.

see, i always look to deep into things haha. yea may not take 480 min but still on top of the clones i do and the other gardens im part of i realy dont have the time, and its not the "i dont have time to get off the couch" i really dont have time to water like that. but i will attempt it tonight with my 6 mother plants. see how it goes, thanks for taking the time to teach a handicap grower

I&i