Living Soil is a growing method centered on the microbial life inside the soil. Through evolution over thousands of years, Mother Nature has developed a symbiotic relationship between the plants and the microbial life in the soil: fungi, bacteria, protozoa, and many other types. These microorganisms form a soil food web that help feed the plants, in exchange from carbons and sugars that the plant releases (extrudes) through their roots into the soil. In this organic style of growing, the power is given back to the plants, who as living beings have evolved over time to learn to feed their own needs by finding what they require in the soil in which they live. It is this ecosystem in the soil and its relationship with the plant that we call living soil.
  • j_robyOPM
    2·
    1 year ago

    Soil (and I mean just that, not horticultural peat or other media) provides a lot of sustainability and robustness into agronomic systems, compared to soiless analogues.

    I agree, this would be the most sustainable approach, especially in the long run. Unfortunately, the vast majority of commercial cannabis is grown in some type of soilless media. Whether it be potting soil, pure coco coir, rockwool, or hydroponic. All of which require large amounts of inputs (and prone to human error) throughout the growth cycle, usually in the form of liquid chelated fertilizers.

    If using potting soil tho, it’s entirely possible to employ these living soil methods while doing so, especially if you build the potting mix yourself rather than the premixed commercially available products. Obviously, building the mix yourself requires a large amount of inputs initially, but if built right it can sustain itself for a long period of time. I have a few raised beds in the greenhouses that went for 12 crops with just a small topdressing of compost and earthworm castings in between each round. (We just ended up needing to solarize them and start over after a nematode outbreak, but that’s a story for another day)

    Even starting with a premixed potting soil, you can cultivate it in a way to not need liquid fertilizers at all and dramatically reduce the need for any other inputs. It will still need some inputs over time, but far less than most other industry standards for cultivating this plant.

    I guess my goal in sharing this is to help push people towards healthier ways of growing, for the hobbyist and professional alike.

    • Track_Shovel
      2·
      1 year ago

      Your goal is a noble one. There is a lot of misinformation that flies around in horticulture and permaculture, but you do a really nice job of presenting accurate info (which is rare).

      Potting mixes and soiless media can definitely work, and you can create something that is relativelyow maintenance, as you mentioned. As you’ve said, there’s a lot of room for human error.

      On the human error part, the article mentions that conventional methods essentially force feed plants. While I really like that it gets at that the ratios in which nutrients are provided can be wrong, it is worth noting that plants won’t uptake things they don’t need. Thus, it’s not so much a force feeding, but rather not meeting nutritional needs.

      Every species has their own nutritional needs, and some micronutrient ranges are narrow, or there are interactions with other nutrients. Boron starts to get toxic above 5 ppm, for isntance, and can fuck with nitrogen uptake. All of this leads to humans usually not getting it right, or getting it as right as they could.

      • Track_Shovel
        2·
        1 year ago

        Sidebar: if you’re using compost, particularly that contingent manure, make sure you’re watching your soil salinity levels. Cattle manure in particular can be dicey, since the animals are provided salt licks usually.

        • j_robyOPM
          2·
          1 year ago

          Your goal is a noble one. There is a lot of misinformation that flies around in horticulture and permaculture, but you do a really nice job of presenting accurate info (which is rare).

          Thanks man, I appreciate hearing that from you.

          I don’t use manure composts at all for our commercial crops, just plant-based - there’s just too much of a risk of human pathogens if it’s not aged or composted thoroughly. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if someone got ill from something I produced.

          For my personal stash tho, I do collect manure from my neighbor’s free-range cattle pastures and let it age for a year or two before mixing into my garden. I’ve never bothered with getting my personal garden spaces’ soil tested. Maybe I should next time.