Hydro vs Soil?

[PufferLungs]

I was recently fortunate enough to be given a sample of some hydro grown. The buds were VERY dense and heavy. Not wet. Just dense and heavy. But when smoked, it was popping and crackling. I am guessing this is because of all the solids left from the non-organic fertilizers - but I'm really just guessing.

I know this is probably a big can of worms - since soil growers are going to put down hydro and the hydro is going to put down the soil growers. I sincerely hope we might have an honest, non-emotional discussion of the pros and cons of hydro vs soil.

Is ALL hydro done with non-organic nutrients? Would it be possible to grow hydro with organic nutrients and still get that same bud density without the popping and crackling when smoked?

Nope - I don't know a darn thing about growing. All I know is lugging soil around up and down stairs is a pain in the butt and it's heavy. :(

[dennisjill]

Yes, there are organic nutrients for hydroponically grown plants. Since you can get organic or non-organic fertilizer for soil, my guess would be curing causing the snap crackle pop.
Dennis from Montana

[palerider7777]

you can grow 100% organic in hydro.alot of what you hear about dro and soil is street talk.

[PufferLungs]

So does ALL hydro grown have that same density? Or was it just this particular strain? I am not positive of the name but I think it was Grandpa Purple or Granddaddy Purple -- something like that. It sure was purple. I've just never seen buds so heavy and dense. A tiny nugget the size of the last joint on your thumb weighed an entire gram.

One of my friends told me that probably 90% of the stuff I've been buying from the dispensary is hydro. But I kinda think that might be BS. All the buds I've purchased from the dispensary were lighter density and none of them had that crackle and pop sound when smoked. I just assumed they were soil grown - but I don't have a whole lot of experience at identifying what type or kind of weed it is.

[palerider7777]

So does ALL hydro grown have that same density? Or was it just this particular strain? I am not positive of the name but I think it was Grandpa Purple or Granddaddy Purple -- something like that. It sure was purple. I've just never seen buds so heavy and dense. A tiny nugget the size of the last joint on your thumb weighed an entire gram.

One of my friends told me that probably 90% of the stuff I've been buying from the dispensary is hydro. But I kinda think that might be BS. All the buds I've purchased from the dispensary were lighter density and none of them had that crackle and pop sound when smoked. I just assumed they were soil grown - but I don't have a whole lot of experience at identifying what type or kind of weed it is.

you can have dense soil bud too.thats more to do with light, yes nutes can be added to dense up the bud but light has alot to do with that as well.strain has alot to do with it too.thai stick for instances that is a lanky and not dense.thats the strain.

[frostedwonder]

The snapping and crackling and popping is from the grower not flushing out the medium (soil or hydro)nutes a week or two before harvesting. Did the smoke sting your lips as well? I had to throw out some of my first indoor crop because of not doing things just right..sucked.

[neversummer]

True organic is grown in soil. There are lots of reactions, and things that happen in the soil, that dont happen in hydro. Marijuana is a plant that has roots, that belong in soil.

[PufferLungs]

It didn't sting my lips and it wasn't harsh. It was BUNK and took 3 or 4 hits out of my glass pipe to get high. Then it wasn't all the powerful of a high. Didn't last long - I was searching for my pipe again in 45 minutes. I don't have a high tolerance either. I smoke about 1g a week. If it had any potency at all I should have been blasted for at least 2hrs before even thinking about hitting the pipe again. It should not have taken 3 or 4 hits (basically a whole bowl) to get high either. Good thing it was free. I won't be purchasing any of that anytime soon.

[senorx12562]

True organic is grown in soil. There are lots of reactions, and things that happen in the soil, that dont happen in hydro. Marijuana is a plant that has roots, that belong in soil.
I'm afraid you would have to provide some evidence of your assertion before I believe that the medium the plant is grown in has anything to do with taste or how it burns. The medium doesn't "do" anything except allow for transport of nutrients and oxygen to, and away from, the plant's roots via water. As long as those things are being accomplished, it doesn't matter whether it's little balls of clay or dirt or air. I think it would have to be what's going into the plant and/or what's still in it that controls how it tastes or burns, not how it got in.

[neversummer]

I'm afraid you would have to provide some evidence of your assertion before I believe that the medium the plant is grown in has anything to do with taste or how it burns. The medium doesn't "do" anything except allow for transport of nutrients and oxygen to, and away from, the plant's roots via water. As long as those things are being accomplished, it doesn't matter whether it's little balls of clay or dirt or air. I think it would have to be what's going into the plant and/or what's still in it that controls how it tastes or burns, not how it got in.

Ill show you some organic medicine grown in soil, that will blow any hydro away. The evidence is in the finished product for me! Been smoking 15 years, and for me personally, the best buds i have smoke have all been grown organically in soil. It just makes since to me. Plants belong in dirt. Im sure there are organic growers that could explain it better than me. As i understand it , there are more, and better nutrients in soil, than hydro. And soil is a better medium for organic fertilzers? I could be wrong, but thats how i have found to get the best buds.

I do have some purple kush that was grown hydro, and it stinks.

[palerider7777]

True organic is grown in soil. There are lots of reactions, and things that happen in the soil, that dont happen in hydro. Marijuana is a plant that has roots, that belong in soil.

every plant has roots. and your talking about enzimes and good bacteria. but your right i think everyone should stop with the hydro and stick to soil........everyone but me.

[palerider7777]

Ill show you some organic medicine grown in soil, that will blow any hydro away. The evidence is in the finished product for me! Been smoking 15 years, and for me personally, the best buds i have smoke have all been grown organically in soil. It just makes since to me. Plants belong in dirt. Im sure there are organic growers that could explain it better than me. As i understand it , there are more, and better nutrients in soil, than hydro. And soil is a better medium for organic fertilzers? I could be wrong, but thats how i have found to get the best buds.

I do have some purple kush that was grown hydro, and it stinks.

no i would'nt wait for the organic growers to talk.it came from your mouth so plz you have the floor...plz explain if not i can explain what your were "trying" to say above....btw you can get those same enzimes and bacteria in hydro setups......

[palerider7777]

I'm afraid you would have to provide some evidence of your assertion before I believe that the medium the plant is grown in has anything to do with taste or how it burns. The medium doesn't "do" anything except allow for transport of nutrients and oxygen to, and away from, the plant's roots via water. As long as those things are being accomplished, it doesn't matter whether it's little balls of clay or dirt or air. I think it would have to be what's going into the plant and/or what's still in it that controls how it tastes or burns, not how it got in.

yea thats about as funny as peeps saying they put bannas and other fruit in the grow to make the meds taste like the fruit lmao.

[senorx12562]

Ill show you some organic medicine grown in soil, that will blow any hydro away. The evidence is in the finished product for me! Been smoking 15 years, and for me personally, the best buds i have smoke have all been grown organically in soil. It just makes since to me. Plants belong in dirt. Im sure there are organic growers that could explain it better than me. As i understand it , there are more, and better nutrients in soil, than hydro. And soil is a better medium for organic fertilzers? I could be wrong, but thats how i have found to get the best buds.

I do have some purple kush that was grown hydro, and it stinks.
I understand what you are saying, I just don't buy it. What you have is anecdotal evidence. Not real evidence. Now I've had a difficult time getting a satisfactory answer to the question of good organic nutes for hydro, but I think it's because organic nutes tend to clog up the works in a hydro system, not because they don't work for the plants. To make me believe, I would have to see a double-blind test between hydro-org., hydro-chem., soil org., and soil chem. with all being well flushed. I would bet all I have (which is nothing unfortunately) that no one could tell soil-org. from soil-chem. And I grow organically in soil, but only because thats what sells the best, not because I think there is really any difference.

And by the way, I've been smoking for 35 years, as if that mattered.

[PufferLungs]

One person told me the reason the hydro I smoked was so dense is because it was not organic and the density came from residual solids left over in the buds. He told me the solids cannot be broken down unless the plants had been flushed - or simply fed straight water the last few weeks.

Is there any truth to that or just more street talk?

I've been smoking for 22yrs - not that it matters. :jointsmile: I still don't know squat about growing or the difference between a sativa and an indica. I'm sure I could tell the difference in the buzz if I smoked the 2 - but I wouldn't be able to say - yup that one is a sativa and this one here is an indica.

[neversummer]

I understand what you are saying, I just don't buy it. What you have is anecdotal evidence. Not real evidence. Now I've had a difficult time getting a satisfactory answer to the question of good organic nutes for hydro, but I think it's because organic nutes tend to clog up the works in a hydro system, not because they don't work for the plants. To make me believe, I would have to see a double-blind test between hydro-org., hydro-chem., soil org., and soil chem. with all being well flushed. I would bet all I have (which is nothing unfortunately) that no one could tell soil-org. from soil-chem. And I grow organically in soil, but only because thats what sells the best, not because I think there is really any difference.

And by the way, I've been smoking for 35 years, as if that mattered.

I think the opinion of someone whose smoked for 35 years matters more than some on who has only smoke for a couple years.

I believe that organic soil grown is the best. It is definatley what i prefer. I cant make people who dont want to believe , believe. Its all a matter of opinion. And i am just giving mine. I guess i dont have a the techncal knowledge to back it up, but i got the SOUR STAR in my vaporizer that i havent seen anything better. Especially no bs hydro. :rastabong:

[palerider7777]

I understand what you are saying, I just don't buy it. What you have is anecdotal evidence. Not real evidence. Now I've had a difficult time getting a satisfactory answer to the question of good organic nutes for hydro, but I think it's because organic nutes tend to clog up the works in a hydro system, not because they don't work for the plants. To make me believe, I would have to see a double-blind test between hydro-org., hydro-chem., soil org., and soil chem. with all being well flushed. I would bet all I have (which is nothing unfortunately) that no one could tell soil-org. from soil-chem. And I grow organically in soil, but only because thats what sells the best, not because I think there is really any difference.

And by the way, I've been smoking for 35 years, as if that mattered.

you want a great organic nute line that does great in hydro?? it's abit pricey but well worth it.it's called bio heaven look it up..

[palerider7777]

I think the opinion of someone whose smoked for 35 years matters more than some on who has only smoke for a couple years.

I believe that organic soil grown is the best. It is definatley what i prefer. I cant make people who dont want to believe , believe. Its all a matter of opinion. And i am just giving mine. I guess i dont have a the techncal knowledge to back it up, but i got the SOUR STAR in my vaporizer that i havent seen anything better. Especially no bs hydro. :rastabong:

thats great as long as u like it who cares i say. just no need to add something thats not there to it.

[neversummer]

no i would'nt wait for the organic growers to talk.it came from your mouth so plz you have the floor...plz explain if not i can explain what your were "trying" to say above....btw you can get those same enzimes and bacteria in hydro setups......

Hydro is not organic. True organic marijuana is grown in soil. In Amsterdam they call it bio. Most organic hydro i see has no smell at all. Most organic soil i see has good flavor, and good smell. Hydro is for yield, and convenience. Soil is for stinky , tasty, potent, medicine. The secret is in the dirt, and the evidence is in the smoke. if you cant tell, or dont agree, fine.

I smoke good hydo all the time, i just prefer and think soil is where its at.

[palerider7777]

One person told me the reason the hydro I smoked was so dense is because it was not organic and the density came from residual solids left over in the buds. He told me the solids cannot be broken down unless the plants had been flushed - or simply fed straight water the last few weeks.

Is there any truth to that or just more street talk?

I've been smoking for 22yrs - not that it matters. :jointsmile: I still don't know squat about growing or the difference between a sativa and an indica. I'm sure I could tell the difference in the buzz if I smoked the 2 - but I wouldn't be able to say - yup that one is a sativa and this one here is an indica.
not true iv'e grown with all organic nutes in hydro and it's just as dense.im telling you what helps make dense buds main factor is light.put it this way if you grew out 2 of the very same say 2 clones from the same mom.all nutes and everything is the same except 1 was grown under say a 250 w hps and the other was under a 1k hps. you will see a big diffrence.i could go into alot of detail explaining how's and why's of it all but thats to much to write atm.

you have to understand alot of people come out here to setup a grow wanting to make money but they don't know jack about growing.they will stick a 400w in a closet grow sum half assed meds and think they know something.

btw the snap crack pop are you sure there were no seeds in it?

[justinsane33]

hydro gives me headaches

[palerider7777]

Hydro is not organic. True organic marijuana is grown in soil. In Amsterdam they call it bio. Most organic hydro i see has no smell at all. Most organic soil i see has good flavor, and good smell. Hydro is for yield, and convenience. Soil is for stinky , tasty, potent, medicine. The secret is in the dirt, and the evidence is in the smoke. if you cant tell, or dont agree, fine.

I smoke good hydo all the time, i just prefer and think soil is where its at.

yea the secret in the dirt is called nutes the food thats fed to the plants lmao. and if you say no smell,taste and so on then the person that grew it did'nt know what the fuck they were doing then.because it's not like that here. you should have smelt these 2 babies here very nice bubblegum/fruity smell. and a real nice citrus on the other like candy. and ya want to talk about dense? btw gave some to my uncle that had smoked sense the 50's and grew in soil from 70's on.he liked it so much he thought for sure it was soil.i said no he says gotta be it's so smooth and clean and tastes great.could'nt get enough.


so much for what ya hear on the street. it's called flushing/curing.big part in taste among other things...

[palerider7777]

hydro gives me headaches

then don't smoke it or find someone that knows what the hell there doing......:thumbsup:

[justinsane33]

then don't smoke it or find someone that knows what the hell there doing......:thumbsup:

all hydro anywhere. and i'm not the only one. ask around. so, no, i just don't smoke it. besides the basic idea of hydro goes against nature. plants grow in the soil. period.

[funkfingers]

I prefer OG soil myself, although I know it is possible to produce OG hydro that is comparable... It all lies in the hands of the person who is growing it. Hell even herb grown with chems can be really good provided it has had the proper flush and cure.. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and they all stink except for yours.

Ps not all plants grow in soil, even in nature.

[mainegrown]

damn.. that got intense for a bit there..
i grow in soil.. i go organic
but i do so because i dont have the $$ to build a GOOD
hydro setup.. if i go hydro i go all the way

~MG a.k.a. le Maine développé

[senorx12562]

I think the opinion of someone whose smoked for 35 years matters more than some on who has only smoke for a couple years.

I believe that organic soil grown is the best. It is definatley what i prefer. I cant make people who dont want to believe , believe. Its all a matter of opinion. And i am just giving mine. I guess i dont have a the techncal knowledge to back it up, but i got the SOUR STAR in my vaporizer that i havent seen anything better. Especially no bs hydro. :rastabong:
I'm not trying to bag on you. Many people agree with you, that's why I lug dirt. Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods make millions on people who feel the same as you, but there is still no scientific evidence of any benefit to organics, even in food, except to those who are selling it to you.

[stuartambient]

I'm afraid you would have to provide some evidence of your assertion before I believe that the medium the plant is grown in has anything to do with taste or how it burns. The medium doesn't "do" anything except allow for transport of nutrients and oxygen to, and away from, the plant's roots via water. As long as those things are being accomplished, it doesn't matter whether it's little balls of clay or dirt or air. I think it would have to be what's going into the plant and/or what's still in it that controls how it tastes or burns, not how it got in.

I've just starting researching it all, and while I think the original is wrong in the complete assertion I will say from what I've deduced so far is supposedly real organic growing does tend to be more in soil grown plants.

I've had a numbers of strains that were very dense ( no popping though) and I attribute that to the strain and the strains needs perhaps. For instance recently I had a strain called Orange Blossom. I have no idea on the genetics line, and I know the name is probably a throw. Still it was very dense and compared to the bigger buds of others by eye a small fraction. Weight is weight and typically when you break those tight heavy buds up your still left wit the same amount of material.

[stuartambient]

I understand what you are saying, I just don't buy it. What you have is anecdotal evidence. Not real evidence. Now I've had a difficult time getting a satisfactory answer to the question of good organic nutes for hydro, but I think it's because organic nutes tend to clog up the works in a hydro system, not because they don't work for the plants. .....

Yes, that is what I've been coming across in my readings.

[Vancefish]

Personally I've smoked a lot of soil grown and it was,... Weed. I've also smoked a lot of hydro,.. It was often better. However of all the hydro I had before the new rules I can't remember any of it crackling. The person I knew WAS flushing it out though. All the soil grown I've smoked was either Mexican brick (watch for bowl mines, they don't crackle they POP!!)or something that just happened to grow out back.:D

Just recently I've been trying the wares at dispensaries. One strain I liked the effect from is Sour diesel. So, I've bought 4 grams at three shops. First one was hydro. It was very good, great flavor and effect. Second was soil grown but lighter and airy(lower power lighting), it had the same effect as the first, tasted the same as well. Just not as dence. Most recent and Third was a hydro which was not flushed out enough. It had an odd Chem flavor which friends refused to smoke. Point is both can be lousy or Fabulous!

So just to be included in the fun,...

Hydro,.. Soil,... Hydro!,.. Soil!,..HYDRO!!,.. SOIL!!,..:beatdeadhorse:

[PufferLungs]

btw the snap crack pop are you sure there were no seeds in it?

Nope. No seeds.

[palerider7777]

Personally I've smoked a lot of soil grown and it was,... Weed. I've also smoked a lot of hydro,.. It was often better. However of all the hydro I had before the new rules I can't remember any of it crackling. The person I knew WAS flushing it out though. All the soil grown I've smoked was either Mexican brick (watch for bowl mines, they don't crackle they POP!!)or something that just happened to grow out back.:D

Just recently I've been trying the wares at dispensaries. One strain I liked the effect from is Sour diesel. So, I've bought 4 grams at three shops. First one was hydro. It was very good, great flavor and effect. Second was soil grown but lighter and airy(lower power lighting), it had the same effect as the first, tasted the same as well. Just not as dence. Most recent and Third was a hydro which was not flushed out enough. It had an odd Chem flavor which friends refused to smoke. Point is both can be lousy or Fabulous!

So just to be included in the fun,...

Hydro,.. Soil,... Hydro!,.. Soil!,..HYDRO!!,.. SOIL!!,..:beatdeadhorse:
im not going back and forth soil or hydro i'll say again everybody stop growing hydro go to soil and stay...everyone but me:jointsmile:

[frostedwonder]

One thing I have noticed first hand is that if you know someone who can grow da dankness in hydro if they ever switch back or go to soil they seem to handle ph/nutrition with ease and often do really well in soil and make some yummy goodness! Being more disciplined in general is always something I can admire.

[PufferLungs]

Couple people in here have said "it's all in the soil" - meaning the potency, taste and overall quality is directly related to the mixture of soil.

I know an old man who has been growing for 50yrs. He grows in big beds and uses the LST method to grow very short plants/bushes. He grows some of the dankest - fuck you out of your mind - 1 hit wonder - knock you on the couch for HOURS weed I've ever smoked.

He still won't tell me EXACTLY what ratio of ingredients he uses in his soil beds. But he said he uses bat shit and all kinds of other crap. Literally - he puts several different kinds of poop in his soil. He gets between 6-8oz per plant finished product.

If I knew what he was doing and I had the means to duplicate it - I'd be rich. The dispensary comes to him for pick-up and they pay him cash. They pay him $5000 a pound. :eek:

[mainegrown]

the old island boys around here have their own mix too..
some of them use a TON of seaweed and lobster shells..
want to taste some dank pot. grow it by the sea..


~MG a.k.a. le Maine développé

[frostedwonder]

We are lucky to live in "today". Things relating to agriculture are so readily available to larger markets and the quality of results people are able to have are amazing. A relationship with earth naturally comes through in the final product IMO. I never would have thought 15 years ago I would be shopping for aged bat guano/kelp.shells for the perfect herb but now wouldn't garden without stuff like that. :yippee:

[senorx12562]

Couple people in here have said "it's all in the soil" - meaning the potency, taste and overall quality is directly related to the mixture of soil.

I know an old man who has been growing for 50yrs. He grows in big beds and uses the LST method to grow very short plants/bushes. He grows some of the dankest - fuck you out of your mind - 1 hit wonder - knock you on the couch for HOURS weed I've ever smoked.

He still won't tell me EXACTLY what ratio of ingredients he uses in his soil beds. But he said he uses bat shit and all kinds of other crap. Literally - he puts several different kinds of poop in his soil. He gets between 6-8oz per plant finished product.

If I knew what he was doing and I had the means to duplicate it - I'd be rich. The dispensary comes to him for pick-up and they pay him cash. They pay him $5000 a pound. :eek:
At $5000/lb, I think someone's pulling your leg.

[PufferLungs]

I don't. I've known the guy for years and he's not the kind of guy to lie about something like that. Seen his grows and smoked his stuff. I just wish I knew how to duplicate it.

[cotreeman]

Any idea which ones he sells to? I'd love to try some!

[palerider7777]

Any idea which ones he sells to? I'd love to try some!

roflmao and the excuesses pour in....

[COzigzag]

hydro gives me headaches

I have a friend who said the same thing. Never tried it myself though.

[PufferLungs]

Any idea which ones he sells to? I'd love to try some!

He told me once, but I forgot. There's so many street names now. 99% of them I've never heard of. I will see him this coming Wednesday the 20th. I will ask him which strain he is growing. He grows the same strain over and over.

I'll ask him which dispensary he sells too. He sells each crop to the same dispensary because he's known those guys for years and years.