First (Far East) grow questions- soil and vent.

It's my first post, so nice to meet everyone! :D

I've done a lot of reading, but I have some unique problems and some ho-hum problems. I'm dying to get experienced help!

I'm an expat in an Asian country and so much talk about soil is in relation to brand names. There's lots of soil here and it's very difficult for me to read and sort through the bags. I basically just decided to buy the plainest thing I could. It translates to 'black soil.' Who thinks that would work? What should I add other than the 10% perlite? Is it OK for seedlings or too nutrient rich? I already plan to test the pH. The same problem goes for nutrients further down the line. I don't really have access to most of the names mentioned. Are nutrients with the correct NPK profile OK or is there more to it?

I plan to work in about a 2x3x4 half of a closet soon to be divided by plywood. I may expand to the full closet in the future. It's very cold in the winter (it'll be here soon!) and I don't have central heating so I put in a small 600 W heater with thermostat. I think that will keep the humidity down a little. It's already extremely dry in winter due to the kerosene heater. The closet has sliding doors, so I plan to ventilate by opening the unused side and running a fan for some time during the light hours.

Does this sound good? I'm concerned about these two points. Thanks in advance for the help! (and sorry for the length!)

update: I translated the package some more and it says it's a mixture of 'accumulated soil and volcano... something.' It says to add your own chemical fertilizers.

i can understand why you would want to grow (depending on what part of asia you are in) but if you are in a teacher situation i would be careful, as you do not have as many rights as you think you have (that is, if the place you are living is an apartment,)

That soil seems to be just plain soil, and thats what your purchased so go for it. I'd make sure to add some perlite or something to lighten it up a bit. Pure soil can get really cakey and will eventually kill your plants, if you can get seedlings started in them at all.

thanks for the reply! I'm still working out the soil situation... reading's a bitch.
as for the warning, I live in a rural area and I've been here for over 2 years. i'm not in an apartment (I'm in a rented duplex)... no one lives in the duplex next to me or in the attached house. and no one ever comes in here since I'm living basically in the middle of nowhere. I'm pretty nervous about the steep consequences but the risk is quite low considering my living circumstances.

Wo bu dong :wtf:

You must want to get high really, really bad to risk your life to do it.

Niga bu shi hao! :(

PC :smokin:

[quote=PharmaCan]
Niga bu shi hao! :(

[QUOTE]

Now now, no need for name calling!:D


Just find some basic compost and use more like 50% pearlite. Beyond that, a 10-10-10 nute (or equivalent).
Good Luck and BE SAFE:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Skrappie

That soil seems to be just plain soil, and thats what your purchased so go for it. I'd make sure to add some perlite or something to lighten it up a bit. Pure soil can get really cakey and will eventually kill your plants, if you can get seedlings started in them at all.

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That'll probably only happen if the soil is mostly clay. Pure soil won't kill plants though, unless there's something else going on. I mean, that's what they grow in outdoors, right? I'm sure perlite does help, but I've never used it, and it's not a necessity. Once the plants get a nice root base, those roots allow the soil to hold more water too.

Yeah, reading back I noticed: 'volcano ???' ...so I retract my 50% pearlite suggestion. Maybe 1/3 due to the pumice or whatever it is.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts! I'm going to use some different soil with compost and add perlite once I check the drainage without it. I'll probably add in some worm castings for extra nutrients.

By the way, I don't live in China, Pharmacan.

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Originally Posted by mercybeats

By the way, I don't live in China, Pharmacan.

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Korea then?

Hmmmm.... There's not a whole lot of Asian countries that freeze - a lot of area, just not a lot of countries.

That leaves, what, the Mongolia's and Russia.

:thumbsup:

PC :smokin:

Korea. That was some good times

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Originally Posted by khronik

That'll probably only happen if the soil is mostly clay. Pure soil won't kill plants though, unless there's something else going on. I mean, that's what they grow in outdoors, right? I'm sure perlite does help, but I've never used it, and it's not a necessity. Once the plants get a nice root base, those roots allow the soil to hold more water too.

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I'm going to go out on a limb and say, good luck finding "pure soil" that mean what you think of when you think PURE SOIL in a lot of Asian countries Khronik.

If you are safe with Your living conditions, I think you are on the right track. May i ask what you intend to use as far as Lighting?

Actually, there is a good way to test that. Fill a clear bottle half full of soil, then fill it most of the rest of the way up with water. Shake it up a whole bunch, then let it sit for a few hours. There should be some really obvious delineations between sand, silt, and clay. Clay will be the top layer, and if that makes up more than a quarter to a third of the soil, then there's too much clay.

Small gardens are popular in Asia, at least in Japan. I can't imagine they buy crappy soil.

I'm not going to drag past Directing q/a at the original poster.

But testing soil before you get it home is not going to happen,
neither is buying lots of soil.

Gardens are popular in alot of Asia. outside of big cities Most of them are outside.

Crappy soil is everywhere. If you have ever been to a market in (almost) anywhere in Asia, its good to remember that everyone and their parents sells products. That means a lot of the time, there is a whole more more bad then good of any product you buy, most of which advertise GOOD BEST PURE (etc) anywhere on the product. When you guy PureCoffee, More then likely you're getting *brand*Pure*product*Coffee. I can See mercybeats in a shop looking for soil, and not only finding pure soil, but perfect soil, pro mix, pro mixx, por mix, and anything in between, which is why i gave the default/generic answer of adding something to lighten up the soil. Unless i'm mistaken (i'm a very novice grower) That is advice that will not lead you wrong.

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Originally Posted by Skrappie

Korea. That was some good times
May i ask what you intend to use as far as Lighting?

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I'm using only CFLs which I know isn't ideal but I decided on Lowryder #2 and I've read people's experiences with those and CFLs. HIDs are just too expensive as this is a relatively temporary setup and a first grow.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skrappie

Crappy soil is everywhere. If you have ever been to a market in (almost) anywhere in Asia, its good to remember that everyone and their parents sells products. That means a lot of the time, there is a whole more more bad then good of any product you buy, most of which advertise GOOD BEST PURE (etc) anywhere on the product.

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I know exactly what you're talking about with regards to markets and sketchy products. Sufficed to say, that doesn't affect me and I'm buying soil from a store comparable to Wal-mart in the US.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'm gonna test the clay content of this smallish bag I have (thanks Khronik!:)) and test the pH. It's the only one I saw (other than the unsterilized organic stuff) that doesn't contain peatmoss (other than the unsterilized organic stuff). I'm of the understanding I don't want that. I'm gonna add about 20% perlite and some worm castings for ferts. Sound good?

ugh... well I just read the bag some more, having become more familiar with soil vocabulary (undoubtedly the least useful addition to my repertoire). I *thought* it was pasteurized, but then I realized it says in big print "effective micro-organisms present"... the phrasing is that of a selling point, but... any thoughts?