Soil vs. Hydro

Hello good people,

So here I pose the age old questionâ?¦ soil vs hydro? I am in the process of setting up here in NM and would love to hear about your experiences. I will be growing organic at an altitude of 7000ft. and am selecting strains that are best suited for this elevationâ?¦ any suggestions on what strains (if any) will thrive here?

What are the differences in grow time with hydro vs. soil?
What was is the difference in yield per plant?
Which one is more susceptible to mites and gnats?
Pro and cons of both?

Thanks so much for your input!

soil is more forgiving and easier to learn....hydro is not hard but takes time and attention...if you have issues with hydro you can lose an entire crop very quickly...my .02:cool:

The Dutch say the only way to grow is in soil it is better tasting and better yield. Here is a good grow video from the founder of Smoke Cafes in Amsterdam.

Here is the video link for "Grow Dutch PT2" at about 2:06 it is addressed

If you get a chance watch all :thumbsup:four videos it is about twenty five minutes total. Very informative ;)

If you are a beginner, I would start with soil....they are right, it is much more forgiving. It's the best way to learn how to grow. I don't know too much about hydro other than it takes alot of time and attention to make sure it's getting the proper nutes. And it's pretty easy to mess up if you don't know what you are doing.

I would suggest work with soil for awhile till you know a little more about growing. It's a fun hobby....good luck! :jointsmile:

Good advice.Soil is probably your best bet.

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Originally Posted by coolslayer

Good advice.Soil is probably your best bet.

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This, and all above, is good advice.
If organic, grow in soil.

As for it's being easier, I disagree.
Have done soil, and lost entire trees due to my neglect.:(

Have done standard hydro with great results, almost twice the yield of soil when done right.
Ay! There's the rub!
Pumpers n timers n sprayers, oh my!

Now, DWC, is easier, and more productive than dirt.
Also, very hard to screw up.
5 gallon bucket, cheap air pump, air stone, no timers, sprayers, drippers, misters, just bubbles in water.
Add 1 tsp per gallon of veg nutes, and wait.
Come flower time, mix up another bucket with bloom nutes.
Lift her out of one bucket, drop her in da new one, and wait again.:rastasmoke:

The results were impressive, too much so.
One bucket can easily produce a pound.:)

Now, I grow in coco coir.
It's kind of a "solid-state" hydro.
But, I can use small pots to limit growth.
(Only allowed to keep a maximum of 3 oz. on hand, by state law.)

So, start with bagseed and dirt.
Then try everything, see what feels right to you.
When ya get it down, buy some good genetics and :jointsmile:

Aloha,
Weezard

Good thread! A soiless mix like 50/50 peat/perlite is what I have always used indoors. I amend my outdoor plot 50/50 with the used indoor medium. Works peaches.

I just tried aeroponic cloning and I get a lot better results, faster than with rooting cuttings in damp media. After a lot of failure cloning I have a method that works darn near 100% of the time. Ten days from cut to peat and pointing to the sky the entire time. This newfangled water pump stuff is pretty cool!

So I am going to try a four station top drip system, or maybe a DWC. I believe if you are limited to four mature plants you may as well do it right, and hydro is pretty easy if you keep it small and simple.

I agree 100% about "soil and bagweed" statement. Indoor growing is like a juggling act...you learn to control all the elements of the environment AS WELL as grow the plant. Buckets of peat and perlite buffered with crushed limestone is super easy to control...rarely a problem. Instead of gravel on the bottom I use a square piece of shade cloth to hold the mixture in the bucket. It drains super and is light.

Would you guys build a DWC yourself or buy a top drip system...or something else?

Cool!

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Originally Posted by coolslayer

Cool!

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Cool indeed!

Have you ever tried those "super pots" yet Mr. Cool? They are a pot sewn out of geotextile fabric. Like a big net pot for soil. It allows air all the way around the root ball and they say it increases growth by 25%.

I saw them at Santa Fe Hydroponics a few weeks ago. The word on the street is they are really great. I was wondering if anyone had used them?

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Originally Posted by Wee'z

Now, I grow in coco coir.
It's kind of a "solid-state" hydro.

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As do I, easier to keep things running smooth through heat or cold in coco. Much lighter pots too, an important factor for many growers.

What a wonderful array of responses! You have all given me much to ponder before diving in. If anyone else should have anything to add then by all means do.

Have a beautiful day y'all!:)

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Originally Posted by bedrockbob

Cool indeed!

Have you ever tried those "super pots" yet Mr. Cool? They are a pot sewn out of geotextile fabric. Like a big net pot for soil. It allows air all the way around the root ball and they say it increases growth by 25%.

I saw them at Santa Fe Hydroponics a few weeks ago. The word on the street is they are really great. I was wondering if anyone had used them?

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Haven't tried them,but thanks for the tip.

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Originally Posted by coolslayer

Haven't tried them,but thanks for the tip.

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These things look like they would be great outdoors as well. The 5 gallon size is about $3 and weighs nothing. It will roll up in a ball and you can stuff it in your pocket. The cool thing is they will ship right to your door via UPS anywhere! If you stuffed it with coco it would weigh nothing and you could grow a 5' plant in it easy.

Sounds good.Any pics?

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Originally Posted by coolslayer

Sounds good.Any pics?

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Container Gardening, Hydroponic Gardening with Smart Pots Fabric Containers

Thanks.

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Originally Posted by coolslayer

Thanks.

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Oh, and I wanted to plug Santa Fe Hydroponics. They have those pots and they will ship 'em to you fast. Nice guys too. I wont link to them or anything but check their web page out if you need any supplies in New Mexico.

Found their website,thanks.