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

[mercybeats]

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

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!)

mercybeats Reviewed by mercybeats on 09-27-2007. 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 Rating: 5

[mercybeats]

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.

[Skrappie]

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.

[mercybeats]

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.

[PharmaCan]

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:

[Chronisseur]

[quote=PharmaCan]
Niga bu shi hao!

[QUOTE]

Now now, no need for name calling!


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:

[khronik]

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.

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.

[Chronisseur]

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

[mercybeats]

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.

[PharmaCan]

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

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: