thanks for those responses.

coconut bits are certainly available here and I'm avoiding using them for one major reason: they are in no way composted.

what I'm reading on line is that organic material in the growing medium reduced the amount of nitrogen available to the plant. I don't want to do that.

this new mushroom substrate soil I have access to drains quite well. still, I'm a little leery of it and so far, nobody has ventured an opinion on it. I transplanted two throw away plants (auto flowering) into the new soil and they look very happy. I've put off transplanting the rest hoping I'd hear something encouraging. now, the evidence before me says go ahead, so now I'm paranoid about reaping something that tastes terrible. so far, I've found nothing either way about the trichodema fungus or chitoban. what I do read makes it sound like they can do no wrong, so automatically, I'm skeptical. I was hoping someone had experience with them.

right now I'm going to pass on the hydroponics thing. because we have abundant sunshine and warm temperatures here, I don't think anybody in this country grows anything hydroponically and I seriously doubt I'd find the equipment or the materials required available here. importing is another problem. it's fine so long as you don't mind having an import duty equal to the cost of the merchandise and don't mind driving 8-12 hours one way to claim it at the docks, pay the duties and the rest. then there is the power thing. perhaps stuff from UK/Europe would work but nothing from the US. power here is 220/50.

besides, I'm already finding this a relatively steep learning curve. I fear starting from scratch with something I don't have the vaguest notion of. (yeah, I can spend the next couple of years reading up on line, but I've got plants in the ground and with one male, I'm hoping for seeds. importing seeds here got a lot more risky this year, luckily well after I got some from the UK.)

I'd love to be able to get my nutes down to the low 6's. haven't found a way.

but you guys are right. I'm doing OK with them using my pH 7 water so I should probably just chill out.

since overcoming the incredible spider mite attack, everything in the garden is very happy. for a while, I thought I was going to lose everything. and this grow, that feral cat seems to have decided it's not catnip and has not chomped down on anything in the garden. for that, I'm thankful. I don't think that cat knows how to FIM properly anyway.
Farang Reviewed by Farang on . sufficient views but no answers? confused. not one person has even a hint of an answer to any of my questions? Rating: 5