Organic living soil or bottled nutrients, and reusing soil

Plants take up many nutrients as dissolved mineral ions, whatever their original source. Organic and mineral programs can differ in release rate, microbial activity, salts and management. And “bottled” doesn’t necessarily mean synthetic.

Comparison

A key habit for organic growing

Plan ahead. Many organic amendments need microbes to break them down before nutrients become available. Release can take much longer than a week or two and depends on the material, temperature and moisture. Follow a suitable substrate recipe and the product guidance. Compost tea isn’t a predictable complete fertilizer or a guaranteed microbial benefit, and you should avoid spraying homemade preparations on consumable flowers.

Switching or mixing

If a plant in bagged organic soil runs low in a small pot, a mild bottled feed can rescue it. Strong salts can upset soil life, so go gently.

Reusing soil or coco

• Only reuse medium from healthy plants. Throw it out after root rot, wilt or heavy pest problems. Studies of cannabis found root rot fungi and mold in grows.
• Remove the old root mass, rinse coco to clear salts, and re-buffer it.
• For potting mix, check its structure, salt levels and remaining fertility before adding compost or amendments. Reusing medium takes more than a rest period. Avoid carrying disease or excess fertilizer into the next crop.

The cited organic-fertilizer trial used two coir-based substrates and one liquid product. It found an optimum rate under those conditions. It didn’t show that living soil or mineral feeding is universally better.