Fancy trying something a bit different to hydroponics? Get the lowdown on great tasting produce from our growing in soil article.

Growing plants in soil under high output lights, has become a very popular way of growing, especially with all the good organic products available. It's simple, effective and although you may not quite reach the same yields as you would with a good recirculating hydroponic system, the yields are good and the taste and quality are excellent.

If you are thinking of trying your hand at soil growing, your first choice will be whether to mix your own compost or buy a specifically blended 'off the shelf' version. Both options can give great results  it really comes down to personal preference and whether you think you can come up with a better blend than the professionals!

Traditionally, to get a good usable compost mix you would mix a little soil (or earth) in with layers of manure or home made compost (from rotting vegetable/organic matter). Alternatively you can just buy a bag of Bio-Bizz All-Mix or Canna Terra Professional Soil Mix, both specifically blended organic composts.

Structure of the mix is all important, so in a good compost mix Perlite is added to improve drainage and oxygen content. This is very important in the demanding indoor environment where our pot mix must be able to deliver enough feed, moisture and oxygen without becoming too wet or compressed. A really successful compost mix will provide more than just nutrients, it will give good drainage, allow oxygenation of the root zone, provide enough support for a healthy root zone and will perform well once you begin adding feed in terms of making the nutrients available to the plant.

You shouldn't worry too much about your water pH and we don't recommend pH adjustment of water for soil/compost plants. Many soil growers still make the mistake of adjusting their pH when growing in soil but there really is no need - you could even be damaging your plant and its potential yield. The nutrient availability pH range is much wider in this organic environment than in hydroponics and the introduction of acidic pH adjusting liquids into these environments is neither necessary or desirable.

With 3 or 4 month cycle fruit and flowering crops, just rooted or cuttings should be grown up a few inches in a small 13cm (4') pot to build a nice root ball before transplanting the plant into a bigger pot which they will stay in until harvest.

When transplanting your plants into their final pot:

Slightly moisten your compost mix as this will reduce the chance of any root rot to roots damaged in transplant.

Fill your new pot with somewhere between a quarter to one third full of your compost mix.

Ease the plant gently out of its existing small pot.

Submerge the root zone in some tepid, de-chlorinated tap water with some added stress relievers or boosters. Popular boosters include SuperThrive, Rhizotonic or Root Juice. Submerge the roots for a few seconds.

Gently place the plant in the new pot and carefully fill in around the plant. Do NOT pack the compost down. Do NOT water the plant for at least 24 hours to prevent any rot to roots damaged in transplant.

In larger pots, try not to make the root zone too deep and add an extra 10% Perlite. This will help maintain an unrestricted, well oxygenated, well drained root environment.

For in depth information about growing in soil, download our datasheet pdf here. You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to view this document, the latest version of which can be downloaded from www.adobe.com

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