I just planted into my Easy As Organic Soil for the first time, and my plants don’t look very healthy… what could be the problem?
9 times out of 10, any issues will be related to moisture levels in soil from either under or over-watering. Ensure you have completely hydrated soil and use a horticultural liquid or powdered aloe extract in your irrigation water for it's hydrating effect. Check to see you have not overwatered by lifting the pot and looking for excess moisture at the bottom of pot. If environmental conditions are good and the pot is heavier than when you first watered, most likely this is the problem. Leave alone and wait a couple days for the soil moisture to reduce to optimal levels. Living organic soil thrives and functions optimally as an aerobic ecosystem. The microbes in Easy As Organic Soil Blends prefer a healthy, oxygen-rich environment to effectively break down organic matter and exchange nutrient ions with your plant. If you starve your soil of oxygen, these microbes cannot do their job effectively and will even begin to encourage harmful anaerobic bacteria which will invite pests and disease.
How do I ensure my Easy As Organics Water Only Soil is completely hydrated before planting into it?
Easy As Organic Soil Blends are slightly more dry straight out of the bag than what is recommended for plant growth. When you first fill your pot with your organic soil, it should be evenly and slowly watered to penetrate all dry pockets before planting anything. Allow 24 hours prior to planting to allow moisture to completely hydrate soil to optimum levels. Use this same technique for re-hydrating and re-using your soil that has been left to dry out for too long. Watch this excellent video by Jeremy Silva of Build-a-Soil that demonstrates in detail how to properly water your new soil. He uses a yucca extract to penetrate soil that may have become a little hydrophobic in bag, however our Aloe product also contains huge levels of saponins to deliver a similar hydrating effect.
Will this work for all of my plants?
Our soil blends are designed for fast growing, annual crops. All vegetables and herbs that produce dense fruit and flowers will grow to their full potential in this soil mix.
Can I put seeds or clones directly in my Easy As Organic Soil?
Yes, there are no “hot” components or artificial fertilisers in our soil blends. You can successfully germinate seeds, plant seedlings and clones and grow all the way to harvest in the same soil!
What type and size of container should I use with my Living Soil?
For use in containers we recommend a minimum of 50L volume for each fast-growing annual plant. If you exceed the number of fast-growing annuals per 50L pot by more than 1, less than satisfactory performance may be observed. This is due to not enough soil biology necessary to meet the demands of your plants. Set yourself up for success from the start and if planting nutrient-hungry, fast-growing annuals, ensure there is at least 50L of soil to meet plant needs. Success in no-till organic growing is directly relative to the volume of soil you have to work with. Try to use the rule above as a minimum and bear in mind that as you increase this volume, so too will the performance of your crops. We recommend fabric pots which encourage an aerobic environment in the root zone. The microbes we want in the soil food web thrive in aerobic environments so when using containers this is a no-brainer. We like to use GeoPots or Root Pouch as they are very high quality and will last for years.