Letting soil "bake"?

d33p

d33p

Member
Maxman and Fiddler said:
Hey d33p - again, this is only my 20th post so don't take anything I say serious. I think there are two issues here. First is the water. When people add water to "cook" their soil, they are providing a moist environment that will promote the activation and catalyzation for many of the reactions necessary for the limes, dolamites, worm castings, epsom salts...to do what they do best. Pure limes and salts are too concentrated to grow directly into, however after many weeks of mixing into a moist soil, they equilibrate into concentrations that are beneficial the soil matrix. The second issue, adding black strap molasses, is specifically to feed the microbial flora of the soil. The plants can't use the molasses, the bacteria, fungi, and protozoan within the soil use the molasses and replicate to enhance the growth of the roots. Some of what I say may be correct, the rest is me not knowing what I don't know. SOIL is key to your grow....that's the bottom line.
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Sounds like your thought process is the same as mine. I was thinking of using molasses to help increase the microbes.
 
SpicySativa

SpicySativa

Well-Known Member
Personally, I would (and do) avoid adding molasses when you "cook" your soil. Yes, this will cause a quick bacterial bloom, but that isn't really what you want... When the bacteria population explodes like that, it uses a LOT of oxygen. This can turn the bottom of your soil bin anaerobic in a matter of hours, especially if too moist (go for the moisture level of a well wrung-out sponge).

I feel it's better to moisten the soil with plain water or compost tea. Let the bacterial explosion happen in your tea brewer, where the oxygen is being replenished quickly enough to keep things aerobic.
 
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