sneakerpimp

I believe the right methods implemented with an organic grow could allow it to compete with a synthetic hydroponics grow.

What gives organic grows an advantage:

- Cheap setup cost
- Healthier
- Less maintenance
- More forgiving of errors
- Lower running cost
- Product that tastes and smokes better

What methods could at least make a large organic grow competitive with a commercial grow?

Benefits of the methods must out weight the time/effort it takes to implement them.

So far I have thought of:

- CO2
- Foliar spray feeding
- Automatic watering systems
- Safe Additives such as kelp and plant hormones

What else could be used to increase speed and yield?

This includes methods that aren't just exclusive to organic grows.

Also, impact to the environment is not a factor in this discussion.

farmergiles

The main reason a hydro set up should yield high is aeration at the roots.

Using air-permeable pots will increase the air to the roots in soil grows a little- not to the same extent as hydro though.

All the methods you mention above could be used with a hydroponic set up or a soil grow..

A hydro set up will take more effort to set up initially but once it is running you should need to do less to maintain the grow as it is self- watering.
Like you say you could automate watering anyway- but then your set up is as pretty much the same as as top drip hydro just with soil instead of clay pebbles..

I'd have to agree with you that organics do tend to taste good. That's not to say you couldn't grow great buds with hydro but organics ftw as far as taste goes, imo.

If you do go organic (I would applaud anyone who does especially for medicinal herb ) then you probably want to get into composting.

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sneakerpimp

I plan to use Air-pots to increase aeration and stop the root bound issues of normal pots.

Automating watering for an organic grow is still easier and less costly than hydroponics. The automated watering system should saturate the plants, but not to the point of water running out the bottom of the pot.

As you said composting can be used. And you can also reuse old soil by mixing it in with compost, letting it sit for a few months. This recycling of soil further cuts down on costs.

farmergiles

I think increased aeration is definitely an avenue worth pursuing.

A friend of mine was talking about putting airstones in pots with a light soil mix.

- I think combined with a top drip watering system or something this might work very well. Would probably take a little tinkering to get working.

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