Top dressing in an EarthBox worked differently than traditional living soil setups, and that was the advantage. In this clip, I explained why it was safer to add more nutrients to the top layer without overfeeding, and how bottom watering changed how plants ac

Most growers fight fungus gnats after they appear. I prefer to prevent them early. That day’s EarthBox routine: Bottom watered the reservoir Lightly misted the soil surface The spray contained a tiny bit of WDG 3000. Why? Targets fungus gnat larvae Adds bene

The plant was still small, so I kept the nutrients simple. That day’s living soil top dress: Compost Worm castings A light sprinkle of Kashi Gold Why Kashi Gold? It helped activate microbes that break down nutrients in the mulch layer. Then feeder roots move

Before refilling the reservoir, I used this trick. I checked the soil when it had good moisture. Felt it. Noticed the weight. Looked at the texture. That became the baseline. Later, when it dried down, the difference was easy to recognize. Important tip for Ea

Fundamental FAQ: Diagnosing Yellow Leaves in Living Soil I’m continuing my Fundamental FAQ series for 2026, designed to help growers build a strong foundation and make informed decisions with confidence. In this episode, I tackle one of the most common chall

New to EarthBox growing? Don’t rush bottom watering. When we planted directly into a large living soil container, the plant often built roots first before top growth really took off. Small cup: Roots hit the sides fast Autoflowers could trigger early floweri

This was the moment the plant really started to take off. The Chem & Kush autoflower looked very healthy: Wide leaves Strong structure Side branches forming Early growth was all about leaf development. Those leaves captured light… Which fueled the next g

I picked the darkest, healthiest-looking seed. Placed it in the center. Pressed it down gently, about half a fingernail deep. Covered it. That was it. No complicated steps. No deep burying. No soaking the whole container. Just enough moisture to get it to pop.

I picked the darkest, healthiest-looking seed. Placed it in the center. Pressed it down gently, about half a fingernail deep. Covered it. That was it. No complicated steps. No deep burying. No soaking the whole container. Just enough moisture to get it to pop.

It wasn’t genetics. It was stress. With autoflowers, you don’t want to stunt them, ever. If roots hit the sides of a small cup, it can trigger early flowering. That’s why some autos stayed tiny. No transplant meant full root expansion. Full roots meant a

This was our Autoflower soil; lab tested, through multiple iterations, and finally ready for release. But that day, setup mattered more than brand. Step one: Build the wicking columns. Soil went into the corners first. Packed tight, not loose. Loose soil colla

When filling an EarthBox, we started with the corners. The soil was packed firmly into the wicking zones first. If it’s left loose and dry: Water can wash it out It creates a sinkhole And wicking won’t work properly Small mistake. Big problem later. Now ab