Frequently Asked Questions
PRODUCTS
Where is SS-W made?
StepWell Super soil is processed in a controlled indoor facility, located in Toronto, Canada.
What is in SS-W?
All ingredients are sourced locally in Canada. SS-W is primarily composed of Sphagnum Peat Moss, Perlite and a wide range of composted nutrients.
- Bone Meal
- Blood Meal
- Fish Bone Meal
- Kelp Meal
- Gypsum
- Wollastonite
- Dolomitic Lime
- Basalt Rock Dust
- Humic Acid
- Mycorrhizae
- Worm Castings
Recommended to store is at room temp in a dark/dry location. Avoid Freezing temperatures.
How long can I store super soil for?
Ensuring the soil is kept in dark/dry storage. Organic amendments generally start to break down after 3 years. The soil can still be used after a 3 year period but the nutrient content will have degraded over this time.
What pot size?
Check our pot size guide online, see how many weeks of veg and the proper size pot for that amount of time. The pot sizes are in gallons. We recommend minimum 7 gallon pots for indoor growing with a min veg time of 4 weeks. Minimum 15 gallon pots for outdoor growing. Choosing a small pot will have less nutrients and thus required to supplement more Top dressing but remember the bigger the roots the bigger the fruits
Do I need to prepare the soil?
Moisten Super soil to condition for planting/transplanting. Condition the soil in a pale or tub and mix about 500 ml of water per gallon of soil then fill conditioned soil into pots
Can I plant seeds directly into the soil?
Start seeds in a peat pellet or jiffy puck. Rooted plants directly into conditioned soil. Veg time of 4 weeks from clones or 8 weeks from seed.
What can be grown in SSW?
- This soil was designed for all species of plants
- Potting soil for your organic vegetables and flowers.
- After harvesting, you can take the used soil and top dress your flower/vegetable garden.
How much top dressing to use?
For most strains you can add 1-3 tablespoons of top dressing for every 7 gallons of media. Water in Top dressing after every feed. Start with less and add more as required ( Please see Grow Guide )
When to switch from VEG to BLOOM?
PHOTOPERIOD
For indoor growing this is a given, you can switch from VEG to BLOOM top dressing as soon as you change your light cycle.
AUTOFLOWER/OUTDOOR
For grows that you do not have control of the light cycle. Generally you can switch from VEG to BLOOM top dressing as soon as you notice bud sites.
Can I use VEG top dressing in FLOWER?
Yes, although labeled as VEG top dressing it can be used in bloom. VEG top dressing has a much higher content of Nitrogen than BLOOM. If you notice a Nitrogen deficiency in BLOOM, VEG dressing can be added to compensate to the needed Nitrogen at this stage. But use caution when adding VEG top dressing in FLOWER, too much can cause flowers to stretch and you will have flowers that are longer than fatter. Always be on the minimal side for application.
Essential Microbes (EM1)
Can EM1 be used during veg and flower? (Regular Watering)
EM1 can be used during veg and flower as an inoculant into the soil . Dilute 1-2 mL of EM1 to 1000mL of water. Water into soil once per week EM1 can be used on seedlings and clones.
How to Foliar Spray?
Dilute at 1-2ML of EM1 to 1000mL of water into a spray bottle. Foliar spray the plant once per week out of direct light and only foliar spray in VEG
Biolarvicide
What is Biolarvicide?
A larvicide is a product that kills mosquito and fungus gnats at the larval stage, when they are active but still immature. Biolarvicides, Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (BTI) are highly effective against mosquito/fungus nhat larvae at very low doses and safe to other non-target organisms
What is Biolarvicide used for?
Used as a soil drench for the control of mosquito/fungus nhat larvae
How often do you apply?
As a preventative apply every 2-3 weeks as directed. If server infestation, apply every other watering until the issue is under control. Use in conjunction with sticky traps!
How to store Biolarvicide?
Biolarvicide can be stored at room temperature out of direct light (UV) and has a shelf life of about 1 year
Rigain
What is Rigain used for?
Rigain is a plant wash. It can be used as a preventative or treatment to fend against most soft bodied insects. Also effective for treating powdery mildew
When is it best to apply Rigain?
Use as needed and do not apply in direct light. If severe, apply 5 consecutive days then if required wait 5 days before next applications. (Can use up to 20mL/ Liter for an increased potency)
Can Rigain be sprayed in Veg and Flower?
Rigain can be applied in veg and flower, if used in flower allow a minimum of 3 days before harvesting. If spraying in flower, pistils may change from white to brown/orange and flower texture may change. We don’t not advise spraying in Flower , only if absolutely necessary.
Rigain can be stored at room temperature, out of direct light (UV) and has a shelf life of about 1 year
GENERAL GROWING
What light source should I use?
LEDS, HPS, Fluorescent, and Metal Halide all grow plants and have different pros and cons at each stage in the life cycle. Keep in mind, lights are essential to growing and the quality of light largely determines the characteristics and success of your grow. If growing with LED, use an organic calcium and magnesium supplement. For calcium you can use dolomitic Lime and Epsom Salt for a supplement for Magnesium.
At what height should I set my lights?
| VEG | FLOWER | |
| Double Ended HPS | 3 to 4 feet at lower intensity | 3 to 4 feet at high intensity |
| LED | 3 to 4 feet | Can be within 1 foot at the peak of Flower |
| Metal Halide | Light spectrum optimum for VEG (150 - 250 Par Range) | - |
Atmospheric/Environment
What temperature and humidity is optimum for growing?
Keeping an optimum temperature and humidity is key to a successful grow. Temperature should be between 22 to 28 °C. Humidity should be kept from 50-60%. Having high humidity levels can increase the risk of pests, mildew and potential mold.
Is ventilation important?
Ventilation is essential for a healthy environment. A lack of ventilation could result in high humidity that can potentially lead to more severe issues such as powdery mildew, slower growth rates, etc. The amount of ventilation is not defined but as the area of the grow space and plant count increases you will likely require more air circulation.
Watering
How much and how often do you have to water?
Water as needed with approximately 500ml for every gallon of soil. You want to see water trickle out the bottom, not puddle. The surface can be dry but keeping the core of the soil moist will help microbial life stay active and produce nutrients efficiently. Water frequencies will vary on temperatures, humidity and the size of the plant. Typically, we water every 2-3 days with fabric pots indoors
Do I need to pH water?
Depending on your water source, typically water does not need to be pH balanced for our soil. As long as your water is within the range of 6.0 - 7.0. If the ph is too high, Lime juice , apple cider vinegar or ph down can be used to bring down the pH. If you are required to balance your water, pH the water to between 6.4-6.8
Do I need a water filter?
Water source is very important, use chlorine and chloramine free water such as rain water, Reverse Osmosis (RO), Distilled, or Filtered water. We use a KDF carbon filter that you can find in our shop under accessories
When to harvest?
- Check for swollen calyxes and receded hairs. This is a way to check for plant maturity or another method would be checking for cloudiness and amber trichomes.(70amber/30cloudy)
- When time gets near to harvesting your plants, Flushing is not required. There are no synthetic chemicals or fertilizers to flush out like in hydroponics. This is one of the biggest reasons why terpenes are more pronounced with organic growing.
- Hang dry for 10-14 days at 60F/60%rh
SHIPPING AND RETURNS