From Hydro to Living Soil – Brandon Rust’s Organic Home Grow Journey
In this first episode of Everyday Grows, host Parker Curtis chats with Brandon Rust about his evolution from a San Diego hydroponics grower to an organic living soil guru in Oklahoma. Brandon shares how a catastrophic crop failure (thanks to a broken pump) changed his approach to cannabis cultivation forever, inspiring him to embrace organic growing and sustainable practices. The casual convo covers everything from legendary strains to soil science, all in a down-to-earth style tailored for home growers. Brandon recounts his early days learning from old-school growers in East County SD – including a wild story of taking over a covert apartment grow operation nicknamed “The Village.” He also dives into San Diego’s “Bull Rider” strain lore, reminiscing about its unmistakable peppery punch. But the heart of his story is the switch from bottled nutrients and hydro setups to living soil and microbes. Hear how losing a $40k harvest due to equipment failure became the catalyst for Brandon’s all-organic reboot.
00:00 – Brandon Rust introduction & Oklahoma move
05:10 – Bull Rider Legend
07:10 – First Grow Operation
12:30 – Hydro Fail to Soil
15:00 – Going All Organic
28:00 – Improving Native Soil
32:00 – Water-Only Growing
Now an established cultivator (and founder of Bokashi Earthworks), Brandon explains the methods behind his success. He breaks down how he builds supercharged soil by balancing nutrients, adding compost and cover crops, and brewing up beneficial microbes. With a dash of DIY science, he turned his grow into a mostly “water-only” system – no constant feeding needed. Brandon gives practical tips for home growers, like reusing soil each cycle by re-amending cheaply, and using soil tests to dial in what your plants really need. He even talks about pest management the natural way (IPM) and how healthy soil = healthy plants. Everyday Grows is all about real growers and real experiences. Join Parker Curtis and Homegrown Cannabis Co. in this relaxed, insightful conversation with Brandon.
You’ll learn how switching from hydroponics to organic living soil can boost your garden’s resilience and terpene profile, hear some awesome cultivation war stories, and get inspired to try out these techniques in your own home grow. Whether you’re a new hobbyist or a seasoned green thumb, Brandon’s journey is packed with nuggets of wisdom you won’t want to miss. Grab a seat and enjoy the show! Enjoyed the episode? Give us a thumbs up and let us know your thoughts in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an Everyday Grows video. We’d love to have you in the community. And be sure to follow @parkercurtis420 @natehammer420 and @homegrownseed on Instagram for more awesome grow updates and behind-the-scenes content!
