growclean
Grow Clean.... Go Fast!
Why is important to mix the lime in before the perlite?
Tutorial Organics for Beginners
- Thread starter BurnOne
- Start date
Why is important to mix the lime in before the perlite?
As far as I know, it makes no difference. Lime is always the last thing I put in my mix. It's worked fine for 3 grows now.
V
vonforne
each strain has different requirements for nutrient needs.
take notes so when you run the clones you will dial it in better......and take notes that time also.
that is a good approach. `Most`plants will veg for 2 more weeks before first flowers set.
LOL I know the feeling.
V
V
vonforne
That is just my way of doing it. I prefer to add the lime to the organic material only.
I am not saying that the way B1 states is in correct in any way. I just stated my method.
V
Metatron
Member
Like V says, when you add the lime before perlite its distributed throughout the organic matter vs mixing after perlite and some of your dolomite lime will attach to inert perlite.
IMO wetting your mix as directed and cooking for 2 weeks will help disperse your lime as well
Metatron
Member
Nope but wetting it still will help everything disperse evenly. Chime in anytime Gurus...
V
vonforne
take the soil in your hand and squeeze real hard. Then poke the soil with your finger....it should break apart with ease. If it just breaks in two pieces or looks like it is clumping together then add more perlite. If it breaks apart too easily then you need to add more OM.
V
V
vonforne
That is not correct.
You mix everything thoroughly DRY and then wet. By wetting the soil with an ACT you are inoculating the soil with bacteria which will begin the decomposition process and make nutrients available for the plants.
V
TY - You are right on with your description. It is clumping, thus my question.
growclean
Grow Clean.... Go Fast!
Hmmm... Mine always "clumps" so far.
I have two questions though, regarding LC's Mix #2: If reusing this soil after a first grow, what would I need to add? If continuing to reuse it, should I add green sand initially, and to this first batch? If so, how much?
Also, if having pest problems, should I try introducing diatomaceous earth either in the mix or as a top dressing?
Thanks!
I have two questions though, regarding LC's Mix #2: If reusing this soil after a first grow, what would I need to add? If continuing to reuse it, should I add green sand initially, and to this first batch? If so, how much?
Also, if having pest problems, should I try introducing diatomaceous earth either in the mix or as a top dressing?
Thanks!
V
vonforne
I would only add EWC and some Compost. Maybe a little kelp meal if you have some on hand. The plant will have not used all of the nutrients.
Did the plants finish green with the last crop?
For greensand go with 1 to 2 TBS per gallon.
And the DE you can just top dress now.
growclean
Grow Clean.... Go Fast!
Vonforne,
We have not yet finished the last crop, they are still in flower now, so not sure how the will finish. Sorry to be so bothersome, but how much EWC should I add, we will have about 126 gallons of soil - root mass, that we will be recycling. Also, what exactly do YOU mean by compost? We are not yet making any of our own compost even though we would like to in the future. Do you have a specific bagged product to look for? And does the powdered Maxicrop qualify as kelp meal?
We have not yet finished the last crop, they are still in flower now, so not sure how the will finish. Sorry to be so bothersome, but how much EWC should I add, we will have about 126 gallons of soil - root mass, that we will be recycling. Also, what exactly do YOU mean by compost? We are not yet making any of our own compost even though we would like to in the future. Do you have a specific bagged product to look for? And does the powdered Maxicrop qualify as kelp meal?
V
vonforne
Home made compost, if you do not have that you can use a good quality EWC.
Perfect.
As far as amounts you must use your best judgment. This last time I added about 20 % EWC to 500 liters of soil or some where in tat area. To be honest I am not very scientific about it. And late if you see something lacking you can always top dress.
V
BURNONE, I'M GATHERING ALL THE INGREDENT FROM THE MIX #2 RECEIPE #1 BLOOD/BONE MEAL AND KELP FFOF SOIL.I HAVE THE BONE/BLOOD MEAL AND I HAVE SOLUIBLE SEEDWEED EXTRACT ALSO WORM CASTING WELL NOT YET I JUST ORDER IT,BUT I WAS WONDERING HOW DO I GO ABOUT MIXING IT FARS AS THE QUANTITY AND DO I JUST ADD WATER ALONE OR DO I MIX THE TEA AS I GO ALONE WATER,WATER TEA THANKS
O.K, sorry if this was already asked and answered, but I want to do the
LC’s Soiless Mix #1:
5 parts Canadian Spaghnam Peat or Coir or Pro-Moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts wormcastings or mushroom compost or home made compost
Powdered (NOT PELLETIZED) dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.
But want to eventually reuse the soil, and was wondering wether I should do the base in sphagnum peat, coir, or pro moss? I have also been going through the other thread in the sticky library about reusing soil, and if I comprehend correctly, coir is more of a neutral medium, while peat is more acidic, but in that sticky they say not to use peat as a base if reusing soil. At first I was leaning towards peat, but I think coir might suit my needs a little better.
I was also wanting to use the RECIPE #3 (My favorite)
If you want to use guano tea and kelp...
Guano Tea and Kelp:
Seedlings less than 1 month old nute tea mix-
Mix 1 cup earthworm castings into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
Add 5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses.
Use it to water your seedlings with every 3rd watering.
Veg mix-
1/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/3 cup High N Bat Guano (Mexican)
1/3 cup Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
5 tsp. Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 1 cup of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Liquid Karma
5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with every 3rd watering.
Flowering nute tea mix:
2/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano
2/3 cup Earth Worm Castings
2/3 cup High P Guano (Indonesian or Jamaican)
5 tsp. Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 2 cups of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Liquid Karma
5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with EVERY watering.
But I'm not sure how this recipe would work with reused soil because as I understand it you need to supplement the soil and allow it to sit for a few weeks to few months. In the 3LB recipe, they are using reused soil, but they are adding a bunch of stuff to that
RECIPE #4
Three Little Birds Method
40 gallons used soil
4 cups alfalfa meal
4 cups bone meal
4 cups kelp meal
4 cups powdered dolomite lime
30 pound bag of earthworm castings . . .
That’s the basic recipe . . .
However we also like to use
4 cups of Greensand
4 cups of Rock Phosphate
4 cups of diatomaceous earth
But do you have to feed the plants anything else with this mix, or is what is in the soil enough to last? It seems that what you supplement the soil with will feed the plant throughout the grow and all you would have to add is plain water, and maybe some ewc tea?
I'm sorry if none of this makes sense, I'm a hydro guy wanting to make a worth while switch to organic soil, and am trying to get everything planned out in my head the best I can. This is an old ass thread, and I'm glad to see it keepin on. Thanks to all the Mods and Mentors who presented this information, if it wasn't here, I would have never of thought to make the switch.
LC’s Soiless Mix #1:
5 parts Canadian Spaghnam Peat or Coir or Pro-Moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts wormcastings or mushroom compost or home made compost
Powdered (NOT PELLETIZED) dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.
But want to eventually reuse the soil, and was wondering wether I should do the base in sphagnum peat, coir, or pro moss? I have also been going through the other thread in the sticky library about reusing soil, and if I comprehend correctly, coir is more of a neutral medium, while peat is more acidic, but in that sticky they say not to use peat as a base if reusing soil. At first I was leaning towards peat, but I think coir might suit my needs a little better.
I was also wanting to use the RECIPE #3 (My favorite)
If you want to use guano tea and kelp...
Guano Tea and Kelp:
Seedlings less than 1 month old nute tea mix-
Mix 1 cup earthworm castings into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
Add 5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses.
Use it to water your seedlings with every 3rd watering.
Veg mix-
1/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/3 cup High N Bat Guano (Mexican)
1/3 cup Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
5 tsp. Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 1 cup of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Liquid Karma
5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with every 3rd watering.
Flowering nute tea mix:
2/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano
2/3 cup Earth Worm Castings
2/3 cup High P Guano (Indonesian or Jamaican)
5 tsp. Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 2 cups of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Liquid Karma
5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with EVERY watering.
But I'm not sure how this recipe would work with reused soil because as I understand it you need to supplement the soil and allow it to sit for a few weeks to few months. In the 3LB recipe, they are using reused soil, but they are adding a bunch of stuff to that
RECIPE #4
Three Little Birds Method
40 gallons used soil
4 cups alfalfa meal
4 cups bone meal
4 cups kelp meal
4 cups powdered dolomite lime
30 pound bag of earthworm castings . . .
That’s the basic recipe . . .
However we also like to use
4 cups of Greensand
4 cups of Rock Phosphate
4 cups of diatomaceous earth
But do you have to feed the plants anything else with this mix, or is what is in the soil enough to last? It seems that what you supplement the soil with will feed the plant throughout the grow and all you would have to add is plain water, and maybe some ewc tea?
I'm sorry if none of this makes sense, I'm a hydro guy wanting to make a worth while switch to organic soil, and am trying to get everything planned out in my head the best I can. This is an old ass thread, and I'm glad to see it keepin on. Thanks to all the Mods and Mentors who presented this information, if it wasn't here, I would have never of thought to make the switch.
Burnone,I need a little assistant on the organic ingredients.What I have so far is blood/bone meal I ordered ewc also I ordered dolomite lime,I took the hydrated lime back.Far as kelp goes I have soluble seaweed extract by technaflora 1-1-16 which it said to have Norwegian kelp what else is in it.1-1-16 is that to high for potash? appreciate any help you can give
