how is my soil mix?

[joe fresh]

havent had time to read all the posts, im in a bit of a rush, but ill just say that in the past i used fafard sheep manure compost with a npk of 1.5-1-1, and the EWC are 1.3-.87-1.2 if i remember correctly....i dont have the labels in front of me




thx for all the responses guys, when i get more time ill read through and respond to some

 

[Daffy]

Too much peat in pro mix this will restrict root growth/oxygen in root zone. Better results with a high AFP medium like
100% coco cubes,
1-1 cubes/perlite,
1-1 cubes/hydroton, or
1-1 cubes/pumice,
If you don't like thing drying out simply place the pots in a small tray of water for a capillary effect.

 

[grapeman]

seems to me that 2 bags of EWC in 10 bales of ProMix is way too light in EWC.

As far as Azomite or other mineral sources, unless you have everything else down to perfection, you will never see the benefit of these trace minerals. IMHO anyway.

 

[joe fresh]

well im off today to get another 8 bags of EWC, and i rechecked the npk value on the bag of EWC, it was 1.7-1-0.5 Ca-3 Mg-1, it doesnt say anything else, the shrimp compost i use says on the label 1.5-1-1

the sheep manure compost i was using says its 1.3-1-1

i also have access to BIOSOL Sea Compost also from fafard which is 2-1-1 but i didnt get it because i figured i already have shrimp compost....but i was thinking that it might be good, i just dont want to over do the soil mix, so im trying to get a complete soil that is fairly light but will support the micro nutes and trace elements from start to finish



one question i think i should ask because i always over or under do it, how much dolo lime should i add per 150 liters of soil mix?(about 40 gal of soil)

basicly my mix: 1 bale promix(107L)
1 bag of shrimp compost(30L)
1 bag of EWC(18L)
and dolomite lime(but how much)?????

i was thinking maybe 2-3 cups, but i would like to be more precise than just making a guess,

 

[maryanne3087]

2tbsp per gal of soil is the norm.

Slightly more won't hurt IMO, it has a pH of 7.

 

[grapeman]

well im off today to get another 8 bags of EWC, and i rechecked the npk value on the bag of EWC, it was 1.7-1-0.5 Ca-3 Mg-1, it doesnt say anything else, the shrimp compost i use says on the label 1.5-1-1

the sheep manure compost i was using says its 1.3-1-1

i also have access to BIOSOL Sea Compost also from fafard which is 2-1-1 but i didnt get it because i figured i already have shrimp compost....but i was thinking that it might be good, i just dont want to over do the soil mix, so im trying to get a complete soil that is fairly light but will support the micro nutes and trace elements from start to finish



one question i think i should ask because i always over or under do it, how much dolo lime should i add per 150 liters of soil mix?(about 40 gal of soil)

basicly my mix: 1 bale promix(107L)
1 bag of shrimp compost(30L)
1 bag of EWC(18L)
and dolomite lime(but how much)?????

i was thinking maybe 2-3 cups, but i would like to be more precise than just making a guess,

JoeFresh - check out this site (if you haven't already) and see the mix called LC#2 using ProMix as a base. It will then tell you the amount of EWC and Dolomite Lime you need to add for your mix.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=53792



I suggest using the exact amount of Dolomite Lime called for. You will be happy you did.

Good luck

 

[mad librettist]

EWC in a bag is rarely worth it and never as good as fresh.

buying it does help the economic recovery though.

fafard shrimp and seaweed compost? I don't believe it's cut with peat. try to get bags that were not shipped during the hot days of summer.

 

[joe fresh]

JoeFresh - check out this site (if you haven't already) and see the mix called LC#2 using ProMix as a base. It will then tell you the amount of EWC and Dolomite Lime you need to add for your mix.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=53792



I suggest using the exact amount of Dolomite Lime called for. You will be happy you did.

Good luck

thx man, i seen that before but i didnt know if it applied to my mix, i guess ill try the amount of dolo lime stated in the thread

EWC in a bag is rarely worth it and never as good as fresh.

buying it does help the economic recovery though.

fafard shrimp and seaweed compost? I don't believe it's cut with peat. try to get bags that were not shipped during the hot days of summer.

well, the shrimp and sheep compost is mixed with peat, but the boi-sol marine compost i believe is not cut with peat....wait, im wrong, its also cut with peat..

listed below are things i plan on using and things i have used before, but if you look at the EWC, the site says its 3-1-2, but when i look on the bag it says :

total N - 1.77%
water soluble N - 0.17%
insoluble N - 1.6%
availible phosphoric acid - 1%
soluble potash - 0.5%
Calcium(Ca) - 3%
Magnesium(Mg) - 1%


does anyone else think its wierd that the wesite says different that the label?(i should also mention that when i bought the EWC i didnt look at the label, but when i got home the label was covered with a sticker, so i removed the sticker, and seen what was written above)

Premium Earthworm Castings - http://rubiconorganic.com/ - Premium Earthworm Castings (3-1-2) 100% natural organic fertilizer produced by worms. Odorless. Excellent for transplanting clones, trees, and shrubs. Directions : 1 cm (1/4 inch) under root systems or scatter 1 cm (1/4 inch) over growing medium abundantly. Available in 3L, 8L, 18L, and 30L format bags.

Peat and Shrimp Compost - http://fafard.ca/index.php?module=axialboutique&func=view_one_product&id=146&cat=3


Composted Sheep Manure and Sphagnum Peat Moss - http://www.fafard.ca/index.php?module=axialboutique&func=view_one_product&id=127&cat=3



BIOSOL Sea Compost - http://fafard.ca/index.php?module=AxialBoutique&func=view_one_product&id=145&newlang=eng



just thaught id throw up the links to the fafard amendments i am using and the sheep i was using in the past...and the bio-sol that i have access to but didnt get....

 

[mad librettist]

well, the shrimp and sheep compost is mixed with peat, but the boi-sol marine compost i believe is not cut with peat....wait, im wrong, its also cut with peat..

Special Blend Of Peat Humus & Compost Enriched With Natural Ingredients From The Sea

the above description of fafard shrimp and seaweed compost does not say it is cut with peat. Peat humus is composted peat, no different from old peat that broke down and turned your mix to mush after being used for too long. It's not peat, it's peat humus. Fafard sells peat humus in bags, which I have experimented with. Again, it is not peat and does not have peat's physical properties. You should count it as organic matter/compost, and avoid adding too much to a container mix because you will get mush.

If you count the peat humus component of the compost as fresh peat, and reduce the amount of peat in your mix, you won't get what you are aiming for. So just count the whole bag as compost.

If we are talking a different brand and it really is cut with peat, a quick peek with at pretty low magnification should make it self evident. The individual cells in intact peat are very easy to see. Just mix it with water and look at a drop.


I would say in general, chemical analysis of EWC won't tell you what is in there unless you break it down with solvents or cook it and do chromatography, or whatever it is they do to find the basic elements that make up something living. Something as simple as oxygen supply combined with food supply and temperature during storage can make a huge difference in mineralized vs. organic N. If the sample goes anaerobic, and smells like ammonia, it might register high N on a standard test for available ions, but that N is all going to evaporate and you should consider it lesser source of N for your plants.

To figure out the value of castings without a microscope (good to know anyway actually)
1)determine food source and worm species
2)evaluate packaging and shipping practices
3)find out how old it is

Rather than NPK, you should maybe focus on C and the overall texture. You are going to be feeding available ions, so the biggest factor for you is how they will interact with your soil solution. The right amount and kind of C is your key. You may consider adding something like zeolite as well to increase cation exchange capacity.

 

[joe fresh]

hmm, well from the fafard site this is what i read,

BIO-SOL
Compost manure, sphagnum peat moss, shellfish flour, seaweed

SHRIMP COMPOST
Composted manure, sphagnum peat moss, shrimp flour.

SHEEP MANURE COMPOST
Composted sheep manure, sphagnum peat moss.


so i dont see where it says anything about "Special Blend Of Peat Humus & Compost Enriched With Natural Ingredients From The Sea"

 

[mad librettist]

joe fresh, I believe that is what goes in to making the compost. The quote I took was their blurb for retailers:

Conrad Fafard 4003004-RDC03, 30 QT , Shrimp & Seaweed Compost, Special Blend Of Peat Humus & Compost Enriched With Natural Ingredients From The Sea, Formulated With High Organic Content For Maximum Results, Stimulates Biological Activity In All Soil Types & Improves Water Holding Capacity, In Sandy Soils, Use For Ideal For Average To Loose Soils, Vegetable Gardens, Annual Plants UPC: 0 67017 37230 8.

what comes out ... is compost.

That said, I would very much like to get my hands on some shrimp flour as a top dressing.

my last post is highly edited, you should re-read. Also, since I may be wrong, one of us should call fafard and ask.

You know where you can't go wrong, is screening that compost down real fine. I am about to mix with it, and we should compare how much usable material we get from our respective batches. If I recall correctly, I screened out a lot of crap when I used it to make seed bombs.

 

[jaykush]

As far as Azomite or other mineral sources, unless you have everything else down to perfection, you will never see the benefit of these trace minerals. IMHO anyway.

i find that a totally crazy statement, but it is your opinion. i use azomite to grow food crops/cannabis/ornamentals all the time and have done dozens and dozens of side by sides. even with the shittiest, driest, clay, crap soil. azomite helps grow better plants compared to the control in the same soil. even a simple top dressing will change things dramatically.

 

[mad librettist]

azomite also accelerates the shredding of material by worms' gullets.

it and other rock flours can't be praised too highly. I like to throw it here and there in small amounts.

 

[grapeman]

i find that a totally crazy statement, but it is your opinion. i use azomite to grow food crops/cannabis/ornamentals all the time and have done dozens and dozens of side by sides. even with the shittiest, driest, clay, crap soil. azomite helps grow better plants compared to the control in the same soil. even a simple top dressing will change things dramatically.

OK. But I would disagree. Once a grower has his basic soil dialed in, nute regimen dialed in, lights dialed in and insect control dialed in, he would be able to augment his soil for perfection. But until then (and it ain't happening on the first grow) adding minor elements will not show any benefits unless and until the above is humming along at near perfection. Micro elements make such small and subtle differences that they will be undetectable while other problems, major problems as listed above, are still being worked out.

But it can't hurt anything..... I just doubt a beginner grower would even know the difference. The constant YOU bring to the table is your experience while a beginner would not.

My 2 cents.

 

[jaykush]

i still disagree from what i have seen with my own eyes even in piss poor soil. but your right not everyone can appreciate mineral rich soils.