New to Organic Soil, using Super Soil. Why don't u come by and give some input.

[Savoir-faire]

In the past.. I have used these methods of splitting the container hot and cold.. Didn't work for me.. let me say that. But I'm sure it was just me.

I also hate the pounds vs. cups thing. Pounds are used to calculate the measurements represented on the product package.. (I think) 16-0-0 = 16% of the product.. or 16 lbs for every 100lbs.. anyway.. dont worry about it.. It's organics not math.

 

[311]

Sorry haven't been on here, for a sec.

So I had added 1/2 the amount TOO MUCH of Alfalfa(should have been 5 cups, I put 7 cups). SO I figured add another 1/2 amount of the recipe MINUS the Alfalfa, and that should regulate the ratio. SO I DID THAT LAST WEEK. Here's the final mix(NOT WAT I ADDED TO THE MIX, THE ACTUAL END RECIPE AMOUNT)

6 Bags of Roots Organic
20 lbs of organic worm castings(figured I'd save the other 5 lbs for Tea. Is that fine?)
3.75 lbs Steamed Bone Meal
3.75 lbs Bloom Bat Guano
3.75 lbs Blood Meal
7 cups Alfalfa Meal
5 cups Kelp Meal(Don't remember if I added more Kelp, but if I did, I didn't add NO MORE than 2 cups)
2.25 lbs Rock Phosphate
0.5625 cup Epsom salts
3/4 cup sweet lime (dolomite)
0.375 cup azomite (trace elements)
0.375cup powdered humic acid

This should be correct now.
Let me know if theres something wrong, with this.

 

[311]

Debating if I should start a journal(about the gear grown in this Super Soil), or just use this as a journal, so I can show progress, from this recipe, OR JUST KEEP IT TO MYSELF(I mean the Journal/pics and stuff)?

WHAT DO U GUYS THINK?????

 

[Bullfrog44]

Keep this thread going, I will follow this.

 

[311]

Keep this thread going, I will follow this.

Most Def, but should I include the SS grow in here also? Like pics and stuff. Kinda like a journal, but not focus on the strains so much, (though I will name wat strains I am trying at the momoent) focus on the actual reaction from the SS, and the girls. How lush, problems if any, ETC?

 

[Bullfrog44]

I would love to see the results. I say go for it.

 

[311]

AHHHHHHHHH, Something else I wanted to mention/ASK....... I took both 34 gallon containers, and mixed them thoroughly. I split both containers into the tumbler, and tumbled it for 5 or more minutes, and removed it to an empty bin. Put the remaining 1/2 of 1 bin, and 1/2 the other remaining bin, in tumbler, and tumbled it for 5+ minutes. Then added 1/2 of previous tumbled soil, and tumbled it for 5= minutes, and then added the last 1/2 of previous tumbled, and tumbled again for 5+. THEREFOR ENSURING A THOROUGH MIX! Lol Then returned to both bins by splitting the soil, by shovel loads. (1 shovel for this bin, and now 1 shovel for the other bin. Gotta make sure I split even. LOL. OCD THAN A MOFO!)

Ohhhhhhh Yeah my question????

So I read a bunch of threads where ppl are "cooking" super soil and they talk about a stench. Now I know that the Fish Bone Meal will have a stench, or ANY Fish Meal, or Fish Emulsion(I use Bio-Bizz Fish Mix, and it smells like straight SH*T...., But honestly I couldn't smell ANY fowl odor coming from the SS mix. It just smelled like some good ass soil.......
Until the yesterday, when I was shoveling the SS into the tumbler and I started loosening the soil OH MY FREAKING BUDDHA! IT STUNK! Nasty ass smell. The Mrs. described it as pig dookie or a Pig Farm, stench.
Me...... I thought the smell would be best described as a rotten smell in the middle of the ocean. I think I smelled the Kelp alot thru the stench, which is wat kept making me think "I smell something rotting in the middle of the ocean."

Can anyone relate to either smell, and is this suppose to happen?

I plan on mixing every week, is that good(or necessary)? or will I be wasting my time by turning and mixing ALL 65+ gallons EVERY week, until I use. And after I start using, the remaining SS, do I keep turning that, or do I store and leave alone till I use?

Thanks everyone

 

[Bullfrog44]

The only thing I can say is make sure you don't seal your lid on your mix. You want air to flow over your mix, not too much, but you don't want an anaerobic environment.

 

[mad librettist]

You have developed anaerobic conditions. I would not use that soil for gardening until it has been rehabilitated with some kind of inoculant, food, and time.

The smell you are smelling is your nutes going by-bye.

 

[311]

You have developed anaerobic conditions. I would not use that soil for gardening until it has been rehabilitated with some kind of inoculant, food, and time.

The smell you are smelling is your nutes going by-bye.

Forgive me for sounding stupid, being that I know nothing about organics. But I thought to develop anaerobic conditions the lid had to be shut. Lid was never sealed shut, plus I took lids off everyday to examine soil.

So you're telling me to just let go of $300+ and ?


Please forgive me, I'm not trying to be rude, but I can't afford to just start over.

 

[Scrappy4]

Forgive me for sounding stupid, being that I know nothing about organics. But I thought to develop anaerobic conditions the lid had to be shut. Lid was never sealed shut, plus I took lids off everyday to examine soil.

So you're telling me to just let go of $300+ and ?


Please forgive me, I'm not trying to be rude, but I can't afford to just start over.

It may not be that dire just yet, but i would not use it for a while. A good start would be to turn your soil over everyday for a while. It sounds like your mix needs oxygen. It may heat up too with all that stuff in it.....good luck..... scrappy

 

[mad librettist]

New to Organic Soil, using Super Soil. Why don't u come by and give some input.

your soil is getting compacted. lighten your mix a little.

 

[mad librettist]

New to Organic Soil, using Super Soil. Why don't u come by and give some input.

Forgive me for sounding stupid, being that I know nothing about organics. But I thought to develop anaerobic conditions the lid had to be shut. Lid was never sealed shut, plus I took lids off everyday to examine soil.

So you're telling me to just let go of $300+ and ?


Please forgive me, I'm not trying to be rude, but I can't afford to just start over.

anaerobic bacteria take over whenever conditions favor them. anoxic or hypoxic conditions can develop in many ways.

what it comes down to is not enough oxygen for respiration, bacteria, and food to burn.

one byproduct of anaerobic conditions is the methane you are smelling.

IMO turning your soil everyday will just mask a problem that may come back in your containers.

the soil doesn't care about the lid. oxygen is getting in or it isn't.

some things that can result in low oxygen: bad container, too wet, too much food, compaction, insufficient porosity, etc ... all these things can combine too.

you can rescue anaerobic soil by addressing the problem(s), treating with beneficial anaerobes, followed by compost tea.

 

[311]

Where's everybody at???? LOL

 

[Bullfrog44]

Right here......

 

[311]

your soil is getting compacted. lighten your mix a little.

Let me clear things up, so we're on the same page. For starters I want u to know that I just made this mix a week ago. 2nd, I don't know if ur talking about the smell ppl describe. Which is pretty much a rotten egg smell(from wat 95% of these threads describe), that stinks the house up. I don't smell any smell until I hit about half way into 34 gallon bin, when I'm shoveling it. It just smells like some good soil, when I hit this smell its not overwhelming, yes it has a lil stank(kinda smell like dank bud) to it, but its not this smell that everyone describes, which if it's anything like that AWFUL sulfur smell(rotten eggs), is not wats going on(I hope), and if it is, it's very early stages.

I do feel like I compacted to much into the bins, so I went out and bought another bin(34 gallon plastic trash can). Gonna split into 3 bins in a second.

The thing is after spending $300+ on this soil mix, and the $$$ just spent on my gear, I ordered, I just can't afford to loose this soil. So hopefully I can, or if it is anaerobic, I can hopefully fix it. But wat people have described as anaerobic, I haven't experienced yet. Hopefully its not.

 

[mad librettist]

The Mrs. described it as pig dookie or a Pig Farm, stench.

methane bro. anaerobic.

Sulfur compounds (rotten eggs) I don't know. Most smells that also come out of people are anaerobic soil smells.

also sign of anaerobic soil - butyric acid (vomit smell), ammonia (old piss)




the smaller bins should help but you need to rescue this soil

 

[organicterra]

311,
You could always do a test run with some cheap tomato plants or something to see what happens.
It probably needs to break down some more before you plant. I could maybe see the bat shit going anaerobic on you. Try keeping it aerated by turning it often and see if the bad smell goes away after a week or so.
Good luck.

 

[311]

It surely dont smell like that.

Rescue the soil how?

 

[mad librettist]

it doesn't need to smell like all of them, just one of them.

Well your first step to rescue it is those smaller bins. but before you put it in the bins, grab a couple tarps and make some piles. Can't make a bunch of piles then bin two thirds and make a pile with the rest. The piles should breathe better than bins and you can lose some moisture and gas off any ammonia. Check your drainage and see if you need to add something like perlite, sharp sand, pumice, turface, calcined DE, etc...

when you can get some large smartpots (200 gals enough?) or make a bag of polyester felt or some such breathable material to store your soil in. Someone said something clever a while back - "treat it like its got a plant in it, or some such.

Then it's up to you how long you want to wait. With some healthy compost and proper brewing you can apply a tea, for instance, and cut the wait. When the soil becomes pleasant to touch and smell you are back in business.

Time and enough oxygen, water, and the right food, not too much, heals all wounds though