Not your average soil mix..or maybe it is

[organicterra]

Hi. This is my new organic soil mix that I have put together with some help and guidance from a very trusted source.
All of my ingredients are store bought items.
My plan is to use this as a base for a recycled soil system.
Here it is...

Base Mix:
(1x) Bio-dynamic compost.
Contains: Dairy cow manure, straw, vineyard wood chips, and biodynamic concentrations of yarrow, chamomile, valerian, stinging nettle, dandelion, and oak bark.
(1x) Agrowinn Earthworm Castings
(1x) Pumice
(1/2x) Marwest Organic Compost
(1/2x) Alaska Peat brand Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss

Liming agent/calcium:
3 cups Oyster Shell
3 cups Gypsum

Mineral component:
6 cups Azomite
7 cups Gaia Green Canadian rock dust
1/2 cup K Mag (0-0-22)

Meal Mix:
2 cups Alfalfa Meal (2-0-0)
1 1/2 cups Neem Seed Meal (5-1-2)
1 cup Fish Meal (9-4.5-0)
1 cup Soybean Meal (7-2-1)
1 cup Fish Bone Meal (3-18-0)
1 cup Crab Meal
1/2 cup Kelp Meal (1-.5-2.5)

This all mixed comes to about 45 gallons.

Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks for looking.

 

[guest2012y]

Looks good.

 

[Scrappy4]

So 45 gallons is in the neighborhood of 6 cf? If so your mix looks a little lite, On amendments but I have never used your compost mixes. Oh, and why did you go with that lime mix over dolomite?
Scrappy

 

[organicterra]

So 45 gallons is in the neighborhood of 6 cf? If so your mix looks a little lite, On amendments but I have never used your compost mixes. Oh, and why did you go with that lime mix over dolomite?
Scrappy

Scrappy
I think it's closer to 4.5- 5 cf. Using the 15gal nursery pots to hold it. Two are full and one not quite.

I do plan on top dressing a meal/rock dust/ewc/compost mix.

No dolomite for me thanks. Don't really need a lot of pH adjustment. I prefer oyster shell anyway.
ot

 

[Scrappy4]

I understand the dolo thing I've had "issues" myself.

Are you relying on the sul po mag for all your mag source? Or is that hidden in your dusts and shells?

Just curious your mix looks great btw.

I'm sourcing ingredients for a future run and plan on adding neem cake and fish along with some of your dusts, so I'll be watching your thread close......good luck scrappy

 

[mad librettist]

Scrappy

No dolomite for me thanks. Don't really need a lot of pH adjustment. I prefer oyster shell anyway.
ot

yeah you are only at like 12.5% peat.

I guess you are out west to be finding that pumice? I bought some out here, but I think it is scoria. It's brick red and sinks rapidly. Everyone I hear who has real pumice is out west for some reason.

 

[organicterra]

I understand the dolo thing I've had "issues" myself.

Are you relying on the sul po mag for all your mag source? Or is that hidden in your dusts and shells?

Just curious your mix looks great btw.

I'm sourcing ingredients for a future run and plan on adding neem cake and fish along with some of your dusts, so I'll be watching your thread close......good luck scrappy

Yeah I'm pretty sure the sul-po-mag has a very good source of mag that is more readily avaliable than dolo lime. [cite]

I've read the cal/mag ratio should be somewhere between 8:1 and 5:1. So more focused on the calcium component.

Thanks for your comments.
ot

 

[mad librettist]

I've read the cal/mag ratio should be somewhere between 8:1 and 5:1. So more focused on the calcium component.

I've read that too, and I've also read that the whole ca:mg ratio thing is unsupported by the science.

 

[organicterra]

I guess you are out west to be finding that pumice?

Yep. 3 cf for $8. Not a bad deal. It comes in a bag used for packing almonds from a farm supply store.
ot

 

[schwagg]

those should be some happy plants! good mix.

 

[organicterra]

I've read that too, and I've also read that the whole ca:mg ratio thing is unsupported by the science.

It could be one of those urban myth type deals. Not sure. I'm hoping to be ok in both the Ca and Mg categories. We'll see.
I could always hit em with some cal mag. lol

I was/am really focused on providing a very high quality humus component along with a good range of all the nutrients and minerals.
ot

 

[organicterra]

Looks good.

those should be some happy plants! good mix.

Thanks!

 

[big_daddy]

o t,

Sounds to me like your mix is top notch for sure.........What I wouldn't do/give to have a pallet of your bio-dynamic compost sitting out in my shop.

Do you know if its available up in the Pacific Northwest?? Or perhaps you have a link for their website?

cheers

b_d

EDIT: duh...the links in the original post lol.

 

[organicterra]

o t,

Sounds to me like your mix is top notch for sure.........What I wouldn't do/give to have a pallet of your bio-dynamic compost sitting out in my shop.

Do you know if its available up in the Pacific Northwest?? Or perhaps you have a link for their website?

cheers

b_d

big daddy,
The link to the Malibu compost. Here is the distribution list.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[big_daddy]

big daddy,
The link to the Malibu compost. Here is the distribution list.

Thanks for your comments.

o t,

Funny how shit works out......they have a dealer in Bend, OR. and I have a nephew there that's coming this way next week. I'll be calling them tomorrow to check stock

Thanks for the links and the post........and good vibes to you on a successful grow.

b_d

 

[schwagg]

thats funny shit! yeah i like the sound of that compost. i've been making some and throwing all kinds of stuff in it. fun stuff.

 

[organicterra]

o t,

Funny how shit works out......they have a dealer in Bend, OR. and I have a nephew there that's coming this way next week. I'll be calling them tomorrow to check stock

Thanks for the links and the post........and good vibes to you on a successful grow.

b_d

Good Luck! and thanks for the kind words.

You may check with the Portland area farm stores, I think someone may have recently had some shipped up there. (not sure though)

 

[organicterra]

"Nute Mix"
Here is a mix of organic ingredients that I am testing on my landscaping. (wide variety)
Alfalfa Meal (4 cups)
Fish Meal (3)
Fish Bone Meal (3)
Kelp Meal (1)
Neem Seed Meal (1)
Crab Meal (2)
Oyster Shell Powder (2)
K Mag (1)
Gypsum (1)
Rock Dust (3)
Fossil Shell Flour (1)

All mixed together and applied at around 1-2 tablespoons per plant.

ot

 

[organicterra]

thats funny shit! yeah i like the sound of that compost. i've been making some and throwing all kinds of stuff in it. fun stuff.

schwagg,
I also started a compost pile this year. Bascially just cinder block on 3 sides and a wood fence on the other. Just using all my yard scrapes and such. Also dumping my Bokashi bin material in.
I know I'm suppose to through in a bunch of stuff all at once but mine is more continual additions. It only gets to 110 or so.
I'll probably use the finished material as worm bedding once I get the worm trays up and running.
You're right. It is fun!
ot

 

[mad librettist]

you can store bokashi a long time, so that you can heat that pile up good. Just put it in sealed bags once the moisture level is sorted out. Just watch out for animals, they are crazy for it.