How much EWC should I mix into my soil?

[Marcellas]

Ok, I'm using some light potting soil for this year's guerilla grow.. It's called BACTO Light Premium Potting Soil (a little perlite is added). It seams like good healthy soil, and right now I have 2 cubic feet of it, or 56 liters..

All I've added to my soil is Espoma's BIOTONE STARTER PLUS (4-3-3).. Today I picked up a 9 liter bag of Earth Worm Castings to add to my mix. It's called "Coast of Maine" EWC, and seams like great stuff. And it damn well better be, seeing how expensive it was, $22 for the small 9 liter bag!!

My question is, how much EWC should I throw into my 56 liters of soil??
...I planned on on throwing maybe 5-6 cups of EWC into my soil, but after a little research it looks like I should be using more, possibly the entire 9liter bag for my 56 liters (2 cubic feet) of soil!! I hope at least half the bag would be enough!!

So what do you guys think, how much of my 9 liters of EWC should I mix into my 2 cubic feet (56 liters) of soil??

Thanks!

 

[Marcellas]

Anybody??

I just mixed in 6 cups (packed down) of this EWC to my 2 cubic feet of light potting soil. This leaves me with a little over half the bag left, maybe only 1/3 is gone.. Like I said before, I also mixed in 3 cups of that Biotone Starter Plus, into the same 2 cu. ft. of soil about a week ago (a little more than half the reccomended dose)..

Is this enough EWC to add to my soil?? Thanks in advance!

 

[silver hawaiian]

I try to shoot for between 10-20%. Ish.

 

[Marcellas]

Okay thanks!
...Would a little under be okay, say 5-10%? I just did some math, and if I added about half of this 9 liter bag into my 56 liters of soil, that's just about 8% EWC in my soil mix.. Would that be okay, or completely worthless?

I can buy another bag if needed, although it is expensive.. I can also top-dress later on.

Do you guys think about 8% EWC in my soil is enough or should I add more? Also what do you think of my soil-mix, being so basic??

 

[yesum]

I would guess you have enough as is. Another formula is 1 cup ewc per gallon or 2 tablespoons per pint. The ewc does not have much nitrogen and no P or K that I know of. Microbial activity booster is what it does I guess.

 

[Time Bomb]

Put it all in there. EWC is not going to burn your plants so use it all and add a lil more perlite if you want to though it's probably not needed. Its safe to use 1/2 EWC in your mix if you really wanted to.

 

[silver hawaiian]

I thought I'd added enough, but ended up top dressing with it after the fact. I can tell you, top dressing is DEFINITELY an effective way to use the EWC. However, I do wonder, had I mixed more EWC into the soil, would I have need to top dress?

Anyway, like Time Bomb said, you won't burn your plants with it, .. My EWC bag says the analysis is 1-0-0, ..

 

[TokerOftheSouth]

Put it all in there. EWC is not going to burn your plants so use it all and add a lil more perlite if you want to though it's probably not needed. Its safe to use 1/2 EWC in your mix if you really wanted to.

2nd that..Whole bag...Bacto is very good quality soil and MJ loves it..The Lite mix is perfect..I stopped using it since Bacto regular has time released chemical ferts in it now

Adding perlite mite help u some..just a small bag but not a must

TOTS

 

[Marcellas]

Thanks for the input guys, great advice!! I've taken all your suggestions into consideration and I think I've found a good median. I'm going to add about half (maybe a bit more) of the total bag of EWC into my soil mix for now, which is probably about 3 more cups roughly.. The rest I'll use to top-dress later in the season, as needed!!

I figured EWC was good for top-dressing but your comment made me sure, thanks! I'm also very happy to hear that BACTO is great for growing!! I originally bought a small 22 liter bag of the BACTO LIGHT PREMIUM Potting Soil.. Than I bought this 2 cubic foot bag of BACTO that had a different name, but I asked a worker and she said it was the same as the premium, just more soil in the bag. I mixed my nutes in to the 2 different bags, size proportionate.

I think that getting EWC was a great idea! Since this Biotone Starter Plus has good nutrients in it, and its LOADED with lots of different fungi and bacterias (forgot what they're called) to promote great activity in the soil.. Even though my mix is very simple, I think the BIOTONE and EWC will be a great combination together to get my soil really cooking!!
...What do you guys think?? ^^


Thanks for all the great suggestions and advice!! PLEASE keep all the feedback coming!

 

[Brother Bear]

Yep, dump it in if you want

Add my two pennies though friend. When doing OD holes remember there are EWC in the native soil. Next time buy mushroom compost/soil/mulch. It's all the same shit basically, and it will add greatly to the soil mix that you have. And cost way less than the EWC you paid for. For your EWC, add roughly 30% native soil back into your mix as you fill the holes.

 

[Marcellas]

THE EWC in the native soil can't be as good or as full of the organic stuff as my store-bought EWC, can it?? I know that there is worms in the ground which naturally produce castings for my soil, which helps make it, but this store bought EWC is very rich and it's ALL WORM SHIT.. My native soil is okay, but it has like no nutrients, it's pretty much just dirt. You know?

Do you guys think using just 5-10% is a waste, will my plants even notice such a small ammount of EWC?

 

[bombachoo]

i use about 25% ewc in my mix and my plants love it

 

[Marcellas]

Ok.. Maybe I'll need another bag of this stuff!!

If I threw my entire 9 liter bag into my 60 or so liters of soil, that would only be 15% EWC!! And I know I'll want some for top-dressing and EWC tea/compost-tea down the line!!

Do you guys think 15% EWC in my soil will make a difference with my plants or will it be un-noticable?

 

[Time Bomb]

They will notice it but I would use more, I use sheep or cow manure with mine so its a little stronger but I've planted in straight castings before with no problems so the more the better.

 

[Papulz]

nvm