step by step how to recycle soil. please help

[bigwity]

like many others i have lots of old soil sitting around can any1 help me recycle it. i see loads of threads with add this and add that, i just want a simple plan nothing fancy to start with. cheers guys.

i use pearlite in my mix and flush useing mollassas, my used soil doesnt look white like it used to its still brown when dry, but not black and rich like when i started

 

[vonforne]

Give me a run down of what your soil is, what you have added during the cycle and I will see what I can do for you.

But you can follow some basic steps no matter what.

1. Leave the roots in the soil.
2. Place soil in large rubber maid containers with air holes in the sides.
3. Add new EWC or High quality compost.
4. This is the time to add one new item at a time.....rock powder, azomite etc.
5. Make a good compost tea and wet the soil.
6. Set up cycle times.....One on One off.
7. Do not turn the soil but let it sit to establish a good micro herd.


Those are some basic things to start with.

V

 

[bigwity]

thankyou for the help man, what do you mean by cycle times one on one off.

can i use bone meal and nitrogen prills. then add a mollassas water to it.

also i was gonna add some ground up sea shells.

 

[vonforne]

Oyster shells would be better.

What are N prills?

Most of the time you need not add more admendments.

Do you have access to compost or EWC?

V

 

[bigwity]

nitrogen prills are what farmers use they are 24,0,0 white balls. the stuff they make bombs with, its used as a dressing. please help me understand what i need. i do not have accsess to compost, i live in a flat but in the countryside, i can get leaf mould from the forest if needed.

cheers for your time.

 

[bigwity]

whats ewc?

 

[mad librettist]

ewc=earth worm castings.

here in the US, we have a product called bio-tone. that's basically what I add to soil before growing another plant in it. The worms in the pot feast on the stuff and spread it around for me.

ok, I also put azomite, and when I first made the mix I used charcoal, and that is also fed to my worms. And although I now use calcined DE instead of perlite, you should use what you have until it dies.

Other than that though, I just put biotone.

Oh yeah, and worms will also make short work of your fan leaves, dried, crumpled, and fermented or added as is on top. I use a little bonsai rake to work it in a bit. (scratching any mulch into the surface favors bacteria a bit more than just resting on top)

 

[bigwity]

can i use earth worms or do i just but some worm casting specific for the job. funny i thought worm casting were ferts.

 

[mad librettist]

step by step how to recycle soil. please help

can i use earth worms or do i just but some worm casting specific for the job. funny i thought worm casting were ferts.

you want any worm that operates horizontally, as opposed to living in deep burrows.

leave some wet cardboard on turf or garden soil and you might get some.

 

[bigwity]

im on it mate i though dwc was deep water culture lol

 

[mad librettist]

lol EWC not DWC

 

[bigwity]

lol now i look stoopid

 

[bigwity]

right so ive got a massive plastic tub, a shit load of worms, lots of old soil ill add them tagether and throw in some old leaf n food scrapeings, add the lid with air holes in the spare room.

am i on my way or what.

 

[vonforne]

nitrogen prills are what farmers use they are 24,0,0 white balls. the stuff they make bombs with, its used as a dressing. please help me understand what i need. i do not have accsess to compost, i live in a flat but in the countryside, i can get leaf mould from the forest if needed.

cheers for your time.

If you live in the sountry try and find a feed store for animals. Get Alfalfa with no salt added. It is a good N source. Better than that pellets you have. And it is natural.

EWC is Earth Worm Castings.

V

 

[vonforne]

Twit.....read this thread for how to make a worm bin.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=60422

 

[bigwity]

ive read most of your sig thread now i understand i read it b4 but didnt really understand it i was thinking it was compost you was making not recycleing the soil. i know how to compost. i haveheap at my mums house but at the bottom its like red/brown didnt know how much t use so i havnt used it. i put the grass cuttings leaf n old soil on it.

i thought you could just recycle soil without composting if you understand. soryy for the confusion

 

[mad librettist]

i thought you could just recycle soil without composting if you understand

sometimes you can.

 

[bigwity]

ive got loads of used soil sitting around i was thinking of mixing it with new soil and trying to grow in that. may mix some of my new bedroom compost lol

 

[nogoodname]

At what ratio are you adding biotone to your recycled soil?

 

[SupraSPL]

Plant Tone and Bio Tone are very similar products but the directions vary quite a bit so the range is from 20-40ml/L.

For potting soil Plant Tone calls for:
1 part to 25 parts soil or
40ml/L
10TBSp/gal

Bio Tone calls for:
2.25 cups per cu ft or
19ml/L
4.5TBSP/gal

Bio Tone directions also say for potting mixes use:
3 cups per cu ft or
25ml/L
6.3 TBSP/gal

For the most recent recycling experiment I add 8ml/L Plant Tone but I also add EWC, Kelp Meal and Indonesian guano so if you are using only Plant Tone/Bio Tone I assume it would be helpful to add more.