Hi everybody
Over the last few seasons I have been asked what I put in my soil and how do I go about preparing it for planting numerous times, soooo I have decided to do a thread on what I do, use and how I go about it.
First up I will start with a potting mix I have worked out that is giving fantastic results, with clones and seedlings.
I cant really make up my own potting mix so I found a company that makes it to my specifacations.
Mix Components:
Raw Material Components: % Vol Quantity (m3)
Composted Pine Bark 0 - 10mm 50% 7.50
Composted Hardwood Sawdust 25% 3.75
Coal Ash 20% 3.00
Bassalt Crusher Dust 5% 0.75
-
-
100% 15.00
Additives: Kgs/m3
. Total Kg
Ag.Lime - DML Superfine 1.000 15.00
Dolomite - MDL Mudgee 3.000 45.00
pH Adjust Ratio 1:3
Mix Characteristics:
pH (Projected target) 5.8 - 6.5
EC (Not tested until dispatch
To 1 part potting mix I add half My compost and half bought compost, I will talk about these composts later, and I put it in a cement mixer along with 1kg of organic pellets ( Organic Extra), you can find ones that are non burning and I fully recommend these.
The whole mix should make a nearly overflowing wheelbarrow full just to give you a bit of an idea of quantities.
Before transplanting I always soak my clones, seedlings and plants in Seasol for 24hrs, I use a comercial Seasol, but just use the directions on bottle and all is good.
Make sure your potting mix is moist and after you have put your plant in it just lightly tap the pot to make the soil settle and then lightly spray with water, do not overly soak the medium.
Thats about it for my potting mix as you can see from this shot even the Sativas have nice fat healthy leaves that look like Indicas.
MM Seedling
I have been using composted and organic materials for as long as I can remember and I have a book that is my bible. its called how to grow fruit and vegitables the organic method, by JL RODALE. Its that old I dont even know if it is in print anymore. But it covers everything.
I also use just as much love with my soil as I do with my plants.
Ok my compost I use and make and sorry I dont have measurements as I use a big tractor and lots of shit......I first start with layers of straw, grass or tree bark, then on top of that I put cow, horse and chicken manure, I like to use the freshest cow manure I can find as this helps with a faster break down, then I add blood and bone and just spread a nice coating over the pile, I then put Soft Rock phosphate, wood ash and Dolomite lime then do a layer of sand and then do the proccces all over again until a have a mountain ready to be broken down. On this mountain I will put a sprinkler to wet it all well.
Then I leave it for 1 month before turning and then I turn every month until I see worms starting to live in it.....usually around the 8 month mark. Then I just let it sit and use it when I need.
When I first started doing my pots I also found a company that makes excellent organic compost from Mara Seeds, you can buy it in bags or bulk. I found that when I had it delivered in bulk and covered it up over winter, I found that when I went to use it it was full of thousands of tiny worms.....oh yeah instint worm castings and a compost to boot
This is the other half of compost that I add to the potting mix.
Mara Seed compost
Ok now for hole or garden prep.
Last Year we had so much rain here that the soil was basicily mud and then on top of that my garden was flooded twice, completly washing away the top soil and mulch.....was not a good year.
Last Years soil
Anyway this year I spent hours adding potting mix, cow manure and raising the garden for better drainage.
For me I like to prep the garden during winter then cover the soil up with mulch to keep it warm ( not to much of a problem here) and protect it from the dry sun. Then just before Spring I will turn it all in, best to do this before all the worms start coming to the surface so you dont disturb them.
Once the turning and adding more compost is done I then just do the layering method with all well broken down organic material, I do not like to disturb the soil at all at this point except to put the plant in, I like my soils alive and kicking
I use boken down hay bails that have been left to rot for a full year
Chicken manure that has broken down for 2 years
Broken down cow and horse manure
When it come to planting the plants I like to dig a hole 2-3 times the size of the pot and fill it with my Potting mix so I can plant straight into that.
Potting mix
After the Seasol soaking the plants dont even slow down. Then I just give the soil a slight turn where I have trodden to loosen it back up again and thrown on the goodies.
Latest Feed
During the course of the season I will put up pics of my watering methods and what I use and other things I will add at a later date.
For now that is where I am up to and as you can see I like my soil and everything I use to be alive and well broken down, of course sometimes you have to use pellets and other things when out bush, but I will cover some of these things later.
Until next update.....stay well and good growing ..K
Over the last few seasons I have been asked what I put in my soil and how do I go about preparing it for planting numerous times, soooo I have decided to do a thread on what I do, use and how I go about it.
First up I will start with a potting mix I have worked out that is giving fantastic results, with clones and seedlings.
I cant really make up my own potting mix so I found a company that makes it to my specifacations.
Mix Components:
Raw Material Components: % Vol Quantity (m3)
Composted Pine Bark 0 - 10mm 50% 7.50
Composted Hardwood Sawdust 25% 3.75
Coal Ash 20% 3.00
Bassalt Crusher Dust 5% 0.75
-
-
100% 15.00
Additives: Kgs/m3
. Total Kg
Ag.Lime - DML Superfine 1.000 15.00
Dolomite - MDL Mudgee 3.000 45.00
pH Adjust Ratio 1:3
Mix Characteristics:
pH (Projected target) 5.8 - 6.5
EC (Not tested until dispatch
To 1 part potting mix I add half My compost and half bought compost, I will talk about these composts later, and I put it in a cement mixer along with 1kg of organic pellets ( Organic Extra), you can find ones that are non burning and I fully recommend these.
The whole mix should make a nearly overflowing wheelbarrow full just to give you a bit of an idea of quantities.
Before transplanting I always soak my clones, seedlings and plants in Seasol for 24hrs, I use a comercial Seasol, but just use the directions on bottle and all is good.
Make sure your potting mix is moist and after you have put your plant in it just lightly tap the pot to make the soil settle and then lightly spray with water, do not overly soak the medium.
Thats about it for my potting mix as you can see from this shot even the Sativas have nice fat healthy leaves that look like Indicas.
MM Seedling
I have been using composted and organic materials for as long as I can remember and I have a book that is my bible. its called how to grow fruit and vegitables the organic method, by JL RODALE. Its that old I dont even know if it is in print anymore. But it covers everything.
I also use just as much love with my soil as I do with my plants.
Ok my compost I use and make and sorry I dont have measurements as I use a big tractor and lots of shit......I first start with layers of straw, grass or tree bark, then on top of that I put cow, horse and chicken manure, I like to use the freshest cow manure I can find as this helps with a faster break down, then I add blood and bone and just spread a nice coating over the pile, I then put Soft Rock phosphate, wood ash and Dolomite lime then do a layer of sand and then do the proccces all over again until a have a mountain ready to be broken down. On this mountain I will put a sprinkler to wet it all well.
Then I leave it for 1 month before turning and then I turn every month until I see worms starting to live in it.....usually around the 8 month mark. Then I just let it sit and use it when I need.
When I first started doing my pots I also found a company that makes excellent organic compost from Mara Seeds, you can buy it in bags or bulk. I found that when I had it delivered in bulk and covered it up over winter, I found that when I went to use it it was full of thousands of tiny worms.....oh yeah instint worm castings and a compost to boot
This is the other half of compost that I add to the potting mix.Mara Seed compost
Ok now for hole or garden prep.
Last Year we had so much rain here that the soil was basicily mud and then on top of that my garden was flooded twice, completly washing away the top soil and mulch.....was not a good year.
Last Years soil
Anyway this year I spent hours adding potting mix, cow manure and raising the garden for better drainage.
For me I like to prep the garden during winter then cover the soil up with mulch to keep it warm ( not to much of a problem here) and protect it from the dry sun. Then just before Spring I will turn it all in, best to do this before all the worms start coming to the surface so you dont disturb them.
Once the turning and adding more compost is done I then just do the layering method with all well broken down organic material, I do not like to disturb the soil at all at this point except to put the plant in, I like my soils alive and kicking
I use boken down hay bails that have been left to rot for a full year
Chicken manure that has broken down for 2 years
Broken down cow and horse manure
When it come to planting the plants I like to dig a hole 2-3 times the size of the pot and fill it with my Potting mix so I can plant straight into that.
Potting mix
After the Seasol soaking the plants dont even slow down. Then I just give the soil a slight turn where I have trodden to loosen it back up again and thrown on the goodies.
Latest Feed
During the course of the season I will put up pics of my watering methods and what I use and other things I will add at a later date.
For now that is where I am up to and as you can see I like my soil and everything I use to be alive and well broken down, of course sometimes you have to use pellets and other things when out bush, but I will cover some of these things later.
Until next update.....stay well and good growing ..K
