Easy Organic Soil Mix for Beginners

[SpicySativa]

Grainger,

Regarding the "cook time", the short answer is that more is better... I don't do anything less than a month. I basically have two batches of soil that I flip/flop between. One sits and composts while the other grows a crop. This way I don't have any down time waiting on my soil.

Fish bone meal is available in sufficient quantity after a month or so of composting time. Other than rock phosphate (SLOW release), it's pretty much the only Phos source I add. I started with 1.5 TBSP/gal when I first mixed the soil, and now add 0.5-0.75 TBSP/gal each time I recycle my soil.

For a nitrogen source, I use roughly equal parts alfalfa, neem seed meal, and crab meal. This has been working very well for me, and the plants finish with a nice fade. I used roughly 0.5 TBSP/gal of each when I first mixed up my soil (if I recall correctly).

I also have sworn off blood meal. It grosses me out.

Good luck!

 

[Granger2]

Spicy,
We're apparently on the same wave length. A good fade at the end is what I'm after. Can you tell me your complete recipe? Much appreciated. Thanks. -granger

 

[SpicySativa]

Here's the mix I started with:

Base Mix:
- Equal parts Alaska Peat, Perlite (wide range of particle sizes), and worm castings. I also added some Alaskan Humus at about 5% or so for a little extra diversity.


Nitrogen Sources:
- Crab Meal -- 0.5 TBSP/gal
- Alfalfa Meal -- 0.5 TBSP/gal
- Neem Seed Meal -- 0.5 TBSP/gal


Phosphorus Source:
- Fish Bone Meal --2 TBSP/gal


Potassium, micronutrients, etc:
- Kelp Meal -- 1.5 TBSP/gal

Rock Dusts, Minerals, etc:
- Powdered Dolomite Lime -- 2 TBSP/gal
- Azomite -- 2 TBSP/gal
- Soft Rock Phosphate -- 1 TBSP/gal

Each time I recycle, I basically add the N, P, and K sources listed above back to the soil at about 1/2 or less of their quantities. I kindof do it by feel, but I think as long as you stay below 1/2 the original amounts you shouldn't overdo anything. I also add some extra homemade castings, and possibly a little extra peat if the soil is feeling at all "muddy" from all worm castings.

One thing I think is important is that I DON'T add back any dolomite lime. The original addition should last me long time, and the soil is very well buffered and full of cal/mag from all the worm castings. Rock dusts get added back in small amounts, too; it's hard to overdo those.

 

[SpicySativa]

I switch it up a little, too, when I remix. A little fish meal for N here, little guano for P there (leftovers, won't be buying more), etc, etc.

Diversity is good...

 

[W89]

I did 1 run with coco and 1 with peat.. I use peat now...

 

[Granger2]

Spicy,
Thanks. What size containers do you use? Where does your silicon come from? Do you use only water all the way thru?

Also, I have a 50 lb bag of Azomite micronized, just cracked. Do you use the micronized form or the other? I fear that the micronized may not be around in bloom or 2nd half of bloom. What do you think? Thanks. -granger

Uhhh...der...In one breath I asked where the silicon comes from, and in the next, I ask an Azomite question. -Nevermind...

 

[Granger2]

W89,
Why? Did you grow same strains? Thanks. -granger

 

[MileHighGuy]

Granger, that rock dust will be there a long time.

This has already been beaten to death over here, but I wouldn't use dolomite lime at all. Outside there might be the occasional reason, but not indoors.

There are just to many better options.

From, "The Ideal Soil"

As a rule, don’t use Dolomite lime, regardless of what you may have read in various gardening books, unless you are sure that you need Magnesium. Dolomite is a high Magnesium limestone. Using dolomite will tighten the soil, reducing air in the soil and inducing anaerobic alcohol fermentation or even formaldehyde preservation of organic matter rather than aerobic decomposition. If the soil test calls for more Magnesium, Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) or K-Mag (also known as Sul-Po-Mag, sulfate of potash magnesia, or Langbeinite), are generally safer and quicker acting sources of Magnesium than dolomite. Magnesium oxide is the purest and quickest acting Magnesium additive, but is not presently allowed under USDA NOP organic rules, for some reason. About the only time dolomite lime might be called for would be if the soil already had too high a level of Sulfur to use Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) or K-Mag, or if other sources of Magnesium weren’t available.

I'm sure you've seen this reminerilize link before, but it's worth sharing again.

http://remineralize.org/a-rock-dust-primer

 

[Granger2]

MHG,
Yeah, seems to me it would. It's just that the micronized form is soluble, so they claim. Not a big deal, since most good mixes have overlapping and redundant ingredients. I also plan to hand water about 3 times in bloom with Sea Crop. FTWDK, concentrated sea water w/95% of the Sodium Chloride removed.

Thanks for the dust article. I have seen either it or articles with pretty much the same info. I'm sold. Will use Azo and a regionally available product called Volcanite. 5 volcanic sands incl greensand. will be slower release, and is paramagnetic.

And I previously stated that I wouldn't use dolomite cuz my water is so high in lime. If I decide to go with peat, I'll put more thought into it. I'll use some gypsum mostly for the sufate, and I'll likely use some Sul-Po-Mag. And there's always every grower's pal, epsom. I don't mind if I need to water with it once in awhile. Thanks. -granger

 

[MileHighGuy]

There isn't any soluble rock... it's just rock dust.

The Granular is pelletized so you don't breathe it in, but they are basically the same.

If you want a visual and don't mind a long video here is some crazy guy in vegas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t20OYgrLV6s

a few minutes in he shows the granular and the micronized mixed into water.

 

[xmobotx]

And I previously stated that I wouldn't use dolomite cuz my water is so high in lime.

the problem w/ dolomite is all the magnesium ~fine IF you need magnesium {most probably have plenty in organic soil}

Do you have a cement well?

epsom salt sucks

 

[Granger2]

I have no well. I'm using tap from the municipal supply of a large city. It's hard. So why does epsom suck? I always have it on hand, but seldom use it. Seems to do the job when Mg is needed. Thanks. -granger

 

[xmobotx]

yeah, it does 'seem' to do the job. IDK all the jargon but, epsom salt is basically a chem fert that's considered OK for organic. I don;t see the need for it nor feel like it contributes to a recycle-able soil mix

you see a lot of advice that goes something like "looks like a cal/mag issue" & that advice doesn't lend itself well to organics since, those symptoms that "look like a cal/mag issue" are more likely a mix which isn't finished or over fert/toxic soil

if you have hard water w/ too much Ca you might see that from the Ca spike & the epsom salt may be taking the edge off by balancing that extra Ca w/ some extra Mag & buffering the alkalinity of the Ca w/ the acidity of the sulfur ~what happens is that soil just gets more and more out of balance towards those 3 elements {which is to say, your exchange points will fill up displacing the other ions you need in your mix}

might be OK for a cycle but you end up throwing away your mix & I suppose some people are OK w/ that too

 

[SpicySativa]

Granger - I run that soil in 7-10 gallon pots. Was using 7-gal Smart Pots, now exclusively 10-gal hard pots for me. The Smarts dry out to fast/uneven for my tastes.

As far as silica (other than the rock dusts)... I have a bag of dried horsetail and I periodically sprinkle it into my worm bins. Also the occasional Pro-Tekt, just because I have it on hand. Probably won't buy more once I run out.

This soil is mostly "water only" when it comes to supplying the bulk NPK the plants need, but I do give one or two simple compost teas, and give an alfalfa tea around the time I flip to bloom. I also feed my soil VERY dilute amounts of fish hydrolysate from time to time.

 

[intotheunknown]

-xmobotx

Ive been using dolomite lime for several years now with excellent results...

as of lately Im getting not such good results, and plants are showing cal/mag deficiencies/and or too much...is my question?

Now this is a base mix consisting of:
Peat
perlite
coco
vermiculite
ewc
compost
a bit of alaska humus for diversity
(heaping 1/4 cup powdered dolomite lime/oystershell)
at a rate of far less than 2 tbs per gallon.


kelp meal
N. bat guano
P. bat guano
alfalfa meal
hand full of greensand

Now, you say that the magnesium level in the dolomite lime is high... Im wondering if my issue is the lime.

And I know most of you guys like Gas, Coot, etc do not use it.
Wondering if I should just cut that right out and just replace it with oystershell and something else.

 

[Granger2]

XMO,
So what do you suggest for the Ca, Mg thing. For mixing the soil right to start with, and to correct problems if they arise? And no, if I didn't intend to reuse the soil, I'd just stay with coco and bottles. Thanks. -granger

 

[trichrider]

leaning towards crab meal or oystershell flour...

 

[EclipseFour20]

Soil air/water porosity can be just as important as all the crazy ingredients we add! Remember, ALL living things need these 3 things to survive: Air, water & food. Sometimes growers get too hung up on ingredient selection (food)--that we forget to adjust the amount/mix of soil aggregates to correct the soil's air & water porosity capacities.

Suggestion: Once the fertility ingredients are selected then start adjusting the amount of organic and inorganic aggregates/substrates (peat, vermiculite, perlite, clay, compost, coco, bark, etc) until the desired porosity levels are achieved.

See the attached Rutgers Fact Sheet for a simple procedure to calculate soil porosity levels.

Cheers!

 

[xmobotx]

beginning to look @ crab meal as some sort of "holy grail" amendment myself

i ended getting a soil test done when i wasn't seeing results i liked from my custom mix~
i found it low in Ca & P as well as some trace elements particularly boron & manganese

today {months later} I appreciate what i discovered from the soil test but dont find it "necessary" ~more like a step to greater understanding

but; the real point here is that i found the mix to contain plenty {almost too much} mag ~even though i had supplemented none & used NO DL

cal-phos ended up being a good choice to remedy my situation as well as fish bone meal ~i already had used oyster shell

 

[MileHighGuy]

Great Post Ecks Moe! Very helpful indeed.