The growing large plants, outdoors, thread...

[theJointedOne]

This thread is all about growing big outdoors ask all the questions you want about soil bamboogardener. Calling this "the easiest decision of the year" is a joke. Creating the soil you're going to grow your plants in for the next 7 months is probably the most important step you will take besides watering. Also thanks for posting your Vermifire soil tests, I noticed after you did several other members did too. I have read this entire 700+ page thread through multiple times and only a handful of people have posted their soil test results.
For every 100 people that swear by their local 420 soil blend, we may get 1 soil test. We need more testing and less product placement. This place is beginning to sound like the local hydro shop. This thread goes back and forth between people that are interested in the science and experience necesarry to grow big healthy plants and those that just swing by to look at awesome bud shots. We need more of the former less of the latter.This is the place to talk about soil building people. I would love to see more recipes for soil mixes

your right.

I apologize if i came off rude.

 

[anonymousgrow]

Hello IC mag family, It is unfortunately true that we lost everything in a fire on wednesday. I really deeply thank you all for the positive thoughts and vibes, it moves me greatly to see the compassion that others have.
It will take time and effort to rebuild, but hopefully we will be back to where we were in a couple years. The loss of the dogs was definitely the hardest part. I was crying and screaming at the top of my lungs as I was burying their remains; it is just so sad, i loved them so so much.
I don't really know what to even say, I am still pretty much in shock about it all. We are staying a hotel right now, we have to get a copy of the fire report to take care of bureaucratic stuff. Hopefully that will be Monday.
We are planning on heading to the midwest to stay with family and regroup and gather as much money as we can and then come back and look for a new place to start over.
We were in the process of getting the title switched to our name from the lease to own agreement we had but the previous owner had some liens against the property that they lied to us about so it was delayed and the whole thing was in limbo as we were trying to figure out the liens. Since it was in limbo we didn't have home owners insurance. On the other hand, it looks like we probably don't have any financial responsibility tied to the place.

I don't know if its possible or likely but when we get things figured out with where we are going to be I will probably ask on everyone I can for any help getting going. I know i had a room filled with extra grow equipment that I would have given away in a heartbeat if this had happened to someone else; I'm hoping that maybe a few others may feel the same way.

I know some people have been sending private messages to primalraindrop. I was at his house last night and he showed me some of the messages people are sending with offers to help in various ways. And, Wow! I am so humbled that folks I have never met want to help me through this turbulent time. If anyone wants to send me private messages regarding anything I will be around internet access more regularly again now so I should be able to respond in a more timely manner.

Ill try to keep people informed of whats going on as things unfold.

 

[milkyjoe]

I think the point with soil being if you just say this much % of peat, compost, ewc and drainage and then x of this and y of that you will not get the same soil every time.

Compost is a constantly changing thing and it has a big influence on the overall. For example, one time it may have plenty of P, next time not enough...that is natural. If the mixer does not adjust for that his soil is going to be all over the map.

I have tested a few bags of B and G and no two have been alike from different pallets.

you are much better off mixing up your base and then amending from there

 

[tatagu14]

Soil Recipes

Soil Recipes

If you knew about mixing soil you'd know it isn't like a cake and every scenario is different. That is why you don't see "recipes"

I thought most people bought a pre made soil mix or amended their leftover soil. Please explain how your scenario is so different?? Also I see plenty of recipes. In fact this thread was started with a great simple soil recipe by Mr. Tom Hill.

What I have taken from this thread is that with the proper knowledge and practice of building your soil and maintaining the microherd with organic ingredients you can grow incredible plants year after year without spending the huge money on liquid ferts and useless crap (Lookin at you Advanced Nutrients)

For raised beds every 2/3 yard of used Royal Gold Mendo Mix soil I add 1/3 of a yard new soil and

1-2 bags Stutsmans Chicken Manure
1 Cubic Feet Worm Castings
7.5# bone meal
2.5# blood meal
1.5# Kelp Meal
Perlite as needed

In my planting holes I dig a hole 3 times the size of the rootball and fill with Unamended Mendo Mix. This allows the rootball to get bigger before hitting the "hot" soil. Lastly I add Mycos lastly before setting my plants in. I only add water and compost tea for first month and a half. Then I start top dressing...

 

[tatagu14]

Heres my soil mix above, I'm open to comments and suggestions

I've learned alot from your posts theJointedOne. You didn't come off as rude I just wanted to encourage more discourse about soil recipes. Even though this thread isnt technically a soil thread, I have learned more from the people here than any other place online.

 

[GanjaRebelSeeds]

I think one of the keys to a good soil mix is diversity. You should think about your short/medium/and long term goals for how you want the soil to preform.

I personally think the way to go is starting with bales of a high quality sphagnum peat moss like Sunshine mix or pro mix as a base and going from there.
Go heavy on the highest quality ewc and compost you can find. Don't cheap out of quality. Add a diversity of npk, mineral,and micro sources(chicken/guano/kelp/rock dusts/minerals/perlite/lava rock(aeration/drainage)etc). Organic and sustainable of course.
Don't overdue anything that can be overdone.
Go nuts on healthy forms of microbes/fungi/beneficial organisms, and food sources for them.
And so on and so on.

Mix till way past your arms and back hurt,add water,give it some time(or apply a tea). Use a bagged soil as a buffer for planting if too hot when needed, and rock and roll.

I'm happy to share ideas and some of my experiences.

Peace

 

[wallywombat]

your a wise man ganjaRebel ! i like your style ~ please share more

 

[tatagu14]

Okay GanjaRebelSeeds I will take you up on it. All of your recommendations are great so far. I totally agree that it is all about a balance of short term and long term nutrients for the plants. What is a good tea recipe you recommend?? What is your favorite source of Mycchorizae? What bagged soil do you recommend having your plants grow into before hitting the "hot" amended soil???

 

[furrywall11]

thank you, Ganjarebel !

 

[warthog]

Nice ganjaR.. Yeah I usually like to make three transplants(third being in their final home), all with different mixes complimenting each stage of growth.

 

[theJointedOne]

I like Black gold as a bagged soil, never did me wrong.

 

[GanjaRebelSeeds]

Okay GanjaRebelSeeds I will take you up on it. All of your recommendations are great so far. I totally agree that it is all about a balance of short term and long term nutrients for the plants. What is a good tea recipe you recommend?? What is your favorite source of Mycchorizae? What bagged soil do you recommend having your plants grow into before hitting the "hot" amended soil???

I'm not an expert on tea but I do have some experience. With tea I go hard on high quality worm castings and compost. Some azomite or glacial rock dust. A little kelp. A food source for microbes, like molasses or oats. I'd have to dig up my notes to give recipes i've used/been using. Theres always room for improvement.

I used to rock guano's,ewc, and fish hydrosolate teas with molasses. And a few other things.

For bennies I used Orca last year for liquid feeds. There's a lot of mychorizae products out there. I don't trust most of them. Do a little research on the company and see if their peeps know their shit.

For bagged soil I think ffof is the most consistent and clean, even though they have had issues I still prefer it to roots and black gold based on years on side by sides.

 

[tatagu14]

Big Thanks to GanjaRebelSeeds and theJointedOne for their help. I really liked GRS's recipe for tea. I am a big fan of using a little bit of fish hydroslate w my worm tea as well the micro beasties love it. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]

 

[milkyjoe]

If you want to add mycorrhizal fungi might I recommend you at least take a look at Tainio http://www.tainio.com/index.php?pageControl=productdetails&prodid=27

Take a look at spore counts on this vs what you are using and then factor in 10 grams per yard of this is all you need. Then factor in the bacteria he adds...I haven't found better

 

[theJointedOne]

If you want to add mycorrhizal fungi might I recommend you at least take a look at Tainio http://www.tainio.com/index.php?pageControl=productdetails&prodid=27

Take a look at spore counts on this vs what you are using and then factor in 10 grams per yard of this is all you need. Then factor in the bacteria he adds...I haven't found better

Thanks for dropping the knowledge on us MilkyJoe, as always. Cheers

 

[Backyard Farmer]

So what kind of tractors are people using?

I had a skid steer and hate the mess it made so I got rid of it, looking at TLBs, like the kubota L39 , you can get them with a hydraulic thumb and 4 in 1 bucket...making them pretty versatile..just wondering what else people are using.

 

[bamboogardner]

The 4 in 1 bucket is a major plus unless you are in the flatlands. Make sure you have power steering. It is a bitch to turn without it when you have a heavy load on the front. Kubota is the leader, followed by John Deere. Make sure there is a dealer in the immediate area, which usually Kubota and Deere lead the way. You get what you pay for. Many Japanese and other offshoots. If you buy one of those because they are cheaper, make sure you buy stock in the Bayer Aspirin company, for you will have many headaches.

 

[megayields]

Kubota here....love it

 

[bamboogardner]

One more thing on the tractor Backyard. If you are buying it from a dealer, have him weld forklift brackets on to the bucket. In that manner you just slide the forks in instead of clamping them on. The clamp on ones always seem to move a bit and you are adjusting them from time to time. You definitely need the forks on the front of the bucket to lift large items such as a 2 yard tote of soil or whatever.

 

[Rising Moon]

All this talk of soil, this and that.

My buddy and I are getting a high quality mix made up for us mixed and delivered for around 125 a yard. Diestel compost, peat, volcanic rock. Crab meal, kelp meal, neem meal, rock dusts and gypsum.

DONE!

Keep it simple. And put your money into your compost.

Mulch with dynamic acumulators and spray with aloe.