A Take on Super Soil

I'm wanting to do an organic only, just add water (if possible; if I can't I'll use a dry organic fertilizer like TomatoTone, mixed with the dry meals), outdoor grow next year. Also wanting to do above ground planters, 2 plants per planter, each planter is 5'x10'x1', the ground beneath will have a nice top layer, and will be tilled underneath each planter a good foot or so.

I learned of Subcool's Super Soil, and I was wondering if anyone has used it, what they thought of it, about it.. and if this recipe would be ok to use? I'm using the same ingredients, but also trying to cut the cost where I can.

I want to do 4 planters, that is 200 cubic ft, 200 square ft, which is nearly 1,500 gallons worth. (~187 gallons per plant, as far as the planters go)

The manufactures of the amendments recommend these as their minimums:

2 -- 5 lbs - Crab Meal
1 -- 5 lbs - Neem Seed Meal
1 -- 6 lbs - Bone Meal
1 -- 4 lbs - Blood Meal
1 -- 6 lbs - Fish Bone Meal
1 -- 6 lbs - Oyster Shell
1 -- 4 lbs - Kelp Meal
2 -- 5 lbs - Alfalfa Meal
1 -- 5 lbs - Rock Phosphate
1 -- 8 lbs - Azomite Powder
1 -- 2 lbs - Bat Guano
1 -- 5 lbs - Seabird Guano

I'm kind of new to the whole organic thing and growing thing in general, but I was wondering if I need to add more amendments to make it a "just add water" soil? Or is this going to be ok?

I also plan to add a top layer of Diatomaceous Earth. I hate bugs.

I've decided I'm just going to stick with SubCool's revised SuperSoil, but add in Neem Meal and Crab Meal. I'm getting excited Spring is just around the corner!!

i've seen subcool's ideas refuted repeatedly. there are likely advocates who have success w/ it. if you can find one, they may have some valid advice for you.

i'd skip the blood & bone & maybe save guanos for top-dress to make corrections. start w/ something more like 1/4 the amounts of amendments. maybe you could share your sources {i haven't done any math looking at this} adding amendments is much like sawing a board; e.g once you make a cut on the board, if it's too short, it's difficult to lengthen the board. similarly, once you've added too much amendments, it's difficult to dilute your soil mix.

another consideration is the length of your list. look at an all-in-one, dry, organic amendment & see the suggested amounts. now mix your list of amendments together & apply that at a rate similar.

it's the thing to break up your list into "liming" or, calcium amendments, food & mineralizing amendments ~in your list, only oyster falls in to Ca amendments {though the bones & the crab also supply Ca} the azomite is your only mineralizer. {though the rock phos does provide as well}

Also, check out Build-A-Soils website. They have excellent products and their soil kits are super easy.

Tri_Cho_Me

Thank you xmobotx

I'm reading your Getting Started w/ living soil thread right now.

I like the idea of adding the additives as the light/night cycle changes. And that using EarthWormCastings as a top layer, is going to promote the EM and intake of the nutrients added just below that layer. Probably extremely effective when using a damp "hay mulch" top cover.

Whats awesome is I have been composting to get ready for 2017. I started in August or so.. I've kept the compost just moist, and till the bin every week. I used fresh lawn trimmings, fresh fallen leaves (sent through the lawn mover separately), used coffee grounds, crushed egg shells, earthworm castings, mushroom compost, and compost that had been sitting in the bottom of the composter for maybe 7-8 years or so (it looked super duper dark, nearly black, figured it must be good). I layered everything in organized layers at first, being OCD. I've been tilling or turning the compost every week or so. The winters here are cold.. I guess if it isn't ready to use by March, it'll be ready to use by March of next year for sure..

I have a lot of research to do, I have a feeling.

CC's mix! Been using it for 3 years now and it just continues to impress me more and more, its like 1/4 the ingredients of subcools mix too. Just neem, kelp, crab, rock dust and oyster shell flour. This is a great starting point and you can topdress more amendments later on if you feel the need.

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xmobotx said:

another consideration is the length of your list. look at an all-in-one, dry, organic amendment & see the suggested amounts. now mix your list of amendments together & apply that at a rate similar.

Click to expand...

on that note i will suggest my 2 fav all in one dry mixes:
down to earth bio live
and perfect blend biotic fertilizer

also, i treat insect frass like a general base fert (2/2/2) - not going to provide EVERYTHING you need.... but fills in major gaps for sure.