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Feedback for soil mix

S

Southerner

New member
So, I have been playing with organics for a while now and have used several different mixes. I have what I would call a collection of different amendments at this point. I really want to nail down a solid organic soil recipe this round that has feedback from other growers. Here's what I am thinking so far:


50% Peat Moss
20% Oly Mountain Fish Compost
30% Aeration(probably a mix of lava rock/Rice Hulls/Perlite)

1 cup per cubic foot of each:

9-4.5-0 FISH MEAL
3-16-0 FISH BONE MEAL
1-.1-2 KELP
2-.5-2.5 ALFALFA MEAL
3-1-3 INSECT FRASS
Azomite
Gypsum
Oyster Shell Flour
Biochar
Rock Dust


Any input would be appreciated.
 
Lost in a SOG

Lost in a SOG

GrassSnakeGenetics
Is that fish blood meal at the top of your list?

If so i might cut that back, but ive not used the oly fish compost so i could be wrong.

What kind of biochar are you using? Some can raise pH quite agressively.

All of my feedback is just for consideration.

Id be putting in a cup or so of crab shell and malted barley powder, but you will get some chitin from the insect frass.

Id also make some room for coco coir in the base even if its just 15-20%..

I would also only do 1/2 cup of the rock dust and azo..

I like the mix though, so long as it cooked up to a nice pH, all that peat + the biochar and lots of liming might well work out perfect after cooking.. and the fish meal and compost doesnt push the nitrogen too high it seems a good start.

For all i know your mix might be well better than what i do so please dont take me as gospel.
 
h.h.

h.h.

Active member
Veteran
Looks a little heavy.

One to two tablespoons per gallon recommended rate on much of it.
6.43 x 2= 12.83 tablespoons cubic foot. 16 in a cup.

Gypsum, I'd use half a cup. You have the crab shell as well, upping the calcium. Then the fish bone as well.


Presoak your biochar.
I'd do a fermentation with the kelp, alfalfa, and a little fish meal. Add the char. Maybe a little oatmeal. Let the pH spike a little before adding a little crab shell flour to bring it back down.
Biochar can replace a bit of your perlite. Pumice if you can find it.
 
Microbeman

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I like equal parts [v]compost and peat; 15% hard drainage; 15% drainage material which degrades over time [rice hulls, aged bark/chips, bio-char]. I detest perlite. I use sand in my mixes as part of the base [3-5% ?] I might do slight alterations based on planned method of growing; e.g. no-till, re-use, 5 gallons, beds, etc.
 
I

Iowa Grown

New member
For my indoor mix I use most everything you listed, and it goes like so...

each makes 1 cf

30 cups s/peat
15 cups coco coir
05 cups vermiculite
35 cups perlite
30 cups compost
02 cups activated charcoal

1/2 cup fish meal
1/2 cup alfalfa meal
1/2 cup insect frass
1/2 cup soft rock phosphate
1/4 cup azomite
1/4 cup oyster shell flour
1/4 cup kelp meal

Then I leave 2-3 inches at the top of my final pots, to do a 1 -2 inch amendment one week after the switch, and that contains...

31 cups s/peat
15 cups coco coir
05 cups vermiculite
35 cups perlite
31 cups compost
02 cups activated charcoal

3/4 cup fish bone meal

And I have been using this mix for a number of years now and it works great for me, I always get phenomenal vegetative growth, and then after I add my (1) amendment, my flowers bulk up very nicely. Anyhow, as for the compost, many growers I know swear by oly mt compost but I have never used it myself. And I use to do my own compost, but for a long time now I use CofM quoddy blend lobster compost, its cheap, but it's truly some amazing stuff. Seriously that stuff grows some wonderful cannabis plants that always seem to grow free of any troubles!
 
h.h.

h.h.

Active member
Veteran
Iowa Grown said:
For my indoor mix I use most everything you listed, and it goes like so...

each makes 1 cf

30 cups s/peat
15 cups coco coir
05 cups vermiculite
35 cups perlite
30 cups compost
02 cups activated charcoal

1/2 cup fish meal
1/2 cup alfalfa meal
1/2 cup insect frass
1/2 cup soft rock phosphate
1/4 cup azomite
1/4 cup oyster shell flour
1/4 cup kelp meal

Then I leave 2-3 inches at the top of my final pots, to do a 1 -2 inch amendment one week after the switch, and that contains...

31 cups s/peat
15 cups coco coir
05 cups vermiculite
35 cups perlite
31 cups compost
02 cups activated charcoal

3/4 cup fish bone meal

And I have been using this mix for a number of years now and it works great for me, I always get phenomenal vegetative growth, and then after I add my (1) amendment, my flowers bulk up very nicely. Anyhow, as for the compost, many growers I know swear by oly mt compost but I have never used it myself. And I use to do my own compost, but for a long time now I use CofM quoddy blend lobster compost, its cheap, but it's truly some amazing stuff. Seriously that stuff grows some wonderful cannabis plants that always seem to grow free of any troubles!
Click to expand...


Interesting finish.


I think I was using half cups. Closer to the minimum recommend rates. Once you add the other amendments, you're still pushing the high mark.
You're saving grace is that they don't all release release all their nutrients at the same time.
There's a chart floating around here somewhere of all the different amendments, what they provide, and what day period they provide it in. Very handy if you can find it.
 
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