Please help me fix my outdoor soil recipe

Snype · Apr 8, 2014

I posted this in the Organics for Beginners thread and people said it was not good so I'm posting it here. Please help.

Can a soil expert look at my recipe and tell me if there are any problems. This is for an outdoor soil crop in the Western Mountains in Maine. I'll be using 30 Gallon Smart Pots.

I'll be making 3 batches of the following mix:

48 Bags of Fox Farm Ocean Forest (540 Gallons or 72 Cu Ft)
180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft of Earth Worm Castings
180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft Perlite
120 Cups Powdered Dolomite Lime
60 Cups Blood Meal
120 Cups Bone Meal
60 Cups Kelp Meal

I'd also like to add Neem Meal but don't know what rates to add it. How does the mix look to you guys? It seems like an awful lot of lime. Are my lime rates correct? All these rates were taken from the first post in Organics For Beginners.

soil margin · Apr 8, 2014

Others will disagree but personally: The FFOF already has some perlite in it, I think adding 80-100 gallons will be plenty. I would cut the amount of lime in half, maybe even a third and supplement about 60-80 cups of gypsum. I would also suggest amending with a high quality stonemeal/rock dust to make sure you have adequate trace minerals. About 80 cups or so for a batch that size.

Edit: Yeah as yortbogey pointed out below, peat moss would be a good addition especially if you live in a dry climate or are guerilla growing as it significantly increases the moisture carrying capacity of the soil. 100 gallons or so would do fine imo.

yortbogey · Apr 8, 2014

yes.... needs trace minerals... azomite, rock dust... etc
also consider...additional peat , or coco, as a variable in the soil content....
variety is the spice of life

Buddah Watcha · Apr 8, 2014

I agree with the previous post...Cut perlite to half, cut dolomite to 60 cups and maybe another 60 cups gypsum, definitely implement rock dust.

Maybe add alfafa to the mix and top dress with neem for a bit more diversity.

Snype · Apr 9, 2014

Thanks for the help guys! My area can be humid and wet so I don't think I need Peat. I''ll cut the perlite I'llin half and make some changes like some of you are saying. So how's this look:

48 Bags of Fox Farm Ocean Forest (540 Gallons or 72 Cu Ft)
180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft of Earth Worm Castings
90 Gallons or 12 Cu Ft Perlite
60 Cups Powdered Dolomite Lime
60 Cups Gypsum
60 Cups Rock Dust
60 Cups Blood Meal
120 Cups Bone Meal
60 Cups Kelp Meal

Hopefully this is looking better. I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible and just add water. Rooted clones were planted into nursery pots April 1st.

bobblehead · Apr 9, 2014

If you send a soil sample to a company like fruit growers lab or Logan labs llc you can find out what you have and what you need to add for optimal growth.

soil margin · Apr 9, 2014

Looks pretty good there Snype. I might suggest some rye/oat/powdered malt/etc. as they contain the food needed for large beneficial fungal colonies to live in your soil. If you're growing in a cool/wet climate you should have plenty of them around. Somewhere in the 5-6 gallon range would probably be ideal for your batch.

Fly by Night · Apr 9, 2014

Sounds tasty, have u sampled a bit?

thaicat · Apr 9, 2014

I totally agree with losing the dolomite and replacing with bonemeal. rock dust and gypsum. I also believe it'd make it easier to measure in pounds. I might add a little chicken manure just to encourage more explosive growth through veg.

Snype · Apr 11, 2014

Thanks for the help! This is all new to me so please help me further. I'm planting in 30 Gallon Smart Pots in the Western Mountains of Maine. How is my new updated mix?

50 Cubic Feet Peat Moss
22 Cubic Feet Top Soil
24 Cubic Feet Perlite
24 Cubic Feet EWC
240 Cups Basalt or Glacial Rock Dust
120 Cups Gypsum
120 Cups Oyster Flour
60 Cups Blood Meal
120 Cups Bone Meal
60 Cups Kelp Meal
60 Cups Neem Meal

My base is 120 Cubic Feet. How does this sound now? Are the rates correct? Should I take something out of the mix now that I added some Neem Meal? Are there too many minerals in my mix?

soil margin · Apr 11, 2014

Seems a bit heavy on the peat moss. I'd probably cut that in half and replace with soil/ewc. Everything else looks good.

Snype · Apr 11, 2014

soil margin said:
Seems a bit heavy on the peat moss. I'd probably cut that in half and replace with soil/ewc. Everything else looks good.

How about 36 Cubic Feet Peat Moss and 36 Cubic Feet Top Soil?

36 Cubic Feet SPGM Peat Moss
36 Cubic Feet Top Soil
24 Cubic Feet Perlite
24 Cubic Feet EWC
240 Cups Basalt or Glacial Rock Dust
120 Cups Gypsum
120 Cups Oyster Flour
60 Cups Blood Meal
120 Cups Bone Meal
60 Cups Kelp Meal
60 Cups Neem Meal

My base is 120 Cubic Feet. How does this sound now? Are the rates correct? Should I take something out of the mix now that I added some Neem Meal? Are there too many minerals in my mix?

soil margin · Apr 11, 2014

Looks pretty sweet now. I think your girls will be very appreciative of this well thought out mix.

Snype · Apr 11, 2014

Blue Berry said:
how long is the season in Maine ?

Basically June 1 to Septemper 30. I'll be lucky if I get a pound per plant but I'm expecting half pound plants.

Edit: Sometimes this area can make it to the end of October / beginning of November. That's what I'm hoping for this year.

soil margin · Apr 11, 2014

You know snype someone else suggested earlier in this thread that you send a sample of your mix in for testing/analysis. Since it seems like you're sparing no expense on the soil it might not be a bad idea to get it tested and then know for sure you have really perfect soil. I doubt you would have any real deficiencies with that mix though.

Snype · Apr 11, 2014

Blue Berry said:
What strains are you going to be growing ?

From Clone:
Illuminati / Nag Champa Kush
KK StarDawg
The White
Chemdog Double Diesel
Pootie Tang (StarDawg #6)
StarDawg #9
Motorbreath #6
Oregon ICE
Mass Electric #'s 1, 2, & 3

From seed:
Around 100 Strawberry Diesel F1's
Around 100 Chemdog Sour Diesel

I bought a brand new 4 wheeler with a trailer to bring things around easier and a gas power cement mixer as well. This is my first real outdoor attempt so we will see how it goes. Doing roughly 300 plants with 90 in smart pots and the rest in the ground.

greenpinky · Apr 11, 2014

Soil seems good... u got ur work cut out for u.... good luck and good vibes ur way bro....

ELBURRO · Apr 11, 2014

Snype
Kk stardawg does not finish until November

Snype · Apr 11, 2014

ELBURRO said:
Snype
Kk stardawg does not finish until November

I'm sure I'll have this problem with others as well. I'll have to cross that bridge when it comes. The are only in 30 Gallon Smart Pots so maybe I can put them in the barn and finish them indoors when it gets too cold. I'm certain I'll make many mistakes but I'm liking this organic idea so far.

Snype · Apr 11, 2014

Yeah you all got me thinking now. So basically I need the perfect season this year. Last year we had plants still outside the 3rd week of October but it was cold. I think if I can make it to October 31 then most things would at least be close to finish. I don't think there has been a great season here for years so maybe this will be that perfect year. That's pretty much what I'm going on. I'm just glad you guys told me this because it will now change how I plant the seed crops. Maybe I can do rectangle raised beds that I can cover with hoop houses.

Please help me fix my outdoor soil recipe

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