[h.h.]

Oatmeal, because I usually have it already, it's cheap and a good fungal food.

[Wolfshadoe]

Good read..
There is some factors for me..
Indoors,as All have said no way can I NOT use worm castings!!.. However,worm C's when I move plants outside attract ARMADILLOS for me and they destroy them looking for that worm!
Blood meal,fish, shrimp ect,,, same thing!!!
But it's coons,cyotes ect digging that up..
Lucky I have magic dirt naturally..
The gauno?Very good!!As others the harvest and killing of bats by encroaching ppl don't sit well with me..
So for indoor I could go with out the guano every time., But WC's is A must!!
Peace!! Happy growing New year's!!
<WS>

[Vaporizando192]

Originally Posted by h.h.

Oatmeal, because I usually have it already, it's cheap and a good fungal food.

How u use it ?

I use Oatmeal just for compost a couple of days before to brew it in aerated compost tea, but i never used in the soil mix...how u do it exactly ?

Thx

[slownickel]

Calcium(s).

[KIS]

Originally Posted by growinthehills

Kelp and Compost/Worm castings

Kelp has all the micro nutrients and trace minerals but you could use rock dust for some of this. I don't usually skip out on Kelp but it can be expensive.

Compost or worm castings help add biology and help create an environment that is conducive to biology, as well as help with buffering the soil when it comes to pH, salts etc. Adding humus and organic matter are pretty much a fix all for most issues in your soil.

If it was just one I could use every time it would be good quality compost/castings.

I agree...these would be my first two choices as well. Be sure to have a good ratio for your media of porosity/aeration, compost, etc....that will give you good biological activity and diversity as well as the physical properties you want.

[Douglas.Curtis]

You can learn a lot from this thread already, thanks for all the contributions. Happy New Year!

[h.h.]

Originally Posted by Vaporizando192

How u use it ?

I use Oatmeal just for compost a couple of days before to brew it in aerated compost tea, but i never used in the soil mix...how u do it exactly ?

Thx

Maybe a quarter cup per cubic foot. I don't really measure. I just mix it in. Give it at least a couple weeks to break down.

I like to prepare my pots ahead of time, including the planting hole. If I'm transplanting from 4" pots, I use a 4" pot for a form. That way, I don't disturb any fungal growth.
You can even do a little cover crop, then smother it out. Chia works. You could probably use clover.

I'm generally close to max on worm castings. I'd probably add a wee bit, but that's more than one thing, cause then, I'd probably add a bit of aeration amendment.

I'll stick with oatmeal then hit it with some ACT.

[Vaporizando192]

Originally Posted by h.h.

Maybe a quarter cup per cubic foot. I don't really measure. I just mix it in. Give it at least a couple weeks to break down.

I like to prepare my pots ahead of time, including the planting hole. If I'm transplanting from 4" pots, I use a 4" pot for a form.
That way, I don't disturb any fungal growth.
You can even do a little cover crop, then smother it out *.
Chia works. You could probably use clover.
* U MEAN CUT THE CROP AND LET IT THERE TO DECAY inside the hole ?
I'm generally close to max on worm castings. I'd probably add a wee bit, but that's more than one thing, cause then, I'd probably add a bit of aeration amendment.
I'll stick with oatmeal then hit it with some ACT.

REALLY GOOD INFO H.H.
THX SO MUCH TO SHARE IT

my soil-mix is already buried in the ground,
add on top some powdered OATMEAL is it enough?

[h.h.]

Originally Posted by Vaporizando192

REALLY GOOD INFO H.H.
THX SO MUCH TO SHARE IT

my soil-mix is already buried in the ground,
add on top some powdered OATMEAL is it enough?

I sprinkle it on my gardens sometimes. Let's say a handful or two won't be too much and it'll only cost you a nickle to try it.

Now think. You're eating you're morning porridge. You reach for the sugar and grab the compost by mistake...Makes good mulch.

[h.h.]

Originally Posted by Vaporizando192

REALLY GOOD INFO H.H.
THX SO MUCH TO SHARE IT

my soil-mix is already buried in the ground,
add on top some powdered OATMEAL is it enough?

Reading into this a bit...
Generally, if you dig a hole and fill it with amendments, you basically have a potted plant. The roots have little incentive to move out of the hole. Some amendments get too hot when buried or they will decompose at a different rate. Depending on the compaction of the surrounding soil, you're hole may also hold excess moisture.
It's the top couple of inches that has the most oxygen. That's where you want most of your amendments.
If the soil has been freshly dug, work them in a couple of inches. If it hasn't been dug up or tilled, topdress with a little mulch as not to disturb what's there.