Need new soil mix

[Bullfrog44]

CC - That is what I am looking for. I like the fact that you add 1/2 native soil to your mix. Keeps things cheaper and I know my soil has lots of good rock dusts and organic material. I also like that you don't buy any hydro store soil, like Fox Farms. I can order soil by the yard so i should do so and make my mix much cheaper. One question for you however, can you replace the compost with more EWC? or maybe 2 cubic feet of EWC and only 1 of regular compost? Thank you for the input.


Keep these ideas flowing people, right now I am thinking of a mix between mine and CC's. Anybody else have a good mix they find effective with top grade materials?

 

[Jungle.Microbes]

I really don't think you can overdo the EWC or compost since they're primary food sources for microbes

 

[guest2012y]

You can add more EWC in place of compost. Somewhere around here in this forum the exact ratio to soil mix has been posted..yet there is more diversity in compost,why not have both eh..

 

[Bullfrog44]

I do enjoy a diverse micro population, so maybe I will keep it at 2 parts EWC, 1 part compost. thanks. I found a great spot that is going to sell me a yard of EWC for only 180$

 

[Buddah Watcha]

This is outdoor?..?.?..What I would do outdoors...

Lets say you start with a 1 bail of peat...just regular ol' peat moss.

To that add...

1 cubic foot EWC
4 cubic feet pumice
2 cubic feet vermiculite
1 cubic foot coco coir
1-2 cubic foot compost

10 cups glacial rock dust
16 cups N gauno
16 cups fish bone meal
16 cups kelp meal

This is also where you add all those goodies like Azomite,green sand,comfrey,etc....optional.
1 gallon pyrophosphite clay..or ANY clay that is powdered....also consider the possible amount of clay in the native soil.
4 cups powdered dolomite...or the 3-way lime mix I use ( 1x gypsum,2x oyster shell,1x dolomite)...for the peat. Consider the ph of the native soil and adjust as well.


NOW...take all that and mix 50/50 with the existing native soil from each hole....mix well...fill holes...good to go. Somewhere in August you'll want to start feeding teas.

My two cents,...and what this is what I do.

Hey Capt. Cheeze,

Great info man, but if you dont mind, let me ask you a few questions...

Wouldn't the fish bone meal attract animals to dig up the holes?

Where can one find glacial rock dust or pumice? Would rice hulls be an effective substitute to the pumice, or even perlite (got a huge bag sitting here)?

Thanks in advance bro!

 

[guest2012y]

Good point on the fish bone. I've used fish products in bear country before and it's hit and miss. Most of the time they just scratch the top layer of soil before they realize that there is nothing there of substance. Not always though and sometimes they dig a bit deeper,but I've never lost a plant to scavengers as I have lost plants to grazer/browsers who would rather eat the foliage.

However,this is fish bone...it has no meat on it and the common fish smell is reduced. I might go for Phos. guano or SRP..

Pumice is commonly available at most garden centers...cheaper than perlite and more effective...heavier though.

I have used rice hulls as a perlite replacement..works well,yet consider the breakdown rate of the hulls...which is like 4 months...more will need to be added if that's the route you choose. Or you can do a blend of aeration components like I do..diversity rocks it.

Also consider that you are adding 'browns' to the soil with rice hulls...what about the 'greens'..etc,uncomposted materials,etc,etc,sequestering carbon,etc,...

Google glaicial rock dust retailers in your area...or if you have any volcano's nearby that went through the last glacial period..you can scout around and find it yourself.

Good questions man!
CC1

 

[supherbb]

I've heard of people using rice hulls to replace perlite. If I'm not mistaken, it also gives you an extra silica source as well.

 

[guest2012y]

I've heard of people using rice hulls to replace perlite. If I'm not mistaken, it also gives you an extra silica source as well.

......one of the main building blocks of plant material.

 

[Buddah Watcha]

Thanks man, I will avoid using bone/blood meal this year to avoid animals.

I'll take a look at some pumice when season starts and the nurseries stock up!

Peace!

 

[Vampire]

For all the negative thoughts about it, MG Organic has always done right for my grows. It's listed on the omri.org as certified organic and the chicken litter in is a slow release hi N along with the sphag being amended with mag,cal and sulfer equaling a 10-5-5 value. Hope that helps, its cheaper than mixing and amending plain potting soil imo.

 

[moses wellfleet]

what about some wood ash for added potassium?

 

[Bullfrog44]

Hey, stoked that more people are coming in and throwing some advice around.

Moses Wellfleet - What type of wood should I burn? How much ash do I want? I have never used ash before in my grows, but I know it works very well. Just don't burn pressure treated lumber I guess?

 

[Bullfrog44]

So I was talking with my local commercial supply house and they tell me they will mix up a soil mix for me for only 50$. Great for me because my back is F-ed! However they don't carry peat moss. They do have a substitue that is finely ground redwood. The sales man Dan told me that the ground redwood doesn't have any nutrients, and is supper fluffy. However he did say it was pretty acidic. Peat moss is acidic right? Would I just use the same amount of Dolomite Lime? Anybody use this stuff before?

here is a link.http://www.lyngsogarden.com/index.c...ategory=SOILS&categoryid=70538&productId=1215

either that or this product might work.

http://www.lyngsogarden.com/index.c...ategory=SOILS&categoryid=70538&productId=1215

any info on either would be great. Dan knows his shit, me and him go way back. However this is a new product and he knew little about it other than it replaced Peat Moss because of environmental reasons..........dam hippies, lol. They do have coco, but at a much higher price.

 

[heady blunts]

i used to use a bark fines based mix (redwood and pine i believe) but i did not love it.

it doesn't work well with blumats.

i think VG has done some more deliberate experimenting w/ bark fines.

maybe you can bring a bale of peat over to sales man dan's place. $50 bucks is not a bad deal

 

[Bullfrog44]

maybe you can bring a bale of peat over to sales man dan's place. $50 bucks is not a bad deal

We are talking yards this year baby. Making my holes 100% bigger and expanding my garden by 100% as well. Lots more room for all my veggies!

 

[guest2012y]

I would avoid firs,cedars,and redwood....stick to deciduous woods for composting and ashes. Not saying that these types don't breakdown,but they have a lot of oils in them that slow decay.

The rule when using peat...any peat. 1 to 2 tablespoons dolomite per gallon of peat moss. A proper soil without peat would probably need little liming at all....peat is the reason we add dolomite...or other lime mixes.
1 cup of dolomite per cubic foot of peat or other accepted liming mixes....even Sunshine mixes come under limed...it's what 99.9% peat.?.?

 

[Metatron]

People keep recommending mushroom compost. Mushroom compost really is not great for cannabis. Mushrooms tend to have lots of pesticide residues and has a very high salt content. I want to save money making my own soil mix, WITH HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS. Thanks for the advice however.

Like any other organic ingredient depending where your source from can determine the quality of what your looking for. I don't doubt what you say could be in the mushroom compost but the fungi life within in just might be the silver bullet you want for flowering.

high quality mushroom compost

 

[h.h.]

What's your soil like now? Is it native top soil or has it been cut?
It may be as well to do a lasagna style mulch with everything. It's a lot easier and it will feed evenly, not just the holes.
Throw out some cornmeal or cheap grain to help get the fungus going. I'd consider the above mushroom compost, though a bit pricey, mix it with the corn meal and spread it thin like fertilizer.
Consider vertical composting. Core down between plantings and add compost.

 

[moses wellfleet]

Hey, stoked that more people are coming in and throwing some advice around.

Moses Wellfleet - What type of wood should I burn? How much ash do I want? I have never used ash before in my grows, but I know it works very well. Just don't burn pressure treated lumber I guess?

i have top dressed with it outdoors with some success but i always held back on the dosage scared of the alkaline nature of wood ash!

 

[h.h.]

i have top dressed with it outdoors with some success but i always held back on the dosage scared of the alkaline nature of wood ash!

Soak it in water and use the water. The potassium will dissolve quickly so do a quick soak and you shouldn't get the majority of salts.