I bring in native topsoils and forest debris all the time. I don't worry about bugs and most of the ones that stick around are beneficial anyway. I can't think of one bad bug I've encountered.
Common misconception that there will be no balance of predators to prey,also a common misconception that bugs in a soil that is used indoors is a bad thing. Depending on where you live depends on what type of insects you are going to be having an arrangement with.
Yeah it's got insect life,but that's what you want. I've seen predator mites...nothing like gnats,mites,root aphids...those come from bagged soil mixes and your buddies garden.
Pointless to kill your soil with heat in an oven....if you are that concerned about bugs put it inside black trash bags and set it in the sun for a week...that'll kill it.
After that re-amend with the standard organic amendments,you may want to re-introduce the microbial life to the soil with an ACT after the final mixing.
I would be concerned more about wether or not that manure is fully composted. Could go for some kelp meal in the mix though.
Man I'm loving these rice hulls....really builds a nice texture for the mix.With some sound advice from CaptCheeze1 on mixing ratios, the mix I'm running this cycle is 25% topsoil (with sphagnum peat moss, thermal compost, worm castings, pumice & rice hulls) and these are the healthiest plants I've ever grown indoors.
CC
Far better than perlite....best textured soil I've used yet,but you know me,I have a little bit of everything in there....including perlite.CC1
There are several things about rice hulls which add a number of benefits to a container soil.
Price - least expensive of all the so-called aeration amendments. It's plant-based and contains 43% Silica which will become available over several months. Since it breaks down over a fairly consistent time period, rice hulls can be used as a 'marker' of sorts on when to recharge the soil with amendments, etc.
CC
I think im going to try this:
Sifted outdoor soil
Coir
Perlite
blood, bone, kealp meal
dolomite lime
epson salt
Do I need to add something else?
Would it be smart to mix 5gal of good outdoor soil with a 15gal batch of LC1 Recipe 2, I just mixed it a day or 2 ago, still cooking. Or should I wait and then mix it whenever im ready to re-pot into the mix?
This soil is very rich, from my backyard, lots of worms, mostly leaf mold and wood barks n shit been decomposing forever there.. 1 shovel turn and you can see 10-20 worms and bunch of other activities on the soil, the top of the soil looks like straight EWC too.
Word^^^I would. I am always looking for diversity, and if the worms dig it, so would I. scrappy
Word - redux