Organic*Shaman
Member
Do I have to wet my soil or will it keep itself moist? Also can I add redworms to my soil to aid in decomposition, or will they die from the heat of the soil?
Hi organic sharman, if it gets too hot, say over 80 deg F your reds may try to migrate or they will die. The optimum temps for reds are 65 - 75 deg F above 70% air humidity and between 70 & 90% soil moisture. If you cover your soil with some cloth material or similar it will help with moisture loss if your local temps are too high, but covering may restrict air flow.
Try to keep your eye on the moisture level of your soil or you may need to add water, or if you like some tea solution. (for that extra boost)
IMHO if you are willing to work at retaining a good environment for your reds in the soil then go for it other wise save them for your compost heap or worm bin.
Also you will need plenty of compost in your soil to feed the worms.
I was assuming that you are recycling your soil in a plastic container of some description?
cheers smurf
Try to keep your eye on the moisture level of your soil or you may need to add water, or if you like some tea solution. (for that extra boost)
IMHO if you are willing to work at retaining a good environment for your reds in the soil then go for it other wise save them for your compost heap or worm bin.
Also you will need plenty of compost in your soil to feed the worms.
I was assuming that you are recycling your soil in a plastic container of some description?
cheers smurf
Organic*Shaman
Member
yeah, i am planing on using something like a big rubbermaid container. It would probably be easier and more effective just to do the two composts seperate.
For my re-use compost, I plan on adding some pirrahnah and microhyazee (sp?) along with some peruvian bat guano yerba matte and dolomite lime to the spent soil. With the possible option of composting plant material in with it. I am open to any suggestions on this matter.
I may try to do a redworm compost outside when some cash comes available
Peace
Shaman
For my re-use compost, I plan on adding some pirrahnah and microhyazee (sp?) along with some peruvian bat guano yerba matte and dolomite lime to the spent soil. With the possible option of composting plant material in with it. I am open to any suggestions on this matter.
I may try to do a redworm compost outside when some cash comes available
Peace
Shaman
Organic*Shaman
Member
Little update on the matte plants. I did three with matte. I had 1tbsp of dry matte added to the the soil mixture, one with 2tbsp, and the final one with 3tbsp. They are running against 3 with only the nutes that the foxfarm oceans forest soil provides (so 6 plants total). I dont have any pictures, and I have never run these specific plants before. I am pretty sure they are all Basic Diesel, There might be one "supposed" blueberry. Anyway the one with just 1tbsp added to the soil seems to be showing more more verticle growth, bigger leafs, and a thicker stem than the ones with no addatives. The one with 2tbsp and the one with 3tbsp are starting to curl their leafs like a boat or a rolling paper. The moral of this story is that matte is deffinatly not a miracle addative but if you add one tbsp of dry yerba matte (and yes I know there is only 1 "t" in matte but I have gone this far already) to 1 gallon of soil, forgot to add this is being done in one gallon grow bags, I believe that it a very good natural supplament to add to your soil and I think I will keep it in my soil regime. I will make another post if I do any future experiments. Thanks for reading.
Shaman
Shaman
V
vonforne
I have found some other soil amendments to add to the mix.
One is called "Rich Earth" here is the site. POMH found this one.
http://www.richearth.net/
they also have a mineral supplement for people and animals.
This next one is Soil Food Web tested. Its called Turf Pro.
http://www.turfprousa.com/
Check these places out and let me know what you think.
They both sent me free samples I will run in my next transplant.
V
One is called "Rich Earth" here is the site. POMH found this one.
http://www.richearth.net/
they also have a mineral supplement for people and animals.
This next one is Soil Food Web tested. Its called Turf Pro.
http://www.turfprousa.com/
Check these places out and let me know what you think.
They both sent me free samples I will run in my next transplant.
V
RockaBud20
New member
ALl I can say is I am using some soil from last years grow in a pot that I left outside all winter, after growing a very good sized and very healthy white rhino in, I ran out of soil this year and for my last plant I was About to put out, I saw that pot with the old soil in it, and decided to use it.
I poured the soil out , got out as many roots as I could find, then mixed in some dolomite lime, just a little, put a good amount of easrthworm castings in it and added perlite. SO far it is in my top 4 best growing out there so far, I am really amazed at how good it is doing, considering I was very skeptical of doing this in the first place with a very nice looking plant. Oh and come to think of it yesterday when I went to look at it I noticed it is starting to show some female pistils, which was joy, being it is the only one so far that I can tell is for sure going to be a female.
So I think it is perfectly fine if you add the right amendments to your previously used soil, and I didn't even use many ammendments at all.
I poured the soil out , got out as many roots as I could find, then mixed in some dolomite lime, just a little, put a good amount of easrthworm castings in it and added perlite. SO far it is in my top 4 best growing out there so far, I am really amazed at how good it is doing, considering I was very skeptical of doing this in the first place with a very nice looking plant. Oh and come to think of it yesterday when I went to look at it I noticed it is starting to show some female pistils, which was joy, being it is the only one so far that I can tell is for sure going to be a female.
So I think it is perfectly fine if you add the right amendments to your previously used soil, and I didn't even use many ammendments at all.
G
Guest
hey von great thread. I was wondering how much alfalfa pellets is safe to add? I am using ocean forest mixed with light warrior, worm castings, perlite. bone and blood meal and dom lime., when growing, after pulling plants i put in tub like described eatlyer in this thread. I again added dom lime and same additives as before with some old green squash plans and some canna leaves, with about 1 inch of alfalfa pellets on top then wet down and mixed. plan on waiting 1 and a half to 2 monthes before using. will it be to hot to use?
G
Guest
damn great thread... V - Awesome contributions..
Got a friend that uses Fox Farm O.F. BUT uses some un-organic ferts (GH stuff) & was thinking on using his harvest junk (Soil / Root balls / Plants) in my compost pit ? It would sit in a staging compost area for months to rot with straw / grass / leaves before added to the main compost area to brew for months before it sees any plants.
Dont want the Flooralisous / Kool Bloom / Salt messing up my premo compost soil - hoping I can build up my pile with his Ocean Forest / plant materials..
Also - Is it the general consensus that (pest) plant materials should NOT be added to compost piles ?
* Is just a good way to dispose of stuff safely.
THANKS...
Got a friend that uses Fox Farm O.F. BUT uses some un-organic ferts (GH stuff) & was thinking on using his harvest junk (Soil / Root balls / Plants) in my compost pit ? It would sit in a staging compost area for months to rot with straw / grass / leaves before added to the main compost area to brew for months before it sees any plants.
Dont want the Flooralisous / Kool Bloom / Salt messing up my premo compost soil - hoping I can build up my pile with his Ocean Forest / plant materials..
Also - Is it the general consensus that (pest) plant materials should NOT be added to compost piles ?
* Is just a good way to dispose of stuff safely.
THANKS...
floppyfundanglr
Member
Do you think it is necessary to remove the soil and remix than add amendments? Im not here to boast or act like i know anything. I just think a lot. In nature things are recycled, like you speak of. Things die, and overtime the micro life does its job. It eats up what is there(what we see as decomposition) and returns to the earth as organic compound. This for sake of argument and not knowledge i claim, this "organic compound" is conveniently food for the plant. This process takes place over and over again in fact constantly. This all without interference of man. Keeping this in mind i feel that with an organic grow as long as you feed the soil it will keep doing its job. Some plants live for years like trees for example...redwoods and sequoias especially. I have earthworms in my bed just get closer to simulating a natural enviroment. Over time could these worms restore the soil themselves? Sorry for the late night ramblings but merlot and marijuana tend to do that to me.
peace
peace
Hey floppy, the main reason for all the amendments when reusing soil (organically) is because herb is such a big feeder, hence the term " nute pig", but then its only a short period after adding the extra's & presto you're ready to go again,,, I dig your way of thinking tho,,, I'm just as bad! In the long term worms will do the deed provided there is enough food for them to munch on, the other thing is that trees are perennials, were as cannabis is an annual... does that make sense? ......merlot and marijuana hey,,,, personally I'm into sour mash & bongs :friends:
floppyfundanglr
Member
you know im big wiskey fan but im not all for goin bonkers tonight...haha eeeeh. I understand feeding them but i think the enzymes and bacteria and fungi will take care of the job. I think my main point was not remixinging it but leaving it where it is. As long as you feed it properly it should continually renew itself. On the trees bing perennials and buds annuals, arent there some equitorials that grow for years. either thanks for the infor.
peace
peace
FRANKENBLUNT420
me blunt is like, wicked yo!! owight
im all for the reuse, if there is anyone i am goimng to believe, its the actual farmers, you know the guys that can pretty much grow anything on a large scale? lol
I think there may be some benefit in leaving the rootball material in recycled soil. I was reading about do it yourself michorhyza inoculation, and the way you do it is by taking a rootball of a plant that already has mic. in it, chopping it up, and using that as an innoculant. The mic. lives only in the area of the rootball due to its symbiotic realtionship with the plant host.
So, if you throw out the root balls completely you may be throwing out some beneficial mic. that is already present in your growing system.
So, if you throw out the root balls completely you may be throwing out some beneficial mic. that is already present in your growing system.
im wondering why let the soil 'sit' or cook?
i find that each succeding crop i have to use less and less nutes....
the soil gets a rich microbial life of micorizzawhatevers, after adding it in a few times.
although im not an example of a good farmer, i use alot of nutes to stimulate as much as possible... and some sythetics...(connissuer[AN] isnt organic is it?)
i spend along time removing amuch of the big parts as i can, of course some small stuff will get mixed in. im guessing 'these guys' know the limits etc.
reuse should seam obviouse..... i dotn know why people would throw it away like idiots...to what buy it again? then dope it up with nutes...again?
like alot of u guys i mix my 5 gals into a bigger (20-30?) gal rubbermaid tote..
good ol-fox..
i find that each succeding crop i have to use less and less nutes....
the soil gets a rich microbial life of micorizzawhatevers, after adding it in a few times.
although im not an example of a good farmer, i use alot of nutes to stimulate as much as possible... and some sythetics...(connissuer[AN] isnt organic is it?)
i spend along time removing amuch of the big parts as i can, of course some small stuff will get mixed in. im guessing 'these guys' know the limits etc.
reuse should seam obviouse..... i dotn know why people would throw it away like idiots...to what buy it again? then dope it up with nutes...again?
like alot of u guys i mix my 5 gals into a bigger (20-30?) gal rubbermaid tote..
good ol-fox..
V
vonforne
When you re-use your soil, it has nutrients left from previous crops so the cooking process tends to be directed at the newer soil mixes. Usually I leave my soil sit for months in the garage. This is done so I have the assurance that the soil is stable before I place young cuttings in it.
V
V
NPK
Active member
Man, I've gotta subscribe to any thread whose main topic is composting. Love it! It's a win-win any way you slice it. I'm impressed by you cats who add all the fancy crap to your bins--I figure I've got more than enough maintenance to deal with in my life to actively tend to my compost, too. All mine gets is fruit and vegetable trimmings, coffee grinds, leaves, and shredded paper/pulp materials like egg cartons and used paper towels. Oh, and used soil, of course, a tip I picked up here. No idea why I didn't recycle it before, but am so glad I do now.
About three weeks ago, I made up some cactus/succulent mix by mixing up three parts old compost with one part construction sand. I potted up a small barrel cactus, topped it with sandbox-grade sand (it looks nicer than the construction stuff) and stuck it out in the backyard. Today as I was tending the succulent garden I did a massive double-take when I saw this:
No idea at all what the seedling is, but I sure hope it's Caramella!!
About three weeks ago, I made up some cactus/succulent mix by mixing up three parts old compost with one part construction sand. I potted up a small barrel cactus, topped it with sandbox-grade sand (it looks nicer than the construction stuff) and stuck it out in the backyard. Today as I was tending the succulent garden I did a massive double-take when I saw this:
No idea at all what the seedling is, but I sure hope it's Caramella!!
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V
vonforne
Hey B.C. good to see you. And Thanks to all the posters in this thread. As it is now I have no used soil to re-use due to my recent move but should be starting something again soooooon!
V
V
space cowgirl
Member
I just did my first grow with re-used FFOF soil amended with EWC and it looks even better than the first round! No more throwing good stuff away.
