To "cook my soil mix" or not

[sneaky_g]

So i'm using a recipe that i stole from the PureKnowledge grow thread.

This is what i'm throwing my clones into:
1 x Bag of Ocean Forest
1 x Bag of Canna Coco
1 X Bag of Happy Frog
1/2 Bag Chunky Perlite
30# Earthwormcastings
6 cup pulverized dolomite lime 1-2 Cal/mag ratio
6 cups Bone Meal
3 cups Blood Meal
3 Cups Azomite
3 cups Greensand
3 cups Kelp Meal

I'm getting a few different answers as to whether I should pre mix all the ingredients above and store them in a 45 gallon rubber maid and water and turn.. But on the thread it says that this mix doesn't need to cook so in theory i'm thinking I could mix all the ingredients thouroughly and be good to go ..

What do you guys think of this recipe, and whats your opinion on letting the above sit and "cook"? If the cooking could be explained by any organic vets that would be much appreciated in lamen terms.

 

[dank.frank]

The longer you compost the better your soil will be - do you HAVE to, not really. Will your results be better if you do - ABSOLUTELY.

And that mix sounds like it would be extremely hot...


dank.Frank

 

[sneaky_g]

How would you modify that mix so it was less hot .. ?

 

[Microbeman]

How would you modify that mix so it was less hot .. ?

leave out the bloodmeal for one. I know nothing of the brand names.

I usually mix soil heavy with compost and or vermicompost and do not 'cook' it at all. Too much N, like alfalfameal could necessitate 'cooking'.

 

[jerry111165]

But on the thread it says that this mix doesn't need to cook

"Cooking" refers to the necessary time needed to allow the bacteria to begin breaking down these organic items to their elemental base forms and at the same time releasing valuable compounds into the soil.

This is called nutrient cycling.

If you do not moisten thoroughly and wait anywhere from several weeks to a month (or more) there is a good chance that you can burn your plants. Ive done it myself. It is only in your best interest to not be impatient. The longer you allow your new soil to nutrient cycle, the more organic matter will be broken down into usable plant food. In order for your plants to be able to use the nutrition in the soil it must be broken down.

This is the exact reason that you see everyone talking about the need for "quality" worm castings and compost. These items are where the bulk of your soil microbes come from, who's job it is to break down your organic matter into usable plant food.

Whomever said that this soil "doesn't need to cook" is passing out bad advice - in my opinion.

J

 

[greenpinky]

I cook my soil to get the the bacteria a start and to lower my soils p.h with ironnight and kill unwanted seeds and eggs.Remember don't cook soil with peralight. It stinks very bad... if u were to cook ur soil. Do it with ur basic ingredients on no higher then 250 for 2 hours. Add water to the process to ensure even steam/cooking... good luck
G.P

 

[Gascanastan]

oh my...a 'gunk' recipie...looks high octane man. Best do like the jer-bear says...I would allow at least 6 weeks or more for that stuff.

 

[funkybud]

I cook my soil to get the the bacteria a start and to lower my soils p.h with ironnight and kill unwanted seeds and eggs.Remember don't cook soil with peralight. It stinks very bad... if u were to cook ur soil. Do it with ur basic ingredients on no higher then 250 for 2 hours. Add water to the process to ensure even steam/cooking... good luck
G.P

could you give us more info on your cooking methods please? i'm curious.

 

[dank.frank]

LOL - "cooking" DOES NOT mean putting it in the oven. If you actually are baking your soil, you are killing the beneficial microbes...

It is simply a layman term for allowing an organic mix to decompose a bit before planting...



dank.Frank

 

[Easy7]

GENERAL HYDROPONICS SUBCULTURE-B and GENERAL HYDROPONICS SUBCULTURE-M then your good to go. Maybe a little sit time

 

[greenpinky]

So cooking to u really means composting? I have posted and got grief. About this before, I forget everyone is a microbiologist on this site. No it only kills the unwanted spores seeds eggs and unwanted MICROS. It leaves the beneficial ones. Anntenimisyes,and other good ones. Sorry for the spelling. And sorry if u think I'm wrong. I have been doing it this way for years.
I would go into indept for u funkybud, but I don't like getting ripped by the know it all's, p.m. me and ill
Let u know more

 

[Gascanastan]

WRONG^^^....BIG TIME....simply uneducated bro.

This is the organic soil forum BTW.

 

[Gascanastan]

....he'll get it..maybe.


"know it all's"....shit......just the simple thought of knowing that you don't put soil in an oven is a step above mentally retarded in itself..

 

[Ziggaro]

cooking means composting, sterilizing means heating it up and killing seeds and pests.

Also, I think 250 degrees is probably too high most of the guidelines say no more than 180. Too high of temps will kill your bennies and may be toxic..

 

[OrganicOzarks]

Get rid of the bloodmeal and bone meal. Then you won't have to cook it. I don't cook my soil, but I use guano. I mix, and then pot them right away.

As far as getting bacteria to do it's thing, mix your soil, pot your plants, then apply compost tea once or twice per week. Can't get any better than that. There is no need to mix a soil that needs to be cooked for great results.

 

[greenpinky]

Ya this comming for the guy with one thread. I'm sure ur an expert.... any real facts proving I'm wrong? Or just a know it all spounting hear say? Go ahead keep babling on. I'm laughing at ur close minded pig headed, wana be know it all self.

 

[ijim]

If you ever made up a batch of soil as you describe and let it sit. You will find that it gets pretty darn hot from microbes breaking down the ingredients. If used on tender clones you can overheat your roots and kill or retard root growth. It takes a time for microbial activity to turn additives into a usable source of nutrients. If not allowed to cook and breakdown then you may be harvesting at the time that your soil is reaching is peak. Let it cook and transplant with it before you flower. Just my thoughts.

 

[Gascanastan]

Ya this comming for the guy with one thread. I'm sure ur an expert.... any real facts proving I'm wrong? Or just a know it all spounting hear say? Go ahead keep babling on. I'm laughing at ur close minded pig headed, wana be know it all self.

I'm just a nobody I guess... " any real facts proving I'm wrong?"...yeah the fact that you're here telling people this extreme amount of misinformation. Educate yourself...nobody is stopping you. Great job on spelling btw...you can find adult G.E.D. courses on-line bro.....

 

[greenpinky]

Here is my prof that u do NOT know what microorganisms is in soil thus cooking/baken soil brings the overall organisms down enough to amend the soil to bring out the most beneficial organisms.
Thanks to Dr. Teruo Higa Professor of Horticulture University of the Ryukyus Okinawa, Japan

and

Dr. James F. Parr Soil Microbiologist Agricultural Research Service US. Department of Agriculture Beltsville, Maryland, USA

Many microbiologists believe that the total number of soil microorganisms can be increased by applying organic amendments to the soil. This is generally true because most soil microorganisms are heterotrophic, i.e., they require complex organic molecules of carbon and nitrogen for metabolism and biosynthesis. Whether the regular addition of organic wastes and residues will greatly increase the number of beneficial soil microorganisms in a short period of time is questionable. However, we do know that heavy applications of organic materials, such as seaweed, fish meal, and chitin from crushed crab shells, not only helps to balance the micronutrient content of a soil but also increases the population of beneficial antibiotic-producing actinomycetes. This changes the soil to a disease-suppressive condition within a relatively short period.

The probability that a particular beneficial microorganism will become predominant, even with organic farming or nature farming methods, will depend on the ecosystem and environmental conditions. It can take several hundred years for various species of higher and lower plants to interact and develop into a definable and stable ecosystem. Even if the population of a specific microorganism is increased through cultural and management practices, whether it will be beneficial to plants is another question. Thus, the likelihood of a beneficial, plant-associated microorganism becoming predominant under conservation-based farming systems is virtually impossible to predict. Moreover, it is very unlikely that the population of useful anaerobic microorganisms, which usually comprise only a small part of the soil microflora, would increase significantly even under natural farming conditions.

This information then emphasizes the need to develop methods for isolating and selecting different microorganisms for their beneficial effects on soils and plants. The ultimate goal is to select microorganisms that are physiologically and ecologically compatible with each other and that can be introduced as mixed cultures into soil where their beneficial effects can be realized (Higa, 1991; 1994; 1995).

 

[greenpinky]

Here is another article about where the actinomycetes Lives and it loves the hot part of a compost pile


Whilethevarious types of bacteria are at work, other microorganisms are also contributing to the degradation process. Actinomycetes, a higher-form bacteria similar to fungi and molds, are responsible for the pleasant earthy smell of compost. Grayish in appearance, actinomycetes work in the moderate heat zones of a compost pile. They decompose some of the more resistant materials in the pile such as lignin, cellulose,starches, and proteins. As they reduce materials, they liberate carbon, nitrogen, and ammonia, making nutrients available for higher plants. Actinomycetes occur in largeclustersand become most evident during the later stages of decomposition.