Building A Better Soil: Demonstrations & Discussions Of Organic Soil Recipes

[Radogast]

Hello everybody!

I just spent the last week or so reading this entire thread.. Wow! I have to say thank you so much to everyone for their amazing contributions of knowledge and experience. The organic "bug" hit me a few months ago, and I've been deep in study since then lol.. About 2 weeks ago I did mix up my first batch of organic soil! I'm very excited to see how I do.

My recipe..

3 cf Promix HPCC
2 cf #4 perlite
1.5 cf humus (ewc + ancient forest)
Total 6.5 cf

Amendments..

4 cups Neem
4 cups oyster shell flour
6 cups Azomite
3 cups lime
6 cups kelp
3 cups Alfalfa
2 cups mykos

I probably shouldn't have added the lime, but what's done is done.. I also know that the quality of my humus is paramount, and I found a great local supplier that has ewc, compost, and many other high quality goodies. So next time (probably next month) I'm going to build some more. Hopefully with a little guidance from the great minds here! Seriously, you guys rock! My significant other wonders why I'm so "obsessed" with this stuff like soil etc, lol, I try to explain that I'm not the only one! Anyways, sorry for rambling. Thanks again everyone.

PS. The ancient forrest smelled amazing and looked/smelled really nice, though I could be wrong..

Sent from my LGMS330 using 420 Magazine Mobile App

Nicely done. It may not be perfect (I wouldn't know if it is or isn't ) but it sounds like a might fine base for growing.

Welcome to




p.s. Good job on avoiding your workouts by filling your kettle bell space with soil that may sit for a month

 

[ZenUSMCgarden]

Thanks Rad! I actually used the kettlebell as a size reference lol. Mixing that soil was a workout in itself! My hamstrings were sore for a few days. Im a fitness professional, so I love to get sore (weird, I know). I've got the soil in 2 x 30 gallon totes waiting to cook, going to be used on my first auto grow.

Zen

Sent from my LGMS330 using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[SweetSue]

Gentlemen, I need your advice. These clones are planted in my LOS, in tiny pots of less than a gallon each. They apparently are showing a nitrogen deficiency. First off, can someone confirm this for me, and secondly, what would you suggest I do with them?

It's more pronounced in this specimen.

I have some comfrey fertilizer I could add in the next drench. That may be enough to straighten them out, and then continue to add it for a few drenches. What say you?

 

[bobrown14]

Hello everybody!

I just spent the last week or so reading this entire thread.. Wow! I have to say thank you so much to everyone for their amazing contributions of knowledge and experience. The organic "bug" hit me a few months ago, and I've been deep in study since then lol.. About 2 weeks ago I did mix up my first batch of organic soil! I'm very excited to see how I do.

My recipe..

3 cf Promix HPCC
2 cf #4 perlite
1.5 cf humus (ewc + ancient forest)
Total 6.5 cf

Amendments..

4 cups Neem
4 cups oyster shell flour
6 cups Azomite
3 cups lime
6 cups kelp
3 cups Alfalfa
2 cups mykos

I probably shouldn't have added the lime, but what's done is done.. I also know that the quality of my humus is paramount, and I found a great local supplier that has ewc, compost, and many other high quality goodies. So next time (probably next month) I'm going to build some more. Hopefully with a little guidance from the great minds here! Seriously, you guys rock! My significant other wonders why I'm so "obsessed" with this stuff like soil etc, lol, I try to explain that I'm not the only one! Anyways, sorry for rambling. Thanks again everyone.

PS. The ancient forrest smelled amazing and looked/smelled really nice, though I could be wrong..

Sent from my LGMS330 using 420 Magazine Mobile App

What I do is mix the main 3 ingredients in equal parts.

Adding in extra lime is fine... that won't hurt anything, in fact probably will help. What that does is buffer the ph of the peat moss and of course add calcium which is good. I sometimes top drench in limestone (CaCo3) in with my water 2tbs per 3 gallons of water. Its good for VEG plants specially.

 

[bobrown14]

Gentlemen, I need your advice. These clones are planted in my LOS, in tiny pots of less than a gallon each. They apparently are showing a nitrogen deficiency. First off, can someone confirm this for me, and secondly, what would you suggest I do with them?

It's more pronounced in this specimen.

I have some comfrey fertilizer I could add in the next drench. That may be enough to straighten them out, and then continue to add it for a few drenches. What say you?

Hey there SS - I'm guessing you think there's an N deficit because of yellowing??

Try making a kelp meal and worm casting tea... 1 tbs of kelp meal and 2-3 tbs worm casting in a bucket of water. Use 1-2 cups of this to a gallon on water and water in... (not the whole gallon) .. enough to water the little ones.

i think the plants look fine - they are running out of soil... transplanting into larger container you should be good. The kelp meal/casting tea I use for general health... can add in some calcium too that never hurts.

Oh I read about your TM-7 substitute for Pro-tec-k in your IPM.... just a word of caution, I've never had good luck with the TM-7 it's pretty strong stuff...

Here's the recommended amount to use from Bioag:

TM-7
Foliar Rates: .75g/gal ....I don't know what .75 grams is but it's still a lot for me. May or may not be what you're using... either way tho TM-7 is humic and fulvic acids + micro nutrients - Pro-tekt is a silica (and K) amendment.

I would be careful with that or just order up some Pro-TeKt ... a little goes a long way with either of these products. I use 1-2 tsp of proteKt per gal of water for IPM. I use it to help with plant immune system... bugs trigger the plants immune system to kick into high gear, silica helps strengthen that process.

I'm not saying not to use the TM-7, I just never had any luck with it.. plant deformities start showing up.

Was in a discussion about silica with Doc Bud on Rads grow journal. He's totally against any use of K in veg. I'm not as strict about it but he does make a valid point. Pro-teKt (the K in the name means it has K Potassium).

Amazon:
Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt, Nutritional Supplement For Plants, 1 Quart

 

[SweetSue]

Thank up you BB. I can't believe a simple tea didn't occur to me right from the beginning. I'll start one right now. I'm planning on sending these into flower early and in smaller pots, but I can upcan them before doing so and give them at least 2-3 gallons. The shelf should accommodate this.

You're a lifesaver, and I'll take the advisement on TM-7 to heart. I don't use it that often and even then in very small quantity. I'll study this issue a little more closely before I use it next. Again, lifesaver.

 

[SweetSue]

Hello everybody!

I just spent the last week or so reading this entire thread.. Wow! I have to say thank you so much to everyone for their amazing contributions of knowledge and experience. The organic "bug" hit me a few months ago, and I've been deep in study since then lol.. About 2 weeks ago I did mix up my first batch of organic soil! I'm very excited to see how I do.

My recipe..

3 cf Promix HPCC
2 cf #4 perlite
1.5 cf humus (ewc + ancient forest)
Total 6.5 cf

Amendments..

4 cups Neem
4 cups oyster shell flour
6 cups Azomite
3 cups lime
6 cups kelp
3 cups Alfalfa
2 cups mykos

I probably shouldn't have added the lime, but what's done is done.. I also know that the quality of my humus is paramount, and I found a great local supplier that has ewc, compost, and many other high quality goodies. So next time (probably next month) I'm going to build some more. Hopefully with a little guidance from the great minds here! Seriously, you guys rock! My significant other wonders why I'm so "obsessed" with this stuff like soil etc, lol, I try to explain that I'm not the only one! Anyways, sorry for rambling. Thanks again everyone.

PS. The ancient forrest smelled amazing and looked/smelled really nice, though I could be wrong..

Sent from my LGMS330 using 420 Magazine Mobile App

The excitement is infectious Zen. It does become an obsession. I know too little about soil building to speak to your own mix. I took the lazy way out with a kit. There are other, more experienced members who can help you with that.

Welcome to the site, by the way. The adventure is only beginning.

 

[bobrown14]

Thank up you BB. I can't believe a simple tea didn't occur to me right from the beginning. I'll start one right now. I'm planning on sending these into flower early and in smaller pots, but I can upcan them before doing so and give them at least 2-3 gallons. The shelf should accommodate this.

You're a lifesaver, and I'll take the advisement on TM-7 to heart. I don't use it that often and even then in very small quantity. I'll study this issue a little more closely before I use it next. Again, lifesaver.

Weigh it out on your scale... 3/4 gm... I don't know what that looks like ... I've used a tsp to a gal. and had funky twisting leaves after.
That made me stop .. but I load up my soil so "for me" in my case, probably overkill. (no pun intended).

Yeah my plants start to look like that right before they flip when in a smallish container. I'm right there right now in fact. I've had a few clones growing S L O W L Y ... I left them in small containers and they started to yellow a little and then started flowering in VEG...18-6.

i'm going to up-pot tomorrow and expect to see root bound plants.. that will do the yellowing thing for sure.

These are not big problems right?? Your plants look really healthy... I've been adding in some CaCo3 (calcium carbonate/limestone dust - food grade) to my watering for the VEG plants. No yellow or very very minor (like yours).

These 2 links are 100% organic. If you get heartburn... tsp of limestone dust... hits the spot. Think Tums without sugar.

I got nothin for heart-ache. If I did I'd be a billionaire.

CaCo3 linky:

5 Pounds - Calcium Carbonate - Limestone Powder - Rock Dust - Great Soil Amendment and Fertilizer with Endless Uses - Bulk - Chalk Paint Additive

I use this sometimes as well Calcium Sulfate Dihydrate AKA= Gypsum:

Calcium Sulfate Dihydrate - Gypsum - CaSO4*2H2O - Fertilizer - 5 Pounds

What made me try CaCo3 was a discussion with @conradino and his soil and the red algae. I did a study on the red algae over the summer time and drew a few conclusions.

If you look closely at his soil, you can see the calcium in the soil... crazy right? Well he lives in Northern Italy.. those big beautiful mtns. use to be a sea bed way way long time ago. There's a shit ton of calcium in the soil there. Here where we live it's a lot more granite fines (east coast USA), we have silica in spades .. not a lot of Ca. Once you add some CaCo3 to your water, then take a look at the rivers in N. Italy after a rain.... . Here goes )) Light Bulb (( ding...

This round I'm going with calcium added in with my SST .. but just for the record.

My last round with Coots soil mix and just water = Best harvest/yield/meds so far indoors for me. Solid 3.5 zips per plant some a bit more. It was NOT a lot of work. Wait.. whaaat?

Easiest grow for me so far... less is more as they say, eh? Thanks and reps to @drcannabi . <-- love that guy

 

[SweetSue]

I've been thinking about the small pots and I'm gonna try watering every time with some comfrey water, supplemented with aloe and CaCo3. I have a bag of that here. If I do this consistently and also drench with my regular coconut water and SSTs I might be able to make these plants get somewhere.

This is a definite potassium deficiency. They'll be getting more soil in a couple days, though not as much as they wished for. They should bounce back. Wish me luck. I'm flying by the seat of my pants again, learning as I go.

I mixed up fresh soil. That'll help too. Thanks BB.

 

[Radogast]

I've been thinking about the small pots and I'm gonna try watering every time with some comfrey water, supplemented with aloe and CaCo3. I have a bag of that here. If I do this consistently and also drench with my regular coconut water and SSTs I might be able to make these plants get somewhere.

This is a definite potassium deficiency. They'll be getting more soil in a couple days, though not as much as they wished for. They should bounce back. Wish me luck. I'm flying by the seat of my pants again, learning as I go.

I mixed up fresh soil. That'll help too. Thanks BB.

Bannana peels are about XXX% potassium. You might try some bannana peel as a soil amendment or tea.
I don't want to think of what that might smell like.

I just checked my XXX% figure. It seems I read it wrong last month. Banana peels have about 40% of the potassium found in the whole banana.

Bananas show 836mg per cup Show Foods

Speculating an 8/1 banana/peel ratio, that 40% would be over 5000 mg potassium per cup of banana peel

 

[AngryBird]

Just one thing, banana peel needs to be dried to contain 49% of K.

The peel needs to decompose in order to work as fertilizer.

 

[Radogast]

Just one thing, banana peel needs to be dried to contain 49% of K.

The peel needs to decompose in order to work as fertilizer.

Yep

I tend to think in terms of worms and compost. Natural soil amendments take time to be effective.


In general, are teas good at extracting nutrients,

 

[SweetSue]

I found a recipe on line that boiled the fresh peels and used that. I'll be trying it with the clones at next watering. I'll also be making judicious use of comfrey, and I'm making up some lactobacillus serum. Coming at this from all directions. I want to find a way to make small pots of LOS work.

 

[SweetSue]

I came across this provocative statement while wandering. I found myself on a new site for me, Canna Pharm Cult, and a gentleman going by the name of Dragon has a neat post on LOS no-tills, in which he stated

"Kelp was found to only increase the uptake of 8 of 16 EPN, while COMFREY was found to increase the uptake of 15 of 16 EPN (Essential Plant Nutrients). Comfrey was also found to increase those 15 EPN at a higher per EPN rate when compared to Kelp. Because of this all recipes that called for Kelp have been and should be replaced with Comfrey."

Worth consideration IMO. I'm gonna switch to comfrey foliars for a while and see how it goes.

 

[AngryBird]

I to have read a lot good about comfrey in the garden.
Banana peels can be placed in a jar with water and lid on for about 20 days, then you have a good tea for foliar or feeding in medium.
I usually stick it in the oven and then in blender.

Do you want a good bloom booster?

This is for about 3 plants

3 balls of dried horse manure which you brake into smaller pieces in a bowl

half a coffee mug of banana tea/juice ( the one from the jar for 20 days)
2 teaspoons of Emilya's cal mag from eggshells..

Mix and work in to soil water a little after, they will love you for it

 

[Radogast]

I came across this provocative statement while wandering. I found myself on a new site for me, Canna Pharm Cult, and a gentleman going by the name of Dragon has a neat post on LOS no-tills, in which he stated

"Kelp was found to only increase the uptake of 8 of 16 EPN, while COMFREY was found to increase the uptake of 15 of 16 EPN (Essential Plant Nutrients). Comfrey was also found to increase those 15 EPN at a higher per EPN rate when compared to Kelp. Because of this all recipes that called for Kelp have been and should be replaced with Comfrey."

Worth consideration IMO. I'm gonna switch to comfrey foliars for a while and see how it goes.

We had our first frost this morning. I'll be harvesting comfrey leaves soon

 

[bobrown14]

I came across this provocative statement while wandering. I found myself on a new site for me, Canna Pharm Cult, and a gentleman going by the name of Dragon has a neat post on LOS no-tills, in which he stated

"Kelp was found to only increase the uptake of 8 of 16 EPN, while COMFREY was found to increase the uptake of 15 of 16 EPN (Essential Plant Nutrients). Comfrey was also found to increase those 15 EPN at a higher per EPN rate when compared to Kelp. Because of this all recipes that called for Kelp have been and should be replaced with Comfrey."


Worth consideration IMO. I'm gonna switch to comfrey foliars for a while and see how it goes.

Careful with the Comfrey .. its a "green" compost. It will stink up the place when its breaking down! Sorta like manure.. actually JUST like manure.. just a little warning. We feed it to the worms and use the compost/ewc from that in the soil mix. You can jar it up and seal it and let it compost in water again SEALED... takes months to get what you want. Patience grassgrower... kelp meal FTW.

Of course the compost takes longer than jarred in water.. but its still a process that takes time. No magic wand. If there was I'd be swinging it freely.

SS - if you want to do LOS best to use LARGE containers 15gal or more for NO-till ... in your smaller containers its best to recycle or amend container and let it sit out a round and then use next round. Rotate your LOS containers and amend between use... I've found this to work for me.

IF you want to do a Comfrey foiler, probably the best way is to chop in food processor and add water and foiler ASAP.. your place will smell like a barn if you wait any amount of time.. and toss the remains into a jar and seal. Wait 3 months to open jar.. and don't foiler. It will smell just like cow poop or even worse... not going to say whats worse.

 

[SweetSue]

Careful with the Comfrey .. its a "green" compost. It will stink up the place when its breaking down! Sorta like manure.. actually JUST like manure.. just a little warning. We feed it to the worms and use the compost/ewc from that in the soil mix. You can jar it up and seal it and let it compost in water again SEALED... takes months to get what you want. Patience grassgrower... kelp meal FTW.

Of course the compost takes longer than jarred in water.. but its still a process that takes time. No magic wand. If there was I'd be swinging it freely.

SS - if you want to do LOS best to use LARGE containers 15gal or more for NO-till ... in your smaller containers its best to recycle or amend container and let it sit out a round and then use next round. Rotate your LOS containers and amend between use... I've found this to work for me.

IF you want to do a Comfrey foiler, probably the best way is to chop in food processor and add water and foiler ASAP.. your place will smell like a barn if you wait any amount of time.. and toss the remains into a jar and seal. Wait 3 months to open jar.. and don't foiler. It will smell just like cow poop or even worse... not going to say whats worse.

I appreciate the heads up BB. I've never found comfrey to have a distasteful odor, but most of my experience is with poultices, which are done with a super-saturated tea. I'll be checking the soil for smells as I progress and I'll Do my best to document it here.

I'll also be taking your advice about rotating the soils. More bins..... ..... just what my small apartment needs. The bin I reamended the other day will sit for two months. I may make that my standard from now on and plan ahead accordingly.

 

[kelticBlue]

I am about to decide whether to reamend or dump and get new bas Coots-style soil. I would love to do Both. But I don't want to crowd my tiny tent. I could get better intake fans.
I think I am going to get new. My current soil has had too much love.
I need to find how to re cycle it with out breaking any rules. my little city is a funny place, I am sure funny is not the right word after this past week but it is the only word I have.


Ok so tentative plan. Get a new fabric pot, new foot of soil, and let my amaranth take over the old pot/old soil. To be reamended maybe later.
just have to figure how to continue to grow in the meantime. I think window shopping for today. Cheers.

 

[bobrown14]

I appreciate the heads up BB. I've never found comfrey to have a distasteful odor, but most of my experience is with poultices, which are done with a super-saturated tea. I'll be checking the soil for smells as I progress and I'll Do my best to document it here.

I'll also be taking your advice about rotating the soils. More bins..... ..... just what my small apartment needs. The bin I reamended the other day will sit for two months. I may make that my standard from now on and plan ahead accordingly.

The comfrey is a green composting material. It's high in N ... when that begins to break down it will smell like cow manure, which is why I mentioned not to foiler spray unless you are sure it's not at that point in the break down/decomp process..

Dont want flowers to smell poopy an all there eh?

It doesn't take long for the smell to show up. It's pretty much the same with any of the nitrogen fixing plants. Nettles for one.. I treat that the same as fish emulsion... kinda stinky... water in the soil great ... foiler... meh!

You can experiment for sure.. IF I was going to make a foiler and sometimes I do with DRIED nettles - btw they are back in the woods now, go harvest some. Bubble the tea 12 hrs... or add in the nettles/Comfrey late in the process, say 12 hrs before you are shutting down the air pump. It's good and a GREAT source of N but just a warning .. sniff test.. Experiment and let it go or put some in a jar covered in the fridge and do the smell test day to day ... see when the stink shows.

If you want a good N foiler spray - go with nettles... its the best. Good for a tea for you too (dried). Real good for you. If I'm feeling crappy... nettles added to my tea. Its the fresh leaves that "can" get stinky and will if you do bubble tea with fresh leaves longer times.. dried is different and I've never tried drying Comfrey. I just toss into the compost bin.

I foiler sprayed my plants once with fish emulsion AND also with Comfrey tea... what was I thinking?? I thought the smell would go away... and it did but the buds tasted a little funky. Yea super dank...ummm woopsie.. there's dank and then there's super dank.

Reminds me of when I was a kid and friends dads used to ask me what's the color of shit ..Brownie?? Why Super Dank there dad! FU