Making your own soilless mix aka Faux Mix

[Maritimer]

Ahoy @farside05 ,
Would it be alright to pre-mix the faux about a month early, or is it better a few days before use?
What will/does the lime do for us? Is it used to counter off ph?

 

[farside05]

Ahoy @farside05 ,
Would it be alright to pre-mix the faux about a month early, or is it better a few days before use?
What will/does the lime do for us? Is it used to counter off ph?

Yes, the lime is used to raise the pH. Peat is naturally acidic, 4.5ish. The goal is to get it around 5.8 which is what the makers of Pro-Mix try to balance theirs to. Pro-Mix recommends about 3 days of being moist for the lime in it to balance the peat. So it's best if it's damp at least that long. Mixing it earlier shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Skybound]

I use Faux Mix as the base to make my own high brix soil and I prep it for the 3 days, then at least another month with worm castings and my amendments.

 

[TinyBuds]

Getting ready for my next run. Just wanted to say thank you again for this mix. I love saving me some cash.

 

[farside05]

Getting ready for my next run. Just wanted to say thank you again for this mix. I love saving me some cash.

My pleasure. I'll be doing a DIY "Make your own Silica supplement" similar to Pro-Tekt, Pro Silicate, Armor Si, Silica Blast, Rhino Skin, etc, in a couple days. You can make your own of it for 1/3 the cost.

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

So, Im in the closing stages of my first run and looking ahead at my next run starting in January.

I need to make up a batch of Praux Mix® and start activating the lime soon.

Now, knowing that Megacrop likes to hover at a ph of 6.5 ish. Would it not make sense to make the Praux Mix® ph to 6.5? Testing along the way by slurry tests.

 

[InTheShed]

I'm unclear as what "Megacrop likes to hover at a ph of 6.5 ish" means. Do nutes have a target pH separate from the growing medium?

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

Separate from the medium...lets say it hasnt been incorporated into the medium and is sitting in a milk jug all by its lonesome..with tap water, no silica, no calmag...just tap water and Megacrop....on a Friday....

 

[InTheShed]

As I might have mentioned previously, there is no need to pH the nutrient solution if your substrate is buffered.

 

[farside05]

So, Im in the closing stages of my first run and looking ahead at my next run starting in January.

I need to make up a batch of Praux Mix® and start activating the lime soon.

Now, knowing that Megacrop likes to hover at a ph of 6.5 ish. Would it not make sense to make the Praux Mix® ph to 6.5? Testing along the way by slurry tests.

Initially I figured I would make it come in around a flat 6. If neither of these numbers would be considered ideal....than what would be?

Don't over think it. Follow the recipe. It doesn't need to cook for any long period of time. Pro-Mix says their product needs about 3 days of being moist for the lime to balance the pH of the peat. I assume the same thing for Faux Mix. Pro-Mix is balanced to 5.8ish. I've never bothered to do a slurry test on Faux Mix. The way I look at it, If I input on the higher end, normally 6.6ish, and the medium is more like 5.8, it gives it a good drift and availability of the micro. Seems to work.

I'm unclear as what "Megacrop likes to hover at a ph of 6.5 ish" means. Do nutes have a target pH separate from the growing medium?

What I think he is referring to is that I have asked several members to test their tap water with a dose of 5-6g of Mega. Most have reported that it comes out to a pH of 6.5-6.6. It's kinda like it has its own pH Perfect type properties, to steal the phrase from AN.

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

So Pro Mix buffers their stuff to 5.8.....why would they not buffer to 6.3 ish. In my eyes, that is all element optimum uptake ph....no?

 

[farside05]

As I might have mentioned previously, there is no need to pH the nutrient solution if your substrate is buffered.

I do believe this to be true, but my mix always seems to come out to 6.5-6.6 which is what I used to target anyhow when I was worried about pH and using another product that would come in more like 7.2. I haven't personally tied feeding at 7.2 with Faux Mix. I believe it would be fine with all the research we've done on the topic.

 

[farside05]

So Pro Mix buffers their stuff to 5.8.....why would they not buffer to 6.3 ish. In my eyes, that is all element optimum uptake ph....no?

Perhaps best asked of the Pro-Mix folks. I just took the information at hand and tried to make a decent facsimily. I think I was able to accomplish that goal.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Great info in this post

Now.....

Has anyone been had their Faux Mix sit, say in a tub, covered for extended periods of time?

Or

Is it best to store in a sealed container line a tub

I seem to get critters, not that hurt my plants, but more so diseases or something in my soil this sits out, dry, and stuff... Damn surface of the sun....lol

 

[farside05]

I tend to mix up just what I am going to use. Do that about 3 days ahead of my transplant day. Wet it real good and let it sit in it's pots. Pro-Mix says it takes the lime in their product about 3 days of being moist to balance the pH of the medium. So I use that as a guideline with mine. The remaining raw materials just sit in the garage until needed.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Graciass


I'll hold off a bit then....found the peat moss, have Perlite, and I'm sure box stores have lime

I'll probably swing by one today and see what all they have

Fun fun fun

 

[farside05]

The Espoma Garden Lime I use is a standard product at Home Depot and Lowe's and is available year round.

 

[Skybound]

I use Faux Mix to make soil and I cook it for 30+ days with worm castings and other amendments, after the 3 days buffering time. Like Farside said, just keep it moist and it'll stay ready for use for a long time.

 

[SmokingWings]

Great info in this post

Now.....

Has anyone been had their Faux Mix sit, say in a tub, covered for extended periods of time?

Or

Is it best to store in a sealed container line a tub

I seem to get critters, not that hurt my plants, but more so diseases or something in my soil this sits out, dry, and stuff... Damn surface of the sun....lol

Yes, I would put the raw mix into a tub and leave it outside somewhere covered so it does not get rained on. That way I can control just how wet it is when it has finished cooking. I have found a garbage can lid that fits over my 16 gallon bucket, fits perfect, so I can use that instead of putting the bucket under my gardening storage lean-to. I just put a tag on or in the bucket or tub so I know the date the soil was mixed up.

Yes, I have put it into a sealed container. Well, the container is a used kitty litter bucket with the lid. I use the buckets that are approx 5 gallons since there is another use for the smaller 3 gallon buckets. I will lower the lid but not snap it shut. That way it still can have air exchange but it keeps the rain out. Sometimes I will mix up enough to fill several kitty litter buckets.

Which reminds me that I have some cooking right now in the basement. I have to keep it there in the winter to avoid it freezing. Not that freezing is bad but if I need some I would have to bring the bucket inside anyway if there is freezing weather. And it is heavy, not so bad I can't carry it, but why take the chance.

 

[Skybound]

At Home Depot, they got these big bastards for only about $20 and it's a 55 gallon tub. I mix a full bale with a full 2ft bag, plus 30lbs of EWC and the amendments.