Soil has an ammonia smell? Help

[Treeibus]

I am new at mixing soil and I do not have all the ideal ingredients, so im working with what I have.... the other day I had a seedling just fall over dead over night, the other 9 seedlings are fine... I dumped the soil out of the one that died and it has a very strong smell of ammonia...What would cause this? i will list all the ingredients i mixed below

1 Gardenscape professional potting mix- with manure-sphagnum peat moss- soft wood bark
2 perlite
3 greenview fertilizer 13-13-13 ( which i used very little of )
4 Lava sand

If anyone can let me know where i went wrong i would appreciate it alot

 

[Emilya Green]

something has gone anaerobic... was any of this stuff sitting out in the elements for a while? I also suspect that maybe you didn't put drainage holes in the bottom of your container? That smell almost always indicates a lack of oxygen or lack of aeration in the soil.

 

[Treeibus]

something has gone anaerobic... was any of this stuff sitting out in the elements for a while? I also suspect that maybe you didn't put drainage holes in the bottom of your container? That smell almost always indicates a lack of oxygen or lack of aeration in the soil.

I take the plants outside when the sun is shining and bring them back in at night ... I plan on growing them outside, im just getting them ready to be put out in the elements, and get a little bigger... as far as the holes in the container, i used white Styrofoam cups and put drain holes in them ... Maybe the holes are not big enough tho... I dont know .
could it have something to do with the 13-13-13 ratio of fertilizer i put in the soil ( i used very, very little of it )

 

[Emilya Green]

maybe... does the fertilizer smell like ammonia?

 

[Treeibus]

no not at all but it is
13% nitrogen
13% phosphate
13% pot ash
I only used very small amout of it because i know 13-13-13 is way to hot to use straight

 

[Treeibus]

20200418_140526.jpg

• Treeibus
• Apr 18, 2020

1 week old today !!

 

[Treeibus]

 

[Emilya Green]

I would say add 2 more drainage holes and see how it goes... the plants seem happy in it

 

[Treeibus]

I would say add 2 more drainage holes and see how it goes... the plants seem happy in it

Cool i will do that! thank u for looking over my problem. I really appreciate u r time... i will let u know how it goes....
would it be ok if I come to u with future questions I may have... I have been looking at u r grows and noticed that u make a lot of ur ingredients you use. I am sure I will questions in the future

 

[Emilya Green]

Cool i will do that! thank u for looking over my problem. I really appreciate u r time... i will let u know how it goes....
would it be ok if I come to u with future questions I may have... I have been looking at u r grows and noticed that u make a lot of ur ingredients you use. I am sure I will questions in the future

Sure... I am always willing to help if I am able. Just hit me up with a call anytime you have a question using the @Treeibus type tag.

 

[Treeibus]

Sure... I am always willing to help if I am able. Just hit me up with a call anytime you have a question using the @Treeibus type tag.

Thank you @Emilya

 

[SmokingWings]

... I dumped the soil out of the one that died and it has a very strong smell of ammonia...What would cause this? i will list all the ingredients i mixed below

1 Gardenscape professional potting mix- with manure-sphagnum peat moss- soft wood bark
2 perlite
3 greenview fertilizer 13-13-13 ( which i used very little of )
4 Lava sand

If anyone can let me know where i went wrong i would appreciate it alot

Most likely when you started watering the soil mix it reactivated the organisms that were decomposing the organic material. Then a bit to much moisture and the anaerobic bacteria took over from the aerobic bacteria. Do what Emilya is mentioning and keep the soil draining and only water when it is needed.

The rest of the little seedlings look like they are doing good.

 

[Treeibus]

Most likely when you started watering the soil mix it reactivated the organisms that were decomposing the organic material. Then a bit to much moisture and the anaerobic bacteria took over from the aerobic bacteria. Do what Emilya is mentioning and keep the soil draining and only water when it is needed.

The rest of the little seedlings look like they are doing good.

Ya this is prob the issue , what is weird is that the other plants are fine even tho I mixed all the soil at the same time. Just that one turned bad lol.... growing is a learning experience for sure ...every year I see something different

Thank u for ur time SmokingWings. I appreciate it