How long can LC's soiless mix keep?

Ok thats my question pretty much. I mixed recipe #1 i think with peat moss, perlite, mushroom compost, dolomite lime, blood meal, bone meal, and kelp meal. I wetted it and mixed rly good. I have it in a 25 gallon rubber maid type of tub. Im keeping it in the basement uncovered. How long could i keep it before i would need to throw the unused portion out or does it keep forever?

you should keep it outside but not exposed to the rain or sunlight, if its in a nice cool dry dark place where it gets LOTS of fresh air it will keep for years......

worst case scenario like 3-5 years passes and you can just throw it in your compost.

ok. so keeping it in the basement is ok as long as fresh air gets to it? the basement is along with the garage so lots of fresh air gets in there. should i cover with the lid or leave it uncovered? thx alot

I keep mine in a covered trash can.

You do know that you can and should re-use this mix. For me, it works even better the second and third time it is used.

What did you use to inoculate it?

Wet

inoculate? i guess i didnt do something right cause idk what u mean. What else should i do? So when my plants r finished i can just dump the unused back in the container and stir it all up?

scoodles said:

inoculate? i guess i didnt do something right cause idk what u mean. What else should i do? So when my plants r finished i can just dump the unused back in the container and stir it all up?

Click to expand...

At the bottom of the recipe where it says to wet down the mix using Liquid Karma?

Anyway, you need to add some beneficial bacteria and myco's to get the soil 'cooking'. The BB and myco's are what makes it work and breaks down the organic nutes for the plants.

Myself, I think Liquid Karma is overpriced for what it is and instead use MycoGrow Soluble ($8 delivered, makes 12 gallons of solution). I make up enough of the solution to wet down whatever amount of #1 mix I made, along with a little molasses for the BB. www.fungi.com

I wet the mix down with this (not soaking wet), put it in a rubbermaid trash can with a lid and let it 'cook' for 2 weeks to a month.

For the used stuff, I usually put it in a separate can till that gets full, then add some more meals. I either use it by itself or mix it with fresh mix depending on what I have ready.

Wet

BTW, If you have to use the mix right away, the MycoGrow Soluble can be added later as a soil drench. I've had to do that before.

Better to add to the mix and cook, but as long as it gets added you're GTG.

www.fungi.com MycoGrow Soluble Fungi Perfecti

Wet

Wet

man thx alot wet. u have helped me so much tryin to learn about organics. i have read alot of ur posts and gathered so much info. i think i read somewhere here that it was good to add a lil molasses to the mix so i did. i checked out that web site and gona order the myco grow as soon as i get home from work. I wont b rdy for the mix until maybe a month. if i add that as soon as it comes in, will it "cook" long enough? thx again wet

That will work fine.

It usually gets delivered in 3 days or so, just bubble some up with a little molasses (perhaps 1tsp/gallon since some is already in your mix), wet the mix down and mix it up well.

It helps if you can churn the mix every few days/week while it is cooking. A month will be perfect, just don't let it dry out.

You will probably get something that looks like mold growing on it. That will be the BB and a good thing. Might not get it. It will smell, but not bad. If it starts to stink, nasty smell, it's too wet and you will need to dump it out and let it dry some.

Not throw it away! I mean dump it out of the container and spread it around to dry out some. For my outside container, I drill a few small holes in the bottom in case I add too much water. You want it moist, but not sopping wet and not so wet that there is standing water at the bottom of the container it's in. That's what will start to stink and rot.

Wet

Just ordered the MycoGrow Soluble 1 oz. Pretty damn cheap compared to some of the stuff floatin around here. Im gona mix the soiless mix up every other day. U cant mix it to much can u? Oh and MycoGrow comes wit directions on how much to add per gallon right?

Well, the whole package makes 12 gallons. I usually guesstimate, take 1/4 of the package and mix with 3-4 gallons of water and bubble it with some molasses.

It multiplies, so exact measurements aren't that critical, especially with the molasses to feed on.

You will be fine.

Wet

man i just read in another thread i will need to get a pump and air stone to put in the water with the mycogrow and molasses. i guess thats what u ment by telling me to bubble it wet? how long do i need to let it bubble?

If no airpump and stuff, just pour it back and forth from one bucket to another a few times/day.

With this stuff, I bubble anywhere from a few hours to 48 hrs. Depends on how soon I'm going to use it. It still works fine if you have to mix and use right away. It's not critical, they grow in the soil also.

Wet