so ive been looking at this link hard
please let correct me if I have misunderstood
to make new soil
15 gallons total in a 30 gallon trash can
5 gallons peat moss (pro-mix)
2.5 gallons cow manure
2.5 gallons warm castings
5 gallons perlite
1.5 cups dry inorganic fertilizer
2 cups lime
8 cups rock dust
1 cup kelp meal
1/2 cup crab meal
1/2 cup alfa alfa meal
1/2 cup neem meal
let it cook 4 weeks min
to re-amend soil
21 gallons in 30 gallon trash can
16 gallons previously amended soil
2 gallons manure
2 gallons EWC
1 gallon perlite
1/2 cup dry organic fert
1/2 cup lime
2 cup rock dust
3/4 cup kelp meal
1/4 cup alf alfa meal
1/4 cup neem meal
let it cook for 4 weeks
Nope! REAL rule of thumb! Equal amounts of Peat, EWC and
coarse perlite.
The cow manure is something I like to add for the diverse Bio's available from it....In reality, all you'll need is about a gallon or 2-3 lbs. It's being used as an inoculant (it's just there to add the living bio's)....Don't "split it with the EWC". "Add it as it's own thing".
2 cups Kelp meal
3 cups of the dry fert......I would suggest you stick to a TOMATO fert to get better N to P ratio's...
I would skip the Neem meal. You won't need it. They tell you that it keeps the N from being lost by "nitrification". That only happens to Urea forms of N in any amount that would effect the actual N level.....SO then, read the fertilizer label and don't use one's that contain "Urea" in large percentages! (best to avoid it at all if you can).
Neem also has an anti-bacterial property.....I'm not a fan of that. I want my soil's living bio's to be free to work and grow at the best possible rate! If Neem inhibits any of my bio's...It's NOT for me! Even though many use it. I won't.....They are finding in studies that Neem is far more toxic to humans as was thought.....- skip it!
Alfalfa meal is wonderful stuff. It also adds bio's, has good long release N and good mineral content.....While she wants you to limit your nutritional amending to 3 cups total (6 for how your doing it - dbl amount) Your use of 1/2 cup of Alfalfa and 1/2 cup of Crab - will put you right at 6 cups of nutritional amendments....Good choices!
NOTE: Dolomite contains a lot of Mg, MORE then you will need! There is plenty available from other sources in this mix. It compacts the soil and limits air coming in to the roots...You might like splitting Liming agents by using 1/2 cup pulverized egg shell - 1/2 cup oyster shell powder per cubic ft. You would of course dbl that for your 15 gallons of soil. I don't use Dolo at all (cept for the FFOF quick fix)...It compacts soils. I'll use Oyster and pulverized eggshells.
Garden gypsum is a great source of CA
and minerals! To replace Ca and half the mineral content....You could use 4 cups of Garden gypsum......I'm just supplying information here! ---
I suggest, strongly, you follow the given directions and try the gypsum in a later soil.....Use the rock dust and the oyster shell or oyster shell/eggshell - skip the Dolo though!
ROCK DUST The kind of rock dust is important too. P comes from rock dust in slow release form. I see she says to re add 2 cups of rock dust for re-amending- I wouldn't - you'll only be upping the P value as rock dust (not soft rock phosphate) will last 3-4
years out doors before needing to be re-amended.....I do it at 1 year intervals for my indoor soils that are perpetually used...
Granite Dust is nice, very nice - My favorite
Soft rock Phosphate - some don't care for possible heavy metals it can contain.....If you know the source, or care about that...call the supplier and ask about heavy metal content. (I don't use it)
That answers that first question.
question;I noticed these aren't used in the above amendment example
how does the use of additives like
amino acids, fulvic acids, humic acid fall into play when amending
and how would the addition of these items change this example?
The amino's are
in the Kelp meal!
Humic and Fulvic acid's.....Those too, are in the Kelp meal.
I still like to use a product from a company called BIOAG Called FUL-HUMIX. It is a powder you mix with water....I use that for the water I wet the soil mix with before cooking.
Any other Humic/Fulvic acid supplement on the market today,,,,is
vastly inferior to BIOAG products!
what is ACT?
what about guano
I notice theres different types
bat with 2 profiles and sea bird
is there any benefit to adding guano to the soil amendment to diversify or is just an unnecessary addition leaving the manure and EWC as better choices? provided it meats the plant needs
also
using guano as a tea, would that be an organic method to boast P in late flower?
lastly
anybody using oyster shell? (ph adjuster)
I noticed its used in the ocean forest
is there any benefit to oyster shell over lime
or does the use of lime make oyster shell an unnecessary addition provided the lime provides the ph balancing required
It's AACT or Actively Aerated Compost Tea is
mostly a simple bio tea made for growing vast amounts of living Bacteria and Fungal's to add to your soil.....
One use for AACT is to brew it and use it to water your soil mix down before cooking. I do that, and add some FUL-HUMIX (more on that later down the posting) to the
brewed tea.
Once you start adding any kind of fert compound. It is
NO LONGER considered a, AACT but it has now become a fertilizer tea!
You will not need to use a "fert" tea with your soil. For your early runs. lets just use the soil and you can learn more about supplementing organic later down the road.
You will
not "need" to boost P later in bloom.....I'm more fond of K then P.....more shit for later down the road.
Oyster shell - refer to my previous comments on Dolo and oyster shell above..
fish bone
I wonder if this would be a good addition for a calcium source
the ocean forest is always low in calcium and magnesium, these signs of def always show up first
also
fish meal... I notice the ocean forest has fish emulsion listed..would that be similar to fish meal?
NO! Heaven's NO! You will flood the soil with faster release P......
Fish emulsion, is simply a liquid form of fish meal......
Follow the soil recipe and you have
no need for that and any other nutrient use!
Well, there you go. Lots to digest....questions? ask away.
