Help with renewing / recycling my soil - what to add back in & how much.

NewGrower2011 said:

So after letting things sit for a week or two after applying a tea (well, a lot of bubbling water with a handful of worm castings, a little ancient forest and an old tea bag that was left from a season or so ago but only used once - which aerated for probably a day too long) I've tried to get a feel for the ph.

I took a sample, mixed it in a cup with ro water (should have been distilled?) and stirred vigourously; I then used a brewers wort bag to filter things first pass and then on second pass ran through a paper towel. I left that cup of murky but fairly particle free water sit overnight. This morning I tried using the ph drops to assess things and as you would expect it's hard to tell given the water wasn't clear to begin with. Also of note, the soil was slightly damp before putting it into my RO water - I read somewhere it should have been dry? Just to put into water? anyhow...

I *think* my soil ph is now a tad high. When eyeballing it I think it's color matches the 7 range somewhat more than the other above/below.

So given my mix, what reccomendations are there for lowering it just a tad? I think I'm aiming for that 6.25/6.5 range if I follow all I've read. I'm not soil but not soil-less either...

I have a ph meter but a dead probe and I was hoping to not need to buy a new one; They just die too fast if not paying attention and the cap goes dry. Are any of those soil ph meters worth a shit? THe cheap ones? I've also seen the more commercial looking one on Amazon that is short & fat / looks like a spike around $30 to $40 bucks. I would also consider if I need a true soil ph probe for my meter (bluelab)...

Thoughts/reccomendations? I think I just need to send it off for a soil analysis...

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RandomHero8913 said:

You my friend are putting too much thought into this. This isn’t hydro so with pH your values will change almost every time you take a test. The not worrying about pH in organics is true when your soil can properly buffer. If you’re using quality compost and calcium amendments you’ll be golden.

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Chunky Stool said:

How do you feel about fish bone meal? I've heard that it breaks down at a different rate than crab shell, but I'm not sure. Crab seems to have a fairly quick effect when added as a top dressing. Maybe it's the chitin, because insect frass works even faster.

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RandomHero8913 said:

I have no problem with FBM. My guess about the breakdown time is the higher phosphorous content in the bones that isn’t in the crab shell. Also the particle size is important as well.

What effects are you looking for/at when you topdress crabshell?

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Chunky Stool said:

Crabshell brings a fair amount of nitrogen, but the first thing I notice is the plant just perks up in general. It's hard to describe. Kinda makes it pop! Insect frass does the same thing, so it's probably the chitin.
Makes em go from "meh" to happy

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RandomHero8913 said:

Do you use any Malted Powder? I wonder how a Frass + MBP topdress or tea would work. You would be supplying both chitin and chitinase.

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Chunky Stool said:

I found a couple of places that sell malted barley cheap. One of them says that you've got to grind it fresh to get the best results. What do you think?
I'm also not sure about row 2 vs row 6.

Here's the link:
https://www.kisorganics.com/products/whole-grain-malted-barley
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"Certified Organic 2 Row Malted Barley

All credit goes to Clackamas Coot.

Barley Enzymes - amylase, arylsulphatase, β-glucosidase, cellulase, chitinase, dehydrogenase, phosphatase, protease and urease.

You can make your own DIY enzyme product for an affordable price. Just grind up the barley and top dress your plant. Application ranges from 1 T. for small plants up to 2 cups for large plants. Just apply the ground barley and water it in. Needs to be made fresh and cannot be pre-ground to preserve the enzymes. No need to sprout the seeds and risk anaerobic conditions. The malted barley has already been partially germinated and then the process has been arrested at the point of highest enzymatic levels, exactly what we want from a horticulture perspective."
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10 lbs for $23.48 from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/2-Row-Brewer...&qid=1507502359&sr=8-3&keywords=malted+barley

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