Need Small Soil Mix Help?

Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
Hi all, i've done a grow before but that was straight into FFOF and I did have a couple of problems from the start so I switched and decided to make my own soil mix. I've seen a couple of ppl on here with stellar combinations but the ratios are so huge its hard for me to try to break it down. I was wondering if someone could give me some rough ratios to make a nice blend for my final pots?

The seedlings are already started in a light mix and Im planning to transplant in about 2 weeks into the mix which i hope will carry them most of the way. I will make Teas to finish them off. If you could break it down into say, per 5 gallon pot that would be great. Or point me in the direction where I might find such a thing?

My ingredients are as followed:
Sunshine Mix#4
Wormcastings
Fox Farm Piece of Mine 5-5-5
Alfafa Meal
Potash
Perlite
Blood and Bone Meal
Liquid Kelp
Epsom Salt

Thank you and + rep for the help!
 
woodsmaneh!

woodsmaneh!

Well-Known Member
Jay Johnson said:
Hi all, i've done a grow before but that was straight into FFOF and I did have a couple of problems from the start so I switched and decided to make my own soil mix. I've seen a couple of ppl on here with stellar combinations but the ratios are so huge its hard for me to try to break it down. I was wondering if someone could give me some rough ratios to make a nice blend for my final pots?

The seedlings are already started in a light mix and Im planning to transplant in about 2 weeks into the mix which i hope will carry them most of the way. I will make Teas to finish them off. If you could break it down into say, per 5 gallon pot that would be great. Or point me in the direction where I might find such a thing?

My ingredients are as followed:
Sunshine Mix#4
Wormcastings
Fox Farm Piece of Mine 5-5-5
Alfafa Meal
Potash
Perlite
Blood and Bone Meal
Liquid Kelp
Epsom Salt

Thank you and + rep for the help!
Click to expand...
Most of what you have looks good, I grow in dirt and this is how I mix it up

25% Sunshine
20% worm castings
25% coco
20% cow compost or something good like it. 3$ a bag at any big store.
the other 10% is made up of your amendments
Fox Farm Piece of Mine 5-5-5
Alfafa Meal
Potash
Perlite
Blood and Bone Meal
Liquid Kelp
Epsom Salt

follow directions on the package.
 
Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
woodsmaneh! said:
Most of what you have looks good, I grow in dirt and this is how I mix it up

25% Sunshine
20% worm castings
25% coco
20% cow compost or something good like it. 3$ a bag at any big store.
the other 10% is made up of your amendments
Fox Farm Piece of Mine 5-5-5
Alfafa Meal
Potash
Perlite
Blood and Bone Meal
Liquid Kelp
Epsom Salt

follow directions on the package.
Click to expand...
Nice...that seems very easy to follow. I went through and looked at some of your plants to see if your plants backed up the mix. And WOW:shock:...lol! They most certainly do. Thanks alot for the quick help. Im gonna get started mixing it now. Should 2 weeks be long enough to cook it? Ive seen some ppl on here say 4 weeks to a month.
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Jay Johnson said:
Hi all, i've done a grow before but that was straight into FFOF and I did have a couple of problems from the start so I switched and decided to make my own soil mix. I've seen a couple of ppl on here with stellar combinations but the ratios are so huge its hard for me to try to break it down. I was wondering if someone could give me some rough ratios to make a nice blend for my final pots?

The seedlings are already started in a light mix and Im planning to transplant in about 2 weeks into the mix which i hope will carry them most of the way. I will make Teas to finish them off. If you could break it down into say, per 5 gallon pot that would be great. Or point me in the direction where I might find such a thing?

My ingredients are as followed:
Sunshine Mix#4
Wormcastings
Fox Farm Piece of Mine 5-5-5
Alfafa Meal
Potash
Perlite
Blood and Bone Meal
Liquid Kelp
Epsom Salt

Thank you and + rep for the help!
Click to expand...
Another one:

If you use a 3qt saucepan for the *parts* it comes out to 1CuFt (~7.5 gallons) I usually double it, get 15 gallons, which does 3-5gallon buckets just right.

6 parts of the Sunshine mix
2 parts Perlite
2 parts EWC

Per 1cuft
1 cup dolomite lime 1 cup bone meal
1/2 cup blood meal
1/2 cup kelp meal You would have to work out the liquid you have
*I* also add 1cup alfalfa
~1/2 cup of the epsom salts

The potash, IDK to be honest, but no more than 1 cup. *I* would do 1/2 cup and see how it works. It's easy to add more, a bitch to take out too much.

I've never used any FF stuff, so, IDK.

Wet
 
Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
Thanks for that wet dog... how long do you let it sit before planting into it...at the minimum?

And I just wet the mix down and put them under my 400 watt hps for the "cook" is this ok? they are uncoverd in there
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Jay Johnson said:
Thanks for that wet dog... how long do you let it sit before planting into it...at the minimum?

And I just wet the mix down and put them under my 400 watt hps for the "cook" is this ok? they are uncoverd in there
Click to expand...
I *try* for a month, but have used it sooner if pressed. I get those $10, 32 gallon rubber trash cans from HD and put the mix in that, outside. I also drill a few holes in the bottom for any needed drainage, since you do need to moisten the mix down to get it started.

Those cans will hold 4cf just right, and in general make life easy using the mix. It's $10 well spent. I have 3 since I recycle my mix.

Do you have room outside? Using a 400w when the sun is free ...........

Wet
 
Beansly

Beansly

RIU Bulldog
this soil mix has got me through a lot of plants without fail;
Miracle Grow Organic 2 parts
EWC .5 parts
10% perlite or until it looks good for your needs

Water with earthworm casting tea IF the plants show need.

But here's what I'm trying for my next grow:

ProMix HP - base (bale)
Jersey Greensand - slow release potassium and trace elements
Earthworm Castings - nitrogen
Rock Phosphate - vegan alternative to bone meal
Kelp Meal - vitamins & minerals
Hydrated lime or sulfate of sulfur depending - pH buffering
Mushroom Compost - lots of bacterial life
Alfalfa Meal - N source; animal-free alternative to blood meal
Diotomaceous Earth - bug and larva control
Epsom Salt - Mag source
Espoma Soil Perfecter - pretty good product and reusable. after I tried it I liked it
Perlite
 
Beansly

Beansly

RIU Bulldog
Here's another I use too: not my thoughs

MrSoul's soiless mix to be used with MrSoul's guano tea.
-----------------------------------
Soul's Mix

50% Pro-mix
25% perlite
25% wormcastings

mix in a cup of dolomite lime per cubic foot of soil & wet the mix with an organic tea made from dissolving a cup of PSG in a 5-gallon bucket of water.

Soul's Guano Tea

-veg mix

1part Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1part High N Bat Guano
1part Earth Worm Castings(EWC)

@ 1cup mix/5G H2O every 3rd watering.

-flowering nute mix:

1part PSG
1part EWC
1part High P Guano

@ 2cups/5G H2O EVERY watering.

-and yseedlings<1 month old nute mix

1cup EWC/5G H2O every 3rd watering

Soul uses a "Tea Bag" and lets it sit in 5 gallons of water overnight.
A sock, knee high panty hose or bandana can be used as a tea bag.
The tea should look like a mud puddle.
Agitate the bag in the water vigorously.
 
Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
Unfortunately I live in a townhouse and a big can right outside of my place might look a little weird. Plus a lot of little kids around here might try to get adventurous. Dont wanna hurt any kids. lol but its all good because I am running my seedlings under the 400 anyways so no extra bill or anything. They are running 18/6 so I figure the soil should be getting nice and cooked.

Do you stir it up every now and then?
Unfortunately Im gonna have to be ready in about two weeks. Dont want em to start getting root bound in the containers they are in now. But if the soil isn't quite ready then I'm guessing I can just substitute sum nutes with a tea, right? or will that be like overkill?
 
Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
Beansly said:
But here's what I'm trying for my next grow:

ProMix HP - base (bale)
Jersey Greensand - slow release potassium and trace elements
Earthworm Castings - nitrogen
Rock Phosphate - vegan alternative to bone meal
Kelp Meal - vitamins & minerals
Hydrated lime or sulfate of sulfur depending - pH buffering
Mushroom Compost - lots of bacterial life
Alfalfa Meal - N source; animal-free alternative to blood meal
Diotomaceous Earth - bug and larva control
Epsom Salt - Mag source
Espoma Soil Perfecter - pretty good product and reusable. after I tried it I liked it
Perlite
Click to expand...
Thanks for breaking down what they all do Beansly, I've been hearing about this Diotamaceous Earth for awhile, might have to give it a try. I had a few soil pests my last go round. I hear it also gives the plant silica, tho I have no idea what that does. lol
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Beansly said:
this soil mix has got me through a lot of plants without fail;
Miracle Grow Organic 2 parts
EWC .5 parts
10% perlite or until it looks good for your needs

Water with earthworm casting tea IF the plants show need.

But here's what I'm trying for my next grow:

ProMix HP - base (bale)
Jersey Greensand - slow release potassium and trace elements
Earthworm Castings - nitrogen
Rock Phosphate - vegan alternative to bone meal
Kelp Meal - vitamins & minerals
Hydrated lime or sulfate of sulfur depending - pH buffering
Mushroom Compost - lots of bacterial life
Alfalfa Meal - N source; animal-free alternative to blood meal
Diotomaceous Earth - bug and larva control
Epsom Salt - Mag source
Espoma Soil Perfecter - pretty good product and reusable. after I tried it I liked it
Perlite
Click to expand...
A couple of quick comments.

First, I'd nix the hydrated lime and go with regular dolomite, or calcitic lime. I've seen hydrated dolomite, so just looking for dolomite isn't enough. Hydrated has been chemically treated and just releases too fast and can burn roots. Regular dolo or calcitic lime is just ground up limestone rock, slow release and won't burn your roots.

Mushroom compost. This is from personal experience. In one of LC's mixes, he notes that you can use mushroom compost in place of castings, if castings weren't available. I had the *good* idea of using both in the same mix, like you are planning. Big mistake! It made my mix really heavy and even adding more perlite didn't work and I added a LOT of perlite.:dunce: It finally ended up in the garden and worked in, but in containers, it just turned to mud and didn't work out at all. Also, be aware that mushrooms are some of the most heavily sprayed crops and the compost can be full of residues.

The castings will give you all you need AFA microbes and stuff.

Everything else looks GTG. Just don't over apply the alfalfa.

Wet
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Jay Johnson said:
Unfortunately I live in a townhouse and a big can right outside of my place might look a little weird. Plus a lot of little kids around here might try to get adventurous. Dont wanna hurt any kids. lol but its all good because I am running my seedlings under the 400 anyways so no extra bill or anything. They are running 18/6 so I figure the soil should be getting nice and cooked.

Do you stir it up every now and then?
Unfortunately Im gonna have to be ready in about two weeks. Dont want em to start getting root bound in the containers they are in now. But if the soil isn't quite ready then I'm guessing I can just substitute sum nutes with a tea, right? or will that be like overkill?
Click to expand...
You should be fine then. Yes, stir it every now and then and keep moist, not wet. Can you snag any Liquid Karma? It has 'stuff' in it that gets everything going. I make my own, but you don't have enough time for that. Some molasses is the water used to wet it down helps also.

Do you have myco's and beneficial bacteria to add to all this? That's what's needed to make all this work.

Wet
 
Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
Well, the Sunshine #4 mix says that it comes with mycorrihizae inside it. Also I mixed in my Fox Farm Piece of Mind 5-5-5 mix into the soil and it comes with Myco and Humic Acid. I thought that the worm castings also had some beneficial things in there. I also have a bottle of Liquid Kelp, but didnt add any of that yet. Also have a bottle of Alaska Fish fertilizer that says it has some microbes in it as well. Haven't used that one either, as I was planning on using in one of my teas. Is that enough? or should I find something else to add?

And does moist mean add water but not until it comes out of the holes? Like a little sprinkling
Maybe next time I wet it i should throw some kelp in the water?
 
Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
I do have grandmas unsulphered molasses that i will add to the water as well. Doing that now as i hear there is some chlorine that i need to bubble out of there.
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
You need to moisten it in a bucket with no holes, or something that holds water. Dry peat will actually repel water and it's a pain to get wet for the first time.

Do your water, add 1tsp-tbl/gallon of water, the molasses. Dissolve the molasses in a bit of hot water, or you'll be stirring it forever. LOL The kelp would be a good idea also, it can be added to the molasses water.

Put the mix in the watertight container start adding the water and mixing the mix. I do it in a wheelbarrow with a shovel, but whatever works for you. You want it moist, just shy of where you could squeeze liquid out of it.

It's a 'feel' thing that you'll see when you do it.

Wet
 
Beansly

Beansly

RIU Bulldog
Wetdog said:
A couple of quick comments.

First, I'd nix the hydrated lime and go with regular dolomite, or calcitic lime. I've seen hydrated dolomite, so just looking for dolomite isn't enough. Hydrated has been chemically treated and just releases too fast and can burn roots. Regular dolo or calcitic lime is just ground up limestone rock, slow release and won't burn your roots.

Mushroom compost. This is from personal experience. In one of LC's mixes, he notes that you can use mushroom compost in place of castings, if castings weren't available. I had the *good* idea of using both in the same mix, like you are planning. Big mistake! It made my mix really heavy and even adding more perlite didn't work and I added a LOT of perlite.:dunce: It finally ended up in the garden and worked in, but in containers, it just turned to mud and didn't work out at all. Also, be aware that mushrooms are some of the most heavily sprayed crops and the compost can be full of residues.

The castings will give you all you need AFA microbes and stuff.

Everything else looks GTG. Just don't over apply the alfalfa.

Wet
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot for the heads up. I had some question about the mix and I wasn't getting answers about it in another thread. I'll take that into account will nix the mushroom compost and the hydrated lime.

I wanted to buy some fungi suppliments to the soil and I was thinking of either Roots Organic OregonISM or Great White. What do you think?
 
Jay Johnson

Jay Johnson

Active Member
Im not expecting to come across any problems but if I happen to get some type of soil pests, can I mix neem oil in my water and do a soil drench without causing problems to the myco heard? It says 100% organic so I figure it should be alright?
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Beansly said:
Thanks a lot for the heads up. I had some question about the mix and I wasn't getting answers about it in another thread. I'll take that into account will nix the mushroom compost and the hydrated lime.

I wanted to buy some fungi suppliments to the soil and I was thinking of either Roots Organic OregonISM or Great White. What do you think?
Click to expand...
I think MycoGrow Soluble from Fungi Perfecti. www.fungi.com

$8 to your door for enough to treat 150-250 plants. Has everything, if not more, than that very expensive relabeled/repackaged stuff you're looking at.

BTW, You still need to get lime and use it. Just not hydrated lime. LOL

Wet
 
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