Treating red soil...plz help. ...

Originally Posted by dutch29681

Here's my problem I have red clayie soil, I have a 200$$budget I'm thinkin creek rocks and sand, vermiculite, osmocoat and blood meal...
I still haven't gotten seeds that's part of my $200...

I assume your growing outside, blood meal often attracts animals. I would not use animal produces outside for that reason. Red soil tends to need lots of lime. If I where gardening outside (which I do vegetables) I would take a soil sample to my agriculture extension office, tell them your going to raise tomatoes. For $10 you have a professional analysis of your soil knowing just what you need.

Yea...I'm not about to do Al that all I won't is 6 plants,
I guess I'm going to mix top soil, compost,sand,nutrients
honestly I can't decide what I want to do...
thanks everybody for all the info

Any help? ?

WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT????! LIME MAKES SOIL MORE ALKALINE. iF IT IS A HIGH PH HE NEEDS SULFUR AND PEAT MOSS. LIME IS FOR ACID SOIL (LOW PH)!!!! I have heard the clay soils in California can be deficient in Potassium. And Nitrogen is low in our dry climate. If your in the south Im not sure. Maybe they are acid and need lime. IF its trully clay then go easy on the nutes. It holds lots of nutes and water. Add lots of ammendments to open up that heavy soil, like compost or planter mix.

Do your homework on location and decide exactly where you want each plant in the ground (check out sunlight, drainage, cover/camo from two legged animals, etc) and go ahead & dig your holes NOW... in winter. Red clay? No problem. Dig roughly 2'x2' holes using post hole diggers and shovels, mix in the cheapest organic garden soil 50/50 with the red clay that you pulled from the earth. 6 plants? No problem. Bring two 50 lb bags (or 4 @ 25lb) and some 10/10/10 fertilizer. Throw a couple handfuls of 10/10/10 fert in the holes as you mix the two. Some leaf and straw in the mix won't hurt either. Over fill them (mound it up) because rain will settle it back in. Don't forget to cover this fresh earth with whatever ground cover is around and hide your leftover dirt. By the time that you put your plants outdoors, assuming that you are going to germinate and start indoors this time of year, these holes will be ready to go. If this is your first grow then do yourself a favor and just use the best bagseed that you can get your hands on. I've been doing this in Georgia/North Alabama red clay for years and it works every time for me. After you get a feel for what works for your taste and get a better budget then you'll know more to buy better vegetation nutes, flowering tricks, and badass seeds. Oh yeah, and do molasses/water during flowering. It works....

Originally Posted by Gift of the Grow

judging by what forum this is is I assume he isn't going to need lights. But I'm glad you mentioned PH and lime.

If you have a very clay-ey soil your ph is gonna be pretty high probably like 8 or 9 and you want it just below 6. you can get a really inexpensive (5$) ph meter at any store that carries garden supplies, but if you dont get one it really isnt a big deal. get some lime and spread a couple handfuls across your plot and work it into the soil. Check it with the ph meter to get it around 5.5-5.8 and that will solve that problem.

As far as your budget goes how many are you planning to grow? seeds are expensive to order but IMO the best way to go if you can't get clones, although on occasion bagseed turns out okay.

When buying soil additives the very most you should need to spend would be around 150 bucks and thats if you buy a few bags of real good expensive soil. If not, the nutrients necessary should keep you under the 200$ budget.

lime brings ph up not down and soil ph should be 6.5-6.8 not 5.5-5.8 the range you stated was for hydro grows not soil check your facts before you give advice. and check your facts before you use advice. to bring his ph down he could use peat moss and he will need sand and perlite for drainage reasons. a good high quality potting soil will be needed though Fox farms products are highly recommended, also roots organic and pro mix are other good ones.