Why is it important to let freshly mixed organic soil 'set'?

I've heard from more than one source that when you mix up your organic soil mix, you wanna' let it sit for at least 4 weeks. Now, this has not been described to me as an absolutely imperative thing you have to do. it was mearly described as a suggested step in preparing your soil. I was wondering, why?

Either way, I'm doing it. Just because I dont understand it, doesn't mean I cant still follow directions. Haha! I've already got my Fox Farm soil on the way. I know, I know... Fox Farm is already organic. I plan to mix the Fox Farm with some really good NON-FERTILIZED soil, and then add some more organic ferts, like sheep shit, Llama shit, and maybe try to find some more worm castings to add.

Anyways! Why do we mix our soil early, and let it stand for weeks?

{EDIT} Im open to all advice on some additives I can safely add to my dirt, without making it too hot.

Organic soil(or the organic material in it) needs to be broke down before it is available for plants to use.

Ahhhh... I knew that. Jk. Thanx for takin' the time, man!

Apparently I've repped you recently. It wont let me do it again. It's cool. Your popular enough. Haha!

You also wanna give all your beneficial organisms time to reproduce and spread. I've been re-using my bags of soil, and I have found that the exact same strain grows better in the reused dirt. I add fresh guano and worm castings along with some fresh mycorrhizae additive.

Any suggestions on a mycorrhizae additive?

Bio-Tone Starter Plus at lowes, cheapest way to get it.

Also, it allows the organic ferts to spread out and be distributed evenly. If you mix by hand and then use it immediately, you're likely to have small 'hotspots' where there's more fert than other spots. Also, if the soil is really dry it won't matter how long you let it sit, no biological processes will happen, and nothing will change.(practically) It needs to have some moisture in order to 'mature'.


Basically, it's 'composting' over time, making it more fertile.

jawbrodt said:

Also, it allows the organic ferts to spread out and be distributed evenly. If you mix by hand and then use it immediately, you're likely to have small 'hotspots' where there's more fert than other spots. Also, if the soil is really dry it won't matter how long you let it sit, no biological processes will happen, and nothing will change.(practically) It needs to have some moisture in order to 'mature'.


Basically, it's 'composting' over time, making it more fertile.

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I didn't know I had to get it wet. +rep!

How much moisture would you add to the 60lbs(27.2kg) of soil I'm going to be mixing?

How often should I "stir it"? Im curious because UPS says my dirt will be here on Friday.

Subtlechaos said:

I didn't know I had to get it wet. +rep!

How much moisture would you add to the 60lbs(27.2K) of soil I'm going to be mixing?

How often should I "stir it"? Im curious because UPS says my dirt will be here on Friday.

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Hmm....that's a tough question. I guess you would be best to add a liter at a time, until it's just moist. That's quite a bit of soil though, so you could probably add more at first if it's really dry. I like mine to be about the consistency of a can of snuff, not soaked, just moist.

How often should you stir it? Well, if you want to use it soon, like a couple days to a week, i would stir it every day or two. If you don't plant to use it for a month, every 5-7 days would be plenty. It doesn't have to sit if you want to use it right away, just make sure you mix it thorougly, until your satisfied that it's mixed well. I mix it up and use it right away, all the time, without any problems. Tiny 'hotspots' won't hurt a bigger plant, but tiny ones will be effected. I usually just add straight soil to my little ones in the small pots, and if I add anything, it's perlite only. Most good soils have nutrients already added, so you're just asking for trouble if you add a bunch of worm castings and stuff, then use it for newly rooted clones and seedling. That's why i always keep some unmixed soil around.(or just perlite added)

jawbrodt said:

Hmm....that's a tough question. I guess you would be best to add a liter at a time, until it's just moist. That's quite a bit of soil though, so you could probably add more at first if it's really dry. I like mine to be about the consistency of a can of snuff, not soaked, just moist.

How often should you stir it? Well, if you want to use it soon, like a couple days to a week, i would stir it every day or two. If you don't plant to use it for a month, every 5-7 days would be plenty. It doesn't have to sit if you want to use it right away, just make sure you mix it thorougly, until your satisfied that it's mixed well. I mix it up and use it right away, all the time, without any problems. Tiny 'hotspots' won't hurt a bigger plant, but tiny ones will be effected. I usually just add straight soil to my little ones in the small pots, and if I add anything, it's perlite only. Most good soils have nutrients already added, so you're just asking for trouble if you add a bunch of worm castings and stuff, then use it for newly rooted clones and seedling. That's why i always keep some unmixed soil around.(or just perlite added)

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Nice, dude.

I really appreciate the help. I've helped with quite a few indoor grows, and even had my own indoor hydro grow. But I've never grown outdoors. I wont actually need the soil till April. I just wanna' make sure I give em' the right soil, as I wont be going out there very often.

For the seedlings first couple of weeks, they'll be in a dome, on a mat. Im using inch-and-a-half rockwool cubes for the seedlings.

The reason I'm adding organics to an already organic soil mix is because I want to make it some what hot, so when I mix it with the natural soil already present, it doesn't "dilute" my organic soil.

And yes... 60lbs is alot of dirt. I wasnt sure how much I needed, so I figured too much is better than not enough. I got 40 lbs of Fox Farm Ocean Forest on the way, and Im getting another 20 lbs of Jiffy to mix with it. I'll be saving 10 of the 20 lbs, off to the side, for the young plants.