alternative for base soil layer on top of super soil in container

ReverendMantis

New Member
Are you talking about top dressing the guano or amendments in general?

Instead of wasting your time and money on subcools recipe.

I recommend using my fool proof and tested one. It's cheaper, is water only, and best of all doesn't need to turn into a giant ammonia pile in your basement ("cook").

15% peat moss, pine bark, or coco coir
35% aeration (I prefer Perlite or rice hulls but course Sand, and pumice are other options
50% composted organic matter (this could be compost, composted cow or horse manure, worm castings, leaf mold). I prefer a combination of as many different kinds of compost I can but whatever is available to you and the best quality is what you should lean on.

Neem Seed Meal or Neem Cake 1/2 cup per cubic foot
Crab shell meal or shrimp shell meal 1/2 cup per cubic foot
Fish Bone Meal 1/2 cup per cubic foot
Gypsum 1/2 cup per cubic foot
Langbeinite 1/4 cup per cubic foot
Kelp meal 1/2 cup per cubic foot
Alfalfa meal 1/4 cup per cubic foot
Oyster shell flour 1/4 cup per cubic foot

Best part about this mix? If you ask me about why it works so well, I can actually tell you.

So say you can't get a hold of something like neem cake...I can tell you alright, without the nitrogen fixing soil conditioning of neem cake you may want to use a slow release nitrogen source like feather meal, it will not be a replacement in full capability but since I can explain to you it's function I can let you know what to do in it's absence.

Sorry if that sounded snarky but this particular thread was talking way too much shit without being able to actually talk about shit lol.

Here's a pic of the mix in action.

View attachment 3934098
Just found this thread and want to say thanks Rasta! Some good info here - much appreciated. I know this is a few years old, but I'm planning on trying this mix for my next grow and wanted to know if anything has changed or been updated since? Also, what is your water source? I currently use distilled with calmag since my (apartment) tap is like 500ppm, 7.8ph, and softened.
 
Top