So I'm new to this. And I'm unsure about a few things on creating an organic soil. I have my perlite, my peat moss, and my ewc. (no compost, should i?) But before I buy my amendments what are the NPK ratios for amendments like crab meal, alfalfa meal, neem seed meal, granular azomite, and kelp meal. all from down to earth. and I'm gonna use it from start to finish. possible? with right amendments and right NPK ratios I believe it's possible.
Creating Organic Soil
- Thread starter bankcee
- Start date
green_machine_two9er
Well-Known Member
Don't forget oyster shell. And or gypsum also rock phosphate would be a good addition. To. I do add some compost in addition to Ewc. About 4 cups/cf. as for npk. All that info is avail when shopping
I have oyster she'll already and the rock phosphate is the same as rock dust? which is my azomite. right?
and about the NPK ratios, I meant which are required cause some of the down to earth have different ratios on their boxes. and I wanna pick the right one.
Dr.Pecker
Well-Known Member
Rock phosphate is not the same as rock dust. You want soft rock phosphate they make two kinds. kelpmeal 1,0.1,2 azamite 0,0,0.2 crabmeal 4,3,0 neem seed meal 6,1,2 fishbonemeal 3,16,0 my alfelfa meal by organically done is 3,1,3 I don't have that in down to earth but I assume its similar. It really is just ground up rabbit pellets you can get that cheap at a feed store. You should use them all. dry ingredients need to be mixed with the soil moistened and cook for a couple months. cow manure is awesome fertilizer. I mix all that stuff together with promix just enough to lighten up the manure.
where do I find the soft rock phosphate? Is it necessary? or can I not use it and grow 2 plants with out it and see if it's required? what does it do for your plants that you would have missed by not putting it?
greasemonkeymann
Well-Known Member
I agree, I also go a 1/1 ratio of compost to ewc.
Both homemade.
Honestly am leaning more to a 2/1 ratio in favor of the compost, the castings are a bit thick and require more aeration than the typical 33/33/33
also I amend the bejesus out of my compost
Rrog
Well-Known Member
I just use the vermicompost. Pure castings = grease. Vermicompost is better than castings anyway.
greasemonkeymann
Well-Known Member
my bad, that's what I meant, in my lil world they are the same..
granted they are totally different.
but yeah, I still like my compost pile more than my vermicompost.
they are both golden though, and irreplaceable
greasemonkeymann
Well-Known Member
my primary issue with the vermicompost is that it gets really thick when watered, not sure if its the primarily fruit remains that i'm feeding my worms. Who knows.
but the compost is more humus-like spongey but doesn't get all thick.
when I used pure vermicompost for a soil mix I did a ways back I noticed it needed MUCH more aeration than the 33/33/33 ratio.
But having said that, I really like more than 33% aeration in my mix anyways.
The other reason is the compost tends to drain better too, I mean either way the plants were totally fine, just I preferred the drier mix for the wet months.
I wouldn't go without either one though, but I tend to use my castings more for comfrey shreddings/topdress. (love those two together)
oh and my AACTs too.
Rrog
Well-Known Member
Have you seen this: http://www.growstone.com/
drekoushranada
Well-Known Member
I used them in my mix. They come in various sizes also. Really good stuff.
norcal mmj
Well-Known Member
Ok I'll bite what's the difference, I kind of thought they were the same thing. Is one worm farming and the other store bought or composted worm casting ? Also I like 50% perlite or close in my mix.
Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
That's why I like Peat over coco....More sponge factor......
Peat
Perlite or Lava stone (little white ones) Medium sized - not the tiny/small perlite like in sunshine mix. I like it kinda chunky.
EWC
At equal amounts.
Then 1/4 of the total volume of the above in compost.....
Then my mineral mix
Then my Nutritional admendments
And a shot of Ful Humix in my water to mix...
I add a few extra Myco's on the fungal side.....personal choice...
Doc
"Crazy Shit"
Chester da Horse
Well-Known Member
no one has mentioned dolomite lime (pulverised). I use it... don't know how much good it does but it should release Ca++ & Mg++ (2:1). Gypsym adds Ca and So4. Together they buffer the pH (acidic for gypsum, alkalinise for dolomite).
i love rock dust too.
i love rock dust too.
Rrog
Well-Known Member
Castings = pure poop pellets. Might have been sterilized for transport.
Vermicompost is a more crude material with some decomposing scraps. You make this yourself
greasemonkeymann
Well-Known Member
it's cuz he is using crab meal as a buffer, we also recommended gypsum and oyster meal as well.
D-lime is an inferior product to those in an organic soil.
Don't get me wrong d-lime is crucial in many ways, but not for a properly assembled organic soil.
Chester da Horse
Well-Known Member
thanks, sounds about right. Pity we cant get this stuff around here. Never seen it or crab/neem/karanja/fairy juice meal down under.
Is oyster meal is just pulverised oyster shells? like eat a dozen oysters on the rocks, and pulverise the shells???
Any particular type of oyster?
i made insect frass i think - shelled/larval bug overpopulation in a pile of organic refuse I was storing to compost - several kilo of dead insect shells went into the compost.
EDIT
Last edited: