Mixing OF with native soil?
- Thread starter grokillaz
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Padawanbater2
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that should work as long as the native soil can drain well and has some nutrients.
I kind of did the same thing with my soil garden this season, just mixed in the native soil with a few bags from the garden store.
Most important thing I think is the nutrients and making sure the water doesn't pool up on the surface, so just be sure to check that first.
I'm interested in your results
I kind of did the same thing with my soil garden this season, just mixed in the native soil with a few bags from the garden store.
Most important thing I think is the nutrients and making sure the water doesn't pool up on the surface, so just be sure to check that first.
I'm interested in your results
Gopedxr
Well-Known Member
What happens if it pools up on the surface just would not be draining? Yea i am also pondering this to because i wanna do 10 or 15 gallon smart pots but that be expensive with all good soil. So i am thinken maybe take my back yard dirt mix it up with the good stuff. What you think Padawannabeater2
Alabaster Jones
Member
I know an old time grower who uses Pro-Mix like that in red clay,Grokillaz. He swears by it and he grows some damned fine weed. As most of your potting soils contain a dose of lime,you may not need the dolomite in a 50-50 mix?
All good potting soils have wetting agents that help with water penetration,that would be the least of my worries. Personally,I'd throw in a sack of steer manure to boot. It's a good source of long term nitrogen,but it's just as important a a soil conditioner in heavy clays.
All good potting soils have wetting agents that help with water penetration,that would be the least of my worries. Personally,I'd throw in a sack of steer manure to boot. It's a good source of long term nitrogen,but it's just as important a a soil conditioner in heavy clays.
Padawanbater2
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that's exactly my issue. I don't want to spend a couple hundred bucks on soil, so I'm mixing it in with what's there. So yeah, just make sure there are enough nutrients so the plant can grow healthy and there's no standing water on the surface of the soil, that means it's not draining properly, it's too muddy, you need to add sand or something similar. I'll let you guys know what happens, you let me know
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Dizz1e
Active Member
You will definitely need some perlite to increase aeration to allow the roots to spread and also to retain water moisture. Most people go with at least 25% perlite, so maybe you can do like 40% Native Soil, 35% Ocean Forest, 25% Perlite. You mentioned you have clay-like soil so you could even go with 30% perlite.
Well I did a test run with two small plants. Mixed of with half native and threw in some handfulls of water crystals. Came back three weeks later and they are doing great! I for sure am not going to go with perlite. Its just too bright and a dead giveaway. I'm going to bring a brick of coco up next time and let the rain expand it for me then go back and amend. I left some bags of organic ferts and a bag of dolomite lime. The plants are growing quite fast. Not going to use ocean forest anymore just gonna amend soil. Less hauling
randomseed
Active Member
If I was outdoor Id do that too.
A couple of 10lb bags are way easier to carry then a pallet of 50lb'ers.
Funny you mentioned that , i am a construction worker and have access to a lot of drywall scraps. My coworker also told me it works and he used it to landscape his yard. But since a big bag of fine powdered dolomite lime is only 10 bucks at the hardware store a few blocks away I just decided to go with that. I agree tho if I didn't have access to DL I woulda used crushed drywall.
yeah but the problem with that is dolomite doesn't do shit to the drainage of clay it's a toatlly different chemical.
Drainage isn't much of an issue for me. It was at first but after noticing how much earthworms were in there I'm sure they will keep the dirt aerated for me. if I notice slow growth then ill start adding coco . Never mixed crushed drywall into dirt before, but it is definately sounding useful. Do you think it would work better than coco?
no, it's more for getting the subsoil to drain better.
This is what's called the double dug raised bed method of gardening:
You dig out all your good topsoil and pile it off to the side of your hole or bed (onto a tarp or sheet of plastic)
Now you have your hardpan exposed. You get your hands on what's called a spading fork, (looks like a extra heavy duty small pitchfork) You drive that fork to the hilt into the hard pan, if you hit a rock move over a bit till you can sink it as deep as the fork will allow. You rock the fork a bit to loosen up that spot then move over a few inches and repeat until the entire bottom has been worked. You do not have to turn it over just loosen it. Sprinkle crushed gyproc over the top, about a handful to a square foot.
You then return your topsoil and amendments (a great time to blend them together) ontop of the subsoil.
This is reported to increase yield in a garden by up to 7 fold (I've never seen that kind of results)
You have inspired me to do a side by side grow. Gonna do a few with dolomite lime and a few with the gypsum and see what does better.
