I don´t think I can buy any compost that doesn´t have SOME peat in it. But I add other things, manures, sand, grit and crushed eggshell. Seems to work OK eventually.
Rebumping this. If you haven't mixed in peat, I recommend not to use it altogether. It is very acidic and will drastically drop your pH. My plan was to use it to retain water for my dry coniditions but I'll be using some biodegradable water crystals instead. It's best to replace the peat with coco coir if you want to carry a lighter soil to your plot. If you use peat, do check your pH and add lime or ashes to raise the pH (= to lower the acidity). And add lime 1 month before you add any manures if you do. Don't add lime and manures at the same time. (Mix of alkaline and acidic isn't a good idea).
I have a question, pertains to this subject and go figure, a thread has already been made for it!. Anyways, my grow partner's site (we're splitting 50/50) is near a bog... a peat bog to be precise. The ground for hundreds of acres is... well... peat. Not the 'moss' persay, like the actual mossy looking sphagnum that you could buy, all green and stuff. This stuff is BLACK. You stick a shovel in the ground anywhere for a square mile and boom, soil is some of the blackest you'll ever see. My question is, is this the "bad" peat moss I keep hearing about, the kind with the insanely low pH, set to kill your crop. Or is this some kind of natural godsend. There is lush vegetation that pops up through the blackness, and the neighboring bog that is actually harvesting peat fills up with vegetation that needs to be skimmed off the top layer every few weeks. Should I avoid the stuff? I'm clueless.
An easy way is to buy a digital ph meter (15 bucks) and test the soil in deifferent areas. But I suspect it's very acidic soil (bllack humius type soil ususally is). The plants that are thriving in it are probably acidic loving plants. But the good news is that you can grow in swamps. This is how it's done: - break up the soil a bit. It should be some water around the *****s you break up. - Spread a nice layer of powdered dolomite lime on a few square feet where you'll be growing. - Place a tote (20 gallons for 4 plants for example or 5 gallons for one plant better) with the bottom cut out, 3 - 4 inches in the ground you just broke up. - Place coco coir you wet, wait until it fills up your containers. Mix in High N bat guano, worm castings with the coir. - Add more lime on top. - Plant: you're good to go! or you can use a straw bale you place in the same spot, held with some wire. Mix in a few things with the straw and plant on top of the straw. Lime on bottom and top as well. See "straw raised bed" "no dig grow" on google. The lime will reduce the acidity from the swamp. With this method you don't need to water at all or add nutes. However, there should be fish in the area (for water to be ok). Some swamps may be too acidic (maybe like the place you describe so test the pH to be sure it's not too acidic). Good luck and ask away if something's not clear.
That sounds like a very intelligent approach. I have yet to find "grow bags", if that's what you mean by a tote. However, I have found all the soil amendments (blood, bone, bloom nutes etc) locally. Also, much of the area that would serve as a very convenient grow area would also be a little too close for comfort to trails, easily seen, etc., and as a result we have trekked farther into the bog where, by the looks of things, a human body could dissolve into its acidic dirt. When you get that deep into it, it becomes very hard to dig a hole due to the intense root growth so what we have done was found a natural depression where water collects at the bottom and we could set up in there. So many problems, so little time, and this is just the one spot. The other spot has a clay issue about 1ft under the soil
Don't panic man! It's still time. Start them in small pots or cups somewhere else to save time. A tote is like a plastic Rubbermaid box of which you cut off the bottom. Or you can use a garbage can with the bottom cut off. Or the straw/coco mix held with some wire. The soil shouldn't be flooded or too dry just some water when you break the dirt on the spot. It's been used by other growers so it works (don't forget the lime though). Replace blood meal with high N guano or coffee grounds or cottonseed/alfalfa meal (these don't attract critters). Although in the swamp it should be good for the animals. Bone meal should be steamed I think and can be replaced by fish bone meal (avoid High P guano as well, mj doesn't like it too good apparently). With all the nutes mixed in the soil you don't need to add nutes or water until the end. No flushing either.
i dont know if this goes here or not but i tried starting seeds in peat pellets and after over a week i got nothing. i used the seeds i had left from that batch in dirt and they came up in just a couple days
Yeah, peat isn't a good idea imo. I prefer using vermiculite (airs out soil, holds water) and water crystals (holds water) without any pH drops. Plus if you use spots year after year, peat will die in the holes and create dead spaces. And it shouldn't dry out during the season or it will "die" too. The main cincern imo is the pH of 4.
Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth. I'm trying the method that CM explained above. So far they have been in their grow bags in the swamp since 4 - 24. I checked them today and they are all doing fine, even though it has been raining most of the time since I planted them. The only difference is that I do use peat and always have. I use about 45% peat,25% compost,15% perlite and 15% vermiculite as the base. I also put in lime , blood meal, bone meal,iron, and a little epsom salts. If using a hole, I'll mix in some of the top soil with this mix, but in the swamp its just my mix. Just saying this works for me in my area. Good Luck
Thought I better add that I do let my mix sit outside for at least 2 to 4 weeks before using. So probably that is giving the lime a chance to do its stuff. Years ago I lost some plants that I had used straight peat to mulch with when they were still young.
Most commercial organic potting mixes that are composed mainly of peat already have a neutral ph so don't add anything to those, although later in the season it may need to be adjusted.
Im using premier sphegnum peat moss and lots of perlite it works really well but then i tried with very little perlite and im noticing that its hard to water because the water just sits in top and then just drains out of the sides of the pot and the roots arent getting anything and thats a very bad thing so if using peatmoss remember at the very minimum use Lots of perlite.Also if anyone knows how to help this problem or anything on the topic let me know. Thanks
hi corto,im currently putting together some soil to put in holes for next season,i seen on a thread you giving the ok to put 5 gallons compost,5 perlite and 5 peat for a 15 gallon hole,plust chook shit,probly a stupid question but I went to price some peat and one type was a lot finer n dearer than the more chunkier stuff,is one better than the other,or are they both the same?
Peat actually works well as I've been using for years now.So this thread is wrong. YOu can use it with lime (5 cups per bale of peat). Peat is fine for seedlings and evenb without lime it won't burn them despite the sacidic ph of peat. As for the difference in peats, I 'm not sure, i only hve one type available here (ph 3-4). Good luck!
Promix is a good choice to use as a base and i then add castings and perlite in the same ratios as the promix. Then add a tad more lime not too much as promix already contains lime and your rock dust and dry ammendments. Walla super soil ready to go after a month or more of cycling.
yeah I agree with RD, if available, u can use promix (BX or HP dep. on weather), is well reputed. Many exp. growers swear by Sunshine mix # 4 too. None of those are available for me so I just use peat moss and lime + amendments (food) /perlite (air). Vermic and perlite don't hold water but air out. Happy growing.