hey guys, Im from australia and im going to do a organic grow in about 4 weeks. The thing is all the products use r using arent in australia. If i posted our products with there nutes would you be able to help me choose a mix. we have things like bloodnbone, seasol.. i dont see any of the ones you are talking about. If there is a aussie organic person on here, would be great to hear from you thnaks
Hey syndrome, You can still get everything you need. Grab some kelp meal and a good, dry organic fertilizer.
If you dont already have your own, find the best quality compost you can. Make it a challenge to say, "I've got the best humus source in the country!" It'll make the biggest difference and the largest impact.
^ what Sean said. Quality humus is the key. The specific amendments don't matter if you've got quality humus. You can always find nutritional amendments.
sorry humus? is that compost? my dad has compost and plenty of worm castings, but the casting are old, he hasnt had worms in like 3yrs, r these old castings the same as fresh new ones? Im going to do my soil mix this weekend, so it can sit for 3-4weeks. Just want a good aussie mix
Compost is decaying organic matter and humus is that portion of the compost that has fully broken down.... I read that if you store ewc in a cool dark place they will not lose potency for up to three years. Your dad might have a gold mine in ewc and compost. I guess the key to being viable would be if they were derived from natural/organic(no chemial) matter.....
Syndrome, like colafarmer said, I would absolutely use the worm castings. I'm not sure how the microbial population changes over a 3 year period (I would imagine that how they were stored plays a part), but I would consider myself lucky to have them!
my pops got them in a small set up, dad gave them to him. would the fresh ones be better, ill ask my dad how old they are
Well the key to good compost is always the quality. Humus from compost won't die but, will lose it's potency over time. It's hard to say if the old castings is going to benefit your garden until you try it. Don't think it will harm anything though. My theory is your going to be investing time, money and labor into growing a valuable crop. The castings and compost are the foundation of your soil and your going to possibly reuse this mix several times, so you want the best quality. If your not sure of the compost/ewc I would opt for a fresh compost/ewc with a nice earthy smell. More than likely their are farms and others that do composting in your local.... I think you could mix up a batch and do a experimental grow to see where it takes you. Then you can be assured of the viability for future use....