Hey guys and girls, I'm wondering if anyone can help me? I've been looking through the stickies as I thought somebody may have already posted something about this but idk I can't see it any where. I want to eventually mix up my own organic complete soil, In Other words a soil that will allow me to do a full grow with out having to purchase and use expensive liquid fertilisers from the grow shop and will thrive on the ingredients in my soil. Basically just add water is what I am looking for, I'm sure this is very doable, But just can't find the info I need ie: what to buy where to buy it and what ratios I should be mixing. I'm in the UK so help from home would be preferable ( just so I know the ingredients you state are available here) but any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks guys!
Aha - an organic gardener. Welcome, friend. Go here - http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/336320-organic-soil-mix-mine.html And here: Organic Growing - Grasscity.com Forums And here: http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-grow-journals/946124-jerrys-organic-obsession.html And here: http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/951816-what-soil-recipes-do-you-guys-use.html That should get you started... Jerry
None of the best organic fertilizers will keep the soil nutritious enough through the entire flowering period to avoid deficiencies and decreased yield. You can make a good vegging soil mix that'll last long enough to get them ready for flowering, as long as you don't veg much longer than a month. For flowering, however, you need to keep in mind that the plants require more food as they get larger. Without manual fertilizations, the plants would keep getting bigger while the food supply would keep decreasing, the opposite of what you want. The one nutrient that the plants will need less of as flowering progresses is Nitrogen. That one can just be loaded into the soil so that the plants begin flowering with a strong supply which then slowly decreases. You'll really want to have sources of P & K to fertilize manually with. Some of the best ferts in that area include Bone Meal, high-P Guanos and high-K ash, all of which will need to be made into teas for manual fertilizations. To find local garden centers, separately Google "Garden Center" "Nursery" and "Hydroponic", with your area/town (I use zip codes for this search in the US, not sure what area codes you have but the city name should be fine) in the search field next to each. Click on the little map and call the closest and best rated stores.
Hey Jerry thanks, why do it any other way though right..? thank you very much guys! I'm going to get researching tonight along with a couple of bubble hash making sessions
None of the best organic fertilizers will keep the soil nutritious enough through the entire flowering period to avoid deficiencies and decreased yield. I totally disagree with this statement. Not only does my soil get me through the entire grow, it gets me through the next grow, and the next grow, and on and on. I'm on plant # 9 in the same pots of soil as plant #1 with simple top dressings of this or that between Plants. The one nutrient that the plants will need less of as flowering progresses is Nitrogen. That one can just be loaded into the soil so that the plants begin flowering with a strong supply which then slowly decreases. You'll really want to have sources of P & K to fertilize manually with. Some of the best ferts in that area include Bone Meal, high-P Guanos and high-K ash, all of which will need to be made into teas for manual fertilizations. By making a well-rounded soil mix, you don't need to worry about "deficiencies", nor do you need to do anything different during flowering. The plant and the microbes know what they need and when they need it. Items like the bone meal should already be in your soil mix, available for use whenever it's needed. Just my .02c.
[quote name='"jerry111165"']None of the best organic fertilizers will keep the soil nutritious enough through the entire flowering period to avoid deficiencies and decreased yield. I totally disagree with this statement. Not only does my soil get me through the entire grow, it gets me through the next grow, and the next grow, and on and on. I'm on plant # 9 in the same pots of soil as plant #1 with simple top dressings of this or that between Plants. The one nutrient that the plants will need less of as flowering progresses is Nitrogen. That one can just be loaded into the soil so that the plants begin flowering with a strong supply which then slowly decreases. You'll really want to have sources of P & K to fertilize manually with. Some of the best ferts in that area include Bone Meal, high-P Guanos and high-K ash, all of which will need to be made into teas for manual fertilizations. By making a well-rounded soil mix, you don't need to worry about "deficiencies", nor do you need to do anything different during flowering. The plant and the microbes know what they need and when they need it. Items like the bone meal should already be in your soil mix, available for use whenever it's needed. Just my .02c.[/quote] That's good to know Jerry! I'm gonna look into this. Would be nice to not have to mix up several batches of nutes every other day and also to not be extorted every time I run out of liquid nutes Really looking forward to this!
If you construct a well rounded, diverse soil mix that has plenty of soil life (ie: compost &/or earthworm castings) you will not need to add any additional "liquid nutes", and you will be able to use it over and over and over - dig it? Nutrition is a very small part of your soil. It's ALL about the microbes. By constructing a diverse soil mix, everything needed will be in your mix already. There is absolutely no need to add more of this or that during flowering, or any other time for that matter. Your plant and the microbes in the soil that work with your plant to help fulfill it's needs know exactly when and if they need something, and they take it and use it as needed. Your plant and the microbes know much, much better than you or I what they need - let them decide. Just because something is in the soil doesn't necessarily mean that the plant will use it - again, they know what they need and will use it as needed. Dig it? Thus the need for a well rounded diverse soil mix. Once that's out of the way, basically all of your work is done. I do make and use assorted botanical teas made from assorted "Dynamic Accumulator" plants. Let me know if this interests you. These are basically homemade liquid organic fertilizers made from comfrey, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, dandelions, etc. these add assorted elements and other compounds back in to your soil. They help to feed the microbes and the plants. Necessary? I'm not sure, but I do know that they help and it puts back in what gets used. Diversity means everything. I haven't seen a "deficiency" in years. J
[quote name='"jerry111165"']If you construct a well rounded, diverse soil mix that has plenty of soil life (ie: compost &/or earthworm castings) you will not need to add any additional "liquid nutes", and you will be able to use it over and over and over - dig it? Nutrition is a very small part of your soil. It's ALL about the microbes. By constructing a diverse soil mix, everything needed will be in your mix already. There is absolutely no need to add more of this or that during flowering, or any other time for that matter. Your plant and the microbes in the soil that work with your plant to help fulfill it's needs know exactly when and if they need something, and they take it and use it as needed. Your plant and the microbes know much, much better than you or I what they need - let them decide. Just because something is in the soil doesn't necessarily mean that the plant will use it - again, they know what they need and will use it as needed. Dig it? Thus the need for a well rounded diverse soil mix. Once that's out of the way, basically all of your work is done. I do make and use assorted botanical teas made from assorted "Dynamic Accumulator" plants. Let me know if this interests you. These are basically homemade liquid organic fertilizers made from comfrey, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, dandelions, etc. these add assorted elements and other compounds back in to your soil. They help to feed the microbes and the plants. Necessary? I'm not sure, but I do know that they help and it puts back in what gets used. Diversity means everything. I haven't seen a "deficiency" in years. J[/quote] Ohhhh I totally dig that! J you are an absolute star mate! I can't wait to get stuck in and get my hands dirty. I was also bet interested in making some teas too I was looking at those before I heard it was possible to mix up a COMPLETE soil. Up until now I've relied on biobizz soil and their line of liquid nutes (grow and bloom ) never bothered with topmax and all the rest I found that mixing in a table spoon or two of molasses seemed to do the same job as those who had spent £30+ on topmax and other supplements, it was this that got me thinking about mixing my own soils and totally boycotting all these expensive bottled ferts which mostly little more the old fruit or fish lol. Thanks again for all of your help mate. It is very much valued and appreciated!
These things are all smelly and dirty for indoor growing if u ask me, there's nothing wrong with man made nutrients as long as you flush them out long enough
[quote name='"Rastapaul72"']These things are all smelly and dirty for indoor growing if u ask me, there's nothing wrong with man made nutrients as long as you flush them out long enough[/quote] Yah not really disputing the quality of man made nutes it's just a pain in ass... But yeah smell might be an issue... How do these soils tend to smell Jerry any different to a standard soil?
They definetly do not even smell in my grow room - trust me, it's not an issue. If anything it will be a faint, earthy smell - nothing bad or negative at all.
Have you ever even used these dirty, smelly *lmao* items indoors? You must not like getting your hands dirty, either? Edit: regarding your "flushing" statement - can you please tell me how that works? I'm curious to know. Thanks.
[quote name='"jerry111165"']They definetly do not even smell in my grow room - trust me, it's not an issue. If anything it will be a faint, earthy smell - nothing bad or negative at all.[/quote] Sounds good to me! Much appreciated dude!
We still need to discuss your new organic soil mix, after you've done some reading in the links I've sent you and hou feel comfortable, let me know. The single most important thing that you're going to need to do first is to find out where you are going to be able to source quality earthworm castings and compost. I'd start thinking about that soon. Your humus source is the heart of your organic garden. Once you have that figured out you've got it beat. Peace. J