Planning some .5-3 gal plants of various species. Possibly inside or maybe grown on the back porch. Going to probably need to find some plants that can live in those conditions. Any help with that is appreciated! I currently have humus (earthworm castings), compost, sphagnum peat moss, and rice hulls. Would I be able to successfully grow some plants such as mint, various herbs? How about some shrubs or flowers like hibiscus or roses? Will fruits and veggies be a possibility? I previously planned to add quite a few amendments to this but finances have run low would like to just use what I already have. Is there anything specific you'd recommend I add? Anything vital I'm missing? Thanks any help is appreciated!
You have the three important parts: humus, fertilizer and aeration. I'm no expert but I'd say you can definitely grow all kinds of things in there. There are plenty of things you can amend your soil with as well. There is as much information and detail as you care to get into available out there. I'm new to it myself so I can't help you much beyond the basics but you've definitely got enough to get started.
Thanks unplugged! Thats what I was thinking I originally was planning on growing some nice sticky flowers but plans had to change so I am having to settle for a little garden. I figured what I had would be a healthy garden but that was for marijuana not house plants or something else is it all the same?
Is it all the same? just about. Gardening all the different kinds of plants will bring you more success with any specific plant. Do to the diversity. You are planting all kinds of flowers and herbs and attracting beneficial insects that defend your garden, spraying pesticides will almost always make the problem worse You will want a good mortar and pestle. It is used to crush egg shells (calcium and phosphate source), chicken or beef bones, and whatever else you want to compost that is best done in powdered/crushed form. Also, don't buy fruit trees or shrubs at hardware stores or large chain garden centers. They spray lot's of harmful chemicals and the cultivar's they sell are often not suitable for local climates. Look to your local homesteader's and farmer's and farm/animal feed supply center's and ask them which cultivar's are best for your climate (and micro-climate). There are plenty of herbs with medicinal value that can do well with an over-wintering as long as they don't get too wet. The plastic cover or green / hoop house will go a LONG way towards keeping your herbs and nut and fruit tree's free of disease and insects. hope this helps and good luck
Thanks, I appreciate the insight. I have been to a couple feed supply places and looked around but have not asked any of those specific questions. I'll be sure to talk to them next time I am there. Do you think with the amendments I currently have I could sustain a decent plant?
it looks like you have "base ingredients" for the soil mix, to give it the bulk of it's material as well as the microbes in compost and oxygen in the rice hulls. The rice hulls need to be carbonized or composted prior to usage so either carbonize them or mix them with the compost ASAP. They will emit certain natural gasses as they break down, so keep the area with the compost/rice hull mix well ventilated. Then, you will still need soil amendments (not your base soil ingredients) that provide soluble plant nutrients and mineral sources in the soil. In general, one would add 3 cups of all purpose organic plant food, several cups of agricultural lime (not dolomite), and 4-5 cups of mineral fine's or rock dust. Clay material would work just as well, simply freeze it and then pulverize before mixing in (freezing will make the clay break down into a powder). there are threads in the organic section regarding soil amendments if you look into it.