Hey everyone, I want to make a water only soil mix for my next outdoor grow. Subcools recipe calls for 8 bags of potting soil and then all his amendments. I have already purchased all the amendments, but I'd like to reuse my outdoor soil from last year. Basically what I'm starting with is 1/3 vermicompost, 1/3 used organic potting soil, and 1/3 native soil. The native soil and potting soil are already mixed together from last season and the compost is sitting on top so it can continue breaking down over the winter. I covered it in a layer of dry leaves to insulate it. So my question is, if I mix in a little kelp, alfalfa, and bumper crop soil builder to my used soil/compost mix, can I just call that the 8 bags of soil in the recipe instead of buying new soil? Then add the subcool recipe amendments and let it cook as usual? Do you think that would be lacking anything or too much of anything?
mjmama, Your used soil will only get better with age. With the vermicompost and your native soil, you'll be in good shape come spring. If you add your amendments now I would also add some extra N before planting. Using the leaves as mulch will help further condition the soil and increase microbial activity as they decompose over the winter. If you can score some rock dust, spreading that and raking it in before mulching is another key ingredient. This pdf has an easy to understand explanation of the role rock dust / re-mineralization plays on soil health. All the best, Chunk
Thanks Chunk, that's great news! I was planning to add the amendments in early spring so they have time to cook before I plant outdoors in may. I definitely will be getting some rock dust soon. I thought I already had some, but I realized it was rock phosphate I bought, lol. I'm trying though....
Chunk, why don't you add a link to that PDF to the rock dust thread? Nice stuff. Mama, yes, sure, this sounds like a solid plan. Chunks advice is good too. One thing is to just make sure the soil stays springy/fluffy/drains etc. add some rice hulls, buckwheat hulls, perlite - even some extra sphagnum peat to make sure the roots can crank right through it. Boy, you're going to do well next year!! J
You guys are amazing, thanks! Jerry I think you read my mind. I was just wondering if I needed more aeration amendments in there. Perlite and peat moss will be the easiest things to find I'm sure. But I'll keep my eyes open for a source for rice hulls just incase I can find them. I bet the nice guy at my grow store would be willing to order some if he doesn't already have it. He's a really cool guy that's all about organics... It's nice to see someone who pushes the make your own products before the bottled crap.
I was just at the homebrew store and they have rice hulls for $1 per #. Fyi, if there is a local homebrew shop near u mjmama!
Thanks beerbrew. Any idea how many lbs of rice hulls I should buy? I'm guessing that each one of my 3 raised beds holds a about one full batch of super soil (16 cubic ft). So that's about 48 cubic ft of soil I need to amend. I'm trying to get all my amendments bought and stocked away over the winter so it's not so much of a burden to pay for all at once in the spring.
Depends on how much perlite u get I guess lol. Based on ur beds I would guess u should grab 4# of hulls because I guess u already have some aeration in ur used soil. It really depends on how much aeration u already have in ur used soil, and in following ur outdoor grow this past summer u had enough. Honestly, all u are really doing is reammending ur old soil. 4# rice hulls is on the strong end, u prolly don't need that much. But aeration is huge and the more air pockets u can create the better the roots will grow.
mjmama, Before you spend a buck a pound, do some searching at feed and farm stores. My organic farm store sells 50#'s of rice hulls for 14 bucks. You can also use buckwheat hulls instead. If you were just amending a couple of pots, the home brew store would suffice, but with 48 cu/ft of soil to work with, a 50# bale will be a better deal. Rice hulls are used for livestock bedding so consider that in your search query. Here's a link to rice hulls in Central California.....don't know if it's close to you, but perhaps they can point you in the right direction. Central Valley Commodities Regards, Chunk
That's good to know. Mixing this much quality soil is getting pricey! I can get my alfalfa and rice hulls at the same time hopefully. We have quite a few feed stores in my area. Lots of farms around here. So that's perfect. Thanks again Chunk....
Mama, Jerry offered some sage advice for your outdoor grow. I would stick to hulls (buckwheat, rice, cocoa, etc. (if visibility is a concern). That perlite sticks out like a sore thumb from above, although it may not be an issue for you. Its always good to keep the big picture in mind. Sounds like you are going to rock the garden this spring!
[quote name='"RichardDean"']It may cost money short term but will save money in the long run and will last for years.[/quote] The perlite would probably be the cheapest long term solution because it won't break down quickly like the rice hulls will. It sounds like the rice hills would need replaced year after year and the perlite is more of a one time cost. So that's something to consider. But the rice hulls are probably a better ingredient overall. I'm thinking about going with half perlite and half rice hulls. That way it's less to replace every year. Is that dumb?
[quote name='"Lumperfan"']Mama, Jerry offered some sage advice for your outdoor grow. I would stick to hulls (buckwheat, rice, cocoa, etc. (if visibility is a concern). That perlite sticks out like a sore thumb from above, although it may not be an issue for you. Its always good to keep the big picture in mind. Sounds like you are going to rock the garden this spring![/quote] Jerry always has the best advise. Replies from him and chunk are always golden. That's THE reason I come to the organic forums. I had never thought about perlite standing out from the air. I think my massive plants already stand out quite a bit hahaha. I had the authorities check up on my grow twice this year, but everything was up to par so it was no problem. Living about a block from the police station, they could easily just follow their noses here, lol. No aircrafts needed!
Jerry and Chunk are a big part of the reason I am here too- always good advice with great attitude, among many others on this forum as well. Thanks again everyone! I'm glad you get to grow monster plants with not much worry- thats the way it should be everywhere for everybody! Perlite will last longer than hulls, it just doesnt seem to go away over time (although does break into smaller and smaller pieces over time-start with the big stuff!). I also like to use the "growstones"- recycled expanded glass (silica), but it is expensive at your scale and probably cost prohibitive. Perlite has been working for years for mj growers all over, so I am sure you will be fine. Srry for the ramble, LF
I just mixed my indoor soil mix. It's my first super soil. I'm no longer a super soil virgin. This recipe is a little different that I'm planning for my outdoor mix. I used a bag of premaid soil that I already had instead of the soon to be amended used soil that I'm saving for my raised beds. And I didn't use the rice hulls since the bagged soil already came with perlite added. Other than that it's about the same. What do you guys think? 2 cubic ft bag of potting soil 5 lbs worm castings 1/2 lb bone meal 1/2 lb alfalfa 10 oz high p bat guano 6 ounces rock phosphate 4 cups glacial rock dust 1 tablespoon lime 1 tablespoon azomite My soil mixing station My weighed and pre-mixed amendments And my finished product. Now I just need to wet it and let it cook while my plants veg. My next order of business if getting a better light.