Keeping Organic soil and amendments for long term storage?

Discussion in 'Growing Organic Marijuana' started by mattspyro, Nov 24, 2013.

  1. Hi everyone!  :wave:
     
    I have recently been acquiring some of the essentials to start my first organic grow unfortunately I have ran into some problems that will prevent me from growing anything at this time. :( On top of that I live in an apartment so there is no outdoor space to start a compost bin or anything of that nature.  I am stuck leaving the amendments in bags or a bin inside my storage closet.
     
    The question is what should I do with the products I have.  
    Heres what I have now:
     
    1. Some high quality compost from a local organic farm
    2. Earthworm castings from same farm as above
    3. Sphagnum Peat moss
    4. Buckwheat hulls
     
    I was considering mixing all of what I have and just let the soil cycle until I am finally ready to grow, but it could be anywhere from a year to a few years.  I don't want to waste all of the good nutrients I have.
     
    I also have the ability to return the peat moss and buckwheat hulls for 80% of what I paid for them which isn't too bad.  So I thought then I'd just mix up the compost and castings to make a nice humus? 
     
    Any suggestions are appreciated.  I can't return the compost or castings but only paid $20 for both so it is not the end of the world.  I'm just bummed I won't be growing, so some good news would be music to my ears.
     
    Thanks GC
     
    --
    Matt :bongin:
     
     

     
  2. I would mix that all up and keep it a little moist. Come spring or summertime, if your circumstances haven't changed, you can start a kick-ass veggie garden in your windowsill.
     
    Re-amend, re-use, repeat.  Sooner or later you'll be able to grow what you really want. :smoke:
     
  3. Thanks dopeshow,
     
    That was also another option I was considering would the current mix as is be alright to grow some veggies even without some extra amendments (ie. alfalfa, crab, or kelp).  Will the compost and castings still lose nutrients even though a plant won't be growing in the soil.  Even waiting a year after mixing the soil it would be viable without re-amending? I will definitely have some leftover compost regardless could I re-amend with that or will the compost lose its viability with time as well.
     
    --
    Matt
     
  4. I am no expert in this field, just a happy observer.  My own soil is approaching a year old and the plants I just put in it are doing better than ever.  Yes, I re-amended it and they got some EWC teas and the like over the year, but I never felt like they needed anything.  I just had leftovers and decided to give the plants a little snack here and there.
     
    This is from InTheGarden's excellent thread - Page 1:
     
      Organic soil can be re-used over and over again. In fact, the soil actually gets better as it ages! Organic amendments take a long time to break down-definitely longer than a single grow cycle and years in some cases. You can even re-use the soil without adding any extra amendments. A plant only uses a small amount of the nutrition available in an organic soil, so remember that there's still a lot of good stuff in there. Soil can be used for several grow cycles without any additional amendments-you can grow for years without re-amending it.
     
    I've definitely learned to take the long view with this kind of gardening.  Get great ingredients, give them time to cycle (no problem for you), and sit back and watch.  You won't have deficiencies, you won't need to add anything "right away", and things don't really go bad. 
     
  5. The compost and ewc will take you some of the way. A simple all-purpose would provide enough nutrients for anything u intend to grow. To keep it as minimalist as possible. Pretty much every gardening shop sells something like happy frog all purpose which would work fine.
     

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