Hello GC ! I need some advice from expierienced growers. I plan to make my own soil mix. I found two types of peat moss available in my store. I'm in Europe so the producers are different then in US. So basically i can get peat moss ( 3,5 - 4,5 pH ) or peat moss de-acidified ( 7,2 - 7,5 pH ). Which one should i get ??? or maybe both and mix them? Please help! Thx Peace
Depends on your soil mix, you generally add dolomite lime which will raise your ph and act as a ph buffer. Your goal is to end up around 6.5 which is ideal. In that case pick the regular peat.
I'd go with the regular as well. (Probably cheaper too.) And if you are going organic then PH isn't nearly as big an issue. A living soil will work that out for itself. Sent from somewhere over there. No, not there...over THERE.
Yeah im with the guys above me, get the regular peat and some lime and youll be good on that end, dont forget the perlite or youll have a mucky mess on your hands!
Unless they tell you what base was added to "deacidify"it I would go with the untreated and adjust the ph myself. I like to know what's in there. Twas Ever Thus!
With the regular peat, you will want a source of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)--commonly referred to as a 'liming agent'. Typically, the go-to is a form of limestone (ie. Dolomite lime, garden lime, calcitic lime, powdered limestone...). Another great option is Oyster shell flour if you have access to it. my first grow
Thank You All for quick answer I did few grows in the past so I'm familiar with the basics but always used ready mixed soil from the grow shop(Canna , Plagron etc.) which are expensive. Now i want to prepare mix myself. I have compost from local compost farm, ewc, dolomite lime, dry organic fert for tomatoes and some granite rock dust. When i saw those two types of peat moss i didn't know which to buy (3,5 - 4,5 pH seemed very acidic) I will go for the regular one and adjust its pH with dolomite lime. Peace
" I will go for the regular one and adjust its pH with dolomite lime" If you haven't bought it already then might I suggest using Calcite Lime/Ag Lime instead - it is pure lime whereas Dolomite contains a high amount of Magnesium. J
@Matix, no matter which you ultimately decide on ensure with absolute certainty that you do not try to grow without adding a good, quality humus source. Certainly you should be able to source quality compost, forest litter, earth worm casings, etc. As for lime and liming agents, be gentle adding these elements because their chemical properties which result in changing the soil chemistry can be quite ornerous to undo if excess is used. If you select quality humic materials as specifically stated above (not humic acid, nor granular humic "sources" which are manufactured) you'll be in great shape. Power to the people across the water to grow mo, gro-bro's! Rocket!
Always deacidify your own peat. Check out these links on ways companies deacidify peat.....chalk, calcium cyanamide, ammonium nitrate (salt of ammonia and nitric acid).....No thanks! http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/calciumc.html A link on ammonium nitrate health effects http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/msds/nh4no3.htm
Hello Jerry !! Thx 4 advice. Maybe You tell me a bit more... I have dolomite lime (minimum 45 % CaO + MgO with 15 - 19 % MgO in it) ready for mix but it's not mixed yet. I can get pure lime if i really have to. Not a big problem for me. My question is: Can this level of Mg be dangerous ?? Do I really need pure lime? All help appreciated Hello Possuum !! I have compost from local compost farm. This is all organic with official certification and permission to use for vegetables. I also have EWC and humic acid(black powder with tiny cristals) Should I use compost and EWC only with no humic acid? What is the best solution ? My plan was to mix: Peat moss, compost, ewc, dolomite lime, perlite, dry organic fert for tomatoes, rock dust and a bit of humic acid. And some high phosphorus bat guano for flowering. Is this a good plan? I want to make it best that i can ! Thx 4 all help Peace
Howdy Matix, I think what you've indicated for your compost and EWC is spot on. I do question products that are labeled as "humates" unless their origin of material and processes used on that material to produce the humate is well known and also certifiable, perhaps. IME, the addition of a crystalized humate product was not necessary and in my case may have exacerabated a potential problem that was right on the bubble of being "ok" and "not ok". I think the humate pushed it to "not ok". Humin, humate, and humic acid (fulvic acid also) are very different chemical formulae. Each and collectively are quite essential in sustainable outdoor agriculture. Indoor container gardening not so much. I think you have yourself covered quite nicely without the humate but you bought it and you should try it. A little bit will go a long way in a 5 gal container. That's my opinion, others have theirs, and it's all good. As I say, you won't know till you grow bro! You won't need a lot of "luck" with your seemingly quality soil componets but good luck to ya anyway chap