Hi all, I planted my germinated seed into a soil mixture of perlite, coco coir, sphagnum peat moss, fine dolomite lime and CIL blood and bone meal mix 7-7-0. I did not wait for the blood and bone meal to sit in the soil, I just mixed and planted the germinated seed into the mixture and watered. Is this okay? Or was I suppose to wait for it to sit and breakdown anything? Also, should I buy earth worm castings to supplement? Or is blood and bone meal effective enough given my tight dollar budget. I look to make an indoor organic soil grow cause keeping track of the ph is an issue for me, I don't plan on purchasing a ph meter so that is why I want to go all organic. Thoughts?
Congratulations on going organic! The worm castings are pretty important IMO. A good soil mix needs either castings, compost, or both. That is the base of the soil. Perlite would be good to add as well for aeration. Worm castings are pretty cheap, like $10 a bag. As for the blood and bone meal, you really should have let it sit for a while to break down. But with no castings or compost to add microbes to the mix, I'm not sure there is anything to do the breaking down. Id suggest adding the castings to the mix and letting it all sit for a month.
[quote name='"mjmama25"'] Congratulations on going organic! The worm castings are pretty important IMO. A good soil mix needs either castings, compost, or both. That is the base of the soil. Perlite would be good to add as well for aeration. Worm castings are pretty cheap, like $10 a bag. As for the blood and bone meal, you really should have let it sit for a while to break down. But with no castings or compost to add microbes to the mix, I'm not sure there is anything to do the breaking down. Id suggest adding the castings to the mix and letting it all sit for a month.[/quote] Hi thanks, I like the idea of organic. So would it be best to return the blood and bone meal since I need it TODAY. Then I can use that money I buy worm castings instead. Or can I make tea out of blood and bone meal and feed to the plant during some stage of growth after letting it steep together. Help me fill In these blanks! Lol I'm new obviously
your on the right track and your soil mix seems like a great combo. no experience with the blood or bone, but it may be 'hot' so be light on the doses . you can up the dose later if needed. I can recommend indonesiain bat guano for flowering, and alfalfa and kelp meals for the earlier stages. use the alfalfa meal in light doses as it can burn roots in lrg amounts. put an air stone in a 5 gallon bucket of water. let it chill for a day to get rid of some chlorine. soak a cup of alfalfa meal, a cup of kelp meal and a cup of the guano in the bucket. they can each be soaked by a sock or panthose. let the organics chill for a day or two with the air stone. this can then be added to water at a ratio of 1 or 2 cups concentated mix, to 4 gallons dechlorinated water, as part of your feeding program.
[quote name='"bznuts916"'] your on the right track and your soil mix seems like a great combo. no experience with the blood or bone, but it may be 'hot' so be light on the doses . you can up the dose later if needed. I can recommend indonesiain bat guano for flowering, and alfalfa and kelp meals for the earlier stages. use the alfalfa meal in light doses as it can burn roots in lrg amounts. put an air stone in a 5 gallon bucket of water. let it chill for a day to get rid of some chlorine. soak a cup of alfalfa meal, a cup of kelp meal and a cup of the guano in the bucket. they can each be soaked by a sock or panthose. let the organics chill for a day or two with the air stone. this can then be added to water at a ratio of 1 or 2 cups concentated mix, to 4 gallons dechlorinated water, as part of your feeding program.[/quote] Thanks bznutz, would you say this tea recipe you mentioned is for all stages or one particular stage of the growth cycle?
theres plenty of teas out there for all cycles of growth. heres a sticky with some good information. http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/1110985-act-aerated-compost-tea.html
you can add this mix a week or so before the flip. the alfalfa meal and kelp meals more for veg and the guano will benefit flowering, mix can be adjusted to meet your current needs.
OP needs humus content in the soil stat! Worm castings, compost, mushroom manure, composted animal manures etc. ratio of at least 25% of final mix. I used bone meal and blood meal in my mix but many dislike them because they are derived from animal waste products and could potentially carry disease. Also, other meals achieve the same effect plus many other things that they won't do. These are better options: fishbone meal kelp meal alfafa meal