I love marigolds outside.
Building A Better Soil: Demonstrations & Discussions Of Organic Soil Recipes
- Thread starter SweetSue
- Start date
Completely forgot this earlier, companion planting in pots makes it more challenging for top dressings or certain "mulches" to be put down, and some plants don't thrive with the same bacteria and fungi dominating in the soil. I'll try to find some companion planting pics to post, but they are for veggies.
I used to grow a 6" - 8" hedge of Marigolds on a dyke around my tomato plants. They kept the slugs away from the tomato plants. The dykes helped me water and elevated the marigolds so the nice aroma reached up to my nose.
Oh, since 36gr0w threw the chart up and mentioned some plants being harmful, I will note that Black Walnut trees (and to a lesser extent other trees in the same family, Juglandaceae) produce a natural compound called Juglone which acts as a herbicide. There are a few plants that are tolerant, but if you have black walnut trees, keep your gardens away from them, and make sure you never mulch with any of its debris unless you want to suppress growth. ALL parts of the tree produce it, roots, bark, leaves, everything.
Not that I expect anyone to be starting walnuts inside as a companion. But some of you probably have a walnut tree or two and didn't know it could be a plant killer. Don't put your plants out near them.
Juglone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not that I expect anyone to be starting walnuts inside as a companion. But some of you probably have a walnut tree or two and didn't know it could be a plant killer. Don't put your plants out near them.
Juglone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I have the following ingredients at home with which i like to make my own soil of:
-Manure 8-7-7 consisting of rock phosphate, chile saltpeter and vinasse, 70% mineral and 30% organic.
-Bag earth with a bit of coco.
-3 year old composted leaves.
-Ewc fresh
-Lava meal
-Lava rocks
-Dried chicken manure
-Dolomite lime
-Dried seaweed
-Perlite
I would like some advise on how to mix ''all'' this into a good soil that will not burn my plants, please.
-Manure 8-7-7 consisting of rock phosphate, chile saltpeter and vinasse, 70% mineral and 30% organic.
-Bag earth with a bit of coco.
-3 year old composted leaves.
-Ewc fresh
-Lava meal
-Lava rocks
-Dried chicken manure
-Dolomite lime
-Dried seaweed
-Perlite
I would like some advise on how to mix ''all'' this into a good soil that will not burn my plants, please.
Wow, I had to look up Lava Meal.
category
soil improvers
description
Organic soil improver with lightly acidic stone meal.
The soil around volcanoes is extremely fertile because of the lava it contains. Lava meal is therefore an excellent soil improvement agent. It is lightly acidic and contains minerals and trace elements that are easy for plants to absorb.
characteristics
• Natural pH reduction
• Increases the exchange capacity (the soil releases nutrients when the plant needs them)
• Replenishes trace elements
• Stimulates the growth of soil organisms
• Organic alternative for magnesium or silicium deficiencies
• 100% organic
use
Granular size: powder
dosage
Open field:
As mineral supplement: 500 - 1,500 kg per ha
As soil improvement agent: 400 kg per ha
Potting soil:
As mineral supplement: 1 kg per m3
composition
100% lava meal
packaging
Bag of 20 kg
It appears to be similar to rock dust (basalt), but with an acidic property. I've never used it, or even heard of it.
My initial instinct says:
Mix the soil/coco, ewc, leaf compost, perlite and/or lava rock (crushed to about 1/2" or 1 -1.25cm size.)
1/3 soil/coco/leaf
1/3 ewc
1/3 perlite or lava rock (crushed to about 1/2" or 1 -1.25cm size.) You can use a lot less if you use fabric pots.
Add:
1 cup (235-240ml) of lime per cubic foot of the above mix. Can you get calcite lime instead? Or oyster shell flour?
Per cubic foot of the above:
2 cups Seaweed/kelp
For reference if you didn't know...1 cubic foot equals 6.43 dry US gallons. That is a #7 pot (commonly, incorrectly referred to as a 7 gallon)
That's about as far as I will comfortably recommend. Maybe use the 8-7-7 and chicken manures as a top dress. Since the lava meal is unknown to me, I can't say how much to use, but I would think it depends on how acidic it is.
Waiting for Robert and Bob to start school.....
category
soil improvers
description
Organic soil improver with lightly acidic stone meal.
The soil around volcanoes is extremely fertile because of the lava it contains. Lava meal is therefore an excellent soil improvement agent. It is lightly acidic and contains minerals and trace elements that are easy for plants to absorb.
characteristics
• Natural pH reduction
• Increases the exchange capacity (the soil releases nutrients when the plant needs them)
• Replenishes trace elements
• Stimulates the growth of soil organisms
• Organic alternative for magnesium or silicium deficiencies
• 100% organic
use
Granular size: powder
dosage
Open field:
As mineral supplement: 500 - 1,500 kg per ha
As soil improvement agent: 400 kg per ha
Potting soil:
As mineral supplement: 1 kg per m3
composition
100% lava meal
packaging
Bag of 20 kg
It appears to be similar to rock dust (basalt), but with an acidic property. I've never used it, or even heard of it.
My initial instinct says:
Mix the soil/coco, ewc, leaf compost, perlite and/or lava rock (crushed to about 1/2" or 1 -1.25cm size.)
1/3 soil/coco/leaf
1/3 ewc
1/3 perlite or lava rock (crushed to about 1/2" or 1 -1.25cm size.) You can use a lot less if you use fabric pots.
Add:
1 cup (235-240ml) of lime per cubic foot of the above mix. Can you get calcite lime instead? Or oyster shell flour?
Per cubic foot of the above:
2 cups Seaweed/kelp
For reference if you didn't know...1 cubic foot equals 6.43 dry US gallons. That is a #7 pot (commonly, incorrectly referred to as a 7 gallon)
That's about as far as I will comfortably recommend. Maybe use the 8-7-7 and chicken manures as a top dress. Since the lava meal is unknown to me, I can't say how much to use, but I would think it depends on how acidic it is.
Waiting for Robert and Bob to start school.....
Whereas if you have a redwood tree in your backyard, you know it can be a plant killer. Not much lives in Redwood mulch besides Oxalis and Banana slugs.
Esnero, a few questions. The composted leaves, are they light and fluffy, or moist and heavy? How long has your chicken manure been aging? Do you have access to crabs or shellfish? Are you making your own compost and ewc? Do you have a link for your first manure? A rock quarry or feed store near you?
I wouldn't use lava meal and dolomite together, due to dolomite already being higher in mag than we like. Lava rocks with perlite is mostly what I use as aeration in my potting soils, it works great.
I wouldn't use lava meal and dolomite together, due to dolomite already being higher in mag than we like. Lava rocks with perlite is mostly what I use as aeration in my potting soils, it works great.
Thank-you. The composted leaves are in between. The chicken manure is bought, so i have no idea. Don't have acces to crab or shellfish. I have a worm bin, alive and very active.
The link is in Dutch..
The manure:
boerengoed.nu >> Samengestelde meststof 8-7-7 2 kg
The rest of the products:
boerengoed.nu >> Product categorie"en >> Meststoffen en gesteentemelen
Should i then use lava meal instead of the dolomite, please? Or only lava stones?
Seaweed and Plant Growth
T.L. Senn
Chapter 7
Why Plants Need Micronutrients
Everything in nature contains all the powers of nature, everything is made of one hidden stuff (Emerson, Compensation).
Biochemical Reactions in Crop Plants
The green plant is a biochemical factory. Certain raw materials are used, either directly or indirectly, in making of the all-important foods, fibers, enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.
Photosynthesis is essentially an energy-fixing reaction. As is well known, this energy comes from the sun in the kinetic form and is changed to the potential form found in foods. Crop plants, the only connecting link between ourselves and the life-giving sun, assume great practical significance.
In contrast to photosynthesis, respiration is essentially an energy-releasing reaction. The potential chemical energy of foods is transformed into various kinds of kinetic energy. In this way, the light-energy reserve built up by crop plants becomes available, not only for the crops themselves, but also for all mankind. Photosynthesis fixes, or stores, the free energy of the sun, whereas respiration releases it.
Essential Elements and Essential Raw Materials
The essential elements necessary for plant growth and development, namely nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and magnesium are well known. Extensive research has been recorded pointing out their importance in the growth of plants. They may also be referred to as essential raw materials needed in the manufacturing of foods such as carbohydrates and oils by plants.
These raw materials meet at least two requirements: (1) they contain one or more essential elements for growth and development, and (2) they exist in a form which plants can absorb and use. For example, nitrogen is part of the molecule of all proteins and part of the molecule of both chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b (the green coloring matter in plants). Nitrogen is, therefore, an essential element. Although nitrogen exists in many types of compounds, crop plants absorb and use nitrogen from the soil mostly in two relatively simple forms: the nitrate ion and the ammonium ion. Because these ions are absorbed and used by plants in making nitrogenous organic compounds, they are called essential raw materials. Thus, essential raw materials are chemical compounds or parts of chemical compounds which contain one or more essential elements for plant growth and are absorbed and utilized by plants.
Micronutrients
The essential micronutrients necessary for plant growth and development are manganese, iron, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and cobalt. Since any one of these elements may become a limiting factor in growth and development, the grower should learn what the role of these elements is in plant life, how to recognize symptoms of micronutrient element deficiency, and when and how best to replenish the supply. Soil and plant tissue tests are great aids in determining crop plant needs.
There are micronutrients in the soil that were present in the original rocks from which the soil was formed. Soils in hot, moist areas contain smaller amounts of micronutrients than soils in cold, dry areas. Even though micronutrients are present in most soils, some of them are bound up in soluble organic acids and are not available for plant growth. The availability of micronutrients for plant use is determined by their solubility, which is dependent upend the alkalinity or acidity of the soil solution.
Micronutrient deficiencies often occur at a very critical stage in the life of a plant. For example, zinc plays a vital role in the fertility of female flowers of nut trees. Soil applications of zinc sulfate are used, but if the deficiency occurs during pre flowering the grower often resorts to foliar applications for quick response. Plants can absorb micronutrients through their leaves and stems and most micronutrient deficiencies can be temporarily corrected by foliar applications. It is wise to explore the cause of the deficiency and try to correct the problem by soil applications.
Role of Micronutrients
Manganese is part of an enzyme system for condensing soluble amino compounds into proteins. Iron has two roles: as part of an enzyme system for making of chlorophyll and as part of the molecular structure of the heme pigment needed for respiration.
Boron is necessary for cell division, the germination of pollen, the movement of sugars through membranes, the development of conductive vessels, and the transport of certain hormones. Boron prevents internal tissue breakdown which is evidenced by cracked stems. Zinc is necessary for cell elongation, for the formation of protein, and for the oxidation phase of respiration.
Copper is an essential constituent of certain oxidizing enzymes. It is necessary for the formation of the green coloring matter of plants -- Chlorophyll.
Molybdenum is part of the molecular structure of an enzyme which turns on the nitrate reduction system. Crop plants are unable to utilize nitrogen without molybdenum. It is very important to the nodule bacteria of legumes.
Micronutrients have many functions in crop plant growth and development. The amount and availability of micronutrients will vary with soil types and the demand by different crops. Even though the amounts required by plants are small, the micronutrients are just as essential as the nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, and in some areas even more so.
Specialty products are especially developed to supply the plant with micronutrients that in combination with marine alga such as Ascophyllum nodosum, Durvillea potatorum, and Ecklonia maxima make available to plants usable elements. Micronutrients are necessary for plants in times of plant stress, such as flowering, maturing, and during periods of drought.
Seaweed is a source of iron and chelating compounds such as mannitol. There has been much discussion on the amount of micronutrients in seaweed and seaweed extracts. The amount of micronutrients required by plants varies with the particular crop and the soil in which it is grown. Seaweed contains chelating compounds which will make some micronutrients already in the soul (but which are not available to plants because of solubility) available to the plants in a chelated form.
These claims are supported by the research of Lynn (1972) and Aitken (1974) who added several concentrations of seaweed extract to mineral deficient nutrient soils. Franki (1960) found leaves of tomatoes treated with seaweed extract contained more manganese than was present in the seaweed itself. He concluded that the seaweed had released "unavailable" manganese from the soil.
Abetz and Young (1983) reported that lettuce plants harvested were not significantly affected by NPK side dressing, but seaweed extract treatment increased the yield significantly (at the 95% confidence level). Similarly the standard yield per plot was not significantly affected by NPK side dressing but was significantly increased by seaweed extract treatment.
The mean heart diameter of all lettuces was significantly increased by all three seaweed extract treatments but not by the NPK side dressing.
Abetz and Young concluded that seaweed extract assists the lettuce plants to more efficiently utilize the major elements present in the soil.
T.L. Senn
Chapter 7
Why Plants Need Micronutrients
Everything in nature contains all the powers of nature, everything is made of one hidden stuff (Emerson, Compensation).
Biochemical Reactions in Crop Plants
The green plant is a biochemical factory. Certain raw materials are used, either directly or indirectly, in making of the all-important foods, fibers, enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.
Photosynthesis is essentially an energy-fixing reaction. As is well known, this energy comes from the sun in the kinetic form and is changed to the potential form found in foods. Crop plants, the only connecting link between ourselves and the life-giving sun, assume great practical significance.
In contrast to photosynthesis, respiration is essentially an energy-releasing reaction. The potential chemical energy of foods is transformed into various kinds of kinetic energy. In this way, the light-energy reserve built up by crop plants becomes available, not only for the crops themselves, but also for all mankind. Photosynthesis fixes, or stores, the free energy of the sun, whereas respiration releases it.
Essential Elements and Essential Raw Materials
The essential elements necessary for plant growth and development, namely nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and magnesium are well known. Extensive research has been recorded pointing out their importance in the growth of plants. They may also be referred to as essential raw materials needed in the manufacturing of foods such as carbohydrates and oils by plants.
These raw materials meet at least two requirements: (1) they contain one or more essential elements for growth and development, and (2) they exist in a form which plants can absorb and use. For example, nitrogen is part of the molecule of all proteins and part of the molecule of both chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b (the green coloring matter in plants). Nitrogen is, therefore, an essential element. Although nitrogen exists in many types of compounds, crop plants absorb and use nitrogen from the soil mostly in two relatively simple forms: the nitrate ion and the ammonium ion. Because these ions are absorbed and used by plants in making nitrogenous organic compounds, they are called essential raw materials. Thus, essential raw materials are chemical compounds or parts of chemical compounds which contain one or more essential elements for plant growth and are absorbed and utilized by plants.
Micronutrients
The essential micronutrients necessary for plant growth and development are manganese, iron, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and cobalt. Since any one of these elements may become a limiting factor in growth and development, the grower should learn what the role of these elements is in plant life, how to recognize symptoms of micronutrient element deficiency, and when and how best to replenish the supply. Soil and plant tissue tests are great aids in determining crop plant needs.
There are micronutrients in the soil that were present in the original rocks from which the soil was formed. Soils in hot, moist areas contain smaller amounts of micronutrients than soils in cold, dry areas. Even though micronutrients are present in most soils, some of them are bound up in soluble organic acids and are not available for plant growth. The availability of micronutrients for plant use is determined by their solubility, which is dependent upend the alkalinity or acidity of the soil solution.
Micronutrient deficiencies often occur at a very critical stage in the life of a plant. For example, zinc plays a vital role in the fertility of female flowers of nut trees. Soil applications of zinc sulfate are used, but if the deficiency occurs during pre flowering the grower often resorts to foliar applications for quick response. Plants can absorb micronutrients through their leaves and stems and most micronutrient deficiencies can be temporarily corrected by foliar applications. It is wise to explore the cause of the deficiency and try to correct the problem by soil applications.
Role of Micronutrients
Manganese is part of an enzyme system for condensing soluble amino compounds into proteins. Iron has two roles: as part of an enzyme system for making of chlorophyll and as part of the molecular structure of the heme pigment needed for respiration.
Boron is necessary for cell division, the germination of pollen, the movement of sugars through membranes, the development of conductive vessels, and the transport of certain hormones. Boron prevents internal tissue breakdown which is evidenced by cracked stems. Zinc is necessary for cell elongation, for the formation of protein, and for the oxidation phase of respiration.
Copper is an essential constituent of certain oxidizing enzymes. It is necessary for the formation of the green coloring matter of plants -- Chlorophyll.
Molybdenum is part of the molecular structure of an enzyme which turns on the nitrate reduction system. Crop plants are unable to utilize nitrogen without molybdenum. It is very important to the nodule bacteria of legumes.
Micronutrients have many functions in crop plant growth and development. The amount and availability of micronutrients will vary with soil types and the demand by different crops. Even though the amounts required by plants are small, the micronutrients are just as essential as the nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, and in some areas even more so.
Specialty products are especially developed to supply the plant with micronutrients that in combination with marine alga such as Ascophyllum nodosum, Durvillea potatorum, and Ecklonia maxima make available to plants usable elements. Micronutrients are necessary for plants in times of plant stress, such as flowering, maturing, and during periods of drought.
Seaweed is a source of iron and chelating compounds such as mannitol. There has been much discussion on the amount of micronutrients in seaweed and seaweed extracts. The amount of micronutrients required by plants varies with the particular crop and the soil in which it is grown. Seaweed contains chelating compounds which will make some micronutrients already in the soul (but which are not available to plants because of solubility) available to the plants in a chelated form.
These claims are supported by the research of Lynn (1972) and Aitken (1974) who added several concentrations of seaweed extract to mineral deficient nutrient soils. Franki (1960) found leaves of tomatoes treated with seaweed extract contained more manganese than was present in the seaweed itself. He concluded that the seaweed had released "unavailable" manganese from the soil.
Abetz and Young (1983) reported that lettuce plants harvested were not significantly affected by NPK side dressing, but seaweed extract treatment increased the yield significantly (at the 95% confidence level). Similarly the standard yield per plot was not significantly affected by NPK side dressing but was significantly increased by seaweed extract treatment.
The mean heart diameter of all lettuces was significantly increased by all three seaweed extract treatments but not by the NPK side dressing.
Abetz and Young concluded that seaweed extract assists the lettuce plants to more efficiently utilize the major elements present in the soil.
Es, if you have enough ewc for 1/3 of your soil mix, I would throw the chicken manure and 877 manure in the worm bins, of course not enough to heat it up. I don't know enough about lava meal to make a recommendation, and I don't use dolomite. Heirloom gave good advice.
Robert Celt
New Member
Good morning all
Been a busy week so please excuse my tardiness from class
@ Heirloom
EsNero, looking at what you have and from the information Heirloom provided on Lava Meal, I will offer you some thoughts.
First off, with the lava rock and meal you have, perlite becomes redundant. As perlite has very poor exchange capacity and the lava has good exchange capacity, I would leave the perlite out of the mix. It will just take up space in your pots and not offer anything to the growth of your plants.
Next, you list dried seaweed. If this is not a commercially prepared meal for agriculture use, then you need to ensure it is well washed. Seaweed is notoriously high in sodium which can be toxic to land plants. Wash and rinse it well until you can no longer taste salt in the wash water, if you can't taste salt in the wash water, the sodium levels should be low enough to be fine. Otherwise, kelp and seaweed are great amendments. They offer little in the way of N-P-K but are full of the micro-nutrients.
I would leave the Dolomitic lime out of your mix all together, the Ca-Mg ratios are wrong in this type of lime and you have Mg in the lava as well. If you can source agricultural lime, oyster shell flour or even ground egg shell, you would be better to use them instead.
Without knowing the specifications of your "base earth" it is impossible to give you a scientific recipe but I can offer an educated guess on ratios.
Heirloom gave you a good start with the 1-1-1- ratio of soil - EWC - lava along with the cup of lime and 2 cups of seaweed per cuft. As you are in Europe and likely more familiar with metric, that equates to about 28 liters.
Now for the rest, I would suggest adding 2 cups of the 8-7-7 and one of the chicken manure, this will give you a generic soil with approximately a 1-1-1 ratio and let it cook for at least a month to give it time for the mineral content to be broken down well. If you can, after a week of cooking, mix in some mycorrhizae or a handfull of soil from an outside garden. This will speed up the "breakdown" of the amendments.
This 1-1-1 may seem like a "hot" soil to some but do to the nature of the ingredients and being organic, "hot" doesn't really apply once the soil has cooked for a few weeks. When building an organic soil, don't be concerned with the notion of "hot", once cooked and cool to the touch, it won't burn your plants regardless of the N-P-K ratios in the soil.
In the case of these soils, consider the N-P-K ratios an indicator of how long a plant can live, and how big it can get, in the soil before depleting the nutrients required to continue growing.
The soil I am planning on this year for all my plants, inside and out, actually works out to have an NPK of 5-1-2 which will do well for vegetative stages, but will require ACTs during flowering to bring up the phosphorous levels.
Hope this helps mate
Been a busy week so please excuse my tardiness from class
@ Heirloom EsNero, looking at what you have and from the information Heirloom provided on Lava Meal, I will offer you some thoughts.
First off, with the lava rock and meal you have, perlite becomes redundant. As perlite has very poor exchange capacity and the lava has good exchange capacity, I would leave the perlite out of the mix. It will just take up space in your pots and not offer anything to the growth of your plants.
Next, you list dried seaweed. If this is not a commercially prepared meal for agriculture use, then you need to ensure it is well washed. Seaweed is notoriously high in sodium which can be toxic to land plants. Wash and rinse it well until you can no longer taste salt in the wash water, if you can't taste salt in the wash water, the sodium levels should be low enough to be fine. Otherwise, kelp and seaweed are great amendments. They offer little in the way of N-P-K but are full of the micro-nutrients.
I would leave the Dolomitic lime out of your mix all together, the Ca-Mg ratios are wrong in this type of lime and you have Mg in the lava as well. If you can source agricultural lime, oyster shell flour or even ground egg shell, you would be better to use them instead.
Without knowing the specifications of your "base earth" it is impossible to give you a scientific recipe but I can offer an educated guess on ratios.
Heirloom gave you a good start with the 1-1-1- ratio of soil - EWC - lava along with the cup of lime and 2 cups of seaweed per cuft. As you are in Europe and likely more familiar with metric, that equates to about 28 liters.
Now for the rest, I would suggest adding 2 cups of the 8-7-7 and one of the chicken manure, this will give you a generic soil with approximately a 1-1-1 ratio and let it cook for at least a month to give it time for the mineral content to be broken down well. If you can, after a week of cooking, mix in some mycorrhizae or a handfull of soil from an outside garden. This will speed up the "breakdown" of the amendments.
This 1-1-1 may seem like a "hot" soil to some but do to the nature of the ingredients and being organic, "hot" doesn't really apply once the soil has cooked for a few weeks. When building an organic soil, don't be concerned with the notion of "hot", once cooked and cool to the touch, it won't burn your plants regardless of the N-P-K ratios in the soil.
In the case of these soils, consider the N-P-K ratios an indicator of how long a plant can live, and how big it can get, in the soil before depleting the nutrients required to continue growing.
The soil I am planning on this year for all my plants, inside and out, actually works out to have an NPK of 5-1-2 which will do well for vegetative stages, but will require ACTs during flowering to bring up the phosphorous levels.
Hope this helps mate
yankeetoker
Well-Known Member
Ok, so to my bloom mix I added 1 cup neem/karanja meal, 1 cup crustacean meal, and 2 cups oyster shell flour.
When I took the lid off to check the soil it had some nice white mold growing....
To the veg mix I added oyster shell flour and neem/karanja meal.
Both mixes were stirred and sprayed with a bit of water to keep them moist.
When I took the lid off to check the soil it had some nice white mold growing....
To the veg mix I added oyster shell flour and neem/karanja meal.
Both mixes were stirred and sprayed with a bit of water to keep them moist.
Congrats on the mold babies!!
No need to do separate mixes.