Critique my Living Soil recipe

[Diatomacious]

I’ve had good luck cloning with soilless also learned how to clone in water by mistake actually. I forgot some clippings in a cup of water and ended up with roots a week later. I use an air stone now

Yea... water only works great for some strains... others won't root at all in pure water... depends on genetics in my exp.

 

[Diatomacious]

Check out these little guys

Here's a closeup... maybe you can see them

 

[009sleepy]

Probably someone who uses chemical. Water soluble chemicals will go straight into the plant and are readily available right away (100% of it). I just hate chemicals, they give me aches and pains in my joints and make it harder for me to breathe... they also tend to "fog" my mind more than organic (staring off into space type stuff) and make it harder to concentrate and remember things. I don't even eat chemical food anymore (if I can help it) and so far I am much healthier than when eating chemical food (sometimes I slip up and have to eat a burger and the next day my joints ache and I'm suddenly dragging ass to get things done). Organic is the only way to go for personal consumption.

I'd say a safe concentration would be 1/2 to 1 tsp per gallon of water... gonna depend on how much your plants need though (just have to learn to read the leaves lol). I buy 50 lb at a time (McGeary I think... organic they say) and cost me $1 per pound about.


Once you learn how to use it (it's different than soil) it is just as easy as soil based mix... the learning curve can be discouraging though.

Edit: Oops meant $2 / lb on that blood

Part of why I wanna go organic is because of the chemicals. I haven’t eaten meat in 7+ years just fish and I’m looking to go full vegan so I wanna watch what I put into the body that goes for smoking or eating.. I eat lots of soy products which is not good either but I won’t get started on that

 

[Diatomacious]

Part of why I wanna go organic is because of the chemicals. I haven’t eaten meat in 7+ years just fish and I’m looking to go full vegan so I wanna watch what I put into the body that goes for smoking or eating.. I eat lots of soy products which is not good either but I won’t get started on that

Hey... I hear you. Organic salad is probably the most highly concentrated nutrition you can eat... plus you get probiotic from the bacteria in the plant (they originate from the organic matter that decomposes). I found a local farm that raises excellent organic beef and I eat that to supplement (get that craving sometimes). Some of the "organic" raised meat is not actually 100% organic (farm to farm difference)... makes my legs feel restless when I eat it (hormones, antibiotic?... I just know it sucks)... only way I can tell if 100% organic is to eat some and see how I feel. I do cook up a batch of organic pintos every once in a while too... just so much counterfeit organic product out there... buyer beware it seems.

 

[009sleepy]

Hey... I hear you. Organic salad is probably the most highly concentrated nutrition you can eat... plus you get probiotic from the bacteria in the plant (they originate from the organic matter that decomposes). I found a local farm that raises excellent organic beef and I eat that to supplement (get that craving sometimes). Some of the "organic" raised meat is not actually 100% organic (farm to farm difference)... makes my legs feel restless when I eat it (hormones, antibiotic?... I just know it sucks)... only way I can tell if 100% organic is to eat some and see how I feel. I do cook up a batch of organic pintos every once in a while too... just so much counterfeit organic product out there... buyer beware it seems.

Yea ppl throw the word around so much and most of the products like to use the word natural as if that means it’s healthy. I like making edibles with cacao powder instead of the premade chocolate. It’s sad but I prefer to grow my own Cannabis instead of veggies do to space restrictions but I’d like to do both so I can kno it’s organic

 

[Diatomacious]

Yea ppl throw the word around so much and most of the products like to use the word natural as if that means it’s healthy. I like making edibles with cacao powder instead of the premade chocolate. It’s sad but I prefer to grow my own Cannabis instead of veggies do to space restrictions but I’d like to do both so I can kno it’s organic

Hell of a lot of work... but rewarding. If you don't have a nice sunny outdoor spot (like sun from morn to night) it's probably not worth trying to grow an outdoor vegetable garden. Check around your local area for organic farms, then try their product and see if you like it (or rather it likes you) then you will know it's organic. I ate some organic ice cream earlier and it seems to be throwing me some chemical food effects right now... damn, because I love ice cream. Where the hell to get 100% organic ice cream from 100% organically raised cows?

 

[009sleepy]

Absolutely a lot of work but more like fun for me. I’ll most likely grow a few veggies next to my girls indoors just to scratch that itch a little. Saw a few videos on growing “microgreens” and I know a few ppl who start everything indoors then trans to outdoor around or late may early june

 

[Diatomacious]

Yea.... smaller seedlings do better to start indoor then transfer out (tomatoes and tobacco are a couple). My tobacco seedlings are still in the cotyledon stage... probably take them a month to get big enough to go in the garden (they take 2 to finish out so I should still be in season). Most plants like the exact same soil condition, as far as I can tell... a few oddballs like potatoes and blueberries prefer different than normal but over 90% of plants fall into a "similar" soil category so once you can grow one plant you can pretty much grow any plant using the same conditions (makes it easy and gives a good reason to nail down a good soil recipe).

 

[bobrown14]

Do u guys use bottled nutrients? I’m using amendments so I can feed straight water and reuse next grow

I use a version of the "Coots" soil recipe. It's basic. The humus portion is our own home made Vermi-compost.

For folks that like to add stuff and care for plants. I think the compost bin is a better place to start.

The compost bin is where I learned to grow plants. Food for thought.

 

[Diatomacious]

I use a version of the "Coots" soil recipe. It's basic. The humus portion is our own home made Vermi-compost.

For folks that like to add stuff and care for plants. I think the compost bin is a better place to start.

The compost bin is where I learned to grow plants. Food for thought.

Compost is excellent for soil mixes... it can have a little too much P for soilless in my experience. If you blend your own compost and know what is in it it is an excellent source of nutrition for plant and soil (and you if you eat it)... I got some compost from the dump that was produced from yard waste... got soil tested and now zinc is around 2300 ppm (I assume from people spraying pesticide on their yards) so it helps to know what's in it or have it lab tested before you use it for anything important.

 

[009sleepy]

I thin

Yea.... smaller seedlings do better to start indoor then transfer out (tomatoes and tobacco are a couple). My tobacco seedlings are still in the cotyledon stage... probably take them a month to get big enough to go in the garden (they take 2 to finish out so I should still be in season). Most plants like the exact same soil condition, as far as I can tell... a few oddballs like potatoes and blueberries prefer different than normal but over 90% of plants fall into a "similar" soil category so once you can grow one plant you can pretty much grow any plant using the same conditions (makes it easy and gives a good reason to nail down a good soil recipe).
[/QUOTE
I think that’s key to it all, a good soil recipe. So far my soils doing it’s job since I haven’t had to feed but it’s only been 10 days. After a month we’ll see.

 

[009sleepy]

Here’s an idea or question. If I flush coco after a grow using bottle nutrients (cns17 grow/bloom/ripe, calmag & silica) if that coco is then mixed into an organic soil will the soil still be organic?
It would be flushed the same as how it’s prepared(until ppm is below 50)

 

[009sleepy]

I use a version of the "Coots" soil recipe. It's basic. The humus portion is our own home made Vermi-compost.

For folks that like to add stuff and care for plants. I think the compost bin is a better place to start.

The compost bin is where I learned to grow plants. Food for thought.

I assume you have yard space but if you didn’t, would you use a 5g bucket? I’ve got buck 1/3 full of stem n fan leaves. At times I use the leaves for mulch when I wanna water less. I dump my bucket b4 but I wanna use it this time. So my questions, would the bucket work/stink and if so what else should I add to kinda balance out the npk. I know it’s a lot on N in the leaves

 

[009sleepy]

I thin

I think that’s key to it all, a good soil recipe. So far my soils doing it’s job since I haven’t had to feed but it’s only been 10 days. After a month we’ll see

 

[009sleepy]

Compost is excellent for soil mixes... it can have a little too much P for soilless in my experience. If you blend your own compost and know what is in it it is an excellent source of nutrition for plant and soil (and you if you eat it)... I got some compost from the dump that was produced from yard waste... got soil tested and now zinc is around 2300 ppm (I assume from people spraying pesticide on their yards) so it helps to know what's in it or have it lab tested before you use it for anything important.

What would you suggest adding to a 5g compost bucket? It’s 1/3 full of stems and fans. Gonna do some research on my own but would love you guys advice. I think Espoma has a compost starter for $10 or less but why buy what we can make.

Thanks for all the great advice and knowledge

 

[bobrown14]

Compost is excellent for soil mixes.
it helps to know what's in it or have it lab tested before you use it for anything important.

Compost is the single most important thing for a farmer or a gardener.
It represents the regeneration of nature and is how we create a healthy soil.

Healthy soil grows healthy plants and that intern grows healthy animals that feed us humans. Its true that you will benefit most when you are in harmony with nature.

Nature has been composting for WAY longer than humans have walked the earth.

Even farmers that use chemical fertilizer realize the importance of composting.

We can make our own by recycling kitchen scraps in a bin outside. Everyone can do it and should be doing it. Add a few extra goodies like rock dusts and you're well on your way to a very very good humus input for your garden.

Choose sustainability over everything else and you will be in harmony with yourself and nature.

Soil testing is a thing its been a thing in the US ever since the first AG bill put into law in the 1930s after the Dust Bowl happened and many people starved.

Soil testing in the USA is basically FREE to everyone. I pay $8 - that doesn't even pay for the shipping.

I add my vermi-compost to my soil recipe - send a sample off to the State Lab that does the testing. Adjust as needed after test report. The soil recipe I use is pretty good.


Composting or vermi-composting (using worms) doesn't create any smell as long as you do NOT ad any animal products.

Your soil that you used your chemical fertilizers on can be re-cycled in a compost bin. All the chelated chemicals get broken down as they are digested by the micro-organisms. Those chemicals dont remain in the same form as you poured them out of your bottle.

We use 2 compost bins with lids. 1 is 165gal and the other is I think 110 gal.
We also have a few compost heaps in our gardens for weeds and yard debris.

We live in a city with a very small yard. Our first bin was 60 gal and was free from our local municipal department. They promote composting.

 

[Diatomacious]

I think that’s key to it all, a good soil recipe. So far my soils doing it’s job since I haven’t had to feed but it’s only been 10 days. After a month we’ll see

The real test is to see if they can bud out... much more difficult to grow flower than leaf. That will be the real test of your recipe.

Here’s an idea or question. If I flush coco after a grow using bottle nutrients (cns17 grow/bloom/ripe, calmag & silica) if that coco is then mixed into an organic soil will the soil still be organic?
It would be flushed the same as how it’s prepared(until ppm is below 50)

Eventually all the chemical will flush out but that will take more time than just a simple flush will provide... if you flush it well enough you might not notice any chemical taste or effect in the bud. Of course any organic nutrient you add in will be organic, it's just the residue left behind by the chemicals that will make it not.

 

[Diatomacious]

We can make our own by recycling kitchen scraps in a bin outside. Everyone can do it and should be doing it. Add a few extra goodies like rock dusts and you're well on your way to a very very good humus input for your garden.

The outdoor bin where I throw all the green garbage from kitchen left overs is teeming with earthworms. They absolutely love the compost nutrients. I grab a shovel full and put in the bottom of a hole when transplanting... gives em a good start but you may still have to amend with more specific fertilizers like blood and bone to have really nice growth.

 

[Diatomacious]

Waste report is in... first up kelp meal

Nice trace mineral concentration though a little high in sulfur.

 

[Diatomacious]

Alfalfa meal was also tested

I kinda like the trace mineral composition of alfalfa a little better than kelp... I'll have to do some calculations to determine nutrient availability for trace minerals in my mix but that's a little more math than I would like to tackle at the moment. For now I've started using alfalfa in my mix along with blood to bring the nitrogen up to where it needs to be.

AVM MIX (Animal-Vegetable-Mineral) mix
2 T alfalfa meal
1 T 1/2 t blood meal
3/4 t potassium sulfate
1 t Humic Ore

I threw all the fertilizers into a batch of pro-mix so I could be lazy about the pH this time... testing it out now to see how it grows. The NPK is looking pretty good but I haven't calculated amounts for trace elements (the real fun part). I'll probably send a sample into the lab and have it analyzed.