Cook Soil before Testing?

[GreenGuy]

He Folks,

I've recently mixed up a batch of organic soil, using FF ocean forest as a base, then adding various amendments such as blood, bone, kelp, alfalfa, guano, etc..

I've typically let the soil cook for 3 to 4 weeks before testing in the past, but I've often wondered if that's really necessary..

This is a new recipe, I'm pretty anxious to see what the lab results look like.. Its already been cooking for a week, do I need to wait even longer before submitting a sample to Logan Labs?

Curious to hear any thoughts as to whether or not a new mix needs to cook before testing, and if the composting time will have any impact on the test results..

Whatchya think?

 

[Midnight Tokar]

I'm trying to think why you added all those amendments to the FFOF as many people consider it to be too strong right out of the bag and many people cut it half and half with Happy Frog to avoid burning their plants.If I was going to use all those amendments I would use them with peat moss and no FFOF at all.

 

[Grapefruitroop]

I mix my own soil but I never left it to rest or cook....I never had the time or the space to do it.

I read somewhere that the best way to jumpstart your soil biology is add water and plant some plants in it.

 

[St. Phatty]

He Folks,

I've recently mixed up a batch of organic soil, using FF ocean forest as a base, then adding various amendments such as blood, bone, kelp, alfalfa, guano, etc..

I've typically let the soil cook for 3 to 4 weeks before testing in the past, but I've often wondered if that's really necessary..

Whatchya think?

It depends on the plant.

I think it's a good test to do with plants you really like.

In my case, Apollo 11 F3's (from Subcool) or Romberry F3's.

I found that some of the BEST Apollo's are very sensitive to low pH. From too much nutes.


BUT a good thorough rinse can set them straight.

 

[GreenGuy]

Thanks to everyone for the replies!

@ Midnight Tokar -

I have been amending Fox Farm Ocean Forest for many years with great success. I use it, without any added amendments, for sprouting seeds and planting clones in Solo beer cups. I've never had any burn, except for the occasional runt or something like that.

Personally, I don't consider it to be strong - I can only get to the 4th week of flower if I use plain, non-amended FFOF, and that's in 7Gals! They move from Solo cups to 1Gal of amended mix for 2 weeks, then into 7Gals of amended mix for one more week before the switch.

I add enough amendments to get through an 8-10 week flower cycle, water only. As long as I practice good watering habits, I don't get any burn. The amendment mix is really just a little bit of a lot of things, to create a balance.


@ Grapefruitroop -

Time is priceless, I been there too brother - the amendments make the soil heat up, I like to, at the very least, wait for it to cool down - about a week.


@ St. Phatty -

Ha! I could just throw some plants in the new mix, but while that would probably be OK, I'd rather pay 25 bucks for a soil test and make sure my base cation ratio is still good first.



I'm going to go ahead and prep/send Logan Labs a soil sample of my new mix after cooking for 10 days. I'm not sure if a composting time of 10 days vs. 28+ days will make a difference on a soil test, was just curious to know if there is a 'best practice'.

I have previous reports of 'cooked' soil tests, so I should be able to compare and see a drastic difference, if there is one. I'll report back here with my findings -

 

[weedlover_89]

Let us know please,this is very interesting!! Without knowing almost anything about soil testing, my guess would be that it does not make a difference whether the soil has cooked for 1 week or 1 month-whatever there is in your mix will be reported either way.

 

[GreenGuy]

I got my numbers back!

So, basically I modified a previously tested mix, and wanted to know if composting time would have an effect on soil test results..

My previously tested mix composted 28+ days. The modified mix composted for only 10 days..

The inputs I changed in the new mix were K, Mg & Ca.

In the new soil test, I saw the expected changes in K, Mg & Ca numbers. So I'm assuming that composting time did not have an impact on these elements.

With that being said, I did see an unexpected change in my P number - it was much, much lower. I did not make any changes to my P inputs other than composting time.

It seems that, in my case, composting time does have an effect on soil test P levels. Unless the changes in K, Mg & Ca levels play a role..

I use fish bone meal and seabird guano as my primary source of P, for what it's worth..