How do I amend nitrified redwood based soil?

[plantingplants]

Hey so my first year I went with a budget soil at $60/yd that is mostly nitrified redwood. My understanding is that wood uses nitrogen as it decomposes, so they've added nitrogen to make a soil product. It looks like the nitrified redwood here: http://m.maranathalandscape.com/?ur...m/bulk-products/bark/&dm_redirected=true#2952

Very black. The soil is pretty dense and while it was amended with some compost, pumice, and greensand, there isn't much in there. I was thinking about dumping good soil on top of it but I wanted to freshen it up first and also possibly use it for young plants in 7 gallon pots outside. I don't know much about amending for texture and doubly so for a soil that's basically just wood. I assume the answer is peat, compost, and pumice? but in what amounts. Probably high, like 25% peat, 25% compost, and 10% more pumice? I'm sure it's hard to say without seeing it and feeling it but maybe if someone could tell me what to add to nitrified redwood then I can mix a test batch to find the right numbers.

Maybe I'll post a photo and video tonight. I can also take a photo of the dish soap texture test but it seems like a lot of the floating organic matter dropped into the bottom layers when I nudged the jar. Maybe I can do a time lapse video of a new one.

PS I used chemical ferts last year (grow more) with some infrequent waterings with Humic acid, molasses, and kelp extract, (switching to no chem ferts this year) and I've heard people say chemical salts will kill soil life but around harvest time I had mushrooms growing in my pots. Any thoughts?

 

[Easy7]

It takes years if not decades for chem ferts to rob micro life. Maybe sooner on a micro scale. Decomposing wood leaches nitrogen. Very high in k from what I understand.

I wonder what they added for nitrogen. If your feed I plants one way or another, what matters is CEC. They will just require feedings earlier and often. I would get a cheap soil test kit or send a sample to a lab. When the cheap reagent kits are rich in color they are about 50 ppm of whatever the nutrient your testing.

I would add oyster shells for certain. They probably put some lime in there but check anyway.

 

[plantingplants]

One site mentioned 'aqua ammonia'. I did the cheap color test and NPK was all a little low but I'm going to send it in to Logan Labs or Rogue.

Oyster shells, thank you. I figure the good soil on top will take care of them, and the old soil on the bottom, if it has better texture, will just be more soil for roots to grow in.

 

[oct]

Is this your first year growing?

Use logans if you want the best help here on icmag. Everybody is familiar with them.

 

[plantingplants]

No sorry I wasn't too clear about that. This is my second growing on my own. Two years ago I helped on a garden later in the year.

Thanks oct, I'll send my sample to them tomorrow.

How should I think of this nitrified redwood? Would you call it organic matter? It's partially composted so compost? I see it referred to as a soil conditioner. Is it just a low quality filler?

 

[oct]

It depends on how composted it is. Read the whole 2016 outdoor mix thread. Theres some talk about halfway through of wood chips.

once you the the soil test, things will be a lot more clear.

 

[plantingplants]

So I just saw that Rare Earth sells nitrified redwood as 'Nitro Humus': http://www.rareearthlandscapematerials.com/nitro-humus.html

Anyway, oct, what am I looking for from the Logan tests? It looks like mostly an analysis of what nutrients are available and I'm not necessarily trying to amend it with nutrients, just improve the texture mostly. Should I just get the standard test? Am I just trying to see what percentage is organic matter?