How does my outdoor soil mix look?

[Snype]

I've been working on my soil mix for weeks and have too many conflicting statements from different IC members. I started mixing today with a mix that someone on IC suggested but it looked way off so I dumped it out and tried to figure it out myself with the cement mixer. I'm basically adding my base a little at a time to find a consistency that I'm looking for. Here's what looks right to me that I have in the mixer right now but wanted to see what you guys say about it:

6 Gallons SPGM Peat Moss
3 Gallons Top Soil
3 Gallons Perlite
3 Gallons Earth Worm Castings
4 Cups Azomite Granules
4 Cups Azomite Powder
2 Cups Bone Meal
1 Cup Blood Meal
1 Cup Kelp Meal
1 Cup Alfalfa Meal
3 Cups Dolomite Lime Powder

My base is 2 Cubic Feet

Now some conversions:

15 Gallons = 2 Cubic Feet
42.5 Liters = 1.5 Cubic Feet

What do you guys think?

 

[aridbud]

To me, the recipe looks a little heavy in peat.

I like more or less equal ratios....3:3 peat, soil, perlite...or part perlite/vermiculite.

 

[Babbabud]

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=159846

Take a look at the Growing Large Plants Thread ... its a great resource for outdoor growing.

 

[Snype]

To me, the recipe looks a little heavy in peat.

I like more or less equal ratios....3:3 peat, soil, perlite...or part perlite/vermiculite.

Thanks for the advice! I updated the first post and took out a gallon of peat and added a gallon of top soil in its place. I'll see how that mix looks in the mixer. I agree that the mix looked a little heavy in peat.

 

[Snype]

I changed the peat and top soil back to my original because once I added the Liquid Karma, the mix looked right to me. So I guess I'm ready to go. I had to take out the Alfalfa Meal because no one in farm country has it.

 

[dontstepongrass]

blood meal in outdoor soil? hmmm

ime, the smell of that alone will make animals want to come dig your plants up

 

[GEMiNi GENETiCS]

Looks good...IMO a bit much w the Azomite....I went with 1cup azomite per cubic foot of medium. I would add some glacial rock dust to the mix as well. I added 1 cup greensand per bale of peat.

No alfalpha in farm country? Odd...organic farms/nurseries or feed stores should have it....at least they do out my way.

Blood meal will help deter deer and rabbits but let it cook out in the woods for at least a month which will give plenty of time to cook and lose some smell and the coons n skunks will dig through and mix it for you....so they shouldn't bother once you plant in it....but I still run chicken wire cages cause I don't trust them bastards to be predictable lol

 

[Snype]

Thanks for the advise guys. I'm far into mixing my mix so there's not much I can change now. I can't believe I can't get any alfalfa meal, neem meal, greensand and whatever else out here. We will see how it all goes.

 

[GEMiNi GENETiCS]

Order your neem cake from neemresourse....they have the best and good prices....$34 for 10# includes shipping.

I can't believe you can't find that stuff....the farms and nurseries near me carry 50#bags of most organic ferts needed.

Ask around farms/farmers markets....if your respectful to them they are very helpful to point you in the right direction and you will sometimes get a price break BC they referred you.

Since your already mixing....Check out the espoma products at home depot or Lowes as that's a well balanced mix. I add equal amounts of their garden tone, rose tone and holly tone to each bale of peat....very rich balanced mix then just add a few goodies and done.

 

[gallo_naso]

I am surprised that no one has suggested any myco products. The EWC will have some but a wide spectra endomycorrhizal product would give things a good start.

 

[Snype]

I am surprised that no one has suggested any myco products. The EWC will have some but a wide spectra endomycorrhizal product would give things a good start.

I suggested it in a grow shop and they said they gave me something better. It was some small bottle of something to do with the ocean for inoculating the soil that was pretty expensive. I forget the name because it's outside.

 

[gallo_naso]

This is what I use. I pit it on the roots when I transplant. This company has a good line of products
http://bio-organics.com/product/micronized-mycorrhizal-inoculant-beim/