Commercial potting mixes are formulated to meet the widest possible range of houseplant-growing requirements. It is handy and efficient, but if you are growing specialty plants, you may want to make your own indoor plant soil. You will be able to change the ingredients to increase or decrease moisture retentiveness, manipulate pH and adjust specific nutrients for individual plants. Additionally, you can create a custom germinating mix for seeds, transplants and cuttings.
Step 1
Obtain sterilized loam soil at garden centers and nurseries. Look for bagged product, often called garden soil or topsoil.
Step 2
Sterilize the soil if you are using material acquired from your backyard. According to Barb Fick, home horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service, soil can be sterilized in your home oven. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 3
Spread moist soil on a heatproof pan and cover it with foil. Test the soil's temperature with a food thermometer. It must reach and maintain a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. This process will kill weed seeds and soil viruses.
Plan for Water and Aeration
Step 1
Use peat moss to aerate the soil and improve its water-holding capacity. Moisten peat moss thoroughly before mixing with other ingredients.
Step 2
Improve drainage with coarse builder's sand. Sand is inexpensive but heavy, and does not improve water retention. Do not use sand with clay soils.
Step 3
Add perlite for lightweight aeration and drainage. Perlite does not hold water and tends to float to the surface of containers. Soak perlite before using to cut down on dust.
Step 4
Consider horticultural grade vermiculite for aeration, drainage and water retention. Vermiculite can compact over time, reducing its effectiveness.
Make Your Mixes
Step 1
Mix equal parts soil, peat moss and sand, perlite or vermiculite.
Step 2
Adjust the texture of your mix. If medium feels sticky, add small amounts of sand and peat moss. If the mixture feels too gritty, increase the amount of peat moss.
Step 3
This is where you decide what you want to put into your mix either cow manure , sheep manure,rabbit manure
at this stage i like to add some sort of fish emulsion so shrimp compost is what i use many use worm castings bat guano to give you a idea on manures and what might work for you
Chicken manure
Poultry manure (chicken in particular) is the richest animal manure in N-P-K. Chicken manure is considered "hot" and must be composted before adding it to the garden. Otherwise, it will burn any plants it comes in contact with.
Dairy (cow) manure
"Dairy Manure may be the single most useful soil-builder around," says Ann Lovejoy, lifetime organic gardener and writer in Seattle, Washington. "Washed dairy manure from healthy cows is just about perfect for garden use; it can be used as a topdressing and for soil improvement," she adds. Dairy manure is preferable to steer manure, which has a higher salt and weed seed content. Though cow manure has low nutrient numbers, that's what makes ist safe to use in unlimited quantities.
Horse manure
Horse manure is about half as rich as chicken manure, but richer in nitrogen than cow manure. And, like chicken droppings, it's considered "hot". Horse manure often contains a lot of weed seeds, which means it's a good idea to compost it using a hot composting method.
Steer manure
Steer manure is one of the old standbys, but it's not the most beloved because it often contains unwanted salts and weed seeds.
Rabbit manure
Rabbit manure is even higher in nitrogen than some poultry manures and it also contains a large amount of phosphorus--important for flower and fruit formation.
Sheep manure
Sheep manure is another "hot" manure. It is somewhat dry and very rich. Manure from sheep fed hay and grain will be more potent than manure from animals that live on pasture.
How to use manure
No matter what kind of manure you use, use it as a soil amendment, not a mulch. In other words, don't put raw manure directly on garden soils. Raw manure generally releases nitrogen compounds and ammonia which can burn plant roots, young plants and interfere with seed germination. In fact, it's recommended that all animal manure should be aged for at least 6 months. Many gardeners spread fresh manure in the fall and turn it in to the top 6 inches of soil a month before spring planting.
A better treatment is to hot-compost manure before applying it to the garden. Hot composting, where the pile reaches at least 150 degrees F) helps to reduce the probability of passing dangerous pathogens on to people who handle the manure or eat food grown with manure compost.
While the chance of contamination is slim, severe sickness and even death may occur if contaminated produce is eaten. To be safe, either compost your manure or apply it in the fall after harvest. Wash up after handling manure and don't forget to rinse the vegetables and fruit well before you eat them--always a good idea whether your use manure or not.
The bottom line
Anywhere from 75 to 90 percent of the plant nutrients fed to animals are excreted in their manure, so it should be no surprise that the stuff is an excellent fertilizer.
Step 1
Obtain sterilized loam soil at garden centers and nurseries. Look for bagged product, often called garden soil or topsoil.
Step 2
Sterilize the soil if you are using material acquired from your backyard. According to Barb Fick, home horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service, soil can be sterilized in your home oven. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 3
Spread moist soil on a heatproof pan and cover it with foil. Test the soil's temperature with a food thermometer. It must reach and maintain a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. This process will kill weed seeds and soil viruses.
Plan for Water and Aeration
Step 1
Use peat moss to aerate the soil and improve its water-holding capacity. Moisten peat moss thoroughly before mixing with other ingredients.
Step 2
Improve drainage with coarse builder's sand. Sand is inexpensive but heavy, and does not improve water retention. Do not use sand with clay soils.
Step 3
Add perlite for lightweight aeration and drainage. Perlite does not hold water and tends to float to the surface of containers. Soak perlite before using to cut down on dust.
Step 4
Consider horticultural grade vermiculite for aeration, drainage and water retention. Vermiculite can compact over time, reducing its effectiveness.
Make Your Mixes
Step 1
Mix equal parts soil, peat moss and sand, perlite or vermiculite.
Step 2
Adjust the texture of your mix. If medium feels sticky, add small amounts of sand and peat moss. If the mixture feels too gritty, increase the amount of peat moss.
Step 3
This is where you decide what you want to put into your mix either cow manure , sheep manure,rabbit manure
at this stage i like to add some sort of fish emulsion so shrimp compost is what i use many use worm castings bat guano to give you a idea on manures and what might work for you
Chicken manure
Poultry manure (chicken in particular) is the richest animal manure in N-P-K. Chicken manure is considered "hot" and must be composted before adding it to the garden. Otherwise, it will burn any plants it comes in contact with.
Dairy (cow) manure
"Dairy Manure may be the single most useful soil-builder around," says Ann Lovejoy, lifetime organic gardener and writer in Seattle, Washington. "Washed dairy manure from healthy cows is just about perfect for garden use; it can be used as a topdressing and for soil improvement," she adds. Dairy manure is preferable to steer manure, which has a higher salt and weed seed content. Though cow manure has low nutrient numbers, that's what makes ist safe to use in unlimited quantities.
Horse manure
Horse manure is about half as rich as chicken manure, but richer in nitrogen than cow manure. And, like chicken droppings, it's considered "hot". Horse manure often contains a lot of weed seeds, which means it's a good idea to compost it using a hot composting method.
Steer manure
Steer manure is one of the old standbys, but it's not the most beloved because it often contains unwanted salts and weed seeds.
Rabbit manure
Rabbit manure is even higher in nitrogen than some poultry manures and it also contains a large amount of phosphorus--important for flower and fruit formation.
Sheep manure
Sheep manure is another "hot" manure. It is somewhat dry and very rich. Manure from sheep fed hay and grain will be more potent than manure from animals that live on pasture.
How to use manure
No matter what kind of manure you use, use it as a soil amendment, not a mulch. In other words, don't put raw manure directly on garden soils. Raw manure generally releases nitrogen compounds and ammonia which can burn plant roots, young plants and interfere with seed germination. In fact, it's recommended that all animal manure should be aged for at least 6 months. Many gardeners spread fresh manure in the fall and turn it in to the top 6 inches of soil a month before spring planting.
A better treatment is to hot-compost manure before applying it to the garden. Hot composting, where the pile reaches at least 150 degrees F) helps to reduce the probability of passing dangerous pathogens on to people who handle the manure or eat food grown with manure compost.
While the chance of contamination is slim, severe sickness and even death may occur if contaminated produce is eaten. To be safe, either compost your manure or apply it in the fall after harvest. Wash up after handling manure and don't forget to rinse the vegetables and fruit well before you eat them--always a good idea whether your use manure or not.
The bottom line
Anywhere from 75 to 90 percent of the plant nutrients fed to animals are excreted in their manure, so it should be no surprise that the stuff is an excellent fertilizer.
