Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[SatchelTokerman]

What did you find?

If you could critique my method that would be great! I have a few questions*

Using Organic Mechanics Container Blend soil. This a base. First to transplant the seedlings straight into 1 gallon pots with just the bagged soil which contains;
Compost, Pine bark, coir, Worm castings and Rice hulls*

During the first few weeks I will water when dry, and every two or three weeks 2-4-0 Fish Fertilizer @ 1 Tbs per gallon. I understand Nitrogen is huge during this stage, but I am hoping there will be enough N in my base. I was going to use Blood Meal, but the thought of how it is produced is worth not using.

During this time I will have baking 2 cubic feet of this base soil with amendments. I will have added 5 cups of the following cumulative mix and then minerals;

2 cups Kelp Meal
1.5 cups 0-5-0 Bat Guano
1.5 cups Tomato Tone

2 cups Garden Lime*
8 cups Green Sand
About 6 cups RO water
Stir
Bake for 4-8 weeks

Add mycorrhizae during each transplant to the rootball/transplant site
Transplant into 7 gallon containers and water when dry
Using a top dress Kelp meal and 2-4-0 Fish Fert concentrate every 2 to 3 weeks

*My question is since I am using Rice Hulls and not Peat Moss should I use 2 cups of Lime? This process hopefullylimits the chance of any possible 'burning' or 'cute lock'. I also don't want to have to depend on any teas or top dressing, but want to dabble.

I don't have direct access to Alfalfa Meal, Neem Meal, or Crab Meal, but I wouldn't be opposed to having some delivered.

Any advice is most welcomed!

 

[Former Guest]

First, there are a lot of much more qualified people than me on here. Reading and retaining info is far easier than application of what you're learning. From what I've read, I can give some basic advice but do hold off and see if you get some answers from more experienced growers.

If you could critique my method that would be great! I have a few questions*

Using Organic Mechanics Container Blend soil. This a base. First to transplant the seedlings straight into 1 gallon pots with just the bagged soil which contains;
Compost, Pine bark, coir, Worm castings and Rice hulls*
dont use this. Coir has less CEC than peat and anytime I've used it I've had to add more calcium or I had issues. Pine bark messes with ph I believe and rice hulls are for aeration; not as a replacement for peat which is the soil part of the three part base recipe.

During the first few weeks I will water when dry, do not let soil dry out . Your microbes need moisture to thrive. Mulch will help you a lot. and every two or three weeks 2-4-0 Fish Fertilizer @ 1 Tbs per gallon. I understand Nitrogen is huge during this stage, but I am hoping there will be enough N in my base. your base doesn't have a lot of nutrients depending on quality used for compost and castings. The nitrogen in your fish ferts should be okay but you need a source of potassium. Someone else should help you with this. Also, guano is harvested in a way which devastates their habitat while blood meal is a biproduct of something that is already going to happen. Ethics though will start a big argument. I was going to use Blood Meal, but the thought of how it is produced is worth not using.

During this time I will have baking 2 cubic feet of this base soil with amendments. I will have added 5 cups of the following cumulative mix and then minerals;

2 cups Kelp Meal
1.5 cups 0-5-0 Bat Guano
1.5 cups Tomato Tone

2 cups Garden Lime*
8 cups Green Sand greensand is more to improve soil structure than provide potassium because it takes a really long time to become available. The kelp meal will provide potassium along with micronutrients and minerals. Much better source. Most people use Plant Tone instead of Tomato. You also need a compost tea to activate the cycling of nutrients which is what is happening when you "cook" soil.
About 6 cups RO water
Stir
Bake for 4-8 weeks

Add mycorrhizae during each transplant to the rootball/transplant site
Transplant into 7 gallon containers and water when dry
Using a top dress Kelp meal and 2-4-0 Fish Fert concentrate every 2 to 3 weeks

*My question is since I am using Rice Hulls and not Peat Moss should I use 2 cups of Lime? This process hopefullylimits the chance of any possible 'burning' or 'cute lock'. I also don't want to have to depend on any teas or top dressing, but want to dabble.

I don't have direct access to Alfalfa Meal, Neem Meal, or Crab Meal, but I wouldn't be opposed to having some delivered.

Any advice is most welcomed!

I think lime application is 2T per gallon and your mix is coir based so I can't give ya advice on that. You could buy just peat and add that to the stuff ya got but I think it's just easier to use the peat. You can also get crusteacean meal to replace crab meal. I think it's more available right away compared to crab meal. I would recommend getting some over blood meal because not only do you get N, but also chitin which helps your plants stay healthy. I think it is also cheaper.

 

[SatchelTokerman]

Excellent info. I appreciate the help. Unfortunately I've already bought everything, so we shall see how this goes. Did not know about harvesting techniques for Guano. Total bummer. Will use a compost tea to kickstart, and not let the soil dry out. I will research pine bark and ph issues, and modify lime at a different measurement due to my ingredients. Will have crustacean or crab meal delivered, and used during veg to help with N. I will also research calcium deficiencies or other issues from using my base and find a potassium source for early veg. Thanks again. Any further insigt is most appreciated.

 

[Former Guest]

The kelp and molasses in the compost tea provide potassium veg or bloom.

 

[SatchelTokerman]

Great. Just ordered crab meal, and will research ph. Thinking just using the 2tbs per gal ratio, and letting it rip. As long as I can keep it in range all should be well. Gotta start somewhere right?

 

[Former Guest]

Check out the coir forum. People use coir but it needs more calcium than peat. When I had issues I added Biomin Calcium and it was fine. Then I transplanted into peat only and so far so good.

 

[SatchelTokerman]

Thanks for the help. I will make sure the Calcium is monitored. As far as the compost tea to activate the cycling of nutrients. I'm sure there is a thread here, but would it be acceptable to use a concentrate of water kelp molassas to start this process? Say a week or so before final transplant? I've researched teas and the knowledge gets deeper by the moment. Trying to keep it as 'simple' as possible, if possible. Concentrates look best to me with a quick mix and let sit before use. Thanks again and others feel free to chime in!

 

[SatchelTokerman]

I've located this info in the abyss.
http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/org_farm/orgfarm_effective microorganism.html/
I'm pretty sure this is what I was looking for as an easy catalyst. This actually has whiskey in it too. I'll tell you organic gardening is the most interesting thing I've ever researched.

 

[SatchelTokerman]

Hopefully this link works sorry
http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/org_farm/orgfarm_effective microorganism.html/

 

[SatchelTokerman]

So the links don't work, but Google 'when to add molassas to em'. It is the 4th link down. Sorry.

 

[Art_of_Soil]

quick SST question,

quick SST question,

Anyone out there ever brewed a barley seed tea for longer than 24 hrs ? Timed the watering wrong and may have to stretch it another 12 hours before stopping the tea bubble.

 

[Kygiacomo!!!]

hey guys is basalt rock dust and glacial rock dust enuff mineral mix for my soil mix? or should i buy azomite as well? or perhaps gypsum?

 

[rik78]

I think right now it goes something like 1x glacial 1x basalt, 1x gypsum and 1x oyster shell flour

 

[lolryn]

hey guys is basalt rock dust and glacial rock dust enuff mineral mix for my soil mix? or should i buy azomite as well? or perhaps gypsum?

I use azomite, gypsum and oystershell flour.

can you grow with glacial rock and stuff? sure. but I like a little more variety, especially if I have the money to spend on it.

 

[itsminedammit]

I have a drain issue with the lc mix #2 Fox farm soil. I did everything like the first page says. When ready put into 5 gallon bucket watered and the water stayed on top didn't break through top inch of soil. Tried to help it and it just filled in holes with water but didn't go deeper. Can someone give any info on what I might have done wrong?

 

[Kygiacomo!!!]

I think right now it goes something like 1x glacial 1x basalt, 1x gypsum and 1x oyster shell flour

Hi Kygiacomo,
I have never used those amenities so you would have to wait for someone with experience with those products to be able to give you more information. You might want to post to the main organic forum and see if you can get help from there as well all information is good information my friend especially when working with organics.

I use azomite, gypsum and oystershell flour.

can you grow with glacial rock and stuff? sure. but I like a little more variety, especially if I have the money to spend on it.

thanks guys for all the responses. i went with true living soil since its my first time growing organic and trying to source everthing seperate and mix it up myself.. ive posted the whole soil mix below..hopefully the organic route is alot better then i have ever grew before so we shall see come croptober

1 Part Worm Power

1 Part Sphagnum Peat Moss

2/3 Part Pumice

1/3 Part Rice Hulls

Nutrients included in the soil:
Acadian Kelp Meal @ 1/2 Cup per cubic foot

Neem Cake and Karanja Cake 50/50 Mix @ 1/2 cup per cubic foot

Crustacean Meal @ 1/2 cup per cubic foot

Gypsum Dust @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot

Brix Blend Basalt @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot

Glacial Rock Dust @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot

Oyster Flour @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot

 

[whitebear]

Nice post. Very helpful, thanks

 

[Kygiacomo!!!]

I have a drain issue with the lc mix #2 Fox farm soil. I did everything like the first page says. When ready put into 5 gallon bucket watered and the water stayed on top didn't break through top inch of soil. Tried to help it and it just filled in holes with water but didn't go deeper. Can someone give any info on what I might have done wrong?

when u poured the water in was the soil mix totally dry? u may need to hydrate the whole mix first

 

[itsminedammit]

nope it was moist. Not wet not dry but moist.

 

[munchkinsandwic]

hi guy's thanks for information it is very helpful