Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[Ph-patrol]

Any thoughts on coast of Maine's new Stonington blend growers mix ? If I'm posting on the wrong thread please redirect me

All coast of maine products are top notch....If you can get your hands on their Lobster compost too.I highly recommend.
I just used there Bar Harbor Blend as my base soil.Hands down the best soil to date.

Again there lobster compost..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3oykhp7VDM

Never have used the Stonington blend.....I would not worry about it...give it a go
COMaine is the best IMHO

 

[Dawn Patrol]

You can but IMHO it makes it harder to thoroughly mix it in. I mix everything for my base (peat, perlite & compost) dry and I wear a mask.

The compost is not dry but it's not wet enough to knock down the airborne particulate from the peat and perlite. And perlite dust is NOT good for any part of your sinuses or lungs.

Just remember to not fill your pots to the top, and expect material to float out the first couple times if you overwater the pot.

 

[Philmore Jars]

Thanks PH not sure how to quote your post everything I used from them is amazing too the compost , EC , enriched mulch etc the growers mix is new this season I haven't seen it in mass yet soon as I do I'll grab some & post my thoughts on it

 

[Orrie]

Do you guys pre soak your peat by itself before you mix it up to help with water retention ?

Its a must. Peat has hydrophobic properties and adding a wetting agent/surfactant will help. I personally open the bag and let it sit in the open air and rain. Even with record rain we've had here you can see it is barely damp underneath.




This method may not be good if you intend on using your peat for seedlings due to the possibility of introducing pythium or other sort of pathogen so there is that to consider.

I've used mine for lil ones and have had no problems but go slow into that good night and see what you think.

Others can suggest some other wetting products and methods or steer you clear of the one I am using for reasons I hadn't considered.

Good luck!

 

[KIS]

Its a must. Peat has hydrophobic properties and adding a wetting agent/surfactant will help. I personally open the bag and let it sit in the open air and rain. Even with record rain we've had here you can see it is barely damp underneath.

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=73123&pictureid=1743981&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]


This method may not be good if you intend on using your peat for seedlings due to the possibility of introducing pythium or other sort of pathogen so there is that to consider.

I've used mine for lil ones and have had no problems but go slow into that good night and see what you think.

Others can suggest some other wetting products and methods or steer you clear of the one I am using for reasons I hadn't considered.

Good luck!

For me it all depends on how wet my compost or EWC is when mixing. If those ingredients are really wet then I would suggest mixing them together and then adding water to reach saturation.

 

[bsgospel]

Also with peat- I run a bit of yucca here and there and an alfalfa tea in the middle of flower. Peat can and will wear out and the hydrophobia is real.

 

[Mr Jay]

I dunno what the big deal about peat is.

I just cut open the bale of promix and dump it on a tarp.
Cut worm poop bag dump.
Dump perlite.
Shake tarp around.
Smoke a bowl and get distracted by ICMag for 30 mins.
Remember I'm mixing soil and go outside again.
Dump various organic amendments on top of soil mix.
Get in there and mix the crap out of it with a rake/my hands/ tarp shaking.
Hose down like a dog turd on the front lawn.
Mix.
Hose again.
Wrap tarp up, place rock on top, call it good for a month.

The happy frog is just for seedlings, and I don't even buy it anymore. It's really gone to crap, pro mix is the way.

 

[Orrie]

For me it all depends on how wet my compost or EWC is when mixing. If those ingredients are really wet then I would suggest mixing them together and then adding water to reach saturation.

Thanks for the reply. Here is what I'm thinking along the lines of living soil. By leaving the peat exposed to the elements, I'd like to think I am promoting indigenous microbiology from the start. The bag is only feet away from the compost heap.

I only use peat with a little sand for seedlings and cuttings. The pots I grow plants in are filled with 2 yr old leaf mold and ramial wood chip mix.

No microscope to say for sure so I am hoping someone can confirm this is a good practice to leave the bale out to gather local microbes.


it certainly hydrates easier when done this way.

 

[Microbeman]

Orrie;

Do you mix Ramial chips into your soil? They are meant to be topdressed only. Otherwise you can run the risk of nitrogen lock out.

If the wood chips are composted or aged first this is a different story.

 

[Seneca_]

Burnone,

How many scoops of dolomite should I use?

 

[Orrie]

Orrie;

Do you mix Ramial chips into your soil? They are meant to be topdressed only. Otherwise you can run the risk of nitrogen lock out.

If the wood chips are composted or aged first this is a different story.

Good catch. Forgot to mention the RWC is two years old also. The first year had a 50# sack of alfalfa incorporated and turned with a tractor every couple weeks or so. Last year I started using some of it and was quite pleased with the results. The pics below were taken last year

Some of the leaves look solid but are friable and crumble at the touch

Edit- My apologies to Burn1 for a bit off topic.

 

[TheMushroomMan]

Hi everyone - it's been years since I last grew anything properly but now that life has settled down a bit I'm ready to play in the dirt again This thread was the #1 reason my first grows were so successful, so thank you to B1 and all the other contributors.

I'm trying to recreate the recipe that worked so well for me several years ago; it borrowed from both the LC mixes and Philthy's. It's been awhile since I've done this, so if you have any advice please chime in!

My planned soil-ish mix is as follows:

- Pro Mix BX
- Sea Soil w/ coco
- Perlite
- Earthworm Castings

Amended with:

- Gaia Green 4-4-4 for veg
(Alfalfa meal, bone meal, blood meal, glacial rock dust, mined potassium sulphate, fossilized carbon complex, rock phosphate, greensand, kelp meal, gypsum.)

- Gaia Green 2-8-4 for flower
(Fishbone meal, bone meal, glacial rock dust, mined potassium sulphate, fossilized carbon complex, rock phosphate, greensand, kelp meal, gypsum, bat guano.)

- Feedings as necessary w/ EWC + Guano + Kelp tea


So, that's the plan. I'd be curious to hear opinions on the Gaia Green fertilizers. They recommend 1/2 cup per gallon of soil - does that sound right to you guys?

I haven't worked out the ratios for the soil-ish mix yet. For ease of mixing/measuring I think I'll go with Philthy's measurements: 1/2 bale of Pro Mix, 1 bag of Sea Soil, 1/2 bag of EWC (~15 lbs), ~5 gal of perlite.

As for what I'll be growing... I'm having an absolute bastard of a time germinating my old Deep Congo x Ganesh and Ganesh x Ganesh seeds... literally took a pair of pliers to them last night to gently crack the shells and give the taproots a fighting chance. Hopefully getting some OG Kush, Pink Kush, Pink Skunk, and Tangerine Dream clones in the next coupe of days so that'll be something to keep me busy until the O.Haze x Skunk and Back to the Congo seeds get here

 

[Chadiusdotcom]

Here are some tried and true recipes for getting started in organic growing. Pick one of the first two soiless mix recipes for your grow medium. Then, choose a nutrient recipe that will work best for what you have available.




RECIPE #4
Three Little Birds Method
40 gallons used soil
4 cups alfalfa meal
4 cups bone meal
4 cups kelp meal
4 cups powdered dolomite lime
30 pound bag of earthworm castings . . .
That’s the basic recipe . . .
However we also like to use
4 cups of Greensand
4 cups of Rock Phosphate
4 cups of diatomaceous earth

when you say pick a soilless mix and then a recipe im assuming the three little birds method is both or would you suggest mixing that with a 50/50 of one of the soilless mixtures, i would like use some of this stored away used foxfarm that my family has been sitting on forever.

 

[Mr Jay]

Says right in the recipe, 40 gallons used soil. They reuse their soil from previous grows.

 

[Jack T.Ripper]

My Recipes

Seeding Medium

5 l peat - pasteurized @180ºF for 90 min.
3 c. castings

Potting Medium

43 l used medium

1/2 c. dolomitic lime

1 c. oyster shell flour

4 c./700g nutrient mix

6.5 l earthworm castings
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Nutrient Mix

700g

Alfalfa - 300g
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Crab - 90g
Kelp - 90g
Rock P - 20g
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Basalt - 60g
Glacial - 60g
Greensand - 40g
Guano - 40g

 

[Microbeman]

One good reason for using peat is the existent microbes. By heating it you just removed this advantage. You might wish to reconsider this practice in future.

 

[Mr Jay]

Yup, I do not understand the pasteurization. You are not setting up a medium for mushroom cultivation, you are growing plants and it's an unnecessary step.

 

[Jack T.Ripper]

It is just a seeding medium fellas, seedlings are in that medium for 7-10 days max.

I am sure they'll get plenty of those peaty microbes once potted up.

 

[Orrie]

One good reason for using peat is the existent microbes. By heating it you just removed this advantage. You might wish to reconsider this practice in future.

So would putting peat outside to associate with indigenous microbes be a good thing ?

I keep mine covered and partially hydrated. Slits in the bottom lets excess moisture out and microbes in.

Don't want to give out bad info and your help is appreciated. TIA

 

[Microbeman]

Orrie; I wouldn't call it a bad thing unless there are local pathogens.