Question about soil

[Complete Noob]

I’m going to take some old coco and rinse it and reuse it

Add 1:1 compost

Add perlite
garden lime
Bone meal


Do I need to wait a few weeks because of the bone meal or can I use this mix in like a week? I need to transplant plants from a one gallon to some buckets and would like to know when the soil is safe to use. I planned to let it sit for a week

 

[troutman]

Bone meal isn't a hot nutrient if you don't use much of it. Just mix and go.

I like topdressing bone meal. So you can use less now and add more later if you want.

A week rest time will do.

 

[Complete Noob]

Thank you very much for your speedy reply

 

[Complete Noob]

Ok one more question

When I mix coco with soil, and when I do I plan on doing like a 1:1 or 30% coco, do I need to worry about garden lime?

Let’s say I mix 2 gals of coco with 2 gallons of ffof would I need to add four tbls lime?

 

[troutman]

Only add enough lime to bring the pH to the right level.
Go slow with it and you won't overshoot your mark.
I'm not a coco grower so don't know a lot about it.

 

[Teddybrae]

JUST BE CAREFUL YOU DON"T ADD TOO MUCH LIME! Difficult to fix if you do. Maybe ck yr pH BEFORE you put lime in ... and better you use Dolomite cos it has Magnesium in it. cheers!

 

[Complete Noob]

Ok so how do I check the ph using litmus paper? Set the litmus paper inside the pot to get it moist or check run off water?

 

[troutman]

Test the runoff pH.

 

[brickweeder]

Ok so how do I check the ph using litmus paper? Set the litmus paper inside the pot to get it moist or check run off water?

I would make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of soil in 2 tablespoons of distilled water (in a glass), mix and let sit uncovered for 1/2 hour, then use the litmus paper on the slurry. This is like the standard soil slurry test except you r using litmus paper instead of a calibrated pH meter. Runoff pH can vary from the soil pH, and the slurry test measures soil pH.

 

[Complete Noob]

I would make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of soil in 2 tablespoons of distilled water (in a glass), mix and let sit uncovered for 1/2 hour, then use the litmus paper on the slurry. This is like the standard soil slurry test except you r using litmus paper instead of a calibrated pH meter. Runoff pH can vary from the soil pH, and the slurry test measures soil pH.

Thank you. I will try this today I have two pots in flower that are really suspect the plants need way too much n compared to their sisters

 

[Switcher56]

I would make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of soil in 2 tablespoons of distilled water (in a glass), mix and let sit uncovered for 1/2 hour, then use the litmus paper on the slurry. This is like the standard soil slurry test except you r using litmus paper instead of a calibrated pH meter. Runoff pH can vary from the soil pH, and the slurry test measures soil pH.

^^ what he said^^

 

[brickweeder]

Thank you. I will try this today I have two pots in flower that are really suspect the plants need way too much n compared to their sisters

One more thing, take your soil sample from 2 inches below the surface, if possible.

 

[Complete Noob]

One more thing, take your soil sample from 2 inches below the surface, if possible.

Well I bought a ph test yesterday the rapitest kit with all four tests

I tested ph yesterday of one of the pots in question and just like I thought the ph is either 8 or higher lol

I flushed three of the pots (it was actually three discolored plant I thought two) with vinegar water two fluid gal for each gallon pot

I will check the ph again tomorrow my dumbass also fuck some of the roots up thinking I could just dig into the pot smh I am a dumbass sometimes but the plant is fine. But I know I got two inches deep. Just luck tho I was digging dirt up to check the nutes strength and grabbed some soil for the ph test after that

 

[troutman]

Bring that pH below 7 to preferably the 6.2 to 6.5 range.

If you can get some pH down at a grow store. It works much better than vinegar.

 

[Complete Noob]

Bring that pH below 7 to preferably the 6.2 to 6.5 range.

If you can get some pH down at a grow store. It works much better than vinegar.

I have ph up and down lol

Just never thought I could use that in soil

I knew I read all the time how vinegar is good for roses since they like low ph I will use the ph down for sure now

 

[brickweeder]

maybe add some peat to future mixes so as lower the pH compared to just coco?

 

[Complete Noob]

maybe add some peat to future mixes so as lower the pH compared to just coco?

I think I’m going to need to

I make some fresh soil today and checked the ph

Just coco 1:1 compost and like a little bit perlite ph was 6.5

So I can’t add garden lime?

Looks like I’m going to have to add peat

 

[troutman]

Solution:

Mix peat and lime together to get pH 6.5 and then mix it with your existing coco mix and you'll be all good.

 

[paradoxlost]

how are you getting the salts out of the coco?

 

[Complete Noob]

how are you getting the salts out of the coco?

The mix I made last time was with fresh coco and I checked it ph was 6.5

The old coco it it was like the perfect amount to fit in a ten gal smart pot

Over the course of a week I poured water through it multiple times a day. Had it propped up on another pot sitting inside a tub

The water never cleared. Not even close to being clear

I made the mix anyway. Tested the nute levels and they were all adequate. The levels were labeled adequate, sufficient, and surplus all three macro nutes were present but they were all adequate so I felt safe using the soil. Added bone and blood meal @ 1/2 and 1/4 rates respectively. Tested the ph is was also 6.5