Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
@leadsled Thanks for the how to on Boron. I have MicroPak from AEA, but I think the level of Boron supplied only maintains boron levels with the %'s shown. THanks.
Clackamascoots Soil Mix From Rare Earth In Grass Valley
terranovaLOS
- 25
- 13
I'm sure the P will be there, but iirc the soil tests BAS ran a couple years ago mentioned a lower Mg/K and P than the "target"...regardless..light because it doesn't torch my cultivars or stunt them with uncomposted soup. At least, comparative to some other recipes out there. A good quality compost is important of course as you know, and by the way Oly Mtn is great I've used their compost before...no complaints. :)
Coots advice is to top dress an inch or two of castings going into flower, as well as maybe a handful of fish bone meal and hit it with your comfrey extract, dandelion, yarrow or whatever beneficial of your choosing. I'm sure this handles all the necessary P in the system..
BAS Quote
You'll notice there isn't any High P ingredient like Soft Rock Phosphate or Fish Bone Meal and after speaking with Coot about this I realized a few things. This Kit has many ingredients that contain Phosphorous at normal levels which will not be harmful to Mycorrhizal fungi. High P amendments can have a negative effect on the soil Mycorrhizal life, for this reason Coot recommends using this recipe.
TN
leadsled
GrowRU
- 2,145
- 263
Welcome. You test shows you are already kinda high in some trace elements. Adding micropak will just add more of other trace elements you already have. Probably safest to just add the boron.
Since you mention % : Laundry borax is 9% to 11% in weight. Suggestion to recon it is 10% purity. Hope all is growing well.
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
So another report on the coots mix after fully vegging and transplanting.
This is some amazing soil! First thing to consider, organics take longer to establish new plants than petrochemical fertilizers due to the micro organisms needing to establish themselves before ideal nutrient uptake is achieved. The plants that started in this soil blew up much quicker than any organic soil I have used in the past, with exception to super high N soils. The growth is very uniform, plants are green and lush.
If you read Micheal Astera's book The Ideal Soil he talks about the properties ideal soil should have. One thing that caught my eye when reading this book was how he talked about the proper soil will never compact. Even if you run a tractor over the soil, it bounces back, almost sponge like. Well I can say the coot's mix is the best example of this I have ever seen. No other soil I have ever used in my life has this feature so well defined. Some of the plants I transplanted were becoming super root bound. With other soils, I just peal back the smart pot and the soil is in one large lump of solid soil. However with the coots mix, even though the plant was root bound, the soil crumbled away from the roots. It was almost difficult to transplant because compaction hadn't taken place at all. Not the best for transplanting, but for root development, air exchange, ext, this soil can't be beat.
I will report back come harvest.
This is some amazing soil! First thing to consider, organics take longer to establish new plants than petrochemical fertilizers due to the micro organisms needing to establish themselves before ideal nutrient uptake is achieved. The plants that started in this soil blew up much quicker than any organic soil I have used in the past, with exception to super high N soils. The growth is very uniform, plants are green and lush.
If you read Micheal Astera's book The Ideal Soil he talks about the properties ideal soil should have. One thing that caught my eye when reading this book was how he talked about the proper soil will never compact. Even if you run a tractor over the soil, it bounces back, almost sponge like. Well I can say the coot's mix is the best example of this I have ever seen. No other soil I have ever used in my life has this feature so well defined. Some of the plants I transplanted were becoming super root bound. With other soils, I just peal back the smart pot and the soil is in one large lump of solid soil. However with the coots mix, even though the plant was root bound, the soil crumbled away from the roots. It was almost difficult to transplant because compaction hadn't taken place at all. Not the best for transplanting, but for root development, air exchange, ext, this soil can't be beat.
I will report back come harvest.
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
Another great thing about this soil is the water retention abilities. I used fox farm ocean forest, vermi fire, Dr Earth home grown and the coots mix for my starts. Not only did the coots mix grow larger healthier plants, but I only had to water the coots mix once to every 3 watering's with Vermi and Fox Farm, and 2 watering to every Dr. Earth. The bulk density of the soil is perfect.
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
@Andy Genesis How does harvest turn out for you? Quality, yield ext. I can't wait until my dep garden is finished with this soil. Never had a mid summer harvest mixed with such a well balanced soil, good things to come.
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
Glad to hear the soil has been working so well for you. Bloc 14? Google here I come.... Got plenty of spare space on the property for extra gardening, lots of oak trees.
My well water is sublime. 65 ppm of calcium, 5 ppm of manganese. Gosh I love my new property! Have you looked into an iron buster set up? I don't know much about them, but I do know people that use them. Might be a good answer for you, and I don' t think it has any loss like a R/O unit has.
For sure keep in touch, hope you have another good season ahead of you.
My well water is sublime. 65 ppm of calcium, 5 ppm of manganese. Gosh I love my new property! Have you looked into an iron buster set up? I don't know much about them, but I do know people that use them. Might be a good answer for you, and I don' t think it has any loss like a R/O unit has.
For sure keep in touch, hope you have another good season ahead of you.
Seamaiden
Living dead girl
- 23,596
- 638
My experience with comfrey says it requires more water than we should be using to grow a plant to feed plants here in California. I know people love it, but there are other plants you can work with that don't have such high water demands.
hyzerflip
- 322
- 63
M
Mr.Bamboo
- 4
- 3
Hey Bulldog. Long time no see. Glad the Coots is doing well for you. Some of my girls are 5 foot easy and growing like weeds. The Coots mix is great. Coot himself called Jamie up and talked to her for hours. He approved the goodies that go into the mix. I have never seen such a good soil. Well after the EWSF fiasco last year, anything would seem good, LOL. You still have some of the EWSF crap laying around? I worked with it all last fall and early spring and finally got it to mix up good. I can send you the recipe if you wish. Michael Astera did a Rx on the mix and said it was good to go. You mentioned the Oly Mountain compost. Jamie has it for sale. We mixed up several batches and they all came back very high in pH. Michael is not a big fan of the Oly due to the salts contained in it. This was also evident in the tests we have from Logan Labs.
Anyway, I am not sure how to send a personal pm here, but shoot me one if you can. Have a good one friend and nice seeing you again.
BambooGardner
Anyway, I am not sure how to send a personal pm here, but shoot me one if you can. Have a good one friend and nice seeing you again.
BambooGardner
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
Just reading through this thread for some notes, and noticed Mr. Bamboo commented in this thread. How's it going Mr.Bamboo? Great to hear from you again. I am so glad you put together this mix with all the important people involved. I am talking with Jami right now about next years soil mix, gotta get my cover crops on. Did you say you have a recipe for coots mix? I am trying to put together my own mix, and now I know to scratch off the oily fish compost. What is better? Bu's compost?
Anyways, great to hear from you. Hope all is well.
Anyways, great to hear from you. Hope all is well.
ubi
- 146
- 43
@Bulldog11 , sorry dont mean to barge into ur thread, but i was think of going organic. and searched soil mix, then read the thread.
So i can order this mix from build a soil in montrose, co?
if so, i was ordering if i should just show them the ingredients listed in the beginning of this thread? or is this a standard mix for them? i was reading the "complete system" and wow sounds easy peazy ;).
So i can order this mix from build a soil in montrose, co?
if so, i was ordering if i should just show them the ingredients listed in the beginning of this thread? or is this a standard mix for them? i was reading the "complete system" and wow sounds easy peazy ;).
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
That complete system is where it's at. Yes, you can order from Montrose Co. Yes, they have a mix pre-mixed ready made coots mix. It might cost a few bucks for shipping, so buy as much as you can.
@ubi
@ubi
K
kuz
- 678
- 63
Tested too high ph? Considered buying the premix from buildasoil, but never used the oly mnt fish compost. Worm, and sheep only, one of the small bags of buffalo just for diversity.
leadsled
GrowRU
- 2,145
- 263
fyi,
The rare earth clack mix was tested, weighted and then properly amended with trace elements.
The LOS mix from build a soil is a clack mix but that does not mean someone will get the same as what you got.
The base mix needs a little bit of tweaking if you want to hit better numbers on soil test.
This mix ended up with excessive sodium and potassium. Traces also need some work.
P is also kinda up there. 395lbs / 197ppm of elemental p
Little bit more calcium and some traces. Less K and Na
Here are the test results from the LOS mix for October 2015.
mike hunt
Premium Member
Supporter
- 289
- 63
Sodium probably high from the Oly compost?
leadsled
GrowRU
- 2,145
- 263
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
wow, the K is really high, however the P is right where I would want it. Maybe a tad high.
This was tested from Grass Valley, and I have turned two crops out of this soil. Both extremely high quality flowers, with zero mold. How every season should be.
This was tested from Grass Valley, and I have turned two crops out of this soil. Both extremely high quality flowers, with zero mold. How every season should be.
Bulldog11
- 2,709
- 263
Wow, not to mention your Ca is really low, and your base saturation levels are off by quite a bit......My tests look much better. Are you saying your mix is a build-a-soil mix? That you put together, or bulk delivery? Mine came from grass valley, and I will have to tell Jami how much better her numbers look than Build-a-soils.
leadsled
GrowRU
- 2,145
- 263
Pretty sure you are looking at the last test post. That is for the oly mtn compost that is in the build a soil mix.
That is why the numbers are further off on the lab test.
NO, Not my personal compost or soil mix. The test results are on the build a soil website.
The test results are from the mix from build a soil. BOTH the logan labs test for the soil (OLS) and the oly mtn fish compost. (OLY).
Wanted to share some of the many differences. not all is the same.
You just recomended the los mix from build a soil to @ubi and did not want him to miss out on some of the facts. Rather than assume both will test out the same.
p.s. I recall reading that furrywall on eye cee mag posted up some test results of the south fork cootz mix from rare earth that did not test out as good as your batch. Maybe got a bad batch??
Latest posts
-
New grower advise greatly appreciated- Monkeybigbuds posted
-
CWho Are the Best Breeders in 2021?
- Clase posted
-
C
