R
RanchoDeluxe
- 105
- 63
Before I go on about my soil mix, I want to throw this out there. I simply call things the way I see them. I don't put a cherry on top of everything. I don't Photoshop my pics. I'm not trying to sell you anything. I don't bow down to group think. My first no tills were in 20g fabric pots and I hated it.
Now that I got that out of the way....
Rancho why do you run 50/25/25 with your soil mix when everyone does 1/3's?
For two reasons. First, it gives my mix more "meat" for the worms. I use the soil I dug out from the last transplant and add perlite to it for veg. I also like to get a 1/2"-1 layer almost as a mulch after the 5 or 6th run to keep the top layer well aerated. May use pumice for this now that it's available locally.
I mixed up 40 yards of soil by hand. That's 8,000 gallons. It took over 100 hours. I need this soil to last. It doesn't get fixed with a 12-pack of beer and a phone call to Bubba. By last I'm talking 10 years...at least that's my goal.
If you are making 100, 500, or even 1,000 gallons of soil the game is different. Your soil can be replaced easily. Cost shouldn't be an issue for a setup this size. The easiest path to success is to use a 50/50 mix of compost/vermicompost like Organiks.... quality compost like I've already mentioned.
RD
Now that I got that out of the way....
Rancho why do you run 50/25/25 with your soil mix when everyone does 1/3's?
For two reasons. First, it gives my mix more "meat" for the worms. I use the soil I dug out from the last transplant and add perlite to it for veg. I also like to get a 1/2"-1 layer almost as a mulch after the 5 or 6th run to keep the top layer well aerated. May use pumice for this now that it's available locally.
I mixed up 40 yards of soil by hand. That's 8,000 gallons. It took over 100 hours. I need this soil to last. It doesn't get fixed with a 12-pack of beer and a phone call to Bubba. By last I'm talking 10 years...at least that's my goal.
If you are making 100, 500, or even 1,000 gallons of soil the game is different. Your soil can be replaced easily. Cost shouldn't be an issue for a setup this size. The easiest path to success is to use a 50/50 mix of compost/vermicompost like Organiks.... quality compost like I've already mentioned.
RD