My Soil Mix Needs Refining

[Jamz]

Hello farmers!

I am about to mix up 2 cubic feet of super soil, but need help fine tuning it. I have read through many threads on different soil mixes and came up with this recipe with things that I could source locally. Let me know what you think should be adjusted. I may be high on the N?

Base mix:
1/3 organic potting soil -peat moss, bark, perlite from local garden center, dark rich and earthy smell
1/3 EWC - fresh from my worm bin
1/3 rice hulls

Per cubic foot:
1/2 cup blood meal 12-0-0
1/2 cup alfalfa meal 2.5-1-1
1/2 cup bone meal 3-15-0
1/2 cup kelp meal 1-0.1-2
1/2 cup neem meal
4 cups mineral mix - 2 parts glacial rock dust, 1 part gypsum, 1 part oyster shell flour


I also have some seabird guano 0-8-1 and bat guano 0-7-0 left over that I would like to use, I will not be using it after it is gone. At what rate should I add the guanos? I am thinking one cup of equal parts bone meal, bat guano, seabird guano for P.

Also I am wondering if more Oyster shell should be added for Ca and pH?

I think I am going to get some Epsom salts to water in Magnesium, unless the glacial rock dust will provide enough.

Thanks farm,
J

 

[CannasaurusR]

I think you're heavy on the mineral mix if anything, looks like a good mix. Just cook it with a tea for a few weeks before you use it. GOOD water and you won't run any deficiency. Let the 'herd' do the work.

 

[ShroomKing]

I would cut the 2 parts glacial rock dust down to one part, or cup, in your recipe. Also I would save the guano for making teas, not mixing it in. Your mix is solid imo.

 

[Jamz]

I think you're heavy on the mineral mix if anything, looks like a good mix. Just cook it with a tea for a few weeks before you use it. GOOD water and you won't run any deficiency. Let the 'herd' do the work.

That's the plan, let the micro beasties do the work! What kind of tea should I use? My basic tea recipe is EWC, molasses, root and foliar pack. I plan to let it cook for around 8 to 9 weeks. I use RO water which is "good water" correct? Should I be adding anything because I am using RO?

I would cut the 2 parts glacial rock dust down to one part, or cup, in your recipe. Also I would save the guano for making teas, not mixing it in. Your mix is solid imo.

So 1 cup of the rock dust per cubic foot, what should my oyster shell and gypsum amounts be? I am wondering if I need to add more Oyster since I am not using lime. Thanks for the tip on the guano tea, should I just add it once during flower?

 

[donmekka]

I'd save the alfalfa for tea. maybe cut the blood back a lil can always add more later. minerals looks good. and the guano i'd either top dress or make tea. similar to my mix however i never let it cook for more that 2 weeks. Never burns but I don't use blood.

 

[eastcoastjoe]

you would definitely be safe using 1 cup of the guano/bone meal mixed for P, i do it all the time with those ingredients but i use fish bone meal. id back off a little on each of the high N amendments, maybe just use 1/4 each of blood, alfalfa, and neem. i think it looks solid bro, and skip the epsom salts, between fresh castings, kelp and the inputs from your mineral mix, your covered on mag

 

[Jamz]

Thank you all for the replies. So I will cut my glacial rock dust amount in half, will I have enough oyster shell or gypsum? I was thinking 1 cup of rock dust and half cup of each gypsum and oyster shell. Also thinking of halving the blood, alfalfa and neem also. I will save the guanos for making teas, how often should make a guano tea? Also how much better would it be to use alfalfa tea as opposed to mixing it in?