Can i "compost" into my super soil

[lmnop5092]

If i make a batch of super soil can i throw food scraps and the like into it for composting? It essentially the same right?

Or would that mess up the ratios for my grow? First time attempting super soil and being sustainable i wana compost but space is limited, but if i do have room for a bin of SS can i add the scraps to it?

 

[Grandmah]

What's going to eat your scraps?

 

[DonPetro]

I did something similar once with my first batch of custom organic soil mix. What i did first however was dry out the scraps prior to mixing them into the soil. Things like apple, banana, orange and carrot peeling were spread out in aluminum trays and placed on a sunny window sill. Once dry, i would cut or break them into smaller pieces. I collected the dried scraps in a coffee can and once full i proceeded to mix my soil and add the scraps to the mix at the beginning of the cooking process. I haven't had a mix heat up so much while cooking as that one did and i am considering doing this again sometime. I would advise against adding fresh or "wet" scraps though.

 

[lmnop5092]

the microb life and heat should decompose the material i believe, only attempted composting twice, but moving around every year, in college, i could never really get serious about it

Obviously it wouldnt break down huge things but as it cooks throughout the year and through winter right?

 

[Chronikool]

If i make a batch of super soil can i throw food scraps and the like into it for composting? It essentially the same right?

Or would that mess up the ratios for my grow? First time attempting super soil and being sustainable i wana compost but space is limited, but if i do have room for a bin of SS can i add the scraps to it?

I do this......I mulch all my scraps up using a wood chipper so its like a paste and easier for the microbes to break down and then wormz to eat....

and yes i make sure i have wormz in my 'cooking' soil at all times...

Even it is isnt completely composted when i go to use my soil....it doesnt cause any harm...at least in my experience...

 

[nova1992]

I do this......I mulch all my scraps up using a wood chipper so its like a paste and easier for the microbes to break down and then wormz to eat....

and yes i make sure i have wormz in my 'cooking' soil at all times...

Even it is isnt completely composted when i go to use my soil....it doesnt cause any harm...at least in my experience...

I dont see why it would cause harm. Its almost like an apple tree dropping apples, they rot and decompose into a liquid, pretty much, then microbes eat the rot and die and the elements are then able to be taken up by the plant!

Its all plant matter, i think it would be better actually.
I put coconut flour into my super soil and liquified dead nettle and stinging nettle. I havent tried the soil on weed yet but i think it will be good. And we add things like kelp, alfalfa, comfrey, etc which is all plant matter.

 

[lmnop5092]

perfect, funny how natures way of doing things is always the best

 

[DonAlejandroVega]

no

 

[DonAlejandroVega]

I do this......I mulch all my scraps up using a wood chipper so its like a paste and easier for the microbes to break down and then wormz to eat....

and yes i make sure i have wormz in my 'cooking' soil at all times...

Even it is isnt completely composted when i go to use my soil....it doesnt cause any harm...at least in my experience...

hydrocarbons burnt.........to speed an already fast process. no.

 

[DonAlejandroVega]

I'm setting fire to this thread.........watch out

you can add scraps if you bokashi them first. fresh scraps will rob your soil of energy, as microbes use up nutes processing those scraps. it will harbor disease. it will attract pests. there are NO shortcuts, and fancy shenanigans lead to problems. you wanna compost? compost; but do it right. organic Nazi done............

 

[hyroot]

I've done it. I froze fresh green veggie scraps. Then thawed and pureed them. I filled a tote halfway with soil. Then I threw in the scraps. Then I filled up the rest of the tote with soil. A week later I turned the soil and all the scraps had already decomposed completely... Probably a little hot. It sat for another month before using...

 

[lmnop5092]

being vegetarian i only will have fruit skins and vegetable scraps i wouldnt think it could hurt anything at all
I have no idea wtf you're talking about alejandro, could be the wine

 

[nova1992]

Ya.. Why would it be bad.. It happens in nature all the time!

 

[nova1992]

Plus i think the scraps would give the microbes energy, not rob them of it loool

 

[Growan]

Plus i think the scraps would give the microbes energy, not rob them of it loool

perhaps not the same, but relevant, is the reasoning behind using well rotted manure as opposed to shit fresh from the animal. Nitrogen is actually used up in the decomposition process. Not sure how or why, but I've been assured it's true by a permaculture grardener. So the Don is most likely on the money here.

there are NO shortcuts, and fancy shenanigans lead to problems. you wanna compost? compost; but do it right. organic Nazi done............

 

[jaibyrd7]

just get you a separate pile outside for scraps. turn it regularly. when its all nice and black and "clean" looking, then add it. lol, you fool around and have a fungus gnat farm!

 

[lmnop5092]

interesting...i
i guess i won't mix them up
thanks for the help

 

[canadiankushman]

Hey, so it's my first true all organic grow. I'm growing in a 100gallon cattle trough. My mix is basically:
1gallon compost
1gallon coco
1 gallon perlite
1gallon sea soil
1/2gallon ewc
1/4gallon leaf mold
1/8 gallon sheepmany re

Fully amended and inoculated, I put 200+ earthworms in the soil and they are flourishing. I deposit roughly 10 lady bugs per week. ( they seem to disappear.). I have been letting all the defoliated leaves/ pruned branches sit on the soil to act as a shade/mulch. They have been decomposing rapidly. Tomorrow I will feed my plants a tea I have been brewing since yesterday. It contains:
purée dandelion, purée banana peel, purée nettle, fresh aloe gel, kelp meal, fish bone meal, coconut water and rain water.

These are so far the best plants I've ever grown indoors and besides the odd tea, it's just been 10 gallons of rainwater once a week.

Ck

Edited the mix.

 

[Chronikool]

Well it hasnt/doesnt hurt at all in my experience....but hey...i mean people who havent done it are saying not to do it...so they must be right...

 

[lmnop5092]

great advice
I think thats the one thing i'm really looking forward to in starting full soil organics, and really soil sciences
Seems to be more taking care of this living thing than just throwing nutes into water and stir