Help with soil mix

[johnmac240]

I posted this in the newbie section with no response so I'm thinking maybe this is the better place to put it,

I have a couple of questions before I mix this batch up first I'll give you the ingredients and then see what you guys think

107 liters - peat moss
350 liters - really nice potting soil
85 liters - black gold mix #4
100 liters - composted cow manure
40 liters - ewc (earth worm castings)
25 liters - perlite


Edit: I also have 3 blocks of compressed coco im going to hydrate and mix in as well.

I'm wondering what else this mix will need, Its going to be used in a big raised bed for 15 plants for 4 months outside, I'm going to till the ground before I put the mix on top,so the roots won't be roots bound, any input is much appreciated!

 

[sworth]

Biochar?

 

[DonBrennon]

I'd say you need something to balance the ph of the soil and add some calcium, crabshell meal, oystershell meal, garden lime etc

Biochar, as mentioned above by @sworth, is a great soil addition, charging it properly and checking it's ph before adding it to the soil is important though.

If your gonna go 4 months, you prob need more all round nutrients too, unless you are planning on topdressing occasionally. I've no personal experience of outdoors though, in raised beds, so can't really help beyond that, hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

Edit. A lot will depend on the soil beneath though, if you got good fertile soil underneath, I'd imagine the plants will access this for nutes

 

[johnmac240]

I'm planning on using organic teas once a week, I can add some dolomite lime and some crab shell meal, the soil underneath will have some nutes but not enough for the trees I'm hoping to have!

 

[Rasta Roy]

I'd skip the lime, I've swapped out crab shell meal for my calcium and magnesium and pH buffer instead of dolomite lime and I've noted that I no longer need to add extra magnesium later in the plants life like I had to when using lime.

Kelp meal is essential.

Fish bone meal for phosphorus and calcium would be awesome.

Alfalfa to throw in some of those teas you're gonna make would be great.

Think you're off to a good start though!

 

[Rasta Roy]

Something for more nitrogen would be good too, fish meal, shrimp Shell meal, neem cake. All those have tons of other benefits too not just nitrogen and iron like blood meal.

 

[johnmac240]

Something for more nitrogen would be good too, fish meal, shrimp Shell meal, neem cake. All those have tons of other benefits too not just nitrogen and iron like blood meal.

So all in all what would you add and how much to my rescipe?

 

[Phatlewtz]

So all in all what would you add and how much to my rescipe?

Have you ran the strain you're running before? making soil is pretty easy buddy, there are a billion recipies, i've run the same mix for my plants for years inside and out constantly recycling....are you recycling the soil or going to get rid of it once you're done growing in it?

 

[johnmac240]

I'll probably just leave it in the raised bed and next spring till in some new fertilizer, I'm growing
1 ck green crack
4 ck white widow(I grew this before)
10 clones I bought from a friend.

And I'm also growing 10 bag seeds that I don't know if there male or female or what strain they are, but there in a separate garden just as a precaution.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Something for more nitrogen would be good too, fish meal, shrimp Shell meal, neem cake. All those have tons of other benefits too not just nitrogen and iron like blood meal.

damn good advice, on top of the manure, neem meal, kelp meal, and crab meal is PERFECT.
remember manure is a slow release f its nitrogen, only about a third of it is released per yr

 

[johnmac240]

The only thing I could find locally is sea meal, which is kelp and seaweed and such so I have a 5 pound bag of that how much should I put in the batch 2 cups?

 

[johnmac240]

And I ended up getting sheep manure I've been told it's a better npk, and was cheaper

 

[Rasta Roy]

The only thing I could find locally is sea meal, which is kelp and seaweed and such so I have a 5 pound bag of that how much should I put in the batch 2 cups?

About 1/4 to 1/2 cup per cubic foot should sufficient

 

[Rasta Roy]

And I ended up getting sheep manure I've been told it's a better npk, and was cheaper

Never used it but I've heard the same.

 

[johnmac240]

 

[johnmac240]

 

[johnmac240]

Made 1/2 a batch I'm really happy with the feel of this soil

 

[sworth]

^^^That's the last job; how the soil feels and smells..^^^

 

[getogrow]

your on the right path. the roots WILL grow into the ground as needed for more food. the sea meal an others people posted is plenty. your ground has most of the nutes needed. 1/2 cup of mycorrizea wouldnt hurt nothing either .... although it wont help IF there is plenty of food in the ground/mix. just the batch you already have will produce great results. i love good soil.
try to get your bed mixed an ready before putting the girls right in .... try to let it sit for a week or so. if you dont want to do that then youll still be fine. weather permitting , expect great results.




soil

 

[johnmac240]

Thanks everyone I'll keep you updated when I plant them in. I'm going to till the land underneath the rasied bed and its really nice top soil, so hopefully everything goes well