white widow organic soil mixture

[Dadewavies93]

Hey guys so on my next run i believe im going to use an organic soil mixture of Peat moss, and organic cow manure and compost (store bought). I also added extra peralite which i am not sure if it is organic or not. Does anyone have any other tips on what i should use?

 

[DonTesla]

Hey guys so on my next run i believe im going to use an organic soil mixture of Peat moss, and organic cow manure and compost (store bought). I also added extra peralite which i am not sure if it is organic or not. Does anyone have any other tips on what i should use?

Hi Dade, way to go organic

Not sure whats in that compost exactly but..

If you I would start a worm farm, and add 15% worm castings asap, even a TBSO of fresh castings can change your gardens life!

and 10% biochar to the base. I can try help you make some or find some, if you wanna buy everything try let me know where you are. Aeration I would keep at 45% unless you run your compost thru a live worm bin then you could bump the air to 50 50 if refined further

to that I would add
kelp @ 1 cup per cu ft

neem @ 1/2 cup per cu ft

chitin source @ 1/2 C

glacial rock dust @ 4 cups per cu ft

and something to lime that peat (like limestone)

Perlite btw is I guess organic although I do PERSONALLY consider it a hazardous material for its dust, known to potentially cause cancer so just be careful breathing that in, bro. that should do the trick though.

 

[Dadewavies93]

Hey tesla! thanks for your response. quick question how do i measure aeration?

 

[DonTesla]

Hey tesla! thanks for your response. quick question how do i measure aeration?

Hey Dade!

Generally by volume

vs by weight since weight can fluctuate so much with density and porosity changes among different types, right... so yeah, one could use coffee cans, 5 gal pails or totes/cu yards, for example, and just shoot for an even number of aeration additions as non aeration additions when mixing in the beginning...

general rules of thumb are that soil should be about

50% porous, 50% solid, and that the 50% porous part should be about 50% air and 50% water.

Microbes flourish when they can breathe yet stay moist and warm. Each 1% increase in aeration can cause an increase in activity, but too much isn't good.

Temperature is also key, from 40 to 80*F is the sweet spot, with each 10*F increase showing a jump in activity if humidity levels (moisture) is maintained in balance with oxygen levels.

 

[Dadewavies93]

Awesome, yea so i suppose my soil mixture in that case is probably about 25/75, 25 being the perlite... unless you count the peat moss due to how light it is. And pretty much sounding like higher aeration you should probably shoot for a lower temperature to avoid said microbes from growing?

 

[DonTesla]

Awesome, yea so i suppose my soil mixture in that case is probably about 25/75, 25 being the perlite... unless you count the peat moss due to how light it is. And pretty much sounding like higher aeration you should probably shoot for a lower temperature to avoid said microbes from growing?

Yeah, I would bump it up, spend $20 on bio char and you wont regret it.. every 1% makes a big difference. And actually you want microbes growing ..

Check this link out brotha..