Soil Recipe Help Please!

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groovymannnn

Active Member
I’m currently using 70% Vermont compost fort vee to 30% nectar of the gods #8. I have the dragonfly earth medicine radiant green super brew blend I plant to feed my plants throughout. I plan to use rove beetles and let them establish themselves in my soil prior to use, lady bugs during along with other organic insects for IPM. How long should I give the rove beetles to establish themselves? And would it be beneficial to add worms as well? And my last question relates to preventing a cal mag deficiency using crushed oyster shell (not flour) for calcium and Epsom salt for magnesium sulfate… I’m wondering using this blend how much should I add for each, per cubic foot? Any help is greatly appreciate! Thank you!!!
 
green_machine_two9er

green_machine_two9er

Well-Known Member
I can’t help much cause I don’t know the products your talking about. But I would suggest Rethinking ipm. Beneficial insect can play a role but there’s a lot more to a good ipm.

organic sprays in veg and couple times can be much more effective than Beatles snd ladies.

I don’t know what the lady bug craze it’s tbh. What’s worse. Some aphids that can be controlled or aphids turned to poop and shit all over your buds…..

also lady bugs don’t want to irradiacate s pest population. They really just want a feee meal and are good at keeping some populations alive.

the only benefit of ladybugs in my mind is as a flagship, mainly for outdoor or greens house crops. If lady bugs are hanging around then it’s time to take a deeper look at the plants cause they means they have a food source there….
 
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groovymannnn

Active Member
thank you for the reply.. I intend to use some organic sprays i.e. trifecta.. I should’ve mentioned it.. I’m pretty much using the lady bugs as a preventative measure.. IMO I feel like if there isn’t a food source they just die off, so it can’t hurt
 
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groovymannnn

Active Member
I’m hoping after rove beetles have done their due diligence there will be no larvae or pest left to worry about.. I’m not so sure that will be the case but I hope. Lady bugs for back up. Any other recommendations? Recommended IPM sprays? Thanks
 
Weedvin

Weedvin

Well-Known Member
groovymannnn said:
I’m currently using 70% Vermont compost fort vee to 30% nectar of the gods #8. I have the dragonfly earth medicine radiant green super brew blend I plant to feed my plants throughout. I plan to use rove beetles and let them establish themselves in my soil prior to use, lady bugs during along with other organic insects for IPM. How long should I give the rove beetles to establish themselves? And would it be beneficial to add worms as well? And my last question relates to preventing a cal mag deficiency using crushed oyster shell (not flour) for calcium and Epsom salt for magnesium sulfate… I’m wondering using this blend how much should I add for each, per cubic foot? Any help is greatly appreciate! Thank you!!!
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I don't recognize anything you've mentioned. Here's my recipe : Equal parts, sphagnum peat moss, bentonite clay ( special kitty litter/ Walmart), and EWC. I've a few grows on rollitup check them out.
 
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groovymannnn

Active Member
For those unfamiliar:
Fort Vee Vermont Compst ingredients: “Blended from manure compost; sphagnum peat moss; crushed, washed screened granite/basalt blend; coconut coir; vermiculite; gypsum; blood meal; kelp; bone meal.”

nectar of the gods #8 ingredients: “A variation on Nectar’s Blend #4 potting mix, this blend has the same ingredients, with 50% perlite for increased drainage. sphagnum peat moss, perlite, coir fiber, pumice, mycorrhizal fungi, yucca meal, kelp meal, bone meal, diatomaceous earth, clay, basalt, oyster shell (for pH adjustment), humus and lime (for pH adjustment).”
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
groovymannnn said:
I’m currently using 70% Vermont compost fort vee to 30% nectar of the gods #8. I have the dragonfly earth medicine radiant green super brew blend I plant to feed my plants throughout. I plan to use rove beetles and let them establish themselves in my soil prior to use, lady bugs during along with other organic insects for IPM. How long should I give the rove beetles to establish themselves? And would it be beneficial to add worms as well? And my last question relates to preventing a cal mag deficiency using crushed oyster shell (not flour) for calcium and Epsom salt for magnesium sulfate… I’m wondering using this blend how much should I add for each, per cubic foot? Any help is greatly appreciate! Thank you!!!
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Do you have rove beetles yet? The thing about ladybugs is they will get jacked up by the fans. They also fly away if they aren't happy. Rove beetles are cool and stay where they should. Well at least for the most part. They go right back in the pot after they do any crazy roving though.
 
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groovymannnn

Active Member
PadawanWarrior said:
Do you have rove beetles yet? The thing about ladybugs is they will get jacked up by the fans. They also fly away if they aren't happy. Rove beetles are cool and stay where they should. Well at least for the most part. They go right back in the pot after they do any crazy roving though.
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Would you dig a little pocket put them there then cover it up? Or will they just dig on there own. Don’t want them getting out of the mixing container lol
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
groovymannnn said:
Would you dig a little pocket put them there then cover it up? Or will they just dig on there own. Don’t want them getting out of the mixing container lol
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They can get out, especially after watering, but mine usually have stayed in the pots. I don't know how you want to disperse them since mine came in my EWC. But they don't have a problem digging themselves.

Mine have come out of drain holes, and then went back in after they roamed around a bit.

I'm guessing you just put the most on top of the soil, but I'm not sure.
 
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groovymannnn

Active Member
Yeah I have the mix in a bin right now. Still got a few weeks before I need the soil for my finishing pots so I assume they might be even dead by then. A colleague said he lets them establish themselves beforehand and has never had a pest problem.. I’m optimistic
 
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