Noob Super Soil Recipe Questions

[_EQ]

Hey yall,

Currently starting my organics journey! There’s tons of information and knowledge on the web, I figure here is the best place to get some expert opinions and advice. I want to build my own super soil. With the volume of information out there it has gotten a bit confusing, and I’m not really sure how to start? I’ve taken some extensive notes with what I believe is how certain components/amendments are supposed to act and what they contain elementally. My current olan is to buy what I need weekly over the course of the next few weeks, than have the mix cooked and ready for around fall.
Attached here is my notes:


Organic Soil Recipes


Super Soil lngredients

• Earth Worm Castings 30-60lbs (N,P,K source(macro), source of micro nutrients + microbes and beneficial bacterias, slow release)
• Fish Bone Meal 2-5 lbs ( N,P + Ca source slow release + trace micro nutrients )
• Dolomite lime (ph buffer , Ca + Mg source)
• Oyster Shell Flour ( Dolomite Lime alternative, Ca source, Ph buffer, pest reduction )
• Crab meal ( NPK, chitin for biopesticide, Ca source)
• Blood Meal ( N source, granular - slow, powdered - fast)
• Kelp Meal (NPK source (light), beneficial enzymes, microbes, trace minerals, growth regs, vitamins)
• Rock Phosphate (P source, slow release long term supply)
• Bone Meal ( P source short term supply)
• Azomite ( High trace minerals, rare earth minerals, good for root growth + germination, micronutrient source)
• Glacial rock dust ( micronutrient source, soil structure enhanced)
• Epsom salt ( High source of Mg + S)
• Humic Acid ( allows for nutrient and mineral uptake at all stages, stimulates root and plant growth)
• Fulvic Acid ( Chelator, along with Humic acid aids in mineral and nutrient breakdown and uptake)
• Feather Meal ( Slow release N source)
• Seabird Guano ( High NPK + Ca source, with added bacterial activity in soil) NPK Values vary
• Bat Guano (High NPK source + micronutrients) NPK Values vary
• Neem Seed Meal (NPK source, natural pesticide)
• Langbeinite ( High K source + micro Mg + S)

Recipe #1 (current list of what I’ve bought)

3lb. COM Fishbone Meal 3-15-0 ( 18 Ca + micro & trace elements) - slow release P good for late stages

 

[weedstoner420]

Tbh for your first attempt, I'd start with the basics and keep it simple. Peat, perlite, and compost or worm castings for your base, and an all-purpose dry fertilizer blend (Espoma, Gaia Green, Dr Earth, etc). Use big containers (10 gallons or more) and mix and top-dress according to the "potted plant" or "container mix" directions on the bag.

 

[_EQ]

Tbh for your first attempt, I'd start with the basics and keep it simple. Peat, perlite, and compost or worm castings for your base, and an all-purpose dry fertilizer blend (Espoma, Gaia Green, Dr Earth, etc). Use big containers (10 gallons or more) and mix and top-dress according to the "potted plant" or "container mix" directions on the bag.

Okay cool definitely sound advice, I have tendencies to over complicate new things. So currently right now I have a few outdoor plants in COM SB, I planned on just doing some Teas and top dressing with the COM Plant food 5-2-4 throughout Veg, and than COM fish bone meal 5-13-0 + some sort of K amendment for flower. Is that more in line with what you’re recommending me here? Or are you saying I should build a base with like EWC, Perlite, peat etc. and than mix in a dry mix like Gaia green, etc.?

 

[weedstoner420]

Okay cool definitely sound advice, I have tendencies to over complicate new things. So currently right now I have a few outdoor plants in COM SB, I planned on just doing some Teas and top dressing with the COM Plant food 5-2-4 throughout Veg, and than COM fish bone meal 5-13-0 + some sort of K amendment for flower. Is that more in line with what you’re recommending me here? Or are you saying I should build a base with like EWC, Perlite, peat etc. and than mix in a dry mix like Gaia green, etc.?

The CoM is fine as a base too. That 5-2-4 is probably good for veg, but you might want to keep a more balanced feed in flower rather than focusing on P and K. Tomato-Tone is my go-to flower fertilizer but there are a million different blends out there that will work just as well. Heck, the CoM plant food or some other all-purpose one like Garden-Tone or Gaia Green 4-4-4 could probably carry you through the entire grow.

Weed is just another flowering annual, the same methods you'd use for growing tomatoes or peppers will result in some very fine herb. Good luck!

 

[_EQ]

The CoM is fine as a base too. That 5-2-4 is probably good for veg, but you might want to keep a more balanced feed in flower rather than focusing on P and K. Tomato-Tone is my go-to flower fertilizer but there are a million different blends out there that will work just as well. Heck, the CoM plant food or some other all-purpose one like Garden-Tone or Gaia Green 4-4-4 could probably carry you through the entire grow.

Weed is just another flowering annual, the same methods you'd use for growing tomatoes or peppers will result in some very fine herb. Good luck!

Appreciate the advice dude!

 

[weedstoner420]

Appreciate the advice dude!

No problem! Not saying you shouldn't tinker with your mix/recipe however much you want, but for your first couple grows it's definitely easier to keep it as simple as possible to build up some confidence

 

[_EQ]

No problem! Not saying you shouldn't tinker with your mix/recipe however much you want, but for your first couple grows it's definitely easier to keep it as simple as possible to build up some confidence

Absolutely, all the people that ik that grow organic personally all seem to make it out to be some super complicated method of growing. Even online just the amount of info adds to that. And especially for someone like myself who tends to lean towards pedal to the metal. It’s definitely sound advice to KISS. Not overwhelming and over complicating things will leave me more room for error in experimenting with things.

 

[weedstoner420]

Absolutely, all the people that ik that grow organic personally all seem to make it out to be some super complicated method of growing. Even online just the amount of info adds to that. And especially for someone like myself who tends to lean towards pedal to the metal. It’s definitely sound advice to KISS. Not overwhelming and over complicating things will leave me more room for error in experimenting with things.

Ahhh yeah, while it's definitely possibly to complicate an organic grow, I generally try to keep mine as low-effort as possible. Lately I haven't even been top-dressing, just using larger containers and growing modestly sized plants so I only need to add water the whole grow.

 

[_EQ]

Ahhh yeah, while it's definitely possibly to complicate an organic grow, I generally try to keep mine as low-effort as possible. Lately I haven't even been top-dressing, just using larger containers and growing modestly sized plants so I only need to add water the whole grow.

Being able to take out steps like mixing nutrient solutions and PH testing water every couple days is certainly one of the reasons I would like to convert to organic growing! But I can still get away with growing in the 5gal fabric pots like I do now in coco? It would just mean that if the plants start to feed heavier than what’s in the container I’d need to top dress or amend more frequently?

 

[weedstoner420]

Being able to take out steps like mixing nutrient solutions and PH testing water every couple days is certainly one of the reasons I would like to convert to organic growing! But I can still get away with growing in the 5gal fabric pots like I do now in coco? It would just mean that if the plants start to feed heavier than what’s in the container I’d need to top dress or amend more frequently?

5 gallons is doable for sure. If you haven't discovered this thread yet, it's probably worth a read. Lots of folks using 5 gallon pots and Gaia Green 4-4-4 and 2-8-4 (basically one fertilizer for veg and one for flower)

Official Gaia Green Grow Method

Hey all, I think that this is an important topic and I haven't seen a thread that's really dedicated to this. Whether you use Gaia Green or another similar brand (like Dr. Earth), it would be great to have a place we can consolidate our process info. I'll start here. Throw darts at it and...

www.rollitup.org

 

[_EQ]

5 gallons is doable for sure. If you haven't discovered this thread yet, it's probably worth a read. Lots of folks using 5 gallon pots and Gaia Green 4-4-4 and 2-8-4 (basically one fertilizer for veg and one for flower)

Official Gaia Green Grow Method

Hey all, I think that this is an important topic and I haven't seen a thread that's really dedicated to this. Whether you use Gaia Green or another similar brand (like Dr. Earth), it would be great to have a place we can consolidate our process info. I'll start here. Throw darts at it and...

www.rollitup.org

Awesome thanks for the info. Gaia Green is the stuff Mr.Canucks Grow uses on YouTube I believe. Usually all his bud comes out damn good so I’ll def give this a looking.

 

[FmSwayze]

I'm in the same boat starting with dry organic amendments. I made a seed starter blend last night 2 to 1 coco perlite+2 to 1 vermiculite. Then added 1 part EWC to that and 2 tblsp dr earth 444. Took notes, it may work it may not but it's a start. I'll follow the dr. Earth suggested feeding schedule once things get rolling and take notes/ make changes appropriately.

 

[_EQ]

I'm in the same boat starting with dry organic amendments. I made a seed starter blend last night 2 to 1 coco perlite+2 to 1 vermiculite. Then added 1 part EWC to that and 2 tblsp dr earth 444. Took notes, it may work it may not but it's a start. I'll follow the dr. Earth suggested feeding schedule once things get rolling and take notes/ make changes appropriately.

Good luck brother! That sounds like a good start

 

[MissinThe90’sStrains]

The Recycled Organic Living Soil (ROLS) thread will answer almost all of your questions, and give you a few basic mixes that users have used with success. If you shop around and are willing to buy bulk, you can find most of the individual amendments for $3-$4 or less. You’ve got quite an amendment list there, and probably won’t need more than about a third of that to make a really solid mix. Best of luck, and happy reading. I’ve made the switch to Organics and got my start from reading that thread.

 

[natureboygrower]

1 Cubic foot each compost, peat, perlite or rice hulls (aeration)
4 cups (each) garden Gypsum and rock dust. ( I use 2 cups glacial rock/2 cups oyster flour)
1.75 cups (each) neem seed meal, fish bone flour, kelp meal, milled malted barley
.5 -.75 cup langbeinite

If you have room, make up your own soil. This is similiar to COM stonigton blend and a variation of Coots mix. I veg for 2 weeks and usually run 10 week @12/12. This is a water only soil, no cook time required. If you want to make it really simple, grow in earthboxes and you'll never have to guess when to water.

 

[_EQ]

The Recycled Organic Living Soil (ROLS) thread will answer almost all of your questions, and give you a few basic mixes that users have used with success. If you shop around and are willing to buy bulk, you can find most of the individual amendments for $3-$4 or less. You’ve got quite an amendment list there, and probably won’t need more than about a third of that to make a really solid mix. Best of luck, and happy reading. I’ve made the switch to Organics and got my start from reading that thread.

Thanks dude definitely gonna utilize the recommended thread.

 

[_EQ]

1 Cubic foot each compost, peat, perlite or rice hulls (aeration)
4 cups (each) garden Gypsum and rock dust. ( I use 2 cups glacial rock/2 cups oyster flour)
1.75 cups (each) neem seed meal, fish bone flour, kelp meal, milled malted barley
.5 -.75 cup langbeinite

If you have room, make up your own soil. This is similiar to COM stonigton blend and a variation of Coots mix. I veg for 2 weeks and usually run 10 week @12/12. This is a water only soil, no cook time required. If you want to make it really simple, grow in earthboxes and you'll never have to guess when to water.

Awesome definitely good to see a recipe laid out for reference!

 

[weedstoner420]

1 Cubic foot each compost, peat, perlite or rice hulls (aeration)
4 cups (each) garden Gypsum and rock dust. ( I use 2 cups glacial rock/2 cups oyster flour)
1.75 cups (each) neem seed meal, fish bone flour, kelp meal, milled malted barley
.5 -.75 cup langbeinite

If you have room, make up your own soil. This is similiar to COM stonigton blend and a variation of Coots mix. I veg for 2 weeks and usually run 10 week @12/12. This is a water only soil, no cook time required. If you want to make it really simple, grow in earthboxes and you'll never have to guess when to water.

Oh yeah, while I've never tried Coot's recipe, it's about as simple as it gets if you're buying individual amendments, and seems pretty tried and true.

And definitely second the Earthbox/Sub-irrigated Planter (SIP) recommendation. I use Growboxes which are very similar to the Earthbox. It makes watering so much easier, just add more when the reservoir is low. There is a huge thread devoted to them in the indoor growing section...

 

[4Sku2nkd0]

I'm in the same boat starting with dry organic amendments. I made a seed starter blend last night 2 to 1 coco perlite+2 to 1 vermiculite. Then added 1 part EWC to that and 2 tblsp dr earth 444. Took notes, it may work it may not but it's a start. I'll follow the dr. Earth suggested feeding schedule once things get rolling and take notes/ make changes appropriately.

I used coco my first organic run, everything ran smooth til the 3rd week of flower a buncha problems ensued. Id get a peatbased base like pro mix or get some kinda soil to start.

 

[_EQ]

Just another noob question here but after skimming both subcools super soil threads and ROLS threads how come in SC recipe there is literally 0 K value amendments in it? The end NPK ratio is like 15-24-0? I was under the impression K was an essential macro nutrient