Nice thanks for the response. This was just the answer i was looking for. What about neem cake for bugs is that recomended to add besides the perlite?
Neem cake is great for pest management, as well as vegeterian-fed insect-frass.. both can be applied at up to 1 cup per cubic foot, or half that for a more intro / safe measure. There are other chitin sources too, crab meal etc..
- a foliar of plain ewc tea and compost tea strained to 55 microns will also set the table with bene's galore, which eat away at the waxy layers of young bugs before they get too harmful.
.. if you want something else cheap that you can make, look up Lacto bacillus .. then BIM or Bokashi for the combo.
not skipping my highly paramagnetic input like basalt or something in your rock / mineral / dust recipe will also help.. and speaking of natural rocks, diatomite or DE Rocks for a top dress will give them hell the same way as above, except it also dries and cuts them up.. thrips and gnats especially.
It won't hurt to plant a circle perimeter of several single organic garlic cloves, or red basil, lemon verbena or creeping thyme
..sure there are other things people do too, but off the top that's all thats coming to mind, hope that helps someone at least a bit!
Oh yeah, natural predators, Orius Beetles, Beneficial Nematodes, and Praying Mantis!
And just having high brix, over 12, lowers pest pressure too. Too dang vibrational / healthy.