Does Anyone Just Use Peat Moss to Grow In?

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The3rdMan

Well-Known Member
I have to agree with most of the responses in this thread that say some compost or EWC should be added to the peat moss for an organic grow. So, I reduced both compost and EWC (10% compost, 10% EWC) where my organic matter is at 20% instead of 40%. Now the soil profiles are looking very good except for Sodium being higher than I would like to see, but the Sodium is coming from the peat moss, compost & EWC.
 
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Rurumo

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
You're asking for trouble if you're just randomly mixing peat moss with other amendments. If this is your first grow, save yourself months of problems and follow an EXACT recipe that was successful for many people.
 
Bueno Time

Bueno Time

Well-Known Member
In your last post you mentioned adding 10% each compost and ewc that would be a good idea. I would recommend brewing aerated compost teas as well to keep the microbial populations up and thriving in the medium and cycling the dry amendments making them available to the plants. If you were doing no ewc or compost at all in your mix and not using compost teas or some form(s) of beneficial bacteria & fungi, I don't think peat/perlite alone with dry amendments would work well since the soil food web must be alive and thriving to keep nutrients available to the plant for use by processing the dry amendments in an organic water only application.
 
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The3rdMan

Well-Known Member
Bueno Time said:
In your last post you mentioned adding 10% each compost and ewc that would be a good idea. I would recommend brewing aerated compost teas as well to keep the microbial populations up and thriving in the medium and cycling the dry amendments making them available to the plants. If you were doing no ewc or compost at all in your mix and not using compost teas or some form(s) of beneficial bacteria & fungi, I don't think peat/perlite alone with dry amendments would work well since the soil food web must be alive and thriving to keep nutrients available to the plant for use by processing the dry amendments in an organic water only application.
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I agree with you that some organics such as compost needs to be added to the peat. I'm just not sure what percentage of my soil should contain organic matter.

A straight peat moss grow should be treated as soilless. I think different PH range is used for soilless plus synthetics would also be required.

I'm not sold on organic teas. I prefer to have all of the nutrients in the soil the plant will need from start to finish. I transplant into a 15 gallon pot when I transition to flower. I can top dress with some compost, barley, mulch and add molasses and mychorrizae from time to time to keep the organics working and that takes a lot less effort and time than making teas and is just as effective. That is just my opinion based upon what I have read on the topic.

Anyone have an idea of the minimum and maximum amounts of organic matter that should be incorporated into the soil?
 
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ComfortCreator

Well-Known Member
The3rdMan said:
I agree with you that some organics such as compost needs to be added to the peat. I'm just not sure what percentage of my soil should contain organic matter.

A straight peat moss grow should be treated as soilless. I think different PH range is used for soilless plus synthetics would also be required.

I'm not sold on organic teas. I prefer to have all of the nutrients in the soil the plant will need from start to finish. I transplant into a 15 gallon pot when I transition to flower. I can top dress with some compost, barley, mulch and add molasses and mychorrizae from time to time to keep the organics working and that takes a lot less effort and time than making teas and is just as effective. That is just my opinion based upon what I have read on the topic.

Anyone have an idea of the minimum and maximum amounts of organic matter that should be incorporated into the soil?
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I'll keep it short. Recipes exist and have been discussed ad nauseam.

10% to 33%
And of course, 0% works too but it is not soil.
 
Cycad

Cycad

Well-Known Member
To get back to the original question, which doesn't seem to have been answered, you can start in peat moss. It's acidic, trying to use it for a complete grow, well I have never tried but I should think nutrient problems due to the low pH.
 
Bueno Time

Bueno Time

Well-Known Member
The3rdMan said:
I agree with you that some organics such as compost needs to be added to the peat. I'm just not sure what percentage of my soil should contain organic matter.

A straight peat moss grow should be treated as soilless. I think different PH range is used for soilless plus synthetics would also be required.

I'm not sold on organic teas. I prefer to have all of the nutrients in the soil the plant will need from start to finish. I transplant into a 15 gallon pot when I transition to flower. I can top dress with some compost, barley, mulch and add molasses and mychorrizae from time to time to keep the organics working and that takes a lot less effort and time than making teas and is just as effective. That is just my opinion based upon what I have read on the topic.

Anyone have an idea of the minimum and maximum amounts of organic matter that should be incorporated into the soil?
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I was talking about compost teas not nutrient teas. I dont brew anything to "feed" the plant either. Brewed just for the soil food web microorganisms to add to the soil to keep the soil alive and cycling whats built into the soil.

Just a small amount of compost you can brew and multiply the microbial content many fold. Of course you can brew the tea wrong too and be adding anaerobic microbes and causing more harm then good too if your not careful.
 
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The3rdMan

Well-Known Member
Bueno Time said:
I was talking about compost teas not nutrient teas. I dont brew anything to "feed" the plant either. Brewed just for the soil food web microorganisms to add to the soil to keep the soil alive and cycling whats built into the soil.

Just a small amount of compost you can brew and multiply the microbial content many fold. Of course you can brew the tea wrong too and be adding anaerobic microbes and causing more harm then good too if your not careful.
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Yes, I have used them but you can essentially do the same with molasses and recharge; just less work.
 
T

The3rdMan

Well-Known Member
ComfortCreator said:
I'll keep it short. Recipes exist and have been discussed ad nauseam.

10% to 33%
And of course, 0% works too but it is not soil.
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Recipes exist such as coot’s but the information provided is insufficient. It would be interesting to know how many people are having problems with it.
 
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