My Idea of the Perfect Growing Medium

These people carry it.

http://www.organicmulchsupply.com/fertilizer.html
http://www.organicmulchsupply.com/order.php

Dragon'sHoardSeeds said:

http://www.smilinggardener.com/organic-soil-management/dolomite-lime

http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1261&context=agext

If this mix has problems with low ph then you can try calcitic lime

http://www.solu-cal.com/media/pdf/product-labels/Solucal 50lbs bag label.pdf

But I can't find calcitic lime available anywhere.

So I guess you should just use Dolomite Lime.

But moisten the mix and then let it set for at least 2 weeks

and then take ph so you can amend it properly.

Click to expand...

Man I am racking my brain trying to come up with a balanced ph buffered organic medium.
I was thumbing through my Jorge Cervantes grow bible last night. And Apparently Calcitic Lime
is the same as quicklime. Which is caustic and can be toxic to plants and doesn't buffer the ph
like dolomite lime does. And worm castings contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium,
and magnesium. So I think I'll replace the bat guano with this:

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/flower-tone.html

Leave out the Sul-Po-Mag and add Dolomite Lime.

Ok here goes! My final re-reworked version of "The Ultimate Growing Medium"

Hydro-Organic Growing Medium Recipe

Cocotek Natural Mixed Brick---------------16 Gallons

FoxFarm Big and Chunky Perlite------------8 Gallons

General Organics Ancient Forest Humus----4.8 Gallons

Roots Organic's Big Worm----------------- 3.2 Gallons

Espoma Flower-Tone----------------------4.0 oz

Espoma Garden Lime----------------------2.0 oz-9.0 oz Depending on acidity of soil

Azomite----------------------------------2 Cups

General Hydroponics Subculture B----------2.5 Tbsp

General Hydroponics Subculture M---------5 Tbsp

Just divide however much medium you need by 32 and then times that number by the numbers above

Example: 100/32= 3.125

3.125x16= 50 Gallons of Cocotek Natural Mixed Coco Fiber

http://generalhydroponics.com/site/i...l_mixed_brick/
http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/products_soils3.html
http://generalhydroponics.com/site/i...ncient_forest/
http://www.aurorainnovations.org/big_worm.html
http://www.espoma.com/p_consumer/org_trad_overview.html
http://generalhydroponics.com/site/i...ts/subculture/
http://www.azomite.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=9&Itemid=28
http://www.planetnatural.com/site/azomite.html

I'm not sure but I think you would have to leave out the General Organics Ancient Forest Humus to make it completely soil-less. I thought it would help the beneficial Bacteria and mycorrhizae fungi. And you can leave out all the fertilizers if you prefer to provide all nutrients by liquid hydroponic fertilizers (I recommend General Organics). Other wise just use this for the first 2-4 weeks


http://generalhydroponics.com/site/i...s/bio_marine2/

I'm thinking of doing a side by side comparison of a Bio-Organic grow and a Hydroponic-Synthetic grow using same environment and Genetics. But It probably won't be tell this winter and won't be grown at the same time.

Here's the products I will use:

http://www.homebox-growlab.net/product_GL145.html
http://www.canfilters.com/max_fan_6.html
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=AFAAIFHC08&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=AEFSC082&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=AOCBB06&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=AOCCFL06&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=AOCCOZN1&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=ATHMMD2&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=AACCTMPDNE&eq=&Tp=
http://www.randmsupply.com/productdisp.php?pid=917&navid=33
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=COGCRBII05&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=PRHM2&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=PRHMT&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=COGCRM01R&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=PRSEEDRM32&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=HLBADILT06360&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=HLCBMH06DL&eq=&Tp=
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=HLRBHPS06DL&eq=&Tp=

and the P.L. Deep Reflector

http://www.altgarden.com/lighting/reflectors/pl-reflectors-with-rail-socket-2.html

and General Organics

http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/products/general_organics/

and General Hydroponics

http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/products/nutrients/flora_series/
http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/products/supplements/

Dragon'sHoardSeeds said:

Man I am racking my brain trying to come up with a balanced ph buffered organic medium.
I was thumbing through my Jorge Cervantes grow bible last night. And Apparently Calcitic Lime
is the same as quicklime. Which is caustic and can be toxic to plants and doesn't buffer the ph
like dolomite lime does. And worm castings contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium,
and magnesium. So I think I'll replace the bat guano with this:

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/flower-tone.html

Leave out the Sul-Po-Mag and add Dolomite Lime.

Ok here goes! My final re-reworked version of "The Ultimate Growing Medium"

Hydro-Organic Growing Medium Recipe

Cocotek Natural Mixed Brick---------------16 Gallons

FoxFarm Big and Chunky Perlite------------8 Gallons

General Organics Ancient Forest Humus----4.8 Gallons

Roots Organic's Big Worm----------------- 3.2 Gallons

Espoma Flower-Tone----------------------4.0 oz

Espoma Garden Lime----------------------2.0 oz-9.0 oz Depending on acidity of soil

Azomite----------------------------------2 Cups

General Hydroponics Subculture B----------2.5 Tbsp

General Hydroponics Subculture M---------5 Tbsp


I'm not sure but I think you would have to leave out the General Organics Ancient Forest Humus to make it completely soil-less. I thought it would help the beneficial Bacteria and mycorrhizae fungi. And you can leave out all the fertilizers if you prefer to provide all nutrients by liquid hydroponic fertilizers (I recommend General Organics). Other wise just use this for the first 2-4 weeks

Click to expand...

I like this mix a lot better. Much more balanced. Do not leave out the GO Ancient Forest. I still think the subculture is kind of pointless with all that compost/humus. There will be plenty of myco life. Of course root drenches of Subculture wouldn't hurt.. Are you planning to compost this mix before planting?

yes I will moisten it and let it set for 2-4 weeks. Then take ph and add appropriate dolomite lime.
Thanks for the info and compliment.

Peace yo!

By the way I figured out how much this would cost if you had to buy everything mail order and the cheapest I could find it all for was like 204 Dollars. I bet it would grow some damn good pot though

i would add a cup each of kelp meal, alfalfa meal, neem seed meal good stuff, good variety +++

yeah it originally had kelp meal in it, but I decided to leave it out because the worm castings + the flower tone gave me an equal amount of N/P/K. About 7/7/7. With kelp meal it would be probably 8/7/9. Which actually isn't bad at all. And the azomite contains all the minerals I need. But I suppose you could add it if you wanted to. And the flower-tone has alfalfa meal and a lot of other stuff. I'll check out the neem seed meal though. Thanks

The neem seed meal has N/P/K in it and I don't want anymore

This is a message I sent to General Hydroponics.

Hi, I was having a discussion on OMRI listed products and the whole what is actually Organic thing on a gardening Forum. I suggested your products (Cocotek, General Organics) and someone mentioned that they weren't OMRI listed. I don't believe that this means they're are not organic or top notch products. But I was wondering if you consider your General Organics and Cocotek to be a 100% Organic and if you've tried to have them certified by one of the organizations.

This is the answer I got

Hello,
The Cocotek products are 100% organic but due to the low profit margins with coco fiber, we decided not to spend the money on OMRI certification. The General Organics is about 98% organic with the exception of some minerals we add to make the product a complete nutrient. It could be OMRI listed but again, that is very expensive and because the majority of our customer base are not certified organic growers, we felt the need wasn't there.
Thank you,