soil prep ideas?
- Thread starter Purpnugz
- Start date
Wilderb
Well-Known Member
IMHO
More EWC add some form of kelp meal. My mix is closer to 1/3 ewc.
There are many things you can add to the soil, everyone has their favorites.
What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want a good soil that you use as a base and plan to use bottled nutes?
Or are you aiming to have a grow with no salt based nutes? Organic style?
To me, it makes no sense to set up a soil and then screw up the microbes by dumping all sorts of stuff into it.
But that's just me.
I also don't measure when I build a soil. I rough measure amendments but go by feel mostly.
Check out the Organics section, lots of soil discussion and many, many recipes. Less is often more, lol.
Good luck!
WE
More EWC add some form of kelp meal. My mix is closer to 1/3 ewc.
There are many things you can add to the soil, everyone has their favorites.
What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want a good soil that you use as a base and plan to use bottled nutes?
Or are you aiming to have a grow with no salt based nutes? Organic style?
To me, it makes no sense to set up a soil and then screw up the microbes by dumping all sorts of stuff into it.
But that's just me.
I also don't measure when I build a soil. I rough measure amendments but go by feel mostly.
Check out the Organics section, lots of soil discussion and many, many recipes. Less is often more, lol.
Good luck!
WE
Purpnugz
Well-Known Member
Trying to do a super soil. Or more of a water only method. I do have big bloom for a spike I can use at quarter strength after 3 4 weeks in soil
Wilderb
Well-Known Member
Keep in mind that "super soil" just means good soil. It's built for good water retention, but adequate drainage as well. It has available nutrients and things that WILL turn into nutrients. Like mentioned, lots of info on organic.
The other thing about growing this way is to learn to read your plants. Thinking that adding MORE nutes to the soil will force your plant to take them up is nonsense. Microbes make the nutrients available.
In my opinion, it's much easier to deal with a plant that starts showing some deficiency, than to figure out what is locking out what.
You spent good money on the soil, get the most out of it. Keep it slightly moist and COVER it with a mulch or anything to prevent bugs and limit evaporation. Unfortunately, I always had gnats with FF, so be prepared for that.
My methods are my methods. I started with FFOF and it works. I now spend less on soil and just get some basic amendments.
Much less headache. Water only. Not a clue where my ph pen went.
You can spend all day asking about amendments. Start basic and go from there.
Good Luck!
WE
The other thing about growing this way is to learn to read your plants. Thinking that adding MORE nutes to the soil will force your plant to take them up is nonsense. Microbes make the nutrients available.
In my opinion, it's much easier to deal with a plant that starts showing some deficiency, than to figure out what is locking out what.
You spent good money on the soil, get the most out of it. Keep it slightly moist and COVER it with a mulch or anything to prevent bugs and limit evaporation. Unfortunately, I always had gnats with FF, so be prepared for that.
My methods are my methods. I started with FFOF and it works. I now spend less on soil and just get some basic amendments.
Much less headache. Water only. Not a clue where my ph pen went.
What are the numbers on these things? Be careful about adding too much N right off the bat, you'll burn them.
You can spend all day asking about amendments. Start basic and go from there.
Good Luck!
WE
Purpnugz
Well-Known Member
Purpnugz
Well-Known Member
All dry powder ferts except big bloom and big bud
BudmanTX
Well-Known Member
i have a feeling you might need this to, since your making soil, it will help with NPK selection. I put it up in another thread on here, so here you go:
Here i share this with another person on here, just thought this would help you out when you doing your soil......little help with NPK ratio
here's a list of material for composting etc / with NPK values.
Material Nitrogen Phosphoric acid Potash
Alfalfa hay 2.45 0.5 2.1
Apple fruit 0.05 0.02 0.1
Apple leaves 1 0.15 0.35
Apple pomace 0.2 0.02 0.15
Apple skin (ash) - 3.08 11.74
Banana skin (ash) - 3.25 41.76
Banana stalk (ash) - 2.34 49.4
Barley (grain) 1.75 0.75 0.5
Bat guano 6 9 -
Bean and pod 0.25 0.08 0.3
Beet waste 0.4 0.4 3
Beet waste (root) 0.25 0.1 0.5
Blood meal 15 1.3 0.7
Bone meal 4 21 0.2
Bone (ground and burned) - 34.7 -
Brewer's grains (wet) 0.9 0.5 0.05
Brigham tea (ash) - - 5.94
Cantaloupe rind (ash) - 9.77 12.21
Castor bean pomace 5.5 2.25 1.13
Cattail reed & water lilly 2.02 0.81 3.43
Cattail seed 0.98 0.39 1.71
Chicken manure 1.63 1.54 0.85
Coal ash (anthracite) - 0.125 0.125
Coal ash (bituminous) - 0.45 0.45
Cocoa shell dust 1.04 1.49 2.71
Coffee grounds 2.08 0.32 0.28
Coffee grounds (dried) 1.99 0.36 0.67
Corn (grain) 1.65 0.65 0.4
Corn (green forage) 0.3 0.13 0.33
Corncob (ground, charred) - - 2.01
Corncob (ash) - - 50
Cotton seed 3.15 1.25 1.15
Cottonseed meal 7 2.5 1.5
Cottonseed-hull (ash) - 8.7 23.93
Cotton waste 1.32 0.45 0.36
Cow manure (fresh) 0.29 0.17 0.1
Cowpea, green forage 0.45 0.12 0.45
Cowpes, seed 3.1 1 1.2
Crab (common) 1.95 3.6 0.2
Crab (king, dried and ground) 10 0.25 0.06
Crab (king, fresh) 2.3 - -
Crabgrass 0.66 0.19 0.71
Cucumber skin (ash) - 11.28 27.2
Dog manure (fresh) 1.97 9.95 0.3
Duck manure (fresh) 1.12 1.44 0.49
Egg 2.25 0.4 0.15
Eggshell (burned) - 0.43 0.29
Eggshell 1.19 0.38 0.14
Feather 15.3 - -
Felt hat factory waste 3.8 - 0.98
Field bean (seed) 4 1.2 1.3
Field bean (shell) 1.7 0.3 1.3
Fish scrap (red snapper) 7.76 13 0.38
Fish scrap (fresh) 6.5 3.75 -
Greasewood (ash) - - 12.61
Gluten feed 4.5 - -
Greensand - 1.5 5
Grape leaves 0.45 0.1 0.35
Grapes (fruit) 0.15 0.07 0.3
Grapefruit skin (ash) - 3.58 30.6
Hair 14 - -
Hare and rabbit waste 7 2.4 0.6
Hoof meal and horn dust 12.5 1.75 -
Horse manure (fresh) 0.44 0.17 0.35
Incinerator ash 0.24 5.15 2.33
Jellyfish (dried) 4.6 - -
Leather (acidulated) 7.5 - -
Leather (ground) 11 - -
Leather (ash) - 2.16 0.35
Lemon cull 0.15 0.06 0.26
Lemon skin - 6.3 31
Lobster (refuse) 4.5 3.5 -
Lobster (shell) 4.6 3.52 -
Milk 0.5 0.3 0.18
Mud (fresh water) 1.37 0.26 0.22
Mud (harbour) 0.99 0.77 0.05
Mussel 0.9 0.12 0.13
Mussel mud (dried) 0.72 0.35 -
Molasses residue (brewing) 0.7 - 5.32
Moss 0.6 0.1 0.55
Oak leaf 0.8 0.35 0.15
Oats grain 2 0.8 0.6
Olive pomace 1.15 0.78 1.26
Olive refuse 1.22 0.18 0.32
Orange cull 0.2 0.13 0.21
Orange skin (ash) - 2.9 27
Oyster shell 0.36 10.38 0.09
Paint processing waste 0.02 39.5 -
Pea pod (ash) - 1.79 9
Peach leaf 0.9 0.15 0.6
Peanut (seed & kernel) 3.6 0.7 4.5
Peanut shell 0.8 0.15 0.5
Peanut shell (ash) - 1.23 6.45
Pigeon manure (fresh) 4.19 2.24 1.41
Pig manue (fresh) 0.6 0.41 0.13
Pigweed (rough) 0.6 0.16 -
Pine needle 0.46 0.12 0.03
Potato (tuber) 0.35 0.15 0.5
Potato (leaf and stalk) 0.6 0.15 0.45
Potato skin (ash) - 5.18 27.5
Poudrette 1.46 3.68 0.48
Powderworks waste 2.5 - 17
Prune refuse 0.18 0.7 0.31
Pumpkin (fresh) 0.16 0.07 0.26
Pumpkin seed 0.87 0.5 0.45
Rabbit brush (ash) - - 13.04
Ragweed 0.76 0.26 -
Redtop hay 1.2 0.35 1
Rhubarb stem 0.1 0.04 0.35
Rockweed 1.9 0.25 3.68
Rose (flower) 0.3 0.1 0.4
Salt-marsh hay 1.1 0.25 0.75
Salt mud 0.4 - -
Sardine scrap 7.97 7.11 -
Seawood 1.68 0.75 4.93
Sheep manure (fresh) 0.55 0.31 0.15
Shoddy and felt 8 - -
Shrimp head (dried) 7.82 4.2 -
Shrimp waste 2.87 9.95 -
Silt waste 9.5 - -
Silk mill waste 8.37 1.14 0.12
Silk worm cocoon 9.42 1.82 1.08
Sludge 2 1.9 0.3
Sludge (activated) 5 3.25 0.6
Sludge from sewer beds 0.74 0.33 0.24
Soot from chimney fllue 5.25 1.05 0.35
Starfish 1.8 0.2 0.25
Sunflower seed 2.25 1.25 0.79
Sugar (raw, residue) 1.14 8.33 -
Sweet potato skins (ash) - 3.29 13.89
Sweet potato 0.25 0.1 0.5
Tanbark (ash) - 0.34 3.8
Tanbark ash (spent) - 1.75 2
Tankage 6 5 -
Tea grounds 4.15 0.62 0.4
Tea leaves (ash) - 1.6 0.44
Timothy hay 1.25 0.55 1
Tobacco leaves 4 0.5 6
Tobacco stalk 3.7 0.65 4.5
Tobacco stem 2.5 0.9 7
Tomato fruit 0.2 0.07 0.35
Tomato leaves 0.35 0.1 0.4
Tomato stalk 0.35 0.1 0.5
Wheat, bran 2.65 2.9 1.6
Wheat grain 2 0.85 0.5
Wheat straw 0.5 0.15 0.6
White clover (green) 0.5 0.2 0.3
White sage (ash) - - 13.77
Wood ash (leached) - 1.25 2
Wood ash (unleached) - 1.5 7
Wool waste 5.5 3 2
Manures
source ------------N P K ----------------------comments
Rabbit manure- 2.4 1.4 0.6 Most concentrated of animal manures in fresh form.
Cow manure (dairy)- 0.6 0.2 0.5 Often contains weed seeds, should be hot omposted.
Steer manure- 0.7 0.3 0.4 Often contains weed seeds, should be hot composted if fresh.
Chicken manure- 1.1 0.8 0.5 Fast acting, breaks down quickest of all manures.
Use carefully, may burn. Also, stinks like hell - composting definitely recommended.
Horse manure- 0.7 0.3 0.6 Medium breakdown time.
Duck manure- 0.6 1.4 0.5 .
Sheep manure- 0.7 0.3 0.9 .
Worm castings- 0.5 0.5 0.3 50% organic material plus 11 trace minerals. Great for seedlings, will not burn.
Is a form of compost, so doesn't need composting.
Desert Bat Guano- 8 4 1 Also contains trace elements. Fast-acting, mix in soil or as tea (1 C guano to 5 gal. water).
Cave Bat Guano- 3 10 1 .
Fossilized Seabird Guano- 1 10 1 Slow release over 3 to 12 weeks, best used as an addition to potting mix.
Peruvian Seabird Guano- (pelletized) 12 12 2.5 Legendary fertilizer of the Incas. Use in soil as a long lasting fertilizer, or make into tea (1 tsp pellets to 1 gallon water).
hope it help u
Here i share this with another person on here, just thought this would help you out when you doing your soil......little help with NPK ratio
here's a list of material for composting etc / with NPK values.
Material Nitrogen Phosphoric acid Potash
Alfalfa hay 2.45 0.5 2.1
Apple fruit 0.05 0.02 0.1
Apple leaves 1 0.15 0.35
Apple pomace 0.2 0.02 0.15
Apple skin (ash) - 3.08 11.74
Banana skin (ash) - 3.25 41.76
Banana stalk (ash) - 2.34 49.4
Barley (grain) 1.75 0.75 0.5
Bat guano 6 9 -
Bean and pod 0.25 0.08 0.3
Beet waste 0.4 0.4 3
Beet waste (root) 0.25 0.1 0.5
Blood meal 15 1.3 0.7
Bone meal 4 21 0.2
Bone (ground and burned) - 34.7 -
Brewer's grains (wet) 0.9 0.5 0.05
Brigham tea (ash) - - 5.94
Cantaloupe rind (ash) - 9.77 12.21
Castor bean pomace 5.5 2.25 1.13
Cattail reed & water lilly 2.02 0.81 3.43
Cattail seed 0.98 0.39 1.71
Chicken manure 1.63 1.54 0.85
Coal ash (anthracite) - 0.125 0.125
Coal ash (bituminous) - 0.45 0.45
Cocoa shell dust 1.04 1.49 2.71
Coffee grounds 2.08 0.32 0.28
Coffee grounds (dried) 1.99 0.36 0.67
Corn (grain) 1.65 0.65 0.4
Corn (green forage) 0.3 0.13 0.33
Corncob (ground, charred) - - 2.01
Corncob (ash) - - 50
Cotton seed 3.15 1.25 1.15
Cottonseed meal 7 2.5 1.5
Cottonseed-hull (ash) - 8.7 23.93
Cotton waste 1.32 0.45 0.36
Cow manure (fresh) 0.29 0.17 0.1
Cowpea, green forage 0.45 0.12 0.45
Cowpes, seed 3.1 1 1.2
Crab (common) 1.95 3.6 0.2
Crab (king, dried and ground) 10 0.25 0.06
Crab (king, fresh) 2.3 - -
Crabgrass 0.66 0.19 0.71
Cucumber skin (ash) - 11.28 27.2
Dog manure (fresh) 1.97 9.95 0.3
Duck manure (fresh) 1.12 1.44 0.49
Egg 2.25 0.4 0.15
Eggshell (burned) - 0.43 0.29
Eggshell 1.19 0.38 0.14
Feather 15.3 - -
Felt hat factory waste 3.8 - 0.98
Field bean (seed) 4 1.2 1.3
Field bean (shell) 1.7 0.3 1.3
Fish scrap (red snapper) 7.76 13 0.38
Fish scrap (fresh) 6.5 3.75 -
Greasewood (ash) - - 12.61
Gluten feed 4.5 - -
Greensand - 1.5 5
Grape leaves 0.45 0.1 0.35
Grapes (fruit) 0.15 0.07 0.3
Grapefruit skin (ash) - 3.58 30.6
Hair 14 - -
Hare and rabbit waste 7 2.4 0.6
Hoof meal and horn dust 12.5 1.75 -
Horse manure (fresh) 0.44 0.17 0.35
Incinerator ash 0.24 5.15 2.33
Jellyfish (dried) 4.6 - -
Leather (acidulated) 7.5 - -
Leather (ground) 11 - -
Leather (ash) - 2.16 0.35
Lemon cull 0.15 0.06 0.26
Lemon skin - 6.3 31
Lobster (refuse) 4.5 3.5 -
Lobster (shell) 4.6 3.52 -
Milk 0.5 0.3 0.18
Mud (fresh water) 1.37 0.26 0.22
Mud (harbour) 0.99 0.77 0.05
Mussel 0.9 0.12 0.13
Mussel mud (dried) 0.72 0.35 -
Molasses residue (brewing) 0.7 - 5.32
Moss 0.6 0.1 0.55
Oak leaf 0.8 0.35 0.15
Oats grain 2 0.8 0.6
Olive pomace 1.15 0.78 1.26
Olive refuse 1.22 0.18 0.32
Orange cull 0.2 0.13 0.21
Orange skin (ash) - 2.9 27
Oyster shell 0.36 10.38 0.09
Paint processing waste 0.02 39.5 -
Pea pod (ash) - 1.79 9
Peach leaf 0.9 0.15 0.6
Peanut (seed & kernel) 3.6 0.7 4.5
Peanut shell 0.8 0.15 0.5
Peanut shell (ash) - 1.23 6.45
Pigeon manure (fresh) 4.19 2.24 1.41
Pig manue (fresh) 0.6 0.41 0.13
Pigweed (rough) 0.6 0.16 -
Pine needle 0.46 0.12 0.03
Potato (tuber) 0.35 0.15 0.5
Potato (leaf and stalk) 0.6 0.15 0.45
Potato skin (ash) - 5.18 27.5
Poudrette 1.46 3.68 0.48
Powderworks waste 2.5 - 17
Prune refuse 0.18 0.7 0.31
Pumpkin (fresh) 0.16 0.07 0.26
Pumpkin seed 0.87 0.5 0.45
Rabbit brush (ash) - - 13.04
Ragweed 0.76 0.26 -
Redtop hay 1.2 0.35 1
Rhubarb stem 0.1 0.04 0.35
Rockweed 1.9 0.25 3.68
Rose (flower) 0.3 0.1 0.4
Salt-marsh hay 1.1 0.25 0.75
Salt mud 0.4 - -
Sardine scrap 7.97 7.11 -
Seawood 1.68 0.75 4.93
Sheep manure (fresh) 0.55 0.31 0.15
Shoddy and felt 8 - -
Shrimp head (dried) 7.82 4.2 -
Shrimp waste 2.87 9.95 -
Silt waste 9.5 - -
Silk mill waste 8.37 1.14 0.12
Silk worm cocoon 9.42 1.82 1.08
Sludge 2 1.9 0.3
Sludge (activated) 5 3.25 0.6
Sludge from sewer beds 0.74 0.33 0.24
Soot from chimney fllue 5.25 1.05 0.35
Starfish 1.8 0.2 0.25
Sunflower seed 2.25 1.25 0.79
Sugar (raw, residue) 1.14 8.33 -
Sweet potato skins (ash) - 3.29 13.89
Sweet potato 0.25 0.1 0.5
Tanbark (ash) - 0.34 3.8
Tanbark ash (spent) - 1.75 2
Tankage 6 5 -
Tea grounds 4.15 0.62 0.4
Tea leaves (ash) - 1.6 0.44
Timothy hay 1.25 0.55 1
Tobacco leaves 4 0.5 6
Tobacco stalk 3.7 0.65 4.5
Tobacco stem 2.5 0.9 7
Tomato fruit 0.2 0.07 0.35
Tomato leaves 0.35 0.1 0.4
Tomato stalk 0.35 0.1 0.5
Wheat, bran 2.65 2.9 1.6
Wheat grain 2 0.85 0.5
Wheat straw 0.5 0.15 0.6
White clover (green) 0.5 0.2 0.3
White sage (ash) - - 13.77
Wood ash (leached) - 1.25 2
Wood ash (unleached) - 1.5 7
Wool waste 5.5 3 2
Manures
source ------------N P K ----------------------comments
Rabbit manure- 2.4 1.4 0.6 Most concentrated of animal manures in fresh form.
Cow manure (dairy)- 0.6 0.2 0.5 Often contains weed seeds, should be hot omposted.
Steer manure- 0.7 0.3 0.4 Often contains weed seeds, should be hot composted if fresh.
Chicken manure- 1.1 0.8 0.5 Fast acting, breaks down quickest of all manures.
Use carefully, may burn. Also, stinks like hell - composting definitely recommended.
Horse manure- 0.7 0.3 0.6 Medium breakdown time.
Duck manure- 0.6 1.4 0.5 .
Sheep manure- 0.7 0.3 0.9 .
Worm castings- 0.5 0.5 0.3 50% organic material plus 11 trace minerals. Great for seedlings, will not burn.
Is a form of compost, so doesn't need composting.
Desert Bat Guano- 8 4 1 Also contains trace elements. Fast-acting, mix in soil or as tea (1 C guano to 5 gal. water).
Cave Bat Guano- 3 10 1 .
Fossilized Seabird Guano- 1 10 1 Slow release over 3 to 12 weeks, best used as an addition to potting mix.
Peruvian Seabird Guano- (pelletized) 12 12 2.5 Legendary fertilizer of the Incas. Use in soil as a long lasting fertilizer, or make into tea (1 tsp pellets to 1 gallon water).
hope it help u
Jimmyjonestoo
Well-Known Member
Why are they sitting on hydroton? And why is it on top of the soil? No need for all that. I doubt they are ready for transplant as they are still pretty small. Lowering your lights a bit will help reduce that stretch.
Purpnugz
Well-Known Member
I had them in rapid rooters on top of hydroton when I started then moved to cups when rooted. Yea Ima remove them.