Thoughts on recipe.

[waffles_og]

I have 0 experience growing anything. I fell down a rabithole reading about microorganisms. Thoughts on what I think would be a good recipe for soil?

Bases:
1/3 66% Canna Coco 33% Peat Moss
1/3 66% Worm Castings 33% Compost
1/3 66% Pumice 33% Rice Hulls

Additives: Bio Char, Alfalfa Meal, Sea 90, Kelp Meal, Bat Guano, Bird Guano, Insect Frass, Neem Seed Meal, Oyster Shell Meal, Shrimp Meal

Or is it obvious I know nothing?

 

[Anniekay]

If you have 0 experience it's best to go with bagged garden soil that you can top dress with compost as the season goes on to keep your plants fed.

Pumice and coco coir are not necessary at all, and peat moss is used less often now as folks have learned that it isn't as useful as once thought due to the fact that it is very acidic, adds little nutrition to the soil and once it dries out it absorhs water very slowly.

 

[big rockpile]

As a Potting Soil I mix one part Peat Moss, one part Course Perlite, one part Top Soil, 1/4 part Worm Castings and two parts Compost.

I like using Rainbow Pro Mix Grow Fertilizer, Lime and Wood Ash.

In my regular Garden I plant Winter Wheat as a Cover Crop, put Compost on it and Wood Ash before working up. Put Worm Castings around my Tomatoes.

All this works for me Microbs are very important but are very sensitive. Read and reread everything. Like everyone was saying Peroxide, I read yes it's good for the plants but read more it will kill Microbs.

big rockpile

 

[nvidura]

Your soil recipe actually shows you're on the right track, especially since you're already considering a good balance of organic material, aeration, and nutrients, which are key for healthy soil and microorganisms.

Base mixture:

• The combination of Canna Coco, Peat Moss, Worm Castings, Compost, Pumice, and Rice Hulls creates a great foundation. The coco coir and peat moss retain moisture but allow for aeration, while the worm castings and compost enrich the soil with nutrients and beneficial microbes. Pumice and rice hulls ensure proper drainage and aeration, which is essential for root health.

Additives:

• Bio Char: Improves soil structure and provides a habitat for microorganisms.
• Alfalfa Meal: A great source of nitrogen, ideal for feeding soil organisms.
• Sea 90 (sea minerals): Replenishes trace minerals, essential for both plants and microorganisms.
• Kelp Meal: Adds micronutrients and helps with overall plant resilience.
• Bat and Bird Guano: Excellent for nitrogen and phosphorus, though you might not need both.
• Insect Frass: Great for promoting plant immune responses and contains nutrients.
• Neem Seed Meal: Acts as both a slow-release fertilizer and pest repellent.
• Oyster Shell Meal: Supplies calcium and raises pH in acidic soils.
• Shrimp Meal: High in chitin, which can enhance plant immunity.

It's actually quite a thoughtful mix! If anything, you may want to adjust based on the specific plants you're growing and ensure the pH remains balanced, as some additives can increase soil alkalinity. But overall, this is a solid foundation for nurturing soil life!

 

[big rockpile]

Well just finished 4 plants. I did give them some Black Strap Molasses about once a month while Bloom.

Actually I don't check PH and I see where you're coming from. Plus the additives all this I've not did. All seems ok so I'm just going.

I'm growing several potted plants,Raised Beds and regular Garden, Marijuana, I can only grow 6 at a time.

big rockpile

 

[big rockpile]

I started being interested in Squre Foot Gardening. I looked at the soil mix.

After reading I'm thinking nope.

big rockpile

 

[redback]

The additives in this topic are worth noting. However, making your own potting mix is going to be expensive and time consuming compared to just buying a good organic potting soil.

You're an urban farmer I think because making soil is not necessary in the country. We start with soil (clay, sand or loam) and add to it to improve aeration, organic matter, water retention, drainage, minerals, soil life etc.

If microorganisms confounded you, so too for the majority of us. Bacteria, fungi, enzymes, protozoa, parasites, genes, mitochondria and peptides are new additions to most of our vocabs. There is a thread under this topic called inoculants that discusses that topic further.