Old Reviews Let's talk Organic Soil.

[Mr Piggy]

Hey y'all, Pig here. I haven't been able to find a dedicated organic soil mix thread so I thought I'd start one. This thread is for everyone to share their own soil mixes or organic soil experience, all you haters can smoke our bowls:smoke: I've been experimenting with organic soil mixes since I started growing pot three years ago and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. This current batch I just mixed is for my upcoming photo run, so it's sure to be too hot for autos. I'll be running my white widow cut in it, possibly hindu kush and blue dream if things work out soon. I have a DR60 II with four square feet of floor space so I mixed up a small batch. Here we go.

Step one, safety gear. Always wear a respirator mask when mixing soil mixes. Perlite is toxic and can cause silicosis of the lungs.


Step two, Ingredients:

1 1.5cf bag of Ocean Forest potting soil as a base
8 Cups Earth worm castings for micro nutes and humic matter
2 Gallons perlite for aeration
1 Cup Powdered (not pelleted) dolomite lime for ph and cal/mag
1/2 cup Jobe's Organic Tomato mix (2-7-4) with broad spectrum microbes.
1/2 cup kelp meal for micro nutes, growth hormones and potassium.
1/8 cup Indonesian bat guano .5-12-.2
1/4 cup mexican bat guano 10-2-1
1/4 of a mosquito dunk crumbled into the mix


I start by dumping the bag of potting mix into a Rubbermaid tote and measuring all the ingredients out, pouring each over the surface of the mix.


Step three, MIX IT!
Get in there with your hands and mix everything up past the point of redundant. I spray the surface down with a water bottle first, just enough that powder doesn't fly everywhere. Make sure not to turn everything to paste. I then mix the soil up by hand, making sure to get down in all the corners and through the entire bottom. When all the perlite is evenly distributed through the mix everything else should be as well.


Step four, wait:
Seriously, wait two weeks at the very least to let the soil mix break down. I leave the lid to the container askew so it can breathe.


I should mention this mix is for MATURE PLANTS ONLY. Putting fresh clones or seedlings in this mix would kill them. I'm sure people will chime in with their own mixes, seedling and base mixes included.

That's all for now, good luck and stay safe

 

[BK1988]

Piggy,

Nice post good information. I did not know that perlite was toxic i will be sure to toss on a mask the next time i mix up a batch of soil.

BK

 

[Mr Piggy]

It's important, the damage caused in silicosis is irreversible. It's something that glass blowers and ceramicist suffer from, total life ender. You're not in too much danger just mixing up a batch every now and then, but the last time i mixed a bunch without a mask I regretted it for the next week.

 

[pher]

Gota love a good organic soil mix! great write up MrPiggy. think i will use a similar mix for my fruity chronic juice and mango photo strains

 

[Torched]

If you are using powdered mycorrhizae or compost you also risk breathing in bad fungi; that can mess you up as well. If you can't find a mask a damp tee shirt over the mouth offers some protection.

 

[Mr Piggy]

Only if you're using shitty compost and store it incorrectly. Myco isn't bad for you in any way and breathing in a little isn't going to do damage. Shit's so expensive I wouldn't spill a drop anyway. It's not black mold, not all fungus is bad for you. I also don't see the risk in the compost. I'm afraid i have to disagree with you torch.

 

[npd]

I wouldnt expect a pig to be worried about a little compost? Have you ever heard the saying "Happier than a pig in S***"? Sorry Piggy, I just had to throw some of your humor back at you. Great advise.

 

[Mr Piggy]

.....I think you misread that? I'm not worried about compost, I've got stacks out back! (and shit, I got two cubic meters last year)

 

[npd]

Piggy, This is a great thread and I have learned a ton from all your other threads. This forum is the best because of growers like yourself. I just couldnt resist the joke. Your sense of humor shows itself all of the time so I was pretty sure there would be no offence taken on your part. Thanks again for all of the advise that you are so willing to part with.

 

[Torched]

When it comes to compost here is an example although rare it does happen.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ea...warned-over-Legionnaires-risk-in-compost.html

Many medical patients who are immunio compromised will be more susceptible to fungal infections off all sorts. Those fungi will take any route they are allowed, lungs, cuts, mucous membranes. Just because the majority of the fungi in compost is non hazardous does not mean there is no black mold, aspergilus or any other variety of detrimental mold. Waring a mask seems a rather small precaution to take to prevent the possibilty. Truthfully I would guess these are as likely as silicosis with the small amounts of perilite most will use.