# Soil recipe



## BagSeed (Jun 2, 2008)

Does anyone have a list of some mixes of soil that i can make from pearlite, worm castings, potting soil (cheap potting soil) and peat moss? For example, 1/3 peat, 1/3 worm castings, 1/3 pearlite.... I searched and found nothing on here.... Thanks in advance!!!


----------



## Growdude (Jun 2, 2008)

Well you dont want so much peat.

This is what I did back in the ""days of dirt"

2 part bagged topsoil, not potting soil
1 part bagged manure, horse
1 part peat moss
1 tsp Dolomite lime per gallon of dirt mixture
Perllite thruout

I would mix enough perlite so that the soil would pack in my fist but break apart with a single poke with my finger.

This mix is somewhat hot and I really never neaded alot of nutes thruout the entire grow.


----------



## BagSeed (Jun 2, 2008)

I tried a mix of 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 pearlite, and 1/3 worm castings and it didn't drain hardly at all and it felt kinda muddy... Im guessing this is a bad mix? If so which of these ingredients caused the low drainage? I added more pearlite and it didn't help much....


----------



## BagSeed (Jun 2, 2008)

Does anyone know anything that helps loosten up clay? My soil has a lot of clay and it doesn't drain well... Its kinda like putting your soil in a bucket with no holes, even if your soil drains, what it is in doesn't... I have about a 2 cubic foot hole, is this enough to overcome this problem?


----------



## Hick (Jun 3, 2008)

BagSeed said:
			
		

> Does anyone know anything that helps loosten up clay? My soil has a lot of clay and it doesn't drain well... Its kinda like putting your soil in a bucket with no holes, even if your soil drains, what it is in doesn't... I have about a 2 cubic foot hole, is this enough to overcome this problem?


"

"2 cubic foot hole".. is that meant to be 2'x2'x2'? (6cu/ft). THAT will grow a decent plant. 2 cubic foot is rather 'small' IMO, for outdoors. Roots will penetrate the hard pack clay, but it will restrict growth. 
  The larger the hole is that you dig, with proper amendmants, the better your plant will do. Nothing that you put in the dug hole, is going to loosen the clay outside of the hole. You need to dig it up and amend it. 
  I relize their are folks here with disabilities, or limits on the physical labor that they can perform. But IMO, if you're too lazy to dig a hole, you're probably too lazy to grow pot guerilla style.
NO OFFENSE intended..


----------



## gagjababy (Jun 3, 2008)

I use1 pt perlite, 1pt peat moss, 1pt mushroom compost. I add 1 tablespoon of dolomite lime per gallon of mix. My mix drains real well, bagseed, I don't know what you're doing wrong...


----------



## BagSeed (Jun 3, 2008)

Hick said:
			
		

> "
> But IMO, if you're too lazy to dig a hole, you're probably too lazy to grow pot guerilla style.
> NO OFFENSE intended..


I would have liked to dig a bigger hole but the ground was so hard i couldnt go any deeper and it was almost 100 degrees outside. I was in pants and long sleeves cause of poison ivy patches i have to go through.... I will make my next one bigger if there is another one.... Im not really looking for massive 10 foot plants, just a decent first time grow... How big should my holes be btw? And when i said 2cf i was just guessing cause my 50lb bag said it filled 2cf and i used a 40lb bag with pearlite, peat moss, and worm castings added in.... I have the same ammount of soil left as filled that one but if i decide to dig a huge hole i can get another 40 lb bag....


----------



## Hick (Jun 3, 2008)

BagSeed said:
			
		

> I would have liked to dig a bigger hole but the ground was so hard i couldnt go any deeper and it was almost 100 degrees outside. I was in pants and long sleeves cause of poison ivy patches i have to go through.... I will make my next one bigger if there is another one.... Im not really looking for massive 10 foot plants, just a decent first time grow... How big should my holes be btw? And when i said 2cf i was just guessing cause my 50lb bag said it filled 2cf and i used a 40lb bag with pearlite, peat moss, and worm castings added in.... I have the same ammount of soil left as filled that one but if i decide to dig a huge hole i can get another 40 lb bag....



 I understand that it is back breaking labor in hardpack or rocky soil. And I'm not just 'bustin' yer balls'.   If I'm going into such territory, I make sure I'm packing a _sharp_ shovel. Use a bastard file or fine grindstone to touch up the cutting edge. You'll be surprised how much a sharp tool increases efficiency.
   I'm a firm believer that you can't produce a good yeild or a good plant in a thimble. By digging bigger holes, you eliminate or at least reduce the ability of other native growth, competeing for root space, nutrients, light, ect. AND you provide better conditions for your plant. 
Even in poor soil, I seldom have totally replaced the soil. I will ammend the native soil with humus, peat, compost, castings, lime, ect. Mix it well and plant. Next year, I will use the same hole, and ammend again, the following year again. In some cases, enlarging the spot each time, too.


----------



## trillions of atoms (Jun 3, 2008)

Hick said:
			
		

> "
> 
> "2 cubic foot hole".. is that meant to be 2'x2'x2'? (6cu/ft). THAT will grow a decent plant. 2 cubic foot is rather 'small' IMO, for outdoors. Roots will penetrate the hard pack clay, but it will restrict growth.
> The larger the hole is that you dig, with proper amendmants, the better your plant will do. Nothing that you put in the dug hole, is going to loosen the clay outside of the hole. You need to dig it up and amend it.
> ...



agreed!


----------



## BagSeed (Jun 3, 2008)

Ok well i will try to go out tomorrow or the next day and maybe dig another hole that is a little larger... I will bring a file with me to sharpen the shovel and a hand held fork like thing (idk what its called) with me to loosten up the dirt before i shovel it out.... Thanks for the advise Hick!!!!


----------



## trillions of atoms (Jun 3, 2008)

yes, he is the outdoor man round ere' fer sure... ive grown beautiful od plants for years before cheep digital cams became "today". back then to get film developed secretly  and to get prints you had to smoke bud with the guy in yer class that worked in the "photo shops", but hicks recent works have inspired the guerilla in me more than ever. i hope one day i can be in the position to share beautiful spreads of plants... but not today give me some time!

thanks agian hick for everything youve ever given me in all these years, its more than you will ever understand.


----------



## Tater (Jun 6, 2008)

Sorry to hijack the thread but I wanted to ask hick a question.  If you were growing in forested bluffs populated mostly with poplar and willows with nice black soil what would you add to it to amend it.  I want to keep what I'm packing in to a minimum and you look like a guy in the know =D


----------



## Hick (Jun 7, 2008)

Tater said:
			
		

> Sorry to hijack the thread but I wanted to ask hick a question.  If you were growing in forested bluffs populated mostly with poplar and willows with nice black soil what would you add to it to amend it.  I want to keep what I'm packing in to a minimum and you look like a guy in the know =D


#1 would be dolomite lime  (ph buffer and mg supply)
Rich black loam can sometines have a drainage problem. perlite or vermiculite will help.
A quality compost, mushroom, manure, ect. never hurts. And will condition and improve your soil year after year. Or a good potting soil, mixed with th native soil. 
  I've even went so far as to 'pre-mix' a batch of ammendmants at home, rebag it and haul it in. That way, I only have to worry about transporting one bag at a time and it's ready to go.
Rather than a bag of compost, a bag of lime, a bag of perlite, ect.


----------



## Tater (Jun 7, 2008)

Yeah thats what I was planning on doing, I have commercial grade garbage bags from work, they are tough as nails.  I'm going to go hunting tonight, I have it narrowed down, but I'm going to go get the soil ready tonight, then plant the next day.  I got a rainy week comming up with intense sun so should be a good time to plant.  Thanks for the help.


----------



## bznuts (Jun 8, 2008)

i like to mix mg soil with chicken shyt and coco coir.


----------

