# I need some help with soil mix



## maryjanenewbie (Aug 7, 2009)

I have 6 cu ft of Scott's super soil. 
2 cu ft of chicken manure
4 cu ft of perlite
5 cu ft of vermiculite
5 lbs blood meal
10 lbs bone meal
50 lb bag of dolomite 

can someone suggest a mix with these components. I looked for worm casings but couldn't find any in my area. I want to try to keep the cost down a little. I'm in Inland Empire-San Bern-Riverside (Southern Calif). What other fert and when in the grow cycle should it be used. There is so much info. I just want something as simple as possible with the least chance of over fert.


----------



## reefin (Aug 7, 2009)

Ebay sells worm castings cheap. Fresh chicken manure is really "hot" so be gentle with it, a little goes along way. High P bat guano come flowering time will do your ladies justice. Look into mycor root builder and maybe some azomite as well. I have heard good things about both. Azomite might spike pH but the dolomite should level it out. Kelp might give you a boost of trace minerals and a tad of npk as well.


----------



## dirtyolsouth (Aug 7, 2009)

Hi Maryjane newb!

You have many of the same ingredients as Subcool's soil mix so maybe you can use his thread as a guideline.  It does make a very strong or 'hot' mix and he recommends not putting seedlings or very small clones in the soil.  He has learned to grow with organics in a way that has mind blowing results.  I switched to his soil mix for my current grow and the best part is all of my nutes have stayed on the shelf!    All you give them is water each feeding.  Here is a link to his thread on MP as well as a thread at Sub's home base, Breedbay.  

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26412

hXXp://www.breedbay.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1131

Even if you don't use his exact recipe it's a good read and it might give you some ideas about your soil mix ingredient proportions.  Since you have lots of organic amendments for your soil you might consider 'cooking' your soil in a container to break it down into a more readily available form for your plant to use.  I can't blame you for not wanting to ship worm castings.  They are very heavy and that would drive up the cost a lot but we're talking So Cal and they can't be too hard to find in the inland empire...  are you anywhere near San Bernadino?  Here's a hydro/indoor gardening store that would have more mj specific gear and organic amendments.  I'm sure they have worm castings.

hXXp://www.greenmilehydro.com/
1480 South E St. #D, San Bernardino, CA 92408
(909) 885-5919

If you do want to use Sub's mix, all of the other ingredients like bat guano can be found pretty easily at hydro shops and I've seen azomite on ebay and elsewhere on the internet and these are small quantities that are easily shipped.  He doesn't include added perlite because the Roots soil has that but you could go with about a 4:1 or 5:1 ratio depending how much you like to water your soil.  The more perlite that you use the better it's going to drain and the faster it will dry out too.  I'd suggest searching for other forum posts from chicken manure users...  Google:  'chicken manure marijuana' and you'll find an application rate.  I've heard it's very high in Nitrogen so you may not want to use much of it for a flowering mix and might be better if used in a veg mix.  It does need to be composted or cooked to break it down into a usable form for your plants.

The ingredients you list are for a very fertile organic soil.  If you mix up a hot soil you won't need bottled nutrients other than maybe some Botanicare Sweet or molasses to feed your soil microorganisms and some Liquid Karma or similar humic and fulvic acid supplement.  You simply water the whole bloom cycle with only one or two applications with Sweet and Liquid Karma or similar ingredients.  

There are other Subcool Super Soil forum posts all over the web and here is the latest tweak to his recipe as of about a month ago when he last visited Breedbay:

Subcool Super Soil

-> Full Batch (12 cubic feet)

8- Large bags (1.5 cubic ft. ea) High quality Organic soil with Mycorrhizae 
(i.e. Roots Organic)

25 pounds of Organic Worm castings
5 lbs. Steamed Bone meal
5 lbs. Bloom Bat Guano (Fruit Bat &#8211; High P)
5 lbs. Blood meal
3 lbs. Rock Phoshates
¾ cup Epson salts
1 cup Sweet Lime (Powdered Dolomite)
1 Cup Azomite (Trace Elements)
2- TBS Powdered Humic Acid

Mix up the ingredients with the soil thoroughly and place in a large plastic bin or garbage can and let it 'cook' in the sun for 30+ days for the organics to activate and for the dolomite to break down and stabilize ph.  

Run off on this mix after a 4 week 'cooking' with 7.0 ph water is 6.3

I'm pretty amazed at how things look so early into flower and all I've given them is water.  Here are a some pics of trichs already forming 3 weeks since 12/12 on Poison Afghan and White Widow...

Happy Growing!


----------



## Super Silver Haze (Aug 28, 2009)

DOS, 3 wks 12/12.   WOW!

ive been procrastinating on mixing up SubCools soil but i guess im going to mix it up and let cook.

is this mix too hot for seeds and clones, if so i can top of my buckets w/FFOF soil.


mutt, i cant get jersey GREENSAND either but id like to find a good substitute.  i have plenty of good 'ole florida sand available but im not nearly experienced enough to do any experimenting.


----------



## Mutt (Aug 28, 2009)

You need to find some more K... (Which subcools is light on as well)
Always a PITA for me to obtain as well. Greensand, K-mag, etc.


> with Mycorrhizae


Espoma bio-start will get that for ya 

Will send this link to a organic nut see what ideas he has.


----------



## dirtyolsouth (Aug 28, 2009)

Mutt said:
			
		

> You need to find some more K... (Which subcools is light on as well)
> Always a PITA for me to obtain as well. Greensand, K-mag, etc.
> 
> Espoma bio-start will get that for ya
> ...



Hi Mutt,

The K-mag sounds like a great product for a soil mix.  Have you used it before and if so what rate do you add it to your soil?  I'm going to see if my local garden store can order some for me as I only see it online in 50 lb. bags and the shipping is going to get pretty ugly...   I do have some Metanaturals Meta-K if issues arise.  

Thanks!


----------



## Mutt (Aug 28, 2009)

They don't offer it around here and i am not paying the S&H for a 50lb bag LOL
.
Espoma sells greensand in smaller bags at local nurseries it has some K. So does there Bio-Tone which has the mycro in it. I use both I hope it'll cover me K wise. N and P from the looks of it you got covered.
I got a 5lb bag of the muriate of potash i think its called...but its 0-0-60 and i'm a wee bit scared to use  but will bust it out if need be.


----------



## dirtyolsouth (Aug 31, 2009)

Thanks Mutt...   

I appreciate the input.  I'm right now in my 4th week since flowers showed and no issues but I'll check into Green sand and the Bio Tone to add to my mix for the next grow if I can't get some K-mag without it killing the budget...

Peace!


----------



## Mutt (Aug 31, 2009)

Go light on the chicken compost and blood meal  Gonna have a ton of N from 3 sources. I'd reconsider using it. With the blood meal. but thats me. You can always top dress later on....


----------



## Super Silver Haze (Sep 3, 2009)

i saw this on another forum and thought id post it here.

Plant Success Granular
"A Strong Bond Between Roots and Soil "
More Products By Plant Success

Price:$19.50 

Product Description
Tricoderma and endo- and ectomycorrhizal fungi spores are the special ingredients in all-natural Plant Success Granular. These beneficial fungi are combined with kelp meal, humus, vitamins and amino acids to encourage spore germination. Plant Success Granular improves soil structure, enhances root development and assists with nutrient and water uptake and retention. The result is stronger, healthier plants and increased overall yields. Use Plant Success Granular at a rate of five pounds to one cubic yard of soil for best results.


hXXp://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?t=prod&sku=psg450&AC=1


----------



## maryjanenewbie (Sep 5, 2009)

the ph level in my mix was way too high 8.6. what can i add to bring that down to useable levels?


----------



## maryjanenewbie (Sep 5, 2009)

9i just said screw it and ended up using FFO. it waqs $18 for 1.5 cu ft. and I  didnt have to mess with any mixing or cooking. just pour out of thre bag and done


----------



## Mutt (Sep 5, 2009)

maryjanenewbie said:
			
		

> the ph level in my mix was way too high 8.6. what can i add to bring that down to useable levels?



How are you checking you PH?
Be honest Maryj organic soil mix PH within the soil swings crazy. PH going in is important but within the medium alot of things are going on as well as its own root protection from PH swings. This type of growing you have to toss out a lot of what you have been taught.
I would recommend trying it out on some bagseed see what happens.
Don't even atempt to monitor run off PH in organic soil mixes...its swings up and down during the growth.
I always put in fast acting lime with regular lime. cut 50/50 lime acts as a PH buffer.


----------



## maryjanenewbie (Sep 5, 2009)

I just bought a new Hanna tester. I measure soil in a clean shotglass with water and soil about 75% soil and 25% water


----------

