Organic Forum Discussion

[wg]

Would a base be something like ProMix? That Plant Tone product you recommended to me, how would that work with this guy here..

Great for planting annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, hanging baskets & raised beds
Complete & ready to use—no mixing
All natural with added fertilizers: alfalfa meal, bat guano, poultry manure & kelp meal

$4.39 a bag at Lowe's...

It's ingredients, minus the oyster shells are the same as FoxFarms.. would this be an acceptable TLO base? It has no lime in it either. What about adding perlite and vermiculite to a TLO mix, any use for these? I have an abundance of them, 2 4.8CU ft bags.. I have access to mushroom compost, worm castings.. maybe guanos.. but I don't think so. Guanos appear to be rather expensive, are they worth the cost?

 

[The Dude]

No I dont.Everything ( i live very rural)is mail order shy of an emergency buy for an orgainc'ish repellent.which I often have Mantis n lady bugs any who so.But I'd like to be able to fill4 % gallon smart pots atleast two times over,or maybe a 240 lbs. compost mix with awesome drainage.For me drainage is key since the Clay soils some pot will be sitting on hold water so I need it to run off not trickle out,.Ill add perlite anywho.I always do.well often anywho.or even a non compost mix.Not feeling the breakdown heat stransfer to the roots.

 

[The Dude]

I cant see that pic.I have sunshine mix and I have used that as a base mix with topsoil and seedling mix two small bags n five or six cups of perlite.and dolomic hydrated lime as well.But my knowledge has been sitting on the back burner for yrs.So these new mixes Im a bit cliueless kinda about.

 

[X]

Would a base be something like ProMix? That Plant Tone product you recommended to me, how would that work with this guy here..

An equal amount of Pro-mix mixed with Mushroom compost would be a good start, IMO. I have tried to research the Kellogg's product you asked about and there is not any detailed nute level info, even on their website. But, if it were me, I would prefer to start with that in the place of the Promix.

But I'd like to be able to fill4 % gallon smart pots atleast two times over,or maybe a 240 lbs. compost mix with awesome drainage.For me drainage is key since the Clay soils some pot will be sitting on hold water so I need it to run off not trickle out,.Ill add perlite anywho.I always do.well often anywho.or even a non compost mix.Not feeling the breakdown heat stransfer to the roots.

Brother, I apologize, but I have no idea what you're telling me here.

 

[wg]

Sounds good, what about the abundance of perlite and vermiculite?

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I requested a composition sheet.

 

[wg]

Here ya go tx,

Unfortunately we can't share our ingredients percentages because that essentially amounts to giving away our product formulations. However, the ingredients on the bag are listed in order from highest percentage to lowest percentage (similar to the way ingredients are listed on food products). They are: Composted forest products, composted Rice hulls, composted poultry manure, perlite, peat moss, hydrolyzed feather meal, dehydrated poultry manure, dolomite lime, oyster shell lime, bat guano, kelp meal, worm casting, and iron sulfate.

Great customer service, IMO. I'm thinking more worm castings, any guano if I can get it, blood and bone meal, shouldn't need lime because lime AND oyster shells are listed pretty high on the list.

 

[X]

Here ya go tx,

Before I forget, I have been told bone meal is not organic... why? how? I don't know.

That really does look pretty good. Too bad they don't tell us which kind of bat guano... the different ones are higher in different nutes. But, neither does , I don't think.

What I would add to 1) 1.5 cu ft bag of Patio Plus for a basic TLO mix:

1.5 cu ft bag (or similar size) Mushroom compost

1 cup Greensand (Espoma... carried in box stores.)

1 cup Epsom salts (Drug store... do not buy the expensive stuff sold in a pretty bag with a plant on it... )

1 cup rock phosphate (may be harder to find, Espoma sells it but not all box stores carry it)

1 cup kelp or alfalfa.

That should come out to around 20 gals of mix for $50, and you will have enough amendments left over to last a bunch of grows, as you're recycling you mix.

This is an hot mix. It will have to cook/rest for 30 days+. I started out with a 30 gal garbage can for a composter and a basic mix similar to this. Over time I have added, and continue to add different amendments. $10-$20 at a time, as I learn new things. I seriously have no idea how many amendments I use now. I have two milk crates, with about 20 bags and canisters of stuff, and I throw a little bit of everything back in before I re-compost it.

NOTE: DIRT or LEVER, if I've overlooked something in this little recipe, please speak up... I am entirely capable of forgetting an important amendment, though I don't think I've overlooked anything critical.

 

[The Dude]

Sounds awesome man.I was lead to believe Azomite is a great additive...? Much of these things I never knew about back when I grew.I see it has something like 20+ trace elements that are fantastic.I was thinking of getting Advanced nutes additive Turantuala and/or Parhana too.Nice cultures for your soil(s).whatcha think?worth the buy bro??than k you for the help brother!!

 

[X]

I was lead to believe Azomite is a great additive...

It is... throw in a cup full if you have some.

Turantuala and/or Parhana too.Nice cultures for your soil(s).whatcha think?worth the buy bro??

I use some similar products to broaden my microbe spectrum. The way I use mine is: After I have finished making my mix, and have put it in the composter, I will add the similar stuff I use when I moisten the new mix in the composter... about a gallon or whatever it takes to get it very moist a few inches deep, then let it sit. After awhile, if it gets dry more than a couple inches deep, I re-moisten just enough to relieve the dryness. This gives the microbes you've added some time to do their business before a plant comes along.

 

[cres]

Any one else have a hard time finding oystershells? everywhere I go they only have "calcium chips" they say the oyster shells but I am not so sure...