Does Anyone Just Use Peat Moss to Grow In?

I’d recommend using small-grade pumice over perlite. It doesn’t float to the top and is less likely to become airborne and get in your lungs when mixing, or to irritate your skin.
 
MAGpie81 said:
I’d recommend using small-grade pumice over perlite. It doesn’t float to the top and is less likely to become airborne and get in your lungs when mixing, or to irritate your skin.
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I wish I could use pumice but it's so expensive, at least here in the north east. I've noticed that perlite will only float to the top in the first couple inches of soil, the lower you go the less that become an issue. I always wear a half face respirator when mixing dry perlite or soil and do it outside.
 
i believe promix is peat, perilite, vermiculite, and dolomite lime. ive been using promix for about 8 years now i personally would not recommend growing in just peat, peat is very acidic and needs to be buffered using dolomite lime. even using pro-mix after a while all the dolomite will be used up and as the peat breaks down it will become more acidic you'll end up having to add a tbs/per 5 gallons of medium of dolomite sprinkled on top when you water to help adjust the mediums ph back up. the ideal ph for growing in peat is around 5.9-6.1. buy yourself a soil ph pen if your going to go this route anywho good luck man
 
xox said:
i believe promix is peat, perilite, vermiculite, and dolomite lime. ive been using promix for about 8 years now i personally would not recommend growing in just peat, peat is very acidic and needs to be buffered using dolomite lime. even using pro-mix after a while all the dolomite will be used up and as the peat breaks down it will become more acidic you'll end up having to add a tbs/per 5 gallons of medium of dolomite sprinkled on top when you water to help adjust the mediums ph back up. the ideal ph for growing in peat is around 5.9-6.1. buy yourself a soil ph pen if your going to go this route anywho good luck man
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I understand peat moss needs to be buffered. I use oyster shell flour. I was wondering if anyone added dry amendments to peat but left out organic materials such as ewc or compost and run the grow by just adding water. I think this would be considered soilless and wanted to know how this would differ.
 
The3rdMan said:
the nutrients in Peat Moss are not too high and I can add whatever dry amendments I need without having possible toxicity issues. Therefore, I wondered if it was feasible to do an organic grow in Peat (just add water) without compost or EWC.

If it is necessary to blend some EWC (organic material) with the Peat to have an organic grow, would incorporating 20% organic material into the Peat be sufficient? I cannot use the compost from my nursery since it is too high in nutes.
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I think you are not fully clear on peat moss. Peat has virtually no nutritional value. Your plants will die shortly after the first few weeks with only water and peat, you have to add something. Everyone that grows organic grows in soil, and growing in a medium that has no nutritional value is known as hydroponics, hence my suggestion to use hydroponic nutes. If you want to try and find a dry hydroponic nutritional additive you are a pioneer and need to experiment, please keep us filled in with what you find I would love to follow along and learn. There are dry hydroponic nutes, but generally they are added after mixed with water first and ph balanced.
 
Hook Daddy said:
I think you are not fully clear on peat moss. Peat has virtually no nutritional value. Your plants will die shortly after the first few weeks with only water and peat, you have to add something. Everyone that grows organic grows in soil, and growing in a medium that has no nutritional value is known as hydroponics, hence my suggestion to use hydroponic nutes. If you want to try and find a dry hydroponic nutritional additive you are a pioneer and need to experiment, please keep us filled in with what you find I would love to follow along and learn. There are dry hydroponic nutes, but generally they are added after mixed with water first and ph balanced.
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Thank you for responding but I don‘t think you are reading this entire discussion.. I know peat moss has little nutrition and that amendments need to be added. I have mentioned that a couple of times. I know some grow in peat moss using synthetics. I wanted to know if others have added their lime and dry amendments to the peat moss and treat it as a water only grow. Most responses don‘t seem to factoring in this additional information I am providing.
 
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3/4 promix hp + 1/4 perlite + Advanced MGB (max out at 12mL). Monitored rh/temp way more than I should have but never a problem. Watered with no runoff through the entire grow. No pH testing, no ppm testing or any of that and it was fine. Would never go back to anything else. Was night and day diff from trying to manage soil.
 
myke said:
So get yourself some dry fertilizer like gaia green or dr earth.Compost, worm castings mix it up and off ya go.
Peat is usually 35-55% of the final mix.
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Dr earth is good shit! I just mix it with miracle gro performance organic (the black bag, not the best soil but it's cheap af) and their kelp meal. Literally all I have to do is water, once a week I'll do some compost tea and mollases.
 
skitime said:
3/4 promix hp + 1/4 perlite + Advanced MGB (max out at 12mL). Monitored rh/temp way more than I should have but never a problem. Watered with no runoff through the entire grow. No pH testing, no ppm testing or any of that and it was fine. Would never go back to anything else. Was night and day diff from trying to manage soil.
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What is Advanced MGB? Was this an organic water only grow?
 
The3rdMan said:
What is Advanced MGB? Was this an organic water only grow?
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advanced nutrients trio (micro grow bloom). i do not believe it is organic.

it is used primarily in hydro setups, but since the promix is technically soilless, it seems like it can be applied to it as well (someone please correct me if i'm wrong).
 
skitime said:
advanced nutrients trio (micro grow bloom). i do not believe it is organic.

it is used primarily in hydro setups, but since the promix is technically soilless, it seems like it can be applied to it as well (someone please correct me if i'm wrong).
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That is a soilless grow using synthetic nutes. Do you need to flush when using flora nova?
 
Compost is non-negotiable as has been said before. Dunno what's going on here but keep on going. I’ve seen this experiment performed before. If you're anything like the last mad scientist, in a couple of years, people are gonna treat you like an expert.
 
myke said:
Others here will just use straight promix HP and dry fertilizer ,about as simple as it gets.Worm castings and compost will balance the ph.If you go without them then pending on tap water ph may need a little adjusting.
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But without the ewc/ compost, where's the microbiology come from to break down the dry amendments?
 
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