Can I get good results using compost/peat moss/top soil & watering with compost tea?

snowdog203

Well-Known Member
Wondering if a very simple soil recipe will work. Yeah I don't want to add greensand, kelp, fish emulsion, I just want to use Top Soil, Peat Moss, Compost. I'll use vermi-compost tea to water and age the mix before planting. If this is a really bad idea, please explain, I am looking for reasons, the why's and what for more than anything else. Thanks, :leaf:
 

keysareme

Well-Known Member
Sounds great to me! vegan all the way! that's what I wanted to do but found myself picking up some local organic soil and nutrients from general organics as our compost is not ready yet.
 

snowdog203

Well-Known Member
I put some of the vermicompost with worms directly in the 50 gallon drum with aging soil made up of, Top Soil, Peat Moss, Compost. I water soil on occasion with vermicompost tea. With this grow I am hoping to go without the store bought chemical/nutes. From a past grow experience I had to abandon this track and used store bought nutes, due to nute deficiencies. My hypothesis is that in the past I did not allow enough time for the aging of the soil to allow the flora in the soil to bloom.
 

NightOwlBono

Well-Known Member
If you google kelp meal you will see it's packed full of good elements and things besides NPK.
lots of benefits to using it,same with greensand

Also look into neem seed meal,really good stuff for too many reasons to list.
slows nitrogen intake,prevents root rot,kills white fly larva,ect

wide spectrum rock dusts are really beneficial to use,it remineralizes soils,and feeds beneficial bacteria
this stuff is even better if you reuse your soil every run(or even dump it in you garden)
GiaGreen glacial rock dust,and azomite are good brands


everything else sounds good man good luck

Edit--
also oyster flower(ground oyster shell)
like $17 for a 50lb bag,last long time good stuff to think about
 

Nullis

Moderator
Just want to let you know, peat moss is acidic and by itself can have a pH somewhere between 4 and 5. To remedy this you'll want to mix garden or dolomitic lime into it (a couple heaping tablespoons if it came with no lime whatsoever). If the compost and top soil are rich enough this should do, but a heavy feeding plant might request more nutrients, don't be surprised if it does.

Top soil product characteristics can vary substantially, depending on the source and whether it is bulk or bagged (bagged is generally better in terms of humus and nutrient content). I hope your plan is to use bagged top soil, anyways, as it has generally been tested for these properties, screened and pasteurized or at least checked for pests. Check it out yourself carefully before you use it. It is not generally a good idea to use unprocessed topsoil derived from your backyard or anywhere like that. If at all possible, opt for a topsoil specifically classified as a loam or sandy loam.

Loam is a soil with [roughly] equal proportions of sand, silt and clay; sandy loam is about half sand, a quarter silt and a quarter clay. This makes for an ideal gardening soil that drains well. You don't want to make your soil mix too heavy or compact as this will lead to root problems. To keep it light, avoid adding too much compost and topsoil (esp. if it is a heavier topsoil) as both will contain humus and some amount of clay. Adding perlite or pumice will help lighten the mix and loosen it. Coco coir is another material that can be used along with or instead of sphagnum, it holds both air and water very well and has a more favorable pH.
 

snowdog203

Well-Known Member
Thanks Guys, I think I will use some of the other components, Green Sand, Bone Meal and whatever else seems good.
 

snowdog203

Well-Known Member
I checked the ph with litmus paper of the aging soil (peat moss, top soil, compost) seemed to be a 7 same with the vermicompost tea. Now that I think about it I'll check the soil again I top dressed with the vermicompost. The vermicompost is a very large portion coffee grounds, but seems to be neutral.
 
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