my living soil amendments, what do you think?

OK so im planing my outdoor grow and just want to hear what the community has to say about it, plan is 5 -45 gallon smart pots with Nirvana's Wounder woman in them. I have the soil and compost for my base haven't decided on worm castings yet (on a budget). But soil amendments are as follows-

---Cover Crop Seeds: Hairy Vetch, Winter Peas, Forage Collards, Winter Rye, Crimson Clover, More 1lb Pouch
---Dolomite Lime Plus Magnesium and Calcium "Greenway Biotech Brand" 5 Pounds
---Down To Earth 6-Pound Granular Azomite
---Down To Earth 6-Pound Oyster Shell Flour
---Down To Earth 5-Pound Kelp Meal
---Down To Earth 6-Pound Fish Bone Meal
---7 cu ft rice hulls
Is their anything i should consider adding or subtracting? I have been looking at bio tech as well, any input is appreciated..

rollangrow said:

OK so im planing my outdoor grow and just want to hear what the community has to say about it, plan is 5 -45 gallon smart pots with Nirvana's Wounder woman in them. I have the soil and compost for my base haven't decided on worm castings yet (on a budget). But soil amendments are as follows-

---Cover Crop Seeds: Hairy Vetch, Winter Peas, Forage Collards, Winter Rye, Crimson Clover, More 1lb Pouch
---Dolomite Lime Plus Magnesium and Calcium "Greenway Biotech Brand" 5 Pounds
---Down To Earth 6-Pound Granular Azomite
---Down To Earth 6-Pound Oyster Shell Flour
---Down To Earth 5-Pound Kelp Meal
---Down To Earth 6-Pound Fish Bone Meal
---7 cu ft rice hulls
Is their anything i should consider adding or subtracting? I have been looking at bio tech as well, any input is appreciated..

Click to expand...

i would ditch the clover from your cover crop, mites LOVE clover. I would also ditch the rice hulls, they saturate quite easily actually, and i didn't really like any of my mixes that had them. I started using them for mulch instead, they make great mulch!

you will need to topdress throughout the season, as big plants consume large amounts of nutrients. Considering getting some sul-po-mag when flowering season shows up to boost potassium, with a little benefit of sulfur and magnesium. you also may be lacking in the nitrogen department for veg season. your ingredients are 1-0-1 (kelp) and 3-16-0 (fishbone). spent coffee grounds make great nitrogen fertilizer and are free from the coffee shops, they love to give em away!

that's the first few things i would address. Good luck with your grow! wish i had room for outdoor!

Thanks for the reply and ya i plan on dressing them with crushed alfalfa seed brew compost brew and popcorn seed brew also their will be worms added in the pots , on the clover i read it creates or brings in lots of nitrogen cant quit remember now, but i will look in to that. an the rice hulls i hear so many different opinions on some say they brake down quick some they last years, im loosely basing my grow on .

also my medium will be mostly 1-3yr broke down horse manure and bedding looks like the best black soil you ever seen...and my compost witch is comprised of fresh manure/bedding (well composted of course) kitchen scraps and deer/opossum an some leaves i raked in.

Mmm composted opossum with leaves raked in; sounds like a Jack White side project lol
Horse poo & straw (bedding) is a great fertilizer you don't hear many growers use...real good shit. I know that cover crops pull nutrients up to the surface and help the soil regulate moisture but I just use a straw mulch myself. Don't have the patience.
You don't have to have worms actually living in the containers like the mad props bros here but adding worm castings really are a game changer. I doubt the worms would last too long in an outdoor container even as large as 45g; probly will get too hot for them. Source some EWC or better yet start a worm bin. It's the best move an organic grower can make. Once you have all the amendments you need then it really does cost pennies to grow. Well outdoors under the sun anyway..,

Richard Drysift said:

You don't have to have worms actually living in the containers like the mad props bros here but adding worm castings really are a game changer. I doubt the worms would last too long in an outdoor container even as large as 45g; probly will get too hot for them. Source some EWC or better yet start a worm bin. It's the best move an organic grower can make. Once you have all the amendments you need then it really does cost pennies to grow. Well outdoors under the sun anyway..,

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I'll end up with some worms in the containers just from the cocoons in the fresh VC, but adding worms turned out to be a not so good idea and I no longer do it. Turning your container into a quasi worm bin, over time, ends up mainly castings and perlite, great for worms, not so great for growing plants becoming way too dense. VOE on this one.

Fresh VC really IS a game changer and starting a worm bin should be a top priority. I agree with RD 1,000% about being the best move an organic grower can make.

Cheers
Wet