Potting Mix Recipes

[shroomau5]

I was hoping for those that are mixing their own potting mix to share their recipes.

I mostly use pre bagged from bunnings like searles premium mix. Its enough to make plants grow, but I dont just want them to grow now, I want them to be super happy:)

Something like subcools super soil mix would be awesome. In the past have tried a similar mix with product I could source locally but had limited success. It was too hot after composting or not correctly balanced through lack of knowledge/experience

So folks, what is your recipes for success? What amendments do you add to store bought mix? What store mix are you happy with?

Edit- Subcools mix is designed for cannabis. Although, I assume it would be really good for most other plants .. For the record, I dont need an organic mix to grow cannabis. Thats what the hydro setup is for (jokes)

Edited April 11, 2015 by shroomau5

[MountainGoat]

Depends on what you're growing, and at what stage of its development (i.e more developed has a higher tolerance to nutrient shock).

Subcool is still using bought potting mix as the major ingredient. But if you really want your plants to crank, break down your own mulches (you'll need 3 months for consistency). I'd recommend using several different mulch sources, i like to use grass clippings, peanut shells, forest leaves (without black wattle), sugar cane mulch, and then whatever i have around. To aid the composting, add nitrogen rich sources like your kitchen organics and animal manure. The more often you mix your soil the faster and more consistent it'll be. When i get this mix to about 2 months, i'll add blood and bone, dolomite, epsom salts (very little), worm castings and then wait for another couple of weeks. I add perlite (or sand depending on the season and/or species) just when i go to pot up so the base mix can be used across a range of things.

You can get WAY BETTER results from making your own soil, but it takes 3 months...

Also, if you're doing big pots, say 50L+ its good to lay down some volcanic rock in the bottom inch of the pot to stop the anaerobic build up if they are in the same pot for a long time. But its better to keep moving through pot sizes regularly before the final planting into a big pot, you'll get better root dispersion. Mulch the top of your pots too (unless you get ants), it'll give more growing space by keeping the top of the soil moist.

And if you really want crazy growth, add bactivate. Its a microbial soil conditioner and it'll really bring your soil alive. But i don't know if i would use it for indoor purposes...

[MountainGoat]

oh, but i usually use searles premium potting mix for seedlings as it won't cook them. At about 6 weeks + i'll use my own soils.

I don't know how this would go for cannabis, its illegal where I live. Works a treat on just about everything I use it for...

Edited April 11, 2015 by MountainGoat

[shroomau5]

Excellent MG. I plan on getting my compost on very soon now I have space.

[franky]

First of all you need to be specific with what type of plant you want to grow. Is this going to be 100% organic potting mix? do you want all the plant nutrition within the media or will you be fertilizing with a liquid feed?

Subcool's super soil is something better served as a raised bed amendment. haha

For my general potting mix, It is mostly composted pine bark fines (with added dolomite lime to bring ph of inital pine bark up), with 15-20% coco coir and about 10 - 15% coarse perlite. To that I sprinkle in some CRF's (synthetic) which do not contain trace elements, as the pine bark has a lot already, and the rest will be supplied with liquid feeds.

For cacti 1/3 pine bark, 1/3 calcined clay, 1/3 coarse sand.

I buy all my items in fairly large quanities which make them worthwhile, but if i was just needing a few pots worth of mix, I would be using a premium potting mix from bunnings as my base (as these are all pine bark based atleast the premium more exxo ones), as it really doesnt work out all that much cheaper making your own unless you buy in quite significant amounts, and then storing becomes a issue.

That's at least what I do

The end of this story, composted pine bark fines is where it's at!! haha I hope at least some of this makes sense.

[shroomau5]

I mixed up a batch this morning.

5 parts Giru organics mix (bunnings) This stuff looks the part. Nicely composted sugar cane mulch, Pine Bark. Water crystals. Light and fluffy mix.

3 parts Mushroom Compost (bunnings)

1 part Course Sand

1 part Bokashi compost

1 Part Perlite

2 parts Worm Castings (Local worm Farm)

Worm farm got taken over by black soldier flies. It is now BSF bokashi soup.

Bokashi compost. All food scraps, chicken bones etc after a couple months

Giru organics mix

Completed mix

I have 4 P.Nexus around the same size and health. I am going to re-pot two of them into this mix to compare.with the searles mix they are in.

Probably basic stuff to a lot of members but its a stepping stone for me. I think I will make a earthworm tea to try as well.

[shonman]

Shonman sterile/ soil less medium...

2 parts coco coir or peat moss

1 part sand

1 part (or 1.5) of Perlite

Edited April 12, 2015 by shonman

[shroomau5]

I also sometimes just use fucking Coles brand mix they have on checkout and fucking piss on it for extra urea, works a fucking treat

Edited April 13, 2015 by shroomau5

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

^ fucking fuck yeh

[shonman]

Pissing in a gallon jug (for the guys anyway) until it is 1/4 full, then watering it down 3/4 water,

is excellent to water garden plants and flowers with.

-Especially flowers like Stella de Oro day lilies.

Edited April 13, 2015 by shonman

[shroomau5]

I made a ewc tea yesterday and my friend told me to piss in it... He is much smarter than he looks and acts sometimes.

[franky]

Just remember your piss will be less effective in pot as there is far far far less room for microbes/bacteria which you'll need to breakdown your piss for you.

[shonman]

yeah, I wouldnt use piss on potted plants, or in a hydro system either.

best used in the garden ./ natural settings.

Someone I know did pissed in his hydro / reservoir, and it f*cked things up....

changed the PH.

Edited April 14, 2015 by shonman

[shonman]

Here is a good soil recipe, for herbs....just about everything it needs for three months, except maybe add bat guano if flowering later .

Soil, 5 gallons

shot glass each mixed in, of

Bone Meal

Blood meal

cottonseed meal

[shroomau5]

Its near impossible to get bat guano here in Oz.

I finished cooking my EWC tea. 20L water, 3 tablespoons of un-sulphured molasses, 1 tsp of kelp concentrate and about a kg of vermicast. Aerated with an air stone for 3 days.

I sprayed it on all my plants. Timing was perfect because when I re-potted my Psychotrias the other day, I noticed they were all infested with Whitefly. Apparently EWC tea smashes Whitefly. We will see.

We have also been inundated with mosquitoes lately. I scored a whole bunch of Bromeliads last week and discovered they make perfect breeding grounds for mozzies. I sprayed them all this afternoon with ewc and they have all gone. I cant believe it.

[gerbil]

There seems to be more availability of guano in Australia these days, still difficult generally and possibly mainly in bulk sacks.

The easiest and smallest option is probably Richgro Phosphorous, 2.5kg, available at the big fucked up green shed. No idea on the animal source, bat, seabird etc.

Just be careful with it as with anything you buy. Nutrient knowledge and need of use is so messed up these days, companies are producing fertilisers with way outta whack nutrient ratios that do more harm than good.

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

^ or when you stop using them your plants will simply loose he will to live!

[incognito]

Lately I've been using old rotted granite in my mixes. The old man has a big pile offnot at his place, and I just add it to the best potting mix I can afford according to how well drained I want it. I mix in a little blood and bone, for my acacias I omit the blood and bone and add a sprinkling of native osmocote. For cacti I leave in the blood and bone and osmocote. Happy with the results this far. Tomorrow im gonna put down some cacti seed in the granite alone and see how it goes.