soil Making my own soil from these ingredients?

nzchili

nzchili

Hi everyone, I have had some very mixed results with store bought potting soil so I wanted to try something a little bit different with my next batch of seedlings that are about ready to go from pellet to pot. I plan to do it this weekend..
 
I have never mixed my own soil before..I bought a bunch of ingredients that I saw mentioned in the sticky soil thread..but there are so many mixes listed that I have no idea what to use..
 
I was hoping I could list the ingredients that I have, and maybe some knowledgeable people could suggest a mix that may work using what I have..
 
I have;
-Peat Moss
-Organic compost
-Perlite
-vermiculite
-Sheep pellets
 
Other hard or solid "stuff" that may be useful?
-dolomite lime
-elemental sulphur
-sulphate of ammonia
-trace elements
 
cheers 
 
 
The ingredients are ok but the amounts of each could make or break your season. My general purpose mix that I use for everything in my garden starts with organic compost. I don't use peat but thats just me. Peat is mainly for holding moisture but it does have trace elements in it too. I rely on the compost for water retention. You could probably go 2 or 3 parts compost to 1 part peat and then save some peat to top-dress your soil as well. In my potting area I use 2 to 1 pearlite vs. vermiculite but use cinder in my soil mix. You would have to eyeball the amount of perlite as you mix it but it would be hard to put too much when you have so much compost and peat. I would suggest going sparingly if at all with the vermiculite. 
Never used sheep pellets but I hear they're a lot like rabbit. If so, have fun with it.
As far as your list of other additives, check your ph levels before adding too much dolomite or sulphur as they can throw it way off if not careful. 
Sulphate of ammonia is a common source of nitrogen but you still need a more balanced fertilizer.
Trace elements are always good.
Take notes of what you do in case things go good or otherwise. You'll know better in the future.
 
Sheep pellets could be useful for making a tea for feeding the babies.
 
I would probably go 50/50 compost and normal old dirt and use the perlite to space things out. Little bit of peat moss can't hurt in there either.
 
soil is for pots correct? (you shouldn't put lots of perlite / vermiculite in ground imo)
 
water retention: peat or vermiculite 
 
nutrient source: dolomite lime great for calcium and mag put 1 tbs per gallon of soilmix, sheep pellets good general purpose fertilizer, trace elements always are good. 
 
drainage: perlite, i think you would be happy with something else as well, like pine bark chips or rice hulls lighten the soil mix up so it doesn't compress. they also degrade over time into more nutrients
 
yep this soil is for pots, im going to put a bunch straight in the ground (to see what happens) and some into pots with whatever mix i create.
 
hmm ill have to see what else I can find to lighten it up a bit.
thanks!
 
I was not satisfied with the seedling soil I made this year but it was good enough I thought, but it could be better, and i think I've made it better!
 
As for all my seedling / potting soils I start out with peat moss 3 cu ft of it. I bought mine at Lowes, tested it's pH and found it to be at around 6.3 a little low, but doable. 
 
Next I grabbed two bags of compost/manure mix 2 cu ft in total. 
 
I needed something for good drainage so I used 1 cu ft of river sand, not the play sand, just river sand. 
 
I already had Pearlite at home, the course grain size, not fine, it seems to not allow enough space for air or water retention. Around 1/2 cu ft.
 
So the ratio is:
 
40% - Peat Moss
30% - Compost/Manure
20% - River Sand
10% - Pearlite
 
I added an organic fertilizer to it as well with beneficial microbes in it. Once I tested it with a soil tester the pH was 6.8, Nitrogen was in perfect range, Potassium was in perfect range, and Phosphorous was in perfect range. Best of all, my plants love it! I also added a half dose to the whole mix of a micronutrient organic fertilizer which has really greened up my plants. 
 
I'll have to post some photos tomorrow, but it's great so far, clams right, holds just the right amount of water, and the roots are shooting through it! 
 
Here are the products I used to make it. 
 
http://www.easygarde...category_ID=227
 
http://www.lowes.com...ar|1&facetInfo=
 
http://www.lowes.com...ge=1&facetInfo=
 
http://www.lowes.com...sand&facetInfo=
 
I would not buy pearlite at lows because all the ones I found already had fertilizer added, so go to a garden center to find some!
 
But hope this helps some people out trying to find a good mixture for seedlings or potted plants, so far for me, it's been amazing!
 
 
here's what i did this year, this is for a soilmix without nutrients it's fast draining so i water it everday or two with nutes.
http://imgur.com/a/Ji7qB#1
 
For you i would add the sheep pellets in so like 40% pine bark / rice hulls whatever, 40% compost (sheep), 10% perlite, 10% peat. then add the dolomite and trace elements and mix up and let it sit for a week or more(give the time for ingredients to react with eachother).
 
and +1 for getting perlite at garden center should be ~20$usd per 20lb bag
and pine bark supplier in nz called orchiata again check at local nursery
 
Thanks for the info guys!
Im sure I can find some bark or sand :) How about pumice? will that do the same? I know i saw that at the garden shop. 
 
I made up a small batch last night (only about 20L to pot up 5 or so seedlings into their first real pots) just with what I had. Its about 1 part peat, 2 parts compost, 1 part perlite..Then i threw in about a tea spoon of hard tomato ferts that I had, a tea spoon of trace elements, a couple of hand fulls of sheep pellets. I also added the coco coir from a bunch of coco pellets (I have a bunch..I prefer the peat ones) 
 
I reuse my soil from year to year amending it with compost bought from Lowe's/HD (not black kow) but is a 0.5-0.5-0.5, adding peat moss and pearlite as needed. My question is, I only make up my soil 1 wheel barrow at a time as needed so would be to expensive to keep sending samples to my local extension office for testing. How do you test it for what it needs? I bought one of those testers you stick in ground from the same previously mentioned stores. They usually read PH at 7.0 which is its stationary position when its not being used. It also only tests light and wetness.
 

LawrenceJ2007 mentioned:
Once I tested it with a soil tester the pH was 6.8, Nitrogen was in perfect range, Potassium was in perfect range, and Phosphorous was in perfect range.
 
What do you use for a tester?
 
I used my local university, they have a geology dept that will test soil for free or a low cost. I would bet your local colleges would as well!
 
Spicytigger said:
I reuse my soil from year to year amending it with compost bought from Lowe's/HD (not black kow) but is a 0.5-0.5-0.5, adding peat moss and pearlite as needed. My question is, I only make up my soil 1 wheel barrow at a time as needed so would be to expensive to keep sending samples to my local extension office for testing. How do you test it for what it needs? I bought one of those testers you stick in ground from the same previously mentioned stores. They usually read PH at 7.0 which is its stationary position when its not being used. It also only tests light and wetness.
 
LawrenceJ2007 mentioned:
Once I tested it with a soil tester the pH was 6.8, Nitrogen was in perfect range, Potassium was in perfect range, and Phosphorous was in perfect range.
 
What do you use for a tester?
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity, do you have problems with some plants being stunted or not growing? I've been told that it's not good practice to keep reusing soil for the same plant type without letting it sit fallow for a season. I've been buying fresh nursery mix every year and dumping the used soil in a pile to be used later. I wonder if I'm wasting my time.
 
LawrenceJ2007 said:
I used my local university, they have a geology dept that will test soil for free or a low cost. I would bet your local colleges would as well!
Click to expand...
 
My nearest University is Miami where my extension office would send it to, but I do have a state college nearby and will have to check with them if they do. Thanks LawrenceJ2007
 
 
Hawaiianero said:
Just out of curiosity, do you have problems with some plants being stunted or not growing? I've been told that it's not good practice to keep reusing soil for the same plant type without letting it sit fallow for a season. I've been buying fresh nursery mix every year and dumping the used soil in a pile to be used later. I wonder if I'm wasting my time.
Click to expand...
 
I have lots of problems with my plants at times but I think it's from lack of soil testing. I have diff buckets with diff soil in it which sits at the side of my house and gets sterilized from my Florida heat. Alot of it sits for years before I use it, I have so much. One for pepper soil, one for broccoli/lettuce soil, one for misc soil so when I make up my wheelbarrow up I'll use broccoli/lettuce or misc soil for the peppers and vice verse for broccoli/lettuce or misc.
 
Your not wasting your time just make sure you have enough to sit for a season and trade off between seasons.
 
Spicytigger said:
 
My nearest University is Miami where my extension office would send it to, but I do have a state college nearby and will have to check with them if they do. Thanks LawrenceJ2007
 
 
 
I have lots of problems with my plants at times but I think it's from lack of soil testing. I have diff buckets with diff soil in it which sits at the side of my house and gets sterilized from my Florida heat. Alot of it sits for years before I use it, I have so much. One for pepper soil, one for broccoli/lettuce soil, one for misc soil so when I make up my wheelbarrow up I'll use broccoli/lettuce or misc soil for the peppers and vice verse for broccoli/lettuce or misc.
 
Your not wasting your time just make sure you have enough to sit for a season and trade off between seasons.
Click to expand...
I hear you, I have a 2 year old pile that I plan on using next spring. It's just been sitting in a corner of my yard growing clover. I've been turning it under every 3 or 4 months just to check on earthworm content and any undesireables as well.
 
Sounds like your on a good path, keep it up. Not sure if you would need other amendments once you go to use it since you said you have earthworms and such in the pile. Might want to have it checked 3-6 months before use by University just to make sure your in balance and give enough time to add if your lacking. :)
 
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