damaclese

OK this thinking cam out of the biochar thread

recipe for super planter mix
1/3 organic compost
1/4 sand or vermiculite i say sand it can come from a local soars and there for would be better for the environment
1/4 super soil potting mix
the rest would be
biochar i lb per cubic ft of soil to be created
a bit of humic acid to jump start the carbon cycle for the first couple of years
microsomal inoculation (what ever is your favorite brand most good potting mixes are sterile)
manure (preferably chicken)
blood meal
bone meal
a good dose of micros for the health of the soil and for those of you that have trouble with you pots drying out quickly
you can add any of the fallowing
Agra grade corn starch
cut up cellulose sponges
or some
polymer beads but thats not organic

this is just preliminary so feel free to add if you think it could be better
I just guessed at the amounts I'm sure theirs probably other opinions out there as the the exact amounts that should be used
also because of the biochar i believe this mix will last for years and years as long as you add organics to it ever season or so (no more replacing the soil in your planters ever year so thats better for this environment but it would also be good to take it out and dump it in to your garden annually then replace with fresh that way your gardens getting a boost too and there by creating a sustainable cycle in your garden NO WAST HERE!

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CookieCows

It's just beginning spring break for the grandkids. Perfect timing. I love the cut up sponge idea if I run out of spaghum moss. My husband is wanting to make a homemade 'upside-down cherry tomato hanging pot.

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Kylie2x

I have one here you can have... You pay the postage and I will send it your way.. It is the Topsy Turvy one..

Thanks for the recipe!!!! I have never seen super soil potting mix..Who makes it???
Kylie

Richard

I recommend you stay away from chicken manure. Horse manure would be o.k. though.

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Patty in Wisc

Kylie, miracle grow makes a excellent potting mix that my nannas thrived in all winter (mixed w/ perlite). Don't mean to promote them & I think they are way too expensive, but unless you can mix your own - it's great. It's mostly peat, compost & perlite with time release ferts.
I used to grind down styrofoam & use as perlite. Rub 2 pieces together & it crumbles into small pieces but makes a big mess. Much cheaper.

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Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

damaclese

i believe the super soil is by a brand called Pro-mix.

thanks Richard! i only picked chicken because it seems to be popular with the natives here on the ORG. i use Cow my self as its cheap and theirs a nice off brand i get at lows thats vary well composted compared to some of the others available here which all look and "smell" quite raw.

i forgot to add that my sours of micros was derived from Sea weed

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mskitty38583

i have used cow poopie, and it seems to work fine. a little smelly but hey its all good.
thanks for the mixture directions.

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Richard

I do not care for chicken manure, steer manure, cow manure, and several others because the amount of phosphorus relative to other components is too high, and also because it contains too much of other ions I would rather not build up in my soil over time. Horse, sheep, and rabbit are far more moderate. Finally, if you are growing leafy veggies like lettuces, you should avoid all of these because they will motivate the plants to bloom early!

As damaclese points out, none of this should be confused with the "Super Soil" product previously manufactured by the Rod McLellan Company, but now owned by the Scotts Miracle-Gro marketing company.

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damaclese

i did not know that Richard thanks for the info but! in a perfect world id follow you advice to the T as i feel that you know more about Firt then i ever will but and i don't mean to belabor the point my access to Agra products consist of what i can scrounge up in the middle of the Mohave desert and as a mater of environmental conscience i cant even think of ordering from the net or a catalog if i was back in Missouri id defiantly just go out the back door and scrap up what ever was lying around are old milking barn i miss my old farm! ever thing i planted grew like it was on steroids but if some other type of manuer comes along all get it i will say this i dont think my soil is in any dangre of becoming heavy in nutreans afer all im just trying to keep them from washing out LOL hmmmm sand go figur

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Richard

No need to scrounge, there are large-scale agricultural companies in your metropolitan area. For example, lookup Crop Production Services (formerly Western Farm Service) in Henderson.

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