A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Soil-less Mixture/Base Fertilizer questions

Hi P_Raye,
I'm getting ready to make up a batch of soil-less mixture. I haven't been able to find all the ingredients you list on the "Container" thread. Can you please give me some guidance?

1. Ground Pine Bark - is there something else that can be used as a substitute? I think I saw cedar chips at my local store.

2. Sphagnum Moss - Is this the same as Sphagnum Peat Moss? The one I found looks kind of like potting soil.

3. Builder's Sand - Will any sand do?


For the Base Fertilizer, a couple of questions:

4. Fish Meal - is this the same as Fish Extract? I haven't found Fish Meal. What can be used as a substitute?

5. Kelp Meal - is this the same as Seaweed Extract? I haven't found Kelp Meal. What can be used as a substitute?

Maybe you could tell us the reasoning behind using each ingredient. Also, are the recipes hard-and-fast, or can we omit ingredients if we can't find them?

Thanks for your help.

Zelinda.

No! I must have messed that detail. Sorry~~! Sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss are not the same product. Sphagnum moss is used in the floral industry to line wire baskets and make wreaths. It is the living moss that grows on top of a sphagnum bog. Sphagnum peat moss is used as a soil conditioner by gardeners. Make sure your Sphagnum peat moss is 100% bog moss. Check the lable. This item will lighten your mixture and allow for more air. (Sphagnum peat moss is a natural, organic soil conditioner that regulates moisture and air around plant roots for ideal growing conditions.)

No not any sand will do. Some sands have micro size other items. You can get builders sand from any building supply company. Maybe Home Depot, or a Lowes. If you still cannot find it then use play ground sand that would be used in a child's sand box. (Sand give body and weight to your mixture. This helps hold plants in place. Next it is needed or worms cannot digest anything. They take it it and use it to grind up their food.)


No Fish Meal is not Fish extract. Fish meal is fed to live stock. Most feed stores carry this. I use it as it break down faster than other item of the this mixture that would later supply the needed N-P-K. If you cannot find it then increase the mixture I gave you by 1/2 part of Blood meal, and 1 part of bone meal.

Now remember you will need to depend upon the fish and seaweed extract to begin with. Until there is an established micro society that then will eat/ convert this items into plant food.

If you don't have your own compost then try to find mushroom compost, but no more than 3/4 inch or so. Once you have place it on the top of the soiless mixture that is in your container and have the correct amount then mix it by hand into your soiless mixture. Again do not use this type of compost to replace the pine bark.

Do not add any types of wood chips.

I will track this thread.
Raye

Sorry kid I just realized that somehow my reply did not get completely copied. I have an answer to item #1. First I spent a good hour trying to reply to your question....always timing out. Next the last 6 hours I've been with my mother in an ER room.

Raye

EDIT I removed non-gardening points of view.

Hi Raye,
Thank you very much for the clarifications. I'm going shopping for supplies now.

Hope your mother is ok.

Your humble organic student,
zelinda

Ok let's address #1

Most garden shops, Home Depot, Lowes etc. carry Pine Bark Mulch. I run mine through a chipper. If you don't have a chipper then you may use mature compost. Do not use mushroom compost for this. If you don't have mature compost then purchase it. Just make sure it is all organic, and is not manure blended compost.