No-till thread

[Jimmyarm]

@bobnudd

 

Gents like you are the reason people come to these forums

 

Great post

 

 

 

[Guest]

@Jimmyarm cheers fella, hundreds of people on this forum and guys in US who have been sharing this stuff for yrs on are the real gents. Some of OT1s posts are gold. 

 

I've just followed recipes and found it works. Like any recipe you find what works for you. I'm not a bad in the kitchen but my presentation sucks...same for my grows  

 

 More than anything tho it's actually really easy to grow in an organic soil mix. 

 

 

[blackpoolbouncer]

Perlite...........in soil. Surely not! 

 

If you need to add perlite for aeration then you soil mix isn't right imo. 

 

The base mix imo should have good aeration, good water holding capacity and good drainage as a given. 

That's like number 1 thing. The more stuff in said mix that will break down over time the better. 

Your base mix ingredients and there proportions should dictate what your aeration is like................part of the art of truly making your own soil. 

 

Perlite imo has little to no place near soil

 

Just my 2p

[Guest]

What would you use for aeration then in the above example? Cause EWC, Compost on its own going be too heavy, especially when you are talking about 30+ litre pots. 

 

I've never found a cheap source of Lava rock, Pumice over here so perlite does me  fine. Have you come across anywhere that sells lava rock at a decent price?

 

 

[Guest Key4]

Ok so what about this mix .

 

30% peat 

30% EWC from a fishing tackle shop (Better than the banded gear??)

30% Growstones

10% rice hulls

 

Plus amendments .

 

After reading the microbe organics its seams that quality homemade ewc is the key so im getting that sorted asap.

 

I was actually thinking about pot size vs target yield as watering/making tea for a few 35l pots is going to be a pita. Can i get away with smaller or is it bigger the better. Targets 4oz per plant.

 

Thanks 

[Guest]

Personally I think you will be fine in smaller pots, but lot of other people will disagree. Everything  I've read says 30l minimum size. I know @ska uses smaller pots, 17l maybe and getting good results. I've been using 11's and doing OK. Re the watering i would have a look at blumats if using big pots, or cheaper alternative is a SIP. Thats what I've been doing for the last 10mths now and its a doddle. More perlite though  

 

My thinking was having massive pots of soil or a bed in the UK is a bit of an issue for the obvious reasons.Try hiding a 100l  pot in a hurry!

 

Re your EWC, i'd have a good luck around. if you can find a trusted organic source locally, or a really good mixed compost / lead mould heap that would go a long way. Not sure you'd get castings from a fishing shop. Just the worms. Gumtree sometimes useful. Maybe someones got a decent source to share?

[VikingDee]

You can get decent worm casts off the bay I won't advertise the company but they're based in Yorkshire so there's you clue, they sell worms also, I've used them a few times before my bin started to really work and got less gnats and general bugs in it. There are others but they have good casts and it's generally full of small worms 

[blackpoolbouncer]

Like I said. If your base is correct then there is no need for extra aeration. 

If you need to add perlite then it's not right.

You don't buy a bag of compost and claim it's good if you have to add perlite to make it fit for growing in.

 

When have you been out and found the most perfect soil and found perlite in it? We are mimicking the best that mother nature can come up with. Mother nature never mixes perlite into her soil so neither shall I.

If I made a mix and it was too heavy, something needs to change in the mix imo

 

I get why it's used but the point I'm getting at is if the soil is right it shouldn't need it.

 

E2a,

Pics of massively aerated compost , with no perlite

 

Edited July 14, 2017 by blackpoolbouncer

[blackpoolbouncer]

@Key4 what about

 

50%peat

10%rice hulls

40% ewc

 

You've just gained yourself 30% more growing medium in the same size pot,

 

Personally I'd add some compost into that like and reduce a bit off the peat and ewc. Voila. No need for aeration.

 

It's just my 2p and there is many a way to skin a cat as we all know.

 

[Guest Key4]

From what ive red, i was under the impression that aeration is key to the mix. 1:1:1 is the most recommended ratio . 

 

I used last years compo on my spuds and ive not bothered filling it up again as im moving. Ill have a look round the abandon allotment ,some bins on there.

 

I guess experimenting is the way forward im doing a supersoil mix for the next round before i go full living soil so ill try i few different mixes.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

 

[Guest]

Nice looking stuff that @blackpoolbouncer. Does look like it would be pretty heavy in a big 30l pot fully saturated to me. If you have access to great compost you might get away with it. The way I grow, and what I have access to I need added aeration in my mix and ensure it works hand in hand with the sip.  

 

Re what to use then it comes down to what's local & affordable

[blackpoolbouncer]

@bobnudd that s it mate. It's just understanding what you have to work with and making the best out of it.

Re my soil. It's all about the particle size. Notice it's not just a fine fluffy powder. 

The particulate size of the ingredients is a big factor that s gonna be a player.

That compost I posted picture of is pretty coarse, say compared to most compost. 

This is what I mean about understanding the base components and the properties they bring to the table.

 

With respect when you say it looks heavy, it is the most free draining and lightest sitting compost I have ever used, 

One of the criteria I've gone through when designing this soil is That is is for use by medicinal patients that may never have grown anything.........it is designed to be fool proof to an extent.

It is by design that it has massive aeration and it is nearly impossible to over water because unless you drown them every day the drainage and aeration take care of it.

I call it smart soil.

I did a 30 pot that was overwatered every other day and a 100l pot watered VERY little then loads to run it at it's extremes as a trial.......it performed very well 

Put it this way. Id be confident putting a ten day old auto into a 100l pot that has been watered to saturation and if expect praying leaves throughout.

 

In fact I'd go as far as saying that you could start a seed in a 100l tub and still struggle to get overwatering issues.

 

 

One of my aims she  making it was so any to dick or Harry, no matter what circumstance or experience can follow VERY basic watering instructions and pull a really good plant like a pro,

Sound too good? 

Damn right, and I'm proud to have got to where I have with it.

I've done my trials with the soil now and I'm pretty much completely happy with it

Edited July 15, 2017 by blackpoolbouncer

[Jimboo]

@Key4  The thing about buying worm castings is you don't know what the worms have been fed somewhere like a bait shop isn't interested in the quality of the casting more about the worms they produce,I remember reading about a bait shop that was just feeding their worms shredded paper ,hardly the best diet for what we want imho

[buddy13]

 

@blackpoolbouncer + @bobnudd first of all great work all round

been lurking around at the back for a while, thought it time I added my 2pence worth;

I use a mixture of things for aeration(perlite, pumice and rice hulls), making up about 25-35% of my no-dig soil .I do this because I never remix my soil and therefore however course it might start out it will over time,2-3 runs become too heavy for my girls.....do you guys re-mix or just topdress? 

 

[buddy13]

just realised where I am and how rude of me not to mention @muffintop @Road_Runner thanks for putting this all together in one/ish place