Nullis
Moderator
If you can't/won't/don't have the time, space, patience to raise earthworms for castings or mix your own soil then consider the following.
For one thing, mixing your own soil doesn't have to be as complicated as Subcool's mix, or those of others. These 'recipes' typically contain 3+ different amendments intended to serve the same purpose (overkill). I use alfalfa, kelp, fishbone meal and just a little bit of guano. That's it for amendments beside compost and castings. It is somewhat difficult to produce finished castings in quantity. It takes time, patience, care and space. There is a learning curve you can only really progress through experience. So, if you're going to buy them use a decent brand like VermiWorm (nothing from Unco Industries).
Many like to think they are special because they don't buy 'bagged' soil. Instead they buy bags and boxes of raw materials (some of which come from halfway across the globe) and think they are special, but I digress. I used to buy Ocean Forest and mix it with coir (mainly pith) or Sunshine Advanced Mix#4, castings, dolomitic limestone, kelp meal and basically call it a day. Just be sure to inoculate with mycorrhiza prior to planting. You could use straight Ocean Forest with added lime, there is nothing wrong with that, I just like coir.
Next up, bottled nutrients. You don't use them for the sake of using them, and you don't need a whole line. For example, I like liquid fish and I do use GO Bio-Marine. Actually, I use Alaska Fish Fertilizer and Bio-Marine. That's about it. If you're going to go that route, you don't need them every watering: use them sparingly.
Here's the "organic" justification. Fish\squid is of biological origin, first of all. They provide nutrients and complex substance to microbes living in the soil, and the plant. Not only in a grow room, but in actual nature. Fish are particularly important to various ecosystems. For example, when dams were built along the Columbia river, it didn't just lead to the decimation of wild salmon populations. It affected the entire ecosystem, in part because those salmon were a key source of nutrients for growing plants and trees. No surprise there. When a fish dies along a river bank, it's decomposing body actually contributes to the richness of the soil.
Next up, mulch. Mulch is important to containers, too. There are many things you can use for mulch, including bark, nut shells, grasses, semi-decayed leaves, shredded paper, etc. If you're using a 'brown' material like straw or bark you should top dress with something like alfalfa meal (or mix in alfalfa hay) because these materials can tie up nitrogen as they decay. Currently, I'm trying moss (sheet moss) and haven't had any problems with it. Mulch keeps moisture in the top layer of soil, so roots grow more effectively, and it creates a good environment for springtails, micro-arthropods and microbes.
For one thing, mixing your own soil doesn't have to be as complicated as Subcool's mix, or those of others. These 'recipes' typically contain 3+ different amendments intended to serve the same purpose (overkill). I use alfalfa, kelp, fishbone meal and just a little bit of guano. That's it for amendments beside compost and castings. It is somewhat difficult to produce finished castings in quantity. It takes time, patience, care and space. There is a learning curve you can only really progress through experience. So, if you're going to buy them use a decent brand like VermiWorm (nothing from Unco Industries).
Many like to think they are special because they don't buy 'bagged' soil. Instead they buy bags and boxes of raw materials (some of which come from halfway across the globe) and think they are special, but I digress. I used to buy Ocean Forest and mix it with coir (mainly pith) or Sunshine Advanced Mix#4, castings, dolomitic limestone, kelp meal and basically call it a day. Just be sure to inoculate with mycorrhiza prior to planting. You could use straight Ocean Forest with added lime, there is nothing wrong with that, I just like coir.
Next up, bottled nutrients. You don't use them for the sake of using them, and you don't need a whole line. For example, I like liquid fish and I do use GO Bio-Marine. Actually, I use Alaska Fish Fertilizer and Bio-Marine. That's about it. If you're going to go that route, you don't need them every watering: use them sparingly.
Here's the "organic" justification. Fish\squid is of biological origin, first of all. They provide nutrients and complex substance to microbes living in the soil, and the plant. Not only in a grow room, but in actual nature. Fish are particularly important to various ecosystems. For example, when dams were built along the Columbia river, it didn't just lead to the decimation of wild salmon populations. It affected the entire ecosystem, in part because those salmon were a key source of nutrients for growing plants and trees. No surprise there. When a fish dies along a river bank, it's decomposing body actually contributes to the richness of the soil.
Next up, mulch. Mulch is important to containers, too. There are many things you can use for mulch, including bark, nut shells, grasses, semi-decayed leaves, shredded paper, etc. If you're using a 'brown' material like straw or bark you should top dress with something like alfalfa meal (or mix in alfalfa hay) because these materials can tie up nitrogen as they decay. Currently, I'm trying moss (sheet moss) and haven't had any problems with it. Mulch keeps moisture in the top layer of soil, so roots grow more effectively, and it creates a good environment for springtails, micro-arthropods and microbes.
