Living Soil: 101 (2024)

FAQs

Is living soil worth it? ›

Those that have used living soil have found that it is the best option when trying to grow bigger and healthier plants. Not only does it provide plants with nourishment that lasts, but it also reduces the need for pesticides or fungicides.

1⁄2 cup neem seed meal. 1⁄2 cup kelp meal. 1⁄2 cup crab or crustacean meal. 4 cups of mineral mix (equal parts oyster shell flour, azomite, gypsum, and basalt)

Big Containers with Smaller plants need water once a week or so. The idea is to maintain optimal moisture. When I have multiple plants in one large container and cover crop going I can water every day to every other day in small amounts. But the same grower at home with less plants per bed might be able to go a week.

If at all possible, we would recommend mixing your own base soil using something like 25% peat free ericaceous compost, 25% coco coir, 25% lava rock or perlite and 25% wormcasts. Even better if you can add a small amount of your own compost, and/ or some malted barley powder.

Cons: Living soils are often crafted in smaller quantities by specialist producers. As such a bag of living soil may cost many times that of a standard grow shop soil. Given that most growers get great results from traditional types of grow medium they may feel reluctant to try something new.

Absolutely, you can add nutrients and amendments to enhance the growth and yields of your plants. However, you should proceed with caution to avoid harming your plants.

Peat Moss/Coco Coir (1 Part or 1/2 part each – 40% of mix) Peat and coco can be used individually or mixed together in equal parts. They are the main 'bulk' of the soil, and have good water holding capacity. It is important to water these in well prior to blending and planting.

Super soil is pre-fertilized and does not require additional amendments, while living soil focuses on promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms and mycorrhizal fungi, requiring the addition of organic matter and other amendments to maintain the balance of microorganisms and fungi.

Soil is a material composed of five ingredients — minerals, soil organic matter, living organisms, gas, and water. Soil minerals are divided into three size classes — clay, silt, and sand (Figure 1); the percentages of particles in these size classes is called soil texture.

Storage time is a function of temperature, exposure to light, moisture retention and other factors. For optimal performance, we generally recommend a maximum storage period of 9 months, depending on these conditions. However, your soil may still perform adequately for up to 12 months.

How to balance living soil? ›

Maintaining this balance in your living soil is largely determined by two things: amendments and inoculants. Soil amendments are the compost, manure or mulch that enhance the soil's physical properties such as pH or texture. Inoculants are materials used to increase the level of microbes in your soil.

It starts with a good base mix.

My preference is approximately 50% sphagnum peat moss, 33% aeration (we use 1/3 large and 2/3 medium pumice in our soils), and 17% high quality compost and/or earthworm castings. Many people will go with 1/3 peat, 1/3 aeration, and 1/3 compost.

To create living soil, simply mix one part sphagnum peat moss, one part perlite or pumice for aeration, and one part compost. If you don't want to use perlite or pumice, you can also use lica or hydroballs, which are expanded clay pellets that do the same thing.

Soil health is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive grazing lands, diverse wildlife, and beautiful landscapes.

A: It depends on personal preference and specific growing goals. Hydro offers a more controlled environment with faster growth and potentially higher yields, while soil-based growing offers a more natural and traditional approach with potentially better flavor and aroma.

The choice between super soil and living soil depends on your gardening goals and preferences. If you prefer a pre-fertilized soil mix without additional amendments, super soil is the better option.

If you are able, we recommend purchasing enough potting soil for the whole growing season at one time. After a year the soil does not go bad, however it is harder to guarantee the nutrient levels and biological activity of the mix due to variability of storage conditions on your farm.

The simplest version is to use minimum 50 litre pots, keep evenly watered and add the opulent bloom mix a week before flower with some worm castings or compost. With a little attention to keeping the soil biology going, via a compost source as a top dress or as an extract every 2 weeks or so.