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Post by vermiman on Apr 8, 2007 18:53:22 GMT -5
I am looking for recipes for VC potting mixes. What do you mix with your VC to make a good potting mix?
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Post by Jay Blair on Apr 8, 2007 21:56:47 GMT -5
I mix vermicompost with powdered clay. If sterilized is preferred, I wet the mixture and bake it in a convection oven at 400 degrees for an hour, then crumble it after cooling. You can also bake soil blocks to plant in by increasing the clay content of the block and adding normal 40/60 mix to the seedling cavity.
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Post by vermiman on Apr 8, 2007 22:38:05 GMT -5
Baking the mixture? Wouldn't you loose the benefits of the VC? Where would I get powdered clay?
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Post by chuckiebtoo on Apr 9, 2007 8:38:54 GMT -5
Hi!! When starting my plants with worm castings, I usually mix 1/3 part castings to 1 part organic sunshine potting mix, but if you're using VC, you may be able to use a little more; just make sure your soil dosen't dry out or it'll turn cement-like. I also mix in a bit of dolomite lime, which adds magnesium and calcium, but if you don't have any on hand you can water with epsom salts (1 Tbsp. per gallon)
Actually, the 1/3 part castings can be reduced to 1/4th.
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Post by Jay Blair on Apr 9, 2007 17:21:24 GMT -5
yes, by paseurizing the vermicompost you lose the live microoganisms, however the trace elements remain and some users prefer this for indoor plants and seedling starts as microorganisms will begin gradually re-establishing as the mix is watered and exposed to the atmosphere without the mite and insect populations common with fresh vermicompost.
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