Potting Soil

[csmith]

My wife just so happened to pick up some potting soil today to re-pot some plants she's had for a while, and I've been wondering if I could use the same soil for my aquatic endeavours. Here's what I've got as far as pertinent information.

Expert Gardener Potting Soil

Ingredients: This product is regionally formulated from organic materials (derived from one or more of the following: peat, forest products compost, or compost), spaghum peat, perlite, a wetting agent and plant food.

Total Nitrogen (N)* 0.07%
0.04% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
0.03% Nitrate Nitrogen

Available phosphate (P2O5)* 0.01%

Soluble potash (K2O)* 0.03%

Derived from: polymer-coated: ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, calcium phosphate, and potassium phosphate; and ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, calcium phosphate, and potassium sulfate.

*A portion of the nitrogen, phosphate, and potash sources has been coated to provide 0.03% coated slow-release nitrogen (N), 0.002% coated slow-release available phosphate (P2O5), and 0.01% coated slow-release soluble potash (K2O).

 

[Biollante]

Wal-Mart Knock-off

(2)

Hi,

It sounds like the Wal-Mart knock-off of Miracle Gro Potting Mix with Fertilizer. I know many folks use the Miracle Gro Potting Mix. I do not see a problem as long as you plant heavy and keep the lights down a bit in the beginning.

Make sure there are no “wonky” smells, when in doubt don’t. :gw

Biollante

 

[csmith]

Thanks for that. Follow up question, I've seen soak for two weeks or boil. Does putting it into a DSM tank count as soaking, or is the idea to soak it alone to let bad things float out?

 

[Biollante]

Soaking Good

Hi,

Soaking is a very good idea.

Before the dry start drain off and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Muslin, old towels or pillowcases are great for this. :gw

A few days or a week ought to be sufficient for a dry start.

Biollante

 

[csmith]

I'm currently boiling this potting soil. I wanted to go with the earthworm casting method as I thought that'd kill any chance of this going horribly wrong. My question is will the potting soil float just because it's soil? I was going to remove all the floating stuff, but 70-80% of it seems to be at the top. Not just those little white pellets (I think they're there to hold water), but most of the soil itself is floating. This is how potting soil works, right?

Disregard. The second I took it off the stove all of the mud/soil sank to the bottom and the white pellets and sticks rose to the top.

 

[Biollante]

In Your Own Words Please Tell Our Readers...

Hi,

With commercial potting soils soaking for a few days is sufficient, boiling speeds the process.

Can you do me a favor?

If so, please tell the folks (in your own words), did it stink up the joint?

{Rant Alert}

I hear more whiney little namby-pamby apron clingers crying about how they cannot boil soil or worm poop ‘cause it is going to stink up the place. “That is why I have to spend more for substrate then a new car,” the whiney little namby-pamby apron clingers, whimper.
​

Please! If it stinks, there is something rotten in the State of Denmark.
​

{All Clear Rant Alert Canceled. Had this been an actual ongoing rant instructions would follow on where to click.Thank you for your cooperation.}


Biollante

 

[csmith]

No, didn't stink at all. It smelled like..mud..I guess.. You couldn't really smell it unless you were standing over the pot it was boiling in. Once I took the pot outside to cool there wasn't any residual smell left. I even used my wifes good pot and her spaghetti strainer, and she didn't know I ever did anything.
After boiling I let it cool, layed it out to dry then used it today (potted my swords). Doesn't even mess with water clarity.

I do, however, want to point out that you used the phrase "namby-pamby". I think I heard that once in an old black and white episode of Lassy.

 

[Biollante]

Not Bad, Eh...You Didn't Know I Spoke Canadian

Hi,

{Geezer Alert!}

Well since I watched those “old” black and white Lassies on a then “new” black and white TV, I guess I am entitled to use “namby-pamby” to describe the aforementioned category of whiner.
​

It is cool (if that isn’t too much of a geezer term) the way boiling this stuff makes ideal substrates.
​

{Geezer Alert Canceled! Had this been an actual ongoing “Geezer Alert” instruction on where to stick your mouse would follow.}

Biollante

 

[vrchards]

Well all the post are informative on potting the soil but what I have seen that you are forgotten to composite the soil.
According to one source, premium compost for nursery mixes should have:

1. pH of 6.5 to 8.0
2. no (or only a trace of) sulfides
3.

 

[Tom Barr]

Next try Worm castings.

Since they are pots, you can compare several mixes, % sand, or ferts etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr