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siracuzi

soilless mix HELP

siracuzi
16 years ago

I mixed 4 quart of vermic.

8 quart of perlite

4 quart of peat moss

and I want to add dolomite lime & diatemaceous earth BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT QUANTITY.

SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

Comments (8)

  • robitaillenancy1
    16 years ago

    Why are you adding dolomite lime? Have you tested the pH of the mix without the lime?

    I'm not sure about either's quantity. I just put a 4 ounce bag in a huge batch of soil.

    You might do a search on diatomatious earth and it might give suggested quantities.

    I wouldn't bother with dolmite lime unless you know the pH of the soil mix.

    Nancy

  • siracuzi
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    my soil Ph is alkaline

  • irina_co
    16 years ago

    S. -

    you are making a much lighter mix than 1:1:1. I think it will be OK for streptocarpus, but you can have more peat for AVs.

    Dolomite lime increases the alkalinity - so you possibly do not need it at all.

    irina

  • korina
    16 years ago

    Um, I did a pH test for my club using 1:1:1 with straight peat; it tested *pH 5*! A little too acid for most AVs. Lime is good; Siracuzi, you'll have to figure it out on your own -- add a measured amount, test it, add some more, and test it until it goes where you want. This is best because it takes into account your water pH as well.

    Good luck.

    Korina

    ÂNothing renews your appreciation for the military like the threat of invasion by life-sucking aliens. ~government bureaucrat, Stargate SG-1

  • curtis0353
    15 years ago

    This too is a late response, but if anyone is using the 1-1-1 Peat, Vermiculite, and Perlite potting mix and is not adding dolomite lime, it is a safe bet that their potting mix is way too acidic for AVs. When I recently tested my plants potting mix with this 1-1-1 ratio which had no dolomite lime added to it, I found that my plants were potted in a mix that ranged from 4.6 - 4.8 pH, and that the Peat that I was using in my mix individually tested less than 4.0 pH. A potting mix that is 4.66 is 100 times more acidic than potting mix at 6.66 pH. Violets like a pH in the 6.7 - 6.9 range. No wonder some of my plants appear stunted, have few blooms, tight centers, and pale colored leaves.

    Curtis

  • nwgatreasures
    15 years ago

    what does adding horticulture charcoal do to the soiless mix?

    Dora

  • irina_co
    15 years ago

    Who knows. Earlier it was believed that it made soil "sweet" - which is another word for alkaline or non-acid. Nowdays - they say it is just not enough charcoal to make a difference. But it works to air the soil just right - and I bet carries some trace elemnts from the wood it is made from.

    I.

  • curtis0353
    15 years ago

    Thats a good question, Dora. There are claims that charcoal aids in water and oxygen retention in the soil mix, similar to perlite, and it is said to be able to help bring down the pH of water that is on the alkaline side when the charcoal is fresh. There are many other claims concerning charcoal, but most have been proven false. I, personally, have not been able to determine enough benefits that cause me to want to add it to my mix.

    Curtis

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