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 Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 6:46 pm
My indoor plants aren't doing well at all. The soil I bought and have bought (many a different brand) either dries out to a brick, holds water like the Titanic and/or gets white fuzzy deposits on the top. (I think it might be salt, but I use rain water.) I bought coir for a peat substitute. Peat is evil. I actually found out that a place called Mer Bleue which I drive past regularly is a protected peat bog. I think that's pretty neat. I have sheep manure and sand already. I'm not sure if I'm going to get perlite (volcano stuff) or vermiculite (rock stuff) to mix in. I might snag some pine stuff from work too. Has anyone else made their own soil? Thinking about it? Tips? I'm going to report a ficus, a pothos/monstera/mystery plant , two "acorn tree" 's as my partner calls it, a sedum, and I think that's it. I'm really looking forward to it. :B
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Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 4:29 pm
So I made up some soil. Included: - sand - coconut coir - greensand - perlite - sheep compost - "Mykes" mycorhizae Since I come home at 5 and it's dark soon, I just used an empty pot to mix and a sieve for the compost. Just mixed it all in there, and "dusted" the mix with the compost and sand. The end result was very light. I wish I had gotten off my bottom sooner. My ficus had a lot of root rot. I cut off the gnarly bits and am hoping for the best. (This ficus I've had for years and it bounced back from frozen death when I drove to Onterrible.) My little oak tree is doing well too! I found a half chewed acorn on the ground and potted it up. He's loving life! heart I added a fair amount of perlite as my soil has tended to be very waterlogged. (Even with my lack of proper watering.) Gotta go eat dinner now. But will be making more soil tomorrow. Hopefully this will rid me of those cursed fungus gnats.
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Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:13 pm
I recommend buying a test strip so you can see how much nitrogen fixing bacteria is in your soil.
Without the right amount, plants die.
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Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:12 pm
Esiris I recommend buying a test strip so you can see how much nitrogen fixing bacteria is in your soil. Without the right amount, plants die. If I am low, do you know what you do to get it? I did a few searches but only came up with stuff on legumes. Clockwise starting from bottom left: hedera helix, monstera "Mo", peperomia , pothos, some sort of sedum, donkey spurge (found this growing on the greenhouse path.) Mo. I've had him for seven or eight years now. He ALMOST bit the dust when I moved out to Ontario. After a hard frost hit him (left him in the truck overnight in Manitoba) there was only a bit of root the size of my thumb still green. My "acorn tree": Each pot was individually made. I know these plants well and figure I'll know the proper proportions. I just hope they like it - they've had a tough time in the last year with the move and the incredibly dry air here. (Seriously, I need eye gel. Gel. Or my eyeballs turn into dust balls.)
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Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:48 pm
Pick yourself up a packet of the bacteria. Lots of farming supply stores will sell it.
For the most part- you shouldn't have any problem though.
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Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 6:43 pm
I tried using coco coir for my plants but it dries out too quickly. Maybe in a mix like that it'll work better.
I just made a mix of soil and sand for my plants. I also use my own home made fertilizer. I like to call it fish tank water xD works wonders, you should see the grass out front of my house! You can tell which patches get the water and which don't....the ones that do grow so fast.
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 6:55 pm
Vanilla eXee
I tried using coco coir for my plants but it dries out too quickly. Maybe in a mix like that it'll work better.
I just made a mix of soil and sand for my plants. I also use my own home made fertilizer. I like to call it fish tank water xD works wonders, you should see the grass out front of my house! You can tell which patches get the water and which don't....the ones that do grow so fast.so you just have a fish tank and when it comes time to clean the water, you use the dirty water as a fertilizer? like, water the plants with the fish water?
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:35 pm
Saltwater Soda Vanilla eXee
I tried using coco coir for my plants but it dries out too quickly. Maybe in a mix like that it'll work better.
I just made a mix of soil and sand for my plants. I also use my own home made fertilizer. I like to call it fish tank water xD works wonders, you should see the grass out front of my house! You can tell which patches get the water and which don't....the ones that do grow so fast.so you just have a fish tank and when it comes time to clean the water, you use the dirty water as a fertilizer? like, water the plants with the fish water?
Fish tanks need to have a water change every week, and the water from their tank is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, so it makes perfect sense to use that as fertilizer for plants that like those nutrients >.<
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:42 pm
Vanilla eXee Saltwater Soda Vanilla eXee
I tried using coco coir for my plants but it dries out too quickly. Maybe in a mix like that it'll work better.
I just made a mix of soil and sand for my plants. I also use my own home made fertilizer. I like to call it fish tank water xD works wonders, you should see the grass out front of my house! You can tell which patches get the water and which don't....the ones that do grow so fast.so you just have a fish tank and when it comes time to clean the water, you use the dirty water as a fertilizer? like, water the plants with the fish water?
Fish tanks need to have a water change every week, and the water from their tank is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, so it makes perfect sense to use that as fertilizer for plants that like those nutrients >.<That's really cool! I wonder if I can get my dad to let me have a small fish tank... Does the type of fish or food to be fed to it matter a lot?
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:48 pm
Saltwater Soda That's really cool! I wonder if I can get my dad to let me have a small fish tank... Does the type of fish or food to be fed to it matter a lot?
The food only matters to the fish! I wouldn't get a fish tank just for the dirty water though, fish tanks are expensive and time consuming. If you are interested in having pet fish because you like them, then I encourage you to do some research to see what fish would fit in with your lifestyle :3
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:52 pm
Vanilla eXee Saltwater Soda That's really cool! I wonder if I can get my dad to let me have a small fish tank... Does the type of fish or food to be fed to it matter a lot?
The food only matters to the fish! I wouldn't get a fish tank just for the dirty water though, fish tanks are expensive and time consuming. If you are interested in having pet fish because you like them, then I encourage you to do some research to see what fish would fit in with your lifestyle :3Oh, I was thinking of a beta fish. I had one several times before, but my mom's cats ate them... ;o; A small bowl with one fish wasn't too much work, and some of my friends have had betas that just refused to die, haha. Now I am living with my dad, and he has no cats X'D So.. hmm!~♫
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:58 pm
Saltwater Soda Vanilla eXee Saltwater Soda That's really cool! I wonder if I can get my dad to let me have a small fish tank... Does the type of fish or food to be fed to it matter a lot?
The food only matters to the fish! I wouldn't get a fish tank just for the dirty water though, fish tanks are expensive and time consuming. If you are interested in having pet fish because you like them, then I encourage you to do some research to see what fish would fit in with your lifestyle :3Oh, I was thinking of a beta fish. I had one several times before, but my mom's cats ate them... ;o; A small bowl with one fish wasn't too much work, and some of my friends have had betas that just refused to die, haha. Now I am living with my dad, and he has no cats X'D So.. hmm!~♫
You may want to take a peek at this article and this one. I know that many keep their bettas in bowls, but it's just not healthy for them. Bettas should really be in tanks. Bowls are not suited for any type of fish. If you get a betta, minimum size tank would be a 2.5 gallon tank. You'd also need a heater and a filter. Bettas are tropical, their water should be around 78 degrees F, and ideally the tank would be cycled before you get your fish. If you'd still like to get a fish, don't hesitate to comment or PM me if you need any advice, I'd love to help.
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:09 pm
Vanilla eXee Saltwater Soda Vanilla eXee Saltwater Soda That's really cool! I wonder if I can get my dad to let me have a small fish tank... Does the type of fish or food to be fed to it matter a lot?
The food only matters to the fish! I wouldn't get a fish tank just for the dirty water though, fish tanks are expensive and time consuming. If you are interested in having pet fish because you like them, then I encourage you to do some research to see what fish would fit in with your lifestyle :3Oh, I was thinking of a beta fish. I had one several times before, but my mom's cats ate them... ;o; A small bowl with one fish wasn't too much work, and some of my friends have had betas that just refused to die, haha. Now I am living with my dad, and he has no cats X'D So.. hmm!~♫
You may want to take a peek at this article and this one. I know that many keep their bettas in bowls, but it's just not healthy for them. Bettas should really be in tanks. Bowls are not suited for any type of fish. If you get a betta, minimum size tank would be a 2.5 gallon tank. You'd also need a heater and a filter. Bettas are tropical, their water should be around 78 degrees F, and ideally the tank would be cycled before you get your fish. If you'd still like to get a fish, don't hesitate to comment or PM me if you need any advice, I'd love to help.@o@ wow, thanks! I never knew that. ^u^' ah I feel so silly. Thanks for your help! If I get a fish, I don't want to cause harm to it! I appreciate it♥
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:10 pm
Saltwater Soda @o@ wow, thanks! I never knew that. ^u^' ah I feel so silly. Thanks for your help! If I get a fish, I don't want to cause harm to it! I appreciate it♥
Oh, any time! ^_^
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 1:10 pm
pirhan My indoor plants aren't doing well at all. The soil I bought and have bought (many a different brand) either dries out to a brick, holds water like the Titanic and/or gets white fuzzy deposits on the top. (I think it might be salt, but I use rain water.) I bought coir for a peat substitute. Peat is evil. I actually found out that a place called Mer Bleue which I drive past regularly is a protected peat bog. I think that's pretty neat. I have sheep manure and sand already. I'm not sure if I'm going to get perlite (volcano stuff) or vermiculite (rock stuff) to mix in. I might snag some pine stuff from work too. Has anyone else made their own soil? Thinking about it? Tips? I'm going to report a ficus, a pothos/monstera/mystery plant , two "acorn tree" 's as my partner calls it, a sedum, and I think that's it. I'm really looking forward to it. :B I am going to start making my own soil soon. My goal is to make an organic soil through composting. The better the organic soil the better my plants will grow. My compost is going to consist of things such as leaf litter, grass clippings, soil, and certain types of food waste.
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