Soil Amendments
This is an evolving topic for me, but as I've mentioned many of these at various points along the podcast, I wanted to compile this page:
Contents
Homemade
Compost
And, when it leaks out the bottom, Compost Tea.
Worm Castings
From the friendly red wrigglers.
Manure
Wherever you can get it.
Coffee Grounds
While you are still enjoying them. I actually add these to my worm bin, and imagine that they get a caffeine rush and go crazy in there. Maybe not, but this definitely is a good source of nitrogen...
"Spent" Mycelinated Medium
Whether coffee grounds or straw, if you grew Mushrooms in a bag, once the medium stops fruiting, throw it in your compost. Good stuff.
Base Soil
When filling new containers, I'll spring for FoxFarm Ocean Forest, which requires little amendment out of the gate -- it's pretty supercharged:
Chicken Manure/Bat Guano
The good stuff. If I had chickens, I'd use that.
Volcanic Basalt
Previously discussed in context of Paramagnetism.
- Amazon $19
Azomite
A-to-Z Of Minerals and Trace Elements.
Coco Coir
In containers, can help aeration, water retention, improve root growth.
- Amazon $14 for huge block
Azos
Azos contains a nitrogen fixing bacteria (Azospirillum brasilense). Much like we require good bacteria in our gut to make nutrients from food bioavailable to us, so too do plants require bacteria to fix nitrogen into the soil. Azospirillum is one such bacteria, converting nitrogen into a usable form that is readily available to the plant. Ideal for use in cloning & transplanting.
- Amazon $23 for 6oz
Mykos
Mykos is a mycorrhizal fungi innoculent. Mycorrhizal fungi are a type of fungi that help make nutrients available to the rhizosphere of plants. The fungus creates a "sponge-like" mass (mycelium) which collects and stores nutrients and water, increasing the uptake of both.
This single species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contains only Rhizophagus intraradices, formally known as Glomus intraradices. myoks does not contain any other microbes such as trichoderma or ecto-mycorrhizae.
