6
votes
Accepted
Can I make soil blocks in batches and keep them empty until I need them?
I have used soil blocks 2 months after I made the block without any fertility issues at all. It's just a matter of storing something delicate.
I do let them dry out almost completely by leaving them ...
- 1,375
4
votes
Planting project / experiment / spider plant in wooden bowl
The wooden bowl full of damp roots and soil will rot, with or without drain holes.
Drain holes are better for the plant in the bowl, though.
Spider plants are pretty hard to kill, so that should work ...
- 25.9k
4
votes
Accepted
Is unexpanded perlite useful in any way?
The coarse material you're seeing is unexpanded perlite (UXP) as you pointed out. It's not as useful as expanded perlite as a general soil amendment, but it does have some niche uses. Even in it's ...
- 153
3
votes
Accepted
Does potting soil deteriorate?
Many potting soil bags have small slits to allow some air exchange. Otherwise soil + moisture + dark = mold and decay agents
Chances are good the soil has dried out into clumps. You can do your own ...
- 61.1k
3
votes
Can I make soil blocks in batches and keep them empty until I need them?
Soil bocks start falling apart as soon as they are made.
The only thing that works against that is root growth in the blocks.
So stockpile the materials and make the blocks only when you need them.
A ...
- 25.9k
2
votes
Accepted
What are these specks of white fuzz in some of my potting soil?
These are the sclerotia of a Leucocoprinus species. Probably Leucocoprinus birnbaumii.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/leucocoprinus-sclerotia
- 36
2
votes
How to prepare sand from an ocean beach to be suitable for rooting small cuttings?
Saltwater beach sand, getting the salt off is the main issue. Repeated freshwater soaking & draining should do it, yes. After the initial couple of rinses, let it soak a good long time.
If you're ...
- 25.9k
2
votes
Would "carbon soil" work? Why have I never seen it?
And now for the leap of reasoning. Imagine you take 5kg embers and grind them roughly(so as not to turn to dust). Then mix fully composted organic matter and plant something.
It really sounds like ...
- 283
2
votes
Would "carbon soil" work? Why have I never seen it?
As comments helpfully point out, soil is a lot more than its mechanical properties. However, "a mechanical substrate for plant growth" is basically the definition of hydroponic medium: The ...
- 140
1
vote
Planting project / experiment / spider plant in wooden bowl
You can plant in that bowl and be successful. You will need to give your plant enough water, but also let the soil and roots dry out periodically to kill off pests. This is much easier to do with ...
- 1,375
1
vote
COIR + Compost as a simple/crude potting mix analog?
I think that would work okay. I use a modified soil block recipe from Penn State extension for soil blocks, which was:
Ingredient
Amount
Peat / Coir
8 qt.
Perlite
5 qt.
Compost
5 qt.
Garden Soil
...
- 1,375
1
vote
Avocado leaves wilting ,turning Brown
Is it effective to do a pH test only avocado plant?
If pH is all you need to know, sure! There are other nutrient measures you might care about, which a fuller soil-test would tell you about.
What ...
- 1,375
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