Living Soils: Frequently Asked Questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
Growing in a living soil mix is new even for many experienced growers who have become accustomed to sterilized/inert peat & perlite blends. We’ve tried to address some of the most common questions here. Please reach out directly if you have further questions to livingsoil@dirtcraftorganics.com.
How long is my soil good for? How do I properly store it?
A well crafted potting soil, like a good wine, improves with age. If you are able, we recommend purchasing enough potting soil for the whole growing season at one time. After a year the soil does not go bad, however it is harder to guarantee the nutrient levels and biological activity of the mix due to variability of storage conditions on your farm. Bulk totes and bags should be stored out of the elements and avoid allowing the soil to become oversaturated or dry out completely. If the mix does dry out completely, re-water thoroughly before filling pots or containers.
How much should I water?
For growers new to our products, we recommend starting out at half your normal watering regimen and dialing up from there as needed. One common challenge for growers switching from peat-based to coco coir-based is over watering. Peat-based media tends to dry out from the bottom up so that it is common for the cell to be bone dry while the surface appears to have sufficient moisture. Because peat can go hydrophobic, many growers tend to water extra to overcome this problem. Coco coir-based soils actually dry out from the top down, meaning that the root-zone of the cell can be perfectly moist while the surface appears dry, for folks who are new to coco-based mixes this can lead to over watering.
Why is my soil hot?
Our soils may heat up after blending, this is normal. The heat is a sign that microbial soil life is active and working away to mineralize the recently incorporated organic fertilizers making the nutrients plant available. This is what makes our craft-blended soils different from commercially-made sterilized potting soils. It's also why our mixes out perform inert mixes with synthetic "starter charges". Because soil heat can damage tender transplants or adversely affect germination, we recommend that our soils are best used after two weeks from the date of blending which is written on each pallet or tote. It is within this first two weeks from blending that the soil temperature will stabilize.
What if I see mold?
Because our soils are not sterilized, the living biology in the soil will inoculate amendments in the mix after blending. Mold is just the fruiting body of a class of fungi that breakdown organic materials. It is not uncommon to see this appear 1-2 weeks after initial blending, particularly in the low oxygen environment of the bag or tote. Once this happens we recommend that you should stir it up and re-incorporate it into the mix, it should not re-occur in any significant quantities after this initial "flush". To avoid any potential harm, make sure to limit excess time in a germination chamber or humidity domes and have a circulation fan moving enough air around in your propagation greenhouse.
What do I do about Fungus Gnats?
We use copious amounts of diatomaceous earth in our mixes to prevent pests from surviving in storage. However, all potting soils that are rich in organic matter are always at risk of fungus gnat infestations throughout the season. Overwatering is the #1 cause of fungus gnat infestations and the answer is always to allow media too dry out between waterings. We have found that using rice hulls as a mulch is a surprisingly effective means of control (we sell rice hulls in 7CF bales). Commercial growers may want to consider incorporating an organic-approved biological larvicide such as Gnatrol into their IPM.