What happens to living soil during cold months?

Indoor Growing Organics
#1

I made a batch of living soil for the first time but never got around to using it yet.

I blended it this summer and its been sitting since.

I never got to use it but i dont want to waste it? Should i wait til next spring to go the SIP route?

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#2

it will be fine to over winter. is it outside? you can add some kind of organic material to keep the microbes a little busy, like alfalfa pellets, leaves, etc…

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#3

Just cover it over winter, if it rains a lot your nutrients can get flushed out.

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#4

It is outdoors but covered. Rain is not a worry. Wasnt sure if the cold temps would kill microbes

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#5

No they just go dormant until it warms up again.

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#6

They will go dormant and need to awaken again in the spring. Just get it back in the sun as soon as the weather starts to warm back up.
Mine is in weather/bug proof 55gal steel barrels. It freezes every winter. But, I bring some inside a couple months before I want to use it. I’m fairly confident that it re-awakens. Cuz it can still be quite hot for some plants. :wink:

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#7

any worm, u might want to add a littel compost, worms need food also

#8

Worms will die. They freeze and become the compost. Let’s just say I forgot to get my worm bin inside early enough one year. :grimacing::frowning:

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#9

Yes i forgot, i live in cali and do not have that problem, OOOPPS

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#10

What about bugs? Will bugs hatch in my house once i bring the soil in? Should i wet the soil down with mircobe bmc/mosquito pellets to kill the larvae?

I should probably get a jump on this😂

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#11

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I also added 1cuft of peat to lower soil ph to 6.0.

Does this seem like a solid mix guys?

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#12

I don’t know what the Royal Kings soil mix is like, but I’d say you’re definitely going to need some aeration of some sort in there.
Usually about 1/4 to 1/3 of total volume should be aeration. Pumice, rice hulls, perlite etc.

I’m also, English, so all of these different measurements are hard to understand haha :sweat_smile:
Gallon, tbsp, cup, cubic foot.
What’s wrong with using litres/ml :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: :rofl:

:v:

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#13

Lol! I feel you bro if you were to start telling me how many stone something weighs i would be so lost lol

I did but some pretty big chunks of lava rack in the mix. Might throw some perlite in it just to make it more airy

#14

The United States has gotta make it difficult with the Imperial system! You know that. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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#15

what do u use to check ure Soil ph , and how long after u mix do u check the PH

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#16

I bought a soil testing kit.

Also i tested during after the initial mix