Seacliff Organics Living Soil v2
Living Soil v2 is a complete, ready to use living soil mix: a peat based potting soil with the minerals and the biology already in it, so in a large enough pot plants grow on water alone. We make it in Seacliff, Otago, from New Zealand sourced ingredients, for water-only container growing, no-till beds and recycled soil.
At a glance
- Type: media, complete living soil mix (also called a water-only soil or super soil)
- Use for: water-only and no-till growing in pots and beds, recycled soil, high fertility container growing
- Rate: fill the pot; most waterings 5 to 10% of the container volume
- Pot size: 50 L and above needs little or no extra input; 100 L minimum for no-till or water-only growing
- Blumat target: 80 to 100 mbar
- Bulk: 500 kg and 1000 kg; email store@seaclifforganics.nz for a quote
What it is
Living Soil v2 is our flagship mix. The base is sphagnum peat moss harvested from long-drained bogs on Southland farmland, with pumice, worm castings and charged bio-char. On top of that base goes a full set of mineral amendments and our own BEAM microbial extract. Everything is listed below. We have the soil tested by an independent laboratory. Ask us if you want the current batch figures.
Base:
- Sphagnum peat moss
- Pumice
- Worm castings
- Charged bio-char
Amendments:
- Calcium: ultra-fine ag lime, oyster shell meal (with chitin), gypsum
- Phosphorus and potassium: colloidal soft rock phosphate, fish bone meal, potassium sulphate, wheat germ
- Nitrogen, with neem and karanja: fish meal, amino acids, flaxseed meal, neem meal, karanja meal
- Biostimulants and microbiology: BioAg Ful-Humix (fulvic and humic acid), yucca extract, Seacliff BEAM extract (our own living microbial inoculant), malted barley (enzymes), lucerne (alfalfa), Ultra Paramagnetic Andesite rock dust
- Micronutrients: Zelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), Acadian kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum), basalt rock dust, measured single source trace minerals
What it does
- Holds water and air at the same time: peat and worm castings hold moisture, pumice and bio-char keep air in the mix.
- Feeds the plant slowly. The soil biology breaks the organic amendments down over the crop, so in a pot of 50 L or more the plant can be grown on water alone.
- Carries its own biology from day one, so the food web does not have to be built from scratch.
- Can be reused grow after grow. Re-amend it with Replenish Mix after each crop instead of buying new soil.
How to use
- Pots 50 L and above: minimal or no additional input is needed. Follow the grow schedule on our feed chart.
- Pots 22 L and above: alternatively feed with soluble, micronised Super Veg and Super Bloom once or twice a week.
- No-till or water-only growing: use 100 L pots minimum; larger pots are better. Multi-plant beds let one fungal network run between plants, and in our experience they grow better than single pots.
- Watering: most watering events should be 5 to 10% of the container volume. Alternating 5% and 10% waterings every other day is a good way to start. The goal is even moisture at the root zone, not runoff or a flush.
- 22 L pot: 5% = 1.1 L; 10% = 2.2 L. 50 L pot: 5% = 2.5 L; 10% = 5 L.
- A Blumat moisture meter or Bluelab Pulse helps you find the target. Blumat irrigation target: 80 to 100 mbar.
- Apply water with a spray pack or a soft rain-style head rather than pouring it on. Wetting the soil gradually, like rain, lets it soak in evenly.
- If extra nitrogen is needed, amino acids are the recommended source.
- After each grow, re-amend with Replenish Mix: 300 to 600 g per 50 L pot. One bag recharges a 50 L pot up to 8 times.
- Commercial growers: paste testing and other measurements can lower costs and lift yield and quality. Contact us for help or a prescription. For commercial volumes ask for a price.
Watch out
- Our mixes drain well, but any amended soil holds a lot of moisture: compost, peat, minerals and the dry amendments themselves all hold water. Overwatering is the usual mistake, so water in small rounds and let the top dry between them.
- Soil pH: living soil runs 6.2 to 7.2 with a target of 6.6. Water in at pH 6.0 to 6.5.
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Handling and storage
- Wear a mask to avoid inhaling particles and open the bag in a well ventilated area.
- Wear gloves and eye protection, and wash hands after use.
- Once opened, keep the soil moist and out of direct sunlight.
- If ingested, or if the product gets into the eyes or irritates the skin, rinse the area well and call the National Poisons Centre on 0800 POISON (0800 764 766).
Shipping and returns
We ship nationwide across New Zealand. Orders are usually dispatched within 1 to 2 business days and rural delivery can take longer. Unopened products can be returned within 30 days.
