you don't say if you have access to compost makings. It doesn't take animal manure to heat one up. Grass clippings and oak leaves get plenty hot for us, indicating that it has adequate nitrogen. We add a sprinkling of wood ash, after it is cooled. If you add it at the outset, you will lose nitrogen. But barring that I would buy a good plant potting mix and a well rounded fertilizer that has trace elements not just NPK. You don't say if you plan to leave the plants in the containers all season or if they will go into the ground in spring. IF all season I would be concerned that the pots are on the small side, but perhaps with careful fertilizing and watering you may get a crop from plants bred for containers. I have used five gallon pots with determinate patio type tomatoes and commercial potting mix and fertilizer with fair success.

So no fish, hair, skin, blood, bone, milk, or feathers. That leaves most organic fertilizers up for consideration. I think potting soil mixes make a good start. Dust on some compost to inoculate the potting soil with microbes, then apply a handful of alfalfa pellets and/or corn meal once a month.

Thanks for the replies. That would be no animal "parts". We are lacto-ovo vegetarians. Not vegans, so some animal by-products are acceptable.

Currently have jiffy pots of marglobes, rutgers, and straight 8 (cucumbers) seeds under the fluorescents and will be planting these in 5 gallon containers - to go under the 600W MH+HPS.

We have a compost bin (with grass clippings & oak leaves, among other things), but it's not ready at this time for the containers.

You might want to find an "organic" soil mix and to this amend with vermiculite and sharp sand or perlite and seed meals all well mixed together. Then water your plants in with kelp solution followed subsequently with compost teas amended with a bit of soluble kelp. Your main nutrient shortage will be nitrogen. Your main problem will be salt buildup perhaps or maybe your plant-based nitrogen source spoiling first.

If some animal by-products are acceptable why not consider blood meal, bone meal and composted/aged manure? Tom

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out what is unacceptable? Would composted cattle be okay?

If you need a large quantity of potting soil your compost, when finished would be a good source. If you have a municipal compost pile you could use that. For smaller quantities any good potting soil mix available in stores can be used, few have any animal by products in them although finding one without a synthetic fertilzer may be a bit difficult.

Well, I've picked up a couple of bags of miracle gro "organic choice" potting mix. Have some peat moss & vermiculite around. Any comments on what could be done with these three parts (and any specific additions)?

Currently on the look-out for a set of liquid/powder organic nutrients (and liquid seaweed).

Check the labeled list of ingredients on the bag of potting mix (and not to be confused with planting mix). Some potting mixes are enhanced in various ways, included added nitrogen to compensate for activities of bacteria in the mix. On the basis of the listed ingredients, amend the potting mix as seem appropriate. I advise my clients not to mess around too much with a reputable commercial product already tested for effectiveness. Add too much organic fertilizers and you might have a toxic mess.

That "Miracle Grow" potting soil, like all the other commercially available potting soil, will already have either vermiculite or perlite mixed in, no need to add more. Because this is a non food product there are no labeling requirements, although if the manufactuerer, or marketer chooses to label the ingrediants it must be accurate.

I would suggest peat moss (70%), kelp meal(10%), garden silica(10%), cottonseed meal(5%) and perlite(5%). This should work well because it will be loose but still retain some water and the kelp and cottonseed will provide N-P-K in a moderately slow release form. You should supplement your watering with organic fertilizers such as Kelp Meal and if you are not opposed to marine life i find green sand to be a valuable asset.

manure is an animal byproduct that doesn't hurt the animal--unlike blood, bone, fish or feather meal. And you can buy it composted almost anywhere, especially steer manure.

manure is certainly a renewable resource, eh?

:)

The nitrogen cycle exists because animals die and decompose. At the Big Bang, there was no nitrogen on earth. Successive generations of death, decay, and rebirth is what makes soil out of minerals. WHen I die I want to be buried under my garden.

The earth is little more than millions of years of animal products.

You know, when someone asks if folks can recommend an animal-free container mix, they don't want remarks about how everything dies and so what's the big deal.

Phoam, check out groworganic.com for all sorts of recommendations for ferts and so forth. I myself use a mix of peat moss and vermiculite or perlite for starting seeds, then side dressing with compost and using various foliar ferts.

I always strongly recommend that bagged potting mixes be 'cut' with a large percentage of perlite. I've yet to see one that had a 50:50 ratio. Vermiculite doesn't maintain its structure for very long, defeating the whole purpose for adding it (creating a highly porous, fast-draining medium).

You may wish to think twice about adding any outdoor compost to an indoor mix, unless you want an infestation of many diff. varieties of insects. I also would hesitate to use any mix that has any added fertilizer - either salt or organic as you really have no idea whats there and in what amounts. As far as the mix, put some rock phosphate down low, greensand down low and throughout, cottonseed meal is ok, but will raise your ph a bit so add some prilled dolomitic lime, dry some banana peels, dice very small, and add these down low as well. Up on top, place 1/4 cup of alfalfa pellets to increase your microlife. Kelp is always good. I would agree with some composted manures if you don't mind them - in small chunks and down toward the bottom as well. You will have a ton of organic matter in any mix that you choose, and this will tend to use up alot of your nitrogen while it breaks down so remember this. I find that mixing cottonseed meal, worm castings and vermiculite together and adding them in "layers" or "spikes" from the top of the pot to the bottom works great. The plants will feed on these when needed. Getting some microlife started in containers is most important in any organic grow. Try mixing your "base mix" ahead of time by atleast two months or so, and letting it sit, moist, but not wet, and aerate it a couple of times. This will start the organic compounds and microlife to work together. Good luck!