Not certain I'm in the correct forum... Please advise.

I'm overwhelmed.

A lot of questions here, so any help appreciated.

Forgive me, I'm thinking aloud also.

Have been trying to go organic for a few years now with mixed results. Have raised beds composed of primarily Canadian Sphagum Peat moss and Vermiculite. The more I research the more confused I get.

Attempting to come up with a "system" of sorts that will allow me to blend my own organic fertilizers, creating mixes that allow for a seedling starter mix for inside propogation, a mix that will allow for outside propogation at seeding, and a mix that would be applied before/at planting that will provide for most of the fertilizer requirements throughout the remainder of the growing season. This also allows me to use individual components (vs blends) as soil tests &/or experience warrants.

Will be intensively growing both vegetables and cut flowers.

My list of preferred items to keep bulk ingredients down to as few as possible.

STARTER FERTILIZER

(P-11)Water Soluble? Bone Meal (also N-4 some brands? Water soluble?)

*What else would I need to add to this to give seedlings readily available NPK. What's a good water soluble K? Ingredient?

*Recommended ratios? Would like to create a grow mix that would feed seedlings for 8 weeks or so without leaching out. In the absence of that possibility, would like to have something liquid that could be applied on a regular (weekly?) basis. Could the bone meal be disolved in water? Other recommendations? I've tried fish emulsion but it smells too bad for the house. Ok with it for the garden. Kelp Emulsion? What would I be losing by using the Kelp emulsion (let's say soaking it into the soiless mix from the bottom vs using the fish/emulsion or a kelp fish emulsion blend? Recommendations as to brand? Must be good for both flowers and vegetables.

BASIC FERTILIZER

(N-14)Water insoluble Blood Meal

(P-16)Water insoluble Rock Phosphate (also Calcium-19%)

(K-7)Water Insoluble Greensand (also trace minerals)

*Add additional pre-packaged Humus, Sugars, beneficial bacteria and organisms etc.... Do I even want to bother with this stuff? are the organic fertilzers and peat that I'm using going to handle all this anyway? Any probs with using it? Aren't some of these items incorporated into some of the fish/kelp emulsions that I'm planning on using anyway? Recommendations?

*What ratios would you use for general purpose considering the program I'm outlining?

*Note: Might consider a Blood and Bone meal substitute in light of Mad Cow etc so long as incorporating those items doesn't have detrimental effects elsewhere. Right now I'm shying away from manures because of hormones, pesticides, vaccinations etc that make the water way to murky for me. Ultimately, hopefully, I'll be raising my own chickens etc and will know what's creating the manure and will incorporate it later. Also, considering green manures in the winter, but not certain if I like the way it potentially ties up my area of crops.

LIQUID FERTILZER (Foliar & Drip Irrigation)

(NPK)Fish emulsion or Kelp emulsion or Blend

*Recommendations Please. See "add additional" note under basic fertilizer above.

OTHER

Dolomitic Limestone (to adjust PH, add Calcium and Magnesium)

*Hydrated Lime recommended as Jump start for peat beds put into production this year? Calcium supplements? Calcium in bone meal enough?

*Calcitic Limestone, Calcium Nitrite, Calcium Chloride needed?

Problems for me come into play when trying to deal with water soluble vs water insoluble ingredients and how to incorporate. Also, my incomprehension of how organic ingredients are made available and IF I can overdo it for various varieties if I incorporate too much. Would like to be able to basically "broadcast" the same ingredients for all flower and vegetable varieties. Hoping that with the organic nature of the products, the plants will be able to determine in a healthful manner what they need.

So, I want to make sure my plants get off to a good start when planted into the bed so my understanding is that I want water soluble fertilzers at that time particularly for good root development etc.

Trying to work towards this (or something similar).

1. Apply new peat/vermiculite blend (as required)to bring beds up to correct level and mix with existing soiless mix.

2. Have soil tested professionally.

3. Lime with Dolomitic Limestone per the test. Question is if PH is an issue with soiless mixes at all? I'm getting mixed input about this in that some say it's like chasing and you'll never get there anyway, so just provide everything you need and don't worry about it. Also say to still apply lime (Dolomitic, & or Calcitic or others) primarily for the the Calcium and Magnesium.

Also, on my new beds (to be built and planted this spring) I'm concerned about PH and Calcium levels and started looking into Liquid Limestone. Apparently, it becomes much more readily available than the other limestone powders. Then I found some info on Hydrated Lime and thought that may be the way to go. Anyway, I'm confused about the whole lime thing and have big concerns since I'm using primarily peat. I also note that apparently vermiculite is more neutral than the peat and might factor into the peats acidity? Help!

4. Start seedling production with a starter fertilizer that will be OK to use in the house. Have been trying to make myself use fish emulstion, but for obvious reasons I'm looking elsewhere. Thinking that maybe I should just mix in some ingredients into my soiless mix. Would Bone meal by itself be sufficient?

5. Wait until spring to Broadcast a blend of water insoluble fertilzers that also provide micronutrients and other items that stimulate soil activity, sugars etc. The idea is that this blend provides the majority of the fertilzer source for the growing season. Simultaneously building soil. Work into top 4" of soil & water in. What fertilzers from my list & Rates would you recommend for this? Right now I'm using (N) Blood Meal, (P) Rock Phosphate, (K) Greensand (glauconite).

6. At Planting, Broadcast a blend of water soluble ingredients (primarily bone meal?) to help jumpstart things. I've seen some bone meal that is primarily Phosphorous, and some that has a relatively high percentage of Nitrogen. Wondering which I want to use. I'm thinking if the Nitrogen in the blood meal is water soluble, then I'd want that. If not, I'd need to find a quick release nitrogen source to add as a mix. Or, perhaps a liquid fertilzer (fish emulsion/kelp) could solve the whole problem and then I don't need to broadcast the water soluble ingredients. Then, Barely work into top surface of soil & water in.

7. Use a liquid fertilzer (Fish & Or Kelp emulsion etc) every couple weeks or so as additional backup for plants. I think I would prefer to NOT foliar feed because of potential problems with flowers etc. Still up in the air on this one. Regardless, the liquid fertilzer allows for incorporation without disturbing the soil around the plants and the potential for incorporating into a drip irrigation system later.

I'll start with these questions and see how it goes.

ANY input would be appreciated.

Eddie