Lacto Bacilli: process and discussion

[voidpainter]

Ok today with a digita pen, slurry gives me 6.9-7.0-ish pH and the “analog” soil pH meter straight in soil gives me 5 - 5.5 pH across different measuring spots.

Regarding the analog meter the pH improved from 4.5-5.5 to 5.0-5.5 over night.

I had acidity problems with my last round, unbuffered soil, I’m trying to do it right this time. I guess the pH should rise in a couple of days to the starting point of 6.9.

First time doing LAB and I’m unsure if the soil will buffer it back to my desired 6.9-7.0.

Thanks to everyone helping here. Appreciated.

 

[Maple_Flail]

I did spread the soil out to dry faster yesterday. I might be impatient as I added LAB 2 days ago.

I understand it’s lactic acid, I just didnt imagine it would go under 5 pH.

So you’re saying pH will get corrected back if soil is well aerated?

My biggest concern was once you pour too much of it you’re fucked acidity-wise? I hope I’m wrong.

honestly, I doubt you put too much on.. cap full in 1.5l to 280 l of soil is minimal if not scant.

what do you have that tests water PH? you will want this regardless, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to make note of your inital PH of the water, (de-clorinated or you are killing microbes with the clorine)

always have a ph pen/metre on hand..

this way you can control the PH in and then check again with a slurry in a few days. (slurry, 1:1 Weight : volume. agitate, let settle for an hour, agitate test after 5 mins) will give you a better over all that your plants will see. not explicitly scientific but gets you in the ball park without chemistry.

Its Soil, it can be fixed, but with everything you've mentioned something isn't exactly adding up. either your probe is having issues or there are other issues at play.

 

[voidpainter]

That cap measures 50ml here, is this too much? I’ve checked the KNF guide and it says dilute 1ml to 1L. It could well be overkill no? Would explain the massive drop too I guess? Or am I completely wrong here?

 

[voidpainter]

Water is 7.4 pH from our forest spring, drinkable.

I did the slurry exactly as you mentioned, came out 6.9-7.0.

The analog meter that goes direct in soil gives me an average of 5. I haven’t watered the soil since I added LAB in there. For the agro “analog” meter I can measure direct without having to water the spot beforehand.

 

[voidpainter]

Sorry to spam, I cant edit posts.

I have 2 meters! Digital pH pen and analog soil pH probe.

 

[Maple_Flail]

thats the thing, plants get water in their soil otherwise most won't grow.

if the slurry is on point where you want it. i'd stick with that and move on to a way to test that analog probe to verify accuracy of the probe itself.

280l of soil is ALOT of soil for only 1.5l of water with dilute LAB. with spring water like that i doubt the LAB dropped the PH of the water much more than a full point so 6.4-6.5 input

to put it in perspective, my 3gals(12l of mix really closer to 9l-10l due to airation) in veg take over 2l of water/tea to bring back to feed cycle after a dry cycle.

now it wouldn't hurt to be a little more acidic so that you don't run into as much uptake issues 6.4-6.7 works real nice for that magority of trace in soil.

cotton seed meal or ground malted barley would go well. malted barley would be most benificial while slightly dropping ph, synergizes with the bacteria

 

[voidpainter]

I have malted barley in the mix, I know the soil is a bit high on the pH but I was planning on topdressing malted barley every 14 days or so, to get that pH to swing for traces uptake. I can also use molasses, it lowers my water to around 6.5-ish. Would this be a sound plan or would you still recommend I add more barley in the mix?

I wasn’t planning on any teas as I have crab, kelp, neem, bat guano meals in there with zeolite, lime, soft rock phosp. And around 15-20% of humus.

Today slurry is the same at 6.9-7.0.

Analog meter has climbed up to 6.0-6.5. Makes sense as the soil is drying day by day the pH is getting closer to the starting buffer point of 6.9.

I don’t think there’s an issue with any of the meters. I bet the pH of analog will show the same as digital once the soil dries enough for me to water with plain water.

Thanks for the input, things make more sense now.

 

[h.h.]

I’d make beer with the barley.

 

[voidpainter]

I’d make beer with the barley.

Sure. I’ll make some for you too.

 

[big315smooth]

my first time expirimenting shes getting cheesey

 

[Organilush]

I forgot about a jar I had going and it's been sitting for a while, probably about 3 weeks since I added the milk.

The top cheesy layer of carbs/protein/fat has developed a lot of blue and some rusty brown coloration (bacteria and/or mold?) on the top surface.

The liquid serum looks like it usually does, with a slight yellow tinge to it.

Will this stuff still be safe to use even tho I let it sit much longer than suggested before filtering off the "cheese" and even tho it has developed some mold/bacterial growth on the top surface of the "cheese" layer...?...




.

 

[Thesearch]

Thank you everyone for your inputs, subbing this thread

 

[Grapefruitroop]

 

[clearheaded]

perfect! was just coming to organic to ask a question and this was at the top.

anyone know actual mechanics of how lactic bacillis helps soil structure. it often is said that LAB helps soil structure however never explains how and havent been able to find much about it. is it the acid helping leach soem spaces out of the soil? or how might it open it up or soften it, soil that is?


lol i made or attempted to make some LAB from sourdough starter and added the liquid to milk.... few days later it smells of ricotta cheese and not sour at all or rotten, just very sweet if anything.

nice way to super boost is just add some probiotic tablets. get some solid diversity. depending on your goals, but certainly alot of them ie salvarius (sp) would offer break down of protiens carbs in the soil but not best for populating outter leaf surface for pathogens.

 

[clearheaded]

void. having a slighty higher PH is prob not a bad thing if your water is 7.4 it likely will balance out to a reasonable PH of around 6ish. great thing about organic is PHing water isnt a thing they say...

 

[kritios]

anyone know actual mechanics of how lactic bacillis helps soil structure.

Here is something I found on the subject:

"Lactobacillus contributes to decomposition and disease suppression. The bacterial cycle is responsible for regulating the balance of composition in soil, to encourage life by increasing the formation of humus. Lactobacillus also performs as a growth regulator for fungi, yeast and aerobic bacteria."


https://www.gardenguides.com/137151-lactobacillus-plant-growth.html

 

[clearheaded]

perhaps the increase humus is why they always say it helps soil structure?