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Living organic soil from start through recycling CONTINUED...
- Thread starter gaiusmarius
- Start date
I top dress a on replant and before flip, the worms in my containers are from the castings which I buy
Why not keep a population of worms going in the containers and top dress feedstock so they can manufacture castings for you? I'm sure you have a good reason for it, just asking?
Why not keep a population of worms going in the containers and top dress feedstock so they can manufacture castings for you? I'm sure you have a good reason for it, just asking?
I have tons of worms in my containers for the last 3 years, they came from the castings which means the egg casings where intact (quality castingns)
they came from the castings I never put them there but they have been there since
i look at it like this; mulch layer and re-amendments feed the worms
My bad I thought I read you buying castings each run!
naaa bought once to set everything up 3 years ago and bought less than 20 pounds since then to top dress with
same with compost and peat
you are feeding the soil not just the worms
the soil microorganisms are as responsible for the process as the worms
the worms serve greater purposes indoors as they are the "canary in the coal mine" and they are also biological storehouses for bacteria so in effect they keep the balance of micro organisms because their guts offer the same benefits as bio-char in that regard
I haven't bought or really used my own casting GS on established pots in years.
The castings I make just go to establish new pots.
Weird- sweet. Looking great, what is that black star all about?
Avi- your spray mimicks mine except for the ISO. Thanks for the links. I might have to kick up my game.
I love sals suds! I use it for everything.
You know you growing up and getting older when you have a favorite soap.
The castings I make just go to establish new pots.
Weird- sweet. Looking great, what is that black star all about?
Avi- your spray mimicks mine except for the ISO. Thanks for the links. I might have to kick up my game.
I love sals suds! I use it for everything.
You know you growing up and getting older when you have a favorite soap.
i always rinse afer using sals
sls is supposed to be rinsed even when used as cleaning product
i rinse w em1 or kelp tea or humics or fish aminos or more iso water or enzymes
sls is supposed to be rinsed even when used as cleaning product
i rinse w em1 or kelp tea or humics or fish aminos or more iso water or enzymes
PakSamGyiShing
New member
Peat in soil mixes...
Peat in soil mixes...
Greetings all, I hope this question hasn't been answered somewhere else but this forum is a big space =O I've been reading through the original thread and am some number of thousand posts into it but I didn't really pick up the answer to this question anywhere just yet -
Why use peat in the soil mixes?
I understand that in some ways peat was adopted in a similar fashion in the nursery trade as perlite - weight issues - while also being a water retentive medium. So for this reason I kind of understand why folks having to shuffle pots around would want this. However, since I've seen how folks like MicrobeMan have scrutinized different sources for biologic activity it just gives me more questions. I also understand that it is rather resistant to breakdown, and perhaps has some humus-like qualities to it as well that lend themselves to the organic aspects of this endeavor.
ClackamasCootz broke his soil mix down into essentially - 1 part sphagnum, 1 part "aeration", 1 part "humus." So this lends itself towards peat not really being a humus source and not adding porosity, so is it just some sort of "structure" to build the soil off of and retain moisture?
Seeing that for instance other mixes that included an additional choir element, that the choir could be replaced with forest duff which would act as a fibrous "soil conditioner" seems like peat is doing at least something else other than adding structure.
Some of my question arises because CC's mix follows roughly the old classic seed starting, plant potting mix as advocated by fellows such as Alan Chadwick - 1 part compost ("humus"), 1 part loam (sod loam specifically, but good garden soil would also do), and 1 part sharp (sand, aeration). So what's the corollary here?
I guess realizing that the classic mix could end up being monstrously heavy in a large container, I'm a little wondering how peat compares with just using compost in its stead? I have yards of compost available to me, but I'd have to purchase peat, and if I don't have to then all the better for me
Thanks all.
Peat in soil mixes...
Greetings all, I hope this question hasn't been answered somewhere else but this forum is a big space =O I've been reading through the original thread and am some number of thousand posts into it but I didn't really pick up the answer to this question anywhere just yet -
Why use peat in the soil mixes?
I understand that in some ways peat was adopted in a similar fashion in the nursery trade as perlite - weight issues - while also being a water retentive medium. So for this reason I kind of understand why folks having to shuffle pots around would want this. However, since I've seen how folks like MicrobeMan have scrutinized different sources for biologic activity it just gives me more questions. I also understand that it is rather resistant to breakdown, and perhaps has some humus-like qualities to it as well that lend themselves to the organic aspects of this endeavor.
ClackamasCootz broke his soil mix down into essentially - 1 part sphagnum, 1 part "aeration", 1 part "humus." So this lends itself towards peat not really being a humus source and not adding porosity, so is it just some sort of "structure" to build the soil off of and retain moisture?
Seeing that for instance other mixes that included an additional choir element, that the choir could be replaced with forest duff which would act as a fibrous "soil conditioner" seems like peat is doing at least something else other than adding structure.
Some of my question arises because CC's mix follows roughly the old classic seed starting, plant potting mix as advocated by fellows such as Alan Chadwick - 1 part compost ("humus"), 1 part loam (sod loam specifically, but good garden soil would also do), and 1 part sharp (sand, aeration). So what's the corollary here?
I guess realizing that the classic mix could end up being monstrously heavy in a large container, I'm a little wondering how peat compares with just using compost in its stead? I have yards of compost available to me, but I'd have to purchase peat, and if I don't have to then all the better for me
Thanks all.
Pak; I am certain your questions have been addressed over and over. As you seem to say, I illustrated the microbial content of peat moss, the main reason to use it.
I have criticized using the term 'humus' in place of compost. They are two different things. There actually is some humus in peat moss just as there is some humus in Alaska humus products. My words apparently fell on deaf eyes.
Peat moss has a high CEC. Usually 100+ meq.
Certainly you may use high quality compost in place of peat moss as long as you are sure of the quality. Test it with a tomato seed. Also be sure to use good drainage (I used a variety of materials)
I also used silty-loam bottomland topsoil, as you can read throughout the forum.
Coot recommends Alaska Peat Moss (brand name) which he got me to test for him prior to advocating it and Premier Peat Moss which I had already tested.
I have criticized using the term 'humus' in place of compost. They are two different things. There actually is some humus in peat moss just as there is some humus in Alaska humus products. My words apparently fell on deaf eyes.
Peat moss has a high CEC. Usually 100+ meq.
Certainly you may use high quality compost in place of peat moss as long as you are sure of the quality. Test it with a tomato seed. Also be sure to use good drainage (I used a variety of materials)
I also used silty-loam bottomland topsoil, as you can read throughout the forum.
Coot recommends Alaska Peat Moss (brand name) which he got me to test for him prior to advocating it and Premier Peat Moss which I had already tested.
PakSamGyiShing
New member
Ah I see, so the shorthand used 'humus' really just meant composted organic matter of whatever kind, in addition to the humus already present in good quality peat products. The compost added is there as much for the beneficials and nutrients it adds as for its own CEC and humic properties then.
The additional role the peat is playing on the CEC also helps fill out in my mind its place in the mix.
Is the tomato seed test to check for the presence of picloram and/or clopyralid, or for its nutrient potential? I have maybe a third of a yard of composted horse manure and bedding left that I made last year for my garden, and an additional 2 yards of aged manure I'm planning on finishing in turned piles as well.
I try to use at least a third by volume of sharp sand from the beach (that I rinse of salt) for all my potting soils. It seems to provide pretty good drainage. I've been planning on taking some topsoil from my garden to add to my mix as well. It aint bottomland soil, but the parts of it that are real good and balanced are very nice. The garden location seems to have had a long history of different deposition regimes - creek beds, sand bars, possibly marshes based on the clay layers (and colors) and seems to have mixes of both sedimentary and some igneous rocks.
Thanks MM for your response, it helps open my mind up to what's going on a little better
If a compost is finished and stable with fairly good sequestered nutrients then a planted seed will sprout and grow well for a couple of weeks (may eventually have drainage issues). If it falters after sprouting this can indicate that the compost is too hot or there are contaminants. This is just an old farmer's method to do a low tech compost test.
[AFAIK] The scientific definition for humus is quite far removed from what compost is. I'm not sure why people started using the term to denote compost.
[AFAIK] The scientific definition for humus is quite far removed from what compost is. I'm not sure why people started using the term to denote compost.
We use radishes, as they germinate and grow really quickly. Apparently they are sensitive to contaminants as well.
Chitosan?
Chitosan?
I apologize in advance if this question has been answered a million times before. With my crappy search skills i didnt manage to find the answer.
Anyway long story short, im building a no till recycled organic living soil. And the only amendment I cannot find or anything close to it is Crab\crustacean anything shellfish meal.
However I found this company that sells bags of chitosan, im wondering if this will be okay as a replacement for crab\crustacean meal? Im not sure if its missing any valuable components or how its been extracted and processed. I found this lable on their site, hoping someone can help decipher it for me.
Lable
Crab\Crustacean meal is the only amendment im missing before I can begin my journey into no till following tried and true recipes.
If this isnt the right stuff, is there anything else I could use to replace crab\crust meal?
Best regards
Unagi
Chitosan?
I apologize in advance if this question has been answered a million times before. With my crappy search skills i didnt manage to find the answer.
Anyway long story short, im building a no till recycled organic living soil. And the only amendment I cannot find or anything close to it is Crab\crustacean anything shellfish meal.
However I found this company that sells bags of chitosan, im wondering if this will be okay as a replacement for crab\crustacean meal? Im not sure if its missing any valuable components or how its been extracted and processed. I found this lable on their site, hoping someone can help decipher it for me.
Lable
Crab\Crustacean meal is the only amendment im missing before I can begin my journey into no till following tried and true recipes.
If this isnt the right stuff, is there anything else I could use to replace crab\crust meal?
Best regards
Unagi
