Living organic soil from start through recycling

[Gascanastan]

Statistically, Nov 19th is the rainiest day of the year for many locations in the PNW, specifically seatac, of which this year was the wettest (of the wettest) for that particular location.

Weather - the other hobby that takes up the rest of my time

you PNW'ers may get an artic outbreak i.e. cold snap, towards the very end of the month - would be expected headed into this time of year, eventually anyways....

Thanks Blue Jay
I'm coming to you live from the Puget Sound region and it's quite a mess on my lawn this morning Jay. We also lost power on the garden for a minute,but all is well and I will be taking clones and preparing for flower by Friday......

...now back to you Jay.

 

[Gascanastan]

Spike's - great name for a Levi/Leather bar in West Hollywood......

Layer's....egg laying fowl....usually chickens.

 

[BlueJayWay]

Thanks Blue Jay
I'm coming to you live from the Puget Sound region and it's quite a mess on my lawn this morning Jay. We also lost power on the garden for a minute,but all is well and I will be taking clones and preparing for flower by Friday......

...now back to you Jay.

Sunny here and the mountain Blue Jays are singing in the trees

losing power sucks, i like these timers i've got now though, they have their own battery so they keep keeping time when the powers out.... at least i thought it was nifty, maybe you all are already light years ahead of me in that sense

clones ' n flowering, best time, busy time, shit it's always busy....

 

[YosemiteSam]

Yo's question of the day. If you keep a stock plant in a pot...how long can you keep it going? Or does it just get stupid rootbound before the food runs out?

 

[Microbeman]

My mantra and upcoming book;

Actual living microbial soil (ALMS) as opposed to truly living organics (TLO)…or is it TOL hehe,

Alms for the poor for the poor shall inherit the earth.

 

[gregor_mendel]

There has been some talk of fossilized, or at least old oyster shell powder from San Francisco Bay versus the crushed oyster shell product for chickens.

Is the problem with the chicken feed that it is not the old, tiny oyster shells, that is it not ground, or both? Maybe the more straightforward question is: is the chicken feed version good enough if it is ground to a powder? Any ideas on how to do that efficiently?

 

[YosemiteSam]

MM...that is a book I would actually read, as opposed to the other one.

 

[rrog]

I like that third one...

 

[MrSterling]

i remember those kind of storms from when i lived in port orford many a moon ago...

Dude. I was just in Port Orford last summer. That view down the coast from the port area is one of the most beautiful spots I've ever seen. The way the coast receded into the fog and mist. I was laughing at the buildings surrounding me, if that view was on the East Coast there'd be million dollar condos everywhere.

 

[Gascanastan]

Yo's question of the day. If you keep a stock plant in a pot...how long can you keep it going? Or does it just get stupid rootbound before the food runs out?

Usually gets stupid rootbound b4 the food runs out. Recently I had this issue an just slipped a black plastic lawn bag under the pot and filled the area around the pot with another cubic ft of soil. Roots grew out the holes and into the soil....plant recovered and gave me 1/2 lb.

 

[unclefishstick]

no kidding,its not one of the tarted up coastal towns like bandon or yahats (sp?) but its a nice enough little spot....really good smoked oysters....

 

[JoeDudeGuy]

Wow ! What's going on with all the double-posts today ! ?

 

[hope2toke]

. Well done. I need to argue about more things because my views are not so refined and I am indecisive.

Sorry shamlphy, that's not what I meant. I can admit i'm a "douchebag" in that context. thanks for posting!

 

[YosemiteSam]

Smartpot Vermicomposting....is there going to be a bunch of leachate? I am assuming this is an outdoor activity...what do you do in the winter time?

 

[rrog]

Great question! I'm going to unload my first 4 gallons of fermented Bokashi and am wondering about adding soil + Bokashi + red wigglers in two 7 gallon GeoPots. Was going to place in basement that's ~70F for the winter

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Smartpot Vermicomposting....is there going to be a bunch of leachate? I am assuming this is an outdoor activity...what do you do in the winter time?

YosemiteSam

If it's set-up correctly worm bins will not have any leachate. If there is then it's a sign that you have major problems because excessive moisture kills composting worms. They breathe through their skins - too much water and they literally drown.

Pick-up a used wood pallet and set your SmartPot on top of that to provide aeration from the bottom as well as the sides. For the winter months you can pack straw around and on top.

Here's a large 'worm pile' prepared for winter:

You will lose worm colonies in the winter - that's a fact. The cocoons however can withstand temperatures down to -40F and when the temperatures in the bedding climbs back up to the correct zone they will hatch and continue on.

There are also thermal blankets used in the food service industry that can be used. Stores like "Smart & Final" or "Cash & Carry" will have these for sale so that might be another option for you.

Setting things up in a garage is helpful as well.

HTH

CC

 

[MrSterling]

Uncle, it would be weird living in a small town like that for me. I mean, I'm in the middle of nowhere, but the Oregon coast felt intensely weird and empty as an East Coast guy. Couldn't quite figure who visits all those little cottage hotels along the coast. Seriously, amazingly underdeveloped in regards to people. I'm really interested in the whole area.

 

[MileHighGuy]

I have a bottle of EM-1 due to arrive any minute via UPS.

My plan is to add some to my freshly mixed soil before I cover and let sit for a month.

My thoughts are that this will assist in composting the mix for the very first time.

It could be overkill, but between Bio-Char and EM-1 I think I went a little crazy.

I am about to start brewing a fresh Compost Tea tonight and I came across this information on the teraganix website:

http://www.teraganix.com/EM-Solutions-for-Compost-Tea-s/93.htm

Adding EM•1® Microbial Inoculant to the tea after the aeration cycle will increase the biodiversity of the tea, adding in facultative microbes and extend the shelf life of the tea to about 10 days. The extended shelf life is crucial to farmers who need some extra time due to rain events or other things that come in the way.

Once the aeration cycle is completed, add EM•1® Microbial Inoculant at a rate of 1:50 (1 gallon per 55-gallon drum works great!).



I'll be reading much more tonight about Effective Microorganisms but was curious if any of you Organic Heads have added EM-1 to your compost tea after the aeration cycle....

the part that seems crazy to me is that you could keep the tea alive for up to 10 days.

If this is the case, than my local shop that brew's in a vortex brewer could add some EM-1 before sending the customer home with fresh brew to help make it last.

Any thoughts?

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Uncle, it would be weird living in a small town like that for me. I mean, I'm in the middle of nowhere, but the Oregon coast felt intensely weird and empty as an East Coast guy. Couldn't quite figure who visits all those little cottage hotels along the coast. Seriously, amazingly underdeveloped in regards to people. I'm really interested in the whole area

MrSterling

I stay at a friend's cottage (as in about 700 s.f.) in Yachats (pronounced Ya Hotz - native American tribe) which sits on a lonely bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. All you can see is water and sky because trees block the view down to PCH, i.e. no houses or hotels to deal with.

I like staying there alone for several days at a time - pure isolation.

CC

 

[Microbeman]

I have a bottle of EM-1 due to arrive any minute via UPS.

My plan is to add some to my freshly mixed soil before I cover and let sit for a month.

My thoughts are that this will assist in composting the mix for the very first time.

It could be overkill, but between Bio-Char and EM-1 I think I went a little crazy.

I am about to start brewing a fresh Compost Tea tonight and I came across this information on the teraganix website:

http://www.teraganix.com/EM-Solutions-for-Compost-Tea-s/93.htm

Adding EM•1® Microbial Inoculant to the tea after the aeration cycle will increase the biodiversity of the tea, adding in facultative microbes and extend the shelf life of the tea to about 10 days. The extended shelf life is crucial to farmers who need some extra time due to rain events or other things that come in the way.

Once the aeration cycle is completed, add EM•1® Microbial Inoculant at a rate of 1:50 (1 gallon per 55-gallon drum works great!).



I'll be reading much more tonight about Effective Microorganisms but was curious if any of you Organic Heads have added EM-1 to your compost tea after the aeration cycle....

the part that seems crazy to me is that you could keep the tea alive for up to 10 days.

If this is the case, than my local shop that brew's in a vortex brewer could add some EM-1 before sending the customer home with fresh brew to help make it last.

Any thoughts?

This is total BS. I heard about this and contacted the head scientist at EMRO and asked where this information came from. He said it came from some of their customers. I asked if they used microscopes. He said no. He is acting sheepish at this point and asks if I will test it for them. I say sure and give him my address for a sample because I can only (now) get SCD product in BC. The sample never came.

I can tell you that I've added AEM to ACT and watched protozoa explode.

There is so much bullshit out there!

I've used AEM (EM fermentations) in soil 10 to 30 days prior to ACT successfully many times.