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Living organic soil from start through recycling

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MileHighGuy

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Here's a tip for someone wanting to use the compost saks, the compost saks are $39.95 and they are a little over 100 gallons, a 100 gal smartpot is $29.95...save yourself 10 doll hairs..

Only difference is the compost saks do save a little space because they are more vertical and the regular smart pots are wider. There's also free shipping if you buy 2 compost saks so try to find the 100 gal smart pots in a store near you for this price if you don't care about the little extra space..

:laughing: Holy Crap that's a great Idea.

Where did you get this 100 Gallon smart Pot Idea?

It's like Deja Vu, I just can't put my finger on it.


I like the Dirt Bag Company because the handles are nice to have and the pricing is great.

$25 for one 100 Gallon Dirt Bag with Free Shipping.... although I swear someone was talking about this recently.
 
H

Heliopolis

I finally got around to reading a good chunk of "The One-Straw Revolution". It is very compelling.

I can see why some might be hesitant about it. Besides the several significant breaks with established practices, it requires a lot more thought (and a little risk) to find the proper local solutions to various issues such as weeds and insects. That is to say, a lot more thought than is required to douse everything in chemicals.

It's hard to believe it was written almost 40 years ago. It reads like it was written yesterday.
 
Milehighguy

I can't really tell if your being sarcastic or not but I am not claiming to have come up with composting in 100 gal. Smartpots or any other size. I'm sure there has been a lot of other folks doing this but I believe clackamascootz is the one that made the idea of composting in these things popular around here.

I just noticed after I got a compost sak that the same size as a regular smart pot is a little cheaper and was just pointing that out. I have never heard of the dirt bag pots so I don't have a clue about there quality but they're cheaper then the smartpots and if someone wants to give em a whirl go ahead and let others know how it goes.

Good day sir
 

ClackamasCootz

Expired
Veteran
Helio

Since you enjoyed his writings you could also check out Luther Burbank's approach to breeding plants.

On only 4 acres he developed these plants:

113 Plums & Prunes (including the widely cultivated Santa Rosa Plum)
35 Fruiting cacti (including the Spineless cacti that was developed as a livestock food)
15 Blackberry
13 Raspberry
11 Quinces
11 Plumcots
10 Cherry
10 Strawberry
10 Apples
8 Peaches (including the Freestone varieties)
6 Chestnuts
5 Nectarines
4 Grapes
4 Pears
3 Walnut
2 Fits
1 Almond
69 Nuts besides the ones already listed
9 Grains, Grasses, Forage
26 Vegetables (including the Burbank Potato now called the Russet Potato)
91 Ornamentals

All done on 4 acres with a high school diploma. His approach went against the conventional wisdom of his time and even today's approach to grafting, hybridization and cross-breeding.

CC
 
H

Heliopolis

That's impressive. Do you have any suggestions on where to start? I've also been looking at some of Mendel's work. It will probably be some time before I begin to trifle with breeding and the like, but it is something I hope to eventually experience.
 

ClackamasCootz

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Veteran
Helio

I studied Burbank's work without a scintilla of interest in breeding plants but rather his approach to working with plants on several levels.

I'm finishing up a book about his work titled The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants that is worth looking at. Another that you might enjoy reading is The Training of the Human Plant and it was this book that drove the scientific community of his day absolutely bonkers! LOL

The Gutenberg Project has a few of his books (digital in several formats) which are free to download.

CC
 

S4703W

Member
Gascanastan, if i could rep the photo of the seedlings last page i'd do it twice. It's a very nice shot, looks as if they're leaping out of the ground.

I recently started reading an older organic farming/permaculture book called "Farmers of Forty Centuries - Organic Farming in China, Korea and Japan", i believe some of you might appreciate it. I've found it pretty fascinating to see we're just relearning alot of things and it really reaffirms the fact that there is no need for chemical agriculture and never was.
 
H

Heliopolis

Woo! I will look into those. :biggrin: S4703W, that sounds interesting, I will have to take a gander at it. What is old has become new again, as usual.

On a another note, is the presence of bubbles an indication of fermentation in the sprouted seed tea? It has only been sitting for a few days, but there are bubbles on the surface of the water and also attached to the sprouts at the bottom.
 

ClackamasCootz

Expired
Veteran
On a another note, is the presence of bubbles an indication of fermentation in the sprouted seed tea? It has only been sitting for a few days, but there are bubbles on the surface of the water and also attached to the sprouts at the bottom.
Time to dilute and apply! Yes it is a sign of fermentation to answer your question directly.

CC
 

xmobotx

ecks moe baw teeks
ICMag Donor
Veteran
That's impressive. Do you have any suggestions on where to start? I've also been looking at some of Mendel's work. It will probably be some time before I begin to trifle with breeding and the like, but it is something I hope to eventually experience.

nothing wrong w chucking a little pollen ~IOW 'just do it!'

its always amazed me that growers toss males as if they are some scourge?

separate them; keep track; and just pollinate a few lower nugs

as long as you select for vigor and potency and you care what u do; at least you get a start ~every journey begins w a single step
 

Neo 420

Active member
Veteran
Hey guys..

Stopped at Whole foods. They didn't have any Cowboy Charcoal. They had 365 Charcoal- 95% Redwood and 5% veg matter. Is this what I want for the char?
 
H

Heliopolis

Hey guys..

Stopped at Whole foods. They didn't have any Cowboy Charcoal. They had 365 Charcoal- 95% Redwood and 5% veg matter. Is this what I want for the char?

That's pretty similar stuff to Cowboy brand charcoal from what I understand. It's Whole Food's brand.

Some lump charcoals are made, at least partially, from lumber scraps. Probably not a problem for the most part, but some people have apparently found pieces of burned plywood in their bags. You would probably would want to toss those if you come across any. I imagine you could look around for a brand that advertises specific sources for their wood, but I don't know how necessary that is.
 

ClackamasCootz

Expired
Veteran
Neo 420

In the world of competition BBQ the topic of 'charcoal' is always discussed and debated. This web site, Lump Charcoal Database, will show you the brands which are 'the real deal' and that means no binders, flame-ignitors, etc. - you want just pure, hardwood charcoal. This database has over 100 brands and they show the actual product.

RE: Redwood

On this question just look at photos of the floor of a Redwood forest vs. the forest floor of pine trees and that should answer your questions about using Redwood anything in any soil.

HTH

CC
 
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