Living organic soil from start through recycling

[ClackamasCootz]

Even if you don't use them as a nursery container you can never have too many. They're great for storing amendments that insects like: kelp meal, seed meals, fish amendments, etc. and for storing mineral mixes you might want to mix in larger amounts to make things easier.

That's where the Odjob Cement Mixer comes in - about $25.00 and you just load the stuff into this, screw on the top and roll it around the floor with your foot - just push it away from you. Holds about 1 c.f. and keeps the dust down quite a bit - not perfect but a great deal.

 

[FunTimesIndeed]

That photo brings back the fun memories of helping build masonry projects in BFE, Idaho.

 

[ClackamasCootz]

FTI

They do a great job of thoroughly mixing amendments and even for mixing small amounts of potting soil

I use it when I mix kelp, neem & crab meal - about 2 gallons of each one and a minute or two later it's completely mixed for easier measuring. Plus it makes it less likely to forget this or that one.

 

[John Deere]

I get my buckets at the local grocery store. The deli department goes through a bunch and they told me I could help myself from their recycling bin out back. All food grade, various sizes, just gotta wash them out and drill some holes. And I take back the ones I'm no longer using so I don't have a bunch piled up in my garage.

 

[Gascanastan]

And with the industry I work in they are generally free!

You know what I hated....vaulted ceilings. Holding up 12 ft 5/8...

SSOG..nice outdoor TO x BMR down under there~ aka Kashmalla Moon

 

[VortexPower420]

Lets talk about Boron. As it goes B activates Si which carries all other nutrients starting with Ca which bonds with N to form amino acids from proteins, chlorophyll and trace minerals such as Mg transfers energy via P to carbon to form sugars which get carried by K. That is how plants grow. K gets left in the fruit/flower and excess sugars get exuded through the root phloem to feed bacteria which mineralization nutrients from the soil and release nutrients from the humus/clay flywheel and also in a very healthy plant exude lipids to feed fungi which build soil humus. SO NPK is less important the B, Si or Ca.

Go figure.

Timbuktu

 

[ClackamasCootz]

The Big 7 Micronutrients

Here is a couple of professional products which address the main 7 Micronutrients most likely to be lacking in soils, potting soils, etc.

TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 - Humic acid, Boron (B), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo) and Zinc (Zn)

Derived from: oxidized lignite, ferrous sulfate, cupric sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, cobalt sulfate, boric acid, and molybdenum oxide.

This is in liquid form and the company, TeraVita, one of the 3 companies in the USA extracting Humic acids from rocks. This is available from Keep It Simple Compost Tea Brewers

BioAg TM-7 - the same 7 micronutrients with their Humic acid (Ful-Humix) as the base. However the source of these elements is different as noted below:

Derived from: boron, cobalt sulfate, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, sodium molybdenate, zinc sulfate and chelated with humic and fulvic acids derived from fresh water cretaceous humate deposits.

HTH

CC

 

[bigshrimp]

Lets talk about Boron. As it goes B activates Si which carries all other nutrients starting with Ca which bonds with N to form amino acids from proteins, chlorophyll and trace minerals such as Mg transfers energy via P to carbon to form sugars which get carried by K. That is how plants grow. K gets left in the fruit/flower and excess sugars get exuded through the root phloem to feed bacteria which mineralization nutrients from the soil and release nutrients from the humus/clay flywheel and also in a very healthy plant exude lipids to feed fungi which build soil humus. SO NPK is less important the B, Si or Ca.

Go figure.

Timbuktu

Adequate levels of born is key for good fruit set in many crops hint hint.

NPK is important, lets not forget our rule of limiting factors. The rest is just overlooked in conventional agriculture.

 

[W89]

the little leaflet I got with my seaweed says...

Nitrogen 0.05%
Phosphate 0.08%
Potash 0.20%
Aqua regia calc 0.56%
aqua regia mag 1.04%
aqua regia sodium 7.45%
aqua regia zinc 142mg/kgDM
aqua regia copper 9.38mg/kgDM
aqua regia iron 476mg/kgDM
aqua regia manganese 42.13mg/kgDM
aqua regia sulphur 21900mg/kgDM
boron 363mg/kgDM

What does aqua regia mean? and does Kelp contain Cobalt and Molybdenum ?

 

[ClackamasCootz]

W89

1. Make Google.com your friend

2. Put that powdered seaweed extract on a shelf and forget about using it

 

[VortexPower420]

N i feel and is the feeling of others when you get things humming is not necessary. The air we breath is 80% Nitrogen plants with the help of microbes in the root zone and phyloplane can sequester all the N it needs.
I am not going to stop N for now but that is my goal and something to think about.

Yea I understand limiting factors but with good mineral components microbes will get what they want.
No one has ever fertilized the forest. But if you go to a old forest with mineral depletion from rain and age and spread rock dust the will grow gang busters

Timbuktu

 

[Durdy]

I believe someone awhile back suggested the idea of doing a rock dust foliar.

Well I just noticed this on my bag of cascade minerals basalt rock dust

"Dissolve cascade minerals product into water by using the following method
using a 1 gallon jar (glass works best if you can find them) fill jar 3/4 full, fill a nylon stocking with cascade minerals to around the size of a tennis ball and suspend the filled nylon in the gallon jar of water, top off jar to desired level. (just like making sun tea) Depending on the strength desired allow the mixture to soak for 3-7 days. You can use the water mixture topically on the leaves of all plants to help stimulate growth, discourage bugs, molds, mildews, and disease."

 

[W89]

It's not powdered sea weeed. this is what it is http://www.thenaturalgardener.co.uk/seaweed_granules.php

 

[ClackamasCootz]

VortexPower420

The issue is directly related to a lack of organic material (OM) or a poor quality material was used. Often a combination of both.

3 plants that are used as soil amendments around the world are Alfalfa, Kelp and Comfrey. Not the only ones but you can find more information on these than say Orchard grass or whatever.

All of these plants are called 'nutrient accumulators' and they accumulate a total of 83 elements. There are a few differences such as Comfrey contains 2.x Potassium than Kelp meal. Alfalfa contains more Nitrogen than Kelp but is fairly equal with Comfrey and on and on.

If you use any of these in your garden soil or a potting soil mix, in the appropriate amount and form, you will cover the entire range of 'nutes' but having it 'there' doesn't translate into availability. That's where the soilfood web comes into play - without a strong humus as part of the soil all the amendments in this group will have a limited benefit.

If you used 1/2 cup of kelp meal in a soil you made vs using that in bag of dirt from the nursery, the homemade soil would have the Primary, Secondary and Micronutrients available via the microbe colonies. The bag of dirt will have far lower levels available to the plant's roots.

That's why most of the micronutrient products you find at nurseries are chelated using things like EDTA, Aqua Regia and worse. As hard as that is to believe...

CC

 

[ClackamasCootz]

I believe someone awhile back suggested the idea of doing a rock dust foliar.

Well I just noticed this on my bag of cascade minerals basalt rock dust

"Dissolve cascade minerals product into water by using the following method
using a 1 gallon jar (glass works best if you can find them) fill jar 3/4 full, fill a nylon stocking with cascade minerals to around the size of a tennis ball and suspend the filled nylon in the gallon jar of water, top off jar to desired level. (just like making sun tea) Depending on the strength desired allow the mixture to soak for 3-7 days. You can use the water mixture topically on the leaves of all plants to help stimulate growth, discourage bugs, molds, mildews, and disease."

Durdy

It was probably Kaolin Clay that was mentioned. Pretty common item used on tree fruits in the PNW - apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, etc.

I've just seen it on a price list but that's about it

CC

 

[Durdy]

Interesting

Think I might give it a go on the citrus.

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

W89- It's best to use just plain ole Kelp meal. I can't exactly remember why. Coot expained it very well at the beginning? of this thread.

Hey man, I wasn't trying to bust your balls the other day...just didn't want to see you get banned again. Not everyone gets your humor...you are a pretty funny mother fucker.

 

[W89]

Rancho DW about it mate thanks for having my back appreciate it, And It is kelp mate ascophllum nodosum http://www.thenaturalgardener.co.uk/seaweed_granules.php

 

[ClackamasCootz]

W89

Something isn't making sense at the link - the top of the page describes how their kelp is harvested and processed - that's how it's supposed to happen but the use of the term aqua regia doesn't make any sense unless there's a different meaning in Scotland - seriously. It could be something that simple.

I'd fire off an email for clarification. If you only read the top of the page (most of it actually) you would be placing an order. It's in the table at the bottom that doesn't make any sense at all.

CC

 

[W89]

It's ground up kelp still a little salty from the harvesting I had to rinse it before using. it's pure shit straight from the beach.. Well I hope it is anyway