Living organic soil from start through recycling

[Weyenot]

sounds good ufs i like that idea. and gas that barley looks to have the funny tap root my wheatgrass had like a double tap that braches off pretty much straight away... I gave mine a watering wth a mungbean sprout tea last night and what I done was at the end of brewing put the seeds in a strainer and mashed them up with my fingers while it was still n the water went real cloudy as the insides of the seeds are like a white sticky stuff.. do you ever do this? was the first time I tried it... though the seed must release more of its goodies that way

It feels good to be back here after a break -the garden has been keeping me busy, which I like.
It really is a treat to get to come here and learn from people who generously share their knowledge and is not something to be taken for granted, without the input this wouldnt possible!!

Thats a good question W89 and one Ive been meaning to ask, so thank you for voicing that!
I was putting mine through the blender till pureed and then straining through a fine mesh cloth bag( which is actually made for sprouting seeds and works great! ) and then diluting and applying as usual. I didnt notice a difference so I stopped a while back. Theres no need to do extra if its only complicating a process not helping it. Any thoughts anybody?

 

[W89]

W89

I went to the link on the volcanic rock dust you provided and then found the parent company. At their web site is this PDF titled Co-Utilization of Rockdust, Mineral Fines & Compost

Probably the best overview of rockdusts that I've ever found. Well worth your time to download and keep. Well-researched and notated.

CC

Thanks Cootz now going to tuck in to that


EDIT:

Hey weyenot my bud! hows it going? will get some more pictures up tomorrow for you to take a look at

Cootz got down to chapter 3, It's an interesting paper indeed thanks for finding that up really appreciate it.Looks like I found a good product then! im starting to fall asleep so going to continue in the morning, nite folks take care

 

[FunTimesIndeed]

Good to see you're pulling it together now, Unclefishstick.

 

[unclefishstick]

Good to see you're pulling it together now, Unclefishstick.

i have been meaning to start a garden for years in that spot,finally got inspired,and had the money to get things going at the right time of year...

 

[Bridge_Man69]

First off, a big thank you to all of the teachers/mentors on this thread.
You have taught me so much without even realizing it. I am up to page 269 and want to jump to the end, but am just going to read it all.
I am on my 4th grow, not counting some feeble attempts in the early 70's. I tried hydro & bottled nutes, what a pain. This method makes sense to me. I am growing medicinal for my wife, I have 7 years to go before I can partake, commercial drivers license, so I should have the process dialed in by then.

I am taking to heart your recommendation to source whats available locally if possible. With that in mind I would like to share some thoughts.

If any of you are in farm county you may be able to source alfalfa meal from a local "hay pressing" operation. They take 1000lb bales of hay and press it into cubes. I stopped and asked for some "floor sweepings" and purchased a 47lb bag for 5 bucks. Don't know if it is organic, but it is good enough to ship by the container load to Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan for their dairy cattle and race horses.

I found a local source for rock dust by calling the County Public Works office and asked if they were letting any rock crushing contracts this year. I was told where to go and who to contact.
I stopped by and asked for some of the finest material they had. They said it was called "moon dust" and I could have all I wanted as they just shoveled it away from the crusher as a waste product. I gladly took 2-5gallon buckets for free. They are crushing a deposit of river rock from the Ice Age Floods in Eastern Washington and will be crushing some basalt later this year and invited me back for some of it. The foreman said they have people asking for it regularly as a soil amendment. Go figure.

I hope this is of some help

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Bridge Man69

Welcome! Some good advice there and it sounds like you've got the rock dust source lined up.

Are the basalt deposits from the Eastern slope of the Cascades? Doesn't matter but I was just curious...

CC

 

[Bridge_Man69]

I am new to this forum venue so bear with me.

The basalt deposits are approximately 5 miles East of the Columbia river.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your knowledge.

I will be going to a conference in Portland in April and will be looking to source some worm castings. I may have a source on the North side of the river, a local producer.

 

[ClackamasCootz]

If it's the 'worm guy' in Camas then you got really good advice! The best source that I know of in and around PDX and he has the best prices as well.

Bring your own buckets - his buckets ain't cheap! LOL

 

[Bridge_Man69]

That's the one I was thinking of. I seem to remember a vague reference from someone about 400 pages back. Thanks for the heads up on the buckets. I have quite a few laying around.

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Bridge

With that vermicompost you'll only need to make 2, maybe 3 stops in PDX and you're done as far as sourcing materials.

CC

 

[Bridge_Man69]

I was planning on Concentrates for kelp, oyster shell powder crab meal and Malibu Biodynamic compost. I will look around for the diastatic malt powder, should be able to find a good home brew shop in Portland. They're probably so many, the only thing more popular are food carts and Starbucks.

BM69

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Yep - you're done

No shortages of home brew stores here in Beervana and then there's the wine crowd and their supply stores (boutiques)

 

[Bridge_Man69]

I won't have a whole lot of extra time in Beervana so I may just order from Northerbrewer. A friend in Bend brews and recommends them highly. Seems they have a healthy turnover of products so you are pretty much guaranteed fresh ingredients.

BM69

 

[ClackamasCootz]

There's a good beer culture in Bend and the Deschutes beers and ales are very big sellers in PDX both bottled and tap sales. You almost always find 2 or 3 of their products at taverns of any size. It's a standard and well deserved. As big as they've grown they have been able to keep their high standards intact. That isn't true with a few so-called microbreweries in the northwest.

Contract production using east coast operations, buyouts by national companies and on and on and on. The term 'micro-brew' seems to have taken on interesting definitions over a few short years to say the least.

Portland is overloaded across a wide range of quality with 'world-class' out of reach for many of the players or wannabe players. The small brew houses are the ones to enjoy true artisan beers using some cutting-edge techniques. Like adding kelp meal during part of the soaking period on the barley, wheat or oat seeds. The gibberellins (GAs) increase the enzyme production which is a goal for some malts. Green coconut water is also used.

Even ASL has a product line for the brewing industry which includes 2 or 3 species. Unlike the powdered seaweed extract that we all know and probably have used, these brewing products are not processed using Potassium hydroxide but with methods that keep it closer to kelp meal with things basically intact.

CC

 

[Neo 420]

This is one plant. It is a beast!! Nevilles Wreck.. About 2 weeks till ready to chop... When I get the smoke report I will decide if its a keeper or not. No till baby!! Thanks Gas.. Your inspiration and hardwork with the no tills was enough for me to take the jump and now I wish I would have been on this train years ago..


Nevilles Wreck.. This is what you can produce when you pay attention to this thread... And I haven't even implemented half of what I learned here. Got to give props to CC. His knowledge is legendary.... Of course all the other usual suspect (MM, YS,RR, etc) deserve thanks too.!!!

Medication anyone?

ROLS- These ladies are vegging way faster than expected... Who said organics had slow veg times!!!!!???

Living mulch- Its the shit gentlemen and ladies...

 

[Neo 420]

Hindu Skunk - The smell originating from this thing is insane.


As the living soil cycles rolls on it, it seems to get better and better.
Had a fellow gardner come by and the look on his face when he looked at my shit was priceless... Was even more priceless when I told him I use aloe/si/neem for basic IPM. He knew of the troubles I had in the past and couldn't believe the simple techniques I use to stay trouble free.
I will get him to convert. He is willing to try a couple of ROLS grows. My next step is to get him to read this damn thread!!!

 

[W89]

Looking good there Neo! Very Nice

 

[Neo 420]

Looking good there Neo! Very Nice

Thanks W. Its feels good to see the payoff when you drop all the bullshit, study and actually get into plant science. An eye opener for sure.

 

[bajangreen]

Now that's some frosty shit

 

[Gascanastan]

I was planning on Concentrates for kelp, oyster shell powder crab meal and Malibu Biodynamic compost. I will look around for the diastatic malt powder, should be able to find a good home brew shop in Portland. They're probably so many, the only thing more popular are food carts and Starbucks.

BM69

Check this guy out....rolls in here READS the thread,GETS it,asks questions,and blammo.....it's really as easy as that.

Now it's just a matter of the right cultivar and gardening.