Living organic soil from start through recycling

[shmalphy]

http://www.riceland.com/coproducts/pbh.asp

PBH Nature's Media Amendment is your number one choice for sustainable plant production — and a whole lot more. This uniquely processed rice hull amendment is a readily renewable resource requiring no mining or land disruption to produce. As so many growers have learned, it is a perfect replacement for perlite in the growing media — providing a less dusty mixing environment, lower basic cost and decomposition over time, while remaining stable during the typical plant production cycle. PBH Nature's Media Amendment is OMRI listed and WSDA registered for organic production.

 

[BlueJayWay]

That's a nice little tucked away spot you got there. Really healthy looking plant, too.

Yeah, I may just be using the big old rubbermaids. Good to know about PVC and nil effect on the micro herd. I like the idea of drilling small "aeration" holes in the lower half of the containers. Maybe double up with the bottom container acting as a catch basin for run off. Or maybe I will be lazy and keep using the 10 gallon Smart Pots I've got. I've got a week or two to figure it out.

Cheers,

U.H.N - meant to reply yesterday - I use and have used many rubbermaid brand or style plastic totes. Most of my pictures recently posted are actually in 18gal totes, 2nd, 3rd and 4th cycle no-till style.

I never drilled holes in mine before - a thing I picked up from 3LB years and years ago - I've done 3 runs with no drainage holes and just a couple inches of rock/perlite or whatever on the bottom - I know how much water my plants need, so I never had a big issue with it and the plants always looked great...

....going forward, all my totes i grow in have holes drilled in them now For many obvious reasons it's better to have drainage then to not...

 

[BlueJayWay]

http://www.riceland.com/coproducts/pbh.asp

PBH Nature's Media Amendment is your number one choice for sustainable plant production — and a whole lot more. This uniquely processed rice hull amendment is a readily renewable resource requiring no mining or land disruption to produce. As so many growers have learned, it is a perfect replacement for perlite in the growing media — providing a less dusty mixing environment, lower basic cost and decomposition over time, while remaining stable during the typical plant production cycle. PBH Nature's Media Amendment is OMRI listed and WSDA registered for organic production.

OK got it, I've seen the PBH brand rice hulls and their potting mix on an online gardening shop before (groworganic, or something like that).

What I would ask is, what do they do to their rice hulls to be able to say uniquely processed amendment, how does that make it better than farm store rice hulls, and how does the price compare?

 

[shmalphy]

I have never seen rice hulls before this... So I don't really know...

 

[BlueJayWay]

Gotcha - I've use a lot of rice hulls but they've just been plain ole unadulterated Rice Hulls.

$30 online for cert. organic rice hulls, same for big bag of brewery rice hulls & same for "food grade" rice hulls from the farm store.

The horse bedding pure rice hulls is what I want to get next, i need a couple more bags. They are only $9 but are "sprayed with an all natural additive to aid in absorption."

I'd like to find out what exactly it is sprayed with before I buy, i'm sure it's fine, and also what is so unique about the PBH rice hulls....

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Just to confirm what i meant as the pic didnt show it - i drilled aeration holes from the soil line right down the whole bin. All over... i figure the roots and worms etc in there will appreciate good airflow.

Perhaps allow the more beneficial microbes to flourish whilst helping to suppress the pythium etc that thrives in low oxygen. Maybe even some air pruning of roots.

What ever is happening the plants are happier with holes than without.

 

[MrSterling]

I miss 3LB. Great advice and weird personality in their way of speaking.

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Anyone grow in terracotta pots?

Think i remember some here mention it works well. Another breathable material...

Does soil breath?

 

[xmobotx]

moreover; if one uses charcoal in their soil and terra cotta pots: is it terra prata?

 

[MileHighGuy]

moreover; if one uses charcoal in their soil and terra cotta pots: is it terra prata?

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

You're a terra prata!

But in answer to my own question. Yes of course soil breathes! It is alive after all eh?

 

[Coba]

Anyone grow in terracotta pots?

Think i remember some here mention it works well. Another breathable material...

Does soil breath?

I've thought about growing ganj in terra cotta pots several times... I know not much help. but, I've thought about it.

they have one big hole at the bottom, probably need a saucer. It would be easy enough to check soil moisture though, just look at the sides.

 

[W89]

they hold the temperature better thats for sure

 

[OrganicOzarks]

Does anyone here use PBH (rice hulls) as an aeration amendment? They carry them at my supplier now, I was thinking of picking up a bag...

I was also thinking of either getting capillary matting to make my fabric pots "self watering... Anyone else ever try that? I was curious if they would be too wet, or maybe not wet enough? I have an irrometer, so I am thinking it will take playing with the aeration percentages and taking readings to get the proper perched water table...

I use them. They are $200 a ton in bulk super sacks.

 

[W89]

I went shopping today and there was a sieve with 3 diff detachable insets like 1/4" 1/8" and 1/16th or what ever about 1 or 2mm.. it was £4.99 thought it would be good for sieving worm castings... and what do ya know it is!

It gets out the right tiny bits of worm castings, havent tried the next size up yet to get the bigger bits of castings out yet but here is some pictures..

it still has bits of egg shell and lite tiny bits of stuff but what im going to do it put it into a storage tub to cure them and they should end up just pure castings I hope

I was also thinking if I stored them in 0.3cuft amounts and added the amount of nutrients I would need for 1 cubic foot of soil then the nutrients would already be broken down for when I make the soil batch and need to use them. does anyone see anything wrong with this idea?

 

[ixnay007]

Anyone grow in terracotta pots?

Think i remember some here mention it works well. Another breathable material...

Does soil breath?

Not at the moment, but I have, the plants didn't mind at all.

 

[BlueJayWay]

I was also thinking if I stored them in 0.3cuft amounts and added the amount of nutrients I would need for 1 cubic foot of soil then the nutrients would already be broken down for when I make the soil batch and need to use them. does anyone see anything wrong with this idea?

W-89, you read my mind! I need to mix some new soil soon, once i get the compost/EWC set aside that will be the exact amount I need to put in the mix. I will then mix my amendments (crab/kelp/neem) into the compost and let it sit a week or two before I mix with the SPM/pumice and absolutely it will get a kickstart breaking down!

 

[xmobotx]

I was also thinking if I stored them in 0.3cuft amounts and added the amount of nutrients I would need for 1 cubic foot of soil then the nutrients would already be broken down for when I make the soil batch and need to use them. does anyone see anything wrong with this idea?

the only issue i see here is one of order

optimally, the amendments should be composted in the compost pile then fed to the worms {aka; nutrient cycling}

however; as described your amendments would be in more controlled proportions and humic action on the amendments sitting in the EWC should not be forgotten

re: clay pots; all kidding aside ~i do remember a time when a lot of gardeners swore by terra cotta pots {the 70s} and {much like the health food/anti additives&preservatives} there were some compelling considerations {which i dont remember cause i was somewhere between 3 and 13 then} ahh, terra cotta pots in macrame hangers and beaded curtains for doors ~those were the days {i think they used the regular curtains to make clothing}

 

[W89]

eh eh.. you know what they say.. Great minds think alike! I got about 15 liters of castings from the tiny grade sieve, Will sieve it in a month or so again and see what else I get, as it is pretty much all castings anyway but just slightly larger bits and maybe it was a little wet towards the bottom so it didnt go through properly. Anyway all good I'm happy the tiny crumb castings are really good, I'm real happy with how it turned out

 

[xmobotx]

what castings are you sifting? i thot u just got worms the other day?