Mulch. Just do it.

[moses wellfleet]

Has anybody tried using charcoal as mulch, I am talking about regular charcoal like you would use for a barbecue?

 

[Bueno Time]

I just got a little packet of white clover seeds and it says they need the top of the soil to remain moist at all times due to having a shallow root system, my top layer drys out quickly with my low RH, I dont think I can keep these alive if my top layer is drying out constantly.

Is this something to worry about or should I just sprinkle some on the top of each pot next watering?

I just flipped to 12/12 2 days ago so maybe too late to use the living mulch this round?

 

[CoastalKind]

Thanks for the advice. I just did a short search and found it for 20$ a pound, kinda pricey. I live in cow country, I guess I should just stop and visit the farmer next door, I'll ask if he has any or if he knows where to get it locally.

Cow manure is one of the best soil amendments there is because it won't burn your plants. It is basically chewed up fermented hay. Just spread the cow manure around your plants an inch deep from the stem to out past the canopy. Water it and it will retain very much moisture and feed your soil microbes. As it breaks down it just gets better and adds humus to your soil.

 

[CoastalKind]

Has anybody tried using charcoal as mulch, I am talking about regular charcoal like you would use for a barbecue?

Wood charcoal, like the mesquite stuff that comes from mexico, is well documented to have many benefits to your soil. It is like a luxury apartment condo for soil microbes and also absorbs water soluble nutrients, keeping them from getting flushed from the soil and into the water table. While I have not used it as a mulch I do have plans to amend my soil by buying a couple 15 lbs bags of the stuff, crushing it to quarter inch nuggets, and spreading it thinly over the top of the soil. It will work its way into the soil layer with watering.

 

[bigshrimp]

Has anybody tried using charcoal as mulch, I am talking about regular charcoal like you would use for a barbecue?

I haven't used that but sounds like it would work just fine. I'd still use the same natural or "lump" char that people use for biochar (cowboy or whatever).

It might be good to soak it in N first before, but in the least give it a rinse so you don't release a bunch of ash when you first water.

Seems like it would be a great component for a no till mulch.

 

[Bud Green]

I think Moses was talking about regular charcoal,, like Kingsford..

DON'T ever, ever, ever put that kind of charcoal in you garden!!

But charcoal you make in a campfire from oak logs is good stuff...

 

[moses wellfleet]

I think Moses was talking about regular charcoal,, like Kingsford..

DON'T ever, ever, ever put that kind of charcoal in you garden!!

But charcoal you make in a campfire from oak logs is good stuff...

Yep the homemade shit brother, I ain't preaching noobganics!

Luxury apartments for microbes?... Hell, creating the Las Vegas for microbes is my mission in life!

 

[Avinash.miles]

this is my first round mulching on my organic soil... used alfalfa hay;

 

[Seaf0ur]

obligatory mulch shots....

 

[Bud Green]

obligatory mulch shots....View Image View Image

I like the green mulch that Seafour is using, for the bacterial microbes it adds to the soil...
But I also like brown mulch, to help keep a percentage of fungal microbes in the soil also...

Here is a pic of leafmold being used as a brown mulch..

 

[who dat is]

Seafour, do you ever feel like you have to maintain the cover crop itself rather than just letting it go naturally? I ran into that when I was doing the clover cover crop and felt like they would need water prior to the plant itself. Also, they didn't seem to like my vertical setup and really the only cover crop to take off was on the side of the pot facing the bulb. I ended up bailing on the living mulch after all but for me it was worth a try. I'm glad yours is looking well and working out for you.

 

[Seaf0ur]

I use self irrigated planters with a few gallon reservoirs... I water rather rarely. everything stays properly moist most of the time, although I do get a "crust" layer...

these are my pots...

 

[Seaf0ur]

 

[Seaf0ur]

Dont do barley LOL.... requires a daily haircut and just got out of control.... and I thought that big purple flowering chia was the same as chia pet stuff....

 

[MrTea]

I also use a somewhat similar method to C4's and from what I can tell you is that the cover crop will water itself with one of these setups; the only problem you run into is soil staying too dry. having a good mulch that has god water retention is key. I use a mix of alfalfa hay, barley straw, recycled cannabis leaf clippings, ewc, lavender, dill, chia, clover, neem, kelp, dandelion, and several other things I can't recall, atm. As long as your reservoir has water your cover crop will be fine, but getting down a good brown mulch before your green mulch sprouts is integral.

 

[redclover]

I gotsta try one of these pots! Doing a run with Super Root Pots and really believe in air pruning.

 

[Pancake5765]

Mulch, I just did it!

Added some clover and catnip seeds along with a topdressing of Piranha fungal powder. I am hoping to find a stinging nettle to put in the middle of all four.

In Permaculture circuits it is "known" that adding stinging nettle into your herb garden makes the herbs noticeably more pungent and oily.

 

[magiccannabus]

I know I'm late to the party but this time around I have been using "natural forest mulch" and getting excellent results. For lack of a better way to explain it, I think it has made my grow much more stable. The moisture levels from top to bottom stay more consistent, it creates a great environment for beneficial fungus, and the microbial life in it really works well with my top-feeding regime. I will never grow without mulch again!

 

[Dignan]

Wow! This thread is still alive. Remarkable. Happy growing, everyone!

Peace-

Dig

 

[TheWizardKing]

Great idea, never thought too use it. DERP.