Organic Fanatic Collective

[Azeotrope]

I've currently got compost in process with a lot of willow twigs and leaves in it. Also quite a lot of crysthanthemum flowers and foliage.... Willow is known to have good levels of a rooting hormone and the mums are where pyrethrins are found.

Curious if anyone has thoughts on what if any residule amounts of either of these active compounds might remain when the compost is completed?

 

[OPT]

Does earthworm castings have a shelf life? I've still got half a big bag left, and it been left open the whole winter. Hope it's still good to use because takes way to much money to get that shipped.

OPT

 

[jaykush]

Does earthworm castings have a shelf life? I've still got half a big bag left, and it been left open the whole winter. Hope it's still good to use because takes way to much money to get that shipped.

has it dried out? what do you store it in?

PS: start your own bin, its so easy a 5 year old can do it. and the rewards are great and CHEAP.

 

[Dawn Patrol]

has it dried out? what do you store it in?

Is that an issue in storing EWC? Not trying to be a dick, I just don't know the answer......

I've been leaving mine in the bag they were shipped in, but I've not made any effort to seal the bag between uses.

 

[OPT]

Same, I just left the bag loosly closed over the winter.

I already have them in my mix, so lets how theres some microbes alive in there righT!?

OPT

 

[mad librettist]

If castings/compost dry out slowly, much of the diversity is preserved in suspended animation. There is no time limit once dry. Those microbes can live a thousand years in suspended animation without problems.

on the other hand, with improper storage, the wrong organisms take over.

I'd rather have a good herd asleep and needing time to wake.

 

[Savoir-faire]

^^ Good point. I think the wrong organisms taking over is a big problem when storing wet.. How about when storing dry?


My thought on storing composts dry(more a question): If micro creatures are in there immobilizing nutrients in their bodies etc... and if plants get their nutrients from the dead immobilizers.... wouldn't having a dried up - dormant - compost be kind of a good thing. Does it kinda come with a "charge" right out of the bag? Meaning - do those dead and dormant micros provide/release plant available nutrients - without further decomp?

 

[guest2012y]

I learned a pretty big lesson about incorrect soil storage recently. Don't leave soil in plastic bags. Use burlap sacks to store soil,they will allow it to breath.
Not only do the wrong organisms take over in plastic containers and bags,but the good ones like potworms,blind soil thrips,soil mites,pill bugs.....they all hit the road if they can find the way out of the bag/bin. Sure some go dormant and others have eggs,but the time it takes to get those various lifeforms repopulating a soil that's gone borderline anaerobic isn't fun when you have a schedule to grow by.

 

[mad librettist]

^^ Good point. I think the wrong organisms taking over is a big problem when storing wet.. How about when storing dry?


My thought on storing composts dry(more a question): If micro creatures are in there immobilizing nutrients in their bodies etc... and if plants get their nutrients from the dead immobilizers.... wouldn't having a dried up - dormant - compost be kind of a good thing. Does it kinda come with a "charge" right out of the bag? Meaning - do those dead and dormant micros provide/release plant available nutrients - without further decomp?

Microbeman addressed this in a recent thread. The question was constant moisture vs. a wet/dry cycle. I voted for constant moisture, but MM and Spurr made the point that when the medium is drying, habitat shrinks, which makes it easier for predators to corner prey. Sort of like fishing a shallow bay at low tide. The result is lots of mineralized nutes.

so the answer to your question, i believe, is yes.

as for storing dry, your microbes are in suspended animation, so nothing is going on at all.

 

[heady blunts]

finally got a copy of teaming with microbes! this book rocks.

 

[elgwedoloco]

Per Suby's request:



And a new addition: 1/3 Fox Farm Ocean Forest (or 50/50 OF/Happy Frog), 1/3 Coco Fiber, 1/3 Perlite. Feed with teas or PBP. Holy crap the results are amazing!

What is PBP

By the way this is a great thread. I was searching tonight for a soil mixture home made, not pre-mixed. I have 9 15 gal holes I am working with so if anyone has any input. Umm climate is hot in the summer with cold nights. I live in foothills of central California. This is my first outdoor and I want to do it organic and semi-low cost.

 

[vonforne]

What is PBP-Pure Blend Pro

V

 

[Scrappy4]

What is PBP

By the way this is a great thread. I was searching tonight for a soil mixture home made, not premixed. I have 9 15 gal holes I am working with so if anyone has any input. Umm climate is hot in the summer with cold nights. I live in foothills of central California. This is my first outdoor and I want to do it organic and semi-low cost.

You could go to the first page on this thread for LC's mix and then proportion the ingredients to fit your situation. Or buy some dry ferts like bio tone, plant tone, flower tone or many other dry ferts and use according to directions. I have used these meals (bone/blood/kelp) in the LC mix to supplement dry sand with some ewc and vermiculite and grew nice plants in it. But if it were me in your situation I would go much bigger than 15 gallon for root size and I would also post the same questions on the outdoor growing section of IC. good luck....scrappy

 

[TACOE]

^ go with the bigger holes as scrappy said. always a good idea.

Blood meal attracts animals, so you won't be able to follow that part of the recipe exactly. I think that kelp might also attract animals, but I'm not sure. Check out the outdoor forums.. or the "growing big trees thread" in the Tom Hill Forums. There is a good recipe in there.

Your gunna want to get a shit load (pun intended) of composted manure (chicken is some good stuff) I'd suggest getting a bunch of rock powders too. (soft rock phos, azomite, greensand, granite)

Again.. bigger holes = more rootmass = more budss. try 100-200 gallon holes.

Nothing in life is guaranteed but:
I have heard that in order to get a pound per plant.. your lookin at a minimum of 50 gallons of soil.

 

[Dudesome]

Suby, a question. You say u suspend your airstone, but that means that the bottom part of the tank does not get aerated properly, which isnt could for what I hear. Has it ever been a problem for you? also how powerful is your airpump for 4 gallons of water?

btw huge respect for you being yourself and doing what you do. I would love to have a buddy like you to mentor me, but the opportunity to learn from you through them pixels is not much worse either everything you do is just awesome

 

[rrog]

finally got a copy of teaming with microbes! this book rocks.

This is recommended reading then? I should get a copy from Amazon

 

[rrog]

You could go to the first page on this thread for LC's mix

Not finding LC's mix recipe. Is this considered a pretty good DIY mix? I'd rather not buy bagged soil again so I'm looking for my next soil recipe.

Thanks!

EDIT:

I see LC recipes using bagged soil, but I don't want to buy bagged soil. I see his soil-less mix here, but assume there needs to be amendments, which I'm into.

LC’s Soiless Mix #1
5 parts Canadian Spaghnam Peat or Coir or Pro-Moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts wormcastings or mushroom compost or home made compost
Powdered dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.

Is this a good soil starting point for a quality soil?

 

[beta]

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[rrog]

Thanks Beta. I'm doing supersoil shortly, but want to evolve to a complete home-made soil system. That's what I'm looking for right now. No bagged soil, no liquid ferts. Just organic amendments.

 

[beta]

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