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Tutorial Organics for Beginners
- Thread starter BurnOne
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Wetting agent... Application?
Wetting agent... Application?
I'm confused about the peat application. Are you saying to wet it prior to making the supersoil mix? "Wetting Agent"; warm water in a pinch. Preferably an ACT, kelp mix, or aloe/coconut water something like that?
What happens if you don't wet it?
Wetting agent... Application?
I'm confused about the peat application. Are you saying to wet it prior to making the supersoil mix? "Wetting Agent"; warm water in a pinch. Preferably an ACT, kelp mix, or aloe/coconut water something like that?
What happens if you don't wet it?
TheyCallMeJJay
Member
Interesting
Well if anyone is interested, the formula consisted of 11 grams per gallon. That's what I have in my notes.
If using raw spaghnum, yes, it is preferable. I've never temp'd the water I use, but it's definitely above that of a tea (roughly 70F), closer to 120F. Not to say don't use tea, many recipes are high in saponins and would work fine at brew temperature.
As burn mentioned, soap works as well. Aloe, yucca, etc, anything with saponins. Like wise, you can use plain water, nothing terrible will happen as a result, though I find it takes a bit longer. I have had issues re-wetting later on (FG issue) using straight water, and now encorporate a wetting agent during initial hydration and following an overly dry cycle, whether intentional or not.
I hydrate, lime and allow it to rest for 7-10 days, after which roughly 95% of the action of the lime is over. Incorporate in to full mix, wet with tea, and go from there. Just how I do it, there's always more than one type of hammer for cracking eggs.
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As Mike stated, we just wet down the peatmoss with hot water prior to mixing it with the other ingredients. It usually works out quite well, especially if your other inputs are on the dry side. When we are doing bulk mixes using the cement mixer, we open the peat bags at the top in the morning and run the hose into the bags until flowing over. As it warms up it saturates the peat. I've never tried a wetting agent. I wonder if molasses would work.
Yucca root extract....best wetting agent I've used...a little goes a very long way.
dank.Frank
dank.Frank
L
Luther Burbank
Therm-X which is yucca extract is my go to. Absolutely essential in emulsifying foliars.
my experience with dry peat is it's hydrophobic. water will just bead up and roll off the side w/o a pre-soak or a wetting agent or emulsifier. if warm water works to break the surface tension of the water that's cool too ... but, filling up multiple containers especially if they are multiple gallons, of a dry peat mix then trying to water them down for the first time is going to be a consuming task. try to wet your mix at least a little before you fill the containers.
Can I substitute finely ground egg shell for the bone meal in recipe #1 with lc mix number 1. If so is it a one for one exchange?
Will this change the nitrogen profile or the PH in the mix.
I have a gallon or more of ground egg shells and thought this would be better than the bone meal.
Will this change the nitrogen profile or the PH in the mix.
I have a gallon or more of ground egg shells and thought this would be better than the bone meal.
Oh and I need phosphorus in the mix as well, how can I get that back in as well when the bonemeal is taken out.
Or could I just add the egg shells and keep the bonemeal?
Or could I just add the egg shells and keep the bonemeal?
L
Luther Burbank
The egg shells are a needless complication. Find oyster shell powder, it's widely available. Many dislike bone meal for ethical/processing reasons but I am a proponent of its use. If you're adverse to using it you may consider a mineral replacement such as Calphos.
Eggshell is a liming agent and not a replacement for bone meal...
dank.Frank
dank.Frank
I have no problem with bone meal.
So use it instead of lime then? I have it just setting there so just seeing what I could use it for.
I do feed it to my worms. Makes them frisky.
Thanks guys.
L
Luther Burbank
I'd say you're better off feeding them all to the worms to be processed than try to include them in soil mix. There's merit to the nutrition in them but better processed in the worm bin or the compost heap.
My compost is done till spring. Don't feel like digging in the snow. I guess slow tothe worms it will be. But to much is bad for them. Like frank said it raises the PH.
Egg shells in the soil is a great replacement of lime .... IF you do it right.
Right means removing the film that lines the shells, as it can promote salmonella in the soil if not removed - and it also means crushing them into a fine flour. If those things are done, egg shell can remain active in the soil for over 50 months as a means for Ca provision and pH adjustment...
However, getting that film out is not exactly easy to do on a large scale - there are all kinds of patented ideas for that very purpose...
Secondly, egg shells just flaked into a soil are shown to have minimal to no effect on a soil - just because on a hardness scale they are like a 7 or 8 and therefore do not break down very easily - which is why it must be ground to a super fine flour to have any effectiveness...
THUS - like suggested...I think the worm bed is a much better solution for them, as opposed to just tossing them in the garbage bin...
Unless of course you want to take the time to use them RIGHT...
dank.Frank
Right means removing the film that lines the shells, as it can promote salmonella in the soil if not removed - and it also means crushing them into a fine flour. If those things are done, egg shell can remain active in the soil for over 50 months as a means for Ca provision and pH adjustment...
However, getting that film out is not exactly easy to do on a large scale - there are all kinds of patented ideas for that very purpose...
Secondly, egg shells just flaked into a soil are shown to have minimal to no effect on a soil - just because on a hardness scale they are like a 7 or 8 and therefore do not break down very easily - which is why it must be ground to a super fine flour to have any effectiveness...
THUS - like suggested...I think the worm bed is a much better solution for them, as opposed to just tossing them in the garbage bin...
Unless of course you want to take the time to use them RIGHT...
dank.Frank
I grind them to dust for the worms.
Thanks for all the great info, when you say:
"Veg mix-
1/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/3 cup High N Bat Guano (Mexican)
1/3 cup Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 1 cup of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Maxicrop or Neptune's Harvest liquid seaweed.
5 tsp. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with every 3rd watering."
Do you mean to add the dry mix to de-chlorinated water, add the molasses and maxicrop then bubble this for 24-48 hours before use? Should you add the maxicrop after bubbling the tea? Thanks for any clarification
"Veg mix-
1/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/3 cup High N Bat Guano (Mexican)
1/3 cup Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 1 cup of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Maxicrop or Neptune's Harvest liquid seaweed.
5 tsp. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with every 3rd watering."
Do you mean to add the dry mix to de-chlorinated water, add the molasses and maxicrop then bubble this for 24-48 hours before use? Should you add the maxicrop after bubbling the tea? Thanks for any clarification
