The Green Manure thread

[JackTheGrower]

Todays update is much the same as yesterdays. The temp is around 100 and it is looking rich.

I've seen many alfalfa sprouts in the turning. I guess some seed didn't germinate but is doing so now.

I have decided to pile it up. There really is no way to get around doing a good turn and a pile helps get down deep and turn the lower foot.

Air is so important.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Today the Temps have hit the mark. 110 F.

I'll be keeping the pile I made yesterday but watering again.

Tomorrow I should turn this pile.






Acording to a webpage http://www.klickitatcounty.org/solidwaste/fileshtml/organics/compostCalcAbout.htm
The white fungus is a part of longe process of breaking down wood. I do add pine!

"The carbon in high lignin materials like wood chips and straw will become available in time. Look for a white fungus to appear in your compost pile as it begins to cool down near the end of the compost cycle. The white fungi break up the complex lignin molecules making the carbon in the material available for the next batch of compost. "


That is what I am seeing.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Turned the pile this morning.

No signs of the green stuff outside of the tough stems.

This is fine because they will break down over time and I'm fine with that.

Today's photos focus on the soil structure.

I know I have spoken about this soil I use before but allow me to recap.

I started with bulk materials in 2001. Alfalfa based feed pellets, wood shavings, peat moss, bone meal, lime, sulfer and what not.

I composted these in a bin and that started my "soil"

Over the years I have added materials and recomposted the soil over and over.

Today it looks like soil one would see any place.

This is nature in action.

 

[JackTheGrower]

There comes a day in every thread when the point has been made.

Today , friends , is that day.


I trust that this Green Manure thread will help those who come along with an interest in natural ways to build their soil.

Indeed! The soil Tilth is wonderful now!




But still a last look.
This morning I did a deep turn.




Here are my tools. I love the telescoping rakes.







JackTheGrower

http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...291&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

 

[PHB]

That is just incredible Jack. Thank you so much for doing this experiment. It would be cool to see a soil analysis before and after to get a sense of how much N was fixed in your soil by the alfalfa.

PHB

 

[JackTheGrower]

That is just incredible Jack. Thank you so much for doing this experiment. It would be cool to see a soil analysis before and after to get a sense of how much N was fixed in your soil by the alfalfa.

PHB

I posted this a few pages back but I can post it again.

------

Alfalfa and the nitrogen cycle in the Corn Belt.
Peterson, T.A. and M.P. Russelle

J Soil and water Conservation 46(3):229-235. 1991



This article provides the following estimates regarding alfalfa's contribution to the cycling of nitrogen in agricultural systems.


Alfalfa forage is about 17.5 percent crude protein, 2.8 percent nitrogen.
Roughly 50 percent of the nitrogen in the herbage is derived from N2 fixation in the seeding year and 80 percent is derived from fixation in succeeding years.
Published estimates of annual N2 fixation by alfalfa range from 70 kilograms per hectare (63 lb/acre) for seedling stands to 400 kilograms per hectare (356 lb/ acre) in mature stands.
Alfalfa roots have the capacity to absorb water and nutrients at depths of 11 meters. This characteristic makes alfalfa an efficient interceptor of residual soil nitrogen.
The total nitrogen content of soil increases during alfalfa growth, possibly through excretion of symbiotically fixed nitrogen, or sloughing off of old root cells. Recent estimates agree that about 56 kilograms per hectare (50 lb/acre) are added per year.
There is little nitrate leaching loss from a stand of developing alfalfa. However, nitrate leaching losses following destruction of an alfalfa stand can be significant under certain soil, climatic, and irrigated conditions.


----
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/NEWSLTR/v5n3/sa-9.htm



---------------

The major benefit to this limited grow of alfalfa is the soil tilth


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Tilth the physical condition of the soil as related to its ease of tillage, fitness as a seedbed, and impedence to seedling emergence and root penetration
http://texaspinestraw.tamu.edu/glossary.html

-----------------


I also assume that nutrients have been added and the most obvious is the microheard has had a feast!
They made quick work of the green!

But PHB thankyou for the kind review!


Oh I thought to guess on the nitrogen.

16 (square feet) = 0.000367309458 acre

0.000367309458 * 50 = 0.0183654729 LBS

0.0183654729 pounds = 0.293847566 ounces

0.293847566 ounces = 8 330.43837 milligrams

Not a whole lot I assume... Again it's that organic material and the tilth that are obvious benefits.
That alfalfa adds nitrogen makes it a winner for a cover crop selection..


JTG

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Good info Jack

My Buddahs are loving the great outdoors

They are growing way way faster than indoors...

 

[JackTheGrower]

Good info Jack

My Buddahs are loving the great outdoors

They are growing way way faster than indoors...

Your Buddhas are looking good!

That HID in the sky works well!

any updates?

 

[jaykush]

very nice silver surfer. id watch out for those little hoppers though they can eat quite a bit of plant in a short period of time. if you look close hes in the last pic at the bottom right. be a sad sight to see such healthy plants get munched up.

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Yeah that suns been shining a fair bit and growth has been nice and steady.

Those insects ate a few leaves but have left now.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Jack, for a fun and informative thread. I had forgotten alot of this information that I learned from my organic gardening, veggie, days. Thanks again for your time and effort.

 

[BeAn]

Awesome thread, will be sprouting some Alfalfa soon as...gonna use it in the soil for my outdoor crop. Thanks for puttng this info together!!

Jah bless..

 

[JackTheGrower]

Bump

Bump

Some interest in alfalfa I see so I thought to bump this back up.

Again the tilth of the soil was really nice.

I'd do it again and may yet.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Bump

Bump

This is a Bump for the Member who was asking about Alpha and Kelp

People have to care or else... LOL

 

[kannubis]

bump to bring a wealth of knowledge up from the bottom of the compost pile

 

[supermanlives]

great thread. i have been using birdseed in my mix too. lots of small sprouts that i turn into the soil.

 

[Rusty420]

superb thread.. i love reading the cali/oz organic grows....you guys got it all!! fullest respect, ths forum has been an ispiration since i found it....this forum in particular keeps me coming back for more...thanks guys!

 

[JackTheGrower]

You can find alfalfa seeds in the Health Food stores.

 

[supermanlives]

thanks for the heads up^^^. i dont live in the country any more so my days of feed and grain stores is over.will go check out the yuppie health store

 

[bonsai]

superb thread.. i love reading the cali/oz organic grows....you guys got it all!! fullest respect, ths forum has been an ispiration since i found it....this forum in particular keeps me coming back for more...thanks guys!

Absolutely! I dont even grow MJ and I read every post in the organic forum. Fantastic resource regardless of your horticultural pursuits