2023 "Field of Dreams"

Alrighty. Applied the MAP and spread some mixed cover crop over the beds. I’ll cover crop the 50 gallon bags once they get potted up in a few days, when I have some extra time and energy after I get home from work. Creeping thyme seeds are expected to arrive anyday now and I’ll chuck some of those in too, thanks for the recommendation @MissinBissin

Anyway, here’s my final ammendment schedule and test summaries, fully applied as of today. I feel like I just barely passed my Chemistry final exam in college :rofl:

Here’s the beds:

And the magical herb pile:

I gotta say, whether it works well or not, this has been quite a learning experience and looks like beautiful soil to me. Definately changes the relationship with it to put this much effort in. Hopefully the plants like their new homes.

Unfortunately, the plants have been getting perhaps a little too much of the LITFA while I fuss with the dirt. They spent some significant time outside after their dose of Alaska fish sauce, the weed seemed to take it well but the pumpkins not so happy about it. Good acclimatization I guess. Things are doing OK I think, older leaves were dying anyway because of the N deficiency a few days ago. Thoughts?

Any advice on those [hopefully] ladies? IBG top row, 907 middle, Panalawi bottom.


Anyway, onto microbes. What’s the best innoculant? I assume I want to apply that in a tea, after the cover crop sprouts so there is root life ready to go.

There’s Mykos, which seems popular (and @ColeLennon recommends): https://www.xtreme-gardening.com/mykos-mycorrhizae

Roots Organics has a few but I’d probably pick this one of their options: bio-force — Aurora Innovations

Great White: Mycorrhizae Trichoderma Inoculant Powder – Plant Revolution

And Rootwise Mycrobe Complete (this is what I used last year): Rootwise Soil Dynamics | MYCROBE COMPLETE

I know my localish shop has all of these, although they were out of the Mycrobe Complete last week when I went. Need to go back anyway to get some feathermeal for through the season, another bag of EWC (I’ll probably spring for the fancy ones for AACT) and whatever microbe solution I wind up using.

I’m getting through the “Teaming with Microbes” book and damn. Crazy stuff going on in the soil I’ve never put much thought into. I’m maybe a third into it. There’s some mixed messages in there, some specific microbes are beneficial, there’s a ton nobody seems to know yet, this is another rabbit hole maybe deeper than the soil chemistry. Any thoughts on nematodes?

Cheers guys, thanks for helping me get to this point. In a couple weeks we’ll be plants outside in new soil! :sunglasses: Speaking of which, weather is looking pretty nice here:

6 Likes