Thanks
Learn sump new every day
3 Likes
Here is a good article I was just reading yesterday about some advanced composting technique by actively aerating your compost pile. Interesting at any rate.
3 Likes
5 Likes
Slooooowly catching up on the thread. Tomorrow i hope to be caught up. So nice to see so many familiar names on this thread. Good people find good ways to grow… A question. If i germ seeds tomorrow, what is the first thing,( aside from more research of course) i would need to get started with this method. My comfrey and the local nettles are just waking from their winter slumber. I have a compost pile that is nearly thawed, and i just added a bunch of biochar to it. I have a pile of rotted ( no o2) horse manure and a rotten log. What else should i hop on quickly? Should i make LAB first thing? Like tomorrow? Thanks for any help. This current nat’l emergency is reinforcing my belief that i should not be dependant on Fox farm soil and espoma fertilizer. I’m into this and eager to get started. EDIT. I also have an unused ( so sad) vermicompost bin.
3 Likes
For seedling mix, you can do 50 /50 worm castings and fine peat moss. It works really well for all stages of early to mid growth. You’ll only need to water but doing a worm tea plus some seed sprout teas will really get it going.
2 Likes
What do you recommend for seed sprouting teas? Do you wait for the first set of true leaves to form before applying like in other styles of growing? Castings are pretty expensive where I am. No Gardner and bloome here. Biggest bag I can find is 20 lb, and I always get a little nervous about ordering, as I don’t want to raise any suspicions. I do have a 20lb bag, and also a large bag of perlite . I think I read somewhere on the knf thread here that you guys don’t use perlite though? I have a nice healthy compost pile, and a large pile of rotted horse manure. I also have last year’s soil, that’s been sitting out all winter. there’s plenty of rotted wood around the area as well if that’s of any use.
2 Likes
Every time you turn the pile over, or fluff it up so to speak, you get the little micro Life numbers skyrocketing. The actions of this microlife will actually heat up your compost pile. Certain microlife prefer different temperatures. Some can only live till let’s say 150 degrees, (an example) at that point another type would take over. I don’t know too much about it, but I have been able to hot compost. Just stick your hand into the middle of the pile and if it’s hot you’re doing it right. I have read that a minimum size pile would be 3 ft by 5 ft in order to make more heat than it loses. But I have managed hot composting in a 3-foot by 3-foot pile approximately two-and-a-half to three feet tall. I usually end up doing a mix of hot composting and cold composting. I remember to oxygenat it the first week or two, but after that it’s left alone until it’s finished.
3 Likes
Barley , , corn and mungbean teas are what I use from time to time. I’ll see if I can find that Kaligrownbudz video that employs most if not all these teas.
3 Likes
Lol! I see what you did there! Very punny!
1 Like
Well shit! Looks like YouTube just deleted his old channel fuckers! He might have them on instagram though!
1 Like
For teas you can do alfalfa and barley sprout teas. You can start when they show true leaves but they should still be happy in the mix. I usually start on week 3 of veg. The alfalfa is a root and growth booster. The Barley more of growth / veg booster. You can feed popcorn sprout tea on week 2/3 of flower to help with the stretch growth.
Castings it’s best to try make your own. I make 2 boxes, one has mostly leafy things and the other has mostly fruit and veggies in it. Use the leafy one for the seedling mix and top dress with the fruit / veg one during flower plus teas with it. I use a mix of both when I mix up a batch of soil.
I don’t use perlite but I do always aerate my water so it’s oxygen rich. All those ingredients sound great for a soil mix.
7 Likes
Yes, it is the basis of most of these natural farming techniques. I just made a fresh batch myself. 
5 Likes
Less than 30 seconds in the woods and I stumble upon this. going to collect a lot of rotten wood today
3 Likes
As soon as I’m done collecting rotten wood I’m going to get some rice and make some LAB. 10 to 1 ratio milk to Rice?
1 Like
Hi @Upstate…
That rotten wood has gotten the neurones jumping …
Now I’m thinking of trying a Hügelkultur style guerrilla grow , but instead of building a large raised bed - I’ll experiment with it in reverse
1 Like
You’ve got my attention on that one as well LOL. I really ought to put a picture of this in my tips on growing in wet and humid climate thread. This is the type of stuff I’ve been using on site for 2 9 years. As my back has gotten worse, the amount of on-site material I’ve used has gotten greater. I don’t know if you have beavers in your area but the work is already done if you do.
4 Likes
I’m glad you brought that up. I’ve been wanting to research it but couldn’t remember the name. I’ve never done this exclusively, as I’ve always addedin my own nutrients. I would love to get to the point where I have to bring little or nothing in
3 Likes