question on cooking dirt before use

Mountain Chief

Mountain Chief

Member
benmarker92 said:
Yea exactly. I think i explained it poorly earlier. Thats what he makes his one compost from (11 manures, 3 beddings and 5 bio dynamics). I can get as much as i need for free. Im hoping it is great stuff compared to the compost you top notch organic growers are using for your soil mix.
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If it was crawling with beetles and centipedes, its probably pretty good stuff. They feed on smaller organisms, that in turn feed on the micro organisms. If the micros weren't plentiful, the larger creatures wouldn't be either. With 11 manures, its tough to say how strong or "hot" the compost will still be. Use with caution in the beginning.
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
benmarker92 said:
Yea exactly. I think i explained it poorly earlier. Thats what he makes his one compost from (11 manures, 3 beddings and 5 bio dynamics). I can get as much as i need for free. Im hoping it is great stuff compared to the compost you top notch organic growers are using for your soil mix.
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dude, if you have 5 bio dynamics in there, meaning what? dandelion, horsetail, nettles,? That type of thing. If you have all that stuff in with the 11 manures? And it's composted already? I can say that your compost would be better than mine, i'm jealous.
Also if the cat is adding bio-dynamics to it already he obviously knows WTF he is doing so i'd say you found a good ally in your quest to grow some organic crystally goodness.
Still, be aware that that is going to probably have a good amount of nitrogen available, so you may want more EWC and less of that compost.
Sounds like some very good compost though.
I'd start a good leaf compost for next yrs season too, it's some valuable stuff, and if you had a mix with your aforementioned compost, vermicompost AND leaf compost? Hell all ya'd need are some rotten forest log chunks and you have an organic freak's wetdream of a soil mix.
I still think you may have a little too much nutrients though, juuust maybe a tad, you are doing a helluva job on all of this it would be a shame to have that happen.
To be safe, and to be sure, if it were me, I would add another bag of an inert media, maybe like promix or something, something that you wouldn't have to add aeration also. Don't have to add the whole bale, but it'd be wise , I think, to dilute your mix a lil.
Adding nutrients to a soil is sorta like adding black pepper to your soup, if you add too much, you are fucked, and the only option is to "water" it down with more soup.
Also, you'd have some extra soil that would be nice and aged for next yr too.
Just my two cents though, you'd probably be ok, if you do want to use it as-is, to be safe maybe get a regular plant to put in the soil and see if it starts growing ok, I like to germinate legumes in my aging soil, when they start shooting and are nice and green I know the soil is good and aged. Plus the lugumes fix nitrogen in the soil... not that it needs it though.
Ok. Caffeinated answer.
 
benmarker92

benmarker92

Member
greasemonkeymann said:
dude, if you have 5 bio dynamics in there, meaning what? dandelion, horsetail, nettles,? That type of thing. If you have all that stuff in with the 11 manures? And it's composted already? I can say that your compost would be better than mine, i'm jealous.
Also if the cat is adding bio-dynamics to it already he obviously knows WTF he is doing so i'd say you found a good ally in your quest to grow some organic crystally goodness.
Still, be aware that that is going to probably have a good amount of nitrogen available, so you may want more EWC and less of that compost.
Sounds like some very good compost though.
I'd start a good leaf compost for next yrs season too, it's some valuable stuff, and if you had a mix with your aforementioned compost, vermicompost AND leaf compost? Hell all ya'd need are some rotten forest log chunks and you have an organic freak's wetdream of a soil mix.
I still think you may have a little too much nutrients though, juuust maybe a tad, you are doing a helluva job on all of this it would be a shame to have that happen.
To be safe, and to be sure, if it were me, I would add another bag of an inert media, maybe like promix or something, something that you wouldn't have to add aeration also. Don't have to add the whole bale, but it'd be wise , I think, to dilute your mix a lil.
Adding nutrients to a soil is sorta like adding black pepper to your soup, if you add too much, you are fucked, and the only option is to "water" it down with more soup.
Also, you'd have some extra soil that would be nice and aged for next yr too.
Just my two cents though, you'd probably be ok, if you do want to use it as-is, to be safe maybe get a regular plant to put in the soil and see if it starts growing ok, I like to germinate legumes in my aging soil, when they start shooting and are nice and green I know the soil is good and aged. Plus the lugumes fix nitrogen in the soil... not that it needs it though.
Ok. Caffeinated answer.
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A lot to take in. I'm a big noob so didn't even know what he ment when he said its bio-dynamic. I went straight to the guy making it supplying the vineyards around my area. He sells it by the ton so i got mine for free. Yea i split the compost and ewc half half. I added 3 cups of amendments for a cubic foot, 4 cups of rock dust.
I actually have a pretty decent sized forest behind my place. I was thinking of going and finding a stinging nettle patch and collect a few worms.
My comfrey seeds are on there way, Im going to plant it in the same mix in a 15gal pot.
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
benmarker92 said:
A lot to take in. I'm a big noob so didn't even know what he ment when he said its bio-dynamic. I went straight to the guy making it supplying the vineyards around my area. He sells it by the ton so i got mine for free. Yea i split the compost and ewc half half. I added 3 cups of amendments for a cubic foot, 4 cups of rock dust.
I actually have a pretty decent sized forest behind my place. I was thinking of going and finding a stinging nettle patch and collect a few worms.
My comfrey seeds are on there way, Im going to plant it in the same mix in a 15gal pot.
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if you can, try and plant the comfrey in the ground, it works better that way, the roots on those things go super deep and "bring up" the nutrients that most plants cannot.
that's how they are classified as biodynamic accumulators, fancy term huh.
Stinging nettles are your buddy, and if you have a forest nearby, i would strongly suggest you go and find some rotting tree logs, the crumblier the better, add that stuff to your soil after soaking it in a nitrogen tea, sorta like biochar.
google hugelkultur, it's an interesting german method of growing, using rotten wood chunks are a secret weapon of mine, just don't add too much, around a double handful of smaller chunks per container (for around a 5-10 gallon container), works well, and also keeps the soil a nice moisture without water logging, just don't get the wood the isn't rotting yet, or it'll rob your soil of nitrogen.
You want the crumbly stuff
 
benmarker92

benmarker92

Member
greasemonkeymann said:
if you can, try and plant the comfrey in the ground, it works better that way, the roots on those things go super deep and "bring up" the nutrients that most plants cannot.
that's how they are classified as biodynamic accumulators, fancy term huh.
Stinging nettles are your buddy, and if you have a forest nearby, i would strongly suggest you go and find some rotting tree logs, the crumblier the better, add that stuff to your soil after soaking it in a nitrogen tea, sorta like biochar.
google hugelkultur, it's an interesting german method of growing, using rotten wood chunks are a secret weapon of mine, just don't add too much, around a double handful of smaller chunks per container (for around a 5-10 gallon container), works well, and also keeps the soil a nice moisture without water logging, just don't get the wood the isn't rotting yet, or it'll rob your soil of nitrogen.
You want the crumbly stuff
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Yea i have no backyard for the comfrey will have to be in a container. haha very fancy. So you say a log that i can just slam my foot right threw its mossy ass would be perfect. There is a creek and it gets really windy sometimes so i know there is a lot of fallen trees.
My biggest worry is watering this organic soil in a 15gal smart pot. Im use to watering a 5gal regular pot until i have 20% run off.
I have a bottle of Earth Juice Catalyx, think this would be good to use in compost tea to help cook the soil faster?
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
benmarker92 said:
Yea i have no backyard for the comfrey will have to be in a container. haha very fancy. So you say a log that i can just slam my foot right threw its mossy ass would be perfect. There is a creek and it gets really windy sometimes so i know there is a lot of fallen trees.
My biggest worry is watering this organic soil in a 15gal smart pot. Im use to watering a 5gal regular pot until i have 20% run off.
I have a bottle of Earth Juice Catalyx, think this would be good to use in compost tea to help cook the soil faster?
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ohh yeah man, the rotten wood is the shit!
That's what you want, just brew an alfalfa tea to soak the wood with, or you could even pee in a bucket and use that.
Pee in a 5 gallon bucket and you can charge the wood that way too.
I just prefer alfalfa
I don't know anything about bottled nutrients, so I couldn't say whether its good or not.
But if you can find fresh EWC or compost that'll shit allllll over any bottled stuff.
 
benmarker92

benmarker92

Member
greasemonkeymann said:
ohh yeah man, the rotten wood is the shit!
That's what you want, just brew an alfalfa tea to soak the wood with, or you could even pee in a bucket and use that.
Pee in a 5 gallon bucket and you can charge the wood that way too.
I just prefer alfalfa
I don't know anything about bottled nutrients, so I couldn't say whether its good or not.
But if you can find fresh EWC or compost that'll shit allllll over any bottled stuff.
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Really pee, that sounds little fucked up. I have the alfalfa could use that. Earth juice catalyst is Oat bran, sea kelp, wheat malt, molasses and yeast and thats all.
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
benmarker92 said:
Really pee, that sounds little fucked up. I have the alfalfa could use that. Earth juice catalyst is Oat bran, sea kelp, wheat malt, molasses and yeast and thats all.
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yeah, urine is a nitrogen water soluble nutrient, I don't use it, but you can.
Just not full strength, I remember reading in a Rosenthal book, you dilute it 1/15.
use the alfalfa though, the urine thing was just a comment not a recommendation.
Although it's totally harmless to the plant.
Earth juice sounds ok, but if you have a wormbin, use your EWC instead, it'll shit all over anything bottled and anerobic.
Just EWC (or that fancy compost you have) water and molasses.
 
benmarker92

benmarker92

Member
greasemonkeymann said:
yeah, urine is a nitrogen water soluble nutrient, I don't use it, but you can.
Just not full strength, I remember reading in a Rosenthal book, you dilute it 1/15.
use the alfalfa though, the urine thing was just a comment not a recommendation.
Although it's totally harmless to the plant.
Earth juice sounds ok, but if you have a wormbin, use your EWC instead, it'll shit all over anything bottled and anerobic.
Just EWC (or that fancy compost you have) water and molasses.
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I do not have a worm bin. Just a giant bag of good earthworm castings from the grow shop. Yea i was gonna put some ewc and my compost in a tea bag, add a tsp of that earth juice molasses mix and brew in some water.
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
benmarker92 said:
I do not have a worm bin. Just a giant bag of good earthworm castings from the grow shop. Yea i was gonna put some ewc and my compost in a tea bag, add a tsp of that earth juice molasses mix and brew in some water.
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i'd just use the compost you have, and buy some regular un-sulphured black strap molasses
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
benmarker92 said:
Alright so no ewc, just compost? If just compost should i keep the ewc out of the soil mix to? Okay ill have to buy some.
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nah the ewc is good stuff, just you lose a lot of it's properties when it's bagged, and from your description, the compost is some damn good stuff, so considering the compost is so superior than the ewc, i'd just use that.
But you do want ewc in the soil as well, it's just not as effective for making an AACT when its not fresh like your compost is.
under a microscope the compost is probably thriving with life, and the bagged ewc not so much.
Fresh EWC is the best by far, but since you don't have any i'd use that fancy compost
 
benmarker92

benmarker92

Member
greasemonkeymann said:
nah the ewc is good stuff, just you lose a lot of it's properties when it's bagged, and from your description, the compost is some damn good stuff, so considering the compost is so superior than the ewc, i'd just use that.
But you do want ewc in the soil as well, it's just not as effective for making an AACT when its not fresh like your compost is.
under a microscope the compost is probably thriving with life, and the bagged ewc not so much.
Fresh EWC is the best by far, but since you don't have any i'd use that fancy compost
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Alright simple enough. Thanks for all the help. How much black strap molasses should i use in 3L of tea?
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
benmarker92 said:
Alright simple enough. Thanks for all the help. How much black strap molasses should i use in 3L of tea?
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three liters? Ok, so that's shy of a gallon, i'd make a 3 gallon brew, if you can, 3 liters isn't very much and an AACT you want to water full strength.
You are metric so that'd be 10-12 liters, I have a headache and can'r remember how many plants you have... but a 3 gallon aact is a good size.----edit--- ok I saw it's just one plant--- 15 gallons of soil should get a good 4 -6 liters of AACT.
ok so i'm actually good with the metric system, i'm a mechanic and I hate American cars so I can do that, if I recall the tablespoon is 14.something ML, I remember because it's the same as one BAR to PSI.
anyways, so for a 10-12 liter brew i'd add 25 ml of molasses, a 12 L maybe 30ml. it's not super picky just not more than 40ml.---edit for 15 gallons of soil, use a 6 l brew, use 15ml of bsm.
to answer your question regarding 3 liters.
i'd add 8-10 ml of BSM.
Bubble it profusely, with the compost in there as well.
for a 3l brew i'd only add a small handful of compost., you could add ewc too if you want but your compost is some good stuff..
---6l use one good large handful.
it's not picky about that, you just need a base source of microbes to populate.
depending on how gnarly your air pump is, you may want to put the compost in an womens pantyhose, works well, or a cheesecloth works too.
I just dump mine in, but my pump is pretty crazy.
you could throw your rotten tree log chunks in the AACT too, it won't orecharge it with nitrogen but it'll inoculate it nicely, that and i'd speculate that the wood is crawling with IBMs as well and those are good to add to for microbe diversity.
 
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benmarker92

benmarker92

Member
greasemonkeymann said:
three liters? Ok, so that's shy of a gallon, i'd make a 3 gallon brew, if you can, 3 liters isn't very much and an AACT you want to water full strength.
You are metric so that'd be 10-12 liters, I have a headache and can'r remember how many plants you have... but a 3 gallon aact is a good size.----edit--- ok I saw it's just one plant--- 15 gallons of soil should get a good 4 -6 liters of AACT.
ok so i'm actually good with the metric system, i'm a mechanic and I hate American cars so I can do that, if I recall the tablespoon is 14.something ML, I remember because it's the same as one BAR to PSI.
anyways, so for a 10-12 liter brew i'd add 25 ml of molasses, a 12 L maybe 30ml. it's not super picky just not more than 40ml.---edit for 15 gallons of soil, use a 6 l brew, use 15ml of bsm.
to answer your question regarding 3 liters.
i'd add 8-10 ml of BSM.
Bubble it profusely, with the compost in there as well.
for a 3l brew i'd only add a small handful of compost., you could add ewc too if you want but your compost is some good stuff..
---6l use one good large handful.
it's not picky about that, you just need a base source of microbes to populate.
depending on how gnarly your air pump is, you may want to put the compost in an womens pantyhose, works well, or a cheesecloth works too.
I just dump mine in, but my pump is pretty crazy.
you could throw your rotten tree log chunks in the AACT too, it won't orecharge it with nitrogen but it'll inoculate it nicely, that and i'd speculate that the wood is crawling with IBMs as well and those are good to add to for microbe diversity.
Click to expand...
Awesome good stuff. thanks. Just took my Christmas tree back to the forest. Found a nice little worm while i was there. No stinging nettle or rotting logs yet though.
 
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