Opinions needed

[anzohaze]

I am having to hang up my hat for a bit as I have a son on the way and will be here in a few months.

I have roughly 250-300 gallons of soil and I don't want it to go to waste. I have found a 500 gallon plastic container ( see image) and was going to cut the top off add hinges etc to have a lid to open and use as a worm bin with all my soil. Is there any drawbacks to this or anything of concern other then drains airflow etc that I need to worry about. Would I have to continue to still harvest castings. Also food wise feed normal soil ammendments amd normal scraps or should I do differently. I am hoping I can start growing again in a year or 2. When I can free up some more time and get money saved to build a huge shed ot small shop

 

[drekoushranada]

Maybe a few 200/300 gallon fabric pots might be less hassle for you. I'm sure it will be easier to access the soil that the container. Might even be a cheaper less and less time consuming route also. Then when you're ready to start back up you can plant right into them.

 

[anzohaze]

Maybe a few 200/300 gallon fabric pots might be less hassle for you. I'm sure it will be easier to access the soil that the container. Might even be a cheaper less and less time consuming route also. Then when you're ready to start back up you can plant right into them.

I was going to cut like a 1/4 of the top off so I could open it like a door. Also I wanted the rigidity of the plastic as i might be moving and selling my home and would not be able to move a 300 gallon fabric pot

 

[drekoushranada]

I was going to cut like a 1/4 of the top off so I could open it like a door. Also I wanted the rigidity of the plastic as i might be moving and selling my home and would not be able to move a 300 gallon fabric pot

Sounds like a good thing. Will buying the container be cheaper than making a new batch of soil at your new place? It would make movement a lot easier though.

 

[anzohaze]

Sounds like a good thing. Will buying the container be cheaper than making a new batch of soil at your new place? It would make movement a lot easier though.

my soil is a damn good soil thanks to @greasemonkeymann @Pattahabi etc. The container is actually used it was mounted to trailer for a pressure washing.company the only chems they have had in it is bleach here and there. I want to.make this huge worm bin so when I go to reuse my soil in future it will be amazing as I will be feeding.it ammenents rock dusts everything the whole time and just letting worms make a home and then just shovel it out into my fabric pots when I go to use again. It would really be a water only no nothin esp being able to cook it for at least a year or

 

[drekoushranada]

my soil is a damn good soil thanks to @greasemonkeymann @Pattahabi etc. The container is actually used it was mounted to trailer for a pressure washing.company the only chems they have had in it is bleach here and there. I want to.make this huge worm bin so when I go to reuse my soil in future it will be amazing as I will be feeding.it ammenents rock dusts everything the whole time and just letting worms make a home and then just shovel it out into my fabric pots when I go to use again. It would really be a water only no nothin esp being able to cook it for at least a year or

Sounds good to me. Can't beat a good deal.

 

[anzohaze]

Can any harm be done by not harvesting the castings and just letting it be except just adding food and ammendments

 

[ShLUbY]

maybe you could monitor your worm population so they dont fill the thing up with castings so quickly. just a thought.

 

[DonPetro]

Can any harm be done by not harvesting the castings and just letting it be except just adding food and ammendments

You'll be fine.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

maybe you could monitor your worm population so they dont fill the thing up with castings so quickly. just a thought.

Can any harm be done by not harvesting the castings and just letting it be except just adding food and ammendments

The only thing I could see as an issue would be the soil getting thick, but if it's amended with aeration already it should be good, the thing that is cool with redworms is they'll only grow in numbers if the situation is conducive to it, meaning you won't get overpopulated by reds, because they don't exceed the food they are given. the more you feed, the more they'll populate, but if you feed them sorta lightly, they won't go nuts.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Can any harm be done by not harvesting the castings and just letting it be except just adding food and ammendments

just remember after making the soil initially you don't need any more minerals.
I would make it sorta like a compost pile as well, adding leaves/grass clippings and such in there also.

 

[anzohaze]

just remember after making the soil initially you don't need any more minerals.
I would make it sorta like a compost pile as well, adding leaves/grass clippings and such in there also.

Yessir so don't keep feeding minerals to the worms while its not being uses just ammendments.

I have pretty good areation now but have a few more bags of charcoal and lava rocks slowly gathering rotted oak tree chunks. I will add grass leaves fruit scraps etc.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Yessir so don't keep feeding minerals to the worms while its not being uses just ammendments.

I have pretty good areation now but have a few more bags of charcoal and lava rocks slowly gathering rotted oak tree chunks. I will add grass leaves fruit scraps etc.

sounds good, i'd def use the biochar too.
Just remember to stop adding things to it about 6-8 months before you plan on using it.
And don't forget the crab meal if its a peat based mix, over time and composting all that can possible drive the ph a lil acidic

 

[anzohaze]

sounds good, i'd def use the biochar too.
Just remember to stop adding things to it about 6-8 months before you plan on using it.
And don't forget the crab meal if its a peat based mix, over time and composting all that can possible drive the ph a lil acidic

Sweet man ur the best. Is there anything I should give them lightly like alfalfa or anything

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Sweet man ur the best. Is there anything I should give them lightly like alfalfa or anything

honestly I can't say for sure, some nutrients are a lil more acidic than others (maybe neem meal?) and maybe those you should avoid in large amounts, but honestly I really don't think that would be an issue unless you have a TON of peat in your mix.
If you have biochar, crab meal, oyster flour, and maybe even oyster shells (probably don't do anything at all but I like them for aeration)
couple those with leaves, grass, and worms eating it all up and converting much to humus and such, I really can't imagine it all being anything but great for your plants. I'd say your ph will be at a happy level.
I think the biggest concern would be having ample aeration and oxygen for that aeration.
Make sure you tumble the mix every two weeks or so, or if thats not possible, then having a LOT of holes provided is crucial.
OH, and don't water the mix, unless it gets bone dry, you can sprinkle it, but don't "water" it like you would a plant.
all you want to do is keep the soil/compost slightly moist or "humid". NOT wet.
I know, it's splitting hairs... but look at it this way, if your soil goes gross and anaerobic, it'll be a whore to fix, if it gets too dry?
bid fuckin deal, water it with a AACT.
SO, safe to say, lightly "moisten" the mix, not water it.
You feel me right?
OH and the tree log chunks are damn great, I wouldn't worry about "charging" them, if they'll be in a rich compost they won't sequester anything from your plants by the time you use it, in fact quite the contrary.

 

[anzohaze]

honestly I can't say for sure, some nutrients are a lil more acidic than others (maybe neem meal?) and maybe those you should avoid in large amounts, but honestly I really don't think that would be an issue unless you have a TON of peat in your mix.
If you have biochar, crab meal, oyster flour, and maybe even oyster shells (probably don't do anything at all but I like them for aeration)
couple those with leaves, grass, and worms eating it all up and converting much to humus and such, I really can't imagine it all being anything but great for your plants. I'd say your ph will be at a happy level.
I think the biggest concern would be having ample aeration and oxygen for that aeration.
Make sure you tumble the mix every two weeks or so, or if thats not possible, then having a LOT of holes provided is crucial.
OH, and don't water the mix, unless it gets bone dry, you can sprinkle it, but don't "water" it like you would a plant.
all you want to do is keep the soil/compost slightly moist or "humid". NOT wet.
I know, it's splitting hairs... but look at it this way, if your soil goes gross and anaerobic, it'll be a whore to fix, if it gets too dry?
bid fuckin deal, water it with a AACT.
SO, safe to say, lightly "moisten" the mix, not water it.
You feel me right?
OH and the tree log chunks are damn great, I wouldn't worry about "charging" them, if they'll be in a rich compost they won't sequester anything from your plants by the time you use it, in fact quite the contrary.

I bought a bale of of peat but only used about 1/3 of it . The image I shown above for my tank I was going to use lawnmower and roll it around every so often to help keep everything from compacting.. do you think I should add pvc with lots of holes or etc in the center to help aid in oxygen

 

[greasemonkeymann]

I bought a bale of of peat but only used about 1/3 of it . The image I shown above for my tank I was going to use lawnmower and roll it around every so often to help keep everything from compacting.. do you think I should add pvc with lots of holes or etc in the center to help aid in oxygen

maybe?
I wish I knew definitively... I don't have any experience storing soil in anything other than smartpots..
which is simple, but you're right, moving them would be a whore.
One thing I do know, is you can't have too much oxygen, but you CAN have too little, so with that in mind...
You're a pioneer on this man, wish I knew a foolproof method.
If you are diligent about not keeping it too wet, and tumbling or mixing at least twice a month. Then I think you'll be golden. Especially with the worms helping you out, in fact you may want to get some native earthworms in there for that, they burrow and tunnel WAY more than reds do.
Maybe drilled holes through the plastic and a mesh or screen type thing could help? Don't know if that'd compromise it's ability to be moved securely though...

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Here is my outdoor Hugle Kulture veggie bed! I started it last April and the temps coming off of it was crazy! I think that it has decomposed a little more now.

1st pic, I just scraped the top layer off.

 

[anzohaze]

maybe?
I wish I knew definitively... I don't have any experience storing soil in anything other than smartpots..
which is simple, but you're right, moving them would be a whore.
One thing I do know, is you can't have too much oxygen, but you CAN have too little, so with that in mind...
You're a pioneer on this man, wish I knew a foolproof method.
If you are diligent about not keeping it too wet, and tumbling or mixing at least twice a month. Then I think you'll be golden. Especially with the worms helping you out, in fact you may want to get some native earthworms in there for that, they burrow and tunnel WAY more than reds do.
Maybe drilled holes through the plastic and a mesh or screen type thing could help? Don't know if that'd compromise it's ability to be moved securely though...

Sweet I am just trying to make sure I don't f up and ruin all the good I have going for my soil. I will get/find normal yard earthworms already haves reds do you think night crawlers would be good to add or naw.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Sweet I am just trying to make sure I don't f up and ruin all the good I have going for my soil. I will get/find normal yard earthworms already haves reds do you think night crawlers would be good to add or naw.

native earthworms yes, not the bought europeon fishing ones, those need to be cold, and they HATE heat.
the natives will be good for that.
next time it is going to rain, but a big ass tarp out and they'll go under it for cover.
Or cardboard works too.