ADDING EM1 AND ACT TO COOKING SOIL

[Greenthumbs256]

Hey guys so I've always used a compost tea to water down my cooking soil! But it had me thinking wouldn't using EM1 to water down the soil work better since while cooking the soil is mostly anerobic?
Also another thing I like to do is sprinkle some bokashi across the top spray it down and wait a few days for the mycelium to grow then I like to mix it in there lol!
What's your opinions on this???

 

[Miyagismokes]

while cooking the soil is mostly anerobic

This is not how I understand it to work, but you may not be wrong...

 

[Greenthumbs256]

So can anyone else throw in some input this has me wondering and I can't find any info on it online!

 

[Greenthumbs256]

@Richard Drysift

 

[Richard Drysift]

I think you are better off using the em1 innoculant as intended and adding it to raw compost first. Then add the finished compost to the soil once it is all broken down into humus. Microbes themselves are not as much of a benefit if they are not actively decomposing organic matter. EM1 innoculant could be good for the soil as it is...I don't really know but it stands to reason that it needs to be dispersed into organic matter first in order for subsequent generations to have a food source to thrive on in their very short life cycles. Mycelium works kind of the same way. If your cooking soil is anaerobic it would smell bad like a swamp or stagnant pond.

 

[Greenthumbs256]

I think you are better off using the em1 innoculant as intended and adding it to raw compost first. Then add the finished compost to the soil once it is all broken down into humus. Microbes themselves are not as much of a benefit if they are not actively decomposing organic matter. EM1 innoculant could be good for the soil as it is...I don't really know but it stands to reason that it needs to be dispersed into organic matter first in order for subsequent generations to have a food source to thrive on in their very short life cycles. Mycelium works kind of the same way. If your cooking soil is anaerobic it would smell bad like a swamp or stagnant pond.

Thanks buddy I knew you would have some amazing insight on this thanks a lot I appreciate that!

 

[projectinfo]

Thanks buddy I knew you would have some amazing insight on this thanks a lot I appreciate that!

So you guys dont spray em1 when you cook your soil ?

 

[Wetdog]

So you guys dont spray em1 when you cook your soil ?

Not anymore, It just became more convenient to mix bokashi bran globally into the mix. Same benefits, less hassle.

Wet

 

[projectinfo]

Not anymore, It just became more convenient to mix bokashi bran globally into the mix. Same benefits, less hassle.

Wet

So im about to cook a clackamas coots mix.

Hyroots to be exact.

17gal bins .
Two totes per plant.
One will be full of holes.
Other will catch runoff and soil... A res...

So bad cause im limited on space, i have to cook my soil in thier totes.

Il be making sips
.

So i have two plus months befor i start this organic probiotic, pfa, hyroot route.

So il be mixing my soil in a concrete mixer and filling the totes half way then top with bokashi, castings and malted barley, two row.

Then after a month cover with soil mix and do it again. After a month fold in the mycelium.

See any problems ?

Do i really have to mix it weekly or can i let it break down slowly ?

I also have a personal worm farm on the go .

And bokashi

And activated em1

 

[Greenthumbs256]

seems good to me I don't see any issues! I would mix once a month and it should be fine!

 

[Greenthumbs256]

hey guys I started a journal for my new sip pot and I'm also running a gg#4 cut, you guys should come see, maybe yall can help me out with some advise or some ideas maybe!

https://www.rollitup.org/t/greens-gorilla-glue-4.979073/#post-14565856

 

[Greenthumbs256]

hey guys can anyone tell me, what would happen to em1 if I threw an airstone in it?

I met a guy who does the sip pot like me, but he adds an airstone to his, I'm trying to figure out if that is beneficial or if it's just messing up the em1???

So im about to cook a clackamas coots mix.

Hyroots to be exact.

17gal bins .
Two totes per plant.
One will be full of holes.
Other will catch runoff and soil... A res...

So bad cause im limited on space, i have to cook my soil in thier totes.

Il be making sips
.

So i have two plus months befor i start this organic probiotic, pfa, hyroot route.

So il be mixing my soil in a concrete mixer and filling the totes half way then top with bokashi, castings and malted barley, two row.

Then after a month cover with soil mix and do it again. After a month fold in the mycelium.

See any problems ?

Do i really have to mix it weekly or can i let it break down slowly ?

I also have a personal worm farm on the go .

And bokashi

And activated em1

Not anymore, It just became more convenient to mix bokashi bran globally into the mix. Same benefits, less hassle.

Wet

I think you are better off using the em1 innoculant as intended and adding it to raw compost first. Then add the finished compost to the soil once it is all broken down into humus. Microbes themselves are not as much of a benefit if they are not actively decomposing organic matter. EM1 innoculant could be good for the soil as it is...I don't really know but it stands to reason that it needs to be dispersed into organic matter first in order for subsequent generations to have a food source to thrive on in their very short life cycles. Mycelium works kind of the same way. If your cooking soil is anaerobic it would smell bad like a swamp or stagnant pond.

 

[Dr.J20]

LAB/em1 are good for cooking soil for sure. Turning depends on the soil itself, but between 1/week and 1/14 days is where I want to be. Where I actually am? turning it when I can, at least 1/month. seems to be fine.

be easy,

 

[Wetdog]

Hey guys so I've always used a compost tea to water down my cooking soil! But it had me thinking wouldn't using EM1 to water down the soil work better since while cooking the soil is mostly anerobic?
Also another thing I like to do is sprinkle some bokashi across the top spray it down and wait a few days for the mycelium to grow then I like to mix it in there lol!
What's your opinions on this???

The last thing you want is for cooking soil to be anerobic, you aren't fermenting it, but trying to foster aerobic bacteria with adequate aeration and drainage.

EM1 has both aerobic and anerobic bacteria in it for the different ways there is to use it (the EM1).

Wet

 

[projectinfo]

The last thing you want is for cooking soil to be anerobic, you aren't fermenting it, but trying to foster aerobic bacteria with adequate aeration and drainage.

EM1 has both aerobic and anerobic bacteria in it for the different ways there is to use it (the EM1).

Wet

So for cooking i got two 17 gal totes the bottom is to catch excess water.

The upper tote has holes drilled along the bottom edge and some in the center to drip out any excess water.

How often would you say youd have to mix it so it doesnt go bad?

I hear of people putting barley or bokashi and covering it over loosly with a trash bag to make it sweat and make a mycelium mat

@Wetdog

 

[Serverchris]

You really dont need 2 totes, if you have water draining then you have probably overwatered it. I do like to put bokashi on top and let it grow a good mycelium layer and then mix it all together again.

 

[projectinfo]

You really dont need 2 totes, if you have water draining then you have probably overwatered it. I do like to put bokashi on top and let it grow a good mycelium layer and then mix it all together again.

Thanks, i wont over water it.

I have the second totes already because im turning these cooking containers into my sips when my flower room is done this round .

Also i like to keep things clean. Dont need any more dirt and water floating around haha the second tote withh just be more of an insurance for now.


The sips will look like this.

But the size of a 17gal tote
And currently all i have done is drill drainage holes in the i side tote. Thats it.

 

[Wetdog]

So for cooking i got two 17 gal totes the bottom is to catch excess water.

The upper tote has holes drilled along the bottom edge and some in the center to drip out any excess water.

How often would you say youd have to mix it so it doesnt go bad?

I hear of people putting barley or bokashi and covering it over loosly with a trash bag to make it sweat and make a mycelium mat

@Wetdog

Just to be sure, you do have something like a brick between the top and bottom tote, yes? You do need some space for the water to drip into. If they are tightly nested it's like having no drainage holes at all.

Once I do the initial mix, making sure everything is thoroughly moistened with no dry spots anywhere and it goes into a container to cycle, I do no further mixing. Sorta found out the hard way by fracturing my pelvis a couple of days after mixing up 30+ gallons of mix and putting it in a 32gal garbage can with drainage & air holes. It sat for over a month, untouched, till I was mobile again and when I went to use it, it was perfect top to bottom and kicking. Never turned a cooking mix since then. This was 6 or 7 years ago. It won't hurt if you do mix it, but it's not necessary.

With drainage and adequate aeration, there is simply no reason for a mix to "go bad" while cycling. IMO, the biggest problem is inadequate aeration in the mix itself. The *standard* 1/3 aeration is kind of a bad joke with LOS type mixes with the seed meals and dry amendments. There is just so much organic matter that 30% aeration is not going to get the job done and is the underlying cause of many of the problems those new to this experience. 40% to 50% aeration is closer to what you need for these type mixes.

The bokashi or malted barley on top is Ok if you feel like it. All I do now is toss a few handfuls of bokashi bran in the mix while mixing and call it good. Once water is added to moisten the mix it's like hitting the starter and everything wakes up.

I very seldom need to add any water to a cooking mix in a covered container, like a tote or garbage can, but even a thoroughly moistened, but not soggy mix, is going to drain some, so the drainage holes and the bottom tote to catch the water is necessary.

Sometimes, I need to let the mix cycle in the growing containers themselves and these are just left outside, uncovered, and the rain usually keeps them moist. With nothing growing in it, mix is pretty slow to dry out, even outside.

HTH

Wet