So who here is growing in true organic living soil?

[buckaroo bonzai]

I don't read Skunk Magazine, personally. Sounds very cool, though. OK, I downloaded the book and read through it. I think it's a great read, great pics, although I think Rev is a little stuck from old hydro days. I was really surprised to see so many bottles and bags. That doesn't diminish a thing, just an observation. I think anyone should have a crack at Teaming With Microbes, as it gives a really good understanding of what soil is, and how the microbes interact. To me, a person should have a good insight into the microbial world if they are following an organic routine.

ok so can you post a link to 'download ' this book??I have tried repeatedly to find it online but came to dead ends--and as far as sunshine mix--it is very very dense and I would cut it down with something lightereveryone has their own preferences though-

 

[Rrog]

Cut with Perlite or Vermiculite, you mean? https://www.rollitup.org/organics/427826-soil-food-web-gardening-compost.html see post 7 not sure if that's active or not

 

[buckaroo bonzai]

either or but I have used pro-mix--and perlite....if you use the sunshine and don't fluff it up you won't get nearly the penetration or saturation you would if you use it straight--how about that link? to the TLO book?

 

[gladstoned]

I got my book from Amazon, like $10-$12 bucks. I like pro-mix. I can have her grab some from Superior Hydro.
The worst part of soil gardening for me is not having a brand of soil I like. lmao.
Belle is leaving shortly and I can hear her on her phone saying, make your fucking mind up already, what the fuck? lmao.
If the sunshine isn't good as it is, I am not too interested in it then.

 

[Rrog]

If you like Pro-Mix that's fine. I'm not familiar with either as I migrate toward building my next round of soil from scratch. No bag mix. Too bad there's not a farmers market dude that sells his worm castings, worms, compost and pedatory beneficials. Could sell fermented plant extracts and maybe the rest of the common amendments. The compost and EWC are nuclear powered when biologically active. Many bagged companies kill the microbes to comply with some US regs, The materials in the compost and EWC is still excellent, of course, but may be largely devoid of live, active microbes. This is why some local soil is great, if active. Again, when I say active, I mean there's some sort of plant or weed in there in the soil now. When the microbes are tending to a plant, they are at their highest level of bioactivity. Perfect to inoculate your new soil, along with the Lacto B.

 

[QuentinQuark]

Quentin, not sure on that. The microbes will look to convert that last bit of carbon, whereas Perlite is inert microbically. I would think the initial aeration qualities of char would diminish over time as the char is converted.

Isn't carbon an element already? Can't really break things down any further than that...

Sad that a lot of EWC is sprayed so as to kill microbes. I'm getting a worm bin next year

I didn't know that! Maybe I do need an innoculant then.

Found two: Earth Juice BioZues and Earth Juice BioRighteous

I have a small kitchen scrap compost bucket under my kitchen sink, maybe I'll just throw a handful of that in to get things rockin'

 

[Rrog]

Isn't carbon an element already? Can't really break things down any further than that...

The structure gets broken down, I believe. Still carbon, but smaller pieces. Someone on another form passed that to me. I forget who, but was one of my mentors. Quentin, do you have any used soil around? Did you say you make Lacto-B (EM)? The microbes are in the air around us, so they'll get in there and start dominating soon enough. I'm less and less a fan of boxed microbe assortments. Local microbes dominate and are set up to operate best in your environment, so always good to pull from the local microbes with the local soil and home made Lacto-B

 

[QuentinQuark]

You want some of the best fertilizer available? Take your kitchen scraps and make Bokashi. It's free and natural.

I love the idea of bokashi composting, but I hate the idea of having to buy the bran. I am always looking for methods that require zero purchased inputs.

 

[Rrog]

Go to feed store and buy bran. It's animal food for some critter. Then add your own Lacto-B and let it ferment in a black garbage bag for a month. Then set out on plastic to dry. That will last you a year.

 

[QuentinQuark]

You are going to collect Lactobacillus from the air around you.

Add 1/2 cup of uncooked rice to 1 cup cool water in a bowl and stir. The water will become cloudy with rice starch.

Pour just the rice wash into a 1 quart mason jar or similar

Place the open mouth jar (no lid) within 2 feet of the floor for a couple days. I might leave on my back porch step for an afternoon, etc. We’re just collecting microbes at this point. The air will deliver them.

After 2 days, loosely place a lid on mason jar. Keep in room temp dark place for two more days.

After two days there will be a stinky film on the top. This is perfect. You have all sorts of wild bacteria, fungus, and yeasts. Be we only want a certain type of bacteria, Lactobacillus.

We selectively feed Lacto B the lactose in milk. The rest of the organisms in that rice wash don’t do so well in that environment, and Lacto B dominates.

So we have 2 cups of room temp milk. Skim, whole, 2%, whatever. Not hot and not cold. 70F is great. To that milk, add just a teaspoon or so of that stinky rice wash. Throw away the rest of the rice wash.

Two days later, the Lacto B will have separated much of the protein from the yellow whey (serum). Scoop out the cheese-like protein so you can get at that yellow serum. Animals love that protein, BTW.

Mix the yellow serum 1:1 with molasses, and 20 parts water. It’s ready to store in the fridge. The molasses will also feed the Lacto B.

This is still concentrated. You can add a couple tablespoons of this to a gallon of water for soil or foliar. You can add this to soil to start the microbes after a new soil mix. You can spray as a foliar in veg or early flower.

Shiiit I had no idea you could make your own LactoB starter, that's awesome!

 

[Rrog]

It's very easy and very potent and costs 2 cups of milk (that you can feed to animals)

 

[QuentinQuark]

Go to feed store and buy bran. It's animal food for some critter. Then add your own Lacto-B and let it ferment in a black garbage bag for a month. Then set out on plastic to dry. That will last you a year.

Bokashi bran is supposed to be fermented with EM. EM contains a LOT more than just LactoB.

 

[Rrog]

So sayeth the makers of EM. Local microbes, baby. Check out Grow Your Own Indigenous Microorganisms by Gil Carandang

 

[NickNasty]

Here is a link to a pdf of Grow Your Own Indigenous Microorganisms by Gil Carandang

http://hkpi.webs.com/Indigenous%20Micro-organism%28Phil%29.pdf

 

[Rrog]

You can collect an awesome assortment of microbes in your house, in the yard, in the woods, field, etc. Local = Potent=free

 

[gladstoned]

OK. Things change here by the minute.
A new hydroponic shop opened in Marquette. Northern Hydroponics.
I want to help support them. I called and they want my business.
I think I will be rolling with Pro-Mix for awhile.

Can you line me up with a good promix pro mix?

 

[QuentinQuark]

OK. Things change here by the minute.
A new hydroponic shop opened in Marquette. Northern Hydroponics.
I want to help support them. I called and they want my business.
I think I will be rolling with Pro-Mix for awhile.

Can you line me up with a good promix pro mix?

Supersoil and LC both can be done in promix, no?

 

[gladstoned]

Supersoil and LC both can be done in promix, no?

I don't even know what LC is. lol.

 

[abe supercro]

Promix BX: white bag w ORANGE label. this has the mycorrhizae.not the one w biofungicide,,

 

[Rrog]

You can use Promix as the base soil no prob.