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I started a thread at GCO you may be intrested in, you're nearly there anyway. 'Converting to Vermiculture based Gardening' Wet

You really don't want cedar in or on your soil. In semi close proximity to your plants/soil, but not in actual contact. pH would be the least of your problems if added to the soil mix.

Another great place is redwormcomposting.com Besides selling worms there is a ton of great information from a sort of blog and where he answers questions people have asked, DIY stuff and generally just what you are looking for.

You may want to bump that lime up a bit, the recc rate is 1cup/cf of mix (~23 liters). I personally run perlite at close to 40% of total mix, but do at least 33% of total. HTH

Wot the 'ell? ^^ It took all my spacings and paragraphs and ran it all together into a wall of text. Went to edit and the edit showed the spacings and such and it still came out in a clump. ???????????

Just some observations from over the years. AFA the 'overdone' bit. What I found during 2 years of droughty and way above average temps, when it was being applied fairly frequently (2x/week at least), was, the rate of 1/4tsp/gallon gave a good steady supply of Si without it becoming 'too much'...

An observation over several years. I keep 4 to 6, 5gal buckets for spot watering on the deck. They get leaves and debris in there, plus I rinse my hands off in the buckets. Invariably, when critters come to drink they go right to the bucket with the greenest/brown water in it, even if there is...

For DIY enzymes, microbes and even some unique bacteria, a worm bin is pretty much a one stop shop. Not bagged stuff, but fresh VC that contains worms, eggs and is full of life. Worms can only eat (slurp up), the bacterial slime from decomposing organic matter. If that bacteria is present in...

*I* wouldn't bother much while the soil is just sitting. Just before, or when, something is growing in it is the time. When enzymes from growing roots interacting with the microherd starts, that's when everything really gets in gear.

LOL, I was going to say you aren't going to be happy till you try this and experience IS the best teacher so, let us know how it goes. I've had the best results with top dressing, getting that moist and then top dressing that with fresh VC. If doing enough plants, sometimes I'll mix the VC and...

You can over apply anything and may have with the EM 1. But, I really doubt that the soil is ruined. EM1 when done is super acidic with a pH of below 4.0 IIRC and it's been years since I've used the liquid like you did. I mainly make Bokashi bran and use it like that. But the dilution I used...

I add ~1/2cup/cf to the initial mix and do VERY light top dresses, more or less, monthly when actively growing. Also do kelp meal in a similar fashon, but stagger the two. Like, TD gypsum, 2 weeks later, TD kelp meal. Two weeks after that, gypsum again and so on. Lime, to buffer, is added to...

Not RR, but there is a point to be made and essential you grasp it. Gypsum can NOT be used in place of OSF, Dolomite, or other liming agents. It pretty much has ZERO effect on soil pH, so disregard it in that light. It IS a great Ca source, but is the wrong form of Ca to affect pH. What *I*...

By far, the one thing that had the biggest impact was getting that pink styrofoam insulation between the floor and the bottom of the pot, even if nothing else was done, I do like you though and put the heat mat on top of the insulation and under the container. I get the 1"x2'x2' pink insulation...

I mean, an expanded 3.8cf bale comes out to ~4.5 cf (it expands, but does NOT double in size, or even comes close), and most of a 4cf bag of perlite, plus everything else that goes in there comes out to ~10cf of fresh mix. This is a rough amount I use for figuring buying stuff. The old 4cf...

Find a source for 4cf bags then and buy several. A 4cf bag will do for ~ 10 cf of mix (~75 gallons), so buy accordingly. It's also used as insulation, so checking contractor/building supply places could be worthwhile. Vermiculite is also used for insulation, but do NOT get it, it retains water...

Skip the OSF and just go with gypsum. Check with RR as far as amounts/100 gal. I have nothing that large.

That, I would HIGHLY recc. I remember you saying that you ran out of aeration and poor aeration/drainage is, if not the #1 cause of problems in no till, is in the top 2. 40% aeration is my starting point and usually ends up closer to 50%. I use perlite myself, but if you like rocks, graded...

With a peat based mix, perhaps every second or third grow. It's best to take soil core samples from root level and check the pH. HOWEVER ... You will need to add calcium and RR is spot on with the gypsum. It doesn't screw with the pH and is a great source of Ca and sulfur (terpenes/flavor).

Yes, of course. There are caveats AFA contaminates, but you'd have to do some searching as to what those might entail, but mainly if polymers are used and the cutting fluid involved from what I recall.