Greenthumbs256
Well-Known Member
play more eve online...
GREEN'S PROBIOTIC METHOD
- Thread starter Greenthumbs256
- Start date
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
I don't see any real problems here. Do you have spots or anything? I'm saying this because you made it sound like you were having problems in another thread. It don't look like it...
meangreengrowinmachine
Well-Known Member
No real problems just trying to perfect things really at this point
I think I did burn these gals a bit by trying to cheat a bit and use some old fox farm powders I had laying around. But will not be doing that again. I should just get rid of that old stuff but I'm a hoarder what can I say lolI just, just started a few 20g SIPS using drain pipe and then found this thread. Most of you run covered, but I started with cover crops uncovered. My intent was to convert everything to SIPS primarily for watering consistency.
After reading this I might convert a couple to the covered variety and see how it compares. Does anybody run coverless? I tried a mini-earthbox a year ago or so and the fungus gnats exploded. Plus those are very, very small.
I'd like to run worms in the bin as well, and hopefully no-till/low-till. I have one bin that I just spun up with cover crop seed, I think I will remove the straw, till the seeds in, cover with more compost, gro-kashi and try a covered bed. Since I'm trying some avocado tech with the uncovered, maybe I'll try that with the covered as well. Hoping that dealing with the covers < dealing with the cover crop/mulch layer.
After reading this I might convert a couple to the covered variety and see how it compares. Does anybody run coverless? I tried a mini-earthbox a year ago or so and the fungus gnats exploded. Plus those are very, very small.
I'd like to run worms in the bin as well, and hopefully no-till/low-till. I have one bin that I just spun up with cover crop seed, I think I will remove the straw, till the seeds in, cover with more compost, gro-kashi and try a covered bed. Since I'm trying some avocado tech with the uncovered, maybe I'll try that with the covered as well. Hoping that dealing with the covers < dealing with the cover crop/mulch layer.
Polyuro
Well-Known Member
Covers, no covers, air rez, no air rez. SIPS just seem to work. I think you will be successful any which way u do it. Let’s us know how you different grows go.
I have had success with a cover and without. I had gnat problems too when covering but only in veg. once u hit flower the plant drinks so fast the soil has a harder time staying wet Which means no gnats. this is also a good time for your soil to get some air to all its root mass. Some people can create a thick mycelium mat that holds off gnats but I cant lolol.
when I did it uncovered I had a few “ride alongs” from the bu’s compost. Only one Type of ride along helped and those plants with it exploded.
I would try different cover crops for fun too if possible. my amazing ride along grew very tall and I had to top it lolololol. They like SIPS too. I need to identify what it is...
I have had success with a cover and without. I had gnat problems too when covering but only in veg. once u hit flower the plant drinks so fast the soil has a harder time staying wet Which means no gnats. this is also a good time for your soil to get some air to all its root mass. Some people can create a thick mycelium mat that holds off gnats but I cant lolol.
when I did it uncovered I had a few “ride alongs” from the bu’s compost. Only one Type of ride along helped and those plants with it exploded.
I would try different cover crops for fun too if possible. my amazing ride along grew very tall and I had to top it lolololol. They like SIPS too. I need to identify what it is...
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
Is using tap water to expand em1 ok or will the Chlorine kill off the microbes? Appreciate any guidance you can provide. Peace
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
Found the answer here: https://www.teraganix.com/pages/em-recipes
I pulled the straw on my new 20g test SIP, tilled in all the cover crop sprouts & seed, topped off with a little Bu's compost + fresh EWC + some more worms + an avocado (with a little crab shell, alfalfa, and kelp). Put the stock cover on, haven't engineered it yet. Some combination of cut up lid and plastic trash bags. Don't have anything ready to go in there right now, so I'll let it percolate for a bit while I start a solo cup.
Wondering how much the fungal mat depends on lack of light -vs- lack of oxygen. If it's mostly the latter, not sure about the worms.
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
If you are not using probiotics, you are missing out. Also, the streptomyces culture in Grokashi will help break down the crab shell(chitin).
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
I think that they get too anaerobic and acidic for worms. Anaerobic soil is the reason to use anaerobic bacteria like EM1 or even JADAM's JLS.
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
Try using mosquito dunks next time. I had a little trouble running the dunks and EM1 together though, I think that the EM1 out-competed the bacteria used in the dunks, so I used clear water with the dunks for 1 watering. Also, they have mosquito bits instead of dunks and you seem to get more this way. It's like buying in bulk.
Yeah, I have some homemade bokashi bran, put EM1 in the tank and covered with a bunch of grokashi. I mix in a little crab shell with the avocado meat under the skin. The soil is LOS 3.0 with added oyster and dolomite. First run of LOS3.0 (with peat) was too acidic, around 5.0.
Going to start a solo cup this weekend while the kashi starts doing it's thang.
I used dunks, I used microbe life, i think at best it was a draw until I covered the top with sand. It was my first infestation so I was behind the 8-ball.
Have them again a little now, I think it's parts of the organic pact. This time I put a few bits in the reservoir and use gnatrol weekly. Low pressure right now.
I'm converting from hand watered fabric pots, once all the pieces are in place I'll probably hit everything with some Hypoaspis. I might have them now, but can't really tell the difference between soil mites and beneficial predator mites, so for $40 or so -- I'll reinoculate. On the fence about rove beetles. My uncovered cover crops have a few flowering varieties, and since I have some room in them -- I'm going to drop a few marigolds as well. That should keep them fed, assuming I try 'em. Could grow them with coco+oatmeal as well.
Have to research cover crops a bit. My mini/12g uncovered sips are like jungles. Chop and drop OVER the straw or remove the straw and sneak it underneath? Either way, I kinda dig the "gardening" vibe of organic -vs- the laboratory vibe of hydro.
The probiotic bin got a nice mat, and a bunch of albino sprouts from my cover seed (no light, no green).
It fuzzed up real nice, and now it settled down into a white clumpy kind of thing. While planning how to cover, I noticed that the soil level is fairly low. Probably 3-4" below the cover, which would present a little challenge sealing the top with a seedling. I still need to spin up #2, since I want to try running two.
My plan is to till everything in, add a few inches of soil/EWC -- then re-innoculate the top with either grokashi or straight bokashi bran for a re-re.
The current clumpy fungus on the top looks very much like IMO1. I haven't had the chance to go attempt a real IMO1, but I might try putting some of this in a jar with some brown sugar to see what happens. I should at least get MO2, even if it's not Indigenous.
I still have most of a bag of rice bran/horse feed left. After MO2, I could innoculate some bran.
It fuzzed up real nice, and now it settled down into a white clumpy kind of thing. While planning how to cover, I noticed that the soil level is fairly low. Probably 3-4" below the cover, which would present a little challenge sealing the top with a seedling. I still need to spin up #2, since I want to try running two.
My plan is to till everything in, add a few inches of soil/EWC -- then re-innoculate the top with either grokashi or straight bokashi bran for a re-re.
The current clumpy fungus on the top looks very much like IMO1. I haven't had the chance to go attempt a real IMO1, but I might try putting some of this in a jar with some brown sugar to see what happens. I should at least get MO2, even if it's not Indigenous.
I still have most of a bag of rice bran/horse feed left. After MO2, I could innoculate some bran.
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
Thought I’d share this as I found it super helpful.
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
Quick question for y’all. How much dolomite lime/ oyster shell should I use per cu ft? See some differing feedback and just wanted to confirm. Again, thank you!
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
1/2 cup of each per cu ft?
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
Btw new sip and new soil
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
Is the green spotting cool or do we have a problem?
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
You need to add compost to the top after you get to this point, the mycelium will grow through the compost. I'm laying a layer of compost, grokashi(wait 3 days for the mycelium), then another layer of compost. I think that the compost really helps grokashi fill in...
