ACitizenofColorado
Well-Known Member
Just my 2 cents concerning mulch:
Many have touched on the relevant issues: preventing evaporation, preventing tunneling from poured water (for those watering from the top).
Some types of mulch prevent bugs, but I tend to think, (respectfully), that living soil systems require that bug life.
My soil has some biochar, but it isn't a mulch or top-dress.
My mulch is, primarily, compost teas and the hay I innoculate in those teas. It's not a matter of brand loyalty, thus not trusting a company to produce bug-free products; I try to sanitize or inoculate everything that comes into my grow.
I add pumice (this is a recent addition to my system), rice hulls, a bio of bio-char and tons of hay to my compost teas. Then i add every type of natural or organic ingredient on hand; fresh earth worm castings, em1 comfrey concentrate, liquid and dry fish compost.
My problem concerns growth cycles. Living mulches are cool (not that a well mixed soil need it, in my experience), but by the time the canopy is in full bloom, absolutely no light touches that living mulch. So it dies and turns to mulch, which is fine, but you can't then depend upon that living mulch root system and plant system for those positive traits you sought. Invariably, after one of my compost teas, I will add a fresh layer of rice hulls and hay. I also add dead leaves.
Point being: you can't stop then bugs; it's better to let them out compete the bad ones.
Get some rove beetles and hypoapsis miles. I left pots in trash bags for 3 months, brought them back out into the light, and the rove beetles were still present.
That mulch and hay layer will be perfect for your beneficial predators.
This place is awesome. Sorry if i stepped on any toes. I love you all, specifically Don.
Many have touched on the relevant issues: preventing evaporation, preventing tunneling from poured water (for those watering from the top).
Some types of mulch prevent bugs, but I tend to think, (respectfully), that living soil systems require that bug life.
My soil has some biochar, but it isn't a mulch or top-dress.
My mulch is, primarily, compost teas and the hay I innoculate in those teas. It's not a matter of brand loyalty, thus not trusting a company to produce bug-free products; I try to sanitize or inoculate everything that comes into my grow.
I add pumice (this is a recent addition to my system), rice hulls, a bio of bio-char and tons of hay to my compost teas. Then i add every type of natural or organic ingredient on hand; fresh earth worm castings, em1 comfrey concentrate, liquid and dry fish compost.
My problem concerns growth cycles. Living mulches are cool (not that a well mixed soil need it, in my experience), but by the time the canopy is in full bloom, absolutely no light touches that living mulch. So it dies and turns to mulch, which is fine, but you can't then depend upon that living mulch root system and plant system for those positive traits you sought. Invariably, after one of my compost teas, I will add a fresh layer of rice hulls and hay. I also add dead leaves.
Point being: you can't stop then bugs; it's better to let them out compete the bad ones.
Get some rove beetles and hypoapsis miles. I left pots in trash bags for 3 months, brought them back out into the light, and the rove beetles were still present.
That mulch and hay layer will be perfect for your beneficial predators.
This place is awesome. Sorry if i stepped on any toes. I love you all, specifically Don.
