Midwest Weedist
Well-Known Member
I use the same stuff, amazing when grown outside and allowed to bloom. The flax is beautiful; it has tiny blue rose looking blooms. I've collected seeds from a few species of the blend that I really liked.
Recycled Organic Living Soil (ROLS) and No Till Thread
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st0wandgrow
Well-Known Member
For the record, I still innoculate my root zone with extreme Myco. That's a pretty simple thing to do and doesn't take any time at all. I was just wondering out loud if its any benefit for me growing in a relatively small container, and considering I've been dumping my soil out after each round and re-amending. Peeps that grow outdoors, in larger containers, or even running no till would likely make better use of the product than I do.
Joedank
Well-Known Member
i use it ALOT almost every foliar . root zone is more humic for me/ just vermicompost
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
Anyone care to comment about this product? http://sunleaves.com/Product/Details/SR366
How about the quality of Unco Wiggle Worm Castings? Will they be good enough for me to use? If not, what would you recommend that I can order in from the hydro shop? i can't find any local castings, and my compost is not ready yet...
I'm also considering the puffed recycled glass they've come out with too...
How about the quality of Unco Wiggle Worm Castings? Will they be good enough for me to use? If not, what would you recommend that I can order in from the hydro shop? i can't find any local castings, and my compost is not ready yet...
I'm also considering the puffed recycled glass they've come out with too...
Scotch089
Well-Known Member
Only time I use ithe is with nitrozyme, mmmmmmmstackstackstack
unwine99
Well-Known Member
I'll probably catch hell for this around these parts but if you can't source anything locally, I've found General Hydroponic's Ancient Forest Alaskan Humus to be a pretty decent product available in hydro stores, especially when compared to the Uncle Wiggle Worm castings, which I've also used.
I've tried brewing aact's with the wiggle worm castings and the results were poor (as far as I could tell with no microscope) -- not very strong yeasty/earthy smells -- the water seemed to still smell kind of sweet from the molasses even after 36-48 hours of brewing. In contrast, the Alaskan humus produces deep yeasty aromas relatively quickly and after I water I always see a nice furry white layer of fungus form on the soil surface shortly after.
Rrog
Well-Known Member
Dead castings have the nutes stored on humus, but no microbes. In soil, the castings will be repopulated by microbes, but not instantly.
For whatever reason I bought a bag of castings about a month ago, and they were quite dry almost like vermiculite. This is likely because it simply dried in a parking lot somewhere
For whatever reason I bought a bag of castings about a month ago, and they were quite dry almost like vermiculite. This is likely because it simply dried in a parking lot somewhere
AllDayToker
Well-Known Member
I've been buying the Unco Industries Wiggle Worm Soil Builder Earthworm Castings from amazon for a while, and I get great results with my teas and when I top dress. I also mix it when I re amend my soil.
I just recently start making and using my own vermicompost, but I still am using some of store bought castings until I get a good amount of vermicompost going.
The castings yout buy, like the one I mentioned above, are dried to around 5% moisture left and screened through very fine screens to get as consistent product as possible, and by doing so makes the product mostly castings. Vermicompost is made up of more then just castings and also has all the live microbe activity in it.
Anyways point in I get good results making microbes teas with the castings I bought, but I guess I don't really know if I was ever getting microbes from it. It smelled right and my plants would react quickly after I watered with a tea using it, so figured it's been doing the job right.
I'm much more excited about using fresh vermicompost though.
I just recently start making and using my own vermicompost, but I still am using some of store bought castings until I get a good amount of vermicompost going.
The castings yout buy, like the one I mentioned above, are dried to around 5% moisture left and screened through very fine screens to get as consistent product as possible, and by doing so makes the product mostly castings. Vermicompost is made up of more then just castings and also has all the live microbe activity in it.
Anyways point in I get good results making microbes teas with the castings I bought, but I guess I don't really know if I was ever getting microbes from it. It smelled right and my plants would react quickly after I watered with a tea using it, so figured it's been doing the job right.
I'm much more excited about using fresh vermicompost though.
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
so would I be better off using Ancient forest instead of worm castings in the soil base?? Or a combination of the two? I can get those from the store no problem. I just want to put together the right mix the first time to make sure it's going to grow the plants properly! I'm going to post the recipe i'm planning on putting together before I actually do it just to get some feedback on it.
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Rrog
Well-Known Member
I'd mix 'em. Vermicompost has so little aeration.
Side note: check out the Worm Inn or Worm Inn Mega. I have one and also the 360 stackable bins. I think I'm gonna like the Worm Inn better. Zippered lid on top so bugs stay out
I'm with AllDayToker. Your own Vermicompost is treasure
Side note: check out the Worm Inn or Worm Inn Mega. I have one and also the 360 stackable bins. I think I'm gonna like the Worm Inn better. Zippered lid on top so bugs stay out
I'm with AllDayToker. Your own Vermicompost is treasure
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
ok i'll mix the two to equal 33% of the mix. I think i'm going to try that recycled glass pumice stone, and maybe some rice hulls mixed in too, along with the bio char.
speaking of the char... how would you guys charge your char yourself? I'm going to use the cowboy charcoal and i want to charge it myself... would it charge during the cooking process of the soil mix?
st0wandgrow
Well-Known Member
I know you're from MI right... If so, Starr Valley Farms in Ann Arbor has some great castings that they make fresh. You can pick up worms from them too.
AllDayToker
Well-Known Member
I just got my worm factory 360 about a month ago or so, and I love that thing. Very easy to use. I've try homemade bins and never could get them going well personally.
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
yeah i suppose that might be worth the drive... i'll look into that. thanks.
st0wandgrow
Well-Known Member
That's a messy job. Make sure to where a mask while doing it or your lungs will look you've been a coal miner for 40 years.
Bio char will sequester N from your soil, so probably a good idea to soak it in a tea of some sort. I've used an alfalfa meal tea in the past, but others feel it's maybe better to use an AACT.
st0wandgrow
Well-Known Member
I've also used Morgan Composting "Dairy Doo" for part of my base when castings were short. It's just composted cattle manure, but it seems like a good product and is very inexpensive. Look them up online and they give you a list of retailers in the state.
Pattahabi
Well-Known Member
I've used something that looked similar to that and it was expanded shale. Not my favorite especially because it's so damn heavy. It could be something else though. I can't really tell from that bag/description.
P-
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
that is exactly what it is. was just curious because they were talking about the silica in it. but im gonna get some glacial rock dust and i'm pretty sure that's gonna cover the silica along with the other 3 kinds of dust i have lol. i'll mulch dandelion too. come to think of it, i bet any kind of arugula or leaf lettuce would be a good silica source... all of the heirloom stuff that i grow oozes that milky white juice when i tear a leaf off of it just like the dandelion does. i love when the mind pieces things like that together mid post haha.
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
Getting off the bottles is hard when you don't have a properly amended/composted soil. Still having issues with the Black Domino Plants. they are at 37 days today. I'm thinking since I am using dolomite lime I am having some Calcium issues due to it not being available if the lime takes as long to break down as everyone says it does.
Is there a tea I can make with the soft rock phosphate that I have? I thought I read a recipe a for it a while ago but you know how it can be searching for something when you dont know where to look exactly haha. figured it'd just be faster to ask.
Is there a tea I can make with the soft rock phosphate that I have? I thought I read a recipe a for it a while ago but you know how it can be searching for something when you dont know where to look exactly haha. figured it'd just be faster to ask.