So who here is growing in true organic living soil?

I've been amending since the Fat Purple grow, just seemed right to do, and with every new grow the plants seem to get better and better. I just wish winter would F%&$ off already!

so im bubbling up some worm castings and cold processed squid with a splash of molasses and a pinch of kelp meal and its been about 24 hours. i was just downstairs and it suddenly sounded differently and it looks like the bubbles are holding longer and are smaller. more a fizzing sound now instead of a gurgle. is this shifting of gears a sign its ready? tonight is the night i should use it and i will have to water just a little bit to hold them over til tomorrow if its not ready so I'm almost hoping it is.

is it?

How does it smell, and how has the smell changed?

Mine goes from thru a sequence that I might describe
as tea->orange juice->poo

poo is too long. :0)

JD

its sweet with a hint of fish. maybe orange juice sweet but more sickly sweet kinda gross sweet. maybe different molasses smells diff? idk its definitely a different smell then yesterday. yesterday was all fish and today the fish is much less prevalent. i only used a touch of the fish emulsion too. stuffs dank.

Let one of the experts confirm, but it does sound like it is
getting there.

Good luck!

JD

CashCrops said:

I've been amending since the Fat Purple grow, just seemed right to do, and with every new grow the plants seem to get better and better.

Click to expand...

This is no-till ?

Rrog said:

This is no-till ?

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You mean have I added more compost? if so yes I have a bin but in the winter I don't. I have a really small home and couldn't possibly bring it inside which is why I asked about the tea's in my other thread.

I read into that you were re-ammending the same soil over time and the plants were getting better with each generation.

Well I guess I can say it better this way, the several strains I'm working with are all doing great. The first runs some strains yellowed faster nearing the end of flowering whereas now none of them do. That could be a pheno thing, who knows. I'm attributing it to the soil!

I love the worm bin.

Ive been reading "The Rodale Book of Composting" and here is a few key lines from the book about WORMS:

"If bacteria are the champion microscopic decomposers, then the heavyweight champion is doubtless the earthworm. The earthworm consists mainly of an alimentary canal that ingests, decomposes, and deposits casts continually during the earthworms active periods. As soil organic matter is passed through an earthworms digestive system, it is broken up and neutralized by secretions of calcium carbonate from calciferous glands near the worms gizzard. Once in the gizzard material is finely ground prior to digestion. Digestive intestinal juices rich in hormones, enzymes, and other fermenting substances continue the breakdown process. The matter passes out of the worms body in the form of casts which are the richest and finest quality of all humus material. Fresh casts are marked higher in bacteria, organic material, and available nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium than soil itself. Earthworms thrive on compost and contribute to its quality through both physical and chemical processes."

HGK420 said:

so im bubbling up some worm castings and cold processed squid with a splash of molasses and a pinch of kelp meal and its been about 24 hours. i was just downstairs and it suddenly sounded differently and it looks like the bubbles are holding longer and are smaller. more a fizzing sound now instead of a gurgle. is this shifting of gears a sign its ready? tonight is the night i should use it and i will have to water just a little bit to hold them over til tomorrow if its not ready so I'm almost hoping it is.

is it?

Click to expand...

What kind of air stone are you using? I notice the same when brewing compost teas. It isn't necessarily an indication of whether your tea is "done". There is a slimey film created during the brew that settles to the bottom of the bucket that you're brewing in which coats the air stones and creates smaller, less vigorous bubbles. I would let it go to around 36 hours unless you start to notice a funky smell before that.

ya id say i used it right around the 36 hour make give or take an hour or so. i give my buckets a nice stir every couple hours if i can when I'm bubbling up tea is that a bad thing?

Stirring? No.

I would love to have water movement enough to make
my sediments circulate.

I do notice that after I stir, that the upwelling from the airstone
is more than enough to make the material churn and stay suspended
longer, but also that it does settled back down over time.

Good luck,

JD

Sounds tasty!

My garden thinks so.

Maybe some growth can start soon. This has been a very dry and cold winter.

(feel free to laugh at me if there is snow outside your window ;0)

JD

... I have snow... But that's OK 'cause I'm warm and soon spring will be here

So..much...snow. kicking myself multiple times for not getting a 4 wheel drive
anyway I know it has been covered but does someone have a trusted/cheap worm source? My plants are scooting by with lots of topdressing and frequent repotting but they could use some fresh compost or castings

Does anyone aerate thier planters? Ive been think about trying it, and was wondering if anyone had any ideas about how to go about doing it.

have you seen the smart pots that go on top of the square DWC bucket. pretty ingenious. that could be a way. i thought about the air leak line you can twist around into a spiral too. bury that in your dirt and go! anyone ever hear of this sort of thing working?

HGK420 said:

have you seen the smart pots that go on top of the square DWC bucket. pretty ingenious. that could be a way. i thought about the air leak line you can twist around into a spiral too. bury that in your dirt and go! anyone ever hear of this sort of thing working?

Click to expand...

thanks, I will have to check those out.