LoveBud80 Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 So a quick question on the covercrops, how long do you grow them out before cutting it back and how long after that can I use the soil? I have 3x 50lt pots and a 800x800x500 raised bed that I have prepared and used a green manure seed pack on. Just itching to get something in there Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoNothingGarden Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 I've found that there is no difference whatsoever when you start a cycle relative to when a covercrop gets chopped or planted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carbcon Posted January 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 Gee, got a million updates to do here, and I will.I kind of agree with dng on the comment above, would there be a bit extra available once the chopped decomposes? I'm playing with aeration as im unhappy with one batch. Got some rice hulls for the first time and should have enough for a new 60l batch and amend the heavy soil. The plants grow well in this mix but drainage is down so gotta be careful watering, I think the casting content is too high and then I cut the soil with peat and didn't bring up the aeration. There's a pot or 2 that are gonna get maximum till! No till-no way!!! !! Anyway, here's a pic of how rice hulls come, not mailed, bought in person. I must be getting old cos I reckon this packaging is OTT. Must be for ease of stacking or something. I live in the countryside, no bin collections here so I am acutely aware of the waste I create.This cardboard and bag will be reused but ya know, they sell soil in bags only. Also, everybody seems to be using the word "artisan" with soils at the moment, Small batch mixed by hand by a qualified person is close to the definition. What would you call something that is smaller batch than commercial with the inputs coming from a closed loop? More artisan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoNothingGarden Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 Gee, got a million updates to do here, and I will.I kind of agree with dng on the comment above, would there be a bit extra available once the chopped decomposes?I'm playing with aeration as im unhappy with one batch.Got some rice hulls for the first time and should have enough for a new 60l batch and amend the heavy soil. The plants grow well in this mix but drainage is down so gotta be careful watering, I think the casting content is too high and then I cut the soil with peat and didn't bring up the aeration.There's a pot or 2 that are gonna get maximum till! No till-no way!!! !!Anyway, here's a pic of how rice hulls come, not mailed, bought in person. I must be getting old cos I reckon this packaging is OTT.Must be for ease of stacking or something.I live in the countryside, no bin collections here so I am acutely aware of the waste I create.This cardboard and bag will be reused but ya know, they sell soil in bags only.Also, everybody seems to be using the word "artisan" with soils at the moment, Small batch mixed by hand by a qualified person is close to the definition.What would you call something that is smaller batch than commercial with the inputs coming from a closed loop?More artisan?Sounds like you're going to do well. I've always used scoria, both for my own garden and in our small batch commercial blends as it doesn't break down and provides aeration for a very long time. Rice hulls do decompose, however I love the idea of providing silica as they are decomposed by microbes. Cover crops for purpose of building soil should be given time to compost when chopped down, this however only applies if no commercial compost was used as well. With our soil for example, covercrops are grown for both green manure and sugars that are exuded from roots as well as nitrogen fixing and physical soil structure building properties. The soil already has everything in a balanced state so we aren't relying on covercrops to build soil fertility... If that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carbcon Posted January 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2019 Yeah I understand mate. Wasn't having a go either, I'm very happy that companies like yours are out there. Could you rebuild enough with covercrops instead of re amending up to a point do you think? I use Scoria 99% of the time and will probably blend with scoria.Any idea how long the hulls take to break down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoNothingGarden Posted January 31, 2019 Report Share Posted January 31, 2019 Yeah I understand mate.Wasn't having a go either, I'm very happy that companies like yours are out there.Could you rebuild enough with covercrops instead of re amending up to a point do you think?I use Scoria 99% of the time and will probably blend with scoria.Any idea how long the hulls take to break down?All good, thanks for kind words... No till farmers use covercrops to build soil for sure and I think in larger beds you could do this too. In smaller containers you need to use amendments as well. Compost is a fast track way to soil fertility without the need to turn your covercrop into humus first. No idea how long the Rice hulls take sorry, I haven't used them before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inthewoods Posted February 1, 2019 Report Share Posted February 1, 2019 I'm using rice hulls and peanut shells and chunky lava. The rice hulls about 12 months but still recognisable. The peanut seems to last longer. Even in the worm bin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveBud80 Posted February 3, 2019 Report Share Posted February 3, 2019 Does anyone know what type of grubs these are and should they be in my organic mix please? Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billygoat Posted February 3, 2019 Report Share Posted February 3, 2019 you got a pic of the head ? looks like rhinoceros beetle larvae... witchedy grubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Dirte Posted February 3, 2019 Report Share Posted February 3, 2019 Feed em to the chooks, they look like curl gribs and the bastards feed on roots Sent from my iPhone using OZ Stoners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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