Soil is a living organism

[resist]

I'm a dedicated no-till grower. Currently using 10/15gal fabric pots. I started out using a pre-made supersoil from http://organicgardeningsolutions.com.au/, but now make my own soil mixes. This is the basic recipe I follow:

---------
* 1/3 Compost
* 1/3 Coir/Peat
* 1/3 Aeration (Pumice, rice hulls)

Per 28l of total soil volume add:
1 Cup Kelp,
1 Cup Neem
3 Cups various rock dusts

½ Cup azomite
1 Cup Gypsum
1 Cup Oyster Shell Flour
½ Cup Fish Bone Meal
1 Cup Bokashi
1 Cup wood ash
5 tsp epsom salt

Add water, cover and leave for 30+ days, mixing occasionally

---------

I make my own EM1 / LABS serum, which gets added to every watering. Compost tea gets done ever few weeks. I also do a sprouted seed tea (popcorn) every month or two.

[itchybromusic]

I'm a dedicated no-till grower. Currently using 10/15gal fabric pots. I started out using a pre-made supersoil from http://organicgardeningsolutions.com.au/, but now make my own soil mixes. This is the basic recipe I follow:

 

---------

* 1/3 Compost

* 1/3 Coir/Peat

* 1/3 Aeration (Pumice, rice hulls)

 

Per 28l of total soil volume add:

1 Cup Kelp,

1 Cup Neem

3 Cups various rock dusts

½ Cup azomite

1 Cup Gypsum

1 Cup Oyster Shell Flour

½ Cup Fish Bone Meal

1 Cup Bokashi

1 Cup wood ash

5 tsp epsom salt

 

Add water, cover and leave for 30+ days, mixing occasionally

---------

I make my own EM1 / LABS serum, which gets added to every watering. Compost tea gets done ever few weeks. I also do a sprouted seed tea (popcorn) every month or two.

sounds great resist 

 

just a suggestion 

if you get a chance change your oyster shell to 1/2 cup 

make up the other half cup with crab shell for the chitin 

i don't use oyster shell , just crab shell as the liming & chitin 

 

i've made my own labs but now use the pre made EM-1 for the rest of the microbes like pnsb , purple non sulphur bacteria

def making your own labs is pretty cool though 

Edited December 21, 2018 by itchybromusic

[Carbcon]

Nice one.

 

Tried it without cooking?

[resist]

sounds great resist 

 

just a suggestion 

if you get a chance change your oyster shell to 1/2 cup 

make up the other half cup with crab shell

Hi! Thanks for the suggestion. Where do you buy crab shell? I haven't been able to source it.

 

 

Nice one.

 

Tried it without cooking?

No, I always cook 1-2 months minimum, to let the bacteria/fungi get a foothold and start breaking down the ingredients.

[Carbcon]

Hi! Thanks for the suggestion. Where do you buy crab shell? I haven't been able to source it.

 

 

 

No, I always cook 1-2 months minimum, to let the bacteria/fungi get a foothold and start breaking down the ingredients.

Yep. Just photo or autos too?

[itchybromusic]

Hi! Thanks for the suggestion. Where do you buy crab shell? I haven't been able to source it.

 

 

No, I always cook 1-2 months minimum, to let the bacteria/fungi get a foothold and start breaking down the ingredients.

https://www.drgreenthumbs.com.au/collections/organic-garden-fertiliser-australia/products/crustacean-meal-buy-australia

 

https://www.organicgardeningsolutions.com.au/products/crustacean-meal-pure

 

i got mine off Amazon US as crab shell meal 

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057K4I7Y/ref=sxr_rr_xsim_1?pf_rd_p=9ddc66f6-9fc0-49ff-b2fa-06a39d9859e6&pd_rd_wg=0anOj&pf_rd_r=E9H6GHQ5WDAZXFEV4Y3R&pd_rd_i=B0057K4I7Y&pd_rd_w=rRaGJ&pd_rd_r=9e03b68e-936b-42c3-9a57-2a394822ca07&ie=UTF8&qid=1545369138&sr=1

 

one of the 2 above have insect frass as well 

Edited December 21, 2018 by itchybromusic

[resist]

Yep. Just photo or autos too?

Personally I've not had much success with autos (small plants, disappointing yields), so I'm only doing photo at the moment.

 

https://www.drgreenthumbs.com.au/collections/organic-garden-fertiliser-australia/products/crustacean-meal-buy-australia

 

https://www.organicgardeningsolutions.com.au/products/crustacean-meal-pure

 

Thanks mate! I ordered some from Greenthumbs as it was on sale.

[itchybromusic]

sweet

[billygoat]

I picked up a bag full of kelp this morning while i was chilling at the beach.  Any tips on how to make it usable for the garden please Itchy ?

[itchybromusic]

chop it up as it is , smaller the better & compost it 

should speed up the composting process when mixed 

with other ingredients , carbon to nitrogen ratio & all that jazz

 

could ferment it with bokashi ( bokashi composting ) 

when done use as a top dress on ya pots/garden , just keep a good mulch 

layer over the top to keep it moist 

 

can use it as a mulch as is , allot will turn into a little once dried out   

 

can dry it out & grind it up to make a seaweed meal for top dresses 

 

once dried use it in teas 

 

what exactly your getting will depend on the types of seaweed you've collected 

but i can't see it being a negative , most sea plants are beneficial used in the garden