Organic, pro-biotic and organic growing without bottled nutrients

[itchybromusic]

Oh yeah sorry, I was going to do that

Forgot. Well, I think I started to though yeah? Began talking about base saturation and how you want the ratios pretty close to what they are on the test, however as CEC goes up this is less of an issue... The elements simply being there is enough as they will be buffered in cation exchange sites.

maybe start here

 

which of these tests did you get them to analyse 

price list from EAL https://www.scu.edu.au/media/scueduau/commercial-services/eal/2018-Full-Price-List.pdf 

[DoNothingGarden]

Compost and landscape soils pack with water holding capacity and an AS4454 comparison column to check against

[itchybromusic]

this one , yes

 

Compost Analysis plus Maturity Analysis under AS4454  $660

 

Includes Moisture, pH, EC; Wettability; Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), TC/TN Ratio; so this one 

Nitrate, Ammonium, Phosphate, Ammonium/Nitrate Ratio; Particle Size > 5 mm and < 16 mm; 

Physical Contaminants - Glass, Metal, Rigid Plastics > 2 mm, Light Plastics > 5 mm, 

Stones and Clay > 5 mm; Totals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Hg, Pb, Ni, Cd, Cr, Se, As); 

Plant Propagules (21 days), Nitrogen Drawdown Index (NDI), Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR), 

Bioassay, Low Level Pesticides (Organo-chlorines (OC), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)); Salmonella, 

Faecal Coliforms; Acid Neutralising Capacity (ANC) required if pH > 8.0. Note: 4 kg of sample is required to complete testing.

[kloud9]

It’s pretty good, if I think I know I’m looking at the numbers right.. [emoji23]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using OZ Stoners

[DoNothingGarden]

Compost totals, 210 plus whatever else you might need. I highly suggest calling them and speaking with the staff there about your needs... Very knowledgeable and helpful

[Inthewoods]

Was just reading this, interesting about the calcium carbonate left in the worm tunnels.

https://goodweedco.com/worms-grow-good-weed

 

I'm kidnapping more of mine tomorrow to go in my soil mix, never underestimate the power of the worm.

We only know a tiny amount of what's really going on down there.

[DoNothingGarden]

Here's an excellent article on cation exchange capacity and how it relates to Albrechts theory of base saturation...

http://soilminerals.com/Cation_Exchange_Simplified.htm

Edited January 17, 2019 by DoNothingGarden

[Inthewoods]

Nice, would love to have soil I could drive over without compacting!

 

I have a question before I order my pack. The grow bags I like to use on a bucket lid or similar to use as a wicking tray when I water sometimes but I need to know the diameter of the 56litre roughly so I can work out if it's gonna fit in my indoor space. Do they make trays to fit or do you recommend something compact around the same diameter rather than a square tray?

[DoNothingGarden]

Nice, would love to have soil I could drive over without compacting!

I have a question before I order my pack. The grow bags I like to use on a bucket lid or similar to use as a wicking tray when I water sometimes but I need to know the diameter of the 56litre roughly so I can work out if it's gonna fit in my indoor space. Do they make trays to fit or do you recommend something compact around the same diameter rather than a square tray?

Hey, the base of the 56L pots are 43cm wide and the 45L pot is 38cm wide... and are somewhat square. I like to use a saucer slightly bigger and fill with perlite/scoria, then sit the pot of soil on top. Occasionally if going away or I was lazy and didn't water often enough, I can water from underneath which allows the soil to wick up moisture and rehydrate to optimum levels on its own. Bunnings sell saucers that work. I want to get a whole kit together soon, saucer, aeration and everything!

[Inthewoods]

Yep it's a great idea. I often water that way from the bottom and mist the top, I take it out of the saucer once I notice it's stopped taking it up. I find it gets the soil much more evenly moist and takes less time than watering from top all the time slowly like you should. I got a mist sprayer that screws to a bottle top from Vasili's website. Works great. Pumps on both strokes so it's fast to empy a bottle if needed. Great for Neam. And you can aim the little double barrel nozzles.