"bed" gardening

[The Hemp Goddess]

Why are you uncomfortable with manures in your compost?

 

[sopappy]

Why are you uncomfortable with manures in your compost?

 

[Alasgun]

Maybe look at comfrey or alfalfa both are welcome additions in my soil as a meal or mixed into a tea brew. Dont just toss em into your grow but read, more than one article about each then decide.

I have no aversion to manure, just dont have an easy source. Sheep was always a favorite, when i raised them.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I think you are worrying about this more than you need to. You can buy organic manures. Lots of things are capable of harboring e-coli. Most horticulturalists use and endorse the use of manures. Manure is organic matter and contributes to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are utilized by organisms in the soil.

 

[sopappy]

I was going for the sheep then I found some compost w/o crap, it's fishy though and I can't recall if that's better for bacteria or fungi. Anyways, I'm closer to that recipe up there and want to fill these two tubs and transplant. A flower tub and a veg tub.

I have 3 crops (2 1/2)

8 plants in 3qt fabric are at end of 6 weeks, 3 females so far
when the 4th shows, I'd like to put them in a tub with my new soil mix and start flowering.

The 2nd crop (and those 4 seedlings) could go in to the other tub (I'm assuming) with the same soil.

So far, those fabric ones have only had molasses (thanks, Alusgun) and are in an organic all purpose filler, that's all and I think they look great. I'm wondering why we fuss over all these soil amendments.

 

[sopappy]

I think you are worrying about this more than you need to. You can buy organic manures. Lots of things are capable of harboring e-coli. Most horticulturalists use and endorse the use of manures. Manure is organic matter and contributes to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are utilized by organisms in the soil.

If anybody can introduce e-coli in to a grow room, it's me.

 

[Alasgun]

I read one time about one of them shore nuff big shot growers using only mollasses and alfaflfa thru an entire grow, and it suposedly produced his best weed ever, BUT this is the internet so take that with a grain of salt.

The only manure i have easy access to is worm castings and i dont feel slighted. Mind you, id use a good manure just not gonna get to freaky about it. Where id really like the manure is in the compost but this year im learning about bokashi and if it is the compost activator its claimed to be, ill be quite happy Sopappy!

If you haven't yet, take the time to read about both alfalfa and mollasses and kelp while your reading. You can get a long way down the road with these alone. Now, do i practice what i preach? Sorta, im in a really good super soil however these other amendments find their way into my grow via tea or at watering in the case of the mollasses.

 

[sopappy]

I'm worse than a woman, I've changed my mind again. I don't want to shock them with a transplant to the bed. I am going to try a soil mixture though but I am amazed at the growth with tea and mol. I read something about alfalfa that made me dismiss it but I can't recall what.

My soil won't be ready for at least a month (for crop 2)
so I'll be flowering in this lame mixture too, wonder if I should add some alfalfa.
In the meantime, I agonize over whether to transplant grow 2 in to fabric pots or the tub.

 

[Alasgun]

Fabric breathes, tubs dont.

 

[St_Nick]

I grew my biggest indoor plants ever this spring using 11 gallon totes and supersoil. in the last month I used teas to feed her and got 11 oz. from one plant. Here's something to think about. In my experience, when growing in containers, the plant is limited in size by the ability of the roots to find new nutes and when they become root bound they stop growing. I like big plants so I use big pots.

 

[sopappy]

Fabric breathes, tubs dont.

I forgot about that too, I've since abandoned the "bed" idea, I'd be transplanting right before flipping.

But then Nick brings up the root thing again, boy the tubs would be great for that, especially going no till.
So, I'm on the fence again.
In meantime, soil won't be ready for 30 - 60 days...
I didn't plan on that.
These 2 grows will have to make it on molasses and tea alone.

 

[pcduck]

@Alasgun

I would definitely take that with a grain of salt. His soil would have to be extremely hot to sustain a grow to harvest. Alfalfa brings some nitrogen, molasses brings only trace amounts of npk. Neither would bring a bountiful harvest alone.

@sopappy
You be better just going out to the woods and gathering some leaf matter (not pine). Mixing some perlite and some box store organic soil and some worm castings and some wood ash together. Water with your tea mixture and molasses. Get at least one successful grow under your belt before changing your grow style again. Much cheaper that way.

 

[sopappy]

Jeeze, PC, did you see these plants before you guys suggested dirt and saved me arse? This is my first stab at organic and I'm just using a little more than you describe I'd get from the woods.
Grow 1 is all purpose plus molasses and Grow 2 has a bit more in the dirt, and that's it other than the tea... Compared to the mortuary I had down there for the last year,... THIS is successful.
..and i'm back all horny with the bed idea again... look what i found!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E4MFDSO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[sopappy]

So, the thread motors on. I AM going with the bed idear so I'm thinking this thread is okay.
Or move me to the "grows" section is fine.
I just like the idea of folks looking over my shoulder.

Here's my soil for the bed "cooking" for 30 - 60 days. NPK handled by worm, bone, kelp
also have peat moss, compost, perlite.

in the meantime, I have 2 grows that can't wait for the soil so all they'll be getting is the tea. Grow 2 is going in to fabric pots when the tea is done later today. (nothing to do with bed grow so I'll only post somewhere if I have problems. (and that's not gonna happen HA!)

Grows 1 and 2 heartfully thank you for saving them from the torture of my hydro grows.... SO NICE to walk in to that room now! LIFE!

 

[pcduck]

@sopappy

We had a member (TCVG, That Crazy Vancouver Guy) that grew in beds and was quite successful at it. He used 2x8's and plywood for his beds.

 

[Alasgun]

Whats on the ends of them air lines? In the past i used that exact pump and got ore airation when i pulled the stones and ran them lines open ended. Just a thought.
Glad your getting more comfortable with all this.

 

[sopappy]

@sopappy

We had a member (TCVG, That Crazy Vancouver Guy) that grew in beds and was quite successful at it. He used 2x8's and plywood for his beds.

indoor?

 

[sopappy]

Whats on the ends of them air lines? In the past i used that exact pump and got ore airation when i pulled the stones and ran them lines open ended. Just a thought.
Glad your getting more comfortable with all this.

Nothing, just the 8 open ended tubes but I had to weigh them down using an 8 port splitter... backwards
I read that the stone bubbles are too small and also that the microbes clog the pores.

I'm using it tonight on the 8 transplanted this afternoon.... I hurt two of them real bad. (smaller ones too dammit, probably females) The roots stuck LIKE GLUED to the plastic, never seen it before. Otherwise, it went well. They're recuperating in a dark place right now... they get at cup or two of tea shortly and back under the lights for an 18/6 for couple days.

 

[Alasgun]

You can run a butter knife around the inside of those pots to loosen it up when transplanting. Being a machinist, i use a thin 12 inch metal scale. (Ruller)

 

[sopappy]

You can run a butter knife around the inside of those pots to loosen it up when transplanting. Being a machinist, i use a thin 12 inch metal scale. (Ruller)

haha, that's exactly what I used but not until the 3rd one :-(
the cork backing has long since "slipped" off