Chrissy Star

....saw this thread too:

https://permies.com/t/100306/permaculture-projects/Front-Programmer-Permaculture-Game-Required

Steve Taylor wrote:
a) would you use this?
b) how much would you be willing to pay/donate?
c) what would you like to see in it?
d) could you help us? (even if you aren't a computery person, we could do with data on what plants like what other plants, yeilds in certain soils, what water concentrations will kill them.

e) any other comments

A.) Yes

B.) Depends on how well it met my needs / how much I needed it.

C.)
- SIM city style
- Design-A-Lifestyle via pick-a-path methodology
- used in the education system
- on council town planning websites as a tool

D.)
- post a list of your needs (also give this it's own thread)
- ask a PDC teacher to integrate your needs into a course (run it as a dynamic learning exercise where the students gather the data to serve their design project needs)...gather the data each course

E)
- I have posted on this topic in Simbi (Economy) with excellent results...there must be a large population of computer peeps there.  One person was from USA education system & wanted to create something for their curricula.  I will revisit this in due time.
- I am currently creating an updated PDC with Permaculture Design library.  The Permaculture Design(PD) will be formed by compiling a series of templates (one at the end of each PDC chapter).  I plan to create template questions which can be used for a computer program (pick-a-path style).  

HI, I've written & continue to update a list of soil tinctures (& related info) for supporting organic plants - what is your favourite?   Is it already in this article - if not, are you happy for it to be included?  If yes, would you/who should I credit as the source?  Together, we can create an excellent resource for us all to grow & share our knowledge!

Read the article text below...or view in full at:  https://www.permaculturecourseonline.com/soil-life/how-to-feed-the-soil-not-the-plant-understanding-soil-life/?preview_id=10353&preview_nonce=7a73910a9a&_thumbnail_id=10361&preview=true


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Using Soil Tinctures to = “Feed The Soil, Not The Plant”.


Healthy plants look great, produce high quality produce, repel pests (via volatile organic compounds) & more.  To sustain health, they require a wide range of nutrients, much more than NPK – nitrogen, phosphorus & potassium.  The basic nutrients (biochemical sequence) are used in the order…

   Boron, which activates:
   Silicon, which carries all other nutrients, starting with…
   Calcium, which binds =
   Nitrogen to form amino acids, DNA and cell division.  Amino acids form proteins such as chlorophyll and tag trace elements, especially =
   Magnesium, which transfers energy via…
   Phosphorus to:
   Carbon to form sugars, which go where –
   Potassium carries them to build plant cells.

Thus, the nutrient with the lowest concentration limits growth – much like the shortest plank in a barrel limits the amount of water held. (Image of Leibig's 'Law of the Minimum' concept viewable here:  https://www.permaculturecourseonline.com/soil-life/how-to-feed-the-soil-not-the-plant-understanding-soil-life/)

Nutritional requirements change from…
– plant to plant –
– species to species –
– season to season –
– location to location –

Thankfully, planet Earth is a living lab which has been working on plant health for billions of years!  So we don’t need to work it all out – we just need to work with (or mimic) nature.

Activated Soil…

Plant nutrients are produced by soil organisms who decompose large particles into small particles – so small, that they dissolve in water & are taken up by plant roots (via capillary action).

Healthy soil = living soil!

We can identify the presence of healthy, living soil – because the soil stays attached to a root system when it is lifted.  The plant has a ‘fluffy’ rhizosphere (or root zone) as roots, living beings & soil become one.

This is (bio) activated soil – it is living soil.

…the living organisms within activated soil are:

The key to ACTIVATED SOIL = MICROBIAL DIVERSITY !!!

Key players:

   Bacteria
   Fungi
   Algae
   Protozoa
   Nematodes
   Earthworms & small animals

Bacteria:

…proliferate when fed = simple carbon sources:

   Green materials (leaf)
   Molasses
   Sugar
   Fruit juice
   Milk
   Fish emulsion

Fungi:

…proliferate when fed = complex carbon sources:

   Brown materials (bark, wood, roots)
   Cellulose (i.e.. Lucerne)
   Cutin
   Lignin
   Wood chip
   Fish oils

Algae:

…proliferate when:

   Moisture exists.
   Hard-hooved animals are absent.
   Synthetic pesticides & pollutants are absent.

Inoculate with:

   Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) grown in buckets from pond water which has been allowed to sit for a few weeks (until it goes green).

Protozoa:

…eat:

   Bacteria

Inoculate soil with:

   Lucerne
   Protozoa tea

Nematodes:

…eat:

   Bacteria
   Fungi
   Each other

Inoculate soil with:

   Compost
   Vermicast

Earthworms & small animals:

…eat:

   Decomposing organic matter.
   Compost
   Manure
   Other soil life.

Inoculate soil with:

   Compost
   Vermicast
   Livestock manure
   Mulch

Soil Tinctures…

Soil tinctures keep soil healthy by feeding the soil organisms.

Dominant soil biota:

   Bacteria-dominant soils (agriculture) = groundcovers, salads, grains, root-crops, herbs, leafy vegetables, flowers, shrubs.
   Fungi-dominant soils (horticulture) = larger shrubs, bulbs, mushrooms, fruit trees, nut trees, sap trees, vines, small & medium trees, large canopy trees…

Recipe:

   One cup of boiled rice.
   Add selected nutrient based on what organism you wish to be dominant:
       Bacteria eat (simple carbon) – brown sugar.
       Fungi eat (complex carbon) – carbohydrates.
   Place in a bucket with holes drilled into the bottom & sides.
   Place into worm farm (on top of castings) for 1-2 weeks.
   One cup additional nutrient:
       Extra food for bacteria/fungi
       Whatever your soil lacks (i.e. if it is low in calcium, add fish).
       Plant nutrient (see ‘The biochemical basis of plant nutrition’ above).
   Optional step: Aerate (with a bubbler or pour between containers/vigorously mix twice daily).

Compost Tea – farming aerobic microorganisms & producing plant nutrients:

   One part compost (as diverse a mix as possible).
   Ten parts water.
   Aerate (with a bubbler/vigorously mix twice a day).
   Brew for one week (minimum).
   Dilute to the colour of weak tea.
   Apply to the soil (target the plant roots).

Protozoa tea:

   Make a ‘Compost Tea’ – but use lucerne (in place of compost).

Super simple compost tea:

(Images for 'Super simple compost tea' are available here:  https://www.permaculturecourseonline.com/soil-life/how-to-feed-the-soil-not-the-plant-understanding-soil-life/)
Add water to a few handfuls of leaf litter & soil – if possible, add manure.

Aerate daily by pouring from one bucket into another.

It’s ready when it turns the colour of tea – around one week!

Synergistic cover crop mix – inputs 50% sugar into soil (feeds soil biota):

Apply as seed or living plant:

   Legumes (beans, seed pods) 40%
   Grasses 25%
   Cereals (grains) 25%
   Chenopods (quinoa, amaranth, fat hen etc) 5%
   Brassicas (radish, cabbage, broccoli, kale, canola, mustard etc) 5%


Bonus tinctures…

Root-growth hormone:

If a plant species is known to shoot roots when placed in water or directly in the ground, it is high in root-growth hormone (usually indole acetic acid or a derivative of).  This is the same store-bought hormone used in propagation as a dipping powder or gel.

To collect & use = macerate the plant in a minimal amount of water, pour liquid off & use fresh.  (This will not keep, use immediately.)

Uses:

   dip a cutting (clone) into the liquid & plant into growth medium (ie. soil, perlite etc).
   pour around the stem (to target the roots).  



Pest repellent + :

The above tincture can be used for any desired plant product, for example – to repel pests, macerate a plant which contains a repellent & spray liquid onto leaves.

[Related article: Natural Broad-Spectrum Herbicide Recipe (Wild-Foraged). at https://www.permaculturecourseonline.com/growing-tips/natural-organic-broad-spectrum-herbicide-killer-plants/]





REFERENCES:

   Main image:  The New York Times. 2013. The Hidden World Under Our Feet. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/opinion/sunday/the-hidden-world-of-soil-under-our-feet.html. [Accessed 21 September 2019].
   Eco Farming Daily. 2019. Building the Microbial Bridge for Soil Health. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.ecofarmingdaily.com/build-soil/soil-life/soil-microbes/building-the-microbial-bridge-to-support-nutrient-availability/. [Accessed 21 September 2019].
   BioAg. 2020. Top 5 tips for spring pasture. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.bioag.com.au/top-5-tips-for-spring-pasture/. [Accessed 13 January 2020].



Special thanks to Noosa & District Landcare presentation “Tonics For Your Soil” with Nina Saxton & Dave Clark (20th June, 2019).
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P.S.  You can also write an article & include in the community magazine here:  https://www.permaculturecourseonline.com/mag/

P.P.S.  What would you like to read about?  Got any tips for what topics to write about?

CONSULT, COLLABORATE & GROW THE WORLD YOU WISH TO LIVE IN!

Hi, I live on top of a ridge which protrudes the farthest of all surrounding ridges...



The ridge falls down to a valley either side & the house-site sits right on top.  Wind gathers in the valley below & with extremely high force, whips to the top of the ridge where the house sits.  The site is made up of 3 rectangular sheds which force the wind through the middle causing wind damage to trees & plants.  I have watched the wind snap a tree in half which was 10m high & had a 20cm trunk diameter!


Image: 1m contours

How can I reduce the wind velocity?

Maybe a windbreak - where?  The majority of damaging wind enters from the south-east valley...on this side the hill drops down after the building.  The drop will reduce the windbreak height & drop effectiveness dramatically.

I am thinking of maybe installing some DIY wind turbines to reduce the velocity.  

Has anyone had success with DIY wind turbines handling bursts of high velocity wind?

All comments & suggestions are GREATLY appreciated, thank you!

Hi!  Thanks for your great work of sharing knowledge through your book!  Marvellous!

I am a qualified Environmental Scientist who worked as a Research Assistant (ie. Research Scientist in a team of researchers) at Australia's leading water science research centre.  Here, I was able to have an impact on the scientific community through my contributions in my work.  My work went towards the scientific journal articles which scientists use to share information.  Each journal is peer reviewed to ensure the work is true (both the methods & results analysis).  Together, the scientists of the world eek out the laws of the universe and it's applications.   It is a big and time consuming job - afterall, space and time is infinite.

I left this job to pursue an honours, followed by doctorate degree...then got sick & underwent a form of chemo, which threw me WAY off course.  Maybe I will return and get that PhD, maybe not.

Currently, I teach permaculture and plan to have my own research lab open to my students, the permaculture & my local community (landowners & business').  I feel that my knowledge & skills can better serve the public at this time.  We will see if it works, or if in reality - will be too hard for people who have not been trained in the field (both the knowledge & skills).  We will see.

As far as science goes this is all good on a superficial level...but when it comes to something really solid and important = it won't work...I don't have the wealth of information behind me via a global team of scientists through the research journals (the method the scientists use to communicate their findings).  I won't be able to submit any findings unless I affiliate with a reputable research facility.  I guess I could do this?  But for the (relatively) light (scientific) work/knolwedge that goes on with permaculture...I'm not sure if it is needed.  Research is cutting edge, finding & refining what has not been done before.  

But then agian, so are many aspects of permaculture.  Wish me luck?

Tereza Okava wrote:I translate and edit scientific/medical research for publication, and in my experience many researchers have research ability or writing skills, but only one.

Maybe what you are observing is people who know it's going to you (an editor) and thus don't bother taking it to it's finished state - they have research to do!  Thus, are taking advantage of your presence - because that's what you job is & why you are there?

In my experience (as an environmental scientist) the 2 jobs (research work and writing it up as a scientific journal article) are not separated, the same person does both (actually a group of people collaborate on it) - if you can't handle the format, you don't become a research scientist (you fail from the beginning through your uni degree & certainly can't go on to honours or a doctorate)!

I'm curious, as someone who writes up research, do you have a background research science?  If not, how are you able to understand the topic details, research methods, data analysis, conclusions & recommendations?  I assume you do not review the work itself (a team of research scientists would do this) - it comes to you (the editor) before being sent to the journal?

Dave Burton wrote:How would you define effective scientific communication?

Providing the correct amount of information for your audience to:
- understand the significance of the info
- be able to repeat it to another person accurately (ie. they understand what was communicated)

Yes, I am interested in being involved - this is something I have planned to do also and (after posting the idea of Simbi) have an impressive list of people who are willing to help from the field of IT!  Email me:  c.laurikainen@live.com.au

P.S.  I am an environmental scientist who currently teaches the PDC (Permaculture Design Certificate) course.  

Find a university that specializes in plant biology or human health.  Review the list of individual professors - the ones who are doing work in this field are who you should send this to.  This is not a research project that fits in the field of permaculture, but in the field of:

- plant perception or Plant Gnosophysiology (the ability of plants to sense and respond to the environment to adjust their morphology, physiology, and phenotype accordingly. or similar.)
- neurobotany