Briony Beveridge

Hi -
Does anyone have any comments on his holistic spring sprays?
Isn't neem oil a bit mean to the good microbes, especially when cut with soap?
Is liquid fish the same as liquid fish fertilizer?
Thanks!
B

Hi -
Does anyone have any comments on his holistic spring sprays?
Isn't neem oil a bit mean to the good microbes, especially when cut with soap?
Is liquid fish the same as liquid fish fertilizer?
Thanks!
B

Hello permies!

I've got an area of my yard that is currently covered in grass & dandelions. I dug one foot of soil out and there were quite a few roots & worms, but also quite a few small stones. I filled it up with water and it drained in 6 mins.

I did the mason jar test & am having a hard time interpreting it. To me it could be 1/3 of each sand, silt, and clay?  Sorry for the ripple in the jar at the bottom. Any help interpreting would be appreciated!!

I'm trying to decide how to tackle the soil & planting:

1. A big layer of sheet mulch and plant fall rye & deep rooted soil builders?
2. Dig out stones & loosen soil without turning, then #1
3. Dig & amend soil & then #1

Also curious about digging a hole 4X the diameter of the tree ball vs. putting lots of sheet mulching to build soil from above.

Jorge, how did this go for you?

Leila, can you describe your "handy/lazy combined compost/vermicast system"??

Briony

Hi Morgan,
Thanks for your post.
I've been trying to figure out a way to get my worms out of their small relatively high-maintenance indoor bins.
A few questions about your system:
1. Is it an enclosed bin, or open at the bottom?  
2. You've got 4 inches of aged compost, then 10 inches of leaves.  Do you add food scraps as well, and if so, where?  Do you keep adding compost, leaves & scraps?  I'd love to be able to just keep layering stuff & let the worms mix it for me.

Thanks once again Redhawk!

I turned it 3 days ago (day 6) and it wasn't too wet - rather dry around the edges, in fact.  It's back up to 140 deg.  I was away for a couple days, so I'll never know if it went up to 160, which I am finding quite tragic . The manure smell was rather nauseating - I'm hoping my next turning will be less smelly!  I'll wait for it to start cooling again, and then turn it again.

Thanks for the tip on the compost tea!  I've been planning to make some with my vermi compost, but I'll consider doing a batch with some other compost as well.  Is this a way to make your compost go further?  Do you know what the physiology/mechanism behind compost tea is?

Thanks again, Redhawk.

My pile is now at 130-140 only.  

I dug in some coffee grounds as you suggested, and discovered that the pile smells light cooking manure.  
* 1) Does that indicate methane, which indicates it's anaerobic?*
It's also lost about 4 inches of height.

I'll turn it tomorrow, I think.
*2) Does it sound like I need to add carbon?*

Thank you.
Briony

It's day 3 and I'm now at 130-150 deg F!
Should I turn tomorrow (as per the Berkeley method)?
Should I add some nitrogen (I found a source of coffee grounds finally!)
Thanks!
Briony

Thanks Bryant.  I don't have time to build a big tumbler now, but good to know that's the fastest way to make compost.  I just need some good stuff for next spring, so hopefully my piles will get me there.

I do have a store-bought tumbling composter (2 compartments at 2.5 ft3 (18 gal) each). I'll take your advice to add more greens than the usual 1/3.

Briony

PS - my pile has now heated up to 100 deg F.  Maybe it won't take so much greens to heat it up after all!