The Green Manure thread

[JackTheGrower]

Alright then... I have learned the following.

1. scatter seed less thickly than I have.
2. They need more than a twin tube shop light.

I have turned it under and will plant again in a day or two.





I also added some metal Halide lights. This gives me a total of 1500 watts and will have to do till the CMH are available.






For the record I grow for a medical supply in the state of California.

I don't buy sell or trade so I'm as close to the intent of the law as possible.


Lets hope third time for a proper green manure crop is the charm.

Will post again in a couple days.


JTG

 

[Guest]

That turned under crop should help with texture of the soil as well as adding some goodies to it. I like your experiment. Let's see those MH lights in action.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Doing a burn in and temprature check.

One of the units came with a "used" bulb and you can see it's more white than blue...

Not happy... It will have to do but I'm not happy...





Here us my pet soil under 1500 watts





I'll score some seeds today. I assume I may get to it no later than Saturday.
Going to be busy... My woman and I have some plans..

If I don't post soon have a great weekend.

JTG

 

[JackTheGrower]

That turned under crop should help with texture of the soil as well as adding some goodies to it. I like your experiment. Let's see those MH lights in action.

Thanks Old Fool.


I have to redesign the cooling. I'm still thinking on that one...

I have time...

 

[ThaiPhoon]

Hey, I have scattered some birdseed on my composting soil as well. I also put some mung beans and soy beans down, some kind of fungus in my soil has taken over the beans! everything else sprouted except the beans...the soy beans got attacked by a white hairy fungus and the mung beans have been attacked by a pukey green powdery fungus that spreads its spores when I water the soil! I may try sprouting the beans separately..?

 

[JackTheGrower]

Hey, I have scattered some birdseed on my composting soil as well. I also put some mung beans and soy beans down, some kind of fungus in my soil has taken over the beans! everything else sprouted except the beans...the soy beans got attacked by a white hairy fungus and the mung beans have been attacked by a pukey green powdery fungus that spreads its spores when I water the soil! I may try sprouting the beans separately..?

ThaiPhoon

I'm interested in what kind of fungus/mold you have going there..

Honestly I don't experience anything like that.

I've seen the green and musty on oranges before but then again you live in a special part of the world I assume.


I looked at Mung beans and almost bought them... Maybe next planting.

If I can help with your compost I'll try ... PM me.. I'd love to see photos.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Well Boys and Girls...


It's another planting....


It's Saturday September 29,2007


I've planted alfalfa again.

 

[ThaiPhoon]

My Green Manure Grow

My Green Manure Grow

I snapped a few shots of my green manure boxes. Also check out the beans covered with fungus. The bin with no fungus on the beans is a mix of used potting soil and compost. For the most part my compost consists of coco coir, rice husk, rice husk charcoal, used coffee grounds, rock dusts, and a good percentage of aged cow manure. The fungus grows most on the compost mix without any soil in it.











The growth is mostly millet in the fungus bins. just about everything came up in the non-fungal bin.

 

[jaykush]

hey thai, looks good. seems like everyones growin the green manures this time around. i got the same problem on my barley grass. i forgot to rinse them well after they sprouted and got the same mold as well. im guessing if the grass doesnt grow the way i want it, it will be a good addition to the compost bin with all the fungus and molds. although it worked like i see with yours and have sprouts all over i think i want to restart.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Some sprouts.. I have left a light on and I think the temps are too high for rapid sprouting. Not sure tho.

I've been and will be busy here the next couple of days and I look forward to posting several photos I have and you know I will post the latest picture of the new green manure crop here.


JTG

 

[JackTheGrower]

I snapped a few shots of my green manure boxes. Also check out the beans covered with fungus. The bin with no fungus on the beans is a mix of used potting soil and compost. For the most part my compost consists of coco coir, rice husk, rice husk charcoal, used coffee grounds, rock dusts, and a good percentage of aged cow manure. The fungus grows most on the compost mix without any soil in it.


The growth is mostly millet in the fungus bins. just about everything came up in the non-fungal bin.

Man I don't get that but it sure looks wet to me... How is your humidity?

How are your temps... ( I'm learning right along with ya )

Since it's seems focused on those ( rocks or perlite?) clumps I wonder if that has some nutrients in it like perhaps excess nitrogen?

Oh pardon me those are the beans....

IS damping off the problem here?

Just thinking here...

---------------------------------------
http://tomclothier.hort.net/page13.html

Damping-off
The single term used to describe underground, soil line, or crown rots of seedlings due to unknown causes is damping-off . The term actually covers several soil borne diseases of plants and seed borne fungi.

Rhizoctonia root rot (Rhizoctonia solani) is a fungal disease which causes damping-off of seedlings and foot rot of cuttings. Infection occurs in warm to hot temperatures and moderate moisture levels. The fungi is found in all natural soils and can survive indefinitely. Infected plants often have slightly sunken lesions on the stem at or below the soil line. Transfer of the fungi to the germination room or greenhouse is easily accomplished by using outdoor gardening tools inside or vice versa. The germination room should not be used for mixing potting soils or transplanting seedlings as a general rule.

Pythium Root Rot (Pythium spp.) is similar to Rhizoctonia in that it causes damping-off of seedlings and foot rot of cuttings. However, infection occurs in cool, wet, poorly-drained soils, and by overwatering. Infection results in wet odorless rots. When severe, the lower portion of the stem can become slimy and black. Usually, the soft to slimy rotted outer portion of the root can be easily separated from the inner core. Species of Pythium can survive for several years in soil and plant refuse.

Phytophthora root rot (Phytophthora spp.) are usually associated with root rots of established plants but are also involved in damping-off. These species enter the root tips and cause a water-soaked brown to black rot similar to Pythium. These fungi survive indefinitely in soil and plant debris.

Black root rot (Thielaviopsis basicola) is a problem of established plants. It does not occur in strongly acid soils with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5. It usually infects the lateral roots where they just emerge from the taproot. The diseased area turns dark brown, and is quite dry. The fungi survive for 10 years or more in soil.

Miscellaneous fungi causing similar symptoms include Sclerotinia (white mold), Sclerotium rolfsii, Macrophomina phaseoli, some species of Botrytis (gray mold), Aphonomyces, Fusarium, Cylindrocladium, and others. Hence the need for the collective term known as damping-off.


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[jaykush]

Since it's seems focused on those ( rocks or perlite?) clumps I wonder if that has some nutrients in it like perhaps excess nitrogen?

if the same thing that thai has going on is the same on mine those are not rocks or perlite they are the seeds that didn't get to sprout.

 

[ThaiPhoon]

Yes it is very wet, as I had just watered the sprouts! I am doing this outdoors here, it is rainy season here so the temperature and humidity are very unstable. The temperature ranges 23 to 35 degrees Celsius, and the humidity can be as low as 45% some days.

What gets me is why does it infect the beans only and not the bird seeds? Do you think that if I was to wash and soak the beans overnight or something, that I may have better luck getting them to germ - without the mold?

The bird seed is a mix of .. white millet, red millet, sunflower, safflower, black millet, Linseed, pumpkin seed, hemp seed, canary grass

 

[JackTheGrower]

if the same thing that thai has going on is the same on mine those are not rocks or perlite they are the seeds that didn't get to sprout.

Thanks Jay

 

[JackTheGrower]

Sprouts as of this morning.


These are looking healthy green from the start.

I am hoping that the MH will make a difference.

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Hey Jack and company.

Got my new digi and some pics of my patch. Its doing good. Bit slow growing but its just coming into spring now.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Hey Jack and company.

Got my new digi and some pics of my patch. Its doing good. Bit slow growing but its just coming into spring now.

Congrats on the new Digi! I love mine..

Yeah, that's looking good.

Well up here it's getting cooler quick this year. It took a dive for the cool and it hasn't really stopped.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Today's photos


Germination is a bit spotty for some reason. I wonder if less light energy is better during germination.







There is a lone sunflower left over from two trys ago.

I may rescatter seed in the thin patches. I assume the light and soil drying out a bit caused problems.

 

[JackTheGrower]

I am in the mood to toss a bit of coffee in and so I have.
Todays update is like the last one.
The season has changed here so growth may be effected.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Howdy fellow organic soil people!

Hey the alfalfa responded to the ground coffee... I think so anyway.





The lone sunflower isn't alone now but it's the best looking.

I've switched on both mh's now and scattered another scattering of coffee.

Well lets see how it does.


JTG