Organic Fanatics - Australia

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Gday everybody

I think its high time we had an organic thread here dedicated to growing our favourite plant as nature intended! That can be as simple as digging a hole and sticking a seedling in the ground or making our own compost/teas and worm castings.

There are plenty of excellent threads over in the organic forum and very helpful members there happy to help. I reckon this to be one of the best sources for info anywhere on the net.

I would like this to be a thread where we can focus on Australian products, challenges and co-operation.

There are many excellent Australian made nutrients, companies and sources of information. Having said that we dont need to spend loads of $ down the hydro store to grow healthy and happy plants. Indeed the best organic methods and ingredients can be found locally and quite likely growing or shitting near our back door

Products i use:

Neutrog fertilisers: http://www.neutrog.com.au/
Affordable, certified organic and available in local hardware stores. I have used their rose, rapid raiser, bounce back and rooster booster pellets.

Seasol kelp and fish emulsion http://www.seasol.com.au/
Not certified but they have a full specs for all their products and made from Tasmanian bull kelp

Charlie carp fish emulsion http://www.charliecarp.com/products_organic.html
Available in certified organic and uses a pest species.

Proganics stimuliser http://www.pascoes.com.au/products.php?level=39
This range is available in Bunnings only. They have a cheap range of your standard hydro products. They arent certified and offer no product specs. However i have had good results with their Stimuliser. It is used in very dilute amounts and is great source of silica and "trace elements, enzymes and botanical extracts" I have noticed healthier roots and company claims will cure root rot in 12 hours.

Thats all for now folks. Will add more later

Please feel free to add any info/products you have experience with.

 

[Joeski]

great idea mate,, can back up the use of seasol and charlie carp as being great products for growing buds.. also Melrose Organic Molasses from Coles is great stuff for adding some flavour and trichs.... Amigrows products i believe are also good organic options also available from bunnings...
Peas

 

[Squiggles]

Nice one Ss_OG
During flowering(outside)I blend banana skins and chicken bones in a food processor
mix it in with my food scraps from the day and add to my Bokashi Bucket
once fermented i add it as a top dress mulch
works like a tonic for everything Bacteria, soil, plants

I started using a Bokashi Bucket 2 years ago and havent looked
back you can sweeten the mix(add/alter the ingredients) for any stage of growth.
It also lets you use any meat products in your compost
It ferments, No smell and all the benefit.

 

[Guest50138]

Here's a link that explains Bokashi Buckets, Thanks Squiqgles ...I'll be back http://www.bokashi.com.au/How-Bokashi-works.htm

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Ahh yes Bokashi! I have a bucket in my kitchen that solved the problem of what to do with all the stuff we aint supposed to be putting straight into compost/worm farm. Things like citrus peel, onion/garlic bits, meat scraps, fish skin. Once fully digested/fermented it is safe for worms to eat or compost to digest. Really keeps the smell down

However i havnt been brave enough to use it directly as mulch or topdressing. Bones in the blender?! Must be a good one

Thanks for the input/encouragment fellas!

Thanks to this thread in particular i have been turned onto making as much of my own liquid fertilisers as possible: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=94673

The 'magic' ingredient in these plant ferments is EM1. It is a collection of anerobic microbes specially tailored for organic growing and improving soil. Most healthy bacteria are aerobic. That is they need an oxygen rich environment to survive. When we make an aerated compost tea we are breeding aerobic bacteria. The EM1 allows (different) healthy bacteria to flourish in an oxygenless environment. This is why its used for septic tanks, drains, anywhere there is standing water that will putrify and become toxic.

We can harness its power to ferment whatever plant material we have and turn it into organic, healthy food for our plants or bodies.

For example. The other day i got a box of overripe pineapples for free. I simply chopped them up a bit, chucked em in a food safe bucket and topped up with water. To this i added a capfull of EM1. Put a lid on and let nature do the work. Depending on temps it will take 4-10 days or so to ferment. Then i will strain it and use it on my garden/store in bottles. I am hoping to extract the enzyme power present in fresh pineapples. But the point is it was very cheap and easy! Anyone can do this and use whatever materials are available.

The EM1 i found at a local hardware store. It only cost around $20. Once it has been activated (in an anaerobic environment + sugar) it goes a long way.

So to recap.

Plant material
Sugar (mollasses is great but any raw sugar) The pineapple used its own natural sugars.
EM1

= home made, organic plant tonic/fertiliser

Note: Organic in this sense just means 100% of the materials came from nature. The pineapples were probably grown using synthetic inputs but by fermenting we can break down and nullify any chemical leftovers etc. The same goes for compost etc

This is a great method using eggshells and vinegar to create:

Calcium Phosphate

A lot of agriculture advisers have used calcium phosphate for better plant growth, health, pest and disease controls. Natural farmers use this bionutrient very specific. Under the theory of Nutrioperiodism developed by a Japanese horticulturist, Yasushi Inoue in the 1930’s, plants and animals need a very specific nutrient relative to the stage of their development. In the plant, there is the essential vegetative growth , changeover and the reproductive periods. In animals, like humans, there is the infantile, juvenile and adulthood. It is not only critical to provide the right nutrient at the right stage of the development, but also critical to use or apply specific nutrient of calcium phosphate in the juvenile or changeover period. For the plant, for example, we know that nitrogen is critical on the vegetative stage as potassium is critical in the flowering and fruiting stages. It is however, the changeover period that is most critical that will determine the quality of the final reproductive stage. At this stage, an additional nutrient is badly needed by the plant. And this is calcium phosphate. Calcium phosphate is good for plants’ “morning sickness”. It is the stage that additional baby needs to be fed or the process where flower/fruit is about to come. Ash made from soybean stems are excellent for this purpose.

Here is a simple, natural method of generating calcium phosphate. Get eggshells and roast them enough to generate some good ashes. Afterwhich, dip these roasted eggshells on about equal visual volume of vinegar. Allow it to sit for a couple of weeks until eggshells are practically broken down by the vinegar acids. You may use this diluted 20 parts water and can be sprayed or watered to the plants during the changeover period.

When this is applied to that changeover period, it will improve plant health and productivity. The use of calcium phosphate is important to natural farmers. This however, does not mean that we shall forget the nutrient timing application of other critical nutrients for plant growth both macro and micro nutrients, given at the right stages and combinations.

We consider this very important bionutrient needed by the plants used by natural farmers.

 

[wilbur]

this thread good idea S/S! very interesting!

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Dolomite lime

Every gardener knows about the benefits of lime right?

"Sweetens" the soil by changing acidic soil back to neutral. Its alkaline and used roughly 1-2 handfulls per m2. Adds much needed magnesium. Very important for coco coir. Because most mixes will slowly become acidic this will balance it out.

Indoors use at 1-2 tablespoons per 4 litres. In coco coir you can add at the lower rate.

Its important to note that it will take at least a month to start working. 3 months or so is better. Then its good for 3 years Dont overdo it and keep a record of when you applied to what area and how much! Its gonna cause ph problems/ nutrient lock-outs if overdone.

Today i was walking around my outdoor spots and scattering lime in preperation for next season. This is a principle used in growing fruit and nut trees. Lime in autumn, plant in winter and fertilise in spring!

I have read you can mix with water to get an immediate boost but cant speak from experience.

 

[Squiggles]

i put a handful of lime in my indoor soil mix and let the mix sit for a couple of weeks, personally ive seen it make a major difference than without.

outdoors see above ^

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Thats cool Squiggy. Couple of weeks is a good average to allow any fresh soil mix to 'cook' and allow the microbes and fungi get to work and balancing things out.

Probably important to point out to any newbs there is a world of difference to growing organically indoors and out. Outdoors is much easier basically to grow a plant hassle free. That can be turned on its head if you factor pests, disease, wildlife, rippers, mold etc

But talking of growing microbes and fungi... outdoors in the ground much easier! Especially in the tropics as so much can rely on warm temps

Thats partly why i personally prefer a soiless mix for my indoor garden. More on that later.

 

[Guest50138]

Well ya can't have a Organic's thread without some Poop. Here's some goat and chicken shit that I will bubbble for a week or more .will show the end product when it's done

When handling any organic soils ,potting mix's and manurers always treat them with the respect they deserve wear glove's and if dry and dusty wear a face mask..my wife got a form of Pneumonia about a decade ago from potting mix's and I shit you not I thought it was going to kill her , Safety First Fella's

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Ah yes good old poo

I know a bloke who grows beautiful tomatoes by putting a bag of sheep poo and small bag of dynamic lifter in a barrel of water inside a pillow case. This soak becomes nutrient rich and is diluted down with fresh water when applied to his plants. Its all he uses.

I used the same principal and hung dried kelp pieces, pig poo and some of the Neutrog pellets in an old pillow case and suspended in a 200litre plastic barrel with a tap. Works well and by adding some activated EM1 ferment or Lacto bacillus liquid keeps the smell right down.

Lacto Bacillus

One of the major workhorse beneficial indigenous microorganism used in natural farming is lacto bacilli. This particular beneficial microorganism is popularly used in composting that specifically arrest foul odors associated with anaerobic decomposition. Lactic acid bacteria thrive and feed on the ammonia released in the decomposition normally associated with foul odors. So if you need to decompose or ferment wastes less foul odors, lactic acid bacteria is the specific bacteria to use. Its application in organic farming is enormous. In aquaculture, one of the problem is related to water quality. Poor water quality stresses the fish which in turn stunts their growth and affects their health. This is very evident specially on high density and tank aquaculture. The ammonia produced through fish excretions pollute the water and stress the fish. With regular addition of this beneficial microorganisms to the water, this ammonia problem is minimized, if not fully arrested. It helps hasten or complete the denitrification or converting wastes into forms not harmful to fish.

Spraying diluted solution of lactic acid bacteria serum to the plant and soil helps plant growth and makes them more healthy. As it is applied to the soil or the leaves, these beneficial bacteria aid in the decomposition process, thus allowing more food to be available and assimilated by the plant.

Lactic acid bacteria is also known to produce enzymes and natural antibiotics aiding effective digestion and has antibacterial properties, including control of salmonella and e. coli. To farmers, what are observed are the general health of the plants and animals, better nutrient assimilation, feed conversion and certain toxins eliminations.

Here’s a simple method of collecting this type of microorganism. Lactic acid bacteria can be collected from the air.

1.Pour rice wash (solution generated when you wash the rice with water) in a container like plastic pot with lid.

---basically get some rice, get a jar, put rice and clean fresh water no chlorine and such. shake till the water turns foggy, strain into another jar.

2.Allow air gap at least 50-75% of the container. The key here is the air space. Cover the (not vacuum tight, allowing air still to move into the container) container with lid loosely.

---like it says, the AIR is key as the air is full of microbes including lactic acid bacteria. just in low low concentrations but along with tons of other microbes, thats why were making more of them. i used a mason jar and had a gap with the lid.

3.Put the container in a quiet area with no direct sunlight. Allow the rice wash to ferment for at least 5-7 days. Lactic acid bacteria will gather in 5-7 days when temperature is 20-25 degrees C.

--- i put mine in a closet, the temp is more stable in there and doesn't have much variation. wait 7 days, youll see a thin layer of something on top.

4. Rice bran will be separated and float in the liquid, like a thin film, smelling sour. Strain and simply get the liquid.

---like said you will see a thin layer of something( also remember everyone will collect different microbes, as we all live in different places, so your collecting microbes adapted to YOUR area, which makes this work even better.)

5. Put this liquid in a bigger container and pour ten parts milk. The original liquid has been infected with different type of microbes including lacto bacilli. And in order to get the pure lacto bacilli, saturation of milk will eliminate the other microorganisms and the pure lacto bacilli will be left. You may use skim or powdered milk, although fresh milk is best.

--- now just get something, anything to measure. either it be a spoon, a cup, a tablespoon, 1/4 cup doesnt matter( except the fact this will tell you how much you will have when done) ill use 1/4 cup for example. take one 1/4c of your microbes, now add 10 of them with milk.

6. In 5-7 days, carbohydrate, protein and fat will float leaving yellow liquid (serum), which contain the lactic acid bacteria. You can dispose the coagulated carbohydrate, protein and fat, add them to your compost pile or feed them to your animals.

--- now a week has gone by, by this time the milk will look like cheese at the top of the jar/container. but all goopy. you can either strain it or if you used a wide mouth jar, tip sideways slightly and you can slide a spoon under and take it all out at once. toss it in the compost pile and forget about it. ive never fed it to an animal so i dont know about that. edit: my chickens LOVE this stuff!!!

7. The pure lactic acid bacteria serum can be stored in the refrigerator or simply add equal amount of crude sugar (dilute with 1/3 water) or molasses. Do not use refined sugar as they are chemically bleached and may affect the lactic acid bacteria. The sugar or molasses will keep the lactic acid bacteria alive at room temperature. One to one ratio is suggested although sugar, regardless of quantity is meant simply, serving as food for the bacteria to keep them alive.

-- this is where everyone seems to be getting mixed up. the sugars are just for food to multiply. like you, they are organisms that need food. without it they will die and im pretty sure ( but could be wrong) that lacto b. isnt cannibalistic lol. now since your only making enough to use now, you dont really need to store any imo. unless you plan to use more in the next few days to a week add some sugars. now with the fridge and sugars it says "or" which is the key word. it says "the sugars keep them alive at room temperature" but like i said i always use it fresh, its cheap, and easy to make, and doesn't need to be applied every time. so why save some and take chances of using liquid with nothing alive or not nearly as many as the fresh stuff? so to get your pure culture, mix with molasses and let ferment for 24 hours( 12 when its warm), this is where the lacto B multiplies like crazy.

8. Now, these lactic acid bacteria serum with sugar or molasses will be your pure culture. To use, you can dilute this pure culture with 20 parts water. Make sure water is not chemically treated with, like chlorine. Remember, we are dealing with live microorganisms and chlorine can kill them. This diluted form 1:20 ratio will be your basic lactic acid bacteria concoction. Two to four tablespoons added to water of one gallon can be used as your basic spray and can be added to water and feeds of animals.

--- now that you have your culture, we go back to the measuring thing. so this is where you decide how much you really need. 1/4 cup + twenty 1/4 cups = 5 1/4cups. then your going to add that at 2-4 tablespoons per GALLON and then apply. so 5 1/4 cups in tablespoons is about 84 tablespoons. you can see where that is going. it adds up to a lot of final liquid to apply. so its easy to make enough for your needs with some basic math.

9. Lactic acid bacteria serum can be applied to plant leaves to fortify phyllosphere microbes, to soil and compost. Of course, it will help improve digestion and nutrient assimilation for animals and other applications mentioned before. For any kind of imbalance, be it in the soil or digestive system, lacto bacilli can be of help.

---apply,sit back, and smoke a bowl.

just thought of this, if you store it in the fridge in a glass mason jar with the lid, make sure to burp it once a week. i know it builds pressure and its just a guess but given enough time it MIGHT make it explode, i know ive had an exploding compost tea in a bottle before, so just to make sure its on your mind, i don't want no one getting glass shards to the face

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Soiless mix

I prefer a soiless mix based on coco coir for my indoor grows. Coir is a great medium that holds lots of water and oxygen making for explosive root development. It can be tricky to pull off a 100% organic grow but making sure the basics are right and using good quality coco i have had good results. I no longer use a ph meter and dont measure much other than by eye.

Coco and organics isnt so hard if you make sure there is a steady amount of nitrogen and available calcium and magnesium. Coco sucks up lots of N at first and then releases it to the plant. If there isnt enough there the coco will take the N out of the plant. This is good for late flower but not so good in veg

I have found the recipe for calcium phosphate really does wonders for the calcium top up. Great for early flower especially and in general with the extra P.

A foliar with epsom salts is good for magnesium. That and regular molasses teas.

They do get very hungry once settled in and drink a lot. Keep up the N right up to mid flower and you cant go wrong.

You can easily overwater also in early veg. 100% coco not so much but with LCs#1 type mix with castings/compost etc the bottom of the pots can become waterlogged.

I love Hempy buckets with perlite or DE in the res. Any kind of wick type system makes life much easier. A drip is very good for coco grows as well.

LCs#1 is great for clones and seedlings too.

LC’s Soiless Mix #1:
5 parts Coir
3 parts perlite
2 parts wormcastings or mushroom compost or home made compost
Powdered dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.

I am getting a coco/zeolite/DE/soil/castings mix together now for use in a couple of weeks. Layering a big garbage bin with alternate layers of the above and liberal amounts of organic chicken/cow poo pellets. Then mix this with recycled medium from my outdoors grow. Water with a nice tea and let rest.

By letting it sit the coco will absorb all the N it needs and plants should take off like rockets.

Properties

Coco coir is a proven best alternative to any growing media. Its use as a growing medium outperforms any other medium used for growing vegetables, ornamentals and tree plants. Its soft structure promotes easy root penetration and healthy growth. Coco coir is 100% environmentally friendly. It is a renewable resource that is consistent in quality. Coco coir has the best physical and chemical properties to promote better plant growth.

Coco has high water-holding capacity. It can hold water up to eight times of its weight and release it over a period of time.
Coco has ideal pH in the range of 6-6.7
It has excellent drainage and air porosity for better plant growth
Coco is very low in EC and carries mostly potassium salts, which is an essential major plant nutrient
Cation exchange capacity is very good
Coco coir has some anti-fungal properties that help plants to get rid of soil borne diseases. It inhibits pathogens like Pithium
Coco is very easy to re-hydrate after being dehydrated
Contains significant amounts of phosphorous (10-50ppm) and potassium (150-450 ppm)
As mentioned above Coco coir is not just a natural product with very good properties for plant growth – it also has some winning advantages over other growing mediums.

Advantages of Coco Coir
It is a 100% renewable resource
Coco coir is light in weight
It is consistent in high quality
Coco coir is completely environmentally friendly
The top of the product layer in grow bags/pots always remain dry, leaving behind no chances of fungal growth
Coco coir never shrinks, cracks or produces crust
It promotes better root systems in a short time
Coco coir is odorless, pleasant to handle, and uniform in composition

Good organic soiless blends should include some quality soil,compost or castings to add the microbes and fungi we need. We have to be careful to keep the mix light and soft so the roots have little resistance as they spread out, especially the fine, feeding roots. I have had some problems adding castings as they were very sticky and clogged up.

Its good to add an extra drainage amendment too. I used to use perlite but its reputed to contain a lot of fluoride so now i avoid. I recommend diamatecous earth and zeolite. Check out the thread in the organics forum on drainage materials for more info. It is applicable to both soil and soiless.

These amendments are available here in Oz as kitty litter for the DE and bbq fat cleaner for zeolite. I got both of these from my local supermarket that starts with w.

The brands of coco i have used are:

Nutrifield - excellent quality in bricks no need to rinse and prebuffered for magnesium and calcium

Brunnings - cheap in bricks, does contain some mineral ferts but they soon be gone. Its quality but probably good practice to rinse a few times just to be sure theres no sea salt residue. I do this now in a plastic bin with a few holes in the bottom. Fill with plenty water and the brick rehydrates quite fast.

There are other brands but these are the only two i have used. The Nutrifield i found on ebay and the Brunnings is in most big hardware stores. Make sure you buy the best for indoors. My current mix is untested but i think it should go well.

This base mix is mixed with a good amount of my previous grows. I always recycle some mix and have usually 1/3 or so in there. I like to keep the bio-char especially as it will have tons of good microbes already present. Hopefully Must invest in a microscope soon... Bio-char is excellent. More on that later or look at my sig if you want to know more.



This is good for smaller personal grows but for outdoors or more plants i would look for these in bulk.

For outdoor use coco is great to lighten up heavy clay mixes and wont stand out like perlite. You could also use the larger and cheaper coco for mixing with lots of soil and its much cheaper. Rinse well!

I had very nice results this season using 24 litre plastic pots, Nutrifield coco and DE. All purchased online but i am sure your local hydro store etc has good stuff too.

 

[Brushtail]

SilverSurfer great thread mate, lots of helpful information for those organically inclined.
I liked your idea about isolating lacto bacillus sp. , i dabble a bit in microbiology and sometimes people are wholly unaware the role bacteria play in every day life. Lacto bacillus is a lactose fermenting bacteria, by taking a non selective media (rice water) and then using a selective media (milk) to isolate! what a neat idea!. Just a small amendment why not inoculate a lactose medium, such as milk, with live culture yoghurt. There are plenty of dairy products that use lacto bacillus and are possible sources of inoculant and are mono-cultures too! Just saves a bit of time but still gets the desired result. Have you dabbled with inoculating soil with mycorrhiza fungi ?


On a side note did people know anthrax is a soil born pathogen! But don't worry the common anthrax lacks a cell capsule that renders it avirulent.

 

[johnnybsmokin]

EM1

EM1

Hey there SIlver

The EM1 i found at a local hardware store. It only cost around $20. Once it has been activated (in an anaerobic environment + sugar) it goes a long way.

So to recap.

Plant material
Sugar (mollasses is great but any raw sugar) The pineapple used its own natural sugars.
EM1

= home made, organic plant tonic/fertiliser

Nice thread my friend, would you mind telling me which "hardware" group/shop you got your Em1 from. Iv'e read about this in other threads and would be very interested in trying it out. Maybe a photo of the product as well if possible???.

Been growing organically now for over a year now in soil and love it and am always looking to help improve the microbes and soil.

I noticed that you also mentioned the "proganics" range of hydro nutes from bunning!!, how do you find them??, as i was considering trying a seperate grow with the use of there products soon. They do mention "organic" on the bottle so am keen to try and see what the results are.

GREAT thread, it's about time some one started an Aussie organic thread like this so keep it up.

Subscribing and pulling up a chair

Cheers Johnny

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Just a small amendment why not inoculate a lactose medium, such as milk, with live culture yoghurt. There are plenty of dairy products that use lacto bacillus and are possible sources of inoculant and are mono-cultures too! Just saves a bit of time but still gets the desired result. Have you dabbled with inoculating soil with mycorrhiza fungi ?

Yeah i just use the rice water. I think the idea is to collect the local bacteria that are floating around and use them. What you are suggesting may well work but if it aint broke

The mycorz. i have used as a tea bag kinda thing i got online. Wasnt cheap and unsure of any immediate benefits i could mention. When i had my bio-box/obbt (see sig) innoculating was a big part of the guidelines i followed and i did see lots of fungal growth. I would rather use compost as an innoculant but not an expert by any means in this area.

Nice thread my friend, would you mind telling me which "hardware" group/shop you got your Em1 from. Iv'e read about this in other threads and would be very interested in trying it out. Maybe a photo of the product as well if possible???.

Been growing organically now for over a year now in soil and love it and am always looking to help improve the microbes and soil.

I noticed that you also mentioned the "proganics" range of hydro nutes from bunning!!, how do you find them??, as i was considering trying a seperate grow with the use of there products soon. They do mention "organic" on the bottle so am keen to try and see what the results are.

I got mine from a large Mitre 10. Havent seen it anywhere else but. Neutrog do make Gogo juice which looks similar which i have seen in a few places.

Have a look at the pics a few posts up and you can see the EM1 bottle. Its made by Eco organics. A quick online search with the terms "em1 organic gardening australia" show a few places to buy it online.

The Prorganics range is only available at Bunnings. Just look in the gardening section. Because they dont have any material data specs i am suspicious as to just how organic and chemical free they are. But i do like their Stimuliser!

Cheers guys!

 

[wilbur]

all those who live SEQ or thereabouts need to know about Nutri Tech Solutions at Yandina in seq. they manufacture and prepare a wide range of biodynamic fertilisers, humates, microbes and supply natural products like soft rock phosphate and natural rock potash. they supply in quantities for home or farm. can't find my catalogue or I 'd be more specific with their address ... but I reckon they're on the web if you take a look. cheers ...

 

[wilbur]

and seeing as VOM has brought up the specific of goat poo ... am I right in thinking goat poo is richer than cow and horse? I can get literally tons of goat poo ... already decomposed.
goat poo is not as hay-like, or straw-like as cow or horse poo, so will it be equally useful for adding humus and retaining water?

 

[Guest50138]

M8 the goat shit doesn't burn is what I like about it,outdoors I put it on by the bucket loads,its breaks down quickly, the worms love it and the vegie beds that I have been digging it into for a couple of years look so rich..it was just garden mix from a nursery when I started doesn't look like that now.I like the horse shit you see out the front of Stables..usually only a $ or 2 per bag I put that on top of my beds in winter and cover with lucern hay and dig it in come spring Here's the link for Nutri Tech looks like they have some good product.Thanks wilbur..
http://shop.nutri-tech.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=50269

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

Goat shit a? Think i saw an ad on Gumtree.com offering free goat poo/bedding if you take it away. I bet wallaby poo is good stuff. Plenty of that around here naturally fertilising.

In one of my books the author recommends cow poo as it has twice the phosphorous compared to horse. But the best stuff is what you can find easily and close by. Apparantly its possible to just grow a plant in rabbit poo but never tried it

I recently purchased Tim Marshall's new book 'Composting - the ultimate organic guide to recycling your garden'. I cant recommend it and his advice on gardening highly enough. He mentions that fast growing plants like tomatoes thrive in fresh manure as mulch when in veg.

Lots of great recipes in there too using eggshells, dandelions, all kinds of stuff we might consider waste or weeds.

Nutri-tech are great! A few years back i bought their Stimulate (powdered kelp and fulvic acid) and Instant humus granules.

http://shop.nutri-tech.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=50269&products_id=185

http://shop.nutri-tech.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=190


Because they in dry form they go a long way and are much cheaper on postage

Their range is quite impressive for the serious farmer and home gardener

Batphone.com.au are another great Australian company for organics. I have used and very much liked their Organic Link dry fert. Especially the neem cake which kills fungus gnats and is great all round plant tonic/insecticide.

http://www.batphone.com.au/index.ph...ask.tpl&pop=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=29

I also got their Micro-Phos liquid mineral suspension made from micronised guano. This is great for flower development.

http://www.batphone.com.au/index.ph...category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=29

 

[wilbur]

well. you guys are mine of information! a gold mine.

VOM I looked at those grows you recommended and I have the same basic soil as those guys. just not so rich (I can fix that) and not so well watered (I ll put my gardens at the end of the drains off my driveway). but I have the same basics and am encouraged by what I see in the posts you recommended.