TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
I use Turbinado Sugar (natural brown sugar) in my supersoil, and a bit at planting time. But beware, adding sugars at planting time will invite ants which acidify the soil, so dolomitic lime is also added.
Local materials
- Thread starter Microbeman
- Start date
I use Turbinado Sugar (natural brown sugar) in my supersoil, and a bit at planting time. But beware, adding sugars at planting time will invite ants which acidify the soil, so dolomitic lime is also added.
40degsouth
Well-known member
Hey TychoMonolyth, thanks for the information. A real spin on sweetening the soil.
Thanks Microbe Man, l guess what l was eluding to is can sulphured molasses be used without killing off the beneficials in brews and if so, what ratios?? It seems all organic growing information breaks down to sulphured "bad", unsulphured "good", without any consideration for the benefits of sulphur in the soil. Another way to look at it is the excess sulphur throwing out a perfectly balanced soil??
Unsulphured can be purchased in health food shops in small tins for an outrageous price but sulphured can be bought in bulk for stock feed.
Cheers 40
Thanks Microbe Man, l guess what l was eluding to is can sulphured molasses be used without killing off the beneficials in brews and if so, what ratios?? It seems all organic growing information breaks down to sulphured "bad", unsulphured "good", without any consideration for the benefits of sulphur in the soil. Another way to look at it is the excess sulphur throwing out a perfectly balanced soil??
Unsulphured can be purchased in health food shops in small tins for an outrageous price but sulphured can be bought in bulk for stock feed.
Cheers 40
Hookahhead
Active member
Tye difference between sulfured and unsulfured is the age of the sugar cane and the extraction process.
https://www.myrecipes.com/ingredients/unsulphured-vs-sulphured-molasses
https://www.myrecipes.com/ingredients/unsulphured-vs-sulphured-molasses
I have bought 55 gallon barrels of unsulphured livestock black strap molasses many times. I just ask the supplier for the analysis. ALL molasses has natural sulphur. I guarantee this. Sulphur is added as an anti-fungal. - preservative - same thing.
This is not always accurate. Sulphur is also added to mature molasses and beet molasses as a preservative/anti-fungal mostly for livestock use.
I have only ever avoided using it. However, I have applied sulphur to my soil occasionally. As you know, in a bioreactor environment things are different; the primary goal being multiplying microbes, not providing minerals to the soil.
I’ve bought it by accident at the feed Store where all they had was sulfured. I don’t buy it on purpose.
I tend to think that all it will do is slow things down a little in the start. Maybe some of it consumed as well?
You could be quite right. This is what occurs with fish hydrolysate with added phosphoric acid.
Organilush
Member
I'm considering collecting a small amount of "compost" from a local riparian/oak woodland habitat and using it as a top dress for my fabric pots...Anyone have any 2 cents or input they want to toss my way? Would this offer much benefit, microbes?
We didn't get much rain this time around (north-central California), but the grasses are nice & lush at the moment.
I'm thinking about collecting the layer of soil just beneath the grass, basically pulling a clump of grass to the side and collecting the "compost"/soil beneath and a few inches down...The area is mostly a mix of oak trees, cottonwoods, tall lush grass at the moment, nettles, chickweed, miner's lettuce, etc etc, typical central/northern California riparian/oakwoodland type habitat...Sandy/loamy soil.
Are there specific locations I should gather? Underneath old fallen tress/logs? In the grassy/meadow areas?
Anything else I should consider collecting and utilizing from those sorts of habitats around my area?...I'll likely end up collecting some nettles, and I'll be cutting down some stalks of the giant reeds (invasive) that grow in these habitats to use for trellising & support.
And I won't be collecting much of anything in particular from this area, I'm just a small time backyard grower so I don't need much material and I try to leave as little impact on our planet as possible. It's an area I've been going to a few times a month since middle school. Used to fish there in the past, I've collected milk thistle seed in this area, have started some mushroom patches around there, it's always been my local nature get-away hang out spot.
.
We didn't get much rain this time around (north-central California), but the grasses are nice & lush at the moment.
I'm thinking about collecting the layer of soil just beneath the grass, basically pulling a clump of grass to the side and collecting the "compost"/soil beneath and a few inches down...The area is mostly a mix of oak trees, cottonwoods, tall lush grass at the moment, nettles, chickweed, miner's lettuce, etc etc, typical central/northern California riparian/oakwoodland type habitat...Sandy/loamy soil.
Are there specific locations I should gather? Underneath old fallen tress/logs? In the grassy/meadow areas?
Anything else I should consider collecting and utilizing from those sorts of habitats around my area?...I'll likely end up collecting some nettles, and I'll be cutting down some stalks of the giant reeds (invasive) that grow in these habitats to use for trellising & support.
And I won't be collecting much of anything in particular from this area, I'm just a small time backyard grower so I don't need much material and I try to leave as little impact on our planet as possible. It's an area I've been going to a few times a month since middle school. Used to fish there in the past, I've collected milk thistle seed in this area, have started some mushroom patches around there, it's always been my local nature get-away hang out spot.
.
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
I was in a small restaurant close to home and I was watching the waitresses do their thing during the morning rush. One would dump the coffee filter full of coffee grounds and make a new pot almost every time she walked past the coffee station. The bin next to the station made my heart skip a beat.
I get their coffee grounds for this weekend and pick it up tomorrow afternoon.
I get their coffee grounds for this weekend and pick it up tomorrow afternoon.
I was in a small restaurant close to home and I was watching the waitresses do their thing during the morning rush. One would dump the coffee filter full of coffee grounds and make a new pot almost every time she walked past the coffee station. The bin next to the station made my heart skip a beat.
I get their coffee grounds for this weekend and pick it up tomorrow afternoon.
What about the waitress?
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
Lol.
I like them a little older and not as shy. So maybe their mother.
I like them a little older and not as shy. So maybe their mother.
Rico Swazi
Active member
Looks as good as my thermophilic compost without the work monitoring and turning for a month.
I don't mind the work as I detest the lazy stoner stigma, always have.
Local materials like wood chips and straw have really tightened up since the mill reopened .
https://www.pulpandpapercanada.com/...ft-paper-made-with-agricultural-waste-fibres/
Worse yet, one of my arborist friends told me I would have to pay to play if I wanted any chips going forward.
This may be the last of the thermopiles.
Looks good Rico.
Ain't that the truth.
First dandelion root harvest
First dandelion root harvest
First dandelion root harvest
40degsouth
Well-known member
Hey everyone, hope you're well.
Thanks for everyone's reply re the sulphur. I tried to do some further research into the particular molasses l'm using but to no avail. The % is 0.4 but l couldn't find what percentage is present in unsulphured versus sulphured and the company that produces it has shut down, so l couldn't contact them.
Anyway the leaf spot battle continues and one seed plant is probably %60 infected and the Gojis are about %20-30. I have to act now before the infection gets too bad as it seems to spread rapidly through tissue that is approaching senescence.
l've decided to do three separate sprays and after much research one is going to be a chlorine foliar, calcium chlorinate in prill form; 15gs-20 litres. There's basically no studies done into the efficacy or dosage so it's a fly by the seat of my pants experiment. There's nothing to say it's an organic or nonorganic treatment and the only negative things l could find was that as chlorine hits organic matter it breaks down into chloramenes, that are toxic, and it can damage roots and seedlings. This took me down a bit of a rabbit hole regarding town water that is chlorinated and in some countries, other added elements like floride and their effects on soil. One Goji will get this and the worst effected plants unless someone's got any reasons why l shouldn't??
The ones that are the least effected will continue to get the yeast foliar and the ones in between will get a 1-20 salt water foliar.
I'll keep you updated as per the results.
Cheers,
40.
Thanks for everyone's reply re the sulphur. I tried to do some further research into the particular molasses l'm using but to no avail. The % is 0.4 but l couldn't find what percentage is present in unsulphured versus sulphured and the company that produces it has shut down, so l couldn't contact them.
Anyway the leaf spot battle continues and one seed plant is probably %60 infected and the Gojis are about %20-30. I have to act now before the infection gets too bad as it seems to spread rapidly through tissue that is approaching senescence.
l've decided to do three separate sprays and after much research one is going to be a chlorine foliar, calcium chlorinate in prill form; 15gs-20 litres. There's basically no studies done into the efficacy or dosage so it's a fly by the seat of my pants experiment. There's nothing to say it's an organic or nonorganic treatment and the only negative things l could find was that as chlorine hits organic matter it breaks down into chloramenes, that are toxic, and it can damage roots and seedlings. This took me down a bit of a rabbit hole regarding town water that is chlorinated and in some countries, other added elements like floride and their effects on soil. One Goji will get this and the worst effected plants unless someone's got any reasons why l shouldn't??
The ones that are the least effected will continue to get the yeast foliar and the ones in between will get a 1-20 salt water foliar.
I'll keep you updated as per the results.
Cheers,
40.
