[gaiusmarius]

i guess it makes sense, can't expect natural processes if you don't have all the life forms you would have in a outdoor garden. interesting how you have to make sure to leave them mulch or cover crops so they don't eat the stem or the roots i suppose. been playing with the idea to give it a go.

[paradoxlost]

Just went out into the forest looking for top dress. Found a dozen or so salamanders to add to the beds. So nice. The more complexity you can have going, or the more scales of life you can add to your ecosystem the better.

[troutman]

Using a good Myco Bacteria product will kick start your soil.

[paradoxlost]

Originally Posted by troutman

Using a good Myco Bacteria product will kick start your soil.

Go find an old log and fill up a five gallon of whatever you find underneath. A lot cheaper.

[DrBnz]

Once you learn to get your soil "rocking" to where you have the worms, the poo, all your favorite amendments, you have a thick moist mulch layer which is all populated by a nice microbial colony.... If you peek underneath the mulch... "IF" you hit it right, you'll find all sorts of life. But they don't want out. I don't find them crawling thru my house. They stay where life is good.... Now WORMs are crazy.... they'll go on a WALK A BOUT for no reason. Doesn't matter they don't get far before drying up and there's thousands of them. The deserters carcasses get tossed back on the top mulch layer.

[wasgedn]

springtails are the most important...its funny that the science didnt have pics of living springtails..only pics of dead springtails are out there..
i love that i have rootmites....their are red colored...
i use neem fert and oil and em5 between cycles and water it twice...

[wasgedn]

use myko and bacteria products...or just go with EWC and ACT

[greenfox]

Originally Posted by DrBnz

Once you learn to get your soil "rocking" to where you have the worms, the poo, all your favorite amendments, you have a thick moist mulch layer which is all populated by a nice microbial colony.... If you peek underneath the mulch... "IF" you hit it right, you'll find all sorts of life. But they don't want out. I don't find them crawling thru my house. They stay where life is good.... Now WORMs are crazy.... they'll go on a WALK A BOUT for no reason. Doesn't matter they don't get far before drying up and there's thousands of them. The deserters carcasses get tossed back on the top mulch layer.

Lol this is what my wife was worried about! We could handle a worm or two though

[Photosynthesis]

Once you go long enough you will get good guys inhabiting your soil. I add hypoaspis, pill bugs, worms, and nematodes. Then the rest just naturally come. The pill bugs will over populate very quickly and only 15 or 20 can turn into hundreds very fast.