No-till thread

[spondy]

Great thread loads of good info can't believe it's not been pinned 

[Ombudsman]

Hoooraayy! Finally made it to the end of the thread  took me a few evenings but was good fun and learned loads. Thanks everyone for the great input

 

So I have pretty much found everything im looking for, however Im still looking for malted barley and am hoping for some advice, Im looking at 2 options online:

 

Whole Barley 500g    ..OR..    Organic Diastatic Barley Malt Powder 250g

 

so this 'mbp' has me a little confused, can anyone help?

 

also curious to know, instead of making sprouted teas, could i just sprout the corn/alfalfa.... blend it up.. and top dress with it? instead of bubbling and diluting? i may consider teas and all of the KNFs that I have been seeing but just really want to focus on building an epic soil right now  

 

I still need to find some 'EWC' earthworm castings also (feel free to pm me if you know a great online supplier) planning to have a search for some good quality stuff this week 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Ombudsman said:

 Im still looking for malted barley and am hoping for some advice, Im looking at 2 options online:

 

Whole Barley 500g    ..OR..    Organic Diastatic Barley Malt Powder 250g

 

so this 'mbp' has me a little confused, can anyone help?

 

Go for the whole barley. Something like this, then grind it when required. Something like this... https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=166

 

 

8 hours ago, Ombudsman said:

 

also curious to know, instead of making sprouted teas, could i just sprout the corn/alfalfa.... blend it up.. and top dress with it? instead of bubbling and diluting? i may consider teas and all of the KNFs that I have been seeing but just really want to focus on building an epic soil right now  

 

Kind of yes, but as a drench. No need to bubble anything. Sprout seeds over few days, then blend with some water, dilute and use as a drench. You can top dress MBP though.  I've used alfalfa and corn, but really any seed  that sprouts easily can be purposed. I've wondered about trying hemp seeds from the fishing shop... hmm on the to do list!

 

8 hours ago, Ombudsman said:

I still need to find some 'EWC' earthworm castings also (feel free to pm me if you know a great online supplier) planning to have a search for some good quality stuff this week 

 

Good luck with that. I think this is really the hardest part. Easy to find but not always that biologically active imo. I got given a bag. I use them on my garden but not my indoor garden. The brought ones are very different to home grown. In texture and smell. Personally I'd see if someone you know has a decent compost heap and have a butchers. You might find you have all the castings right there till you get your own worm bin up and running. 

 

Good luck fella. 

[Ombudsman]

@bobnudd   cheers for the great advice, and pointing me in the right direction in getting malted barley - less than half price for double the amount compared to what i was looking at before!

also, due to having to pay the courier charge, i got a few kilos to even it out, was this stupid of me? (went for the uncrushed)

 

cheers for drenching advice  

 

Regarding EWC, i see one option and a supplier told me its 'organic' and biologically active, im hoping to hear back from them to hear what their diet is also. anyway i may give the stuff a go.

Worm Bin - i got one just over a month ago, so a bit more time till i get some stuff from it, ive been feeding them food scrap compost/garden soil/coco , i may chuck some egg shells in there also? anything else highly recommended? 

 

also, i mention this because my worm bin has compost worms and not really earthworms, is there a big difference in the resulting worm castings?

 

So, Im happy to say ive aquired a bunch of ingredients for my soil mix!!!!!!! went a little wild - but i dont regret a penny of it  really excited for no till

 

here is the pic for my collection so far: (more on the way, see list below)

 

CONFIRMED Full List:

• PEAT MOSS
• COCO COIR
• BIOCHAR
• NEEM CAKE
• KELP MEAL
• BEETLE FRASS
• RICE HUSK
• CRUSHED LAVA ROCK
• MYCO (rootgrow) - will only add this directly to roots when repotting
• BARLEY STAW - mulch layer
• CHITIN CRAB MEAL
• GYPSUM (calcium sulphate)
• ROCKDUST
• EGG SHELLS
• MALTED BARLEY POWDER - ok for a soil mix? or only as a top dress?
• COMPOST FROM GARDEN COMPOST BIN MADE OF ALL SORTS OF FOOD SCRAPS
• GARDEN SOIL - not that great in my opinion
• COVER CROP - WHITE / RED CLOVER SEEDS + MIX PACK OF Forage Rye, English Early Common Vetch, Minerva Maple Peas and Italian Ryegrass (are these all suitable?)

 

So, this is my ingredients, but i dont have a recipe!!!!! i know some of these items serve the same/similar purpose, but i will still use them all for added variety

i hope someone can help give rough advice on amounts of each to use, im thinking of making main mix from- peat moss, coco coir, rice husk, crushed lava rock, garden compost, garden soil - not sure on ratio yet.. ? probs will keep it fairly even between them all with slightly more of the compost

 

for the rest, just thinking of mixing in a handful or two! 

this mix will for be indoor and outdoor pots, and some ingredients a top dress for guerilla patch

 

if anyone can help me categorise this list as to which things serve a similar purpose, i think that would be great for everyone!  

 

any input/comment/advice really appreciated!!!! have a good bank holiday!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[muffintop]

The majority of those wont cause you any issues with burning the plant, apart from the insect frass. Make sure you let the soil cook for a while if you are mixing it in, and follow the application guidelines. This thread will have all the information you need.

Edited April 14, 2017 by muffintop

[Guest]

Hi @Ombudsman , great list of ingredients you've picked up there. Nice one for finding all them . Can't answer all your questions but here's a bit of help 

 

 

got a few kilos to even it out, was this stupid of me? (went for the uncrushed)

Reckon it was wise mate. Postage costs suck, plus this shit is good in your compost / worm bin too. 

 

On 13/04/2017 at 4:48 PM, Ombudsman said:

 

cheers for drenching advice  

 

Regarding EWC, i see one option and a supplier told me its 'organic' and biologically active, im hoping to hear back from them to hear what their diet is also. anyway i may give the stuff a go.

Worm Bin - i got one just over a month ago, so a bit more time till i get some stuff from it, ive been feeding them food scrap compost/garden soil/coco , i may chuck some egg shells in there also? anything else highly recommended? 

 

Sounds good if you trust the source mate. Egg shells make sure you grind em up or take for ever to break down. You can put any of your amendments in you bin. Worms spitting them out as supercharged castings.  One really good input is alfalfa hay from the horse merchant. Get mycelium (santas beard white fuzz ) within days of adding that. My bin loves melon, that stuff is crawling with worms. To get it going good, blend your food before feeding the bin. Avoid onions garlic, citrus. 

 

 

On 13/04/2017 at 4:48 PM, Ombudsman said:

 

also, i mention this because my worm bin has compost worms and not really earthworms, is there a big difference in the resulting worm castings?

Compist worms what you want. They perform the garbage disposal on mass. 

 

On 13/04/2017 at 4:48 PM, Ombudsman said:

So, Im happy to say ive aquired a bunch of ingredients for my soil mix!!!!!!! went a little wild - but i dont regret a penny of it  really excited for no till

 

here is the pic for my collection so far: (more on the way, see list below)

 

CONFIRMED Full List:

• PEAT MOSS
• COCO COIR
• BIOCHAR
• NEEM CAKE
• KELP MEAL
• BEETLE FRASS
• RICE HUSK
• CRUSHED LAVA ROCK
• MYCO (rootgrow) - will only add this directly to roots when repotting
• BARLEY STAW - mulch layer
• CHITIN CRAB MEAL
• GYPSUM (calcium sulphate)
• ROCKDUST
• EGG SHELLS
• MALTED BARLEY POWDER - ok for a soil mix? or only as a top dress?
• COMPOST FROM GARDEN COMPOST BIN MADE OF ALL SORTS OF FOOD SCRAPS
• GARDEN SOIL - not that great in my opinion
• COVER CROP - WHITE / RED CLOVER SEEDS + MIX PACK OF Forage Rye, English Early Common Vetch, Minerva Maple Peas and Italian Ryegrass (are these all suitable?)

 

 

Lot of stuff. All good. Break it it down into nutrient amendments and structure. 

 

Nutes - I'd go with per 30 litres 1/2 cup of everything and 1 cup kelp. 

This is neem, kelp , frass, crab. I'd mix it all in a container say 3 cups of everything bar kelp. 6 of kelp. Then you have right portions for top dress etc. 

 

Mbp ok in mix. 1 cup

 

gypsum - I think 1/4 but read up

 

rockdust and biochar 2 cups

 

rice not used hear it compacts. So not so good in beds. I'd go plenty of lava rock of perlite. IMO more aerated the better. Like 30% aeration. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 13/04/2017 at 4:48 PM, Ombudsman said:

So, this is my ingredients, but i dont have a recipe!!!!! i know some of these items serve the same/similar purpose, but i will still use them all for added variety

i hope someone can help give rough advice on amounts of each to use, im thinking of making main mix from- peat moss, coco coir, rice husk, crushed lava rock, garden compost, garden soil - not sure on ratio yet.. ? probs will keep it fairly even between them all with slightly more of the compost

 

for the rest, just thinking of mixing in a handful or two! 

this mix will for be indoor and outdoor pots, and some ingredients a top dress for guerilla patch

 

if anyone can help me categorise this list as to which things serve a similar purpose, i think that would be great for everyone!  

 

any input/comment/advice really appreciated!!!! have a good bank holiday!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jimmyarm]

I am embarking on my no till adventure

 

A quick question, when applying foliar sprays (neem, aloe etc) how do you stop the leaves getting scorched ?

 

Everytime I get a little bit of water on the leaves I end up with burnt spots

 

Does the finer spray stop this or do you only do it just before lights out to give it time to dry out ? 

[muffintop]

I grow under LED, so I don't have any issues. I would be foliar feeding just before lights out, if you are using other lighting.

[Fragg]

@Jimmyarm for foliar yes do it just before lights out or you will cause issues mate as you have noticed, a fine spray is always preferable but just from a coverage POV I find.  It tends to clog though when I use it for ACT foliar, as I have too much crap floating in it  

 

HTH

[Jimmyarm]

Thanks guys

 

I've been running autos under 24hr light so far so will have to try a little dark period and see how it goes.

 

I've just filled a 50 ish litre square fabric pot with my sekrit blend of herbs and spices and planted the cover crop in preparation for using it in a month or so to grow a monster auto blue kush 

[muffintop]

I finally got round to making some EM-1, after reading up on it and many of its uses. I Just applied some to the bin to deal with smell, I will add some to the steam cleaner later for cleaning the bathroom. No-till will get some once this plant has finished up.

[muffintop]

I don't usually post pictures, but I thought I would show what mephisto genetics and no-till can do in a 30 litre fabric pot, using LST and under LED. (Hubbabubbasmelloscope)

 

Edited April 25, 2017 by muffintop

[Jimboo]

Nice mate 

[Guest]

Get in @catfish, you should post more if they're like that! No Till army! How many days is that as she looks pretty much spotless coming to the end...

[Guest]

Posting these just cause its always good as a reminder of what we are trying to create indoors based on outdoors. I'm locking my cat in the drobe tonight. Catch that thrush....