Radogast 2 - Return of the Clones

Radogast said:
Sorry there nhteatime. That post is rather cryptic.
I may have been trying to hide my incompetence with brevity :)

I basically was watching the side of the jar when I dumped an estimated 2oz of molasses in my bubbling bucket of water.

The molasses was beautiful as it landed on the bottom of the bucket and spread out through the water like an octopus emerging from a hidden cleft in a rock.
It was so pretty I poured just a touch more.

That thick molasses coat on the side of the jar concealed how much I was actually pouring, so I dropped more than twice the intended molasses in the jar. But the molasses slowly draining down the side of the jar had it's own seductive beauty.

Since the beneficial soil microbes should be expanding exponentially to eat the molasses, and are basically limited from expanding forever by the amount of molasses, it probably isn't a big deal.

Then again, who cares. The entertainment value of pouring the molasses was magnificent.

:circle-of-love:

Want to know the best part? I haven't smoked or vaped in a dozen days.
Having mildly psychedelic appreciation of physics is my natural state of mind :)


So.... which share is more lucid? The cryptic one or the space cadet version?
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I love the way your mind works Rad. This was all something I could see myself doing. I had to laugh, because I was reading it and thinking "what was he smoking?" LOL!

I keep my jar of molasses on the kitchen counter to remind myself to take a tablespoon twice a day. I begin and end each day with a spoon full. I like to believe it makes me healthier and might keep my hair it's natural blonde pigment longer. It's an ongoing experiment, although I have never had any problem with going grey. The concept just fascinated me and so the experiment began. My grandpa always started his day with a cup of milk mixed with molasses that he chilled overnight, and he was the most vigorous man I ever met. I want to stay vigorous as I grow older. He also had a full head of white hair, so maybe that doesn't work like that. :laughtwo::green_heart:
 
We store ours over winter in the bedroom. I like to make them chime to wake the hubby in the morning.
 
xtrchessreal said:
My wind chime is broken :(
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If you mean an actual wind chime with broken strings,
all you need to do is get some new string and hang them all at about the same height.

If your meaning is an existential mantra or a psychological plea for help,
you're on your own dude !

(My big fountain is broken and I keep it bottled deep inside like the man I am :) hah!)
 
You are such a hoot Rad! :laughtwo: I love stopping by here. :Love:
 
I'm still struggling with soil recipes.

I know there are proven mixes, but I keep returning to ideas about what is natural.
A large amount of peat moss or other "soil-less" soil just doesn't seem right.

I have no problem with crab shell (or the New a England version; lobster shell.)
It seems natural for a plant to grow in a shell mound/midden.

I have no problem with neem. It is the lucky seed that germinates beside a fallen neem branch.

A high quantity of peat moss doesn't seem right. Do plants grow naturally in high peat moss soil?
 
Radogast said:
I'm still struggling with soil recipes.

I know there are proven mixes, but I keep returning to ideas about what is natural.
A large amount of peat moss or other "soil-less" soil just doesn't seem right.

I have no problem with crab shell (or the New a England version; lobster shell.)
It seems natural for a plant to grow in a shell mound/midden.

I have no problem with neem. It is the lucky seed that germinates beside a fallen neem branch.

A high quantity of peat moss doesn't seem right. Do plants grow naturally in high peat moss soil?
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There's not much nutrient value in the peat bogs to support plant life. The plants that grow naturally in peat bogs include the gloriously beautiful sundews - one of my favorite carnivorous plants. I keep meaning to get a couple to catch fungus gnats. :laughtwo:

Forgive the teacher who reared her head at this post.

It's not natural to raise cannabis indoors. To do so successfully we must make accommodations to offer the plant the greatest chance of success. Sphagnum peat moss is an integral part of those accommodations for all of the reasons listed below and garnered from the link I attached.

Characteristics and Qualities of Sphagnum Peat Moss

Sphagnum peat moss has many uses in horticulture because of its excellent physical and chemical properties. It can be used as a seed-starting medium, mixed into potting mixes added to compost, and incorporated into the soil as a beneficial amendment that binds sandy soil, loosens clay soil, and reduces leaching of nutrients. Peat moss is a natural, organic soil conditioner, with a unique structure that provides a good balance of air and water around plant roots for healthy plant growth.
Important Properties of Sphagnum Peat

pH
pH is a measure of the soil's acidity or alkalinity. Peat has a pH of 3.5-4.5, described on the pH scale as very acid. It can be used as a soil amendment to lower the pH of the soil, and is especially good when growing acid-Ioving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, and blueberries. The pH of soil mixes containing peat can be easily adjusted using lime for plants that require a pH that is closer to neutral (7.0).
Organic Matter
Organic matter is an important part of healthy soil. Peat contains more than 95% organic matter (and less than 2% ash) making it a beneficial amendment that improves soil structure and the activity of soil microorganisms.
Cation Exchange Capacity
The cation exchange capacity (C.E.C.) indicates a soil's ability to adsorb and hold nutrients until they are needed by plants. Sphagnum peat has an excellent cation exchange capacity value of 110 to 130. Sandy soils have a C.E.C. of 2 to 4, while clay soils have a C.E.C. of 4 to 60, indicating a poor ability to adsorb and hold nutrients.
Pore Volume
Pore volume indicates a soil's ability to hold water and air. Sphagnum peat has a pore volume of more than 96%, which makes it an excellent material for potting mixes and soil improvement. Fine sand has about 45% total porosity, while a clay loam has about 60%.
Nitrogen Content
Peat contains 0.5% to 2.5% total nitrogen. However, the nitrogen held in peat is not quickly released so it is not always available for plants to use. Additional nitrogen fertilizer may be needed for healthy plant growth.

Practical Benefits of Using Sphagnum Peat Moss
Adds organic matter. Sphagnum peat is high in organic matter, which can be used to
improve the structure of soil

Holds moisture. Sphagnum peat can hold up to 20 times its dry weight in moisture. The water is released slowly to plants as needed, resulting in less frequent watering needed.

Aerates heavy soils. Sphagnum peat helps loosen and aerate clay soils to allow for proper root growth and development.

Binds sandy soils. Sphagnum peat adds body to light, sandy soil to help it retain water and nutrients.

Holds fertilizer and prevents leaching. Sphagnum peat stores nutrients and reduces leaching of nutrients that are easily lost.

Protects soil. Sphagnum peat protects the soil from hardening and reduces the potential for erosion due to wind and heavy rain.

Decomposes slowly. Sphagnum peat decomposes slowly over several years compared to other types of organic matter such as compost, that decompose within one year.

Sustainable resource. Sphagnum peat is a living resource that accumulates in the natural environment by as much as 1⁄8 inch to 1⁄4 inch every year under favorable conditions. Responsible peatland management and harvesting is key to maintaining an inexhaustible source of peat

Just a little food for thought on this snowy winter day Rad.

Radogast said:
And I love stopping by your grow. The comradery you have with SoilGirl and CoOrganics really works.
You bring out the best statements from them, just as you bring out the best performance from cfl bulbs.
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What a lovely compliment Rad. It brought a big smile to my face. :love:
 
The main issue I'm aware of with harvesters of peat moss is the amount of carbon they release harvesting it. There is est of 562 billion tons of carbon being Stored in the bogs On earth that make up of 3% of the covered land. When they drain the bogs they release carbon, when they harvest they release carbon and they continue to release carbon after they're harvested. It also takes these areas 3000 years to grow back.

If you think we're going to run out of bananas and chocolate in the near future as the media likes to say, what do u think about the bogs holding all this carbon...

Now yes I am a tree hugger and a hippy, but I also don't see a reason a organic gardener would want to use this. Your worried about your body but not the planet? Just food for thought.
Why Not To Use Peat Moss: Organic Gardening

Much love all, keep it going green in here rado!

I&I
 
A very compelling argument Gf.
 
Every plant on earth collects Carbon Dioxide and every plant that is cut down or just dies naturally releases the Carbon it had stored over its life time as it decays and even faster if set ablaze. The net is zero difference, amount going in comes back out. However, old bogs and swamps as well as forests that took thousands of years to grow cannot be replaced in one human lifetime. The oil, coal, shale, tar sands, and gas that is being pulled from deep beneath the surface is being burned which otherwise would have stayed where it was. This releases tons of CO2 that has no forests big enough to suck it back in. Occasionally volcanoes erupt and spew more CO2 in one day than we could by burning oil, coal...etc in a year.
Add to that the vast dead zones in the ocean we are creating with our factory farm industrial run off that include all sorts of fertilizers and other chemicals that are toxic. Our dwindling fresh water supplies being used to inject fracking wells. There really is just one thing to say at this point. Humans lost, they just don't know it yet.
Many actually know it but there is nothing we can do about it anymore. And the real sad thing is it was never about feeding the starving it was about that stock climbing.
Did you know Fukashima is spilling 300,000 tons of radiated water into the ocean everyday and has been everyday since the tsunami hit. The fish that are being caught in vast nets off the west coast of America are radiated, its been known for a year now. There are also steam plumes still going into the air from that plant and it is raining on you now. They have been using homeless people in Japan to help clean the mess because people are dying after they are exposed long enough - even worse than Chernobyl - nice way to get rid of the homeless eh? The EPA and the International Energy Commission that regulates how much a person can be exposed have in the last two years raised the previous standard by 4 times the amount.

I say oh well, I am still a vegan and will be until the end whenever that may be. I feel bad about delivering all that info and thought about erasing it. Who wants to have their high, downed? But it is true to the best of my knowledge and I don't like being dishonest. If I am found wrong then its better for all of us right? :)

:peace:
 
Your 100% correct, reason I'm 25 with a fiance of 7 years and we still talk about how this world is fudged Up to much to bring a child into. However

This is on that kink I posted
the world’s peat bogs store approximately 562 billion tons of carbon—more than all the trees in the world, and roughly equivalent to half the carbon currently in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, or CO2.

So you are 100% correct, but harvesting peat moss is undeniably terrible for us to do, when the main use of it is for a growing medium when we can easily use coco fibers as the same thing. Or just soil like the plant is intended to grow in

I&I

Edit : it'll be nice when the world can grow cannabis and hemp again with no fear. It'll clean the world up nicely. Including the air we breath ;)
 
This has been an informative discussion and one that has had me thinking as I go about my chores. It's unfortunate that I didn't take the time to research this earlier. The best I can do now is use the massive amount of peat moss I was left with after I mixed my soil in a responsible way so that it wasn't a waste of resources. I'm a micro grower with a plan to stick with no-tills, so what I purchased will last me the rest of my life.

Gf, my hope is that the children we bring into this crazy world may discover creative solutions to amend the damage we, as a species, seem hell-bent on inflicting on each other and the planet. The love they bring soothes the soul and give hope for the many tomorrow's to come.

I'm an incurable optimist. :laughtwo::green_heart:
 
Sweetsue said:
This has been an informative discussion and one that has had me thinking as I go about my chores. It's unfortunate that I didn't take the time to research this earlier. The best I can do now is use the massive amount of peat moss I was left with after I mixed my soil in a responsible way so that it wasn't a waste of resources. I'm a micro grower with a plan to stick with no-tills, so what I purchased will last me the rest of my life.

Gf, my hope is that the children we bring into this crazy world may discover creative solutions to amend the damage we, as a species, seem hell-bent on inflicting on each other and the planet. The love they bring soothes the soul and give hope for the many tomorrow's to come.

I'm an incurable optimist. :laughtwo::green_heart:
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It's not a simple issue with peat moss. The argument against hinges on available reserves.
The argument for hinges on replacement of peat biomass equates to sustainability.
To a certain extent they are both right.

Coco coir would seem a good replacement, but there are issues with variable salt context.
I now wonder about giving coco coir to my worms !
 
Sub leaf mold for SPM in the CC mix if you are able to. Go get a rake in the spring, 1/4" screen, and a sturdy cardboard box. Go harvest the leaf mold that's already below natural piles of leaves in the forest. There will be a thin layer of brown/black fluffy organic goodness to be scraped up and harvested. Or pile up some leaves and wait a couple years....

... Or buy SPM one time in the mean time to get the ball rolling. I'm just saying...

I bought some, am using it, having fantastic results...
All the while I have leaf mold started and I will never have to buy peat again. But I'm really glad I followed the recipe to start. I have confidence in the long term capability of the soil because folks a hell of a lot smarter than myself designed and tested it.
 
Thanks for that CO. I was just getting ready to research a viable substitute for SPM, in the interest of being ecologically proactive, and you saved me the time and effort. I agree with you on starting with the original recipe. I still wish it would have been possible to purchase less SPM, but I'll make good use of it setting up some permaculture wicking totes for the balcony that will grow fruits, veggies and flowers for years to come. Before I'm done I'll be farming the entire front of our building. The four apartments on the front of our building are connected by the fire escape, and all four are rented by members of my immediate family - us, our daughter, my brother and Dale's brother. It's like a little family enclave and none of them will say no to my request to plant in their spaces.
 
Radogast said:
It's not a simple issue with peat moss. The argument against hinges on available reserves.
The argument for hinges on replacement of peat biomass equates to sustainability.
To a certain extent they are both right.

Coco coir would seem a good replacement, but there are issues with variable salt context.
I now wonder about giving coco coir to my worms !
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How are the worms taking to the coco coir? As I type that I had to laugh, because worms thrive on neglect, so I almost never go looking anymore. I only disturb them for their weekly feeding.
 
I screened my worm bin and was surprised by how much worm shit I got. I had just harvested castings a month ago too. Once they get rocking they produce!

I'm getting 4 gal of castings/month now. Which is more than I need for a small handful of indoor plants.

In a few year I can sell castings and buy cool gardening things I want with the money.
 
Sweetsue said:
Thanks for that CO. I was just getting ready to research a viable substitute for SPM, in the interest of being ecologically proactive, and you saved me the time and effort. I agree with you on starting with the original recipe. I still wish it would have been possible to purchase less SPM, but I'll make good use of it setting up some permaculture wicking totes for the balcony that will grow fruits, veggies and flowers for years to come. Before I'm done I'll be farming the entire front of our building. The four apartments on the front of our building are connected by the fire escape, and all four are rented by members of my immediate family - us, our daughter, my brother and Dale's brother. It's like a little family enclave and none of them will say no to my request to plant in their spaces.
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I'd never turn down a balcony garden complete with gardener :)
 
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