LucifDERRR said:

Im going tommorow to collect forest soil ive been busy but I got an idea from the link shem posted, im gonna cook some rice as a substrate/carbohydrate source put in a Tupperware, cover it with a plastic film with holes, throw the forest soil on top, put the lid on with holes and throw it in a box with a heating pad and wait for the mycylium to build up and then brew it :cool:

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Smokeloot said:

Why not just buy some from Home Depot? Or is that a no no

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Seamaiden said:

You're on the right track as far as I'm familiar with this method of culturing endogenous microorganisms. IIRC you're supposed to use a cedar box, but I bet it's mostly to do with moisture regulation.

Are you doing any other kinds of fermentation? Have you done, for example, fermented plant teas or juices as a fertilizing source? If not, give it a thought and for the love of God, DON'T stay married to the same-old same-old "Oh, you've gotta use comfrey, you've gotta use nettle, horsetail, etc!" Because the fact of the matter is this--if you're like me, these plants don't grow well in your area. That means you've either got to culture them (what? All that water? Not on my watch!) or buy them (again, huh? What's the point then?). What I do is use what's actively growing around me, paying attention to parts. My favorite example, and I swear to God I got this idea from @Bulldog11 was when I used spent Camellia blossoms to get a difficult and expensive (and now dead) rhododendron to bloom. Drought took it out!

He's trying to culture what is known as EM-1, or endogenous (native) microorganisms. You can't get that from a bag, you *have* to use your native, or endogenous soils. You can buy EM-1, but you're getting somebody else's endogenous microorganisms. Make sense?

Here's that soil survey browser linkage: http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/

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LucifDERRR said:

I know i read it that a wooden box is best maybe some certain fungi grow better/faster because of the cedar or something? Just my theory haha. No I haven't done any fermented plant teas only because I need to read up on what plant or leaves would be the most beneficial and which could be harmful (im sure there stuff out that could be harmful right?) Unless you dont mind sharing what your favorite stuff to ferment is or recipes :)

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Newenglander said:

Yes go too menu, use the zoom into function to find your location, use the mouse too click on the location. On left hand side will pop up a side bar menu, then click on map unit composition. Then click on the actual type of soil. This will show the typical composition of that soil region. Including taxonomy, erodibility, hydraulic ratings, ph, SAR, linear xtensibility percent. They also include block diagram models.

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LucifDERRR said:

I know i read it that a wooden box is best maybe some certain fungi grow better/faster because of the cedar or something? Just my theory haha. No I haven't done any fermented plant teas only because I need to read up on what plant or leaves would be the most beneficial and which could be harmful (im sure there stuff out that could be harmful right?) Unless you dont mind sharing what your favorite stuff to ferment is or recipes :)

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LucifDERRR said:

I read a thread on here where someone threw a bunch of seeds into a Tupperware and had a bit of water if im not mistaken and made em germinate and blended them into a roost boosting juice. Im not sure in you were floating around that thread @Seamaiden but I thought it was pretty genius !

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Seamaiden said:

Sprouted seed tea, I'm familiar with it. It's also actually healthy for you to eat, many people sprout their seeds, lentils for example, then add 2% brine and lacto-ferment them for further health benefits, so they're good for people, too.

I started using malted barley extract YEARS ago. I was simply not wanting to waste my husband's leftover malted barley extract from his homebrewing, so I used it for making teas and feeding and such. Well, I got some pretty nice results, even though I had no idea what I was doing or why I got those results. I relayed that information to some people, a couple of cup winners smoked my smoke and really liked it, so I told some more, etc.

Malted barley is barley that's been sprouted, then roasted. When you sprout it, it's generating lots and lots of sugars along with releasing a whole bunch of growth compounds and hormones and the like. This happens with all seeds, but barley is the one that seems to really pack a (sugar) punch. Barley is the most popular fodder for farmers doing fresh sprouted fodder because it seems to bring about best performance in their animals as well (I'm talking everything from laying hens to dairy cattle to meat animals).

So, yeah. You can absolutely harness the power of other plants very easily, and you don't have to stay married to any one particular plant. Except Mary. You have to stay married to Mary.

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Seamaiden said:

Hrm, I'm not getting the map unit composition. I wonder if it could be my browser because I'm only getting a limited interface. Thank you though, I'm gonna try it using Firefox.

No, you don't need to read up on which particular plants are best, not really. Just be mindful of parts. For example, growing tips are translocating N and probably have a higher amount of certain growth hormones. Flowers will have a bit more P and K, and again, those associated hormones.

I use what's actively growing around me. Why? Because it's growing without my intervention and I'm not spending time, energy and my precious water trying to grow a plant to grow a plant (see how ridiculous that sounds?). If it's already growing, it's in my sites. So for example woolly mullein grows very well in certain areas where I am whereas comfrey requires HUGE amounts of water. Woolly mullein is a biennial plant and so I know that certain things are happening when it's actually in a flowering mode vs vegetative growth mode. I just harvest what I want (leaves, especially new growth for my vegging plants, flower spikes for flowering), chop it up really well and stick it in a bucket, then cover with water and let it set for a week or so. That water is then used to feed my plants. If you want it to go faster, add sugars, that'll spur more fermentation.

Of course, if you prefer to focus on what plants are 'best' that's your prerogative, but it is absolutely *not* necessary.

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LucifDERRR said:

Can you use an actual flower? Or would you recommend another part of a flowering/fruiting plant? Googling stuff just became more fun im searching like crazy.

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LucifDERRR said:

Anynody just use fermented whole bananas as a supplement for ya ladies? I think its the only fruit I have laying around for the moment

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