How To Get Super Bushy Ball Like Plants

[Augestwest]

everything is looking great. I would mulch that soil also.

So funny you say that I was just looking into it and why ppl do it. I'm gonna get a bail of hay this weekend unless you have another idea on what to use. Thanks for the input 50yardline

 

[Seamaiden]

Hay or straw works great.

 

[Augestwest]

Ok and I had a question. I was wondering what are some good teas I could mix up to give the girls? And how often? Just looking for an easy well known mix that works great and isn't super expensive. And the mulch is to keep the soil more moist for longer or? Sorry This is only my second outdoor garden and last year I used roots organic nutrient line which was fine but got kinda spendy. Also how often should I give them the tea? Thanks a lot everyone

 

[50YardLine]

I like a living mulch. Clover and rye works great.

Next I would choose gorilla hair redwood bark, followed by 1/4 inch redwood bark, then large redwood bark.

Hay and straw are not good for many different reasons. One main reason, that stuff is full of chemicals. Even if you can get organic, I would still choose the other products first.

Looking into teas? Look no further, http://microbeorganics.com/ My tea I just use molasses and quality EWC. Good luck.

 

[Augestwest]

That link is kinda confusing. So I need to have a brewer or just an air stone and I let it sit 12-72hrs? whats ewc? Again sorry I'm not super fimiliar with all this.

 

[Paperchase]

Ewc is short for earth worm casting

 

[jimmy the hat]

Im in Sandy/gresham, and just put up a 30x96..... Im kind of winging it as well.....first time outside.....and in a greenhouse..., going to be a light dep come winter.... im running ghost og, face off, gorilla glue, dawgwalker, mtf, Oregon diesel, Mendocino purple kush, jack herer, stardawg, rascal berries and snowmonster, capulators beneficials thread has good tea info....that microbe organics link is golden as well...

 

[50YardLine]

You need a powerful air stone, and I have a nice air lift brewer. To make your tea you mix your water, molasses and earth worm castings. (ewc) Let brew for 36-42 hours, then apply strait to your soil. That sight gives you all the amounts of material to add per volume of water. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Compost tea is one of the most effective things I do in my garden. In fact, I have a brew waiting for me to apply right now.

 

[Seamaiden]

I like a living mulch. Clover and rye works great.

Next I would choose gorilla hair redwood bark, followed by 1/4 inch redwood bark, then large redwood bark.

Hay and straw are not good for many different reasons. One main reason, that stuff is full of chemicals. Even if you can get organic, I would still choose the other products first.

Looking into teas? Look no further, http://microbeorganics.com/ My tea I just use molasses and quality EWC. Good luck.

Are the chemicals the only reason you eschew hay or straw? Because I must ask myself (and I ask myself these kinds of questions all the time), is it better to go with what's been cultivated, or to further strip wild forests?

Tim's advice is the best!

That link is kinda confusing. So I need to have a brewer or just an air stone and I let it sit 12-72hrs? whats ewc? Again sorry I'm not super fimiliar with all this.

You need worm castings and sugar of some sort, along with water and sufficient air movement. You don't want any dead areas or the tea may go anaerobic. If you go with something like an aquarium air pump, you'll be limited to smaller buckets. I went with a loud-ass air pump and built an aerator out of PVC for my brewing needs. Let me see if I have a video uploaded... brb.

Ok, 15 seconds of bubbling. I thought I'd done a video showing how I dry-fitted the PVC, all holes facing the bottom (so the PVC doesn't get filled with gunk while brewing, it really works very, very well) and fitted to the trash can, but I didn't. So, this is my brewing trash can (a 45gal rolling can from WalMart) bubbling away. This is the kind of movement you want, irrespective of the size of the container.

 

[geologic]

 

[Augestwest]

Ok thanks for clearing things up for me everyone. I'm gonna get a couple air pumps and start brewing then. anyone ever do a side by side conparison with and without this tea?

 

[geologic]

Ok thanks for clearing things up for me everyone. I'm gonna get a couple air pumps and start brewing then. anyone ever do a side by side conparison with and without this tea?

I think I've seen some side-by-side comparisons in Cap's Forum--
...

 

[Augestwest]

Ok another question is iv been reading about the water you use. I live on a well do I still need to worry about getting an RO or is my well water fine to use right out the hose?

 

[derkaderk]

Check you water departments website for last years water analysis results.,..only if available.(im on well water, but through a municipal water district. ) if you have your own well, you would need to have it tested. As long as there is no added chlorine or chloromine I think you should be fine.

 

[Augestwest]

Ok yea I'm on my own private well that is for my house only. How do I test it? Pool test kit or sonthibg

 

[50YardLine]

Send your water into Logan Labs. Every well is different and local water statements are not 100% accurate. I test my well 3 times a year with my soil samples and it varies every time.

As for a side by side with teas, just make one tea and water with it. All your plants will turn a shade or two greener and start praying to the sun gods. No doubt, compost teas are second to none. (in organics)

@Seamaiden I also don't like the fact that the hay will dampen down, and start to mold up pretty good. I don't mind my soil surface having some active mold breaking down material. However I find the hay will stay moist longer than the surface soil needs to be. Also, redwood bark is a renewable resource that is in great excess atm. No worries about stripping nature at all from me regarding redwood mulch.

 

[Blaze]

I like a living mulch. Clover and rye works great.

Next I would choose gorilla hair redwood bark, followed by 1/4 inch redwood bark, then large redwood bark.

Hay and straw are not good for many different reasons. One main reason, that stuff is full of chemicals. Even if you can get organic, I would still choose the other products first.

Looking into teas? Look no further, http://microbeorganics.com/ My tea I just use molasses and quality EWC. Good luck.

Some good advice right here. Straw and hay are crap, one of the worst mulches you can use in my opinion. Exceptionally poor weed suppression, adds very little to the soil, and it creates a great habitat for rodents and soil pathogens to live in. There is no advantage to using either over any of the other options out there. You can find specific mulch mixes if you look around or even just use good compost. I like the vineyard mulch mix a local company makes which is essentially a very coarse compost with lots of woody organic matter.

 

[50YardLine]

One of the best mulches I have ever used was from the Earth Worm Farm in Chico ca. They screen their castings and any wood pieces that are about 1/2"-1 1/2" are then left for mulch. So alive and active.

I have also grown fond of the living mulch. Then about half way through the season when the plants start to shade out the cover crop, I then start slowly adding up to 2" of EWC in my beds. That become mulch that then breaks down the living mulch that was dying off, leaving fresh humus. Don't add the EWC all at once, as that tends to heat the soil too much with the cover crop breaking down all at once.

BTW - Logan labs you can find testing info on their website. LoganLabs.com

 

[Augestwest]

another question I have is are you running other nutrients as well or only tea brews

 

[50YardLine]

I grow large outdoor plants, but yes: teas, top dressing and nutrient feeds. My large plants eat it up.