The Ranch

[Organikz]

@RanchoDeluxe
You haven't listened to the new podcasts from tad? He is using an MBP only mix. Here's the trick. Vermicomposting with coots layering method. 4" compost, 4 cup of MBP, kelp, neem, and aeration, 4" compost, rinse and repeat. All of the minerals and even the PGRs and even the limonoids stay intact. This is all done in a 300g smartpot.

After a year all u need is SPM and a bit of aeration.

 

[Dunge]

This idea of sprouting barley is interesting.
Is it the amylase you are going for?
Do you mash the sprouts and put in tea?

 

[Rcubed]

I'm old school man. I have never even used MBP. I sprout my own barley and use it as a tea and topdress. Far cheaper and even better IMO. MBP is for the masses that only want convenience. Fresh is best.

I live just a few miles from PN. I'm guessing you moved to Montucky fairly recently? I only say this because no one around here gives a driving distance by the hour...it's always in miles.
This is No-till. Your wallet shouldn't sweat at all. The list of soil ingredients I gave you is all you need to get started. It will save you a ton of money at the end of the day. Your patients will be very happy and you won't end up losing them to a guy like me!
RD

Hey RD would there be any benefit of planting barley as a cover crop? Will the sprouting seeds release the same enzymes? Or is there more of a benefit of sprouting, drying, and using as a top dress? I can get bulk barley seed from my feed store for super cheap so I'm thinking of just planting them in the containers I'm prepping.

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

Ha! Yeah, sorry. I've got a bad case of information overload going right now. Some of the good things I heard about MBP was related to vermiculture, and I have been reading about sprouted seed teas, which sound interesting... Just a lot to soak up! ( for me):)
But yes, your list of ingredients is pretty much what I have listed a page back.
Where I end up sourcing all of this is still up in the air. PN has the compost I want in stock , maybe the CSPM too. My local shop actually some of those inputs in bulk. I might throw some love towards Tad too. His mineral mix sounds sweet, and I am in Seattle pretty often.

Get peat moss at Lowe's or HD, much cheaper. PN carries amendments from NW Concentrates. They are Superior and cheaper than the down to Earth brand your shop likely carries. You want to buy 50lb sacks of everything.

 

[Ceveres]

Little late to the party but I'm subbed. There's a wealth of information here displayed in a way that takes away the intimidation of no-till farming. I like your no-nonsense approach to it all.

 

[brazel]

I have worms outdoors in a shed that have seen -15F this year w a 125 lamp under the bin. Posted a pic already.

The Red wiggler is known as a composting or manure worm. For some reason it does well in manure and compost! When I first started I would feed my bin alot of veggie scraps and would wonder why it took so long to get some vermicompost. 99% of what goes into my worm bins is simply compost.

Word, you've always eliminated, so I should've known! You're also way more chill now! Ha

 

[brazel]

Hey RD would there be any benefit of planting barley as a cover crop? Will the sprouting seeds release the same enzymes? Or is there more of a benefit of sprouting, drying, and using as a top dress? I can get bulk barley seed from my feed store for super cheap so I'm thinking of just planting them in the containers I'm prepping.

Not as much in cover crop, more top dressing. Read what is beneficial between the two and what one can do that another can't.

 

[Rcubed]

Not as much in cover crop, more top dressing. Read what is beneficial between the two and what one can do that another can't.

I guess I can't go wrong either way. They're liking barley as a cover crop in this video.

 

[brazel]

I guess I can't go wrong either way. They're liking barley as a cover crop in this video.

You can, barley good legume better together they rad

 

[brazel]

I didn't watch the whole video, all you need to know is what they do

 

[brazel]

I'd still prefer barely topdress legume cover for the raddest

 

[Rcubed]

Yeah, looks like the main use of barley as cover crop is to provide deep rooting and it's great N grabber. I guess I can malt some as well for top dressing and all the enzyme boost it gives. I called my feed company and I can get 50# bag for $12.50

 

[brazel]

Yeah, looks like the main use of barley as cover crop is to provide deep rooting and it's great N grabber. I guess I can malt some as well for top dressing and all the enzyme boost it gives. I called my feed company and I can get 50# bag for $12.50

What are you wanting cover for? N? What else will deep root like barley, cannabis? Look at what your goal is, look at what each will do. I left a lot out between these

 

[brazel]

What's a cycle? A circle of life, right? Look outside soil provides life to the plant, the plant dies, falls down, back to the soil and new plant grows! Is anyone necessary? Do you see one more than the other?

 

[Rcubed]

What's a cycle? A circle of life, right? Look outside soil provides life to the plant, the plant dies, falls down, back to the soil and new plant grows! Is anyone necessary? Do you see one more than the other?

I was figuring that for my first no till run barley grows fast and would create more root channels for my cannabis plants, but I guess I could do that with cow peas or other legumes. I know that barley grows a lot faster than some of the legumes especially in cooler weather so that's why I was considering as one element in a biodiverse cover.

 

[brazel]

Growing clover, you can pull them out and look at their nodes, if they pinkish they're activity converting nitrogen... pretty cool huh plus they die and give back

 

[brazel]

I was figuring that for my first no till run barley grows fast and would create more root channels for my cannabis plants, but I guess I could do that with cow peas or other legumes. I know that barley grows a lot faster than some of the legumes especially in cooler weather so that's why I was considering as one element in a biodiverse cover.

What does growing faster do? Fill more space? Compete for nutes? What does mykos do? What do Worms do? What does molasses do... etc search goggle with site:.edu at the end

 

[Rcubed]

What does growing faster do? Fill more space? Compete for nutes? What does mykos do? What do Worms do? What does molasses do... etc search goggle with site:.edu at the end

Will do. I have only a basic knowledge of mykos and fungal organisms as well as worms. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about worms lately. I now understand the three basic types of worms are epigeic, endogeic and anecic, and their respective purposes, but learning about how they all interact will probably be a life long pursuit.:cool:

 

[brazel]

If people learned what plants need we wouldn't have these... What's wrong with my plants.... @RanchoDeluxe when was the last time you had a problem? Insect problems you can get but that's on you too

 

[brazel]

Will do. I have only a basic knowledge of mykos and fungal organisms as well as worms. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about worms lately. I now understand the three basic types of worms are epigeic, endogeic and anecic, and their respective purposes, but learning about how they all interact will probably be a life long pursuit.:cool:

Learn about what you want the worms to do, not about worms;)
Then learn about those worms