M
MASSES 420KING
Guest
hay good news guys logic edited my thread and is going to post the full article for all the farmers to see
Dican, I don't see how vermiculite is going to aerate anything it's mixed with. It can't because it holds water and keeps the medium wet. It clumps together when wet, too, thus further preventing aeration. Perlite does help lighten it, but 'aeration' is something a little more nebulous outside of books like Sunset West.
Seriously, there's nothing inherently wrong with people giving a couple of worms a try, is there?
You know the best growers?
Dican, fair enough, though I disagree on who's confused regarding the terminology. It might be better to simply look the term up using Google than to tell me I'm confused on what the term means.maybe you are confused about aeration. perlite and vermiculite both help hold water. water (h20) contains oxygen. perlite particles create tiny air tunnels, which allow moisture and oxygen to flow freely to roots.
a good basic aerated soil consists of equal parts perlite or vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, and sand.
it seems odd to me that people would want their soil more aerated than it already is. i have never had aeration problems and see no need to have worm holes in my already aerated indoor soil. it would NOT help my garden.
there is nothing wrong with people trying new things. i would like to see a post where someone actually tried it and posted results. oh wait, they have. seems like everyone is saying to leave the worms outdoors.
and no, i do not know all of the best growers. i just know they don't put worms into their soil. they put worm castings, not worms.
i don't know why this is all so hard to understand.
i also don't understand why if you were so interested in worms, that you wouldn't start a worm bin. this is what you do with red worms, or go fishing. not put them into your containers. i would recommend for all of those interested in putting worms into your containers to first start a worm bin. i have had one for years. they just keep multiplying.
Dican, fair enough, though I disagree on who's confused regarding the terminology. It might be better to simply look the term up using Google than to tell me I'm confused on what the term means.
How would perlite create tunnels when it doesn't really move on its own? I disagree with you on what constitutes a 'good soil mix'. In large part because what you describe is not soil, but that's quibbling.
Why don't I start a worm bin?
- Time.
- Energy.
- Other priorities.
- The problems associated with maintaining a worm bin.
- Having worms in my (soil) pots doesn't cause a problem for my plants or me.
Are those enough reasons?
Ever think that having something like worms (and other beneficial organisms, be they micro or macro) might be like the proverbial canary in a coal mine? Perhaps the anecdotal evidence that has been presented as reason to not allow the presence of or cultivation of worms in contained soils isn't as clear cut as we might assume. Perhaps there was some other issue going on that caused the death of the worms in question and they merely acted as a first indicator to a larger problem.
<shrug>
Just sayin'.
For as long as I've been growing indoors, which admittedly ain't long at all. But I've been growing plants all my adult life, so I think I can say with some assurance that I'm not a complete moron when it comes to growing. One thing I've learned since doing it indoors is that unless you utilize clean-room and quarantine techniques of the highest order, invasive species are going to get inside. Fungus gnats are the species I'm constantly battling. Could be worse, for sure.
But if you really wanna get serious about doing your research, how about *you* start with the term "aeration"? It doesn't refer to water's CO2/O2 exchange, nor does it refer in any way to the alkalinity of a given substance.
What does the mineral content of vermiculite have to do with your previous assertions?
How does water drain 'through' perlite, and how does water provide aeration? What buffering action, and by what means, does perlite provide?
These are all your assertions, not mine. Support them yourself.
Worm bins are fantastic. For those who have the time and energy to do the whole thing. I'm not one of those people, I'm perfectly happy supporting my local business that supports a local supplier and buying my worm castings from them.
I grow as organically as I can as well. What do you want me to do, go un-pot all my soil plants, pick out the worms and set them free? Or are you worried that people are gonna go wrangle a buncha wild worms and kill them all by putting them in their indoor grows, thus setting off an annelid disaster that hasn't been experienced since the Permian extinction event?
Sorry if this sounds stupid... Instead of worm castings in soil, can you just put a couple live worms in your containers?
These rules were put in place by big nutes. They made bottled nutrients, and bagged soil, and metal halides, and high pressure sodium lights, and said "this is the only way" it makes them money. This rules you talk of don't exist. Worms die indoors because, lights too hot, or so much perlite they get sliced to death. Open your mind. Get rid of those silly rules that don't exist. You will be a happier farmer! Many growers use worms. They love it! They post about it! Organic soil is on the rise too! Sorry if you don't like them, but the future is regenerative soil!there is a reason every brand of indoor soil uses perlite and vermiculite and not worms. pretty sure you can grow in just perlite if you want. the soil i use, and have always used, has never had drainage or aeration problems. if you need bettter drainage, you can add some perlite or clay pellets at the bottom of your pot.
again, do your research. i don't want to do it for you. no REAL research has been done on the subject of worms in containers. i wonder why? maybe it is a bad idea.
lots of research has been done about perlite and vermiculite. check it out for yourself or call or email a soil company. if you don't have years of experience and success with worms indoors, then why are you defending them?
plus, your garden is different seamaiden, you did not introduce them yourself. there is really nothing you can do. of course you are not going to dig them up. the worms are there and you have to make peace with it.
my concern is for the people who would take worms and put them into their indoor garden, thinking it would give them extra food and aeration. i do quarantine, and sterility is important to me. i live in southern california now, where powdery mildew is a big problem.
i used to have an organic farm in eugene oregon for a couple of years and am plenty familiar with outdoor growing. i have also been growing indoors for several years. i can tell you that the two are very different things.
i didn't make the rules here, i just play by them. i wish we didn't have to grow indoors at all.
i understand the idea and the intent behind the worms indoors, i just think that what is good in theory, sometimes isn't very practical.
i really don't think too many people are going to put worms in their soil, but for those brave few that do, please post your results.