Ok so my mix has been cooking in a 18 gal tub with lid. How often should i or shouldnt i mix it. I assume water as needed to keep damp but not wet. Also should it get warm and what does it mean if it isnt getting warm? One last one, should the lid have holes to vent or should be it be somewhat airtight, lid snapped on but it can barely breathe. Thanks. This is my first time using organic. Tired of ph,ing the water, adding nutes, blah, blah, blah
Leave cover off or plenty of air though holes.... Keep mildly damp, no need to mix, let the organisms make their little communities without disturbing them too much.... How long has it been sitting? Welcome to GCO!
Just since the 15th. Ok. I drill some holes, dont want to leave the lid off cause it reeks when i take the lid off. Lol. Thanks
Welcome to GCO! (GrassCity Organics) I wouldn't mix it a lot, you want the fungal hyphae to grow as undisturbed as you can. But I do a mix mid way through my cycle just for good measure. I mean you're gonna disturb it when you start to plant unless you cycle in your pots. Damp is good yes. And using an ACT (Aerated Compost Tea) in the beginning or anywhere along the cycle really is a good way to get things really going. The boost of microbes from the tea never hurts. (To my knowledge.) Warm is good. Hot isn't. Warm means you've got a good batch of microbial activity breaking down your amendments. Hot means you had too much unprocessed organic matter and that is being broken down by thermophilic bacteria. Not warm may just mean your microbial activity is too low for you to detect. I wouldn't worry about it as long as everything smells like good forest dirt. What are the temps where it is sitting? You don't need a lid, but having one would help keep in moisture. But you want it loose fitting so air can move in and out freely. You've made the right choice coming here. Browse some of the grow journals around and you'll find a wealth of information. Happy growing! It shouldn't "reek". What does it smell like exactly, without exaggeration.
Like damp soil. Its just a sudden rush. I was exaggerating a bit. I keep it in a storage space under the steps. If i keep it in the garage the kids will mess with it and im afraid bugs would get in it
Ok i will just turn the lid a little and lay it on top of the bin. That storage room gets cool. Average 65f
Ok. That's fine. Don't get too hung up on "bugs" at this point. A healthy living soil will have bugs. Tiny little mites that eat other tiny little pests, for example.
Since this is my first time baking i am assuming the white fuzz like snow on surface spots is beneficial or something i should worry about
1 last one, the storage room is average 65f, but the bin is sitting on the floor which is concrete. Should i try to raise it from the floor or the cold cement wont be a problem
Probably won't be a problem, but you could always just sit it on a couple of boards or something, microbes just kinda slow down at those temperatures, as opposed to dying.
My next grow i think I'll put a blanket between the storage bin and my heat mat (pick up insulation board in fall) the bottom of the bin isnt flat so hopefully the blanket will help it conform to the bottom of the bin adding more heating surface touching the bottom of the bin
Oh and the last week the soil temps have been atleast 70 and the purple stems are now stripes instead of solid and the main stems are tiny strips of purple. I hope that was the problem was temp. I read certain nutrients cant be absorbed when soil temp is too low, either phosphorus or potassium