Never even thought about that, I know where a few are that I've seen driving around. I'll check it out. While you're here Coot, would you mind telling me(or showing me where I can find) what separates good peat from bad peat?
IM In this country you want Canadian Sphagnum peat moss which IS available at Home Depot, Lowe's, et al. It will be in a 3.8 c.f. bale (compressed) and some names you might find would be Premier (which is part of the parent company's name, i.e. Premier Horticulture which make the Pro-Mix potting soil base), Fafard, Sun Gro Horticulture and on their products they use 3 or 4 names regionally. As long as you buy CSPM you're gold and anything geared to the retail market isn't worth dragging home. You'll need to look at the bale's sides and bottom to find the CSPMA (Canadian Sphagnum Pear Moss Association) logo. The name on the bale don't matter - just the certification. HTH
From Encyclopedia Britannica Sulfur Cycle sulfur cycle, circulation of sulfur in various forms through nature. Sulfur occurs in all living matter as a component of certain amino acids. It is abundant in the soil in proteins and, through a series of microbial transformations, ends up as sulfates usable by plants. \nSulfur-containing proteins are degraded into their constituent amino acids by the action of a variety of soil organisms. The sulfur of the amino acids is converted to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) by another series of soil microbes. In the presence of oxygen, H2S is converted to sulfur and then to sulfate by sulfur bacteria. Eventually the sulfate becomes H2S. \nHydrogen sulfide rapidly oxidizes to gases that dissolve in water to form sulfurous and sulfuric acids. These compounds contribute in large part to the “acid rain†that can kill sensitive aquatic organisms and damage marble monuments and stone buildings. \n\n
From Biology Online... Sulfur Nutrition Impacts Agriculture, Food Quality, And Nutra- And Pharmaceuticals Sulfur assimilation in plants plays a key role in the sulfur cycle in nature. The inorganic sulfur in the environment, sulfate ion in soil and sulfur dioxide gas in the air, is fixed into Cys by the sulfur assimilation pathway in plants (Saito, 2000). Thereafter, Cys is converted to Met. Animals, however, do not have the assimilatory mechanisms for inorganic sulfur; they require Met as an essential amino acid for their source of sulfur nutrient. \nSulfur deficiency in agricultural areas in the world has been recently observed because emissions of sulfur air pollutants in acid rain have been diminished from industrialized areas. Fertilization of sulfur is required in these areas; otherwise, low crop quality and producibility are seen. In seed proteins, the levels of the sulfur-containing amino acids, Cys and Met, are low from the nutritional point of view for animals. Enhancing Met levels via genetic engineering has been shown to increase the nutritive value of seed crops for animals (Molvig et al., 1997). \nRecently, increased attention has been paid to the nutra- and pharmaceutical value of sulfur-containing plant products. Epidemiologic and experimental studies have suggested that sulfur-containing phytochemicals from cruciferous plants such as isothiocyanates may prevent cancer (Talalay and Fahey, 2001).
Coot, this brings up the #1 comment I heard when I told people what I was up to. "Sulfur may harm your fungal hypae in your living soil." I know it becomes available through the use of gypsum and I don't hear gypsum users complaining. I cannot for the life of me find an explanation of what actions or reactions are occurring in the soil (specifically in the sulfur cycle) and if that statement is even true. I have a snack coming up that is the second control part of my test to confirm or disprove my suspicions. So far I'm very happy with the addition @ 1/2 cup per cf.
Ficky Here's the basis of this misinformation and it comes back to treating Powdery Mildew. This method goes back over 100 years in greenhouse operations - burning Sulfur. So does it work? Sure does - big time. If you can handle the friggin' smell it's right at the top of the list. What these geniuses can't or won't take into account is that when you burn Sulfur it's converted to Sulfur Dioxide - somewhat a difference like Carbon Dioxide (CO[SUB]2[/SUB]) vs Carbon Monoxide (CO). A single atom can change everything......now try explaining it. Best wishes - been there, done that. What happens to elemental Sulfur in the soil is that through microbial action + water = Sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is how compounds are degraded to their base elements. For example Calcium Carbonate = CaCO[SUB]3[/SUB] which will remain intact until some form of acid hits it and now you have Calcium, Carbon and Oxygen (x3). Same thing with other mineral compounds such as K-MAG, Potassium Sulfate, Sulfate of Potash Magnesia, etc. Without Sulfur all you have is an interesting approach to aeration amendments. LOL! CC
Are you breeding the TO X NLH? also why keep the gonzo name to it? its just confusing and unnecessary now that we know what the genetics are
FIcky I meant to explain something else, i.e. the differences between CSPM vs. Coconut Coir. Besides the massive differences in microbiology right up front the limiting factor is the complete and total lack of Sulfur in coir irrespective of where it's grown, processed, etc. Since coir seems to be the medium of choice for many hydro growers (thought many are strident in their claims that coir is 'just like peat' which falls flat on its face when you look at the CoA) and the approach with hydroponics has nothing to do with nutrient cycling as it's understood in soils. Think about this one for a minute - Why is it that on weed infirmary boards in the coir section are there so many posts about Cal-Mag Lockout? No smell? No taste? Nutrient deficiencies & general lockouts? Sulfur is instrumental in the production of Secondary Metabolites, terpenes, terpenoids an ketones. That is established science and all the phosphorus in the world can't change that fact. The two favorite elements in this paradigm are Magnesium (God only knows for what reasons) and Phosphorus - start hi-dosing with these two and that garden is DOOMED even with flushing 3x the soil volume with some special water concoction. This ain't exactly rocket science - LOL
Christmas came early this year. Santa's usually a prick so I took matters into my own hands this year. I picked up a 50 lb sack of organic malt. Then went right around the corner the the farm supply store and got 50 lb sack of kelp and a sack of alfalfa. I should be set for a couple years with the size of my grow. Then I came home and the man in the big brown truck left the best part...my new chapin and fogger nozzle. This thing is sweet. Coot, question about the malted barley. Is it best to grind it fresh or could I do some up in advance? I was wanting to put together a starter kit for a friend. A jar of kelp, a jar of alfalfa, one of barley malt, some neem...a little of everything to get him thru a grow. Anything else you would recommend?
SoloToker According to the experts at my favorite homebrew store you want to grind malted grains when you're ready to use them. Here's an easy fix for you assuming that you are good friends with this fellow - head over to China Mart and buy a $10.00 coffee grinder - problem fixed for cheap money! If he isn't that good of a friend give him the same advice about buying one of these devices! LOL
This oldie from '64 seemed appropriate somehow - The Name Game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jfVpizj1Uk
That is something I keep forgetting to ask. Is there a need to flush in a living soil (ie. dumping water through the pot and letting it drain away), or when people say flush do they just mean H[SUB]2[/SUB]O only for the last few weeks?
There is no need to flush anything with organic soil. Due to high levels of microlife and the high CEC that is typical of our soils it wouldn't accomplish anything even if you were to flush. I really dislike the term. Most organic gardeners will give their plants plain water for the last week or so, I usually give my plants plain water throughout most of their life.
No need to flush! What would you be rinsing out? I don't really have a last few weeks. I reuse the soil ASAP. When one gets chopped, I TP right into that pot, or plant a cover crop.
case22 It's a throw-back to hydroponics. Using hydroponic methods and processes is a complete and total waste of time & effort with organic soils like we use. Like Tree Dogg said - 'that can be ignored' One of many myths actually with testing pH leading the top of the list...