FarmerJake’s Raised Bed

[Mozzy]

though this time I filled the EBJr’s with straight Roots Organic Original, zero amendments and started with soil full mounded so I can’t add dry amendments later.

I've never used dry amendments, but I think you'll be fine ...the aerated SIPs I grow in are about ~15% smaller capacity than that and grow 1/4lbrs+ while trying to keep them smaller; in Lush, but I don't think the soil is that different :

"ROOTS ORGANICS
LUSH
DERIVED FROM
Earthworm castings, dolomite, limestone, phosphate rock, bat guano, langbeinite, feather meal, sulfate of potash, fishbone meal, soybean meal, fish meal, kieserite, volcanic rock dust, blood meal, crab meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, volcanic ash, kelp meal, nettle leaf and hop flowers

*0.8% Slow Release Nitrogen from feather meal, blood meal, bat guano, soybean meal, alfalfa meal, fish meal, fishbone meal, crab meal, nettle leaf, hop flowers.

CONTAINS NONPLANT FOOD INGREDIENTS
1.5% Humic Acids from Leonardite and Peat Moss
0.1% Beneficial Bacteria and Mycorrhizal Fungi *

*BACTERIA CONTENT
Bacillus subtilis
2,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM
Bacillus licheniformis
1,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM
Bacillus megaterium
1,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM
Bacillus simplex
1,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM

*MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI CONTENT
Rhizophagus intraradices
0.4 PROPAGULES PER GRAM
Funneliformis mosseae
0.03 PROPAGULES PER GRAM
Septoglomus deserticola
0.03 PROPAGULES PER GRAM

Soil Amending Ingredients: Peat moss, earthworm castings, pumice, perlite, and coco fiber."

 

[WildBill]

I've never used dry amendments, but I think you'll be fine ...the aerated SIPs I grow in are about ~15% smaller capacity than that and grow 1/4lbrs+ while trying to keep them smaller; in Lush, but I don't think the soil is that different :

"ROOTS ORGANICS
LUSH
DERIVED FROM
Earthworm castings, dolomite, limestone, phosphate rock, bat guano, langbeinite, feather meal, sulfate of potash, fishbone meal, soybean meal, fish meal, kieserite, volcanic rock dust, blood meal, crab meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, volcanic ash, kelp meal, nettle leaf and hop flowers

*0.8% Slow Release Nitrogen from feather meal, blood meal, bat guano, soybean meal, alfalfa meal, fish meal, fishbone meal, crab meal, nettle leaf, hop flowers.

CONTAINS NONPLANT FOOD INGREDIENTS
1.5% Humic Acids from Leonardite and Peat Moss
0.1% Beneficial Bacteria and Mycorrhizal Fungi *

*BACTERIA CONTENT
Bacillus subtilis
2,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM
Bacillus licheniformis
1,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM
Bacillus megaterium
1,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM
Bacillus simplex
1,000,000.0 CFU PER GRAM

*MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI CONTENT
Rhizophagus intraradices
0.4 PROPAGULES PER GRAM
Funneliformis mosseae
0.03 PROPAGULES PER GRAM
Septoglomus deserticola
0.03 PROPAGULES PER GRAM

Soil Amending Ingredients: Peat moss, earthworm castings, pumice, perlite, and coco fiber."

I havent had any problems with germination in their original recipe. How Is that one?

 

[Mozzy]

havent had any problems with germination in their original recipe. How Is that one?

I put seeds in a shot glass/cup or paper towel with water, in the dark covered somewhere 70-80 F (like on top of a receiver, cable box, etc.), and have a tail in ~24 hrs...plant that a half an inch down in the soil and cover with a misted humidity dome until it has the first set of true leaves, and that's it, just water seed-to-harvest and manage :

 

[FarmerJake]

Not a whole journal but here’s an update on earthboxes and roots organic original. Easy and reliable like I hoped for, the older one might be the smallest plant I’ve grown in awhile but also very healthy(for me )View attachment 1664222View attachment 1664223

Earthboxes are going strong, raised bed not so much

so here is an earthbox update as they don’t have their own thread but it’s going really smooth. The SODKxSOH freebie from Mephisto on the left is day 50ish
And day 33 for my favorite strain the homemade Bernadette is getting huge and already has the smell of grandmas breath and berries. Feeding on every res fill 600ppm foop bloom at 6.4pH until runoff every 2-3 days

 

[WildBill]

So procedurally, you are applying the Foop To the media after the reservoir is empty and the media has dried down a little, correct?

 

[FarmerJake]

So procedurally, you are applying the Foop To the media after the reservoir is empty and the media has dried down a little, correct?

Typically I am just adding my nutrient mix to the Reservoir, today I lifted off the cover wetted about 1/4 gallon each from the top then filled the reservoir to make sure it stays evenly wetted throughout the bed as the edges were drier looking than the center.

 

[FarmerJake]

I’ll add that I typically let it dry down then within 12-24 hours I fill the res again, typically feeling the weight at dry down and feeling it again before filling you can tell it’s time

 

[WildBill]

Typically I am just adding my nutrient mix to the Reservoir, today I lifted off the cover wetted about 1/4 gallon each from the top then filled the reservoir to make sure it stays evenly wetted throughout the bed as the edges were drier looking than the center.

So did you Do the 'normal' earthbox thing of hand watering the plant until the root system is well established and then introduce water incrementally as to not let it sit for a 'long'. In the reservoir?

I kind of think that at 600 PPM, you're not going to have the reservoir flip in PH Like what happened to fermented fruits Several years ago. I think he added too much nutrients and the microbes went in a little crazy in the reservoir and the ph dropped with all the eating they were doing.

In a way, I do something similar. My media and the top dressings that form a nutrient mound, are my main ways of supplying food to the girl. I could easily run the girl just like that and I have very very good results. While I don't add nutrients per se, I do run select ferments in the reservoir. They are mainly directed at enhancing the health of the girl. I use FPE, fermented plant extract, and fermented insect frass.

For microbes, I don't run recharge in the reservoir, but I do add EM1.
Foop has their own micro package, correct?

I've been reading a little bit more on Foop. I would probably do a test run if it didn't just have to break out that pH pen.


That 600ppm, is that above the PPM of your starting water or inclusive? Once you have your number then you PH it?

I’ll add that I typically let it dry down then within 12-24 hours I fill the res again, typically feeling the weight at dry down and feeling it again before filling you can tell it’s time

Good deal that's the way I do it

 

[Bob's Auto's]

Earthboxes are going strong, raised bed not so much
View attachment 1666933
so here is an earthbox update as they don’t have their own thread but it’s going really smooth. The SODKxSOH freebie from Mephisto on the left is day 50ish
And day 33 for my favorite strain the homemade Bernadette is getting huge and already has the smell of grandmas breath and berries. Feeding on every res fill 600ppm foop bloom at 6.4pH until runoff every 2-3 days
View attachment 1666931View attachment 1666932

Could it be that the soil temperature inside the earthboxes is more stable or higher then the raised bed? I've noticed that my soil life get's more active when I activate my heatpad underneath the tray. Actually, in wintertime it's always on.

 

[FarmerJake]

Could it be that the soil temperature inside the earthboxes is more stable or higher then the raised bed? I've noticed that my soil life get's more active when I activate my heatpad underneath the tray. Actually, in wintertime it's always on.

The raised bed is filled with off brand organic raised bed mix that was on clearance at a box store so I’m thinking just a harder mix to figure out. The roots organic in the earthboxes is comparably more consistent and predictable. I agree though soil temps are likely more stable/higher in the EBJr.’s