tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.comments2024-03-16T01:56:40.006-06:00Natural Gardening From ScratchDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-47271629284816217682012-12-23T22:18:40.818-07:002012-12-23T22:18:40.818-07:00One good thing about opting for a backhoe rental i...One good thing about opting for a <a href="https://www.hertzequip.com/herc/rental-equipment/earthmoving-equipment+backhoes+backhoe" rel="nofollow">backhoe rental</a> is that you just return that after using it. This implies that you wouldn't need to think about its storage and maintenance since you just rented the equipment.Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07418935569389606571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-20302040065813482802012-08-21T19:39:40.194-06:002012-08-21T19:39:40.194-06:00Thanks for sharing! I think I'll try backhoe r...Thanks for sharing! I think I'll try <a href="https://www.hertzequip.com/herc/rental-equipment/earthmoving-equipment+backhoes+backhoe" rel="nofollow">backhoe rental</a> for my gardening. I don't want to borrow my neighbor's because he might use it.Ysabellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05071189377745054989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-31573833534590483032012-03-21T16:28:39.039-06:002012-03-21T16:28:39.039-06:00Since my original post, I have also started a red ...Since my original post, I have also started a red wiggler (eisenia fetida) compost bin with 1 pound of worms starting around June 2011. The worms have been doing fine in a plastic bin in the garage over the winter. I made sure that there was plenty of bedding in the plastic bin for the winter, but I didn't worry about extra insulation or heat source. They haven't consumed much food waste during this time, but there has still been some activity. <br /><br />Last fall I tried adding a new bin for the worms to crawl up into, but I found that about a fourth of the worms stayed in the bottom bin even though the food waste was in the top bin. I'm guessing that there must have been lingering food sources in the bottom bin... perhaps even liquid from the food waste that dripped down to the bottom bin.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-41378480836196496012012-03-21T13:50:18.227-06:002012-03-21T13:50:18.227-06:00David
Earthworms are not effective for composting ...David<br />Earthworms are not effective for composting and they do not reproduce as well either. I bought my eisenia fetida of an add on KSL.com. Last summer my worms ate loads of food and they reproduced well. <br /><br />I also live in Utah. This was the first winter that I have had a vermicompost bin in the garage 40 - 50 degrees (never freezing, but never optimal temperatures). In the summer I rotated my bins every week. Through the winter months I have watered, emptied the water bin, and feed the worms, and at that only minimally. This Saturday March 24th 2012 I will add another bin for the worms to crawl up into, and check the lower bins while I am working on the project. <br /><br />My goal is to have accumulated a large amount of worms (live) to start a 2X2x6 foot outdoor trench in the garden the end of May. <br /><br />Any guesses as to if I will have any worms survive the winter cold garage?<br />RobRob Carrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07426290649096103976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-80110363574335411662011-07-06T14:21:06.070-06:002011-07-06T14:21:06.070-06:00I wish that I knew what the problem is. I have com...I wish that I knew what the problem is. I have come across others in Utah who have tried the same thing with various levels of success, but even the most successful can't seem to last through the winter. If I had a greenhouse where it was humid and warm all year round, I would try again, but for now I'm going to stick with composting worms. (I'll type up my recent experience with this soon.)Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-13583678837898960072011-07-06T11:54:34.190-06:002011-07-06T11:54:34.190-06:00David,
I tried to raise the Black Soldier Fly in ...David,<br /><br />I tried to raise the Black Soldier Fly in Utah too. I live in Lehi. My purpose was to have a constant source of food for my reptile and I came across Jerry's site. I built a BSF bucket and ordered some grubs. However, I did it late in the summer, which I felt was too late. Jerry told me that due to the high altitude in Utah that the grubs would not be able to reproduce. So, I contacted an entomologist at Utah State University who told me that the BSF should do well in Utah. He also told me that the BSF can be found in Utah as well.<br /><br />I was able to raise quite a few BSF to full maturity. I thought that if I put them in my reptile cage that has high humidity and a constant heat source they would fair better. So, I put them in a container with some pieces of cardboard, hoping they would mate and lay eggs. I got the same results as you did. They just died off. <br /><br />What I can't figure out is that there have been studies done in both Idaho and Colorado, which have similar climates as Utah and the BSF has been used effectively to reduce animal waste on farms, especially cattle. So, my question is why not Utah?<br /><br />Just my two cents worth.<br /><br />JohnJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02776588623757288724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-41586826786921807032011-03-02T10:06:27.488-07:002011-03-02T10:06:27.488-07:00Thanks for your response, Anna. You have done a wo...Thanks for your response, Anna. You have done a wonderful job at documenting your garden experiments with worms, both successes and failures. This confirms that I really need to find a way to expand my use of vericomposting in the garden. Our alkaline clay soil has low bacteria presence and low micronutrient levels, both of which can be addressed with integrating worms into the soil preparation.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-77155298239540976392011-03-02T09:36:55.808-07:002011-03-02T09:36:55.808-07:00I'm glad to hear some first-hand data. We'...I'm glad to hear some first-hand data. We're still in the planning stages, so don't know if they'll work for us yet. It does sound like if you're outside BSFs normal range, they're probably not worth the expense, but we're hopeful that we'll be able to attract wild flies.<br /><br />You might be interested in reading about our worm bin project --- http://www.waldeneffect.org/tag/worms/. Surface area is key with worms, so you might want to change to a wider rather than deep bin. Good luck!<br /><br />(Cross-posted over on your blog just in case you don't check back here!)Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17605287338974149573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-51928178643558168932011-03-01T20:21:28.457-07:002011-03-01T20:21:28.457-07:00Anna over at Walden Effect blog just happened to w...Anna over at Walden Effect blog just happened to write a post about black soldier flies today too. <a href="http://waldeneffect.org/blog/Black_soldier_fly_larvae_for_compost_and_chicken_feed/" rel="nofollow">http://waldeneffect.org/blog/Black_soldier_fly_larvae_for_compost_and_chicken_feed/</a> Interesting coincidence!Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-36998476445368979232011-03-01T11:24:12.321-07:002011-03-01T11:24:12.321-07:00I thought that it was interesting that the soil mi...I thought that it was interesting that the soil mix offered for Square Foot Gardening now includes Kelp Meal. <a href="http://www.squarefootgardening.com/product/mels-mix" rel="nofollow">http://www.squarefootgardening.com/product/mels-mix</a> It also includes compost, peat moss, vermiculite (like perlite), worm castings, and bat guano.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-80086770830720603122011-02-22T21:29:34.992-07:002011-02-22T21:29:34.992-07:00I found a different video where Joel is giving a p...I found a different video where Joel is giving a presentation to other farmers about a new chicken tractor design that he is going to try out. It sounds to me like there is no one way to do this... you just think through your own situation and the pros and cons for what you want to do:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe747CpprRk" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe747CpprRk</a>Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-50996374634601411152011-02-16T10:29:19.852-07:002011-02-16T10:29:19.852-07:00I think that the easiest thing for you to do, assu...I think that the easiest thing for you to do, assuming that the dead plants are still there, would be to cut off the tops and compost them and till in the roots. The majority of the nitrogen benefit comes from the root nodules when the roots are decomposed.<br /><br />From what I understand, the nitrogen-fixating bacteria in the nitrogen nodules of the legumes are not beneficial to nearby plants (growing at the same time) or next year's plants until the legume plant dies and releases the nitrogen in its roots into the soil. If you let a bean plant run its course of life, it will use a large portion of that nitrogen to sustain that plant for the season, although you will still get some benefit once the previous year's roots have decayed. <br /><br />I believe that the biggest benefit to the soil and other plants is to treat the legume as a cover crop or green manure. The general rule for timing this is to mow or cut them down just as the plants begin flowering, or a bit earlier if you need to start planting the rest of your garden. Wait a day or two for them to dry out a bit and then till them into the soil to decompose. The decomposing process can tie up the nitrogen, so it is important to plan on waiting two to three weeks after tilling before you plant the next set of crops.<br /><br />This year I plan on planting a cover crop in my garden as soon as the soil has dried out enough to till. By the time that weather is warm enough to plant the rest of the garden, the cover crop should be cut down and tilled in to benefit the next set of plants. <br /><br />Just a caveat... I haven't actually tried this in my current garden. There is a danger of waiting too long and a cover crop going to seed and then coming up again with the next set of plants. They are weeds at that point, since you don't want them any more. I'll keep you posted on my blog with my progress on this topic!Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14926606575984134074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172082738931502434.post-36017658799707903722011-02-15T21:02:29.745-07:002011-02-15T21:02:29.745-07:00Hi, I grew beans for the first time last year and ...Hi, I grew beans for the first time last year and used an innoculant since I didn't know if my soil had that bacteria. What I need to find out is what to do with the bean plant at the end of the season. Do you leave the roots in the ground and compost the rest of the plant? Lots to learn!Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07063352500918945042noreply@blogger.com