When to add worms?

keepsake

Well-Known Member
This weekend I will be mixing up my recipe for a 30 gallon no till pot.
4x4 tent under LED light.

1/3 sphagnum peat moss
1/3 pumice rock
1/3 compost

Amendments: gypsum, basalt, kelp, neem, crab, & oyster shell flour.

I will plant 4 seeds straight into this mix.

My questions are:
1) When do I add the red wiggler & night crawler worms into the soil?
2) When do I plant my companion crops (cilantro, chamomile, & oregano)?
3) When do I add barley straw on top of soil?
4) And what do I do with master barley flour?
 

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
This weekend I will be mixing up my recipe for a 30 gallon no till pot.
4x4 tent under LED light.

1/3 sphagnum peat moss
1/3 pumice rock
1/3 compost

Amendments: gypsum, basalt, kelp, neem, crab, & oyster shell flour.

I will plant 4 seeds straight into this mix.

My questions are:
1) When do I add the red wiggler & night crawler worms into the soil?
2) When do I plant my companion crops (cilantro, chamomile, & oregano)?
3) When do I add barley straw on top of soil?
4) And what do I do with master barley flour?
You really need to research a bit more as you seem to be setting yourself up for a not good experience.

First the "I will be planting 4 seeds directly into this mix". Check out the detrimental effects of neem on seeds, seedlings and young plants. It's not pretty. VOE on that.

Where is your P source? Just neem and kelp aren't quite enough. I personaly use bone meal for P, but whatever suits.

1) Start a worm bin. That is probably the most important thing you can do for organic success. Period.
Just adding worms to the growing container usually just results in dead worms.
2)Companion crops are very seldom needed or benefical, at least in containers. In any event the mj should be well established first.
3) Barley straw or any mulch, not until the mj reaches a size where the mulch doesn't overwhelm it, like 6 - 8" tall at least.
4) master barley flour? I have no clue to what that even is

Slow down just a bit and get stuff right before jumping in with both feet. It will work out much better both in the long and near term.

Good luck!
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
I raised 100k worms for some years and can tell you they dont like the containers plants are growing in. they escape and die in the room sometimes. if its good worm dirt you want grab a bin and make tea every day from cardboard, and dry marijuana leaves, (NO kitchen scraps ever indoors)
barley straw? barley flour? you growing in the asian jungle bruh?
promix and organicare and water is all thats needed below the light.
 

keepsake

Well-Known Member
You really need to research a bit more as you seem to be setting yourself up for a not good experience.

First the "I will be planting 4 seeds directly into this mix". Check out the detrimental effects of neem on seeds, seedlings and young plants. It's not pretty. VOE on that.

Where is your P source? Just neem and kelp aren't quite enough. I personaly use bone meal for P, but whatever suits.

1) Start a worm bin. That is probably the most important thing you can do for organic success. Period.
Just adding worms to the growing container usually just results in dead worms.
2)Companion crops are very seldom needed or benefical, at least in containers. In any event the mj should be well established first.
3) Barley straw or any mulch, not until the mj reaches a size where the mulch doesn't overwhelm it, like 6 - 8" tall at least.
4) master barley flour? I have no clue to what that even is

Slow down just a bit and get stuff right before jumping in with both feet. It will work out much better both in the long and near term.

Good luck!
Thanks. So I should plant my seeds into a small cups and transplant when bigger like 8"?

Also, to add bone meal to my recipe I just add 1/2 cup per cu ft like my neem and kelp?

Also, master barley flour was supposed to be malted barley flour lol. Sorry for the typo.

So ditch the cover crop and worms?
 

Invisighost

Well-Known Member
I added my worms months before planting to prep the soil some so add them immediately. Plant the companion plants immediately as well to get them started. I use crimson clover, cilantro and scallions in mine. I'd check into how to build a worm tower if I were you as it greatly improves your chances with worms in containers. I rarely have many deaths and even if so it benefits the soil anyway (will stink though). With organics begin it all as soon as possible for everything to break down and be rooting and establishing itself. Your plants will thank you for it. Have a mainline experiment going myself using no till with composting worms..
 

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Thanks. So I should plant my seeds into a small cups and transplant when bigger like 8"?

Also, to add bone meal to my recipe I just add 1/2 cup per cu ft like my neem and kelp?

Also, master barley flour was supposed to be malted barley flour lol. Sorry for the typo.

So ditch the cover crop and worms?
Do the seeds in a seed starting mix with no neem.

*I* use 1cup/cf bone meal with the 1/2 cup neem and 1/2 cup kelp meal. 1/2 cup MBF.

I'd ditch the cover crop for the moment, but DO start a worm bin. The fresh VC will add worms to the pots with the cocoons in the VC.
 
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