How do you remove plants from living soil no till

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
Thats for Thermal composting.

Makes sure you add back the leaves with those branches. If you didnt add the leaves, dont add the branches.
Ok, that's good to know. I've been nervous about adding back too much leaf and stem. Is there a limit to how much leaf and stem material that you can add back? Because honestly I always have a shit ton of leaf and stem. Lol
 
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m4s73r

Well-Known Member
Ok, that's good to know. I've been nervous about adding back too much leaf and stem. Is there a limit to how much leaf and stem material that you can add back? Because honestly I always have a shit ton of leaf and stem. Lol
Add it all. It will get ate by the soil life.
 

ooof-da

Well-Known Member
So I cut the old main stem down as low as possible and topped with hardwood leaves, a buncha random garden foliage/waste and all the stems from trimming. Having a hard time keeping the leaves on with the wind….so wondering if I should tarp them like the 10x10 video shows.

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or should I make like a lasagna with a layer of leaves and then add soil over the top to holdthem down better?
 

ooof-da

Well-Known Member
So I cut the old main stem down as low as possible and topped with hardwood leaves, a buncha random garden foliage/waste and all the stems from trimming. Having a hard time keeping the leaves on with the wind….so wondering if I should tarp them like the 10x10 video shows.

View attachment 5058767

or should I make like a lasagna with a layer of leaves and then add soil over the top to holdthem down better?
Here they are after I reapplied leaves. 65G hoping to be ready for June.
 

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Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
So I cut the old main stem down as low as possible and topped with hardwood leaves, a buncha random garden foliage/waste and all the stems from trimming. Having a hard time keeping the leaves on with the wind….so wondering if I should tarp them like the 10x10 video shows.

View attachment 5058767

or should I make like a lasagna with a layer of leaves and then add soil over the top to holdthem down better?
Are you using the earthbox?
 

ooof-da

Well-Known Member
Doesn't Jeremy use straw to hold things down? however straw would probably get eaten outdoors. I think with the soil layer on top of wood and leaves you are getting close to hugelkultur.
there is a thread about that https://forum.grasscity.com/threads/indoor-no-till-hugel-beds.1565348/
I could try straw, just didn’t happen to have it. I tried to use the heavier cuttings this time on top of the leaves and it’s holding better. I was also thinking about some chicken wire.

I had to google hugelkultur btw lol. I’m gonna read that thread next…tyvm
 

ooof-da

Well-Known Member
Do you top dress with ewc/compost?
No, I have been super basic and still getting into this. I have a few things down now and then changing a few things every year based on the results. This last year I did add some top dress, but too late. This is my 1st attempt to try and reuse the soil in this manner. I usually take the entire pot and dump it in my other garden beds for tomatoes/corn/peppers/melons. I add dry NPK in “layers” to the new soil. This time that won’t be the case so I plan to feed more.
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
No, I have been super basic and still getting into this. I have a few things down now and then changing a few things every year based on the results. This last year I did add some top dress, but too late. This is my 1st attempt to try and reuse the soil in this manner. I usually take the entire pot and dump it in my other garden beds for tomatoes/corn/peppers/melons. I add dry NPK in “layers” to the new soil. This time that won’t be the case so I plan to feed more.
If you're wanting to do no till, feedings obviously come from the top. Keeping that top layer moist and alive is just as important as the dry amendments you feed with. That's where ewc and compost come in.
 

0potato0

Well-Known Member
You could get the microbes from the area where you live by digging a sock with some half cooked rice into the soil (IMO-1) and then releasing them into your beds, but they are probably already there.
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
You could get the microbes from the area where you live by digging a sock with some half cooked rice into the soil (IMO-1) and then releasing them into your beds, but they are probably already there.
Oh shit, he's outside. Yea he can get microbes that way. If he can get some ancient forest microbial life, that would be best.
 
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