Hi, I’ve got this pink film in the jar growing LAB. Should I toss it and start over or can I just skim off and keep going? Also if it’s not something bad, can I skim it and still eat the curds when done or not safe to? Thanks!
Hi, Wondering if anyone here has made mead from oregon grape and has a recipe/steps I can follow and any tips/pointers. Thanks!
Haven’t really been trying to grow this too aggressively or baby it, it’s just growing along with the rest of my garden vegetables, passively. Just curious if this is looking good and on the right track and harvestable? Thanks!
Hi! I have about a cup of brine left over when starting a new batch, it wont fit into my container and I already have like two inches of brine in the jar. Does this mean a lot of the salt is displaced and I should add more, or is it pretty negligible? (I did 2% salt) Also, what should I use the extra brine for? maybe just toss into compost pile? thanks!
Very excited to harvest my first bin! Here are some process shots. Advice/education welcome.
It could be much finer but I imagine this is fine to put into my garden beds and houseplants. Loved using the scrap of hardware cloth for sifting. Super low tech, LIGHT and free!
I’m curious to understand what causes the soil around my property to be generally pretty poor, dry compacted dirt, when it seems to be lush with all the plants that are considered super nutrient dense in permaculture. Tons of comfrey, plantain, chicory, different grasses, clover, wild peas, dock, and much more, lots of diversity. If some of these are considered really beneficial for the soil, why is it that my soil is still so poor and I’m having to amend it so greatly when starting my garden? Thanks!
I’ve been building up my garden soil in raised beds with store bought compost bags and some amendments, mushroom spores saw dust in the mulch layer, with bokashi, vermipost and home compost to add when it’s ready. But what I started with was huggelcultur raised beds and in ground beds with mostly just logs and native soil at the base, and the small amounts of bagged soil/compost on top. I’m realising now that is everything I’ve planted gets a good start but then hits resistance when the roots reach down into the old dirt, where it’s become compacted and not nurturing at all.
I’m wondering if it’s basically all a wash this year and I have to start over? I’m thinking the best approach would be to really mix in what I’ve got on top and blend it with the bottom layers more? OR would the worms and microbes eventually penetrate that bottom layer on their own and it’s better not to disturb the process? Thanks!
I’ve been building up my garden soil in raised beds with store bought compost bags and some amendments, mushroom spores saw dust in the mulch layer, with bokashi, vermipost and home compost to add when it’s ready. But what I started with was huggelcultur raised beds and in ground beds with mostly just logs and native soil at the base, and the small amounts of bagged soil/compost on top. I’m realising now that is everything I’ve planted gets a good start but then hits resistance when the roots reach down into the old dirt, where it’s become compacted and not nurturing at all. I’m wondering if it’s basically all a wash this year and I have to start over? I’m thinking the best approach would be to really mix in what I’ve got on top and blend it with the bottom layers more? OR would the worms and microbes eventually penetrate that bottom layer on their own and it’s better not to disturb the process? Thanks!
I’ve been building up my garden soil in raised beds with store bought compost bags and some amendments, mushroom spores saw dust in the mulch layer, with bokashi, vermipost and home compost to add when it’s ready. But what I started with was huggelcultur raised beds and in ground beds with mostly just logs and native soil at the base, and the small amounts of bagged soil/compost on top. I’m realising now that is everything I’ve planted gets a good start but then hits resistance when the roots reach down into the old dirt, where it’s become compacted and not nurturing at all. I’m wondering if it’s basically all a wash this year and I have to start over? I’m thinking the best approach would be to really mix in what I’ve got on top and blend it with the bottom layers more? OR would the worms and microbes eventually penetrate that bottom layer on their own and it’s better not to disturb the process? Thanks!
Really tall, over 6 feet. It came with the house I bought so I have no clue what it is, but the berries are big and delicious. I’m not sure how best to keep the new branches upright, I’ve just tied them together so they don’t buckle under the weight of the Berries coming in, temporarily. But I’m sure it needs some more airflow and light coming into the center. Any advice would be amazing, thank you blueberry friends!
My potty trained kid (2.5 years, potty trained since 18mo, only one night accident up to now) peed himself after cio. We’ve gotten desperate with night wakings and him fighting sleep throughout the night, trying everything in the book each night to not go back to sleep. I finally gave in to cio which helped big time in the past. After he layed back down to sleep I see he’s wet through his pjs on the monitor. I’m having an awful feeling about it and I’m a wreck. Did he get so stressed out!? I feel awful. Has this happened to anyone else? Is this a sign not to do it again?
Went to change him and he’s wide awake and his bed is too wet, ended up taking him to my bed. So now I’m feeling even worse. Was it all for nothing and am I reinforcing that if he pees he gets to go to the big bed ? I’m lost
And how can I make it stop?!
My guess is pill bugs, caterpillars, or slugs? In other strawberries, I see them eat a lot more - hollow out the inside and leave a hole entrance. I’m thinking sticky traps, covering with bird netting, but should I bother with dyotenacious earth? Do people actually have success from that? I’ve used it many years ago for pillbugs in the soil but didn’t seem to have an effect.
Also lots of spittlebug on these, not sure if anything can be done about those either?
Thank you!
Planted this fig tree about earlier this year as a bare root, along with two other types of fruit trees that are fine. I followed the nursery’s directions, spread out the few roots, loosened up the soil around (maybe not enough?)
I was checking on the surface and saw roots growing around the base. Dug under and saw it was really choking up all around into this clump. I can’t even loosen them up. Any advice on this? Thanks! Tree top looks great, a few leaves and two figs coming in.