If you are like me you only eat a small portion of
what you grow. Sometimes we get overburdened with too many tomatoes,
squash or zucchini at the peak of the season. But a solution has been
created! http://ampleharvest.org/
The problem with most food collections is they can't collect fresh
food. Their donations are sent to a large warehouse and distributed
weeks or months later. Ample Harvest delivers your fresh produce the
same day. I'm sure you will be impressed if your watch the video [click here for video link]
Here in Chico we can deliver our surplus to
Indigenous Microorganisms and Effective Microorganisms are used in Korean gardening methods where bacteria is fermented and grown, along with other beneficial organisms for the benefit of the garden's soil web and to stimulate the plants natural defenses.
My reason for culturing the microorganisms found in frass is to create suppressive isolates; then colonize the rhizosphere with nonspecific fungal antagonists and initiate a systemic acquired resistance (SAR) to fortify the plant's defenses by triggering a hypersensitive response. I will also attempt to artificially trigger SAR by spraying this homemade plant activator on the foliage in hope of growing plants highly resistant to a broad range of pathogens.
The video above shows the first step of my IMO Frass experiment.
I will include more videos as I progress
I attempted to find other studies involving frass. The research papers
Bryan McGrath created the series above. I have summarized his method below.
IMO 1 - Start local indigenous micro organisms on hard
cooked rice. Cover with inoculate such as grass,
bamboo or leaves.
IMO 2 - Mix 50/50 by weight with brown
sugar.
IMO 3 - Mix with wheat bran and
flour. Mix 3 parts water
to 1 part IMO 2. Combine this with 12
lb wheat bran and 1 cup flour till moist
but not soaked. Let compost till cool and clumped
with mycillium.
IMO 4 - Mix with
soil or bakashi compost. 1:1
ratio.
Another source of information comes from SQWworm Sosiety Bryan McGrath is also featured in on this site but the methods are slightly different
INSECT CHITIN–Chitin stimulates the plant’s auto-immune system to create plant secondary metabolites(PSMsor“exudates”)such asChitinase Enzyme,Terpenes, Flavinoids,Alkaloids and Amino Acids,which protect plantsfrom Pests and Pathogens–The absolute best Fungal Food for Compost Teas–Works exceptionally well with Mycorrhizae–Prevents/Kills Root Rot (fungal pathogens in the rhizosphere)–Kills Root-Feeding Nematodes and their eggs
Chitinases are enzymes that catalyze the degradation of
chitin
Chitin stimulates the plant's auto-immune system to create plant
secondary metabolite s (PSM s or “exudates ”) such as Chitinase
Enzyme, Terpenes, Flavinoids, Alkaloids and Amino Acids, which
protect plants from Pests and Pathogens
Plants often wait until pathogens are detected before producing
toxic chemicals or defense-related proteins because of the high
energy costs and nutrient requirements associated with their
production and maintenance. This phenomenon is called systemic
acquired resistance (SAR) and represents a heightened state of
readiness in which plant resources are mobilized in case of
further attack. Researchers have learned to artificially trigger
SAR by spraying plants with chemicals called plant activators.
These substances are gaining favor in the agricultural community
because they are much less toxic to humans and wildlife than
fungicides or antibiotics, and their protective effects can last
much longer. - An
Overview of Plant Defenses against Pathogens and Herbivores
My frass experiment uses the IMO method, but Effective Microorganisms are very similar. Below are written instructions
Making Effective
Microorganisms
from Scratch.
Mix one cup rice with two cups water and shake. Strain out the rice. Cover and secure a paper towel over the top of the jar. Leave in the dark, between 68 and 77 degrees F for five to seven days to culture the active microbes. The mixture should smell sour. Add 10 parts milk (about 5 quarts) to the one part strained rice wash, and let it ferment for 14 days. The rice wash grows many microbes, both beneficial and pathogenic. The milk kills off everything but the lactobacillus. Strain the solids off the top of the bucket. The yellow liquid is purified lactobacillus serum. Dilute the lactobacillus serum in a 1:20 ratio with water and add it to your compost
A look at the construction of my Earthan Beds. Previously these beds
were Wicking Beds with sand in the bottom, but now I want to be able to
let aquaponic water flow freely through the beds so I've replaced the
sand with rocks. The soil I place back into the Earthan Beds is a mix of
sand, compost, pumice, and garden soil, amended with Azomite. Pumice is
not required, but it provides plenty of surface area for bacteria while
making the soil light and airy.
When I first started to use my wicking beds I noticed the smell of
anaerobic bacteria. By allowing some water to flow out of the overflow
tube each day I was able to prevent this anaerobic condition. When I
removed the sand and soil from the wicking beds I found no sign of
anaerobic bacteria.
By letting the water flow through the Earthan Beds I will create a good
environment for nitrification and prevent anaerobic conditions. The
water from the Bioponic System will also provide nitrates and other
elements for good plant growth.
The first video shows how I constructed the Earthan Beds
This video starts out with a tour of my fall garden.
Click the hot spot to skip ahead to the nearly finished wicking beds.
Saving seeds comes with responsibility
Saved seeds helps preserve the variety. A side benefit is that year after year these seeds will become asclimated to the local weather and soil.
Great care should be taken to save seeds from only the largest most healthy crops, while [avoiding cross pollination] in order to keep the seeds pure and robust. This means weeding out the small under performing plants within your crop, so as not to pollinate from a weaker plant.
Trading seeds with others in your community will help to insure genetic variety, but trade only with those you can trust. Otherwise the seeds may produce less desirable offspring and the genetic trueness to type will be lost.
Saving seeds for yourself can be done in a laissez-faire mannor, but it is not ethical to swap seeds if the genetic purity and strength are not documented.
Keep detailed accounts of as much information you can about everything you can observe and know:
color
odor
size
soil
water
sun
cultivation and harvesting time
variations in the seed
where you planted it
scientific name (as the colloquial name of it may vary)
popular names
uses
origin (where it came from)
date of seed preparation, etc.
Not every seed is worth saving. Until you learn to grow excellent crops you should practice the techniques but don't contaminate the seed banks with mislabeled inferior crossbred varieties or varieties from [F1 hybrids] .
Seed to Seed (Second Edition)
by Suzanne Ashworth
Complete seed-saving guide that describes specific techniques for 160 vegetables, including botanical classifications, flower structure andpollination, population size, isolation distances, and techniques for caging, hand-pollination, harvesting, drying, cleaning and storage.
This updated and greatly expanded Second Edition now includes how to start each vegetable from seed, which has turned the book into a complete growing guide. Expert gardeners from seven regions of the U.S. have shared their seed-starting techniques. An invaluable,
comprehensive reference book for maintaining heirlooms and preserving
our vegetable heritage.
80 black-and-white photos. Softcover, 228 pages.
Are you unknowingly supporting biotech seed companies? This article from Seed Library will help you avoid funding Monsanto and other biotech corporations. [CLICK HERE]
