Bryant RedHawk

Tyler Ludens wrote:So far I'm not impressed with these Superworms.  I had a big die off (low temperatures?) and the bin became infested with small flies.  I had to move it outside, so it may soon become colonized by Black Soldier Flies.
Seems like after a decent start the Superworms have stopped eating the styrofoam and are now mostly eating their fallen comrades.  I've added some Red Wigglers to the bin to see if they can clean it up some.

Still have not found a lab to test for styrene residue.

Anne Pratt wrote:So lovely to come back to read this thread again, having checked in before, and before that 4 years ago!  I'm on a new property this year and have two large deliveries slowly being spread where needed.  In the coop, on prospective gardens, surrounding the raised beds, and in two winecap-specific areas in the shade.  The limiting factor is my physical ability:  I just turned 70, and have a limited number of wheelbarrow loads each day, not to mention the mowing and gardening.  (The housework is a distant third, very distant!). I do realize that when I get the gardens up to size, I will have much less lawn to mow, which is all to the good.

I have trouble with clay soil in a low-lying front yard.  There is a shallow pond on the lawn much of the winter, and it flooded again in spring, and again recently.  I need to pile those chips high.  Trying to find plants that will be happy with occasional standing water, and will live through a drought (most of June) is quite a challenge.  

Bryant, thanks for your patience in answering SO many questions!  Your advice is always valuable, and is a major reason why I have just read this entire thread again.

Wally Jasper wrote:Good to know that. Will save the mycogrow for more plantings. As for mushroom slurry, there are no wild mushrooms around right now. We've had a "nonsoon" summer instead of our expected summer monsoons. So I'll have to buy the mushrooms. And the challenge will be to keep myself from eating them instead of blending them up and throwing them on the ground. I assure you that will be a very big challenge.

Wally Jasper wrote:Thanks Redhawk. Will do. I only now saw that I replied to your reply to Douglas and saw the message about mushroom slurry. A couple of years ago I bought some Mycogrow from Paul Stametz. Would that serve the same function as the slurry? I used to when I was planting my fruit trees, pouring it around their roots. Still have some left.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Wally, there are no simple answers to this. Where are you located? What is your rainfall? How long is your frost free season?

I only mention this because in my dry, cold climate it takes 3+ years for green chips to start to break down on their own. I have grown impatient, and am taking aggressive measures to incorporate them into various other malodourous mixes, with a long soak and then application into growing zones.

But if you can get by without this labourious process, you're fortunate!

(Edited for spelling.)

Joshua Myrvaagnes wrote:I need a slug problem.

That is, I have a duck problem and a lack of slug problem.

I have 3 huge piles of wood chips from the highway dept, they were very sure there is no herbicide or pesticide in anything they cut, and it’s a nice mix of some conifers, some leaf bits, and a lot of being free.  

But no one has moved in.  Pull bugs? Ants? Alien invasive from Arcturus? Anybody?  There is one tiny ant on here, one , and plenty of carpenter  ants in the bathroom of our house.  I don’t see earthworms underneath, mushrooms i planted in there have not fruited not potatoes sprouted out.  There’s one spider web in the side but otherwise it seems like a ghost town.  Any ideas of how I can get a bug or slug problem???