Wicking methods in the earth - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-29T15:10:11Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/wicking-methods-in-the-earth?groupUrl=wicking-bed-growers&commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A482492&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noNice one Dave, my own progres…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-06-04:4778851:Comment:4824922013-06-04T23:04:55.484ZTetlomhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Tetlom
<p>Nice one Dave, my own progress has slowed right down again, but hoping to get some help from my brothers who are visiting for a few days. Great to see your Corn growing, gives me inspiration. Thanks for the tip regarding tap root support. I wonder if we will be using other support structures in the ground, lots of straws would add air, but would also dry out soil I guess. back to work..</p>
<p>Nice one Dave, my own progress has slowed right down again, but hoping to get some help from my brothers who are visiting for a few days. Great to see your Corn growing, gives me inspiration. Thanks for the tip regarding tap root support. I wonder if we will be using other support structures in the ground, lots of straws would add air, but would also dry out soil I guess. back to work..</p> Here is an update picture of…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-06-04:4778851:Comment:4827272013-06-04T20:17:02.689ZDavid Schwinghamerhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/DavidSchwinghamer
<p>Here is an update picture of my corn wick bed. Some things that I discovered is that some of the corn stalks were having trouble standing up, probably because of the airy coir soil it was planted in. I fixed it with some sticky compost at the base. Another thing that I saw is that there is a lot of cucumber plants sprouting up, I didnt even plant it! …</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772247480?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772247480?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></a></p>
<p>Here is an update picture of my corn wick bed. Some things that I discovered is that some of the corn stalks were having trouble standing up, probably because of the airy coir soil it was planted in. I fixed it with some sticky compost at the base. Another thing that I saw is that there is a lot of cucumber plants sprouting up, I didnt even plant it! </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772247480?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772247480?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p> Tetlom
I now understand your…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-23:4778851:Comment:4785752013-05-23T19:25:44.117ZDavid Schwinghamerhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/DavidSchwinghamer
<p>Tetlom</p>
<p>I now understand your sketch and agree with you. Ive got a 2 year compost pile full of worms that I would like to try you idea with, I only see good things from it.</p>
<p>Tetlom</p>
<p>I now understand your sketch and agree with you. Ive got a 2 year compost pile full of worms that I would like to try you idea with, I only see good things from it.</p> Here is the final shot ya'all…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-23:4778851:Comment:4784752013-05-23T16:18:35.306ZDavid Schwinghamerhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/DavidSchwinghamer
<p>Here is the final shot ya'all were dying to see.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245759?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245759?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>Here is the final shot ya'all were dying to see.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245759?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245759?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p> Yes that is right, coir is am…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-23:4778851:Comment:4785442013-05-23T14:45:47.981ZDavid Schwinghamerhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/DavidSchwinghamer
<p>Yes that is right, coir is amazing stuff! I did this method in a half barrel and its kickin ass.</p>
<p>Yes that is right, coir is amazing stuff! I did this method in a half barrel and its kickin ass.</p> Hey Dave, that looks really i…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-23:4778851:Comment:4785182013-05-23T06:10:12.336ZTetlomhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Tetlom
<p>Hey Dave, that looks really interesting - those entries in the top - are they to let water in and out? I have been using little plastic bottles stuffed with coir that look a bit like that. I'll post a picture if I can find. Thanks for the share, like your idea.</p>
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<p>Hey Dave, that looks really interesting - those entries in the top - are they to let water in and out? I have been using little plastic bottles stuffed with coir that look a bit like that. I'll post a picture if I can find. Thanks for the share, like your idea.</p>
<p></p> Below is a picture of my late…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-23:4778851:Comment:4785162013-05-23T06:05:13.640ZDavid Schwinghamerhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/DavidSchwinghamer
<p>Below is a picture of my latest in ground wick bed for growing corn. Its a plastic rain gutter with ten 1.25 pvc tubes stuffed with coir. The sides will have a mixture of coir and vermicompost as the planting media for corn transplants. …</p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245717?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245717?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></a></p>
<p>Below is a picture of my latest in ground wick bed for growing corn. Its a plastic rain gutter with ten 1.25 pvc tubes stuffed with coir. The sides will have a mixture of coir and vermicompost as the planting media for corn transplants. </p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245717?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245717?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p> these sketches are incomplete…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-23:4778851:Comment:4783592013-05-23T03:47:44.707ZTetlomhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Tetlom
<p>these sketches are incomplete and may not make sense - the extra comments are not needed for most of you, but what the hell, I like the sound of my own voice :)</p>
<p>Landscapes are mostly subjected to flood and drought situations, a multi-level forrest system will even that out, but that is a thing of the past in most places.</p>
<p>We can put plastic sheeting to good use, by creating water-tables just below the surface that hold and slow release the water back to the top-soil directly…</p>
<p>these sketches are incomplete and may not make sense - the extra comments are not needed for most of you, but what the hell, I like the sound of my own voice :)</p>
<p>Landscapes are mostly subjected to flood and drought situations, a multi-level forrest system will even that out, but that is a thing of the past in most places.</p>
<p>We can put plastic sheeting to good use, by creating water-tables just below the surface that hold and slow release the water back to the top-soil directly above, for annual crops, and at the edges for feeding fruit trees and support species.</p>
<p>Where it gets really interesting is when you start stacking functions - permaculture style. Keep the nutrient, (carried in the water) in the system as long as possible. Maintaining moisture levels allows positive soil bacteria to increase and even more importantly the fungal networks that break down minerals and exchange them with the plants roots for sugars. Support life at the macro level and let the stability and fertility filter up through the system.</p>
<p>Listen to nature rather than trying to enslave her, most of us wind and wave sport people have learnt that fighting the elements does not work.</p>
<p>The key to sustaining life on the planet - is, well... to sustain life on the planet.</p>
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<p><span>on the bottom picture the green lump is a pile of composting organic matter - it will leach nutrients into the system. completed sections can be raked over onto the bed, making room for a new pile. I had a long compost pile on a concrete slab next to a row of bananas - they went crazy.</span></p>
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<div class="UFICommentContent" id=".reactRoot[17].[1][4][1]{comment10151374765091886_8488490}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[17].[1][4][1]{comment10151374765091886_8488490}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]">In the top picture the organic matter goes into a container and composts, layers of muscle shells or charcoal could be added to adjust PH</span></div>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245412?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772245412?profile=original" width="600" class="align-full"/></a></p> Could you draw me a picture s…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-23:4778851:Comment:4781912013-05-23T01:11:50.409ZDavid Schwinghamerhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/DavidSchwinghamer
<p>Could you draw me a picture so I can better understand your methods.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Tetlom said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/wicking-methods-in-the-earth?groupUrl=wicking-bed-growers&#4778851Comment477519"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Need to have a compost pile to process food waste</p>
<p>Compost piles can leach out in a way that is controlled and useful if the bottoms are sealed and channeled. </p>
<p>Wicking beds need…</p>
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<p>Could you draw me a picture so I can better understand your methods.<br/> <br/> <cite>Tetlom said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/wicking-methods-in-the-earth?groupUrl=wicking-bed-growers&#4778851Comment477519"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Need to have a compost pile to process food waste</p>
<p>Compost piles can leach out in a way that is controlled and useful if the bottoms are sealed and channeled. </p>
<p>Wicking beds need topping up with both water and a way to keep feeding the micro-organisms in the beds is a <a title="Click to Continue > by Coupon Companion" id="_GPLITA_1" style="text-decoration: underline;" name="_GPLITA_1">bonus</a>.</p>
<p>Or course over watering the compost pile would cool it down too much, but then you could have 2 filling points if needed.</p>
<p>Your probably correct, TCL, but I will keep trying to stack functions and experiment - though I do have total respect for the simplest way of achieving stability and high yield.</p>
<p>I have another more simple idea where you simply pile organic matter on one side of the bed and as it breaks down it leaches on to the <a title="Click to Continue > by Coupon Companion" id="_GPLITA_0" style="text-decoration: underline;" name="_GPLITA_0">plastic sheet</a> and down into the bed. Eventually you would just rake a completed section of the complete compost onto the bed. I guess you could leave a dip so that the compost is sitting on a shallow wicking bed itself, which floods over into the deeper main bed, which is open on the other side to deeper rooting trees. Somebody must be doing that already I would guess.</p>
<p>Just received the metal frames for my wicking containers to stand on today, progress at last. </p>
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</blockquote> Some interesting ideas there…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-05-20:4778851:Comment:4775202013-05-20T15:18:45.854ZTCLynxhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/TCLynx
<p>Some interesting ideas there Teltom, please let us know which ones you try and how they work out for you.</p>
<p>Some interesting ideas there Teltom, please let us know which ones you try and how they work out for you.</p>