[EdlinUser]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RedStateGreen', '
')
Urine at a 1:10 dilution is a great source of nitrogen and phosphorus. With rock phosphorus 'peaking', this is a good alternative.

[green_achers]

I lost most of my peppers this year from some sort of root rot, and in almost every case, it wasn't long after I gave them a shot of "liquid gold." I've been using about .1 solution.

[mercurygirl]

I tried the 1:10 urine on some plants recently and it really seemed to give them a boost.

[green_achers]

Somebody in this or some other thread I'm too lazy to look for was talking about getting different results depending on the time of day. I think the key is that there's wide variation in urine content. My ex-partner was commenting that when I "fertigate" with the .1 solution, it had a better result than when she did. I tend to eat more protein than she does. I'm guessing a heavy meat eater should dilute theirs even more.

[Gothor]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('green_achers', 'M')other Earth News did a comparison of organic fertilizers in a recent issue. They used N as their standard and found that the best bargain was grass clippings, at $0/#N. The best commercial source was alfalfa pellets. The worst was the commercial worm casting liquid, at about $40,000/#N.

I collect grass clippings and other yard waste everywhere I can find it.

[coyote]

My neighbors and I have been experimenting with spent coffee grounds, great for nitrogen and so on.

One neighbor in particular has been getting large amounts of spent grounds from Starbucks, you can call them in the morning and they'll give you a bunch instead of throwing it out. It comes with some filters mixed in, you can either weed through to pull them out - or, if you're composting, just throw them right in with the mix. Tea and tea bags are supposed to be fine too, but we haven't tried them yet.

After peak, coffee will probably be one of the more expensive items around, but I imagine there will always be at least some spent grounds available. Then again, that's what I once thought about used cooking oil too!

[alokin]

I saw charcoal in the supermarket - could it be used as a fertilizer in the garden, and what elements are in?
And how about using wood ash of the public BBQ's?
How much would you use in hand fulls per m²?
I make always stink brew but without a lid - do nutritients go out with the odour? I use Borage and to a lesser extend Comfrey, does anyone know which nutritients do these plants bring?

They sell a worm farm at BUnnings and the government pays half of it. I wonder if a worm farm produces more or better fertilizer than our usual compost bin and if we would be better off constructing something ourselves.

[threadbear]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('alokin', 'I') saw charcoal in the supermarket - could it be used as a fertilizer in the garden, and what elements are in?
And how about using wood ash of the public BBQ's?
How much would you use in hand fulls per m²?
I make always stink brew but without a lid - do nutritients go out with the odour? I use Borage and to a lesser extend Comfrey, does anyone know which nutritients do these plants bring?

They sell a worm farm at BUnnings and the government pays half of it. I wonder if a worm farm produces more or better fertilizer than our usual compost bin and if we would be better off constructing something ourselves.

[bkwillia]

Wood ash is a poor fertilizer. It can reduce soil acidity though it is very fast release and tends to burn plants.

Cooking charcoal is produced at temperatures which volatilize much of the NPK value in wood, and breaks down the cell structure which otherwise enhances its nutrient retention capacity.

Charcoal can be a very good soil building agent for low quality, carbon deficient soils, and it remains in the soil far longer than compost. The best charcoal is produced in a traditional fashion: slowly at low temperatures. Commercial processes use higher temperatures to speed up the process.

[Tinman]

Look up Terra Preta.

[FoolYap]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('alokin', 'I') saw charcoal in the supermarket - could it be used as a fertilizer in the garden, and what elements are in?

[SpringCreekFarm]

Wood ashes from hardwood is an excellent fertilizer and can help sweeten the soil and reduce acidity. I've been using it for years. I usually put a light dusting on the soil in the autumn when I'm putting my garden beds up for the winter. I then mulch over top to soften the harshness of winter.

[vtsnowedin]

Many Vermont towns have a potash road where in colonial times maple ashes were leached and the leachate boiled down to make potash. U.S. Patent Number 1 was issued to a Vermonter for an improved process that increased yields and purity of the product.

[Jean_de_Bruxelles]

Hello, I'm a complete newbie in chemical products. I just know that my shampoo and plastics are made with oil. And I was wondering : Are we gonna miss the chemical fertilizers in agriculture in the long-term future (if no apocalypse occurs) ? How are they made indeed ? Actually I'm quite against chemicals as a principle, but I've learned from my garden.

Composting is not that easy, it is slow and then I got to burry it instead of just adding a liquid in water... A lot of work and a poor result in my case. So I bought those chemical fertilizers. My ground is poor, the buildings around are eating the sun (I live in Brussels), but since I use chemical fertilizers, most of my plants produce flowers and fruits

So I was wondering how will the agriculture evolve regarding the peak oil ? Not just the use of engines will be modified but I am too ignorant to foresee it. Thanks for answering.

[dohboi]

The predicted crash in the availability of fossil-fuel-based fertilizers and pesticides/herbicides is one major reason many see a major die off in the near future.

Ironically, the mania for corn-based biofuels in North America has lead to an increase in the use of said chemicals, with ever greater threats to the waterways and GOM downstream.

Even "organic" supplements often depend on large inputs of ff for processing.

[joeltrout]

We will definitely miss all the additional food fertilizer/chemical products produce and protect.

Try organic gardening. One infestation and your family crop is done.

Now multiply that on several thousand acres and a cities crop is done.

joeltrout

[dohboi]

There are of course non-pesticide methods of crop protection.

But joeltrout is basically right. The vast majority of crops in the world are now grown with massive inputs that are dependent on ff's and shifting to other methods will not be easy, to say the least.

The whole green revolution, which fed millions but also allowed for the explosive population growth we are in, is predicated on the assumption of limitless supplies of fossil fuels.

[CarlosFerreira]

Yes, probably. You might try some info on fertilizers. They are extremely important in increasing yields to provide food security.

There are few proven, economically interesting (cheap) alternatives to supplying nitrogen to plants, except using the Haber process, which uses oil and NG. An increase in the price of oil and NG, therefore, increases the price of fertilizers and, therefore, of food. Not that this is the absolute most important direct cause of recent prices increases!

[Jean_de_Bruxelles]

Thanks for the answers. There's a lot in wikipedia indeed.

Traditionaly in Belgium we were short in organic fertilizers, especially the horse manure. Going back to organic culture won't be easy because we all have cars now, nearly no more horses. And maybe all those chemicals allow us to be less accurate with the moon position or the combination of differents plants...

It seems a huge challenge, but I haven't read all the links yet. Thanks.

[Cabrone]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jean_de_Bruxelles', 'T')hanks for the answers. There's a lot in wikipedia indeed.

Traditionaly in Belgium we were short in organic fertilizers, especially the horse manure. Going back to organic culture won't be easy because we all have cars now, nearly no more horses. And maybe all those chemicals allow us to be less accurate with the moon position or the combination of differents plants...

It seems a huge challenge, but I haven't read all the links yet. Thanks.