Zen and the Art of Gardening Maintenance

[Zen_seeker]

Learning natural ways to grow using methods introduced by Stonemason.

Here is a link to Stonemasons KNF guides.

 

[Zen_seeker]

In preparation for outdoor growing in 2024 I’m hoping to use the time between now and the end of May to try and make healthy soil and juice for our garden and cannabis.

The first recommendation was to start a LAB or Lactobacillus culture so that’s where I will begin.

Thanks goes to @stonemason for his support and Korean Natural Farming Recipes.

 

[moe.red]

Funny, @stonemason 's KNF thread is a huge draw for google results. Highly sought after in the wild. I'm in for the ride.

You gonna catch fish and ferment them and everything?

 

[Zen_seeker]

@Moe.Red

I really don’t know how many recipes I’ll be doing ATM. Setting up for a odourless indoor compost and going from there. The better half has concerns about smells and attacking things.

I have a few places I fished, some about an hour away. One has rainbow and steelhead in abundance around May. I’ll refrain from using anything IN Lake Ontario. Fun to catch but the glow from the nuclear plant turns me off.

I’m not big on eating fish but my wife and son are so I have other options.

I also have a really good spot for any forest items. Also about an hour away. Just not sure it’s legal to bring a shovel with me.

I’ve already have the first recipe just about finished. Next I need to post with pics. Hard to plan it all out on just a phone. Starting a new journal at home and copying recipes.

Back soon.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Recipe #2: Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)
These are the protectors, the beneficial bacteria. Takes about a week to purify a culture for use.

Step 1: Find a clean 1.5L container. Use 1/2 cup white rice and wash it in 1 litre of water. Any white rice is fine. Gently stir to get the starches.

Step 2: Remove the rice, you just want the cloudy starch water. (Cook the rice or throw it away.)

Step 3: Set your cloudy water aside, somewhere out of direct sunlight. In a cabinet is fine. Cover with a breathable cloth or paper towel and rubber band. We now want to wait until the water gets somewhat clear and has sediment. Depending on your temperature (hotter is quicker) it will take about 1 to 3 days. When ready It will have slightly sweet smell to it so smell it. Mine reminded me of oatmeal. Don't let it go to long!

Step 4: Take you culture and add it to organic milk. (Type doesn’t seem to matter so I used 3.25% homo). Use 1 part culture to 10 parts milk. It doesn’t have to be exact. I used 2/3 cup culture to 6 cups milk. Pour the culture into the milk not the milk into the culture! You want to avoid disturbing the sediment. I used a large syringe to take just the liquid. It was NOT 100% clear.

(Sediments, like small white flakes, look like calcium deposits in your culture. Avoid these.)

Use a large mouth container like a vase, decanter or large mason jar. Something that has a large opening so you can spoon out the curds easily later.

Make sure to cover the container again with a breathable cloth or paper towel. Now we let it sit to watch it turn into curds & whey.

To be continued…

 

[Zen_seeker]

Recipe #2: Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)
Continued.

Step 5: After about 1 to 5 days all the curds will rise to the top. As soon as this finishes its done.

Day 1 -

Day 2-


Day 3-


Once it’s ready remove the curds without breaking them up. You want the whey which is the golden liquid under the curd. The milk has purified your culture.

To be continued…

 

[Zen_seeker]

Recipe #2: Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)

Step 5: Continued.

Day 4-


Pour off the whey through a strainer. Trying not to break up the curds.


The cheese cloth and strainer wasn’t fine enough so I did it again two more times using a clean old t-shirt as a filter.



Now that things are as filtered as we can get them it’s time to prep one for longer storage. (Stasis)

Step 6: Super saturate. This step is optional. If you super saturate and refrigerate the cultures should last about a year. If not keep refrigerated for a few months. Once put into stasis you can also leave at room temperature if kept in a place out of sunlight.

To super saturate start with your jars about 2/3 to 1/2 full of whey, then slowly stir in brown sugar. The brown sugar will start to float slightly and sink slower. You want to add enough sugar that no matter how much you stir it the liquid won't absorb anymore. You should see a layer of sugar sediment that settles at bottom. The sugar will put the bacteria in a frozen, slow motion state, for storage.



This completes the LAB creation and we can move on to the next part.

In my case the next step will be to build a simple odourless compost for kitchen vegetable waste and cannabis waste. (Leaves, old vape, and any other parts I trim off.)

 

[stonemason]

Recipe #2: Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)

Step 5: Continued.

Day 4-
View attachment 37126

Pour off the whey through a strainer. Trying not to break up the curds.
View attachment 37127View attachment 37128View attachment 37129

The cheese cloth and strainer wasn’t fine enough so I did it again two more times using a clean old t-shirt as a filter.

View attachment 37133View attachment 37134

Now that things are as filtered as we can get them it’s time to prep one for longer storage. (Stasis)

Step 6: Super saturate. This step is optional. If you super saturate and refrigerate the cultures should last about a year. If not keep refrigerated for a few months. Once put into stasis you can also leave at room temperature if kept in a place out of sunlight.

To super saturate start with your jars about 2/3 to 1/2 full of whey, then slowly stir in brown sugar. The brown sugar will start to float slightly and sink slower. You want to add enough sugar that no matter how much you stir it the liquid won't absorb anymore. You should see a layer of sugar sediment that settles at bottom. The sugar will put the bacteria in a frozen, slow motion state, for storage.

View attachment 37139View attachment 37140View attachment 37141

This completes the LAB creation and we can move on to the next part.

In my case the next step will be to build a simple odourless compost for kitchen vegetable waste and cannabis waste. (Leaves, old vape, and any other parts I trim off.)

Great job zen.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Creating a simple composter.

For cannabis trim, scraps and kitchen vegetable waste. The goal is to be odourless.

Note: The US seems to be able to get screw on/off lids for the 5 gallon pales but these aren’t available in the Canadian stores.

We start by buying two 5gal buckets and one lid. The bottom bucket will catch the liquids. So we need to make some holes in the bottom of one bucket. 3/8” or 1/2” is fine.




We also need a filter for the bottom to stop solids falling into the lower bucket. Paper towels can be used but they tend not to breakdown easily. I’m trying part of a paper bag as I recall them being used when I was a kid. (I also recall them disintegrating if they got wet full of groceries.)



I’ve been saving the trimmings for a bit in anticipation of making this.



Now I need to find rice bran meal. Not so easy with all the co-ops being chased out of the city. TSC got bought out up here in 2016 and I didn’t even notice until they closed the stores.

To be continued…

 

[Zen_seeker]

Creating a simple composter.
Continued…

Finding Rice Bran Meal has proven to be more challenging than expected. Looking into substitutes that are cost effective was the next challenge.

Stonemason was able to find another solution. One that replaces bran with a mix of molasses and the LAB.

Bokashi composting without using the bran!

I feel composting should be a part of your life. I want to compost comfortably without worrying or having a burden in your everyday schedule. It’s so easy to give up or feel disappointed when…

diguplondon.wordpress.com

Following this change I can proceed. However we decided to experiment at this point. He’ll be using one ratio and I another. In my case I’ll just be doubling the amounts but reducing the water to 800ml.


We are both skipping the one week in the dark cool space.

I’m putting 250ml in each small spray bottle. Then I’ll start by spraying the paper at the bottom. Followed by putting on an inch or two of trim before spraying again.


Then repeat spreading the solid material before spraying again every couple of inches. Damp enough to make it stick or clump but not saturated.


Rather than cover what can be added to the Bokashi Bucket it’s easier to note what shouldn’t be added. Citrus can kill the bacteria and should be avoided as well.

Adding used vape.


Tea bag leaves and coffee grounds with a final spray on top.


I used about 300ml spraying almost half a bucket.

Now we wait a few days and hope rot isn’t an issue. I’ll keep adding vegetation scraps until the buckets full.

To be continued.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Creating a simple composter.
Continued…

Currently just adding clean kitchen waste, nothing goopy or having meat yet.



Then I spray with the EM & molasses mix.



I’ll wait until the pail is full or I see some action before posting again.


To be continued.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Creating a simple composter.
Continued…

It’s been 25 days since the Bokashi compost was started. The only change that was made in this time was the addition of more holes to the bottom. The above photo was updated to reflect this.

3 weeks ago we started adding just vegetables, coffee grounds, tea grounds and pot leaves.



Making sure to spray our LAB mixture after each inch of new material. I find chopping things up smaller helps speed things up but it’s not necessary.

This continues until the container is full. We don’t have a lot of organic waste so this has taken almost a month to reach the top.


Meat, fish, eggs and shells have been left out of our compost. It can be added but we are avoiding smells and testing what works still. Egg shells take a long time to break down this way so we are dealing with them differently in another process.

Currently the only smells have been molasses, a light vinegar and/or a fruity aroma. If my wife isn’t complaining it doesn’t stink!

I did notice when draining the bottom bucket that a white mold was forming on the bottom hole locations. I was told this can happen and isn’t a concern.

Don’t forget the runoff is great tea for the garden once watered down. It’s also good for cleaning your pipes and septic.

This bucket is full enough and I’ll be moving it to a dark space for a week or two. I have a second set of buckets I’m going to make a set with this week.

As of last Friday we filled the first Bokashi bucket and started another. The first should be ready to mix with soil in two weeks.


We just stacked one set on top of the other in a dark cool location. Out of the way but easy to access.

Once full the first bucket set was put aside two weeks to let the lacto do its thing. This is now ready to add to compost and my old soil mix to rejuvenate for this years grow.

This is almost the end of this project before continuing to the next step. I’ll be editing later with the last part so I can continue with the other projects I’ve done.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ)
(Just getting this down fast and will fill out correct shortly)

This project is another way to creat a useful tool kit of probiotics with just fruits, brown sugar and water.



Basically you need up to equal parts fruit to sugar.

I started with 2lbs bananas & a few apples. Use a kitchen scale.

Chop into at least chunks. Stonemason recommended using fresh fruit and leaving the peel on. But I’ve read using fruit BEFORE is molds is fine and can speed up the fermentation. (Seems true in my case.)

Now mix in the brown sugar, by hand tumbled is fine. You want to try and get a even coating of sugar over all the bits but it’s not mandatory. You don’t want it all mushy. Try and stop while still chunky.

At this point it’s ready to sit and ferment. A bowl, large jar, or iced tea jug is perfect. I started with a bowl I covered with a clean old t-shirt section I cut off. Next was a large walnut jar I have.



The walnut jar was good as it can hold a lot. After checking every day for a week it was ready to filter and jar. No liquid has been added.

I then double strained the juice into 1L(quart) jars. (Taste is fantastic)


The remaining sugar and fruit was then used to make vinegar. Next project.

(I’m using the FFJ & Lacto on the plants abut as I learn about these and how I can apply them. Getting ready for spring so I need more.

This time it was 6.5lbs apples and bananas and equal brown sugar.

Day 1:


Day 6:



Day 8:
)

(*This is pending review and correction)

 

[Zen_seeker]

FFJ Vinegar


To make this you can use a few methods including just the FFJ. But as I happen to be finishing my FFJ I’ll use the leftovers rather than toss it onto the compost.

Another video can be found here;

Here I have moved all the old biomass, fruits and sugar, into a large container. Basically double the amount of juice you removed and add that much water to the mix. Give it a stir, cover with a clean breathable cloth or t-shirt, and wait. As always the colder it is the longer it will take.


This should all be done in a location without direct sunlight, preferably in place you can leave dark and room enough to maneuver.

Once mixed and stirred let sit until everything is pushed up by bubbles. Then stir it again.



If you happen to notice white or green mold forming, or even black, that’s okay. It just means you need to stir more often. The air is allowing bacteria to grow on the vegetation up top. Stirring will kill any bad bacteria with the acidic vinegar. Leaving it won’t hurt anything, it just looks bad.


After a week or so you will smell vinegar. Lightly maybe, but it’s there. Eventually the sugar will be all eaten and the bubbles will stop. That’s when it’s ready. You should be checking for PH after the first week or two. This can take between 1-3 months depending on climate and how we start.

This is looking almost done to me. Time to PH test.


This is the PH of our store bought white vinegar.

Not quite there yet but it smells like our small apple vinegar bottle.



26 days later the acidity is strong enough I haven’t needed to stir the jar to stop mold. It looks like a mother is trying to form on top but stirring is interfering.


I found the top layer had a higher acidity so I strained some and then took a PH reading. (I want 2.5)

The taste is a light but sweet apple and banana. The smell is more vinegary but still fruity.

It takes between 1-3 months depending on environment and materials used. I think very ripe fruit made things a bit faster imo. I’ll let it go longer and check in another week.

Here is a chart to help know when your vinegar is ready.


Day 43:

Looks like a mother is trying to form. Mold won’t hurt or spread once the vinegar starts but I stir it anyway. If my wife sees mold she won’t touch or use it.

After this time, 43 days, it’s at PH 2.62-2.65, once I stir and strain a bit into a shot glass to test. (I find the top gets a thin layer of vinegar that is stronger.)

Day 46:
A quick PH check looks good.


I’ll do a filter into a clean jar I use.


Then wash and put back into the juice dispenser.

I’ll leave it in this a few days as it’s bubbling a bit still. I’m hoping it will clear up a bit more and settle. It will be easier to pour into the bottles at least and should catch sediment.

I tastes sweet, like apples and then a super sour/tart tang. I like it. Think it would be good in a garden salad. Looking forward to the finished product.

*Not finished yet. Also needs review and content.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Recipe #2A: Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)
(This recipe uses no milk just rice and is finished in approximately 7 days.)

Another way to make the LAB that doesn’t require milk. I’m not fond of the cheese smell and the left over curds are a waste as only Willow eats it. It’s just farm cheese but my wife won’t try it.

So here is what we need. Organic brown rice, sea salt, clean water, kitchen scale and large jugs. (Large pop or distilled water jugs are good.)

Here is where Stonemason found the alternative LAB recipe.

These are the steps I collected to save watching the video over again.


I did a rough scale down of the ingredients as my bottle only holds 4L or a gallon. I wrote it while holding the book in one hand so a little sloppy.

You simply put the sugar, salt and rice in the bottle and tornado spin it by holding the bottle vertically and gently turning your body side to side while flipping the bottle with every turn. Like carrying a football properly but moving it from left to right side for a total of 88 times. This is so the rice gently scrapes rather than smashes against each other. We want to rub off all the good bacteria and have it mix with the sea salt bacteria and they can feed in the sugar.


After you tornado spin it it should have foam or bubbles at the top. Let that settle a bit then remove the lid and squeeze out the air and put the lid on. In the next 24/48 hours the bacteria will start eating the sugars and off gas. You will need to check this at least twice a day once it starts.

I open the bottle in the morning, off gas and squeeze to put the lid back on. Then tornado spin a few times and off gas again. I then come back and check once or twice before bed. If under pressure I do it again.

This is about half way done. When no more bubbles occur when you move the rice around it’s done. They used all the sugar. Now it’s ready to be strained/filtered off and used. It should keep a week as is outside a refrigerator if away from sunlight. Store an a cool dark space or refrigerate. (Currently looking into long term storage steps as I have read a year but not how it’s achieved.)

This is after 5 days. The off gassing has really picked up. Every few hours I can tornado spin it and get lots more.

After a week the lacto smell was really strong. I double filtered and bottled. Leaving about 1 litre/quart of liquid in so I could start another batch using the directions above.



*This is pending review and additional information.

 

[Zen_seeker]

I’ve been having trouble finding just recipes for using things like lacto. I know it can be used for many things but amounts and mixes are not readily found. So I’ll put some I’ve found here.

Common Lacto Uses and recipes:


I’ll add links and more content but wanted a few here for anyone ready to try them.

 

[Zen_seeker]

I have updates to add and the firsts Bokashi bucket to add to soil.

I took a chance and added all the rice to the start of the second bucket. It was too damp with very little other organics with it at first. By the time the bucket was full it smelled like the rice had rotted. My wife noticed it first but once I opened the lid I had to dump it outside. The whole house reeked for a bit.

Other than the rotting rice this has been easy and helpful. Also cut our wet garbage in half. Still not using meat or any meal leftovers. Just clean scraps.

To start a new bucket I used all the leaves and young branches from the northern lights clones I cut down.

 

[Zen_seeker]

The Bokashi Soil Factory.

You can find the video guide here.

Have a large container or tote that can hold all the material in the buckets you plan to use. A guesstimate is for every Bokashi bucket have space for two. So you can add the additional materials like soil, compost, worm castings, etc.

I’m using once used soil that I grow vegetables in.


Add about 3” of your base soil/mix.
A living soil is best but I’m using what I have.



I’m adding worm castings for the microbes.


This bucket was sitting a few extra weeks. The Hollyhock leaves on top are harder to break down. So are onion skins. But the rest looks good.


I spread the worm castings evenly then dumped the bucket on top. Chopping it up as as I go. It tends to stay in disc shapes.



Then I added another thin layer of worm castings. Make sure you break up the material underneath well first

I then used the old soil to cover the top about 3” again.

If your container isn’t breathable have one side raised to let air in and cut back on condensation.

With any luck we’ll have nice soil ready for the garden in 2-4 weeks.

Update: 20240603

It’s been about 6 weeks so time to check the soil. Just under the surface the soil is rich and dark. It smells like good soil.


Only a few items haven’t broken down 100%. A few brown egg shells that slipped in, a few thicker stems, and a tiny bit of brown recycled paper towel I used at the bottom.

I’m impressed with how well it worked. Had my plans gone as hoped I’d have everything I need to start growing my garden now.

I’ll be continuing this to build up more for later. Either to use indoors or more likely to use on the vegetables to get a better feel for using this.


Note: Any mold found on the soil or compost material is fine as long as it’s not black or red. Whites a good sign in fact.

 

[Observer]

Gawh dayum
The effort

Nice

 

[Zen_seeker]

Gawh dayum
The effort

Nice

Says the guy that does “Maximum Effort” (Said in a cheesy anime voice) in his experiments. LOL

Sorry, too much Netflix lately.

I still have to peek at your wall to wall run. Haven’t started catching up on your thread yet.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Not quite ready to start the outdoor garden but getting ready to pop seeds.

While I wait I started a FPJ using dandelions, with Stonemasons prompting. Of course it had to rain each morning so amounts are limited.

I can’t believe how much they compress over a day or two. Half a jar is down to a quart of the space. They must be mostly water.



That was just the first load. But after a second load the next morning and letting it sit it’s now back to the same hight in the jar.


I’ll try and get one more layer on top this week. I have a few days I can still add to it.

I’m hoping to make one with all the vegetation trim from the cannabis plants this year. Build up enough to practice on the outdoor plants and then try it indoors.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Just updated the Bokashi bucket with the end result.

Zen and the Art of Gardening Maintenance

Learning natural ways to grow using methods introduced by Stonemason. Here is a link to Stonemasons KNF guides.

budbuilders.org

It works, better than I expected.