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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2011 8:37 pm 
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Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:58 pm
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Location: Waco, TX
This year's corn experiment was a test of organic growing techniques and how soil preparation affects corn production using identical seeds planted under a variety of soil preparation techniques ranging from the simple application of dry molasses on native soil, up to the full "bed prep" application and the results are most interesting!
Photo #1 is corn seeds growing in native soil that has been amended with only dry molasses and watered with typical "city water":
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The corn in this area is doing OK, but is lagging behind a tad..
The second "test area" has been amended with dry molasses, green sand, lava-sand, expanded shale, and worm castings. It also has had a 2" layer of organically grown shredded tree trimmings mulch for 1 year that has composted rather well:
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There is also onions, green beans, and other "test plants" in this area. The green bean transplants are loving the composted layer from the shredded tree trimmings.
The third "test area" was quite surprising! Last year, I had used it as a "Scotts chemical" test area and have since treated it with an organic "detox" program that included 5 lbs of activated charcoal, and 10 lbs of Zeotech zeolite to stabilize the area and hopefully "tie up" the chemical toxins. I applied about 4 inches of compost from my own pile and mulched the area with finely shredded "forest floor" leaves and twigs that I ran through my vac-shredder. The corn in this area is looking quite vibrant and I have spotted a few "bloom heads" forming already!
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The final corn plant is one that is growing in the richest soil, fed with Garret Juice and Thrive..
Here he is:
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A robust bloom head has already developed and he's ready for hand pollination!
This plant is growing in a 35 gallon wine barrel that includes "Erath earth" as the base soil, Texas green sand, lavasand, expanded shale, zeolite, decomposed granet, and a healthy dose of "Rabbit Hill Farms" worm castings. (1.5 lbs)

This has been MOST interesting to watch!
*N2O*


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PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 8:34 pm 
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Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:58 pm
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Location: Waco, TX
Last Sunday, I took a measurement of the largest corn plant in the wine barrel and it stood @ 57 inches from soil level to the tallest bloom-head.
This Monday night, I took another measurement:

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The plant has grown to 64 inches in ONE DAY! All that I did was saturate the pot with a mix of 2oz. per gallon of Garret Juice and 1 oz per gallon of "Thrive" mixed up in in the same watering can that holds 1.5 gallons.

The largest corn plant is also producing "silt" and a viable corn cob WAY ahead of the other corn in the field and in my growing areas!:

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I just LOVE this kind of production although I cannot explain the "burst of growth" that has happened..
My guess is that the biological activity in the growth container has "shifted gears" after the last drenching of Garret Juice and Thrive and has enhanced the level of microbial development and fungi around the very fine fibrous roots of the big corn plant. \
This is AWESOME!
*N2O*


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PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:33 pm 
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Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:58 pm
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Location: Waco, TX
Waco received 2.25 inches of rain today and the corn in the field and in my yard is looking great! Here are the latest photos of the experimental areas with a gallon bottle of Garret Juice as a size reference:

This is area 1.. Native soil amended with dry molasses only over the winter. Seeds were planted in rows 2" deep and covered with a 1/4" layer of Rabbit Hill Farms worm castings to promote germination:

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This is area 2.. Prepared with dry molasses, texas green sand, and lavasand. The mulch is organically grown native tree trimmings and has been composting for about a year in this area:

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This is area 3.. Two years ago, it was an experimental area that was tested with "Scotts products" and abused badly to see what would happen..
It has since been treated with activated charcoal and Zeotech zeolite over the winter to de-tox the area. The only soil amendments that have been added have been 5 inches of compost from my pile and finely shredded native leaves as a mulch. The corn in this area is currently producing bloom-heads weeks before the others:

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This is area 4... The final test area is an old 35 gallon wine barrel that has been filled with every organic amendment that Howard recommends in his bed preparation. The plants are fed with Garret Juice and Thrive bi-weekly and watered weekly. Bi-daily sprayings of "Plant Wash" are also part of the routine.
Note the size of the HIGHLY pampered corn "twins":

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Looks like organic growing techniques works rather well! {Imagine that!}


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