BBBM Garden LOL

[rcwarship]

Every sector of society has it's acronyms, so I got a real laugh out of making up this title.
I got a couple of raised beds started today which incorporates all of the cool stuff that I've been reading up on........BBBM

Biochar - 9 gallons dug into the top 5" of the 15 square foot bed (should be about a 20% mixture by volume).
Source: Alterna Biocarbon and Cowboy Charcoal Virginia field trials '09 | BioEnergy Lists: Biochar Mailing Lists Check out the picture at the bottom of the page!!! College extension program, should be good data, eh?

Back to Eden Gardening - Cover the ground with cardboard or newspaper & add 3 to 4" of tree shredding.
Source: Back to Eden Film | Sustainable Organic Gardening Method Back to Eden film with Paul Gautschi. Note, if you are not comfortable with religious commentary, this film is not for you......You have been warned

Bokashi - to be mixed in with soil on a 1 to 1 ratio & then used as a top dressing.

Mushrooms - I have an order of mycelium that is supposed to arrive tomorrow or Tuesday, after which I can put the tree shredding on the cardboard.

Note: Paul doesn't recommend putting compost under the cardboard or tree shredding, but what the heck, it's gonna set until next spring & should help since the garden is new.

Some pictures:
Biochar, compost & cardboard. Mycelium & tree shredding next. Hopefully some tasty mushrooms this summer while the chips break down.

Take Care & Best Regards To All,
Jon,

[biigblueyes]

But earthworms LOVE cardboard!

Very cool. Mixing all the grat methods seems like a great idea. Letting all parts work a little magic on the earth.

I've been tempted to try my hand at mushrooms. What kind did you order?

[dapjwy]

Great title...it caught my eye--I have a sort of love-hate relationship with acronyms...but I had to find out what it stood for.

Welcome aboard, Jon. As you probably noticed, there is a LOT to see here--I hope you are having fun exploring. Great to see you jump right in to posting.

When you have time, it would be great if you could post here http://www.wildlifegardeners.org/for...urself-please/ so that we can learn more about you and your interests.

In the mean time, I will add that I'm finally using cardboard this year to smother areas that I want to plant in native grasses and wildflowers. I've got some raised beds that I'm layering, but nothing as intense as what you are showing. Down the road, I may be ready for a BBBM bed--I've always toyed with the idea of growing mushrooms...and I've wanted to try one of those indoor mushroom kits--has anyone had any luck with them?

[irene]

A fewyears ago I ordered Oyster Mushroom spores frpm Fungi Perfecti

The Mycelium Running Oyster Mushroom Patch? - Fungi.com

and grew the mushrooms in a five-gallon bucket on a substrate of fresh coffe grounds from a local espresso stand. It was amazing to see them appear and grow. They were delicious!
I think I'll order some again and this time grow them in a burlap bag in hopes of a larger harvest. Mushrooms can't grow through the sides of a five gallon bucket!

Jon, your BBBM bed sounds like a wonderful synthesis of all the techniques discussed on this thread. Please do share lots of details!

~ irene in the very warm foothills of Mt. rainier

[irene]

Has anyone tried crushing coconut shell charcoal briquettes for bio-char? I got a sack of them at our food co-op, and am trying to find out what binder holds them together before I experiment with them. They have no odor, but I want to be cautious.

Meanwhile I use the charred chunks sifted from the ashes from our woodstove, but it would be nice to have the convenience of the crushed briquettes.

[rcwarship]

Hi All,
Thank you so much for the warm welcome, I appreciate it.

Hi biigblueyes,
I ordered King Stropharia from Mushroom Mountain. A very nice (and patient) lady by the name of Olga answered my questions & recommended this mushroom for breaking down garden chips. Mushroom Mountain - King Stropharia, great for your garden, forest, compost pile, and you.

Hi dapjwy,
Yeah acronyms, I hear you about the love/hate relationship......which made dreaming up the title even more fun.
Intro has been added.
You betcha, I got an indoor mushroom kit & it worked like gangbusters & it "lit the fuse" to do it some more - on a bigger scale. Sounds like Irene has had great success with hers.
I haven't thought about native plants, but it sure makes sense. They've gotten tailored for the area.

Hi Irene,
Thanks for sharing your success with growing mushrooms in coffee grounds. The burlap sounds especially awesome. I'll have some left over spawn from the garden beds that I'm making, I'll have to give that a try.
Sorry, I don't know about coconut briquets.

Woohoooo, waaaaay too much fun!

Best Regards To All,
Jon

[dapjwy]

Welcome aboard, irene. I'm glad you found us.

Originally Posted by irene

I think I'll order some again and this time grow them in a burlap bag in hopes of a larger harvest. Mushrooms can't grow through the sides of a five gallon bucket!

Great idea!

This year, I am growing some potatoes in burlap sacks (the rest are in the ground). I saw this on Youtube and wanted to try it. My concern was that light would get through the bag and I'd end up with green-skinned potatoes. Time will tell. Your idea about the mushrooms has me thinking of another use for the burlap sacks I got.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by rcwarship

Yeah acronyms, I hear you about the love/hate relationship......which made dreaming up the title even more fun.

I'll bet it did.

Originally Posted by rcwarship

Intro has been added.

Cool. I'll check it out.

Originally Posted by rcwarship

You betcha, I got an indoor mushroom kit & it worked like gangbusters & it "lit the fuse" to do it some more - on a bigger scale. Sounds like Irene has had great success with hers.

Sounds like we'll have to give it a try. I thought we did way back when, but I'm guessing we just talked about it. I know I did have a "seed pack" to grow mushrooms, but maybe we never ended up with a kit.

Maybe that should be the first step and see if it lights a fuse with me as well.

Originally Posted by rcwarship

I haven't thought about native plants, but it sure makes sense. They've gotten tailored for the area.

Well, here's hoping you start thinking about them (and adding them) now.

I am a huge proponent of growing natives...I'm actually trying to do a kind of restoration project on our 2 acres--sort of a cross between landscaping with natives and an all-out restoration. Then native plants support the native insects which support higher forms of life (and, of course, with herbivores that are "higher forms of life" there is a direct connection).

If you have time, you may want to read Douglas Talamy's Bringing Nature Home...and there is always Sara Stein's Noah's Garden and Planting Noah's Garden.

[rcwarship]

The mycelium's been "planted" Now, it's waiting time to see if any of those tasty little devils decide to pop up.

I have a bunch of the mycelium left over. Irene & dapjwy, your conversation about growing them & potatoes in jute sacks sounds pretty awesome. The back of my home is north facing, & here in the Seattle area that means lots of shade.

Coffee grounds are pretty easy to come by around here, especially since my youngest son works for Starbucks.

Any ideas on where one could get some sacks in an urban setting? Or perhaps suggest a substitute for burlap?

Best Regards To All,
Jon

[biigblueyes]

How long do you have to wait for mushrooms?