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stucco
10-02-2009, 06:37 AM
This year the boss wanted some more wicking boxes. So I made her a really big one out of ferrocement. I had never considered this technique until a recent u tube video. I’ve been a plasterer for 22 years, so it made since. The box is 2x2x8.it took 6 bags of Portland cement mixed3:1 sand and Portland, 3 sheets of rib lath and 3 8foot pieces of rebar. the bottom 1 foot holds water. The rest is filled with layers of hay, compost and worm castings. This is where we will grow our flowering/fruiting veggies since I have given up on growing them in the AP system due to the bugs, and not being able to spray anything stronger than bt or garlic.

badflash
10-02-2009, 01:42 PM
I'd love to see a how to on this. Looks like a great idea for grow beds.

Ever hear of using bug juice to kill bugs? Tilapia breeder Mike Sipe was an entomologist before he got into tilapia. I read about this in the early 70's in Mother Earth News. You take bugs from the area that attack plants. Wizz them up in a blender with distilled water, strain it through cheese cloth or some other filter, and put it in a sprayer. Spray your plants with it.

It works incredibly well. It spikes the plant's natural defences and it produces its own natural insecticides. See http://www.aquaculturetalk.com/2009/05/bug-juice/

stucco
10-08-2009, 03:04 PM
Hey badflash, thank you for the link. That is a very interesting approach, but difficult considering most of the bugs I get are tiny. I’ve lost six eggplant and four tomato plants to these unidentified critters in the last few days.
As for the ferrocement in the next week or so ill be starting a grow bed project. I would be willing to post a step by step. How big were you considering?

stucco
11-01-2009, 05:49 AM
Howdy folks, I thought I would post an update on the wicking bed. The bed is working but not as well as the earth box. Our thoughts are that we made it about 10” too deep. Next spring we will try a deeper crop. I think banana will work. :mrgreen:

jackalope
11-05-2009, 09:35 PM
Nice pics stucco, keep us posted ;) Since there isn't much plastering work done around here, the rib lath sheets are probably not in stock, but I could probably order them in if I needed them ;)