The perfect time of year to start that garden

[IsaanAussie]

Now in the middle of the wet season is the perfect time to transform that patch of crappy ground into a garden bed or a vegetable patch. The "concrete" has softened so you can get a spade (or a rotary hoe) into it a good spade deep. Tip in the compost and biochar even raw manures and grass clippings, whatever you have and give the whole thing a good mix. Wait a month and stir it up again, then one more month and in go the plants.

 

[gotlost]

Sorry your late. Started ours 3 months back and IA its a Garden of Eden. By the end of December it will be concrete again. The rains go by by after this month.

 

[IsaanAussie]

Well I suppose it is location dependent, we still get substantial rains well into November and a lot of gale force wind. I like Aug Sept because we tend to get rain in the late afternoon or overnight and you get most days pretty clear.
But well done GL, early bird attracts the worms. Well, lets hope so!
To everyone else, never too late while it is raining, back breaker in the dry!

But why will your garden by concrete again?

 

[Cent]

Now in the middle of the wet season is the perfect time to transform that patch of crappy ground into a garden bed or a vegetable patch. The "concrete" has softened so you can get a spade (or a rotary hoe) into it a good spade deep. Tip in the compost and biochar even raw manures and grass clippings, whatever you have and give the whole thing a good mix. Wait a month and stir it up again, then one more month and in go the plants.

IA,

Any suggestions for inorganic matter that can be added to loosen the soil and make it drain better? Sand, crushed stone, or, any ideas? The clay in the dirt here just dries up like brick once the rains are gone, and the drainage is a problem, especially it seems in yard gardens (easier handled on a larger scale).

Or is it basically just hay and mulch and your compost that needs to be done?

Mike

P.S. Cousin-in-law next to us has a decent lot behind her house that's not ever used, at least not for the past 10 or 15 years I've seen. Thinking I may try to start a home garden back there and grow a few things. I know she'll let me do so if I share some groceries grown there. On my return from the states I will get a couple of the mushroom starter kits you have. Those milky mushrooms you are growing looked farkin' gorgeous and delicious. Have to check with my wife if anyone is growing and selling these in our village already. Good luck with your ventures. All looks good to me.

 

[IsaanAussie]

IA,

Any suggestions for inorganic matter that can be added to loosen the soil and make it drain better? Sand, crushed stone, or, any ideas? The clay in the dirt here just dries up like brick once the rains are gone, and the drainage is a problem, especially it seems in yard gardens (easier handled on a larger scale).

Or is it basically just hay and mulch and your compost that needs to be done?

Mike

P.S. Cousin-in-law next to us has a decent lot behind her house that's not ever used, at least not for the past 10 or 15 years I've seen. Thinking I may try to start a home garden back there and grow a few things. I know she'll let me do so if I share some groceries grown there. On my return from the states I will get a couple of the mushroom starter kits you have. Those milky mushrooms you are growing looked farkin' gorgeous and delicious. Have to check with my wife if anyone is growing and selling these in our village already. Good luck with your ventures. All looks good to me.

Not for inorganic matter other than a topping or crushed rock. Adding stone to the dirt will just become reinforced concrete when it dries out. To fluff it up I would be adding biochar (carbonised rice hull or burnt sugarcane bagasse), coco peat and rice hulls and working that in that will open up the soil and let it drain and also retain moisture if you want to grow something in it.
The mushrooms have only been in Thailand for some 6 months. Only one commercial grower I know of. Ground floor....

 

[Cent]

Not for inorganic matter other than a topping or crushed rock. Adding stone to the dirt will just become reinforced concrete when it dries out. To fluff it up I would be adding biochar (carbonised rice hull or burnt sugarcane bagasse), coco peat and rice hulls and working that in that will open up the soil and let it drain and also retain moisture if you want to grow something in it.
The mushrooms have only been in Thailand for some 6 months. Only one commercial grower I know of. Ground floor....

Thanks. Was wondering if mixing in inorganics helped open up the soil and drainage or not.

"The mushrooms have only been in Thailand for some 6 months. Only one commercial grower I know of. Ground floor..."

I'm not so sure of that. Bear's wife was telling us last week she has a Thai guy in Theep Thani selling the same sort of shrooms around the neighborhood. I believe he said he grows them himself at home. They looked good (she showed us some she had bought from the guy), and he sold them to her pretty cheap as well. 5 bags at 20 baht each I think she said. I think he sells from a cart or motocyke around their neighborhood. How he is growing them I have no idea. Possibly a different style of shroom the Thais grow.

By the way, I believe Ludo who owns the Time Out restaurant and bar in Prakonchai has a worm farm. Very nice guy, a Belgian, who you may want to contact and have a chat with. I think he raises crickets as well. Nice place he has there (and he sells some nice Belgian beers as well), and, he has some nice rooms to rent too. You might want to take your wife and visit there (Ludo's wife is a peach and your lady will likely get along famously with her) and possibly stay overnight in one of their rentals, which I think are like 500 baht or so a night.

He has a fishing hole there too with some big 'uns in there (catch and release for the big ones I believe), a Krazy Golf course, and some good fun 'live' music on Sunday afternoon's, and he has a pool table there if you like to play. Nice people/customers in his place as well. You might want to check him out, maybe talk shop some. He may be interested in the shrooms as well for growing and using in his restaurant, or selling. And his customers could be another market as well, as many live there in the rice field boonies and may want to give this a shot themselves.

He's a sponsor here and has a clickable linked banner on the front page too. Check it out IA. Good people there, both Ludo and wife, and the customers he has out there.

Just a thought that crossed my mind.

Mike

 

[IsaanAussie]

Thanks. Was wondering if mixing in inorganics helped open up the soil and drainage or not.

"The mushrooms have only been in Thailand for some 6 months. Only one commercial grower I know of. Ground floor..."

I'm not so sure of that. Bear's wife was telling us last week she has a Thai guy in Theep Thani selling the same sort of shrooms around the neighborhood. I believe he said he grows them himself at home. They looked good (she showed us some she had bought from the guy), and he sold them to her pretty cheap as well. 5 bags at 20 baht each I think she said. I think he sells from a cart or motocyke around their neighborhood. How he is growing them I have no idea. Possibly a different style of shroom the Thais grow.

By the way, I believe Ludo who owns the Time Out restaurant and bar in Prakonchai has a worm farm. Very nice guy, a Belgian, who you may want to contact and have a chat with. I think he raises crickets as well. Nice place he has there (and he sells some nice Belgian beers as well), and, he has some nice rooms to rent too. You might want to take your wife and visit there (Ludo's wife is a peach and your lady will likely get along famously with her) and possibly stay overnight in one of their rentals, which I think are like 500 baht or so a night.

He has a fishing hole there too with some big 'uns in there (catch and release for the big ones I believe), a Krazy Golf course, and some good fun 'live' music on Sunday afternoon's, and he has a pool table there if you like to play. Nice people/customers in his place as well. You might want to check him out, maybe talk shop some. He may be interested in the shrooms as well for growing and using in his restaurant, or selling. And his customers could be another market as well, as many live there in the rice field boonies and may want to give this a shot themselves.

He's a sponsor here and has a clickable linked banner on the front page too. Check it out IA. Good people there, both Ludo and wife, and the customers he has out there.

Just a thought that crossed my mind.

Mike

Well, I can only go on what I'm told about the shrooms. There are others that are similar in appearance Rhino Foot is one. Does it really matter? The pricing is interesting. It seems that all mushrooms are sold at 20 baht a bag in rural areas, the weight in the bag differs so obviously does the per kilo price. Tescos buttons etc sell at 35 baht a tray of 100grams so they are pretty expensive, but need a cool room to grow.

Ludo's sounds like a good lead. I would like to partner with outlets like that as points of sale or use. It also appears that developing a number of these would be a good way to deliver cheaply, just drive the loop. I would like to add western vegetable, herb and even flower seedlings to the product list. I figure advanced seedlings and the "tonics", soil amendments etc.. to grow well could be a niche market through the same venues. The bacon slicer is sitting doing nothing as well so is the mincer. Still got the slaughter house contacts so BBQ supplies (ribs etc..) all possible.
Many people like to dabble without getting to serious but it is difficult to get garden supplies as we do in our home countries, aggregate those needs and it becomes worthwhile without being too expensive. Don't know about you guys but I have grown used to Thai pricing and will only pay a little extra for something I find hard to get and for quality items.