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bdmowers

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Posts posted by bdmowers

  1. 5 hours ago, cedros said:

    I always had problems with leaf cutting ants going after the Mango flower buds. Tree tangle foot stopped that. I was told you have to put a number of different sprays (too many) to stop the worms appearing in the fruit.

    No, my gardener has always used one spray and I`ve had 75% worm-free mangos for 3 years.  My problem this year is my gardener has disappeared so I`m trying to find the spray myself.

  2. On 1/9/2020 at 5:36 PM, Natasha said:

    I was told by a Mexican gardener many years ago that unless every single tree in your entire square block is sprayed,     doing your tree is a waste of time and money. That's apparently one reason they aren't grown commercially here now.

    That seems unlkely. Every flower that is sprayed prevents a wasp worm from entering a young mango fruit thus giving you a worm-free mango. I`ve experienced this with my mango for 3 years.  

  3. On 1/8/2020 at 12:51 PM, timjwilson said:

    I am working on raising enough red wrigglers for selling worms and castings. I have 8 bins now at various stages. Might have product by later in 2020. Will be located about 6 doors west of Yves Restaurant. We will put up a sign when we are ready to sell.

    microbeorganics.com  info about microbial based growing

    Bravo for your work, Tim. The (small) organics and permaculture community supports you.  We`ll definitely be coming to you for your products.

    Brad Mowers, for:

    The Grower`s Group

    Poco A Poco

    • Thanks 1
  4. 5 hours ago, cedros said:

    What happens if the red wigglers escape? Do the red wigglers displace the earthworms in the garden? 

    No, they`ll coexist.  So, don`t let the reds escape.  Put them into a completely enclosed, except for the top of course, container, like a 20-liter water container.  Give them soggy newspaper and cardboard and decomposing leaves and food scraps for food, and sand, for their gizzards. And make sure their environment has some moisture in it.

  5. 5 hours ago, cedros said:

    This worm casting stuff is new to me. Some say red wrigglers are the best but others say they are a pest and you want real earthworms. They can't both be right can they? 

    Both types will make worm castings. Red wigglers eat faster than earthworms (and thus make more worm castings) but they must be contained or they will escape.  I`ve never heard of red wigglers referred to as "pests" and don`t understand the reasoning.  You want reds for making compost and earthworms for your gardens.

  6. On 1/5/2020 at 9:10 AM, AlongTheWay said:

    I went by this location yesterday.  To be clear, if driving, you'd need to come from the east side, and still, the road will certainly challenge many cars/drivers.  All that's needed is a vehicle with some road clearance, and a driver with some patience.

    Had a nice talk with a young man there, and he explained the following...  (he doesn't speak English)

    The owners (from Guadalajara) of the property set up the worm business with the young man and his father working there a couple of years ago.  As things went, they added fresh grown foods and enjoyed some success.  Then there were fewer and fewer customers, finally, the land owners put an end to it.  

    The boy got permission to stay on, and he's now living there on his own, with a cat, dog, some chickens and a pig.  He had perhaps a single large bag of castings that could have been scraped off the ground.  He's hoping to rebuild the worm castings but says it will take a long time.  

    Since he has no capital and few other apparent resources, if he succeeds, it will likely require at least a couple of years.  There are perhaps, two dozen long rows enclosed by cinder bricks, a watering system of hoses which may or may not need full or partial replacement.  He's there hoping to get something going.  He could certainly use a angel's help.

    Anyone looking for castings might try some of the other options as mentioned above and check with a few of the local nurseries.

    Great reporting!  Thanks.  It would be great to have a working worm farm in the area.   If he has some worms it would take finding a hundred kilos or so of cardboard, as many leaves as could be found and maybe a hundred kilos of newspapers. The worms would reproduce quickly with the food and the farm could be producing a small amount of castings in 6 months or so. 

  7. On 11/19/2019 at 9:42 PM, -jz- said:

    Hi @bdmowers, I'm in Ajijic for about a month, if you're still looking for someone to work on harmonies give me a shout.  I play guitar and piano, sing baritone/tenor-ish.  It's been a while since I've done harmony but would really like to do it again.  Cheers!  Jeff, jzohrab at gmail dot com.

    Hi, jz, I sent you a PM.

  8. 13 hours ago, Ferret said:

    I am carless at the moment so I can't check for you. One location was at the Bazaar just west of the Tuesday market on the same side. The other was at the Vivero behind SuperLake.  I do not know if they are still there because I saw them six months ago.

    I have been rolling the "how to" around in the back of my mind though. I do have a Porter Cable 3.0 amp Oscillating Multi-Tool with various attachments that you may BORROW. It can cut with one blade and then "chisel" out slices with another blade. I like it because of the ability to rotate the blades to the direction needed and the blades are easily changed. It will be easier than hand tools but will still take you some time. pm me.

    I sent you a PM.

  9. On 12/16/2019 at 6:33 PM, Ferret said:

    I have also seen hollowed out logs at some of the viveros and bazaars west of Ajijic. They are supposed to be used as planters but I think they would serve your purpose. Anything else is going to be very time consuming to make even if you had the right tools.

     

     

     

    Ferret, it would help me if you could be more specific about the location of 1 or 2 of the places you mentioned.  Thank you.

  10. 16 hours ago, Ferret said:

    I have also seen hollowed out logs at some of the viveros and bazaars west of Ajijic. They are supposed to be used as planters but I think they would serve your purpose. Anything else is going to be very time consuming to make even if you had the right tools.

     

     

     

    Ah, thanks for this, could be perfect!  I will go looking.  You`re certainly right about the DIY version.

     

    13 hours ago, happyjillin said:

    Those of us that make our own things enjoy it no matter how long it takes

    I used to.  I used to make everything when I was in the States and enjoyed it - clothes, food, furniture, etc., ad nauseum. Now that help is available rather inexpensively, I find myself taking advantage of it, and am enjoying that quite a bit! Another wonderful gift from Mexico.

     

  11. 4 hours ago, happyjillin said:

    I think that bd would be better off going to Have Hammers and have one of the kids carve out just the end of a 2 foot log and smooth the carving  for what he needs to use it for

     

    4 hours ago, traderspoc said:

    usually use a lathe, to make a bowl shaped depression,

     

    see interent making bowl out of log

    I need the entire volume vacated down to the bottom 2 inches inside the log and retaining only the outside 2 inches.  I doubt the kids would want to do that or that a lathe could do that but thanks for your suggestions.

  12. I need to hollow out a part of a log to make a beating chamber to macerate fibers for papermaking.   Anyone who has done this or has similar experience have any suggestions, or want to help?  The log piece, any tree species, should be a couple of feet in length and 10-12" in diameter.   The fastest way to hollow out a log appears to be using the tip of a chainsaw but  I don`t have one nor do I have the experience to do this.  Drilling wide holes into it with a heavy duty drill then cleaning out between the holes has some promise.  As does cutting it in half lengthwise, hollowing it out then gluing it back together but I don`t have the tools for either of these methods.   Does anyone have the tools needed that wants to help?  In return, I`ll show you how to make paper with any of a couple of dozen plants here lakeside including lirio, agave, grass, banana leaves, corn husks and leaves, etc.

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