Communal Learning TLO thread

[Eyes on Fire]

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/inoculum

that's ALL compost is..LIFE,,only..thats it. dont think of it any other way. LIFE not a fertilizer.

https://bonnieplants.com/library/what-is-compost/

and with cannabis all that needed at this point are simple additions to let that weed explode verses a smoother , less potent and aggressive feeding system or less dense food populated soil. Soil IS food.

so you take every one of the foods and elements and boost the properties in the recipe/Soil for the plant to achieve that explosion and final fury of flowering.

 

[Eyes on Fire]

Buffering capacity of soils:

Definition
Buffer capacity of soil is defined as a soil’s ability to maintain a constant pH level during action on it by an acidifier or alkalescent agent. A soil, considered a mixture of buffered systems, contains components, which have the ability to neutralize acids by bonding H+ ions as well as bases by the release of hydrogen ions (Federer and Hornbeck, 1985). The effectiveness of soil buffering systems depends on numerous physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils.
Buffer capacity
A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base (HA + A–) or a weak base and its conjugate acid (B + BH+). It has the property that the pH of the solution changes very little when a small amount of acid or base is added to it because of the following reactions: ...


What does "soil buffering" mean?


Soil buffering is the ability of the soil to stop nutrient or pH changes by absorption. For soils, it is the capability of absorbing nutrients and also releasing them (cation exchange capacity). Humic acids and clay minerals have good buffer qualities.


http://www.isafarmnet.com/ResearchPublications/06Nconf/E1.pdf

 

[Eyes on Fire]

a few helpful link I came across a lil bit ago when I was poking about some.

http://www.naturallivingideas.com/tips-recipes-for-homemade-organic-fertilizer/

http://thegrownetwork.com/15-simple-and-inexpensive-homemade-fertilizers/

I like popping through this here and there to bone up some on things, but for others this link is great Im sure enjoy.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/234.html

Soil Tilth
The term soil tilth refers to the soil’s general suitability to support plant growth, or more specifically to support root growth. Tilth is technically defined as the physical condition of soil as related to its ease of tillage, fitness of seedbed, and impedance to seedling emergence and root penetration.

A soil with good tilth has large pore spaces for adequate air infiltration and water movement. (Roots only grow where the soil tilth allows for adequate levels of soil oxygen.) It also holds a reasonable supply of water and nutrients.

Soil tilth is a function of soil texture, structure, fertility, and the interplay with organic content and the living soil organisms that help make-up the soil ecosystem. For additional information, refer to the CMG GardenNotes #212, The Living Soil.

Gardening in Colorado can be a challenge due to poor soil tilth. Sandy soils hold little water and nutrients, while some Colorado soils are rocky and shallow.

Along Colorado’s Front Range, many soils are clayey and compact readily. These soils may have poor drainage, which may lead to salt problems. Due to low soil oxygen levels, root systems are typically shallow, reducing the crop’s tolerance to drought and hot windy weather.

Special attention to soil management is the primary key to gardening success. While gardeners often focus their attention on insect and disease problems, a large number of plant problems begin with soil conditions that reduce the plant’s vigor.

Many gardeners give attention to the soil’s nutrient content by applying fertilizers. However, fertilization is only one of the keys to a productive garden.


When I got started trying to grow organics,I myself did the whole mixing a bag of this and that and ten things and got ok results. but I wasnt satisfied with the final results from what I knew was possible.a REALLY crappy bummer too LOL so after I learned all this stuff over the years and more recently as well,I had a situation where I HAD to get some meds as easily as I could, and all about the quality...SO, I read some more and finally went with a pre measured pack of materials and mixed that and had beautiful success,quality was knockout good too. SO, i started reading and looking around and comparing and all that nifty neato stuff since thats what ya do when your engulfed in something you NEED to figure out why and HOW so I read some more. then many recipes later and trials,failures and not so good tasting smoke but good grows and vice-a-versa ,and so on n so forth LOL!!

and one of the easiest and simplest things to understand,is you take that list of stuffs your going to use, and find a known recipe with proven results,and make that with a simple understanding of mellow is balanced essentially. smells sweet ,like the woods after or before a rain sometimes,similarly sweet smelling.Playground dirt/soil when you were a kid..remember that smell? I do! and thats where you start. adding two or three things at a time and mixing and starting from the N-P-K side of things and then you can do more specialized upgrading of the media after the initial mixed and balanced performing/feeding base is established.

 

[Eyes on Fire]

Alfalfa Meal or Pellets

Alfalfa meal or pellets are often used as animal feed. They are used primarily to increase organic matter in the soil but do offer nutrients and a high availability of trace minerals. They contain trianconatol, a natural fatty-acid growth stimulant.

Alfalfa Meal or Pellets
Typical NPK analysis 2-1-2
Release time 1-4 months
Pros Available at feed stores
Cons May contain seeds
Application Till in 2-5 pounds per 100 square feet


1-Triacontanol is a fatty alcohol of the general formula C30H62O, also known as melissyl alcohol or myricyl alcohol. It is found in plant cuticle waxes and in beeswax. Triacontanol is a growth stimulant for many plants, most notably roses, in which it rapidly increases the number of basal breaks.



Corn Gluten Meal

Corn gluten meal has a high percentage of nitrogen. Products carry a warning to allow 1 to 4 months of decomposition in the soil prior to seeding. Allelopathic properties will inhibit the germination of seeds. However, there is no danger to established or transplanted plants. This product is also marketed as a pre-emergent weed control for annual grasses in bluegrass lawns.

Corn Gluten Meal
Typical NPK analysis 9-0-0
Release time 1-4 months
Pros Very high nitrogen
Cons Germination inhibitor, some are GMOs
Application Till in 20-40 pounds per 1000 square feet


Cottonseed Meal

Cottonseed meal is a rich source of nitrogen. Buyers should be aware that many pesticides are applied to cotton crops and residues tend to remain in the seeds. Pesticide-free cottonseed meal is available.

Cottonseed Meal
Typical NPK analysis 6-0.4-1.5
Release time 1-4 months
Pros High nitrogen
Cons Pesticide residues, most are GMOs
Application Till in 10 pounds per 100 square feet


Soybean Meal

Used primarily as an animal feed product. Available bagged at many feed stores.

Soybean Meal
Typical NPK analysis 7-2-1
Release time 1-4 months
Pros High nitrogen, available at feed stores
Cons Almost half of the conventionally grown soy is GMO.
Application 8 pounds per 100 square feet


Animal By-Products
Bat Guano – High N

Bat guano (feces) harvested from caves is powdered. It can be applied directly to the soil or made into a tea and applied as a foliar spray or injected into an irrigation system.

Bat Guano – High N

Typical NPK analysis 10-3-1
Release time 4+ months
Pros Stimulates soil microbes
Cons Cost
Application Till in 5 pounds per 100 square feet or as a tea at 3 teaspoons per gallon of water


Bat Guano – High P

Bat guano (feces) harvested from caves is powdered. It can be applied directly to the soil or made into a tea and applied as a foliar spray or injected into an irrigation system. Difference is that it is processed for high phosphorus content.

Bat Guano – High P
Typical NPK analysis 3-10-1
Release time 4+ months
Pros Stimulates soil microbes
Cons Cost
Application Till in 5 pounds per 100 square feet or as tea at 3 teaspoons per gallon of water


Blood Meal

Blood meal, made from dried slaughterhouse waste, is one of the highest non-synthetic sources of nitrogen. If over-applied it can burn plants with excessive ammonia.

Blood Meal
Typical NPK analysis 12-0-0
Release time 1–4 months
Pros Available at feed stores
Cons Can burn.
Expensive at garden centers
Application Till in 5–10 pounds per 100 square feet


Bone Meal

A well-known source of phosphorus, bone meal is steam processed and widely available at feed stores and in garden centers. If purchased at feed stores, phosphorus is expressed on the label as elemental phosphorus and is 2.3 times higher than numbers shown on garden center labels for phosphate (i.e. – 12% phosphate is the same as 27% phosphorus). However, recent CSU research has shown that phosphorus from bone meal is only available to plants in soils that have a pH below 7.0.

Bone Meal
Typical NPK analysis 3-15-0
Release time 1–4 months
Pros Highly plant available form of phosphorus
Cons Cost
Application Till in 10 pounds per 100 square feet


Feather Meal

Sourced from poultry slaughter, feather meal has fairly high nitrogen levels but is slow to release the nitrogen.

Feather Meal
Typical NPK analysis N varies 7 – 12% on process
Release time 4+ months
Pros Long term fertilizer
Cons Cost versus speed of nitrogen release
Application Till in 2.5-5 pounds per 100 square feet


Fish Emulsion

Infamous for its foul smell, emulsions are soluble, liquid fertilizers that have been heat and acid processed from fish waste.

Fish Emulsion
Typical NPK analysis 5-2-2
Release time 1 – 4 months
Pros Adds micronutrients
Cons Some have foul smell.
Application Mix 6 tablespoons per gallon of water


Enzymatically Digested Hydrolyzed Liquid Fish

Enzymatically digested hydrolyzed liquid fish products use enzymes to digest the nutrients from fish wastes instead of using heat and acids. This retains more of the proteins, enzymes, vitamins and micronutrients than emulsions.

Enzymatically Digested Hydrolyzed Liquid Fish

Typical NPK analysis 4-2-2
Release time 1 – 4 months
Pros More nutrients than emulsions
Cons More expensive than emulsions
Application Mix 5 tablespoons per gallon of water


Fish Meal

Fish meal is ground and heat dried fish waste.

Fish Meal
Typical NPK analysis 10-6-2
Release time 1 – 4 months
Pros N and P source
Cons Heat processed
Application Till in 5-10 pounds per 100 square feet


Fish Powder

Fish power is dried with heat and turned into water-soluble powder. It is a high source of nitrogen. Many can be mixed into solution and injected into an irrigation system.

Fish Powders
Typical NPK analysis 12-0.25-1
Release time Immediate to 1 month
Pros Adds micronutrients
Cons Heat processed
Application Till in 1-2 ounces per 100 square feet


Compost, Manure, and Biosolid Based Products
For information on biosolids, worm casting, manure, and compost, refer to the following CMG GardenNotes:

Soil Amendments, [HASHTAG]#241[/HASHTAG]
Using Manure in the Home Garden, [HASHTAG]#242[/HASHTAG]
Using Compost in the Home Garden, [HASHTAG]#243[/HASHTAG]

Rock Powders
Rock powders relevant for use in Colorado soils are those that supply phosphorus. Those that serve as a potassium source (greensand, feldspar, potassium sulfate, biotite, etc.) are not necessary as Colorado soils are naturally high in potassium. Similarly, it is not necessary to add calcium (gypsum, lime, etc.) due to naturally high calcium levels in Colorado soils and arid conditions.

If you are making annual applications of manure and/or compost to your garden to add nitrogen, you should have sufficient levels of phosphorus in your soil

Generally, plant or animal sources are the best value for phosphorus in the home garden. Recent CSU research results concluded that no rock P (regardless of mesh size) is available for plant use unless the soil pH is below 7.0.

Colloidal Phosphate – a.k.a. Soft Rock Phosphate

This product is made by surrounding clay particles with natural phosphate. Total phosphate is about 20% while available phosphate is about 2-3%. You can apply large amounts of colloidal phosphate, as it will release slowly over the years (usually more available the second year than the first). For home gardeners the cost/return is adequate to apply colloidal phosphate at rates to supply phosphorus for this season’s crops. This product also adds micronutrients to soil.

Micronized (passing through 1000 mesh screen [1000 wires per square inch]) sources may be more available than regular soft rock grinds in soils with a pH below 7.0.

Seaweed
Kelp is the most common form and is valued not for its macronutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) contributions but for micronutrients.

Kelp is often mixed with fish products to enhance growth.

Three processes are available: extracts (as kelp meal or powder), cold-processed (usually liquid) and enzymatically digested (liquid). Ranked in quality of content and plant availability they are (highest to lowest) 1) enzymatically digested, 2) cold-processed and 3) extracts.

Kelp Meal

Kelp meal, a product of the ocean, is used primarily as a trace mineral source. It is often combined with fish meal to add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Kelp Meal
Typical NPK analysis negligible
Release time 4+ months
Pros Adds micronutrients
Cons Insignificant nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
Application Till in 1 pound per 100 square feet


Kelp Powder

Kelp powder is similar to kelp meal but ground fine enough to put into solution and applied as a foliar spray or injected into an irrigation system.

Kelp Powder
Typical NPK analysis 1-0-4
Release time Immediate – 1 month
Pros Adds micronutrients
Cons Insignificant nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
Application Mix ¼ to ½ teaspoon per gallon of water


Liquid Kelp

Usually cold processed, liquid kelp will have higher levels of growth hormones than extracts. Some may also be enzymatically digested, making the growth hormones even more available to the plants.

Liquid Kelp
Typical NPK analysis Negligible
Release time Immediate – 1 month
Pros Adds micronutrients
Cons Insignificant nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
Application Mix 1 – 2 tablespoons per gallon of water


Also Note that much of the dosing for this program are for photos solely. do not take these dosages too seriously,I assure you that they can be easily played with. with great success as well.



http://www.triplantanol.com/triacontanol.html

this one is real good

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v36n3/v36n3-hinerman.htm

 

[hecno]

Mr Eyes , Do I have this right -- when making soil and if you get it right does that mean you don't have to PH your water ? and have you any input on Biodynamic preparation 500 ,

 

[Eyes on Fire]

well no, assuming your killers are neutralized or not present.should not be an issue, unless youre running nasty egg water from a well in FL. or something LOL but from my dealings I can often go outside 2 points from normal growing 6.5 - 7 this one is a nice article on how its prepped among other uses and history.

The Biodynamic Preparations

It is Spring 2013 in North America and Biodynamic farmers are well into the rhythm of the growing season unfolding. The Earth is moving her inner life outward – as though we are farming and gardening in her life of dreams- vegetation, color, aroma and regeneration of life. It can be intoxicating -this is a very potent time indeed.

The Biodynamic preparation 500 and the compost preparations 502- 506, buried in the earth last fall, are unearthed in spring. They are medicinally permeated with this inner life of the Earth that is omnipotent during the winter months.

Using the Biodynamic preparations is a core element of Biodynamic agriculture and also a fundamental requirement of Demeter certification. Their use is perhaps the most misunderstood element of the Biodynamic method of farming.

They can be pondered in the world of the intellect, sometimes this is done in dogmatic excess, but where they are alive and real is within the life of the farm and the farmer, and the vitality of the food and fiber that results from that interplay.

Thus the message- if you want to understand the Biodynamic preparations from a practical point of view- use them, and in that process also pay attention to what goes on with you internally and what happens to the living environment around you. Their use does not have to be in a farming setting. It can be done in one’s front yard or garden. Be positive, do this work from a place of Love, be sensitive, be receptive.

In a practical sense it is often asked how to use the preparations? Given that spring is a good time to apply the 500, and it’s first in the sequence, I’ll start with the 500. Throughout the season the influence of all the preparations should find their way to the land base being stewarded.

Sometimes referred to as “horn manure,” the 500 is manure from a healthy, lactating, female bovine placed in a female’s horn and buried in the earth for the duration of a winter. When unearthed a sweet smelling humus remains in the horn. Various species of domestic cows were utilized in Europe, and while also used here, bison horns are also sometimes used. One might argue that this has better application to the North American continent given that the bison is the native bovine.

When engaged in farming and gardening there are two realties that we work with. One is the life and activity that goes on above ground- the assimilation of sunlight/ photosynthesis and growth - the other is the life and activity below ground- the processes of humus formation, mineralization and decay. It is the later phenomenon with which preparation 500 works. While some like to poke fun at a Biodynamic practitioner’s use of preparations made in cow horns, the material that results is uber-biological, teeming with beneficial soil-based flora and fauna. If understanding the 500 only from a mechanical cause and effect point of view it can be understood as a soil inoculant. But anyone with a background or understanding of homeopathy can see a more holistic reality and view it as homeopathic medicine for the earth. The 500 and all the Biodynamic preparations medicinally treat the Earth as a living organism much like naturopathic medicines treat us. In fact it is a principle of homeopathy that very small amounts of material, when rhythmically potentized, are much more potent than large amounts of material. While a strange new world for some, it is an intrinsic element of Biodynamic agriculture.

Beyond making the 500 oneself, which is not difficult to do and always recommended when possible, the 500 can be purchased from the Josephine Porter Institute (JPI) or from one of the numerous groups making the preparations across America.

If not to be used immediately, it needs to be properly stored. A common method of storage is to have the 500 in earthen pots with loose fitting lids that are placed in a wood box filled with peat moss. The box itself should reside in a cool, dark place, such as a basement or root cellar, away from electromagnetic fields generated by electric appliances, fuse boxes etc. The preparation 500 should be kept moist but not waterlogged so in dry climates this needs to be checked every now and then.

The 500 should be applied in the evening hours. A palm full is enough for 1 acre; the Europeans claim one corn horn per hectare. This amount is placed in clean water free of chemicals such as chlorine. Rainwater is ideal, but if chlorinated municipal water is the only choice, filter it or let it sit until the chlorine volatizes. The amount of water to use depends on the calibration of spray equipment used. For example if you are to cover 10 acres with one application then 10 palm-fulls would be added in enough water to cover the 10 acres given the nozzle size and pressure of the application equipment.

Before applying, the 500 is rhythmically stirred in the appropriate amount of water creating a vortex in one direction, then abruptly stopped (which will cause obvious chaos to the fluid dynamics) and stirred in the opposite direction, reordering the liquid into an opposing vortex. This process continues for 1 hour.

Once stirred the resulting liquid is placed into a spray rig or similar equipment dedicated for use for the Biodynamic field sprays only. On small acreages and gardens folks sometimes will use just a bucket and a hand broom and apply by hand by placing the broom in the 500 and flinging droplets in both directions. Either way the goal is to apply droplets of the stirred 500 to the Earth in the evening when the Earth herself is breathing inward. Best done during the descending phase of the moon.

It is not a goal to drench the surface, only to spray a pattern of droplets across it. If using a spray rig you’ll want to adjust your pump pressure and select nozzles to achieve this. Such spray rigs can be very low tech and inexpensive consisting of a roller or diaphragm pump feeding a couple of common agricultural nozzles that throw out as wide a pattern of droplets, and are as conservative with liquid, as possible. Spray the entire production area.

The Demeter Standard requires its use on production acreage at least once in a growing season, but follow your intuition. There are lots of resources out there, and should you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us. Happy Spring!

Additional Resources:
The Josephine Porter Institute http://www.jpibiodynamics.org
Biodynamic Preparation Fact Sheets: http://www.pauldolanwine.com/pdf/PDV_PrepsChart.pdf
http://blog.kj.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/BD-Preparations.pdf
http://cityfoodgrowers.com.au/biody_prep.php

Research:
“Effects of Biodynamic Preparations on Compost Development”
L. Carpenter-Boggs, J.P. Reganold and A.C. Kennedy
http://afrsweb.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/36450000/Products-Reprints/2000/865.pdf


and a much more traditional preparation

http://www.biodynamics.in/BD500.htm

 

[Eyes on Fire]

Ribbon Test

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...XhvbnMuY29tfHdvb2R8Z3g6N2E4ODM0M2E2ZjJiZWRkZg

 

[Eyes on Fire]

 

[Eyes on Fire]

Better yet.One of the Experts I happen to follow like shadow sometimes.LOL!

[h=2]Saponin Benefits[/h]

Saponins are a class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant species. Any of numerous glycosides that occur in many plants (soapbark, soapwort, or sarsaparilla) that are characterized by their properties of foaming in water solution and producing hemolysis when solutions are injected into the bloodstream and that on hydrolysis yield a triterpenoid or steroid sapogenin and one or more sugars (glucose, galactose, xylose).

Saponins-group of chemicals with detergent-like properties that plants produce to help them resist microbial pathogen such as fungi and certain bacteria and viruses.
[h=3]Source of saponins[/h]
Saponins are found in a number of plants. In the animal kingdom saponins are found in most sea cucumbers and starfish.

Expectorant properties
Ipecac
Lobelia

Respitory System Properties
Urginea maritima
Bellis perennis
Primula vera
Verbascum thapsus
Viola
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Polygala senega

Absorption Properties
Beetroot
Oats
Asparagus
Spinach
Legumes

Systemic Effect Properties
Scrophularia nodosa
Akebia trifoliata
Betula pendula
Zea mays

Vascular Disorder Properties
Aesculus hippocastanum

Soapy Detergent Properties (anti-microbe properties)
Tilia spp
Achillea millefolium
Yucca
Saponaria spp
Agave spp
Chenopodium quinoa
Rittha Tree (India and Nepal)

Cardiac Properties
Foxglove

Uses: liquid soap, jewelry polish, detergent, exzema/dermatitis cure, pesticide/insecticide, pet shampoo, human shampoo, household cleaner (inside/outside), laundry detergent, surfactant, wetting agent, nutrient uptake, spreader/sticker, anti-microbe, adjuvant (make other solutions work better), treat malaria, lower blood cholesterol, hypertension aid, kill nematodes, bone health, cancer fighter, support immune system (build it up), parasite remover (tick, flea), automobile cleaner

[h=4]Bioactivities[/h]
One research use of the saponin class of natural products involves their complexation with cholesterol to form pores in cell membrane bilayers, e.g., in red cell (erythrocyte) membranes, where complexation leads to red cell lysis (hemolysis) on intravenous injection. In addition, the amphipathic nature of the class gives them activity as surfactants that can be used to enhance penetration of macromolecules such as proteins through cell membranes. Saponins have also been used as adjuvants in vaccines.
Saponins from the Gypsophila paniculata (Baby’s Breath) plant have been shown to very significantly augment the cytotoxicity of immunotoxins and other targeted toxins directed against human cancer cells. The research groups of Professor Hendrik Fuchs (Charité University, Berlin, Germany) and Dr David Flavell (Southampton General Hospital, United Kingdom) are working together toward the development of Gypsophila saponins for use in combination with immunotoxins or other targeted toxins for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other cancers.

[h=4]Medical uses/Health Benefits[/h]
Recent studies have found benefits: control blood cholesterol levels, bone health, cancer, and building up the immune system.
There is tremendous, commercially driven promotion of saponins as dietary supplements and nutriceuticals. There is evidence of the presence of saponins in traditional medicine preparations, where oral administrations might be expected to lead to hydrolysis of glycoside from terpenoid (and obviation of any toxicity associated with the intact molecule). But as is often the case with wide-ranging commercial therapeutic claims for natural products:
the claims for organismal/human benefit are often based on very preliminary biochemical or cell biological studies; and mention is generally omitted of the possibilities of individual chemical sensitivity, or to the general toxicity of specific agents,) and high toxicity of selected cases.
While such statements require constant review (and despite the myriad web claims to the contrary), it appears that there are very limited (United States and Europe) agency-approved roles for saponins in human therapy. Their use as adjuvants in the production of vaccines, toxicity associated with sterol complexation remains a major issue for attention. Therapeutic benefit is a result of careful administration of an appropriate dose. Great care needs to be exercised in evaluating or acting on specific claims of therapeutic benefit from ingesting saponin-type and other natural products.
Saponins have historically been understood to be plant-derived, but they have also been isolated from marine organisms. Saponins are indeed found in many plants, and derive their name from the soapwort plant (Genus Saponaria, Family Caryophyllaceae), the root of which was used historically as a soap. Saponins are also found in the botanical family Sapindaceae, with its defining genus Sapindus (soapberry or soapnut), and in the closely related families Aceraceae (maples) and Hippocastanaceae (horse chestnuts). It is also found heavily in Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GenusGynostemma, Family Cucurbitaceae) in a form called gypenosides, and ginseng or red ginseng (Genus Panax, Family Araliaceae) in a form called ginsenosides. Within these families, this class of chemical compounds are found in various parts of the plant: leaves, stems, roots, bulbs, blossom and fruit. Commercial formulations of plant-derived saponins – e.g., from the soap bark (or soapbark) tree, Quillaja saponaria, and from other sources—are available via controlled manufacturing processes, which make them of use as chemical and biomedical reagents.
Chenopodium quinoa plant has a long history of use in South America and is not harmful to humans. Toxic saponins are known as sapotoxins. Saponin digitalis of the Foxglove plant is used in heart medicines.
[h=3]What are Saponins?[/h]
Natural detergents found in a variety of plant species, especially desert plants but also herbs (soapwort, soaproot, soapbark, soapberry). Commercial saponins are mainly extracted from desert plants Quillaja saponaria and Yucca schidigera. Quillaja bark has been used in Chile as shampoo for centuries. Yucca is native to the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of California, Baja California and Southern Nevada and Western Arizona. Because of their surfactant properties, saponins are also used industrially, in mining and ore separation, emulsions for photographic films and cosmetic products like lipstick and shampoo where their anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties are important in addition to their emollient effects. Their properties are extracted using cold-press methods.
Yucca root has high levels of saponin and Native Americans used it for years to make soap and shampoo. Native Americans washed their hair with Yucca to fight dandruff and hair loss. They also used the flowers and fruit for food. The black seeds were dried and ground into flour. Leaf fibers were used to weave cloth, make rope and to make sandals. Yucca has been used to treat headaches, bleeding, gonorrhea, arthritis and rheumatism and many other ailments throughout history.
The soapy characteristics of saponins make them ideal for use as spray adjuvants (they make sprays work better). They also make sprays stick or spread better on leaf surfaces. They also allow nutrients to be absorbed better. Another important thing they do is to distribute water more evenly on hard-to-wet substrates. For these reasons saponins are often used in fertilizers, potting soils and pesticides.
Yucca wetting agents improve the effectiveness:
• pesticides
• increase nutrient uptake
• distribute water more evenly
• biodegradeable
• organic
• renewable

Saponins when mixed with water reduce the surface tension of water, allowing the formation of small stable bubbles. As a consequence of their surface-active properties, saponins are excellent foaming agents (very stable). Today, saponins are used in the manufacture of fire extinguisher foam, toothpaste, shampoos, liquid soaps, and cosmetics and to increase the foaming qualities of beer and soft drinks. Saponins come in powdered or liquid form and can be found in fertilizers (amendments) and soilless potting mixes and certain pesticides (insecticides), kitty litter, detergents, beverages, lipsticks, herbal skin balms, and many other things.
[h=4]Biological activity of saponins[/h]
Saponins have hemolytic, expectorative, anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulating activity. Beyond that, saponins demonstrate antimicrobial properties particularly against fungi and additionally against bacteria and protozoa.
Yucca and quillaja saponins have both current and potential applications in animal and human nutrition. Yucca extracts are extensively used for ammonia and odor control in pig and poultry-raising facilities and in dog and cat foods. Yucca saponins, and perhaps other components of yucca as well, have ammonia-binding activity. When added to the diet, yucca saponins pass through the digestive tract unabsorbed and are excreted in the feces. In the excreta, the yucca components bind to ammonia and certain other odiferous compounds and prevent them from being released into the air. In recent studies in England, feeding of yucca extract to dogs and cats was shown to reduce fecal odor and reduce emission of volatile compounds contributing to fecal odor. Many pet foods and "kitty litter" products now contain yucca extract to reduce these noxious odors.
Other plants containing saponins include Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger), Horse Chestnut trees (Aesculus hippocastanum), Asparagus fern (Asparagus officinalis), and Daisies (Bellis perennis). Saponins are natural detergents found in many plants, especially certain desert plants. Saponins are also present in small amounts in some foods, such as soybeans and peas. The two major commercial sources of saponins are Yucca schidigera, which grows in the arid desert area of Baja California, and Quillaja saponaria (soapbark tree), which is found in arid areas of Chile. Saponins have detergent or surfactant properties because they contain both water-soluble and fat-soluble components. They consist of a fat-soluble nucleus, having either a steroid or triterpenoid structure, with one or more side chains of water-soluble carbohydrates (sugars). Yucca saponins have a steroid nucleus (steroidal saponins), while the quillaja saponins have a triterpenoid nucleus. As a consequence of their surface-active properties, saponins are excellent foaming agents, forming very stable foams. Yucca and quillaja extracts are used in beverages, such as beer, root beer and slurpies, to provide the foamy "head." Because of their surfactant properties, they are used industrially in mining and ore separation, in preparation of emulsions for photographic films, and extensively in cosmetics, such as lipstick and shampoo. Quillaja bark has been used as a shampoo in Chile for hundreds of years, and Native Americans used yucca to make soap. The antifungal and antibacterial properties of saponins are important in cosmetic applications, in addition to their emollient effects.
.

Mature desert Yucca



Although there are reports of the development of synthetic saponins as drugs for treating high blood cholesterol, yucca and quillaja extracts are natural phytochemicals currently used in foods and beverages and as herbal products. Interestingly, recent research by scientists in Canada and Africa has suggested that the very low serum cholesterol levels of Masai tribes people in East Africa, who consume a diet very high in animal products, cholesterol, and saturated fat, are likely due to the consumption of saponin-rich herbs.

Masai village in East Africa [IMG]

The binding of bile acids by saponins has other important implications. Bile acids excreted in the bile are called primary bile acids. They are metabolized by bacteria in the colon, producing secondary bile acids. Some of the secondary bile acids are promoters of colon cancer. By binding to primary bile acids, saponins reduce the formation of the secondary bile acids. Research at the University of Toronto has shown that feeding saponins to laboratory animals reduced the number of preneoplastic colon lesions in mice. The Canadian researchers also found that saponins had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on growth of human carcinoma cells in culture. Major current interest in quillaja saponins concerns their effects on the immune system. Specially purified quillaja saponin fractions designated as (Quil A) are used as adjuvants for vaccines. Adjuvants are substances that increase the effectiveness of what they are mixed with. Quillaja saponins increase the effectiveness of both injected and oral vaccines. In the case of injected vaccines, (Quil A) is used to prepare immunostimulating complexes (ISCOM). ISCOM's are prepared by attaching a portion of the protein envelope of a virus to (Quil A). The association of the viral protein with saponin facilitates its transport across cell membranes. Quillaja saponin-based ISCOM's are presently being evaluated in development of experimental vaccines against HIV, the virus responsible for AIDS. Besides having adjuvant activity, quillaja saponins have a direct stimulatory effect on the immune system. Example, pretreatment of mice with quillaja saponins enhances their resistance to a disease challenge. Saponins enhance the effectiveness of oral vaccines by improving their absorption as a result of increasing gut mucosal permeability, which facilitates absorption of large molecules contained in vaccines.

The desert plants Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria are rich storehouses of phytochemicals with many useful and important functions in human and animal nutrition. In many respects, we have just scratched the surface in our understanding of the many biological effects of steroidal and triterpenoid saponins and their potentials for improving human health.
[h=3]Benefits of Saponins[/h][h=3]Saponins can safely be used:[/h] wetting agent
 help with nutrient uptake
 help sprays (pesticide) to spread and stick better to plant parts (use less)

anti-microbe
 anti-fungal
 promote beneficial microbial activity in the soil
 surfactant (reduces surface tension) better penetration

 bio-enhancer-added to products to make them work better
 manage excess salts (fertilizer build-up) in soil
 improve H2O penetration
 move spray solution into soil solution
 mildew cure (fungus)
 miticide (soapy quality suffocates mites)
 minimize wash-off (plant leaves)
 spray binder
 flushing of plants [cleaner than molasses (saponins in blue agave)]
 triggers plants defensive response to anaerobic fungi
 biochemical inhibitors
 boosts potency of other products (adjuvant)

To grow true medical grade marijuana, you must have all your components in sync. You must use only organically approved (OMRI) products and the entire environment must be healthy and clean. Nothing toxic. Nothing that will build to toxic levels. All sustainable! After all, you are growing a true medicine. Grown to improve health.


Organic Products: all containing saponins
a. Yuccah Liquid Concentrate
b. Blue Agave
c. Top Film
d. Saponyn
e. Yucca Ag Aid 50
f. Yucca Extract
g. NaturalWet (from Yucca 10%)
h. Pest Out
i. BioEnhancer
j. Mildew Cure

 

[Eyes on Fire]

ok for the noobs, its pretty simple guys n gals. it really is. instead of bottled feeds, you can add to your soil instead for a cheaper better and more balanced soil life and productivity too.

you start with life..compost,fresh vermicompost,fresh bokashi or most any already made bagged steer compost or even mushroom and/or cow compost..then you add the food for the life and plant.

start with a 25 gallon mix in a tote for example, you add one rounded cup of life if its steer manure already composted of course.ALL should be ready to use and not freshly decomposing ,should be composted already. 1 of cow and bokashi instead of with a cup of vermicompost. steer is the best imho. but can be utilised in various ways through diversity. all these are good and can be used and many strengths.

but once the life is added you add the foods. and with autos and photos alike they require a certain amount of activity and/or feeding.strain selection will tend to push and pull this some and thats where teas and spikes come into play.

but for a 25-30 US gallon ,mix from scratch,I like to add roughly a cup to 1.5 cups of the mellower materials ,like alfalfa,kelp meals bokashi and similar mellow components. when you get to the heavier...or harder materials as I like to say,you use HALF of what I already mentioned..1/2 cups to 2/3 cups of guanos( i rarely use any personally) a full cup of lime.50/50 sweet and pellet lime is ideal imho. and thats how you start to build a simplistic easy to use Living organics soil for autos. boost it twice as much roughly and there is a photo strain feeding regime for you. and you can grow ANYTHING in this mix.especially if you thin it some for flowers,annuals,per annuals and so on,succulents and so on.

granular foods should be added as a harder material at first until you see the potency of it/them.