This update is an exciting one because we have completed the field work trial on Fungal Dominant Compost (FDC) made in Ontario. I am very excited about the results we have received as they are very promising. In the coming weeks we will be able to update everyone with a complete report outlining what we did and why we did it. Friday, October 15, when we went out to the farm we had a very great time. With an unusually warm fall, there was still no frost and the plants were doing quite well. The flowers on the plot with the compost bloomed earlier and more fully than those in…
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Farm experiment: making large batch compost tea
In this video, Mark explains how to use an at home brewer to create organic compost tea from our very own ONfungi compost. Though Mark is displayed using a large agricultural sized brewer, a similar technique can be used using a much smaller brewer for home applications. The ingredients in this “tea” include: For a 200 Gallon Brewer: -¾ Cup of Seaweed -½ cup of oat flour -½ cup of spelt flour -¾ cup of humates -¾ cup of Fish Hydrolysate -2 cups of ONfungi compost in a mesh bag. Place a bubbler within the brewer to allow for oxygenation, add the ingredients in whichever order you prefer and allow…
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Fungi fruiting on ONfungi inoculated site
Well, much to Emma’s delight, the fungal dominant compost (FDC) test bed has sent up fruit. This site is coming in very well, leading the sample sites in productivity, and now we have a mushroom.
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Experiment Update – Week 5
So far at the farm everything has been going extremely well. I’ve received a variety of different results which I’m excited to begin analyzing. Here is an example of two sunflower plants, both were planted at the same time, in the same location, with the same environmental conditions and water levels. The only difference was during planting, I added ONfungi’s Fungal Dominant Compost to one plot of plants where as the other was left with no additions for control. These are the sunflowers after 5 weeks, the one on the left was innoculated with compost, the right is control. The left is taller by about 15cm and is also bushier…
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Experiment Update – Week 4
Hi everyone, Emma here back with an update. On Friday, I went out to water the plants and take measurements and came to some interesting conclusions. In the control plot, all of the plants seem to be doing fairly well except there were signs of fungal disease & drought on the cucumbers and the African daisies. The plot with ONfungi compost added did not show any of these signs of disease on either of the species. In line with past updates, the rate of growth on the FDC (fungal dominant compost) plot is faster on almost all of the species, in particular the peas and the sunflowers.
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Experiment Update
Hi everyone, Emma here, just coming in with an update! On Friday at the farm I went to check the experimental plots and to water and to my surprise noticed a visual difference in the two plots. The FDC treated plot was a few shades darker than the control plot, indicating that the soil seems to be holding more water and life. This seems like a good sign, I am excited to see about our results next week.
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Emma’s 4 plot experiment: August 13
August 13, 2021: First measurements Update on the experiment, so far it’s doing good!!!! We’ve had growth of some kind on almost every section so far the cucumbers in the control are larger, but the peas, sunflowers, and grass in the experimental plots are larger (affected) so it seems legumes and native plants take to the compost better during germination
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ONfungi farm experiments have begun
August 9, 2021 — ONfungi biologist Emma Roy has begun the first larger scale farm experiments. Plots were rototilled and planted Friday, August 6. This experiment looks to address a wider cross section of humate, fertilizer and fungal dominant compost soil enhancements. Emma’s reports will be found here. Video of planting day and follow ups is coming.
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August is New Experiment Month at ONfungi
August is New Experiment Month as Lanark’s ONfungi looks at soil based CO2 sequestration Emma Roy, our new biologist, is launching two new CO2 sequestration and soil experiments in August. These experiments are for Lanark area citizen scientists and are done at home. “ONfungi is looking at ways to improve soil and sequester carbon. The lawn test will be interesting,” says Roy, “It should actually sequester carbon. We’ll find out.” The first experiment is “easy” and looks at root growth using the fungi starter. As a bonus ONfungi also looks at carbon sequestration in lawn soils. The rooting test is done over two weeks (or more if you like). The…
