The Benefits of Johnson-Su Bioreactor Compost | Dr. David Johnson

[@bmt973]

Thanks for inviting Professor Johnson. This interview helped explain more finer details about the results of the bioreactor. The gist is that quality compost takes time just like everything else in life and red worms are key.

[@kyleb6616]

Love this kind of information. I am a small backyard gardener. I built one just after learning about them in May 2020, so I have another five months to go before I can use it. All the information I see has to do with commercial applications. It would be great if more information could be shared on how the simple backyard gardener can use the finished product effectively without all the large commercial equipment. Thank you for the great information.

[@chantallachance4905]

Here in my urban garden, I really dont have place for a big pile of compost 18-21 days I turn the compost every 3-4 days it’s alright for me and when we thinking 🤔 I reput 1 inche and more of compost on the surface of my vegetables garden The compost continue to decompose with the worms. Nice research Diego thank you to partage your connaissance I learn so much

[@ronaldcummings6337]

Great interview Diego, this helped my understanding of compost. I watched your build, but wasn't convinced to try this. I believe that I will build one of these in the spring now. I watched another video where they added a small amount of this type to their plant starts and had tremendous results with vigorous growth.

[@taimurmalik2792]

Could you please share the link of that video with the vigorous growth with Johnson-Su bioreactor compost?

[@ronaldcummings6337]

@@taimurmalik2792 Supercharged DIY compost Urban Farmer Curtis Stone

[@annburge291]

Thank you so much for inviting Dr. David Johnson. It all ended too fast...so many questions I have on the best methods of applying the compost... will making compost tea diminish the fungi? Is it better to cover the compost with a mulch layer? Will direct sunlight destroy it? I am questioning the use of so much sunlight exposed compost in market gardens. Could we have David back for part 2? What's the best way to inoculate the soil with his compost? Start growing a cover crop then water and sprinkle compost? Mix the compost with water and water a seeded covet crop field. Deposit compost in channels and water?

[@finagill]

There are several KZbin videos where Dr. Johnson goes over most of the questions. He even has one to show you how to turn the compost into inoculant for seeding. As far as how to apply it, it depends on how much you have and how big of an area you want to cover. With the tea you only need 1 to 2 pounds of compost per acre. If you have a small garden it may just be easier to spread the compost evenly across the bed. I have a modified Johnson-Su bioreactor and I plan on spraying my entire yard with compost tea when I am done. Any left over compost will be going straight into the garden beds and areas that I want to add some cover crops to.

[@annburge291]

@@finagill Thanks. I've started watching some of Dr Johnson's talks. I have yet to see the application methods in detail. My landscape is very degraded because the top soil was removed with bulldozers and applied on a neighbouring pecan orchard before we bought the property. The climate is extreme and very low rainfall. My small areas of success have been limited so far.

[@annburge291]

@@finagill I've finally found the video...Carbonlink...Johnson Su Composting Bioreactor...He makes a slurry mix with eight parts milk to one part molasses and the spore compost clay and coats the seeds... more effective keeping the seeds moist. They don't seem to block the seeder. Can be added to irrigation water. Because we are dealing with spores and not hyphae, worms or bacterial colonies, it's much more tolerant to light, heat, cold... it's once the colonies have established themselves that they need plant roots and an appropriate environment.

[@Acappellaokecom]

At 5:45 you ask what is the negative to adding, for example fish emulsion, as an accelerator. IMO the answer is: What is the carbon footprint of the fish emulsion compared to the extra time to let the composting occur naturally.

[@jacobfurnish7450]

Correction - Actinomycetes are not actually fungi. DNA analysis shows that actinomycetes are actually actinobacteria that indicate facultative anaerobic conditions which are not actually ideal. You want ppms of O2 to be 6 or greater.

[@benthere8051]

This is far more complex than I thought. Thanks for bringing this to light. If it is best to not disturb the matrix of the mycelium, then it would appear that reducing the size of the particles to be composted to an absolute minimum. This would maximize the surface area of the material being composted and expose as much of it as possible to the bacterial and fungal organisms. At the same time though it would appear that extremely fine particles would pack and impede aeration. I definitely understand it to be an aerobic process. I don't understand why importing the inoculant from across Australia didn't work. Does that mean that composting is always best done with local biota?

[@corwynwarwaruk2141]

Interested in trying this bioreactor in my barn during the winter as a heat source. I would be adding some animal manure to bring temps up to get more heat during cold winter months

[@hussienbayoumi8982]

Do i have to worry about soil life in containers and pots?

[@DiegoFooter]

That's a good question. I don't know how much you can worry about it or build it up. There is biology in there, but given that it is such a closed system I don't know what's possible on the upper end.

[@farmingwithtariq]

soil inoculant application in solid form or liquid , which is best and effective ?

[@garthludwig8513]

Would it be a good idea to use this type of compost to charge bio char

[@DiegoFooter]

Sure

[@gilshelley9183]

There's really no research proving the effigy of bio char. To be of any value as a microbiome substrate the carbon would have to be activated which is way beyond the home/truck farm feasibility.

[@farmingwithtariq]

what is the proportion of bacteria and fungus in compost.

[@georgemueller8066]

Can this method be used in zone 5 and lower where temperatures go below zero?

[@DiegoFooter]

Yes. It would just go dormant during the freeze.

[@baledog148]

Would turned compost windrows which have stabilized and cooled with six months of rest and been left to innoculate naturally have benefit from the outer layer at least?

[@IS-217]

Awesome stuff here Diego! Keep it up man. Hello everyone. Has anyone built one of these compost systems in Canada? I live in Ontario, zone 5a. We get a lot of snow where I live there is currently about 1.5 - 2 feet of snow on top of my compost pile in my yard. How does the winter effect tis system? Water, freezing temperatures, composting timeline 12months? Or more? Also does everyone add worms to the pile? Is it a must? I mean; I know how awesome the worms are but, does removing the worms slow down the break down time (1 year) Any experience and help is greatly appreciated. I love the idea of this system.

[@konstantinospapageorgiou9363]

Thank you both for the information you provided. I have a practical question: Say you add worms and you want to remove them before harvesting your compost. How would you do that?

[@DiegoFooter]

I would just save some of the compost with worms in it versus trying to separate them.

[@konstantinospapageorgiou9363]

@@DiegoFooter Yeah seems about right adding worms to assist soil aeration etc. Thank you for your answer Diego appreciate it.

[@EarlybirdFarmSC]

What about mixing this with other compost? Also, would spreading it out on garden beds not kill the bacteria and fungi when you disturb it? How do you get the compost out of the reactor once it is done? Thanks

[@DiegoFooter]

I wouldn’t overthink it on the mixing or usage. At some point it has to be a useable amendment versus a science experiment. 😀

[@EarlybirdFarmSC]

@@DiegoFooter Yeah I guess you are right. Thanks my friend.

[@erbauungstutztaufgnade1875]

Maybe you will laugh at me but I maybe want to grow chia plants and/or a small juniper tree on top of the Johnson-Su fungal dominated/ wood dominated compost pile. Because I heard that Micorhiza Fungi only grows strong if it has acces to alive plant-roots... But in this video you talked about fungi development without an active root system inside of it (without glucose)?

[@taimurmalik2792]

Is there a tool/probe that one can insert into the bioreactor to periodically and accurately measure the moisture in the bioreactor? In the challenging and uber dry + hot environment that we farm, it’s critical to ensure 70% moisture for which such a probe would be extremely beneficial. Thank you!

[@DiegoFooter]

There is probably something out there. I have mine on a drip timer and don’t even think about it now. It stays moist enough.

[@gilshelley9183]

The device is called a tensiometer. They are used in agricultural research. They are quite expensive.

[@taimurmalik2792]

@@gilshelley9183 many thanks! If any one knows of anything cheaper that’s out there please share.

[@gilshelley9183]

@@taimurmalik2792 I just checked amazon and found a few under $100.00 from reliable manufacturers. Lab grade ones can cost up to $700.00. I have no experience with digital options.

[@taimurmalik2792]

@@gilshelley9183 Amazing! Really appreciate your searching and posting here. Thank you!

[@TheEmbrio]

Seems to be similar to Jean Pain.

[@stephenluna7932]

With it being clay like would it be counterproductive to add as a soil amendment to clay soil to improve its structure. Or will it be beneficial like other organic amendments

[@DiegoFooter]

Not sure what you are asking here.

[@stephenluna7932]

@@DiegoFooter Dr. Johnson said the compost created is clay-like. I have pure clay soil with zero organic matter that I am amending with organic material in order for it to be a healthy loose soil to work with for gardening. With this product being clay-like will it be beneficial for helping to loosen up the clay soil I have.

[@marcovoetberg6618]

@@stephenluna7932 Well, I have done this in small bioreactors (about 200 liters) and the result is very much clay-like in that you can squeeze it into a ball if it is wet enough. But unlike clay it crumbles pretty easily and when it dries up a little it naturally falls apart into little clumps that hold together as if glued together.

[@joeshmoe7789]

Better compost on paper, great. Better than municipal compost, should be. Better than store bought, no surprise here. How do plants do with this compost compared to hot compost from a 6 month pile? In real life, not on paper.

[@DiegoFooter]

I agree with your reasoning, but you are not looking at his field trials. This little clip is just a summary of what he has learned in research and trials. Also, I don’t think he is claiming anywhere that this is better in all situations than other well made composts.

[@erbauungstutztaufgnade1875]

Maybe you will laugh at me but I maybe want to grow chia plants and/or a small juniper tree on top of the Johnson-Su fungal dominated/ wood dominated compost pile. Because I heard that Micorhiza Fungi only grows strong if it has acces to alive plant-roots... But in this video you talked about fungi development without an active root system inside of it (without glucose)?