mrissara

Thanks IA for that info but I suspect that I am about 5 or 600 km from the nearest beach but there is a new mega homepro type of shop down in Nakhon Sawan that might have something.

I vaguely remember the last time I had or used a bath would have been in the UK back in 2005, and no I am not a soap dodger.

sala drawing.xls

There are many plastic factories in Nakornsawan, you could get a very big tank in reasonable price.

I vote 15 years less than Suthep and Nevin.

If he deserve any, those two deserve 15 years more.

Try chemical retailer, http://www.ucs1986.com/

Worm separation can be done physically, with wire mesh sieving. This is unpreferable for worms but fast and easy.

Separation can be done naturally by stop feeding and watering the tub for a couple days. Then put another tub with bedding (mixed with old and new) and food on top. Worms will migrate to the top one trough the tub's bottom holes.

What is your concern about the eggs?

If your concern is alien worms in your soil, you may steam sterile the compost.

If your concern is lossing some living worms, you may keep watering the separated compost for another week or two. Then separate all the little worms from the compost.

I got them from the Department of Agriculture located in Kasetsart University. Some termite control agency also get their nematodes from here. If you request for only one package of nematodes (Sai Duen Foy, in Thai), they even give it out for free. The nematodes are microscopic size. They are stored in smal agar pieces. You need to drop a sppon of agar into spray bottle, add some water, shake it well, and spray onto the insect. It 's impotant to spray directly onto the insect because the infected one will carry the nematodes into the colony and infect the others.

I have african nightcrawler in my 2'x1' plastic tub. The tub 's filled with 6 inches coconut shell bedding (make a good drainage) and 3 inches chopped green vegies (free at nearby market). Water it often (2 times a day) and the compost will be removed out as worm tea. Feed them with 1-2 inches vegies every couple days. They turned 2 kg of green vegies into tea within a week. I do not know how many worms are there. But the tub may good for upto 200-400 worms. If you have lot of worms, you may need tons of food, vegies or "washed" manure. Coconut husk, paper, saw dust or other cellulosic material are good as bedding but not as food. Worms need balance N/P as well as plants.

I would like to suggest some anti termite nematode. Only small application could remove the whole colony within a week or so. It 's also safe for all other animals and plants.

D. strictus is also known as Pai Saang (ไผ่ซาง) which is quite common in Thailand. My feeling is Pai Saang 's as common as Pai Leang. I found some offer on internet. You may also ask your local nursery to get it for you.

Many thanks for such a good and bad news. I wish I could visit Doi AngKang soon, could be in Jan. I 'm looking for a Moso garden on my little land in the next 10 years. This is a looooong term project.

I have records of an ornamental variety, Guadua angustifolia var. bicolor from Colombia, that a single plant was given by a French biologist to Kasetsart University in Bangkok in 1989, and planted on their grounds. This variety is characterized by green stems with yellow stripes.

I went to Kasetsart U. last week. Only problem is I do not know the exact location for the Guadua angustifolia. I asked people at the herbarium (belong to ministry of agri and forest, located in the campus) but they do not heard of the boo. Would you mind to share more detail regarding to the record, such as faculty or person who was the recipient?

Retail price for an untreated 4" pole here is 80 B.

It's RangSit Univ.

http://www2.rsu.ac.th/web/faculty/accounting.aspx

In general, land filler buy soil from "soil pit", which is not a fertile top soil. Such a 20 m dept pit only provides mixture of clay, sand, loam etc. with no organic material. The soil pH could be way off to very acidic or very alkaline.

You may either treat the soil or just let it stand there for another 3 years until the soil get conditioned.

If you need only a portion of planting area, I do agree with the above suggestion. You may get some top soil or compost and plant things on that layer and let the lower soil adjusts itself.

If you need a large planting plot, you may need the soil treated. And, first step, get its pH measured.

Thai term for wood vinegar is "Nam-Som-Kwan-Mai".

You may get it at an agri-store (selling fertilzer and agri-tools) or from a charcoal maker.

Have some chickens around your house. They eat all small insects, centipedes, scorpions.

Try to get an elevated bed with 4 legs. Apply some wood vinegar (condensate by product from charcoal process) on those legs.

Moso (P. pubescens) seeds arrived last week. Let me know if you are interested to grow some.

There was no such ritual.

That sounds like black magic rather than buddhist's.

Get your worms/wormcastings here:

This site is an agricultural co-op and has everything about vermicomposting.

350 gram packs for 25 baht. I just made an order for 25 kilos and got a substantial price break.

The guy to talk to is Khun Yai -- 081 823 6514. Speaks good english.

From the same URL, 08/30/08

The most recent price from another farm is 15k per ton. (375 for 25 kg bag)

khun TherdSak 085-1638779

I also start a small colony of 100 worms a couple days ago. They ate FAST.

I have another mystery bamboo, the Thais refer to it as Pai Ratchini, I've seen it in Nakhon Nayok, apparently it was brought there from Prachinburi by HM (which would explain it's name). It's quite beautiful and covered in a white dust which gives it a gray appearance. Has anyone seen this before?

That could be Dendrocalamus membranaceus or "Pai Sang Nuan"

It looks similar, but the Sang Nuan doesn't have the white dust.

Could it be Dendrocalamus sericeus "Pai Sang Hmon"? I heard it has kind of dust.

I have another mystery bamboo, the Thais refer to it as Pai Ratchini, I've seen it in Nakhon Nayok, apparently it was brought there from Prachinburi by HM (which would explain it's name). It's quite beautiful and covered in a white dust which gives it a gray appearance. Has anyone seen this before?

That could be Dendrocalamus membranaceus or "Pai Sang Nuan"

I just get B. lako (seems to be) from JJ market

mrissara, you can check from the following two blogs, each with a bamboo photo set, if you received true Bambusa lako:

The Thai name, ไผ่ดำ (phai dam) ["dam" means black], has been applied not only to Bambusa lako, but also to Phyllostachys nigra, and other species with black stems (culms) as well. For a first approach in identifying your plant, look at the internode. The internode is round in cross section in B. lako, whereas it is grooved or flattened in Phyllostachys. Further, foliage leaves of B. lako are larger than those of P. nigra.

I, indeed, looking for a P. nigra which will run , but there was no such bamboo in that day.

They have only the one with round culm, absent of tessellate venation. So I assumed that the culm 's B. lako. So, I bought it as a substitute .

Is P. nigra available at KumTiang market or DoiSaKet nursery?

Today, I just get B. lako (seems to be) from JJ market. They are available in culm, 400 THB ea.

I 'm living in RungSit, 20 min drive from Kasetsart Univ. I will check if any Guadua angustifolia still there and let you know.

I also ordered some Moso (P. pubescens) from ebay. Will let you know when the seeds arrive.

Smithson, do you happen to have some Makinoi?

You may try "Pai Liang" (Bambusa multiplex). It 's not a runner. It will need 2 ft. very good drain soil. It 's quite cheap (~20 THB ea.) It 's readily available. You may contact your nearby plant dealer.

It 's cost will depends on bamboo size and your locataion.

Market price for a 3 inches culm 's more than 100 THB (with treatment).

40 m panel may cost more than 30k, cheaper for smaller culm and LOT more expensive for bigger culm.

PM me if you are interested.