FPJ with Grass Clippings
Hi Drake,
I have tried to make fpj from grass clippings i have followed the one third rule on adding sugar but after day 2 the mix still looks really dry no solution. My question is.. can i add rain water to try and increase solution volume. There is no weight on the material because i can not get anything small enough to fit inside the glass coffee jar. So i compacted it the best i could.
Thanks
Top answer
grass clipping r not the best thing for a FPJ they would be used more for a JLF ...FPJ is more 1 plant type the microbes that live on that plant help in the breakdown process of the plant in the FPJ to get the micronation that we r looking for ...grass clippings contain many different types of plants that make up a "lawn" when using multi plants in a FPJ the microbes compete as to who will break down the plant matter some win some lose and the full ferment process doesn't kick off right and we r left with un desired results ...as to the JLF we add microbes and water and a touch of salt to the clippings this adds more diversity to the pool a set of microbes that do break down everything in a large pool of water where they have plenty of room to move around this creates the environment to break down many things ...FPJs are more about harvesting the hormones in a single plant and adding them as part of the complete solutions they r less of a fertilizer then as many think to where JLF is a fertilizer
how to FPJ from one of the Cho books i have
Collect the plant material. Growing tips that are easy to
snap off with your fingers are best. Do not use tough or
woody parts. Use only one type of plant at a time; do not
mix different plants in the same container.
Shake off dirt but do not wash the plant material. Tear
the plant into two- to four-inch pieces; do not cut it
with a knife. This is to increase the surface area and
promote osmotic pressure.
Measure the weight of the plant material collected.
Measure an equal weight of brown sugar. Use 1/3 to ½
of the brown sugar to toss with the plant material to
coat each piece with the sugar.
Layer the sugar-coated plant material with the
remaining brown sugar and compress each layer with
your fist in your fermentation container. Save some of
the brown sugar to put a ½ inch sugar cap and press
down. Jar should be ¾ full. After fermenting, the
material will be 2/3 of the jar.
Label the container with the date and type of plant.
Cover the container with breathable paper and tie
securely. Place the jar in a cool and shady area. Do
not move, open, or stir the ingredients during the
fermentation period. It will take about one week.
Happy Experimenting
From the KNF library
From the KNF library
Drafted by Claude from Office Hours and the books
·
Sep 2026
·
3 sources
The library does not say whether to add rain water to a dry jar. It says plant material should not be wet from recent rain when you gather it. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 36)
Here is what the library does say about the steps:
- Massage the sugar into the leaves until they turn soft and begin to release their liquid. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 36)
- Pack the jar firmly, a little at a time. The aim is to keep the air out. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 36)
- Look for bubbles. They show that fermentation is occurring. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 34)
- Expect fermentation in 2-3 days, and no longer than 7. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 36)
Gather the growing tips of healthy plants just before sunrise. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 36) Shake off the dirt but do not wash the material. The microbes on it do the fermenting. (Pure KNF Manual, p. 38)
The library says nothing about weighting the jar. It also says nothing about clippings, or about what to do when the mix stays dry.
Sources
- p. 34 Student's Manual, Basic Course · “fermentation is occurring when bubbles start to form,”
- p. 36 Student's Manual, Basic Course · “Plant material should not be wet from recent rain”
- p. 38 Pure KNF Manual · “we did not wash or clean the plant material besides shaking of the dirt, so the microbes are still there.”
