What plants would grow the best in a simulated Martian soil?

[Mars man No.7920953]

Hello, I have a few questions about what plants would grow best in a simulated Marian soil? Also what plants would produce the most bio mass with a minimal amount of fertilizer? This experiment is inspired from the Martian movie.

[Anonymous No.7920956]

>>7920953
dank kush

[Anonymous No.7920960]

potatoes grown in human shit obviously, duh

[Anonymous No.7920962]

>>7920953
grains

[Anonymous No.7920964]

>>7920953
My guess would be something like grass which are really resilient.

[Mars man No.7920970]

>>7920960
Well I'm going to use cow manure as a substitute.

[Anonymous No.7920989]

>>7920953
dingle berries

[Anonymous No.7921008]

Chronic, obviouslys

[Anonymous No.7921043]

Baobabs obviously.

[Anonymous No.7921661]

BAMBOO

[Anonymous No.7921686]

>>7920953
What do you mean by "simulated Marian soil"

Because if it's anything like the fines that cover the Martian planet no Earth plants will grow in that shit.

[Anonymous No.7921698]

beans inoculated with nitrogen fixing bacteria? I don't know if there is any nitrogen in the atmosphere though.

[Anonymous No.7921916]

>>7921686
Not true. They've already done lab tests some things can grow.

[Mars man No.7921982]

>>7921916
Source please?

[Anonymous No.7922000]

>>7921982
Not the guy, but:
http://www.engadget.com/2016/03/09/researchers-grow-crops-in-simulated-martian-and-lunar-soil/

[Anonymous No.7922037]

The problem is that there isn't a single good crop.
So basically you first need something that creates root remains. Then you can add plants that adds nitrogen, or synthesize other minerals or nutrition.

THEN you can grow Grain and Potatos, with crop rotation.

[Anonymous No.7922751]

The only reason something wouldn't grow in lunar or martian dirt is if there are plant-inhibiting chemicals/minerals in them. Otherwise, you can treat it just like any gardening medium or hydroponics medium. Microbes and mycorrhizal fungi are extremely important too.

In case you don't know, most dirt around the world isn't suited very well for agricultural purposes, even the very "earth-friendly" methods. You always need to amend the dirt to turn it into soil that can be used for growing plants. Most people simply skip that step and make their own soil.

I'm a farmer that uses the latter method. I'd only use a small portion of lunar or martian dirt and amend it or only use it as an amendment for my own soil mix.

Normally, you make your own soil by saving up organic waste materials (kitchen scraps, animal manure, humanure, spent mushroom growing medium, etc) then add things like sand, clay, vermiculite, etc. then organic materials like mulch on the top. That's

Fully composted organic material.
Mostly inert material to improve drainage (as needed).
Material to help hold moisture. (as needed)

In the movie, the Martian, Watney was essentially using the martian dirtas a partial hydroponics system. It would have done far better had it been a full hydroponics system. Meaning, that he should have turned the humanure into a liquid fertilizer. Then fed it to the plants in a diluted form. He'd still be using the martian dirt, only there would be a bit less fertilizer in the growing medium which is actually essential for potato tuber growth.

In fact, using the methods Watney used in the movie would have resulted in lots of leaf growth and little to no tuber growth at all (if there were enough microbes to actually compost the humanure)

>What plants would grow the best in a simulated Martian soil?

Lamb's Quarter
Quinoa
Amaranth
Potatoes
Jerusalem Artichokes
Okra
Carrots
Onions/Garlic
Sweet Potatoes
Cowpeas
Dandelion
Barbary Fig Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica)

[Anonymous No.7922755]

>>7922751
>Opuntia ficus-indica

>Opuntia ficus-indica var. inermis

fixed

[Anonymous No.7922788]

>>7920953
Here in on Mars, just build myself a new potato farm. But you know what's better than food? Oxygen.