Converting to Organic Soil

[theBeaver]

This is my third grow since converting to organic soil. I have been extremely pleased with the results so far. I read the "Organics for Beginners" thread in it's entirety. All 5,928 posts. Much respect for @Burn1 for starting this thread. I also devoured Jeff Lowenfels book "Teaming With Microbes" and am a firm believer in the Soil Food Web.

For this current grow I have 9 clones in 3 gal. grow bags in a 4x4 tent. This my 1st time flowering in 3 gallon grow bags. There are 8 cuts of Planet of the Grapes and a single Gorilla Glue mother that I decided to flower out. Lighting is an AC Infinity EV80 (LED bar style). Plants are currently on 43 days since flipping to 12/12 lighting.

Overhead shot of the full tent

Close-up of Gorilla Glue

A cross canopy shot

Planet of the Grapes close-up

Gorilla Glue close-up


I wonder about how much to defoliate at this point (6 weeks into flower). I'd appreciate any recommendations on that, or anything else that you see from the pictures. I am still learning! And I have a long way to go...

Many thanks,
theBeaver

 

[Creeperpark]

Hello and thanks for sharing your work with us. Your garden looks really good and healthy. You have a super-looking canopy of buds. I don't remove leaves because it removes the stomata and slows transpiration. Plus the leaves are a powerhouse of stored nutrients for the end. If you allow the plants to dry at the end a little the leaves will just drop off naturally

 

[theBeaver]

Many thanks for the reply @Creeperpark! I will be trying to give weekly updates to this grow. I am really loving these LM301H EVO LED diodes.

 

[theBeaver]

Time for an update. The ladies are now 51 days into flower. The fan leaves are starting their fade. The 8 Planet of the Grapes are really starting to show their purple colors. The lone Gorilla Glue looks like she will finish first.

Overhead shot

Canopy shot

Gorilla Glue bud shot

Planet of the Grapes bud shot

The Planet of the Grapes clones are starting to foxtail. I've never had this happen before. Is in environmental or genetic? This is the Planet of the Grapes RBX by Ethos. If anyone is familiar with this variety, I'd love to hear their thoughts.


Thanks for looking folks! I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions.

 

[Creeperpark]

Time for an update. The ladies are now 51 days into flower. The fan leaves are starting their fade. The 8 Planet of the Grapes are really starting to show their purple colors. The lone Gorilla Glue looks like she will finish first.

View attachment 18979726
Overhead shot

View attachment 18979727
Canopy shot

View attachment 18979728
Gorilla Glue bud shot

View attachment 18979729
Planet of the Grapes bud shot

View attachment 18979731
The Planet of the Grapes clones are starting to foxtail. I've never had this happen before. Is in environmental or genetic? This is the Planet of the Grapes RBX by Ethos. If anyone is familiar with this variety, I'd love to hear their thoughts.


Thanks for looking folks! I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions.

Damn friend I love this garden. You are kicking ass on this one. Beautiful fade.

 

[Katrak]

nice looking flowers

 

[theBeaver]

Many thanks @Creeperpark and @Katrak! I usually flower 4 ten gallon pots in this tent. And I have only run feminized photoperiods from seed to date.

I am not sure I like the clones in smaller pots. The plants don't seem to be as firmly rooted. The buds are on the small side, but the yield may turn out okay. I will begin checking trichomes next week.

I may be looking at a 4/20 harvest. That would be pretty dang sweet. This is definitely one of my better grows.

 

[Katrak]

Many thanks @Creeperpark and @Katrak! I usually flower 4 ten gallon pots in this tent. And I have only run feminized photoperiods from seed to date.

I am not sure I like the clones in smaller pots. The plants don't seem to be as firmly rooted. The buds are on the small side, but the yield may turn out okay. I will begin checking trichomes next week.

I may be looking at a 4/20 harvest. That would be pretty dang sweet. This is definitely one of my better grows.

likke

 

[Katrak]

i remember doing a little experiment 12-13yrs ago i run my 1.2m x 1.2m tent with 400w hps are cooled hoods the ones u can daisy chain 2gether so u can suck the heat from lamp to get super close to the canopy n e way i was growing super silver haze 10-11 weeker (wish i kept or still access) at the time 2 clones gifted to me what i did was run 9 plants in a sea of green then next run 13 plants SOG same pots same sub cool SS mix and same 400w lamp same tent. what i found that the difference in yeild was minimal the plants found and filled the space themselfs (no topping or LST). i had dailes my tent in and maxed out my lamp the only increase in yeild was if i got bigger lamps. hope this helps but a simple answer to your question..BIG ROOTS BIG FRUITS.

 

[Rgd]

after decades of mineral salts indoor I switched to wh[organic]

bale of promix, couple nags of worm compost , some gypsum..kelp..guano

and a bag of hen pellets..then watered it all and waited until it cooled down

I just add water..can’t believe how easy it was but yeh much bigger containers

its not growing any better..but its growing very good


and sorry

no real recipe.. smash up the root balls to recycle and add a % of new stuff back each time I reload

 

[revegeta666]

Congratulations on the great results. Once you go organic, you can't go backnic

 

[SlangZaddy]

Congratulations on the great results. Once you go organic, you can't go backnic

Preach lol.

 

[theBeaver]

Moderator, would you please move this thread to the Organic Soil forum? It just seems like a better home for it ;<)

 

[dimodz]

@theBeaver


done

 

[theBeaver]

@theBeaver


done

Many thanks @dimodz!

 

[dimodz]

Many thanks @dimodz!

high & welcome

 

[Stuntzii]

Looking great! When you ran the 10 gal grows in the past was this organic based or bottle nutrients ? Also did you top dress this recent grow in the 3 gallon grow bags ? Or just amended soil at the start? Thanks, looks really good so far !

 

[theBeaver]

Thank you for the kind words @Stuntzii .

I ran 10 gal pots using bottled nutrients at first. I switched to organic soil 2 crops before my current grow and am really liking it. My plants are healthier and growing is so much easier.

I top dressed the single Gorilla Glue twice with 1 tsp of high N bat guano about 2 weeks into flower, and again 2 weeks later. No top dressing for the Planet of the Grapes. Just ACT teas once a week (ewc and bsm).

I am really excited to finish this grow!

 

[theBeaver]

It has now been 58 days since I flipped the ladies to 12/12 lighting. Time to start checking trichomes.

Gorilla Glue - Maybe another 2 weeks...

Planet of the Grapes - Going to give them another week

Side view of Planet of the Grapes - This view shows how puny these plants are in 3 gal grow bags. Look at those little twiggy stems. They have trouble supporting the buds. These clones were all cut Nov 28, 2023.

 

[theBeaver]

I have heard about the benefits of Russian Comfrey. The roots penetrate 6 feet into the soil, bringing up minerals and nutrients not found closer to the surface. This makes them a valuable addition to your compost pile as well as making an excellent animal fodder. The leaves also have healing values. They are used to stop bleeding and to heel broken bones. They also make excellent animal fodder.

The preferred variety of Russian Comfrey is Boking 14. This variety does not produce viable seeds, and can only be propagated from cuttings. I ordered 5 Russian Comfrey root cuttings last spring and planted them outside in my garden. Not a one grew.

This year I tried again with 3 crown cuttings. I planted then indoors in 1 gal nursery pots. I received them in the mail 3 weeks ago. They were smaller than my pinky finger. Look at them today in just 3 weeks of growth!