Liquid Karma subsitute and seaweed/kelp extract question

[Lucius]

I can't find any liquid karma around here so I'm trying to find a suitable substitute. The closest thing I can find so far is Espoma Bio-tone Starter (http://www.gardeningthings.com/sm/cimpublic/retrieve.cgi?catalog_id=1.11.32&dbname=gt). I don't think it is 100% organic (I think it has a synthetic N source), but do yall think that is a decent substitute for liquid karma to get the beneficial bacteria going in my soil mix? Or do you guys know of a better alternative that I might look for?

My second question is about using kelp meal/seaweed extract. I'd like to use one of these in my soil as per the organics for beginners thread, but I can't find either kelp meal or powered seaweed extract. Best thing I have found so far is Maxicrop liquified seaweed (http://www.4hydroponics.com/nutrients/maxicropseaweed.asp) but it doesn't have near as high of a K content as the kelp meal or seaweed extract. Would this still be a good substitute for the kelp meal?

 

[ReeferDan]

instead of the liquid karma, i would look into earth juice catalyst... i think they both do about the same thing.

Not sure on the kelp meal/seaweed as ive never used any.

 

[Scay Beez]

Earth juice catalyst is NOT the same as Liquid Karma. No humic acid, no aloe vera, no yucca, no seaweed, no corn extract, no glacial rock dust... absolutely in no way the same. Earth juice catalyst is very close to unsulphured blackstrap molasses, soaked oats, and a few other ingredients.

Advanced Nutrient's Nirvana is their attempt at copying LK and the only marketed thing that is similar. It has some extra flower extracts in it as well. I smelled lavender but couldn't quite make out the other ones. Could be similar to the herbal extracts in earth juice's esscential (sp?).

In the Organic Fanatic Thread at the top of this forum (it's a sticky) there have been some folks trying to reverse engineer liquid karma. Check that out. Fractionally distilled aloe vera is one ingredient I found that I think could be the best possible source (selected genetics and no pulp which can contain bad chemicals).


peace,

- sbz

 

[ReeferDan]

sorry for the mis info... i always though LK was a catalyst type nutrient used to buffer nutes and feed the soil

I stand corrected

 

[the undertaker]

it does that too, but it also has a whole bunch of other goodies that no other product have.

amino acids, vitamins etc.

 

[ReeferDan]

it does that too, but it also has a whole bunch of other goodies that no other product have.

amino acids, vitamins etc.

guess there is no substitute then...


to the OP...what exactly are you trying to get form this? What exactly are you trying to do? Do you need a buffer/molasses agent to go with your nutes, or do you want everything specific that LK offers? If you just need LK then order some online if there is none locally.

 

[Suby]

It's the only bottle nute I use and they will have to pry it from my sticky green digits.
Someone put alot of $ in research and love behind that product, it's very tough to beat and/or reproduce.

S

 

[TheOneWill]

Same here I can't find those products either.

 

[vhGhost]

I must agree about LK... when i used it in my ebb/flo garden the plants seem to almost want the food in the water more/ i'd see a 400ppm drop in 5-7 days.