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Living organic soil from start through recycling

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Scrappy4

senior member
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just finished the thread. its taken over a week, but here we are. started my second run through but finally had to just post.
i have been revising my soil mix, and when i look at all of yours, i like parts of it, but then i see things in some of them that i would prefer not to use, such as bone and blood meals. and on the other hand i also see some that are incredibly simplistic that i cant help but desire a more diverse soil.

base is the semi-usual -ish shit. 1 part spm/coco 1 part growstone soil aerator 1 part humus/compost mix (ewc, forest duff, coimpost, aged shit...)
the grow stone stuff is this http://www.growstone.com/ its good stuff, they bring us generous amounts of samples at the hydro store i work in. (running the aquaponics, not pushing bottled BS)

so i figure the best way to go about this it to give up a list of things i have on hand, and ask what else i need.

on hand
granular humic acid
feather meal 14-0-0
alfalfa meal
cotton seed meal
rock phosphate
green sand
kelp meaL
peruvian seabird guano

current shopping list
glacial rock dust
bentonite
oystershell flour
basalt
neem and/or karanja meals

so, with these amendments, what else would i need, and if we are feeling extra helpful, some suggested application rates would rock.

Your compost portion is crucial for growing organically, so make sure it is high quality, that is number one in my book. In my grows now days I prefer mostly botanical inputs over things like guano, or feather meal or even cotton seed meal. Cotton is not regulated as food, so it can have loads of pesticides and other nasties, just so you know. The greensand takes ages to break down, so i would only use it if you plan to recycle your soil mix. The rest looks Ok to me, but you might want to strive for diversity in your input mix like you have with your rock dust collection....scrappy
 

Neo 420

Active member
Veteran
what are you using in the water? i just use a plain cup of ro water to do my clones in...

Coconut water (young), aloe vera, Si and ful-power (From the ole coots). I let them sit a while in it before throwing them in 50% EWC/50%perlite.

I got recycles soil in one of the cups to see how it handles a fresh clone..

Speaking of roots.....
 
Last edited:

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
SPINOSAD

SPINOSAD

For those in Canada, I have discovered two sources of spinosad based insecticide. They are both made by Dow.

One which is more geared towards organic crops is called;
Entrust 80 W
The other is; Success 480 SC

Upon viewing the MSDS for each (attached), it appears that the Entrust has a much higher concentration of the active ingredient, Spinosad A&D 80% compared to 44.2% for Success.

I have not compared the prices. I do not know how this relates to products in the USA.

To find a source phone your local farm supply house. If you can't find, then call Bartletts (the Dow distributor) 800-263-1287 to find out who carries it.

Please handle this stuff with great care, especially if there are bees in the area. Be aware, it will kill beneficial insects.

[I have my eyes in the sky watching and anyone observed misusing this will be swiftly dealt with by the Swami Seven]

I recommend using it only when you have pests out of control. Follow the life cycle of the pest, spraying the adults, then for at least 2 potential hatch times following this. Then populate your plants/soil (once the residue is gone) with predatory insects and nematodes.
 

Attachments

  • Entrust MSDS.pdf
    60.1 KB · Views: 68
  • Success MSDS.pdf
    76.7 KB · Views: 100
  • Spinosad approved Euro organics.pdf
    34 KB · Views: 100

W89

Active member
Veteran
I have best rooting success in coco.I just get some molded seed starter pots a tray of about 40 fits in my prop, just moisten and pop the clones in I have had quickest results with clonex, But this time round I am going to try a 75/25 coco/organic soil and use coots way with the aloe, ful-power and protekt (I think that's what he uses)
 

W89

Active member
Veteran
Thanks for the pdf MM a quick good search and I was able to find these poducts in the UK

http://www.fargro.co.uk/newsitems/jul08/conserve04.html

The number one Western Flower Thrip insecticide Conserve has received approval from the Pesticide Safety Directorate for use on tomatoes, aubergines and peppers. The new crops join ornamentals and cucumbers on the product label.

The rate of use for the edible crops is 80 ml per 100 litres with a three day harvest interval.

Conserve contains spinosad which is highly efective against thrips and caterpillar pests but can be integrated with most biological controls.
 

unclefishstick

Fancy Janitor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Coconut water (young), aloe vera, Si and ful-power (From the ole coots). I let them sit a while in it before throwing them in 50% EWC/50%perlite.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=40140&pictureid=1012836View Image
I got recycles soil in one of the cups to see how it handles a fresh clone..

Speaking of roots.....
https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=40140&pictureid=1012837View Image

the old cup-o-water method may be slow at times,sometime it takes less than a week,other times i have had cuts hang out for two months before rooting...i think i will try some ful-power as i have a freebie bottle of that here...
 

Neo 420

Active member
Veteran
the old cup-o-water method may be slow at times,sometime it takes less than a week,other times i have had cuts hang out for two months before rooting...i think i will try some ful-power as i have a freebie bottle of that here...

You can't beat free unc... :)

The addition of pro-tekt has definitely been a game changer. I just really noticed last night when I went to take cuttings. The stems are thicker and much harder to cut verse when I didn't use the pro-tekt on the regular.
 
B

BlueJayWay

Aloe Protekt fulpower - tried and true

Fresh young coconut water Protekt fulpower - trying this one on next weeks cuttings to compare, aloe vs. coconut - probably not much difference but I'd like to confirm on my own, hopefully giving me two top notch options.
 
D

Durdy

Yea the combo of Si/Aloe/Ful-Power has been doing wonders for me. The roots in the picture are after 10 days and thats when I forgot to put my heat pad under! They were at around 60F degrees for the first 5 days sometimes in the low 50s.

Just popped them in 12oz cups of EWC/RICE HULLS/VERMICULITE. top dressed a 1/2inch with some of my ROLS, I think there going to like it!
 

unclefishstick

Fancy Janitor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
yeah im not ready to bring the organic soil into the mj garden yet,but many of the same principles/techniques used by the grow masters in this thread are easily applied to my current system,the protekt is an excellent example,my veg room isnt even at 10% rh right now since its so dry in the desert so its a pain to transition clones and seedlings into open air,the protekt foliar really seems to cut down the transition stress,the cactus respond well to it as well...
 
Your compost portion is crucial for growing organically, so make sure it is high quality, that is number one in my book. In my grows now days I prefer mostly botanical inputs over things like guano, or feather meal or even cotton seed meal. Cotton is not regulated as food, so it can have loads of pesticides and other nasties, just so you know. The greensand takes ages to break down, so i would only use it if you plan to recycle your soil mix. The rest looks Ok to me, but you might want to strive for diversity in your input mix like you have with your rock dust collection....scrappy

thats why i came here. im looking to exclude bone and blood, and you say guano and feather and cotton seed arent good (though id like to use up what i have, as not to waste) its not as if im blindly asking a stupid question. ive read the thread, saw things i liked and things i didnt. just need some more direction.

my compost comes off a local farm with good compost practices. my worm farm isnt far enough yet so im useing as high quality as i can at the moment. (though i just found a local worm guy online)

i would in the future prefer to use soy bean meal over cotton, but cotton is what i have, and i do not intend to waste it.
 

bigshrimp

Well-known member
Veteran
Kaptin kronic

I've used those growstones you linked to, I'd hesitate to add them to your mix. Put them in mine and regret it.

Good ol pumice or red lava rock as far supurior air and water holding properties.

Lighter and cheaper too...
 
Kaptin kronic

I've used those growstones you linked to, I'd hesitate to add them to your mix. Put them in mine and regret it.

Good ol pumice or red lava rock as far supurior air and water holding properties.

Lighter and cheaper too...

why did you regret it?

it breaks down to sand. is very porous for microbial life, lightweight, and inert....

also i use the bigger version in hydro applications in various locations, maybe something else may hold water better, but it holds fine to my liking. i am a hands on gardener and i do not mind watering a day sooner. not in the least

i see nothing i hate here, but thats me take. i dig the stuff and i get a steep discount on it.
 

bigshrimp

Well-known member
Veteran
why did you regret it?

it breaks down to sand. is very porous for microbial life, lightweight, and inert....

i see nothing i hate here, but thats me take. i dig the stuff and i get a steep discount on it.

If the price is right...

I just feel like they are taking up space. Too dense. When i smash them they seem to lack internal air space.

Anything else would be better, pumice, lava rock, oil dry/turface/DE, rice hulls, biochar, composed bark fines, even perlite. Seriously go get a 1/2 cubic foot of lava rock and for 3.50$ pour some water on them and compare.
 

Neo 420

Active member
Veteran
orange/brown/tanish...... reminds me of arizona

There are two main ways cottonseed meal is prepared. A milled process (which leaves in the precious oils) and a chemical leach process that strips a majority of the oils. The reddish/brown color is created using the chemical process (which usually becomes animal feed) and is virtually worthless for your situation.
 
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