Mass/RI/Con Growers here!

[rasputin]

Fwiw HL, I had a couple cups of coco going and fed em organically with no issues at all. Didn't pH at all, no run-off test, no hydro or coco specific nutes. Just my usual teas and beneficials like I use in my peat-based mix. Worked great.

If I had the time to water coco as often as it needs in flowering I'd turn everything over but outside of using 5 gal pots I don't think I could keep up w/watering often enough outside of setting up an automated system. But for veg, I'm going all coco now, much faster growth rates and no need to have to mix up gallons of soil.

 

[Highlighter]

I think my main problem is just getting the new canna flushed. You can't tell me the Canna Coir and Botanicare I'm using are clean.
I'm a capricorn, I'm good @ being anal, so I'm into my notes & measurements.
I may have to automate some parts.
My problem is w/ the salts. I feel quilty about the effluents I create, so I'm thinking I'll be going 50/50 w/ the old coco, and get back to the organics. Just my own lil peace of mind growing irie herb.

 

[whodair]

chaco, one hand on the keyboard, the other on the watering can and ph pen !! youre a true lover of cannabis to be custom mixing food for each strain is a blessing...

i slop all of my pigs from the same trough !!

 

[TacomaComa]

some pictures of what im smoking

in order i think...im pretty stoned from too much ecsd

super skunk i made
sour larry
chem sour pheno 9
chem sour pheno 1
chem sister
afghan kush
ecsd
sssdh
sandstorm

 

[MeltingPOT]

Ras, ever think of going to gravity feeding? You can grab the valves that they use in AutoPot setups for like $20...a lot of companies make them now...
You could get a couple valves if you need to brew different teas for different strains/length of flowering....
I have done it with just a few big plants and a 10 gallon tupperware, I could leave the garden for a few days if necessary and my coco would stay moist no problemo...Makes the transition to coco mad easy cuz you don't have to mix and water every goddamn day!
Just a thought!

And to the rest of you crazies....Looks like Otto is gunna reel in some lunkers again You running Advanced Nutes or Flora Nova?

Chaco, the C.C. is keeping me fuzzy...one of the phenos is straight up SourOnions.

 

[Ottoman]

hey guys just my opinion on the coco and switching over, now i understand different strokes for different folk but all I can say is keep things simple and don't try and over analyze the plant too much. I hand feed my coco only twice a week using 5-7 (.5-1 gal per plant in 3gal pot) gallons per 4x4 area and ph it from 5.8-6.1, I never check my ppm's or my run off. If the plants are looking seriously messy I just feed plain water to flush it out then go back to just liquid Karma and some base. I guess it's better to feed a little bit to the coco every day but I just don't have the time and I enjoy hand watering over a rez, which can be messy at times. I use botanicare 5kg bricks and always just dump 3.5 gallons of water on it then let is sit 2-3 days, break it up and its ready to go I don't cut it with anything this way its drains a little slower which allows me to get away with only 2 feedings a week. IMO no need to flush at all, with that being said I never re-use my coco. When starting with coco less is better cause as you add things you'll see what does and doesn't respond well in coco. I don't know about you guys but i go to my garden to relieve stress not add to it, KISS. I understand my garden isn't perfect but just

Melty, using the floranova this run with some AN additives mixed in, if your haven't tried big bud I highly recommend it. I also plan on trying a method my friends has been using. They feed with PBP, but every 3rd or 4th feeding they'll uses floranova to switch it up. The taste of their bud has been out of this world since they did it, but this was also done in soil so I don't know if it'll translate with the coco.

My same friend hooked me up with a nice bowl of nugs too!

 

[bcell]

Looks good everyone. Going ProMix BX this grow - Coco sounds interesting - not sure I could water everyday.

Satori 3 weeks from seed.

 

[highsteppa]

Just keep yer pot-blogging here, brother!

I'm goin' nuts w/ this coco, I'm reverting to some real anal ways, checkin' the run off of everything. Been flushing everything down fer days, but I can def see the plants responding. Time-consuming bugger, butI'll git 'er!

I'm sure I'll be back to sheparding the micro-herd in the future.

My buddy is using a simple coco mix of 50% coco 25% perlite 25% worm castings and using the General Organics line with some guano and stuff looked real good... Seems to me that coco has a massive buffer capacity (I had EC 3.5 once with just a lil tip burn, in straight coco), but it also needs to be charged w/ nutes at all times. Funnything is when my EC spiked that time, I flushed the pots like mad, and thats when the problems started, cause I lost the nutrient balance... but yea I thnk that mix shows good potential as an easy coco mix with micro herd
.

 

[guest121295]

Coco is hilarious, I'm actually entertaining myself dancing around trying to custom feed each set of seedlings.All my veg stuff receives the 3-2-1 GH mix and they just shine.My sativas and ecsd were looking a bit funny so I started screwing around with more N because the lower leaves were going yellow...I tried a sea of green with 8 1gal cont in one tray and a few plants to the side, it's going to take me another week to whack it all down, not sure I've seen so much bud in such a small area.Much of the lower larf caught pm but I chopped it off and stopped worrying over it, I might have lost an oz at best so I'm pretty lucky.I've really had a chance to study how this pain in the as pm moves around.If I use a sulfer burner and smoke out the whole place will it deactivate all the spores in the building??A friend of mine up the road lost 3 eurogrowers full of buds to it.Our gardens are separate and we don't trade cuts, he does the ak47 thing, so he had a bloom of it the same time I did as well as one other grower who is too organic to put his old lady on birth control but he sees a huge pm infection and sprays the wholeroom 7 weeks into flower with some doomsday pm killer.I turned to the Eagle 20 only in veg, I won't even spray water on a bud, ever, I'd rather compost it...What do you think??

 

[Rudedewd]

High peoples, it looks like ya'll are rocking it as usual. I just wanted to stop by and wish a very Happy New Year to everyone!

Peace

 

[highsteppa]

The PM thing is tricky; usually I see little to none in veg, last run with the chem sis was 95% clean using neem/milstop (greencure), but at the very end the sugar leaves near the the bud started to get it, and once again I needed to cut a week early. So now I have a bottle of eagle and some plants that are 1 week from flip, I thought I wanted to spray it and be done....spray at 7 weeks???? Thats just nasty....interesting how ideals fall by the wayside when $$ comes into play. I guess I'll choose today, and I'm leaning toward the Eagle cuase I have 70 + days and I just hate losing it at the very end when that last bit of weight is coming on and my trichs are just barely cloudy

 

[someotherguy]

The PM thing is tricky; usually I see little to none in veg, last run with the chem sis was 95% clean using neem/milstop (greencure), but at the very end the sugar leaves near the the bud started to get it, and once again I needed to cut a week early. So now I have a bottle of eagle and some plants that are 1 week from flip, I thought I wanted to spray it and be done....spray at 7 weeks???? Thats just nasty....interesting how ideals fall by the wayside when $$ comes into play. I guess I'll choose today, and I'm leaning toward the Eagle cuase I have 70 + days and I just hate losing it at the very end when that last bit of weight is coming on and my trichs are just barely cloudy

shit man, if you're only a week from chop just spray them with milk, you can use it straight or diluted, actually, i'd mix it at 50/50 milk/water and just spray the shit out of them. (milk won't effect the taste or the potency of the bud and it's safe for human consumption)

the milk will get rid of the mildew instantly, or i should say, it'll get rid of the surface mildew instantly, it won't eliminate it so you may have to spray again in a couple days, ...then you chop, lol.

peace, SOG

btw, here is some supporting evidence for using milk as a fungicide.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Milk is a useful fungicide in the garden, and is more effective than standard chemical brands.


Researchers believe the potassium phosphate in milk boosts a plant's immune system to fight the fungi.

Where most organic gardeners use a baking soda, soap and oil solution, milk may be substituted to combat the unwanted fungus.

Preparing a Milk Solution and Spraying Schedule

The correct dilution and spraying schedule for garden plants depends on the situation and takes some trial and error.

A milk fungicide solution can range from 1 part milk to 9 parts water, to a strong, milk-only solution. A 1:1 dilution may work for a week, but a 1:8 solution requires spraying every 3 or 4 days.

Skim milk may work better than whole milk, as the higher fat milk may clog a sprayer; even reconstituted powdered milk works.

Uses for Milk Fungicide

Milk was originally used in the garden to treat powdery mildew on squash plants. It is now also commonly used on flowers such as rudebekia (Black-eyed Susans) and Begonias to cure powdery mildew.

Milk has also been used to cure Botrytis on a Cyclamen houseplant. This was applied full strength every morning (leftover breakfast milk). Rotten leaves were picked away and the plant pulled through with no more Botrytis.

Black spots and rust on roses can be controlled but not cured with milk. Fortunately, milk can prevent the spread of these fungi to other plants and new leaves. This can be very useful when bringing home a plant from the nursery and finding a black spot.


The copyright of the article Milk as a Garden Fungicide for Powdery Mildew, Botrytis, and Black Spots in Organic Gardening is owned by Deborah Turton. Permission to republish Milk as a Garden Fungicide for Powdery Mildew, Botrytis, and Black Spots in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


by Arzeena Hamir
Powdery Mildew

Less than 3 years ago, researchers in South America discovered a new alternative to controlling powdery mildew. Wagner Bettiol, a scientist from Brazil, found that weekly sprays of milk controlled powdery mildew in zucchini just as effectively as synthetic fungicides such as fenarimol or benomyl. Not only was milk found to be effective at controlling the disease, it also acted as a foliar fertilizer, boosting the plant's immune system.

Powdery mildew in the cucurbit family is caused by the organism Sphaerotheca Fuliginea. It is a serious disease that occurs worldwide. For decades, organic gardeners had to rely on making a spray from baking soda to control the disease. Now, instead of measuring out the baking soda and combining it with a surfactant (a "sticking" substance) of either oil or soap, gardeners need only head for their refrigerators.

In his experiments with zucchini plants, Bettiol found that a weekly spray of milk at a concentration of at least 10% (1 part milk to 9 parts water) significantly reduced the severity of powdery mildew infection on the plants by 90%. While some gardeners may be tempted to increase the concentration of milk for more control, Bettiol found that once concentrations rose above 30%, an innoccuous fungus began to grow on the plants. How does milk control powdery mildew?

Scientist aren't 100% sure how milk works to control this disease. It seems that milk is a natural germicide. In addition, it contains several naturally occurring salts and amino acids that are taken up by the plant. From previous experiments using sodium bicarbonate, potassium phosphate, and other salts, researchers have found that the disease is sensitive to these salts. It is possible then, that milk boosts the plant's immune system to prevent the disease.

Milk used around the world
The benefits of using milk to control powdery mildew haven't been isolated to Brazil. Melon growers in New Zealand are saving thousands of dollars every year by spraying their crops with milk instead of synthetic fungicides. The melon growers in New Zealand have been so successful that the wine industry is taking notice and beginning experiments using milk to control powdery mildew in grapes.

What kind of milk should be used?
In Bettiol's original experiment, fresh milk was used, straight from the cow. However, this is obviously not feasible to most home gardeners. The research work in New Zealand actually found that using skim milk was just as effective. Not only was it cheaper, but the fact that the milk had no fat content meant that there was less chance of any odours.

Wagner Bettiol's original article was published in the journal Crop Science (Vol. 18, 1999, pp. 489-92).

 

[Highlighter]

Man, I used skim milk straight up last yr. whadda mess! Shit dried on the leaves and would flake off like dead skin. Yuck! And the PM came back!
I really think Chimera's on to something, calling it systemic. If it's around long enough, I really think it gets into the plant's tissues.
Good luck to you both.

 

[headseed]

Wow so much goodness in this thread, winter time is the best time hahaha!

Tent is on the way 4 x 4 but only a 400 hps for now. Its coming next week and all I have to take from is two unsexed unknown 1.5 month old 9-10" very bushy plants from seeds (given to me in jiffys with just the cots and maybe 1/8th inch long first true leaves. I also have two one week old autos from sweet seeds that were gifted to me that are fem autos, fast bud and speed devil #2.

I also started a single fem cheese from Dinafem that is almost two weeks old, its first leaves are about an inch long or so, so a long time off for clones.

So I'm debating starting some more beans or maybe just waiting it out until I can take and root some cheese clones. I don't like having all my eggs in one basket so to speak.

Anywho, enough medicated ramblings, I'll try to have pics next time there's something to show. Carry on

 

[someotherguy]

yeah Highlighter, it IS systemic, it's a fungal infection so in the plant's 'blood-stream', as it were, ...which is why systemic treatments are the most effective means of eradicating the problem as they kill the infection from the inside.

unfortunately, systemic remedies aren't safe for human consumption so no good late in flower.

also, yes, if you use the milk straight, or even diluted, it is a bit messy, and a bit labor intensive as you need to re-apply every 4 days or so to control the PM, ...after about 3 or 4 weeks of repeated spraying MY powdery mildew problem was eliminated.

the whole point is that milk is totally organic so safe to use for human consumption, while at the same time effective at eliminating the mildew, at least in the short term.

...and if he's only a week from chop he needs something safe to use that will do the job, and milk will fill the bill nicely unless the grow is very large.

peace, and stay safe, SOG

 

[Ottoman]

Hey guys,

Also forgot to mention yesterday in regard to the coco, if your looking for a good recipe check out Rez's on his forums, very simply easy to follow and your basically guaranteed good result.

On the PM i have to agree what a bitch of a problem, I found a product that worked very well on it and it's call ed rosenthal's Zero Tolerance is made of organics and even smells nice. It's a little pricey but well worth IMO, also if your PM problem is that bad my suggestion is to start fresh and start looking for new genetics with seeds, or just use that Eagle20 stuff in veg and wait a min before you flowering or take cuts.

 

[someotherguy]

yeah, the whole point though was that he was only a week from chop and seeing the mildew on some of the fans and needed a solution that was safe and effective that late in flower, and there aren't that many, lol.

peace, SOG

 

[highsteppa]

thanks for the input w/the milk and zero tolerance, maybe I'll try them sometime, but the point is no matter how dialed my grow area is or how diligent I am with neem+ greencure, ultimately the PM rears its ugly head in late flower...the issue is if you may think you got it beat, but its like chucky, you can't kill it

Often I thought of just dumping my cuts for this reason, but never have been able to do it...soon come some seed runs though and I'm pumped for some black haze S1's, I really miss growing from seed

Great thread here!

 

[someotherguy]

thanks for the input w/the milk and zero tolerance, maybe I'll try them sometime, but the point is no matter how dialed my grow area is or how diligent I am with neem+ greencure, ultimately the PM rears its ugly head in late flower...the issue is if you may think you got it beat, but its like chucky, you can't kill it

Often I thought of just dumping my cuts for this reason, but never have been able to do it...soon come some seed runs though and I'm pumped for some black haze S1's, I really miss growing from seed

Great thread here!

no offense man but it can be dealt with, and permanently, with the caveat that mildew spores are ubiquitous so even if you treat all your plants with a systemic, if you don't also take a look at your environment, it will just keep coming back.

personally, i'm only a micro-grower, plus, i've only been growing for 4 years so i've only had one pm infection to deal with so i don't pretend to be some kind of expert but, i do keep a copy of Stitch's book 'Marijuana Garden Saver' handy for just such occasions and according to Stitch, pm likes damp, still air.

so when i suffered my battle with pm, from gifted cuts, i not only began a regimen of scheduled milk 'baths', or showers actually, lol, i also took steps to lower my humidity levels and to increase my air-flow, within the cab and also increasing the air being exhausted.

in any event, as i've already said, i sprayed all my plants down with a 50/50 milk solution every 4 days or so for approximately 5 to 6 weeks when it stopped coming back.

it's been gone now for almost 2 years.

peace, SOG

btw, if you are consistently getting pm late in flower, why not just add a little milk to your regular foliar mix, it will work as a preventative in that case, it may even work to strengthen your plants immune system.

 

[guest121295]

Well as for me and my relationship with PM, I'm ending it today and every cut I have is out the window except for a few Triple Kush that I slammed with the Eagle 20.I'm too interested in my MNS Spice to kill them all so they will be flowered because I'm curious and they've been hit with the Eagle too.I have a chem's sister that I hit about 3 weeks or so ago and now 17 or18 days into flower the plant is another monster without a blemish.I've seen people spray buds with neem oil and floramite 67 days into an 80 day stretch...nothing I could say would stop him, he says people won't know the difference, I told him that I would know and that it was bad for the buds, he didn't care, now without my weekly advice his garden yielded less every run until he quit and rented his house to another grower and moved to Costa Rica.It's just taking me forever to clean this place up, regardless today it's all out the window!!Have you ever smoked a bud sprayed with neem oil??YUCK!!! I won't even start in on the taste of Floramite!!(I have never, ever done this, I've seen it done by people that do not care one bit about quality and being serious about their marijuana, as long as they sell it, success has been achieved)