Organic Fanatic Collective

[jaykush]

this threads been a bit slow heres some links to read on, little bit of this little bit of that nothing in particular.

http://www.soils.umn.edu/academics/classes/soil3416/organic_fertility.htm
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/organic/44253

 

[Elephant Man]

First it was the 'tag aero' guys, then bio-buckets, but once I found this thread I had to register. Much props to all who have made additions to this fine thread, and a big thanks personally to Jaykush and Suby for indirectly getting me on the road to organics. I feel very strongly that a few very important peeps are missing, I think an internet search for 'Rolanterroy' or the 'Magick Kingdom' might turn up a wealth of knowledge from one of my other mentors...unfortunately I cannot invite him at this time because he is MIA of sorts . Can I coin his term for our microlife? Over where we were chatting we affectionately called them our 'beasties'. Fermentation has been said by many to be the key to human health as well.

I guess I should post up something useful since this is such a great thread. I hope my current list of favorite additives will do...after a few rounds with the same dirt who knows what all is in there.

I love 'Down to Earth' brand kelp and alfalfa meals, Fox farm dry ferts, Biozome, shrimp and crab meal, Azomite, Oyster shell lime, all manor of manures and guanos, just to name a few. Of course, lots of other things make their way in like coffee grounds, homemade vermicompost, coco coir, banana peals and even some exotics like male plants, weed ash and hair LOL.

Been playing with amended coco coir lately and I love it...been contemplating trying some Metanaturals stuff, if I ever run out of liquid ferts I have and use in teas. I can't really afford to keep up with what is 100% organic, but I try to. Pretty easy to tell what fugs off the beasties when added to the bubbler (teamaker).

Thanks for having me.
Eman

 

[vonforne]

Thanks JK, I have been downloading info to read lately and using my offline comp. Always keeping the ball rolling

 

[jaykush]

well welcome to the OFC Elephant Man. thanks for the props but it was subys great idea though, its just what we needed here. i cant help but to add some of the things ive taken down or noted somewhere along the lines. organics does grow the dankest nugs.
haha "beasties" thats pretty cool. cant live without em.

interested on seing the amended coco, what have you been adding and how much of what. could you still use teas instead of bottles ferts,

hope ya stick around its only gonna get better.

hey V yea this was kind of lagging a bit had to post some info of some sort. gotta dig through the notes for something else.

 

[Elephant Man]

well welcome to the OFC Elephant Man. thanks for the props but it was subys great idea though, its just what we needed here. i cant help but to add some of the things ive taken down or noted somewhere along the lines. organics does grow the dankest nugs.
haha "beasties" thats pretty cool. cant live without em.

interested on seing the amended coco, what have you been adding and how much of what. could you still use teas instead of bottles ferts,

hope ya stick around its only gonna get better.

hey V yea this was kind of lagging a bit had to post some info of some sort. gotta dig through the notes for something else.

Thanks JK, I have only been messing with coco for about a week or 2 but here are some pics of a lady that was transplanted into it right after sexing...from a 4" soil container. I just took these pics last night before topping, she is sitting on a few inches of coir with an inch or 2 or top, so I guess it is over 50% coir. I have some clones in 100% coir that get teas and topdressings of alfalfa meal in veg. I bubble everything in a continous bubbler and over months have added everything under the sun to it...LOL. I keep it on the weak side though and generally feed with teas every watering. I usually just adjust ph if necessary with a little FF bigbloom, or fishy ferts or whatever. I add dried weed stems to my bubbler too, don't know if that was mentioned. I have terminal low humidity here in the desert so I get alot of foliars in too.

This lady was in a 4" pot of a few cheap local soils like "bumpercrop', some peat, big perlite, meals lime etc...like 2 tablespoons of chicken manure right on the bottom, with some FF POM ferts and lime on that...oh and Biozome...big product not sure if it was mentioned. Very diverse and concentrated like 'Subculture' but much cheaper. Now she is in a clear tupperware drainless container...just because I am a bit of a weirdo...but it is over 50% coir now.

I used to be real big on measurements and such...I could post the first mix I ever did...but it was way overcomplicated and now all my soil is starting it's third go around...but probably just for my moms and dads for now. I usually replace something like all quick release stuff like casings, and 1/2 of long term stuff like Azomite and greensand.

It's an honor to answer any questions you guys have. I threw in another pic, the last one, of some clones I did just to show peeps the power of organics...that is a 10" x 20" tray with 2 inches of soilmix, one week veg...still 5 weeks to go.

 

[Suby]

Hello boys, JK nice links and Vman nice to see ya.

Elephant welcome and nice to have you along.
Looks like your toying with some nice ingredients, those look like some happy chillin girls, love that last pic, amazing what you can do with a well balanced soil.

I am looking forward to testing out the coco and peat mix, I'm still not sold on the all coco mix but I am willing to be proven wrong.

Peace All.
S

 

[Elephant Man]

Thanks Suby, many props to you and all who helped assembled this thread, my choices were very much a result of learning done right here.

I started on a much smaller forum and tried to get the 'organics' ball rolling over there. I have posted a few soilmixes and stuff, but unfortunately I am learning how conditions come into play. I flower with mostly MH and my RH never goes over 40, my girls use N most efficiently and burn through K like you wouldn't believe...just kinda diverting me from trying to develop a 'failsafe' mix for the masses. I can offer a bit of knowledge on composting, micro, and many products...I guess.

In a massive rotating pile of soil (I might have 300 gallons here) I get the best results with smaller amounts of everything I can get my hands on, our beasties for the most part handle amounts. The way I have seen it, is even in a very hot mix, our beasties won't allow the girls to 'gorge' themselves on any one nutrient, causing burn. The seedling in the pics above was deep into processing that chicken manure, probably at 2 weeks...doesn't take long to get to the bottom of a 4" pot . Basically the Biozome and fungi in the POM intervened before she got there.

Uggg...I smoke alot due to injury...please bear with me...trying to fit several grows of info in one post. Maybe I should try again tomorrow...perhaps I can keep this thread at the top for a bit.

Can't get my mentor REv over here at the moment, but perhaps I can post up his early flower tea I love so much:

"Mix is per 2 gallons of R/O water and let bubble for 24 hrs B4 using.

1/2 teaspoon Alaskan Fishy Ferts liquid organics ferts 5-1-1
2.0 teaspoons Peace of Mind (Fox Farms) All Purpose dry ferts 5-5-5
1/2 teaspoon PoM High P Bat Guano 0-4-0
1/2 teaspoon Maxicrop
1.0 tablespoon Earth Worm Castings
1/2 teaspoon Liquid Karma

Welcome to my neighborhood heh heh

I make 4 gallons of solution with this by adding 2 gallons of R/O water to the 2 gallons of tea and water them with this about once every other week up until about 2 weeks from harvesting. Works insane man!

This is one of several killer teas I am messing with but this is a proven winner of high order man so check it out!

- REv "

Oh yeah...was wanting to tell 'Muddy Waters' that he is 'the man' while I am posting. This dude could probably grow out of the garbage that most throw away daily. Big props to you bro, recycling makes the world go 'round. I am constantly amazed by those that spend thousands to grow weeds.

 

[Guest]

Oh yeah...was wanting to tell 'Muddy Waters' that he is 'the man' while I am posting. This dude could probably grow out of the garbage that most throw away daily. Big props to you bro, recycling makes the world go 'round. I am constantly amazed by those that spend thousands to grow weeds.

i'll second that, a good mate of mine and a class geezer.

also, i hope Rolanterroy posts here because he has some interesting ideas and mad skills too.

 

[Guest]

Elephant,
You mention that the POM will help keep them from burning themselves. I use the POM Fruit N' Flower and I recently transplanted and the mix has that MG Organic Plus and it is deffinately hot, I can see some burning but I hope they move past it shortly. My seedlings might just be fucked though; we'll see.

J.

 

[jaykush]

damn E man that plant in the what looks to be a cooking sheet is bad ass. cant wait too see it finish. how is it being fed?

early flower mix looks great but im not much of a fan of fish products. whats in the POM from fox farms? i dont really go out buying bottles specially since ff has disappointed me before pretty bad.

 

[Elephant Man]

SatGhost...yeah mang, REv is an incredible grower, breeder, and has some natural teaching talent, please everyone find his workshop on the net, I would love to invite him here but apparently he is having troubles right now.

Pyrex: The POM ferts just contain beneficial fungi that can protect the roots, but salt and chemical ferts are their nemesis, I don't have too much experience mixing the 2. I hope for the best on your plants, MJ constantly amazes me at it's adaptability.

Jaykush: I hear ya on the fish ferts, I have some that is enzymatic, but I will continue to use the Alaskan until it is gone...too cheap to toss it. They don't get much at any rate and never without brewing first. Rolanterroy said some things about it being a good source of sulphur, but I hate the 4.5 ph. It is a really nice combo for a tea though, mixed correctly the above tea will balance out to 6.8 ph all by itself . The soilbed tray thingy was just to show some peeps on another board that 'rootbound' is all in your head, it is 8 Jack Herer hybrid clones vegged one week and flipped. The tray is just a clone tray like they sell at hydro shops. They are about 5 and a half weeks now and filling in...if they don't fall over. I will get better pics if you want. The tray has no drainage and I just fill it from the sides...bottom fed. The FF ferts I am referring to are the dry 'peace of mind' ferts.

 

[vonforne]

damn E man that plant in the what looks to be a cooking sheet is bad ass. cant wait too see it finish. how is it being fed?

early flower mix looks great but im not much of a fan of fish products. whats in the POM from fox farms? i dont really go out buying bottles specially since ff has disappointed me before pretty bad.

Ya JK, I have been dissapointed in the FF products lately also. I do like to make my own homemade fish and seaweed products though. And I'm setting up some new worm bins. And I'm also going to discontinue the use of LK. Go with what we were working on eirlier in this thread.

Welcome to all the new members.

JK, Suby and the rest of the gang.

 

[jaykush]

The soilbed tray thingy was just to show some peeps on another board that 'rootbound' is all in your head

ahh i love that myth, so funny. it is all in your head really, unless your soil is off wack then it can lead to disaster. im sure you have seen those pics where theres like 2 ft flowering plants all green in beer cups. those always do some justice.

Ya JK, I have been disappointed in the FF products lately also. I do like to make my own homemade fish and seaweed products though. And I'm setting up some new worm bins. And I'm also going to discontinue the use of LK. Go with what we were working on eirlier in this thread.

well they weren't bad ferts, they did there job just not as good. also there was a problem with pests outdoors unlike the organic teas and mixes which are 90% of the time pest free in the worst situations. i made fish emulsion once damn did it stink im cool on that process. good luck with the homemade lk mix keep us updated.

 

[emmy75]

hey guys
im glad floros were brought up cause i think i might get some in addition to my 400 hid that i use and love. since im gettin ready to switch over to hps for flowering and ive got two plants that are still in veg i need to maybe get some extra lighting for those two plus any clones i might take.

i still have to do some reading on floros and what watts to use and such but i found some info that might help with making decisions.

What color spectrums are available in fluorescent bulbs?
Fluorescent bulbs have the most range of spectrums than any other bulb. The spectrum comes in various spectrums, determined by the type of phosphor with which the bulb is coated. The following fluorescent types are as listed, along with what they may accomplish for you.


Full spectrum fluorescent bulbs have all the colors of the Kelvin scale. This bulb is good for vegetation stage.


Wide spectrum fluorescent bulbs will restrict development of side branching, helps plants mature faster. This fluorescent is high in the red, orange and yellow color range. In fact, this fluorescent is the highest than all other fluorescent bulbs. As a matter of fact, this fluorescent is much like an HPS color range, which makes it the best all around choice for flowering stage.


Daylight spectrum fluorescent bulbs are very high (if not the highest) in the blue range on the Kelvin scale. This fluorescent promotes an arctic blue look. I suggest this fluorescent during vegetation stage.


Cool spectrum fluorescent bulbs will promote multiple side growth, nice green foliage. This fluorescent is high in the blue range, giving off a bright white appearance. I suggest this fluorescent for vegetation stage.


Warm spectrum fluorescent, will promote extra thick stems and branches, and will give you about 5% denser buds than other spectrums. This fluorescent is high in the red range on the Kelvin scale.


p.s i did get this from another forum so pls feel free to debate anything here. opinions reflected in this piece are obviously not mine.

 

[emmy75]

as opposed to

HID is the most intense light source that is available to the general public, it puts out more light than any other grow lamps available. HID is also more efficient than other grow lights in the market, and the lamps last up to 6 times longer than the others. For example:

Forty-one 40W fluorescent grow tubes (1640 watts of power) = the output of just one 400W HPS light (400 watts of power)
One 40W (T12) Fluorescent gives 1200 lumen's compared to a 400W HPS @ 50,000 lumen's
The average 100W incandescent light bulb produces 1260 lumen's


Metal Halide HID lamps have a balanced light spectrum which offers the most natural light output. Metal Halide's balanced spectrum contains the common blue and red wavelengths needed by plants for the most rapid growth. Plants can be grown from start to finish using metal halide lighting systems. Metal Halide lighting promotes leaf growth.

High Pressure Sodium lamps are more efficient than Metal Halide, producing the highest number of lumen's per watt - about 10-15% more than a Metal Halide bulb. HPS emits an orange/yellow color that is similar to the sun's spectrum in the mid day. This type of light promotes flower growth. However, the lack of blue spectrum light can sometimes make a plant stretch during the vegetative growth stage. HPS should be used as a supplemental light in your greenhouse or sunroom.

Standard High Pressure Sodium lamps emit an orange/yellow color that is similar to the sun's spectrum in the mid day. This type of light promotes flower growth. However, as mentioned above, the lack of blue spectrum light in Standard HPS bulbs can sometimes make a plant stretch during the vegetative growth stage. Enhanced Performance HPS lamps have a wider blue spectrum, which makes a significant difference in plant growth.

Metal Halide (MH) works best for vegetative growth, and as a primary light source for any plants. High Pressure Sodium (HPS) works best for fruiting and flowering plants, and will work best if you have another light source, like a window, greenhouse, or sunroof. Fluorescent works best for seedlings.Optimum wattage depends on several factors including the size of the grow area and the type of plants. If you have a plant that requires more light (i.e. tomatoes), choose a higher wattage. If you are using HID lights as a primary light source, use a higher wattage system with a smaller grow area for best results. MH systems come in 100, 175, 250, 400, 1000, 1100, and 1500 watts (250, 400, and 1000 watts most commonly used). HPS lamps (light bulbs) are available in 100, 150, 250, 400, 430, 600, and 1000 watts (250, 400, 430, 600, and 1000 watts most commonly used).

 

[Guest]

Hello all.

Good to see everyone still pimpin the OFC info.

I successfully harvested my first indoor organic cycle, one of Soma's sativa dom strains, maybe it's because I grew it, but it's the tasty'est herb I've ever smoked, to me it's like candy, doesn't hurt my lungs or my head, and has a very sweet taste Unfortunatley I had to harvest a bit early due to circumstances but it did not ruin anything, just less yeild. Harvested give or take 6 ounces from one 1000 HPS, not bad I figure for a newbie.

ON with my next cycle, I took cuttings for this cycle from last cycle's supercrop session way back in veg, taught myself how to clone in rockwool just by doing it, pretty easy stuff, they all rooted nicely in a terarium only lost 2.

Some Grapefruit and Blockhead are making their way into my room along with this soma strain, I attained some decent soil this time around, got a bail of pro mix HP, my last cycle was with recycled soil and it was like growing in sand. no capital so go with what ya got!

soil mix is as follows:

1 bail pro mix HP (micorize added!)
4 cups dol lime
4 cups high P Guano
2 cups kelp meal
2 cups blood meal

SOG style grow, one light, 30 plants in 2 gal pots, we'll see if I can up myself and get a pound this time!

Thanks everyone for all the great info and keep on keepin on!!! play safe!

 

[Dkgrower]

HEy all, want to share some info on nettel tee here are some number´s from a rapport that is was reading.

Here a the content of the water after the nettels (pre flower) had brewed 14 day´s

pH 8,2 Klorid 60 ppm
Lt 1,94 Natrium 20 ppm
Nitrat-N 0,0 ppm Mangan 0,00 ppm
Amm. – N 4,1 ppm Iron 0,17 ppm
Fosfor 5,3 ppm Zink 0,00 ppm
Kalium 173,5 ppm Copper 0,00 ppm
Magnesium 26,6 ppm Sulfat-S 5,00 ppm
Boron 0,38 ppm Bicarbonat 1465 ppm
Calcium 312 ppm

Total N 0,00364 %

They also report some number from a test conducted, they made 1 bucket with molasse and bacteria( mix1). another just with bacteria (mix2), and one (mix3) just with water to the same amount of plant material ( 18,1 kg plantmaterial and 100 l water)

mix 1 mix 2 mix 3
pH 3,6 4,4 4,4
Lv 5,51 3,2 3,16
NO3-N 271 141 126
PO4-P 61 72 72
K 1295 522 532
Total N 292 264 273

The 3 results really show what happens when one add soil to one´s tee and the boost by adding molasse

Hope you like the numbers

 

[muddy waters]

good evening to everyone... this is indeed an awesome thread. thanks to everyone.

elephant man i appreciate the props, and right back at you because even with that camera you had me swooning. nicely done. satghost please don't imply i have class you know i'd sell my own family for some malawi gold or congo black.

just to respond to elephant man's compliment--i actually wish i had more diligence and resources to properly research organic zero-emissions type systems because it really is a passion and something humanity should pursue it seems to me. i can't claim though that i grow the way i do out of ethical concern--it's actually mostly a result of necessity, being outside the reach of the first world home gardening and hydroponics industries leaves one without many options to feed your plants--shitty salts or shitty shit. none of the salts here are formulated for cannabis and lack sufficient Mg. i gave up quickly on that. then i actually bought a 5kg bag of chicken shit while sharing a 2 bedroom apartment with roommates and stored it on the balcony where it could get rained on and start leaking into the living room. one of my more minor fuckups actually. spilling 20 day old anaerobic seaweed tea on the floor of the kitchen was one of my more spectacular. but the operation is a little kinder on the nose these days with fishwater and castings and less fetid sources of micro-organism chow.

i actually just set up a new cab and filled the first planter with homemade worm castings for the first time since i started culturing worms about 2 years ago. i'm going to try a 50% castings, 25% sand, 25% vermiculite mix, tiny bit of lime, bone meal, ash, and bokashi added, no drainage holes, flowering from seed on 11/13, 26 seeds planted in a 10L flowerbox, plan on thinning to 13 right off the bat and then about 5-6 by the 4th node. open pollination if all goes as planned. pics soon.

 

[minds_I]

Hello all,

Just thought I would post this link.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/compost-tea-notes.pdf

Tell me- whats in a bottle that I can't get from ewc/guano/dry molasses/liquid kelp tea?


What?

minds_I

 

[Smurf]

G'day to all at OFC

Thanks minds-i, that pdf has some good info.

re: the bottle question - I often think that myself.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one spilling nasty shit on the kitchen floor

smurf