Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[dank.frank]

Seeing as I personally don't do anything but water my plants I try to put as many inputs in the soil as possible. I tend to recommend a product called Hum-Amend from TeraVita.



dank.Frank

 

[keifsweat]

To be more clear im using lc mix #1 and general organics( cal mag may be strong) can i top the soil with anything or is air pruning the best idea.... would a water only mix serve mothers better?

 

[dank.frank]

keif - it just depends - I replant a mom about once every 2 months in veg - when she is kept in a 6" pot and under t-8 fluros.

But I mean, we are talking a 1/2 gallon of soil - it's not much and doesn't take but maybe 30 seconds to prune, cut the roots back and replant...

If I need a larger mother from which to take a bunch of clones from for a production run, I just transplant her around 5wks from the 6" to a larger 2 or 3 gallon pot to continue vegging out under more intense light...

For me, that is simple enough...and keeps mothers plenty healthy as they are always growing new roots and producing new lateral growth. It prevents them from becoming root bound, sluggish and unhealthy...which is the goal.

I'm sure others do it differently with equal success, but I can't answer questions based on methodologies I don't personally implement. Maybe someone else will speak up that uses a similar approach to what you are currently doing.



dank.Frank

 

[keifsweat]

Thanks makes sense

 

[antheis]

Seeing as I personally don't do anything but water my plants I try to put as many inputs in the soil as possible, I tend to recommend a product called Hum-Amend from TeraVita.



dank.Frank

your posts initiate more web searches than probably anyone.

thanks for being such a good source of information to the community.

 

[Bambøø]

Just to say, Thanks for this thread !

 

[redclover]

Does anyone recommend an at home soil test? There's a ton of mixed reviews out there. I really don't feel like shipping dirt if I don't have too.

I've been feeding my faded plants all CTs every 2 days and seeing descent calyx swell! Not a complete failure. My new batch (peat no coco) has been in bloom for 5 weeks and showing no signs of fade at all. The peat mix seems to be doing fine with my hard tap water and tons of Ca.

Same amendments and VC. Coco mix very early fade....peat looking good so far.

 

[Kozmo]

How about water? My PH at the foset is 7.5! I have a organic PH down(citric acid water mix). I use water from a aquaponic system I just started up. It has a few kale, sugar snap peas, and lettuces. The PH has stayed 7.5 in there and it doesn't seem to affect the vegi's. I want to start some white rhino seeds and am wondering if I should bring that pH down to 5.8?

 

[dank.frank]

Might have to check in with the hydro guys for recommendations on aqua culture. Kozmo. We are soil junkies over in these parts of the site.

But before I adjusted pH...I'd set the water in a 5 gallon bucket with some heavy aeration - couple air stones and a nice pump - and I'd bubble it for 24 hours...and use that as my starting / reference point...

But then again, I'm not a hydro guy - and I haven't ever had to check the pH of my water...so, may advice my be useless, or worse, fully incorrect. The hydro guys might just tell you to adjust it and water...and then I'd have to say follow their instructions.

There are experts of every method that are always willing to help...if you put your post in the proper sub-forum...



dank.Frank

 

[Kozmo]

Might have to check in with the hydro guys for recommendations on aqua culture. Kozmo. We are soil junkies over in these parts of the site.

But before I adjusted pH...I'd set the water in a 5 gallon bucket with some heavy aeration - couple air stones and a nice pump - and I'd bubble it for 24 hours...and use that as my starting / reference point...

But then again, I'm not a hydro guy - and I haven't ever had to check the pH of my water...so, may advice my be useless, or worse, fully incorrect. The hydro guys might just tell you to adjust it and water...and then I'd have to say follow their instructions.

There are experts of every method that are always willing to help...if you put your post in the proper sub-forum...



dank.Frank[/QUOT

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear Dankster. I do use soil. Was wondering how the soil pro's water there plants. How they prep there water. If you still think they would be the best one ask of course I will.

 

[dank.frank]

Oh, okay. I misunderstood. I thought you were growing the canna in the aqua set up as well.

RO water is the way to go, in my opinion...but I'd still take the time to bubble the water you currently have and test it again - just to see if you do have an acceptable water source.

A RO system eliminates any concern or issue you could have about your water though.



dank.Frank

 

[Kozmo]

Oh, okay. I misunderstood. I thought you were growing the canna in the aqua set up as well.

RO water is the way to go, in my opinion...but I'd still take the time to bubble the water you currently have and test it again - just to see if you do have an acceptable water source.

A RO system eliminates any concern or issue you could have about your water though.



dank.Frank

Would that be it then Frank? What's the PH of RO water? I have a ACT maker. But of course I'm not going to water with tea every time. I also am going to have a aquaponic system which currently is holding the 7.5 PH. I've been adding PH down in small amounts but with water changes it doesn't really pan out. I think what I'll do is find a natural PH adjuster and add it to the system. Ill have to go to a aquaponics forum I guess for that answer.

 

[dank.frank]

I don't understand why you are having to check the pH of you water source in the first place. If you have the proper buffers in the soil...it all balances out, naturally.

pH of RO is typically around 5.5 - 6.0 ... however, pH it's not something I ever worry about.

I suggest RO water not because of pH - but because of it's extremely low EC. The fact it is considered "pure" and the end result is consistent, it eliminates a variable in the equation of growing. You never have to worry about the water source being the problem or causing any issue being experienced.



dank.Frank

 

[Snype]

Can a soil expert look at my recipe and tell me if there are any problems. This is for an outdoor soil crop in the Western Mountains in Maine. I'll be using 30 Gallon Smart Pots.

I'll be making 3 batches of the following mix:

48 Bags of Fox Farm Ocean Forest (540 Gallons or 72 Cu Ft)
180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft of Earth Worm Castings
180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft Perlite
120 Cups Powdered Dolomite Lime
60 Cups Blood Meal
120 Cups Bone Meal
60 Cups Kelp Meal

I'd also like to add Neem Meal but don't know what rates to add it. How does the mix look to you guys? It seems like an awful lot of lime. Are my lime rates correct?

 

[xmobotx]

since FFOF is a pre-amended ready to use soil mix which tends to run hot; your soil "recipe" should have ended @ FFOF ~unless you wanted to add starter mix or light warrior to mellow it out

 

[anferneybra]

Can a soil expert look at my recipe and tell me if there are any problems. This is for an outdoor soil crop in the Western Mountains in Maine. I'll be using 30 Gallon Smart Pots.

I'll be making 3 batches of the following mix:

48 Bags of Fox Farm Ocean Forest (540 Gallons or 72 Cu Ft)
180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft of Earth Worm Castings
180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft Perlite
120 Cups Powdered Dolomite Lime
60 Cups Blood Meal
120 Cups Bone Meal
60 Cups Kelp Meal

I'd also like to add Neem Meal but don't know what rates to add it. How does the mix look to you guys? It seems like an awful lot of lime. Are my lime rates correct?

My 2cents asks:

Why adding so much perlite for outdoor mix?

The lime seems WAY high, my experience would say like 4-6 cups for the amount of media. Get some azomite/greensand/humic/fulvic.

Crab/oyster ?

I could go a lot of ways with it, but those basics scream at me.

T

 

[Snype]

My 2cents asks:

Why adding so much perlite for outdoor mix?

The lime seems WAY high, my experience would say like 4-6 cups for the amount of media. Get some azomite/greensand/humic/fulvic.

Crab/oyster ?

I could go a lot of ways with it, but those basics scream at me.

T

My mix is simply taken from the first post in this thread. I guess this mix is not for outdoor. Can someone fix my formula?

 

[JediMasterVon]

Hey Burn1........how many scoops of dolomite per gallon again?

 

[MileHighGuy]

My mix is simply taken from the first post in this thread. I guess this mix is not for outdoor. Can someone fix my formula?

48 Bags of Fox Farm Ocean Forest (540 Gallons or 72 Cu Ft)
Ditch These and get 3.8 Cubic Foot Bales of Peatmoss instead. Better quality and more control over the inputs plus you will save big money.

180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft of Earth Worm Castings
Good Good

180 Gallons or 24 Cu Ft Perlite
(Fine, see if you can source lava rock or pumice cheaper and by the yard from a landscape supply yard) Not only will this save money but it will last longer than perlite for the years to come and it will provide some extra minerals etc.

120 Cups Powdered Dolomite Lime

NO. Get rid of this Dolomite lime, We've learned a lot about dolomite and It's not a good amendment, it's just for PH. Go with oyster flour, gypsum, crab meal, anything except Dolomite.... There is too much magnesium in it.

60 Cups Blood Meal - I'd use Neem or Karanja instead at 1/2 cup per cubic foot. Blood is fine if you have it but there are better ingredients to work with.

120 Cups Bone Meal - I prefer Fish bone meal but I'm a big believer that some mycorrihizae will go much further than adding a high P amendment and I might just avoid this all together and opt for adding myco to each whole at transplant.

60 Cups Kelp Meal

I like Kelp meal!

You have about 120 Cubic Feet listed of base material.

Peatmoss 74 Cubic Feet
Worm Castings 24 Cubic Feet
Perlite or Lava Rock 24 Cubic Feet

I personally would cut the peatmoss down to about 50 Cubic feet or maybe even less.

Once you have the cubic feet determined I would add a mineral mix and a nutrient mix.

Instead of Dolomite Lime: (4 cups of the mix per Cubic Foot or about 60 pounds per Yard)

2 Parts Basalt or Glacial Rock Dust
1 Part Gypsum
1 Part Oyster Flour

Instead of the Blood, Bone Kelp.

Kelp Meal - 1/2 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Crustacean Meal - 1/2 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Neem or Karanja - 1/2 Cup Per Cubic Foot

That works out to around 6-7 pounds of the above nutrient amendments per yard.

There is a very good reason for all of these ingredients and the recipe is effective.

Are you planting in the ground or in containers?

Do you have an local topsoil, compost etc to work with?

 

[BurnOne]

Hey Burn1........how many scoops of dolomite per gallon again?

Very funny.