Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[BurnOne]

I'm goin' to have ~50 gal of used promix. I want to reuse it, and thus freshen it up. Can I just make LC's mix #2 using the used promix, and then add in the guano recipe (recipe #2)?

If it's that easy (or even ballpark close) how much of each additive should I add? I did the math for myself, but don't trust it.
Add to make LC's mix 2...
16 gal perlite
16 gal castings
9 cups dolomite
Add as ferts...
16 cups hi n guan
25 cups high p guan
50 Tbs jgs
50 Tbs kelp meal

Do those numbers seem right for usin' 50 gal of promix?

Wo! Too early for math. What did you use in the ProMix to feed the plants? If you used synthetic fertilizer, there is plenty of salt left in it. If not, use it as you would if it were new. Then follow the recipe for Bongaloid's Guano Mix.

When making worm casting tea, do you bubble the molasses as well, or do you add that just prior to watering?

In fact, would you remind me of the exact method / measures for making the EWC tea? I didn't think to copy/paste it, and I don't want to dig through the whole thread again. =/

I use one cup of worm castings and 5 tablespoons of black strap molasses in five gallons of water.

Burn1

 

[MrBaker]

Wo! Too early for math. What did you use in the ProMix to feed the plants? If you used synthetic fertilizer, there is plenty of salt left in it. If not, use it as you would if it were new. Then follow the recipe for Bongaloid's Guano Mix.
Burn1

Chea, forget the math. I'm not goin' to need to prep 50 gals for the next batch...maybe 20-25.

I was planning on rinsing the used promix on a "unemployed" screen door propped up by a couple garbage cans. Anyone have an easier way?

If I rinsed the used promix with tap water to remove the salts, and then let the mix dry would the chlorine from the tap still exist as a contaminant? I know chlorine evaporates pretty fast, but I'm not remember its bonding affinity for peat based systems.

After I give the promix a rinse, I'll add in perlite, castings, dolomite and bongaloid's guano mix.

If I wanted to reuse this mix more than 2-3 times, what would be other good additives? I read that peat based mediums aren't so good for more than 2-3 uses, but I also read that as long as one keeps adding dolomite + tree fiber based stuff that the peat based medium is OK for prolonged use. I don't know what's right.

I'm really tired of washing salt out of my pots, and buying more promix to be contaminated with chem (synth) fertilizers. I'm also not a fan of all this anal pH business. My pH probe is now a stir stick. Remember the extra flush week is also a pain.

 

[Joey56789]

Look down in my signature line.

"When I say "Plain Water", I mean worm casting tea and molasses."

Burn1

Hey BurnOne,

I have read you say that before, and I was curious... At the beginning of the thread it says

Seedlings less than 1 month old nute tea mix-
Mix 1 cup earthworm castings into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
Add 5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses.
Use it to water your seedlings with every 3rd watering.

Do you use this formula every third watering, or every time for young plants? And if it's just EWC tea, and not the veg or flower formulas with guano, would it even help to add it every time? Shouldn't the soil be propagating the symbiotic bacteria on it's own after we inoculate?

I also have another question. I used Black Gold soil and it has time release ferts in it. This was a noobie mistake that I will not make again (I didn't realize it contained them). I was planning on just sticking with the "Guano tea" for the rest of this grow. Do you anticipate problems, and what should I look out for? They are about a month old, and doing well. When I transplanted them out of beer cups I mixed in a bunch of perlite and EWC (approx LC#2 but with the black gold).

Future grows will be using using LC mix, and will be organic. I think I'm already turning into a fanatic and I'm only a month into my first grow.

Thanks!

 

[BurnOne]

Worm casting tea will supply more humic acids to aid in the buffering of pH. I use worm casting anytime I use water. Nutes or not.
You'll just have to see how the time release ferts work out. Nothing you can do about it now.
Burn1

 

[Cerb]

This thread is a beauty. I've been wanting to go organic, but just didn't have the inspiration. I'll begin sourcing my materials starting Monday. Thanks for this great compilation Burn.

 

[AndreNicky]

Has anyone tryed cloning with much success in LC mix #1?

Also can i use maxicrop liquid instead of powder in the teas?

 

[BurnOne]

Has anyone tryed cloning with much success in LC mix #1?

Also can i use maxicrop liquid instead of powder in the teas?

Yes and Yes.

 

[AndreNicky]

Is liquid karma an absolute necesity? not very cheap at $28 a quart

 

[BurnOne]

No, it's an amendment. Not necessary.
Burn1

 

[FoukeMonster]

Has anyone tryed cloning with much success in LC mix #1?

Also can i use maxicrop liquid instead of powder in the teas?

I can say that rooted clones love LC #2, fo sho. Seedling too.

 

[Fresh Start]

LK

LK

Is liquid karma an absolute necesity? not very cheap at $28 a quart

That stuff really helped my Mum plant out when she was a clone seedling. Roots exploded everywhere. I like it.

 

[Hal]

This is a great thread Burn1, thanks for making it

I have only read the first page, will continue reading until the end, but I have a question regarding air pumps and air stones that I want to ask here (I did a search of this thread for "air stone" and didn't find my answer anywhere).

I am wondering what size air pump to get...there are many different companies who make them, within their offerings there are some tiny models, medium size, and large. Is one company recommended above the others? Are there any companies that just make garbage? Should I just get the pump designed for a 10 gallon tank (since I will be bubbling in 5 gallon buckets)? Or should I get the largest model to get as much oxygen into the solution as possible?

In my little bit of reading on this subject so far, I have encountered some criticism from some member(s) that most folks aren't getting nearly enough air into their teas to create an aerobic environment.

And since we are on this topic....would you have any recommendations on the air stone that will be working with the air pump? Again, I have read some comments suggesting that all air stones aren't created equal, and that paying extra to get a higher quality air stone is money well spent. Do you have an opinion on this?

Thanks again for this great thread

 

[BurnOne]

Get the cheap stones. They used to be less than a dollar each. You will have to change them quite often because they clog with gunk. Get a 1/4" stainless steel fender washer to weigh down the stone. Put the hose through the fender washer and place it near the air stone. It will keep it on the bottom.
Burn1

 

[Hal]

Thanks B1

I screwed up my question above, my apologies. The first part of the question was supposed to be about "air PUMPS," not "air stones." I have gone back and edited it so it reads correctly. That was where my main question lay, on the size and quality of the air pump I should buy. Again, sorry for that brain fart

 

[vonforne]

Thanks B1

I screwed up my question above, my apologies. The first part of the question was supposed to be about "air PUMPS," not "air stones." I have gone back and edited it so it reads correctly. That was where my main question lay, on the size and quality of the air pump I should buy. Again, sorry for that brain fart

I buy mine at the pet store. I had large fish tanks in the old days and try for a minimum of 10 CFM per gal. minimum. I would not go any lower than that and they run about 12.00 if I remember correctly. Wal-mart sells some also but the ones from the pet store are usually a better quality and will last longer.

V

 

[FoukeMonster]

I have an outdoor lady about to be harvested, can I feed her right up until shes ready to chop, or should I switch to only water for the last week? Shes in LC #2 and fed recipe #5

 

[cebe11]

Would this be a viable alternative to the LK?
http://www.ecochem.com/t_humic_acid.html

 

[K.J]

LK isn't that expensive when you consider how little is used per application. In fact, I bought too big of a bottle and I'm worried now that half will be wasted because I don't use it in time.

 

[cebe11]

LK isn't that expensive when you consider how little is used per application. In fact, I bought too big of a bottle and I'm worried now that half will be wasted because I don't use it in time.

Thanks,
I'm not so much worried about the cost. Its a pain for me to get, shipping is expensive for me and not real close to actual store that carries it.

Any opinions on this as an alternative to LK, perhaps no direct replacement.
http://www.ecochem.com/t_humic_acid.html

Thanks!

 

[BurnOne]

Thanks B1

I screwed up my question above, my apologies. The first part of the question was supposed to be about "air PUMPS," not "air stones." I have gone back and edited it so it reads correctly. That was where my main question lay, on the size and quality of the air pump I should buy. Again, sorry for that brain fart

I like the double output pumps. That way you can do two buckets at a time.
Burn1