Plants that help our plants

[jaykush]

This year i have some incredible nice plants, it took me a few times to have ones like this but reading on forum, learning about breeding them, tips and tricks. I' am glad i found this board.

im glad you mentioned that, everyone just needs to find there sweet spot. it took me a few months when i started using ferts like this to find that "feel" for them. now its like second nature and i don't even have to think. keep us posted im sure they are going to finish fat and stinky.

 

[ripman]

Hey guys, very stupid question... this thing about companion plants, do you believe it could work in hydro as well? I'm particularly interested in those plants that enhance oils and perfumes, how is the symbiotic relationship carried out? By the interconnection of roots? By the transfer of gases like ethylene, hormones and other air-transfered compounds? By concentrating beneficial microorganisms that spurt under these plants and give something more to MJ as well? Would be interesting to know.

 

[jaykush]

do you believe it could work in hydro as well?

ive seen plants benefit from companionship with nettles in nature. one nettle patch was growing in the middle of a stream( practically natural hydro ), everything up to 20 yards downstream of that patch grew 10X better and healthier.

I'm particularly interested in those plants that enhance oils and perfumes, how is the symbiotic relationship carried out?

plants have root exudates (chemicals) they secrete from there roots. some are known to have beneficail properties, for example yarrow is somewhat known to increase essential oils in neighboring plants.

By the interconnection of roots?

yes and micro organisms.

By concentrating beneficial microorganisms that spurt under these plants and give something more to MJ as well?

to culture these beneficial soil microbes, from specific places of high diversity and health. google "beneficial indigenous microorganisms" it works great and is practically free to make.

 

[ripman]

Hey Jay, thanks for that. I've googled it and in fact I've checked a link that started with lactobacilli but had at least 15 other microorganisms (forest, bamboo, etc).
Something I'm looking into as well is Willow, it looks like it's nature most potent rooter and can activate SAR as well. For SAR I'm considering as well a 41-82mg Aspirin per gallon of water to be sprayed once or twice as a foliar. I know it's not organic but it is very cheap and it's a one-application per crop so I am not really "supporting the enemy"
I guess i will crosscheck what more I can get from BIMs with respect to EM-1: fact is that you can't focus on 15 different cultures and ingrendients and care for the plants as well (I know at least I cannot do it ), so I will have to get what makes the most in the cheapest and least time consuming way. That's why I think I'll like EM-1: it's easy to make, it is cheap, it has a lot of beneficials and it is delivered straight to my home without having to hunt in the forests
As far as companion go, I had written down a series of plants I think could help me get what I like: I wrote them in my language but if I'm not wrong they should be Borage, Lovage, Alfalfa, Yarrow, Camomile, Comfrey, Tarragon and Marjoram.
I'm considering making some Organic Bubble Bath Tubs with vertical lighting, I believe that if I prune the lower branches, there could be some space and light for the companions as well. A lot of other stuff to be considered but I believe that if you set it straight, you can almost create a little ecosystem which runs by itself and produces awesome quality by focusing one's time on foliar feeding and pruning/guiding plants growth. Wouldn't it be awesome?

 

[jaykush]

Hey Jay, thanks for that. I've googled it and in fact I've checked a link that started with lactobacilli but had at least 15 other microorganisms (forest, bamboo, etc).

thats the one, works like a charm. you can also just collect microbes from extremely healthy plants in nature, places high in diversity both above and below the soil are best.

Something I'm looking into as well is Willow, it looks like it's nature most potent rooter and can activate SAR as well. For SAR I'm considering as well a 41-82mg Aspirin per gallon of water to be sprayed once or twice as a foliar. I know it's not organic but it is very cheap and it's a one-application per crop so I am not really "supporting the enemy"

i use willow all the time, i have 2 trees here and know a spot with about 15 HUGE(40ft ish) weeping willows, so i have as much as i ever could need for free. i dont know what to say about the aspirin, i know i wouldn't use it.

I guess i will crosscheck what more I can get from BIMs with respect to EM-1: fact is that you can't focus on 15 different cultures and ingrendients and care for the plants as well (I know at least I cannot do it ), so I will have to get what makes the most in the cheapest and least time consuming way. That's why I think I'll like EM-1: it's easy to make, it is cheap, it has a lot of beneficials and it is delivered straight to my home without having to hunt in the forests

wheres the fun in that? more than half the fun is going out, hiking around in some mountains or anywhere really, smoking bowls and collecting free fertilizers and other materials. but to each his own.

taking care of the cultures is not hard at all. and once you get the process down, it becomes so easy. simple notes like when you started it, what you used to make it, and ratios will help you more than anything else.

As far as companion go, I had written down a series of plants I think could help me get what I like: I wrote them in my language but if I'm not wrong they should be Borage, Lovage, Alfalfa, Yarrow, Camomile, Comfrey, Tarragon and Marjoram.

i wouldnt companion with comfrey, it needs to be grown outside to reap the full benefits. the tap root on comfrey goes DEEP, taking nutrients and minerals from the subsoil, where most top feeding plants roots dont get to so its not as depleted. if grown indoors the plant can only take what is in the mix and comfrey HATES growing in pots.

I'm considering making some Organic Bubble Bath Tubs with vertical lighting, I believe that if I prune the lower branches, there could be some space and light for the companions as well. A lot of other stuff to be considered but I believe that if you set it straight, you can almost create a little ecosystem which runs by itself and produces awesome quality by focusing one's time on foliar feeding and pruning/guiding plants growth. Wouldn't it be awesome?

if you want a miniature hydroponic ecosystem, one word sums it all up....aquaponics. once set and dialed in its pretty much 100% self sustainable. outdoors at least, indoors you don't have the sun.

 

[ripman]

Hey Jay, thanks very much for the answer, you really are a fountain of knowledge!

I do agree 100% with what you say, fact is right now I'm only a young chap in an urban environment and I am still very busy creating my own career... so unfortunately I don't have a big house, much less place for a pond and well, for the moment I'm not enjoying nature as much as I would.
Every age though has got its focal points, its good aspects, its bad aspects, I guess in some years I'll be able to have more free time and hike around as well
Aquaponics has already got my interest, the nice thing about this hobby is that, little by little, you can create a little self-running business: you've got the fish, you make the vegetables, you produce EM-A, Bokashi and other tonics, you produce biochar, you get to know how to make cheese and yogurt, as well as beer, and voilà! You have a nice organic restaurant with an organic ferts shop!
The day I'll be wealthy enough to get some nice land and make a villa, I'll go for that... if only, just to impress my friends!

 

[jaykush]

I do agree 100% with what you say, fact is right now I'm only a young chap in an urban environment and I am still very busy creating my own career... so unfortunately I don't have a big house, much less place for a pond and well, for the moment I'm not enjoying nature as much as I would.

dont worry, i used to live smack dab in the middle of southern california, with all the busy bees. everything you need for a natural organic grow is still all around you. it just takes some thought and a little searching.

the nice thing about this hobby is that, little by little, you can create a little self-running business: you've got the fish, you make the vegetables, you produce EM-A, Bokashi and other tonics, you produce biochar, you get to know how to make cheese and yogurt, as well as beer, and voilà! You have a nice organic restaurant with an organic ferts shop!
The day I'll be wealthy enough to get some nice land and make a villa, I'll go for that... if only, just to impress my friends!

exactly, and you can smoke your own pot the whole time while creating a business.

 

[s13sr20det]

awesome thread!!
lots of good info!
thanks all

 

[jaykush]

awesome thread!!
lots of good info!
thanks all

no problem! do you really drive a sr20 s13?

 

[s13sr20det]

hahah yea

 

[jaykush]

sweet

 

[jaykush]

well here are some more pictures, since it seems to help when people see things rather than just text.

this is nettle tea extract, this batch was done in 4 days because of really warm weather. here it is on day 4 before i stirred it.

here is the same tea, 1 minute later after i stirred it up. as you can see the foam is minimal. if i took a picture of day 3 ( which i should have, will do next time ) it was extremely foamy. this is what you want to see after a good agitation. then its time to strain.

here we have strained finished nettle tea, ready to dilute and apply. i got 3 of these from this batch. each will make around 40-50 gallons of final tea as a soil drench each( even more for foliars). so in 4 days time, i can make about 100-150 gallons of tea with what i have. 90% of you would only need one bottle and it would last at least a month. it stores for 3 months easy.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Nice!!!

 

[jaykush]

damn your fast cc....

oh and btw it was 100% FREE to make that.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Jaykush

I have access to fresh alfalfa (organic) as well as organic alfalfa meal (cheap). Will the alfalfa meal give me the same amount of 'stuff' as using fresh?

Just curious.

CC

 

[jaykush]

you can use alfalfa meal(even alfalfa hay), just make sure it has no additives, some companies add salt for the animals that eat it. works good, but i prefer nettles because it grows wild here and in all other lower 48 states. so everyone has some somewhere.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Thanks!

 

[maryjohn]

has this thread covered plants that make good hired assassins?

The nightshades: potato, tomato, tobacco (commercial and ornamental), eggplant, etc...

the leaves can be made into powerful indiscriminate insecticide. use with care. will kill beneficials.

any others?

 

[jaykush]

yea maryjohn they can be used no doubt. i prefer to let the beneficial insects do there job rather than potentially kill them. i need them for pollination on my food as well as pest control.

 

[habeeb]

jay, I have a shitload of yarrow around me, do I just throw the whole plant, flower stem and all in the water? or should I hang dry it first before using? also what does yarrow contain ?

thanks for any info