By E. Biksa
Most growers have applied organic products to their crops at some point or another, commonly as teas or soil amendments to supplement an inorganic feed regimen. Others have gone a step further and eliminated salt-based nutrients from their feeding program. This can be of tremendous benefit.
Whether growing with chemical or organic fertilizers it is unwise to reuse planting media if there has been a significant crop disease or insect infestation.
With good quality organic plant nutrients, there is virtually no salt residue. Organic nutrients are only as good as the source they were derived from.
For example, kelp extracts are a very popular additive to feed programs and foiliar regimens. They contain significant amounts of potassium and often contain naturally (or otherwise) occurring plant growth promotants such as cytokinins.
An increased plant resistance to stress is also associated with applications of kelp products.
Just like a glass of orange juice, kelp extracts are not all the same.
The source of the parent material and the fashion in which it was processed largely determines the quality of the nutrient/supplement. Things to consider are: bio-activity (is the stuff nice and “alive”), nutrient value, hormones, other compounds, and impurities.
Most kelp extracts are manufactured by processing kelp (seaweed) in a solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH). Potassium hydroxide is definitely on the harsher side of the chemical spectrum as it has oxidative properties. It also contains salts resulting as impurities from the manufacturing process of potassium hydroxide. Salts are toxic to plant roots and may scorch leaves when applied as a foiliar spray.
Kelp products resulting from this process are usually brownish in colour and have a smell that is typically not favourable. In order to better preserve bioactivity in the extract and reduce salts, some kelps are extracted via a special cold water process.
It is also important that the raw kelp has been well rinsed to remove salt residues from its native environment.
Solutions produced by this method usually have a more natural colour and a smell that is pleasant to those who enjoy the ocean.
For nitrogen sources, many teas or dry mixes contain bloodmeal.
Although it is readily soluble and is fast acting, it may not be the best choice for the grower or the consumer.
When handling dried bloodmeal, growers risk their health as inhalation can lead to health problems. After all, the stuff is scraped off the slaughter house floor. Bovine disease is a concern among many consumers and producers alike.
Also, the type of soil micro-organisms (soil life) it attracts may not be healthy. I mean, what kind of organism is attracted to rotting blood? I would personally not like to have a significant population of these in my garden.
Fish emulsions are also a source of abundant and readily available nitrogen. These extracts are usually pasteurized (heated) in the manufacturing process, significantly reducing potential for unfriendly microbes that prefer animal by-products. However, they usually smell very offensive and may not be suitable for all indoor applications. Always make sure to wipe up any fish spills (including dribbles on the bottle) right away as not to prolong the smell. And don’t get any on your fingers either!
With a good quality carbon scrubber in the growing area, the smell shouldn’t last too long.
There are also many alternative organic sources of nitrogen.
You may use different products at different time throughout the growing cycle.
Alfalfa teas have many beneficial properties
Organic bloom fertilizers have been added to inorganic feed programs for some time now.
Growers note an increase in yield and crop quality.
Colour and smell are usually noticeably improved.
There are several good quality organic bloom nutrients that can be used on their own or in conjunction with other organic nutrients to deliver respectable results.
For the record, there are growers who have higher yields with an organic program than they had with their chemical hydroponic nutrient program.
In a recent informal but controlled study, there was a 20-30% (variety dependent) increase in the organically fed crop versus the control group fed with a popular hydroponic nutrient program as per the manufacturer’s specifications.
Most organic bloom fertilizers use bat or tropical seabird guano as a natural source of phosphorous.
As with previous examples, a product can only be as good as it’s source, just as a fine meal starts with the finest ingredients.
These guanos are animal wastes, although most guanos are mined from ancient semi-fossilized deposits. There have been restrictions with these materials due to health concerns. Bone meal, ground, palletized, or emulsified is also a more common ingredient in organic bloom fertilizers.
Typically, they are safer to handle once in solution, as most of the risk is associated with the inhalation of dust.
However, heavy metals (mercury, lead, etc) have been reportedly high in some sources of guanos.
Rock phosphate is another source for organic phosphorous.
When finely ground, a portion is readily soluble while the majority takes some time to break down to available forms in the soil.
It is a known fact that rock phosphate is a radioactive compound.
A Geiger counter will sound off next to a sack of rock phosphate.
Some studies with regards to tobacco smokers and lung disease have attributed the use of rock phosphate in tobacco crops to an increase in the incidence of lung disease. This may be attributed to rock phosphate particles sticking to the plant’s trichomes, later inhaled by the smoker.
An interesting alternative in one commercially available organic nutrient is the use of a sugar beet extract as a primary source of phosphorous.
This provides sugars for microbes and plant growth while supplying phosphorous for heavy fruits and blooms from a plant derived source.
As with organic produce, the financial cost of a premium quality nutrient program can be significantly higher than a chemical/salt based regimen.
Experienced organic growers don’t mind making the additional investment however.
Management is often simplified and is more forgiving.
It takes a bit of work to kill a crop with organic nutrients versus their chemical counterparts.
Insect and disease problems are less frequent.
Overall yields are comparable to chemically produced crops, and crop quality is usually noticeably increased.
Specialized markets may have a strong demand for organically grown produce, and typically fetch a premium and an easier sale for the grower.
The following are some tips for those who want to go organic:
· Good soil aeration is critical with organics.
At some level nutrient availability is closely associated with microbial activity. Healthy soil microbes require oxygen, a heavy, slow draining mix does not allow for much gas exchange in the soil as it lacks macro-pore space in the media.
· While it is a good idea to pre-mix some slow release nutrients into the planting media, it is usually best to provide most nutrients via a soluble organic solution.
This allows the grower a higher level of control of nutrient levels in the rhizosphere (root zone).
· When reusing organic planting media, remove as much plant debris as possible.
... compaction of the media over time will reduce gas exchange and drainage in the soil.
· Organic nutrients can be pretty concentrated, so sometimes more is less. However, you will be safer to over apply an organic nutrient versus a salt based fertilizer.
· If you are accustomed to chemical feed programs, you are used to seeing extremes.
Wait a few days for observation when adjusting your nutrient feed program.
Most growers have applied organic products to their crops at some point or another, commonly as teas or soil amendments to supplement an inorganic feed regimen. Others have gone a step further and eliminated salt-based nutrients from their feeding program. This can be of tremendous benefit.
Whether growing with chemical or organic fertilizers it is unwise to reuse planting media if there has been a significant crop disease or insect infestation.
With good quality organic plant nutrients, there is virtually no salt residue. Organic nutrients are only as good as the source they were derived from.
For example, kelp extracts are a very popular additive to feed programs and foiliar regimens. They contain significant amounts of potassium and often contain naturally (or otherwise) occurring plant growth promotants such as cytokinins.
An increased plant resistance to stress is also associated with applications of kelp products.
Just like a glass of orange juice, kelp extracts are not all the same.
The source of the parent material and the fashion in which it was processed largely determines the quality of the nutrient/supplement. Things to consider are: bio-activity (is the stuff nice and “alive”), nutrient value, hormones, other compounds, and impurities.
Most kelp extracts are manufactured by processing kelp (seaweed) in a solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH). Potassium hydroxide is definitely on the harsher side of the chemical spectrum as it has oxidative properties. It also contains salts resulting as impurities from the manufacturing process of potassium hydroxide. Salts are toxic to plant roots and may scorch leaves when applied as a foiliar spray.
Kelp products resulting from this process are usually brownish in colour and have a smell that is typically not favourable. In order to better preserve bioactivity in the extract and reduce salts, some kelps are extracted via a special cold water process.
It is also important that the raw kelp has been well rinsed to remove salt residues from its native environment.
Solutions produced by this method usually have a more natural colour and a smell that is pleasant to those who enjoy the ocean.
For nitrogen sources, many teas or dry mixes contain bloodmeal.
Although it is readily soluble and is fast acting, it may not be the best choice for the grower or the consumer.
When handling dried bloodmeal, growers risk their health as inhalation can lead to health problems. After all, the stuff is scraped off the slaughter house floor. Bovine disease is a concern among many consumers and producers alike.
Also, the type of soil micro-organisms (soil life) it attracts may not be healthy. I mean, what kind of organism is attracted to rotting blood? I would personally not like to have a significant population of these in my garden.
Fish emulsions are also a source of abundant and readily available nitrogen. These extracts are usually pasteurized (heated) in the manufacturing process, significantly reducing potential for unfriendly microbes that prefer animal by-products. However, they usually smell very offensive and may not be suitable for all indoor applications. Always make sure to wipe up any fish spills (including dribbles on the bottle) right away as not to prolong the smell. And don’t get any on your fingers either!
With a good quality carbon scrubber in the growing area, the smell shouldn’t last too long.
There are also many alternative organic sources of nitrogen.
You may use different products at different time throughout the growing cycle.
Alfalfa teas have many beneficial properties
Organic bloom fertilizers have been added to inorganic feed programs for some time now.
Growers note an increase in yield and crop quality.
Colour and smell are usually noticeably improved.
There are several good quality organic bloom nutrients that can be used on their own or in conjunction with other organic nutrients to deliver respectable results.
For the record, there are growers who have higher yields with an organic program than they had with their chemical hydroponic nutrient program.
In a recent informal but controlled study, there was a 20-30% (variety dependent) increase in the organically fed crop versus the control group fed with a popular hydroponic nutrient program as per the manufacturer’s specifications.
Most organic bloom fertilizers use bat or tropical seabird guano as a natural source of phosphorous.
As with previous examples, a product can only be as good as it’s source, just as a fine meal starts with the finest ingredients.
These guanos are animal wastes, although most guanos are mined from ancient semi-fossilized deposits. There have been restrictions with these materials due to health concerns. Bone meal, ground, palletized, or emulsified is also a more common ingredient in organic bloom fertilizers.
Typically, they are safer to handle once in solution, as most of the risk is associated with the inhalation of dust.
However, heavy metals (mercury, lead, etc) have been reportedly high in some sources of guanos.
Rock phosphate is another source for organic phosphorous.
When finely ground, a portion is readily soluble while the majority takes some time to break down to available forms in the soil.
It is a known fact that rock phosphate is a radioactive compound.
A Geiger counter will sound off next to a sack of rock phosphate.
Some studies with regards to tobacco smokers and lung disease have attributed the use of rock phosphate in tobacco crops to an increase in the incidence of lung disease. This may be attributed to rock phosphate particles sticking to the plant’s trichomes, later inhaled by the smoker.
An interesting alternative in one commercially available organic nutrient is the use of a sugar beet extract as a primary source of phosphorous.
This provides sugars for microbes and plant growth while supplying phosphorous for heavy fruits and blooms from a plant derived source.
As with organic produce, the financial cost of a premium quality nutrient program can be significantly higher than a chemical/salt based regimen.
Experienced organic growers don’t mind making the additional investment however.
Management is often simplified and is more forgiving.
It takes a bit of work to kill a crop with organic nutrients versus their chemical counterparts.
Insect and disease problems are less frequent.
Overall yields are comparable to chemically produced crops, and crop quality is usually noticeably increased.
Specialized markets may have a strong demand for organically grown produce, and typically fetch a premium and an easier sale for the grower.
The following are some tips for those who want to go organic:
· Good soil aeration is critical with organics.
At some level nutrient availability is closely associated with microbial activity. Healthy soil microbes require oxygen, a heavy, slow draining mix does not allow for much gas exchange in the soil as it lacks macro-pore space in the media.
· While it is a good idea to pre-mix some slow release nutrients into the planting media, it is usually best to provide most nutrients via a soluble organic solution.
This allows the grower a higher level of control of nutrient levels in the rhizosphere (root zone).
· When reusing organic planting media, remove as much plant debris as possible.
... compaction of the media over time will reduce gas exchange and drainage in the soil.
· Organic nutrients can be pretty concentrated, so sometimes more is less. However, you will be safer to over apply an organic nutrient versus a salt based fertilizer.
· If you are accustomed to chemical feed programs, you are used to seeing extremes.
Wait a few days for observation when adjusting your nutrient feed program.
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