Cal/Mag replacement

[Boogerman007]

Can anyone name a replacement for Cal-Mag that maybe I can get locally. I live in the Mid-West and cant find it anywhere. I would prefer to find something else locally than online. Mainly for when I get torched and forget to order it, it would be much easier to get in a hurry when I forget it.

Any help will be appreciated. This is really my fourth grow. Every year it has been an upgrade. Now we have climate control, and a RO system just for the room. Its a never ending process I guess.

 

[barletta]

For soil/soiless you can use dolomite lime. Also, the "Briar Rabbit" brand molasses has a decent amount of cal, mag and iron.

 

[Boogerman007]

Hmm

Hmm

Thanks for the reply barletta!

How would you apply either the lime or the molasses. I have dolomite lime but it is pelletized. What would be your recomendation of feeding with the lime or the molasses?

 

[barletta]

I mix lime in the soil @ 1-2 tbs per gallon of soil. I feed the molasses @ appx 1 tbs/gal every watering/feeding. I know that you can't get to a shop, but I am trying out 'neptune's harvest crab shell' for some more cal/mag. I would mix the pelletized into the soil, but for established plants, I don't think pelletized lime breaks down quickly enough to be top dressed. You could re-pot em with some lime in the mix.

 

[Boogerman007]

Good Info

Good Info

Hopefully I will be able to get to a shop. I found a hydro shop in our "big city" here and I will be starting a new job in this very city next friday so maybe I will be able to make routine visits. I went to theh grocery store and no Briar Rabbit but there was another brand (Grandmas) with 4% Calcium, 4% iron, and 2% magnesium. I hope this will work.

I will also add the lime to my soil mix and I will also try to find some powdered lime.

Things are starting to look up after a catastrophic accident killed off 20 germed seeds. I just germed 20 more and they are popping so all of this info is coming at a good time.

I have actually been pleased with my yields my first three grows. Last year was the year I started cloning. I just stopped to upgrade the room with it's own climate control, and RO system, as well as piping in plain tap water for cleanup and stuff.

Now my main goal is to improve on the quality and healthiness of the plants I am growing. Last year heat stress and mite/thirp infestations really did me in at the end.

 

[barletta]

I used the grandmas for a while until I found the briar rabbit. Did u buy the G'ma's? Any molasses labled 'robust' or 'full flavor' usually had more goodies. Keep in mind that the percentages on the back are of USRDA, not 'volume'. I did the math, and the briar rabbit @ 10% cal, 15% iron, and 20% mag works out to a decent supplement, I don't think that the grandma's will give the nutrients, but it will definitely feed the soil.

Regular (yellow) vs Robust (green label) Grandma's


For Briar Rabbit

Mineral USRDA % Mg/tbsp

Mag 400mg 20% 80
Cal 800mg 10% 80
Iron 10mg 15% 1.5

edit - I found somebody posted 21g as the weight of a tbsp of molasses, and Briar Rabbit breaks down to 0-0-1.4 with .4% mag and cal. My PBP is .5%cal and 1%mag

The Grandma's orange is 0-0-.07 with .04% mag and .15% cal, so it's not really a cal mag source.

 

[Boogerman007]

Grandmas

Grandmas

Yes, I bought the Grandmas and it is the regular. I will use it only until I can get a replacement. Being in a rural area my only choice reasonably close was a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

I will try to find the Briar Rabbit brand as it clearly appears to be the way to go based on your info. Again thanks a million!