Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[somebody041]

I've been using LC's soil-less mix #1 with peat and bottled nutes for several grows now. i've been intrigued by coco and noticed that LC's recipe says you can substitute the peat for coir.

from what i understand about coco (which could be not much at all) it is a different beast than soil/soilless and has different requirements like ph.

so... if i have been successfully growing with Lc's peat based soil-less mix, will i encounter any problems if the only thing i change is substituting the coir for peat?

and another question: what kind of coir is preferred?

thanks for any clarification!

 

[BurnOne]

I've been using LC's soil-less mix #1 with peat and bottled nutes for several grows now. i've been intrigued by coco and noticed that LC's recipe says you can substitute the peat for coir.

from what i understand about coco (which could be not much at all) it is a different beast than soil/soilless and has different requirements like ph.

so... if i have been successfully growing with Lc's peat based soil-less mix, will i encounter any problems if the only thing i change is substituting the coir for peat?

and another question: what kind of coir is preferred?

thanks for any clarification!

Coir is pH neutral. Just make sure you get washed coir or wash it yourself to remove the salt. It works the same as peat in LC's Mix.
Burn1

 

[somebody041]

thanks burnone.

i've read that coco absorbs some nutes like P and K so you need to provide more of those in your feeding regime.

i've never PH'd my water and i hope that i won't have to with the coir.
i am just going to place my faith in the microherd and hope for the best.

 

[magiccannabus]

I would agree that coco can substitute peat in terms of soil structure, but it's a very different animal on a lot of other levels. I like a bit of peat and a lot of coir personally. Coir may be a substitute for peat, but peat is no substitute for coir IMO.

 

[somebody041]

hey magic!
care to elaborate a little bit more on the other levels of difference between peat and coco?

i'm planning to run LC's soil-less with coco and feeding a combination of a local organic grow/bloom/microlife line (blue mountain organics) supplemented with compost/casting teas made with worm castings, horse manure compost, blackstrap molasses and seaweed. humic and fulvic acid periodically as well too. i'm happy with the results this has given me when using peat.

i really want to try out coco but i also don't want to change my feeding schedule. i've read a lot of discouraging things about using coco + not taking the proper steps like checking ph etc. so i am very open to any knowledge you may have!

 

[vonforne]

hey magic!
care to elaborate a little bit more on the other levels of difference between peat and coco?

i'm planning to run LC's soil-less with coco and feeding a combination of a local organic grow/bloom/microlife line (blue mountain organics) supplemented with compost/casting teas made with worm castings, horse manure compost, blackstrap molasses and seaweed. humic and fulvic acid periodically as well too. i'm happy with the results this has given me when using peat.

i really want to try out coco but i also don't want to change my feeding schedule. i've read a lot of discouraging things about using coco + not taking the proper steps like checking ph etc. so i am very open to any knowledge you may have!

If you want to add the coco start out with about 20% substituted for peat your first go with it. I am using 50% coco to 50% peat and also added a good amount of Ton clay gravel so my soil is real porous. I also add a lot of compost and EWC to my mix. It has been working good for me.

V

 

[maryjohn]

coir (same brand as magic from petco) is getting into my grows gradually because I am now using it for bedding in the worm bin. I can see the odd fiber in the castings, which otherwise behave normally. I guess if I keep sending the casting back through with fresh food I can use the coir to indicate super duper compost via its absence. we'll see!

 

[VerdantGreen]

VG: I think you meant to say pH DOWN regarding citric acid^^^^ in your last post. I've been using AC vinegar, but drifts too much, as you probably know. Think I'll try citric acid at the ratios you listed. My tapwater is 8.3.

I enjoy and learn from your posts. I bloom under 250 HID also. Great little light for personal grows.

Be Happy/Grow Safely.

thanks mate i'll edit that. i cangt think of any reason why i would get so confused when posting late at night

just remember the proportions of your concentrate solution and then you can re-create it and know vaguely how much to add to your watering can.

yeah 250, for me, is fantastic. cheep to run but capable of great buds is you get it right

 

[magiccannabus]

hey magic!
care to elaborate a little bit more on the other levels of difference between peat and coco?

i'm planning to run LC's soil-less with coco and feeding a combination of a local organic grow/bloom/microlife line (blue mountain organics) supplemented with compost/casting teas made with worm castings, horse manure compost, blackstrap molasses and seaweed. humic and fulvic acid periodically as well too. i'm happy with the results this has given me when using peat.

i really want to try out coco but i also don't want to change my feeding schedule. i've read a lot of discouraging things about using coco + not taking the proper steps like checking ph etc. so i am very open to any knowledge you may have!

In an organic mix, coco does perform more like peat than it does in a chem grow. So from a feeding standpoint, a lot is similar. I have noticed that starving them of potassium never seems to lead to potassium deficiencies, as the coco seems to contain quite a bit. Also, coco does not seem to compact the way peat does. pH is irrelevant in a healthy organic grow, but the coir does not need the micro-herd to make adjustments for it since it is fairly neutral. Best of all it never drowns plants.

There's a new thing called Organic Bubble Bath Tubs(OBBT) that is worth reading about. Coco coir plays a big role in that system. You can see it in action if you go to the organic hydro section.

 

[BioMechanical]

Hi, for 12-18 inch plants can I get away with 1 gallon pots? In NGB cabinet.

Ty

 

[BurnOne]

Hi, for 12-18 inch plants can I get away with 1 gallon pots? In NGB cabinet.

Ty

Yep. You'll need to keep a close eye on them so they don't dry out and wilt.
Burn1

 

[LowGrow]

Hi I am growing organic hydro and I was wondering if water from a fish tank filter that is well established with bacteria cultures would be a good way to have an instant organic hydro solution and how would I go about mixing this? I have earth juice nutes grow bloom and microblast. Would I just mix it normal? actually I could just take one of the little plastic bacteria cultures out of the filter and drop it in the res.... I guess what i am asking is would that be the right kind of bacteria.

 

[keico]

Hey I just wanted to say that this is a great post.

I have learned so much already and haven't even finished yet,

I was just wondering what you thought about Blazeoneups soil recipe.

I am presently using it right now.

Plants are looking great.

 

[IE2KS_KUSH]

Bare w/ Me Here

Bare w/ Me Here

Allrighty...
So me thinks I have found some powdered dlime, the ratios look good as per the cal/mag, obviously w/out being able to see it first hand I don't know if it is what I want. It has been a long quest, someone, anyone tell me that I have found the holy grail, this is the last thing that I need to get my order in and complete the list of goodies that I need for my mix and what not.

"This agricultural Dolomite contains 49% calcium carbonate and 36% magnesium carbonate."

 

[vonforne]

Allrighty...
So me thinks I have found some powdered dlime, the ratios look good as per the cal/mag, obviously w/out being able to see it first hand I don't know if it is what I want. It has been a long quest, someone, anyone tell me that I have found the holy grail, this is the last thing that I need to get my order in and complete the list of goodies that I need for my mix and what not.

"This agricultural Dolomite contains 49% calcium carbonate and 36% magnesium carbonate."

View attachment 29293

Thats it. Mine is 35% mg to 53% ca. that will work my man.

V

 

[IE2KS_KUSH]

Thank god,
V, you gave a link to a site somewhere way back deep in this thing, that's where I found it, thanks. Great site, I am literally getting everything except the peat moss from them. Gonna run me about $140 but I am getting:
1 cubic ft EWC (52lbs) for $20
Alfalfa Meal (5 Lb Box) $6
Bone Meal Steamed 3-15-0 (6 Lb Box) $7
Greensand (8 Lb Box) $12
Kelp Meal (5 Lb Box) $12
Dolomite (50 Lb) $9
And of course the peat moss, 3.something cubic feet I think, $10 @ lowes
And of course, the big facking bag of perlite that I already have.

With shipping and what not probably around $150 all said and done, I wonder, how many gallons of growing medium does that come out to? Anyone? Surely I know someone here is gonna know that roughly off the top o' there heads eh?

I am so damn excited to get this going, but I have sooo long to wait! ARg! Oh well. In the mean time, I will be getting a buddy of mine set up w/ this as well, and probably be able to watch his whole grow start to finish before I can actually get to do mine, it'll be his first grow ever, he is a lucky fuck, he'll be getting off to such a better start than I ever did, the bastard lol!


I think that covers it, again, hoping that the dolomite is the powdered, I will take your word for it V, wondering also, is it ok to use "steamed" bone meal, what is the difference? Is there a disadvantage to that stuff? They have fish bone meal as well it's just a few bucks more, I will get that if it is better.

Oh, and I need a 3 quart pot lol, and some rubbermaid tubs, mine are all full of old FFOF, which I plan to make an attempt at rejuvinating. That's kind of why I opted for the alfalfa meal, going to use the 3lb method w/ that stuff, and then also plan to recycle the LC Mix as well. Should keep me busy for a while, and in plenty of growing medium for a while also.

Got plenty o blackstrap, plenty o Liquid Karma, (although it may go bad by the time I get to it..we'll see I guess), and hoping that I will have plenty o' EWC left after my initial mix to use for tea throughout the grow. Sooo excited, I feel like I have got this all in down and understand it well, if it sounds like I am totally missing something then please by all means hollar at me!
Thanks again everyone.

 

[mrred]

i cant say for sure because my first patch was 100% coco 0% peat but the coco, so the coco plants re older but they look better, going have to see when its all said and done, but next time im going with 100% coco again

 

[IE2KS_KUSH]

Allrighty...
So me thinks I have found some powdered dlime, the ratios look good as per the cal/mag, obviously w/out being able to see it first hand I don't know if it is what I want. It has been a long quest, someone, anyone tell me that I have found the holy grail, this is the last thing that I need to get my order in and complete the list of goodies that I need for my mix and what not.

"This agricultural Dolomite contains 49% calcium carbonate and 36% magnesium carbonate."

View attachment 29293

Well, I got an email back from this place, here is what they said,
"This dolomite is not granulated nor is it powdered - its actually "Micro-fine" and can be used as a soluble in water. If I can be of further assistance don't hesitate to contact me."

So what the hell does that mean? I am pretty well outta options, so I will probably be getting this stuff anyway, I hope that it works, anyone know?

 

[Dis]

Well, I got an email back from this place, here is what they said,
"This dolomite is not granulated nor is it powdered - its actually "Micro-fine" and can be used as a soluble in water. If I can be of further assistance don't hesitate to contact me."

So what the hell does that mean? I am pretty well outta options, so I will probably be getting this stuff anyway, I hope that it works, anyone know?

"Micro-fine" sounds like it would work to me man!

I was looking at this (http://www.plantitearth.com/organic-nutrients/dolomite-lime.aspx) because my grow is very humble, and I don't need anywhere near 50lbs, which is what everyone seems to sell ya know? But they say it is "granular", and I'm not sure if that means anything close to powdered.

Best Wishes,
-Dis

 

[fyahfohigha]

Thanks a lot Burnsone for putting up such an easy and in depth thread! Respect all around!
Hey guys, I am going to try my 2nd shot at organics with the Fish/Seaweed Recipe #5, and a mix similar to the 1st soiless mix of this thread (using COCO). I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge of if this will give me a lot of Nitrogen? I am trying to stay away from it because I am fighting a fungal/blight issue right now (and I will win it...if it is the death of me), and anything rich in Nitrogen only helps out the problem a lot. Besides recipe #5, I was going to feed them Great White microbes brewed with molasses all the way through to help all around. I was going to do alternate between RO water, Recipe #5, molasses tea and repeat. Any input? Should I alternate like that, or feed a little of both each time? Any other input on using this recipe with any results?
Also I hope there are no stupid questions, but... Why use Dolomite if there aren't problems with PH in Organics like it went over in the first post? Or is this why there are no PH problems...? I was using Roots organics soil mix before and have never added everything individually.

Trying to keep it simple.
thanks everyone, educate and medicate =)