Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[Zendo]

I use my finger sometimes but I like to keep a fork on hand. Seriously! One of my wifes old forks and a spoon. I hide them when she comes in.

V

haha..nice.. we ARE very similar!.. I've had to stop 're-purposing' my wifes stuff, as she gets ..well.. pissed.

The bowl I described that i use for the 'pre-watering' is a kitchenaid mixing bowl, that apparently is some magical super expensive thing..between the turkey basters, meat syringes with ML measuring, pyrex pint glasses with measuring marks, etc..I've just about repurposed our whole house to the 'greater good'..

I've literally had to promise, and take a 'vow' to not use anything else!

 

[vonforne]

My wife had 4 of these little containers that fit together..........I now have 2 new mini worm bins. LOL She was really pissed about that. And that was the end of my ´taking over my things´ that is how she refers to it. But I do have two new bins for 0.00 €

V

 

[grapeman]

I know people buy the roots organic soil, that comes in it's own 'grow bag' that you literally just open and use..

Never tried it, but know people that have..

I'm sure if I bought it, I would still amend with EWC, perlite, and other stuff, but the word is this can be used out of the bag.

Ingredients: Coco fiber, peat moss, perlite, pumice, premium worm castings, bat guano, kelp, fish bone meal, soy bean meal, feather meal, greensand, leonardite, and alfalfa meal.

Tip: Comes in a 10 gallon ready to use grow bag. Just cut or poke holes and plant directly in the bag.

I've been using "Roots" for vegging. Always dosed with dolomite, EWC and extra perlite.

 

[vonforne]

When I did a couple semesters of horticulture,my teacher pushed the idea to water from the drainage trays. She had some good points about it,one being that it encourages roots to grow downward. However,she wasn't growing herb,and I don't do that. I water much like vonforne does. After a while you start to developing techniques that work,like observing the way the drainage gets sucked back up and allowing that variable to work for you.

I watered from the bottom also a few years back. I built these larger trays out of plywood and 2x6s and lined it with pond liner. I would fill that thing with water but it was prone to over watering that way. I just had to adjust the amount.....made a cut off point. I then changed to the wick system with cotton rope inside the containers half way up. Now that worked great. I just put a set of 2x4s and a steel screen over the and ten filled with water. Worked great for week or two vacations also. The only set back was the clusters of rots just on the rope when I took them out of the containers. And I never worked it like that again. I cut my numbers and hand watered for perfection.

V

 

[Bishop420]

lmao......just getting started and thats what Ive been doing...re-purposing my girls belongings....hahahaha thats too funny!!!! I love the buble idea because I have fish tank equipment on hand. Also love the fact that rain water is ok. Thanks for the help guys....keep the world green and grow

 

[Spok]

when 'cooking' your soil, what will happen to the microbes if the soil is too wet?

 

[treefrog]

The congruency is funny as hell..

Hey Von, if you bend the fork in a vise like this..


It really works great Don't tell my wife!

 

[growclean]

I know people buy the roots organic soil, that comes in it's own 'grow bag' that you literally just open and use..

Thanks man, that is what I told him and that is what he went with...

 

[schwagg]

thank you treefrog, off to the vise.

 

[EatMoGrass]

Its like a tiny garden rake.

 

[treefrog]

I call it a 'fake'

 

[vonforne]

when 'cooking' your soil, what will happen to the microbes if the soil is too wet?

Not enough 0² is not good for any of us. But turning the mix daily when this happens will help. If you let the mix sit it will go anaerobic.

V

 

[vonforne]

Treefrog I would be pushing my luck with the vise. I will just keep using the caveman technique.......it will keep the peace. But that is a great idea.

 

[grapeman]

Having inadvertently burned up a batch of clones last month by accidentally cloning into LC#2 with nute #1 instead of plain bag soil, I have a question (I was cloning straight into soil).

At what stage of growth do you think rooted clones (root riot cubes - just got them and love them) can handle the mix I described above. Currently, I only use that mix at final re-potting as they go into the flower room. I'll try a plant and see, but would appreciate some knowledge on the subject.

 

[K.J]

Having inadvertently burned up a batch of clones last month by accidentally cloning into LC#2 with nute #1 instead of plain bag soil, I have a question.

At what stage of growth do you think rooted clones (root riot cubes) can handle the mix I described above. Currently, I only use that mix at final re-potting as they go into the flower room. I'll try a plant and see, but would appreciate some knowledge on the subject.

I put clones into LC's mix with recipe #1 as soon as they're rooted and looking healthy.

 

[grapeman]

I put clones into LC's mix with recipe #1 as soon as they're rooted and looking healthy.

Thanks KJ. I'll give that a try.

 

[grapeman]

Re-use of LC#2 soil with Nute recipe #1

Re-use of LC#2 soil with Nute recipe #1

Another question on how to prepare LC#2 with the dry nute (recipe #1) for rest and re-use.

How much dolomite, kelp meal, bone meal, blood meal do I need to add per gallon of soil to bring just used soil back up to par?

Thanks

 

[grapeman]

LC#2 with Nute #1 good for Tomatos

LC#2 with Nute #1 good for Tomatos

Seems the gurus are all on vacation.

But on a slightly related note. I entered a BeefSteak Tomato growing competition at my local cigar shop. Judging criteria were Size, Appearance and Taste.

I grew my plants in LC#2 with Nute #1 and fed with EWC teas with alfalfa and kelp on a regular basis. I really just gave these tomatos whatever I had left over from my feeding of the other crop.

Anyway, while I didn't have the largest (really wasn't trying as all my plants were only in 5 gal pots), I easily won the appearance and the blind taste competition netting me FIRST PLACE. LOL

 

[Metatron]

Seems the gurus are all on vacation.

But on a slightly related note. I entered a BeefSteak Tomato growing competition at my local cigar shop. Judging criteria were Size, Appearance and Taste.

I grew my plants in LC#2 with Nute #1 and fed with EWC teas with alfalfa and kelp on a regular basis. I really just gave these tomatos whatever I had left over from my feeding of the other crop.

Anyway, while I didn't have the largest (really wasn't trying as all my plants were only in 5 gal pots), I easily won the appearance and the blind taste competition netting me FIRST PLACE. LOL

congrats GM thats amazing. not the biggest but the one that you take home.

i wonder how much that reflects the quality of your herbs.

M-

 

[grapeman]

congrats GM thats amazing. not the biggest but the one that you take home.

i wonder how much that reflects the quality of your herbs.

M-

I don't partake, but I'm told it is some of the best folks have had. It's a hobby and it's the learning of this organic system that jazzes me up.

It's hard for me not to think there has to be a way to marry growing methods in a way that keeps the soil happy, increases or maintains current production and maintains or increases quality on other crops. After all, some non-organic nutrients make the plants very happy.