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Organic nutrients
- Thread starter doctor76
- Start date
Mt Toaker
Member
yeah, chlorine is great at killing living agents in water, good for drinking bad for organics. Organic gardening in soil/soil-less grow mediums is all about growing the beneficial bacteria and fungi that are the things actually feeding the plant. I would suggest some sort of mychorizae product to add to your soil as well. These beneficial organisms grow on and around the root system breaking down the nutrients down for the plant to uptake more easily. Biobizz is a good line from what I've heard, I have one friend who won't use anything else. The more you start to read about organics the more you really learn about the biology of the plant and how the ecosystem in the soil you are using works. This is why I appreciate organic growing above all other forms.
anferneybra
Member
In any type of hydroponic scenario its very difficult if not impossible to grow organically. Basically all these posts are correct in saying the chlorine in municipal water will counter any type of beneficial bacteria you are keeping around.
That being said, ask any horticulture major or anyone that has grown in hydro long enough and they will also tell you its next to impossible to grow organically in hydroponics. The first major problem with hydro and organically growing is that in a lot of cases you are washing and flushing reservoirs, which contain any and all of you bacteria in the water. I change my water reservoirs weekly and most do that or bi-weekly at least. When we do that, we are flushing ever single bacteria out of the reservoir and starting with fresh nutrients.
There are some people now putting bags of perlite, or some other absorbing medium in a milk cloth or semi-permeable sac in the reservoir to harbor said beneficial bacteria. Even while doing this there is a constant battle in the water between beneficial bacteria and bad bacteria, thus people dumping reservoirs and cleaning systems and essentially running "dead".
The worst battle you will face is also finding and combining organic nutrients into a system with ANY type of pumps, because they will settle out and stick to everything.
I would rec. you stay in soil if you want organic, most all hortis will also say that the only way to grow organically is in a soil or soil dominant medium. Stick with great quality synthetic nutrients for hydro systems, ive been with GH for almost 10 years now and it has never steered me wrong.
Just had this discussion with my boss about growing partially organic in the hydro area of the grow. The best way to explain the conclusion I have come to, is that there has to be a beneficial bacteria in a soil dominant medium to break down raw matreials into available nutrients. You cannot have that in a hydroponic scenario with even ONE change of nutrients, leading to the use of synthetic yet naturally occurring minerals to feed with.
Just my 2 cents
That being said, ask any horticulture major or anyone that has grown in hydro long enough and they will also tell you its next to impossible to grow organically in hydroponics. The first major problem with hydro and organically growing is that in a lot of cases you are washing and flushing reservoirs, which contain any and all of you bacteria in the water. I change my water reservoirs weekly and most do that or bi-weekly at least. When we do that, we are flushing ever single bacteria out of the reservoir and starting with fresh nutrients.
There are some people now putting bags of perlite, or some other absorbing medium in a milk cloth or semi-permeable sac in the reservoir to harbor said beneficial bacteria. Even while doing this there is a constant battle in the water between beneficial bacteria and bad bacteria, thus people dumping reservoirs and cleaning systems and essentially running "dead".
The worst battle you will face is also finding and combining organic nutrients into a system with ANY type of pumps, because they will settle out and stick to everything.
I would rec. you stay in soil if you want organic, most all hortis will also say that the only way to grow organically is in a soil or soil dominant medium. Stick with great quality synthetic nutrients for hydro systems, ive been with GH for almost 10 years now and it has never steered me wrong.
Just had this discussion with my boss about growing partially organic in the hydro area of the grow. The best way to explain the conclusion I have come to, is that there has to be a beneficial bacteria in a soil dominant medium to break down raw matreials into available nutrients. You cannot have that in a hydroponic scenario with even ONE change of nutrients, leading to the use of synthetic yet naturally occurring minerals to feed with.
Just my 2 cents
ebb & flo... promix/coco in smartpots... organic nutrients... can work...
the beneficials colonize the roots no need for the entire reservoir to be teaming with them. hand watering coco hempy buckets is also considered hydro... use that with earth juice nutrients and you may have great results.
a water-culture (DWC) might be a little more tricky.
and yes, i agree with you that hydro does much better with pure nutrient salts. a combination of the two is gaining a lot of support from both users and manufacturers. a lot of "designer" nutrients add (organic) humic acid and citric acid to their chemical salt formulas (amongst other organic foods/ingredients).
the beneficials colonize the roots no need for the entire reservoir to be teaming with them. hand watering coco hempy buckets is also considered hydro... use that with earth juice nutrients and you may have great results.
a water-culture (DWC) might be a little more tricky.
and yes, i agree with you that hydro does much better with pure nutrient salts. a combination of the two is gaining a lot of support from both users and manufacturers. a lot of "designer" nutrients add (organic) humic acid and citric acid to their chemical salt formulas (amongst other organic foods/ingredients).
