Fermented plant extracts

[Oregonism]

Okay, I am dilligently reading thru the entire 38 pages, but so far I haven't seen a reference.

I have been making FPE's for quite a while and didn't really realize WHAT I was doing until recently, lol.

But, has anybody ever used mineral or soda water as a base? I have access to mineral spring water that is fairly high is sulphates and carbonates with a lot of carbonic acid, all naturally.

I just used some chard as my first experiment. I didn't split the bundle of chard, so now I can't develop a control with just plain water. I do have some pics, it fermented quite well. Some yeast, a little mold and a big mycellium curd developed. Pickly smell, not noxious. No black or discolored molds.

I have used the mineral water for my outdoor grow's past 2 seasons and my conifer bonzai's. Calculating my ratios, I did supplement feedings at 16:1 [30mL] and when I did use it a spray 5-10mL, I would be between 750-450:1.
Reason being it has a fair amount of magnesium sulphate and for my area, this supplements the lost magnesium in the wet, weathered soil and free's up calcium in the process. Same for my conifer bonzai's. Water by itself seems to be excellent fertilizer, suggestions?

 

[River-Running]

Thanks to JayKush

Thanks to JayKush

JK

I took your advice early this year and began producing botanical teas. Some were made from plants that I grew and some were harvested in the forest and valleys around here. Comfrey (both wild and cultivated varieties), Horsetail Ferns, Yarrow (again both wild and cultivated), Borage and Kudzu were used to produce these teas.

This photo is of a Haze x NL#5 in a no-till container (#7 SmartPot) and all that I did was remove enough of the stalk and soil to transplant a rooted cutting that was rooted and grown in a #2 container. No amendments at all but it was top-dressed with vermicompost that I produce.

Thank you for your many years of discussing these methods to grow plants - the 'true' veganic path as it were. Or something remotely close.

RR

 

[jaykush]

my pleasure RR, enjoy the buds to come they are not done yet.

 

[River-Running]

This shot was around Day 28 or something close. I figure another 7 weeks to go if the history of this hybrid holds true.

RR

 

[guest2012y]

This shot was around Day 28 or something close. I figure another 7 weeks to go if the history of this hybrid holds true.

RR

Watching closely..as I just took about 50 cuts for the next round...Thank you,I'm sure this will change my life RR.

 

[Scrappy4]

This shot was around Day 28 or something close. I figure another 7 weeks to go if the history of this hybrid holds true.

RR

Pretty good for a youngin and all welcome to IC
Scrappy

 

[River-Running]

Watching closely..as I just took about 50 cuts for the next round...Thank you,I'm sure this will change my life RR

CC1

A couple of things to consider on this cross is that it grows faster than any plant in my collective memory. Like the old Mexican land-races from the 70's - Oaxaca comes to mind. Hollow stalk and even the larger branches show this deal - I don't know if it means anything but it's there.

The aroma has this powerful solvent smell with a background of flowers. It's pretty unique and maybe even weird.

On the cycle of another strain that I harvested last weekend, the use of both Comfrey and Yarrow in the flower cycle brought out smells that I've never seen in this strain and I'm pretty familiar with what it does and all.

Pretty cheap fertilizer program. Harvest some plants. Chop. Cover with water and let it go until it smells like an open sewer - on a good day. The Horsetail Ferns were the worst which was quite an accolade given the competition it faced from Stinging Nettle, Comfrey and Yarrow.

Results speak for themselves.

RR

 

[jaykush]

On the cycle of another strain that I harvested last weekend, the use of both Comfrey and Yarrow in the flower cycle brought out smells that I've never seen in this strain and I'm pretty familiar with what it does and all.

thats one reason why i never went back to commercial fertilizers, the difference in smells and taste you can get with using different plant fertilizers is amazing.

that and it grows way more potent pot.

your supposed to boil the horsetail in water and strain, no smell that way. takes less time also

 

[Scrappy4]

Jaykush, or anyone. i have purchased some plant powders. Spirolina, nettles, yarrow, aloe vera, yucca root. So far i have only used a pinch of aloe vera and spirolina in a compost tea.
In your learned opinion(s) how could i make the best use these powders in a cannibis grow? scrappy

 

[jaykush]

since they are powdered, a mulch, or an FPE. take note that dried powders make more concentrated teas.

i think you should not purchase the nettles or yarrow in the future though. if anything buy some seeds.

 

[River-Running]

JK

Quick question - I had the benefit of a friend's generosity in that he found a large patch of regular comfrey and brought me about 1/2 yard of fresh leaves that went into a large black trash can with a lid.

I haven't had to touch the Comfrey patch in my garden and it's about time to harvest. I will have about 3 large yard trash bags of Comfrey leaves.

I was thinking about 2 options - one would be to dry the leaves carefully and then save them like you would buds away from light and air once fully dried. The other is what I've seen at YouTube from the gardeners in other parts of the world where they turn the leaves into a syrup (one guy called it Comfrey Molasses) which it is claimed allows for long-term storage.

Any thoughts?

RR

 

[jaykush]

well personally i don harvest my comfrey this late, it needs time to recoop for winter.

if i was to harvest some. i would dry it. no matter how long the comfrey syrup will last, dried will last longer. ive used dried plants that were well over a year old, side by side, with good storage they are just as effective. bad storage the dried stuff goes bad after a few months( bad as in you need to use more to get the same effect, its not worthless at that point)

 

[River-Running]

Dried it is - thanks!

 

[Scrappy4]

since they are powdered, a mulch, or an FPE. take note that dried powders make more concentrated teas.

i think you should not purchase the nettles or yarrow in the future though. if anything buy some seeds.

I spent perhaps too much of the spring and summer searching for native varieties, then it got a little late for seeds, plus it looks like we will put our home for sale come next spring and possibly relocate. So for now if I wanna play I gotta pay. Unfortunately for me I forgot to order comphrey, I think it was a short term memory problem caused by an herb I have been using.....scrappy

 

[jaykush]

So for now if I wanna play I gotta pay.

i bet you anything there are plants around you that will substitute the ones we use like nettle, comfrey and yarrow. thats the thing with this method of growing. no matter where you live, there are natural materials to farm with. each location/climate will have its own materials to fill the jobs needed to produce high quality buds.

if you really want to buy them thats ok im not going to stop you

 

[Scrappy4]

Well you may be right, I have made FPE's from dandelion flowers, whole dandelion plants, bracken ferns and mullein, that were all literally at my doorstep. But from what I read, none equal comfrey, or nettles. Those local FPE, along with compost tea's and locally sourced thermo compost and what not, have made my garden excel, but why stop there? You know, me wants mo .."..scrappy

 

[big ballin 88]

It sucks living in the one place that rarely keeps plants like nettles alive. I've planted my own, but the nettles hate it in our sub-tropical heat/moisture. They never get more than a ft and a half high. I've been havin good luck eeping my comfrey around and dividing it further which is real nice.

I've been experimenting with other FPE's suchs as lemongrass, mulberry, lambs ear and raspberry leaves. So far the best FPE's are the lambs ear and raspberry+comfrey. I try and judge the strength by color. I'm also starting to think color can give you an idea of possible uses. Then again im reall stoned...

 

[L420K]

so if these ferments develop a layer of mold on the top, is that a bad thing?

 

[jaykush]

let me guess you didnt have a cover?

i just skim it off and then use the FPE.

 

[Stankie]

My last harvest of comfrey leaves was around early August/late July. I let the plants go after this and save the energy. The 'syrup' from this harvest has a much more distinct 'ammonia' type odor, in addition to the regular funk. This a problem? I've never had anything that smells this 'off' towards raw N.