Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[hayday]

I can't think of a better place to burn my 420th(again) post than right here thanking Burn One for this thread.

Mister,I only once tried chemical ferts and just plain didn't get it.

I learned from this thread how to do my thing and although it has taken a while to perfect(lol),I can grow clean,natural Cannabis that exceeds my personal expectations with every plant.

You deserve a humanitarian award as just in this houshold ,you have helped way more than a couple.

 

[Buzzed]

wuz up B1 and blades???????? I go by the handle buzzed and currently trying to switch completely over to organics. lots of good info and hope you don't mind me chimin in from time to time. Burn how much lime would you add to 4 cu ft?????????

 

[Rod Serling]

3 smurfs in a row ha

Anyways big ups to Burn1 thank you for this

quick newbie question though. . . . .

If I were to use LC’s Soiless Mix #1 along with RECIPE #2 all I would need to add is water correct?

And lastly but most importantly, would I be able to use this mix and recipe in yogurt cups

like https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=270390 in a perpetual sog without

having them run out of food? And if so, how long would I be able to use a batch for ?

Thanks

 

[Rod Serling]

3 smurfs in a row ha

Anyways big ups to Burn1 thank you for this

quick newbie question though. . . . .

If I were to use LC’s Soiless Mix #1 along with RECIPE #2 all I would need to add is water correct?

And lastly but most importantly, would I be able to use this mix and recipe in yogurt cups

like https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=270390 in a perpetual sog without

having them run out of food? And if so, how long would I be able to use a batch for ?

Thanks

Also, sorry for having this negative rep, I really am not trying to be cruising for a bruising or cause any trouble, I got it for mentioning a breeder that icmag must not be too fond of, so sorry for my ignorance, and would really just like to learn more and try to help others if possible. Thanks all.

 

[XxxMedicatedxxX]

composting manure is good idea before add under outdoor plant?

 

[bigshrimp]

3 smurfs in a row ha

Anyways big ups to Burn1 thank you for this

quick newbie question though. . . . .

If I were to use LC’s Soiless Mix #1 along with RECIPE #2 all I would need to add is water correct?

And lastly but most importantly, would I be able to use this mix and recipe in yogurt cups

like https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=270390 in a perpetual sog without

having them run out of food? And if so, how long would I be able to use a batch for ?

Thanks

Living soil systems function way better in large soil volumes (5 gal+). Water only isn't likely to work well, but with supplemental organic nutes you have a chance.

A soil bed with a perpetual sog would work much better in a water only situation.

 

[bigshrimp]

composting manure is good idea before add under outdoor plant?

Its always better to compost manure.

What kinda poop are we talking about?

 

[XxxMedicatedxxX]

Dried hen manure buyed in shop. Is some straw there so i think C:N ratio should be good. Only mix with soil and can compost?

 

[bigshrimp]

Chicken shit is great stuff. It can burn plants if fresh or in high amounts, so get your soil mixed up and in the ground as soon as you can.

Some of the best outdoor plants i've seen have been grown with mostly chicken shit as fertilizer.

 

[XxxMedicatedxxX]

Can use accelerator for composting? Or rather stupid idea? This is what producer write.

"Preparation enriching compost in magnesium and other micronutrients which accelerates the decomposition of biomass."
"action does not affect the living animal organisms."
"raising the temperature causes the acceleration of the composting process"

This manure what is want use is dried but i think still can burn so i want compost

With early mix will be problem so i will use that compost in time shortage as litter.
I will be must becareful with amount.

 

[bigshrimp]

Adding micronutrient may speed up composting, but most of the heating up is going to be caused by Nitrogen / living processes. Putting it in a warm spot and wetting it will compost tea or molasses water will work fine.

It sounds like you know what you are doing. Good luck, happy growing!

 

[SirSteely]

Bump. Lots of reading to do on this great thread I'm ready to go organic. Can I use your soil mix #2 (FF base) without letting it compost for 30 days ? As an urban grower i need something I can use as soon as I mix it. Thank you.

 

[BurnOne]

Who said anything about letting it compost 30 days?

 

[SirSteely]

No one. I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread yet BurnOne. Just other threads have suggested letting organic soil blends " cook for 30 days ". I'm unable to do that, I need a mix and use recipe. I'm tired of mixing nutes and fighting ph. I've only had a chance to read the recipes of first few pages. Thanks for being newb tolerant lol.

 

[redclover]

No one. I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread yet BurnOne. Just other threads have suggested letting organic soil blends " cook for 30 days ". I'm unable to do that, I need a mix and use recipe. I'm tired of mixing nutes and fighting ph. I've only had a chance to read the recipes of first few pages. Thanks for being newb tolerant lol.

You can't let it sit for anytime ever? I mix up some very hot batches, get moist with an AACT, and wait till it's not warm...usually 10-14 days. You could easily let a mix cook while germing and sprouting in a basic seedling mix.

 

[xmobotx]

mix & use; 2 pts peat 1 pt EWC & 1 pt drainage {as perlite or any of the many alternatives}

to each gallon of this mix, add 2 TBS of crab meal

that's a good way to do seedling mix & you can just topdress a little fish meal or something like neem seed meal @ 1 tsp per gallon w/ EWC as mulch when they get hungry sized ~there's many alternatives based on what you have: alfalfa meal, kelp meal, comfrey or other dynamic accumulator(s,) "plant food" type products like espoma does, et al

 

[SirSteely]

My condo turned into a mixing station. Lol
What fun.
Thanks for the thread.

 

[Microbeman]

Who said anything about letting it compost 30 days?

bingo

 

[Kozmo]

Soilless?

Soilless?

Here are some tried and true recipes for getting started in organic growing. Pick one of the first two soiless mix recipes for your grow medium. Then, choose a nutrient recipe that will work best for what you have available.

Enjoy...

Here are two very good organic soiless mixes...

LC's Mix is great for any stage of growth. You can germ seeds in it, grow mothers in it, root clones in it as well as veg and flower in it.

LC’s Soiless Mix #1:

5 parts Canadian Sphagnum Peat or Coir or Pro-Moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts worm castings or mushroom compost or home made compost
Powdered (NOT PELLETED) dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.
...Wal-Mart now sells worm castings.

Or, if you use Pro Mix, Sunshine Mix or Fox Farm mixes...

LC's Soiless Mix #2:

6 parts Pro Mix BX or HP / Sunshine Mix (any flavor from #1 up) / Fox Farm Ocean Forest or Light Warrior
2 parts perlite
2 parts earthworm castings
Powdered (NOT PELLETED) dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.
If you use a 3 qt. saucepan as “parts” in the amounts given above, it equals about 1 cu. ft. of soiless mix and you can just dump in a cup of powdered dolomite lime. The dolomite lime is for Ca. and Mg. not just to adjust the PH of the soil.

But, a "part" can be anything from a tablespoon to a five gallon bucket. Just use the same item for all of the "parts".

Now for the plants organic food source

Choose one of these organic plant food recipes to add to LC's Soiless Mix.

RECIPE #1

If you want to use organic nutrients like Blood meal, Bone meal and Kelp meal...

1 tablespoon Blood meal per gallon or 1/2 cup per cubic foot of soil mix
2 tablespoons Bone meal per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of soil mix
1-tablespoon kelp meal per gallon or 1/2 cup per cubic foot of soil mix
or Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract as directed
(OPTIONAL) 1 tablespoon per gallon or 1/2 cup per cubic foot of Jersey Greensand to supplement the K (potasium) in the Kelp Meal and seaweed extract.

Mix all the dry nutrients into the soiless mix well and wet it, but don't soak it. Use Liquid Karma and water @ 1 tbs./gal. Stir and mix it a few times a week for a week or two so the bacteria can get oxygen and break down the nutrients and make it available. And don't let the mix dry out, keep it moist and add water as needed. It'll also have time to get the humic acids in the Liquid Karma going and the dolomite lime will be better able to adjust the pH of a peat based mixture too.

With this recipe, all you need to do is add plain water until harvest.

When I'm working with seeds, I punch a hole in the bottom of 16 ounce cups and fill them with plain LC's Mix. Lightly wet the mix in the cups and germinate one seed in each cup. At the same time I mix enough LC's mix along with the blood/bone/kelp to fill all the 3 gallon flower pots I'm going to use for the grow. After about two weeks, the seedlings and the blood/bone/kelp mix are ready. I transplant the seedlings into the 3 gallon pots and just add water until harvest.
When you go to flower and pull up the males, save the mix in the pots. It is ready to be used again immediately. Just remove the root ball and transplant another seedling into it.

RECIPE #2

If you want to use guano in your soil mix...
Bongaloid's Guano Mix.
Use all these items combined with one gallon of soil mix.

1/3C hi N Guano Mexican Bat Guano or Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/2C hi P Guano (Jamaican or Indonesian Bat Guano)
1TBS Kelp Meal
(OPTIONAL) 1TBS Jersey Greensand

RECIPE #3 (My favorite)
If you want to use guano tea and kelp...

Guano Tea and Kelp:

Seedlings less than 1 month old nutrient tea mix

Mix 1 cup earthworm castings into 5 gallons of water to make the tea. Add 5 tsp. Black Strap Molasses.
Use it to water your seedlings with every 2nd or 3rd watering.

Veg mix-

1/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/3 cup High N Bat Guano (Mexican)
1/3 cup Earth Worm Castings (EWC)

(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)

Mix with water @ 1 cup of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.

To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Maxicrop or Neptune's Harvest liquid seaweed.
5 tsp. Black Strap Molasses

Use it to water with every 3rd watering.

Flowering nute tea mix:

2/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano
2/3 cup Earth Worm Castings
2/3 cup High P Guano (Indonesian or Jamaican)

(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)

Mix with water @ 2 cups of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.

To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Maxicrop or Neptune's Harvest liquid seaweed.
5 tsp. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with EVERY watering.

You can use queen size knee high nylon stockings for tea bags. 3 pair for a dollar at the dollar store. Tell 'em you use them for paint strainers. Put the recommended tea in the stocking, tie a loop knot in it and hang it in your tea bucket. The tea should look like a mud puddle. Agitate the bag in the water vigorously. An aquarium pump and air stone will dissolve oxygen into the solution and keep the good bacteria (microherd) alive and thriving. Let it bubble a day or two before you use it. If you find you are making too much tea and having to throw it out, use 2 1/2 gallons of water and cut the nute amount by half.


RECIPE #4
Three Little Birds Method
40 gallons used soil
4 cups alfalfa meal
4 cups bone meal
4 cups kelp meal
4 cups powdered dolomite lime
30 pound bag of earthworm castings . . .
That’s the basic recipe . . .
However we also like to use
4 cups of Greensand
4 cups of Rock Phosphate
4 cups of diatomaceous earth


RECIPE #5
Fish and Seaweed (This is sooo easy)
1 capful is 1 TB or 15 ml.

For veg growth…
1 capful 5-1-1 Fish Emulsion
1 capful Neptune's Harvest 0-0-1 Seaweed or Maxicrop liquid
1 gallon H2O

For early flowering…
1 tbs. Neptune’s Harvest 2-3-1 Fish/Seaweed
1 gallon H2O

For mid to late flowering…
1 tbs. Neptune’s Harvest 2-4-1 Fish
1 gallon H2O


And now for some more good tips...

Seed Germination

First, you'll need some LC's Mix
I use Sunleaves Super Starter Plugs. They are pre-moistened. I drop one seed down in the hole. Gently push them to the bottom of the hole. No need to cover the hole.
I use a 5.5" X 5.5" square Kord pot or any 1 to 3 quart nursery pot and fill it full to the top with the LC's Mix. Don't pack it. Dig out enough soil mix to place one plug into one pot of mix about level with the top of the mix in the pot.
Set the seed in the plug in the mix in the pot aside in a 75 to 85 degree well lit space until the seedlings sprout.
Don't water it, sing to it, piss on it or anything else that will kill it with what you may think is kindness.

Listen up, this is important...
When the leaves of the seedlings are about one inch above the top of the plug, push the plug down into the LC's mix until the seedling leaves are just below the top of the pot. Now use some fresh LC's Mix and gently pack it around the stem of the seedling all the way up to the first leaves. When finished, the mix should be level across the top just below the bottom of the leaves a millimeter or two. Not all seeds will sprout at the same time so you will have to do this at different times. If you don't push the plugs down and support the stems with mix, they will fall over and die. If the stems continue to stretch you can push the plugs down further into the mix. These little suckers are robust below the surface of the mix. Don't be afraid of pushing them down gently.
The moisture in the mix should be plenty for several days. Don't let it completely dry out or soak it down with water. Add no nutes to the mix for about two weeks.
Your seedlings can stay in these pots for 2 to 4 weeks and then can be transplanted into a grow medium rich in organic food like blood/bone/kelp.
I hope this helps get you started. It's worked for me many hundreds of times.

Organic pH issues

I hear a lot of people asking or talking about the pH of their organic soil mix or organic nute solution and how they might correct or adjust it. pH in organics is not an issue like it is in synthetic growing.
The best place to settle the pH issues in organics is within the grow medium. A medium rich in humates (humus) is the place to start. Humates work to "buffer" the pH of organic mediums and the nutes you pour (or mix) into it.
Humates come from compost, worm castings and bottled humus. If you use a peat based medum, use dolomite lime to raise the pH of the acidic peat. Dolomite should be used in any soil or soiless medium to provide magnesium and calcium. But since we are talking about pH here, I'll mention dolomite lime's pH correction benefits.
A medium of coir has a pH near neutral (or 7.0). But humates are still neded to allow uptake of organic nutrients that are outside a near neutral pH range.
With an active medium rich in humates you can pour in nutes like Pure Blend Pro, Earth Juice and guano teas way outside the optimum pH range without worry. The humus will allow the nutes to be taken up through the roots, even at such an extreme pH reading.
So throw those pH meters away folks and enjoy the ease and safety of organic gardening.

Chlorine tap water

Just a word of caution for you organic heads out there...
If you are tapped onto a municipal water supply that uses chlorine to kill bacteria in the water, it'll do the same thing to the bacteria (microherd) in your organic food source.
Always bubble your municipal water in an open container (5 gallon bucket) for 24 hours before adding ANYTHING organic to it.

Flushing

There is absolutely no reason to "flush" organic nute solutions from your soil mix. In an organic grow, the plants don't take up the organic nutes (guano, bone, blood or kelp). The bacteria eat the organic nutes and excrete food that the plant can feed off of. So the organic nutes don't need to be flushed because they never enter the plant. And besides, meals like kelp, bone and blood along with worm castings and dolomite can't be flushed from your soil mix anyway. If you use guano and seaweed, try using plain water or worm casting tea for your last watering or two so the plant can use up what's left in the soil. But drowning your soil with water isn't necessary.

Burn1

Why does it have to be soilless? Can't I have a organic soil mix?

 

[Kozmo]

I'm so confused... The more I read the more I feel lost.
Okay time to attempt at getting my bearings on this soil situation.
This is what I plan on using: Fox Farm Ocean forest potting soil, Fox farm original planting mix, Light warrior seed starter, black gold potting soil, and chunky perlite. All in equal parts. I can cook it but need some basic instructions on that. I hope this is organic but not sure. Will be adding a tea brew once a week and it will have a automatic watering system so to speak(can look up details under the introduce yourself forum under "Kozmo's Intrpo").