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bobblehead's organic bedroom of high brix gardening

Treetroit City

Moderately Super
Veteran
Thanks FF. I'm excited to show what I can do now that I have all the big boy toys. :D. The room practically runs itself.



Let's keep the vibes positive... :ying: everyone is welcome as long as everyone respects everyone else. I'll do whatever I want though... Its my thread. Lol



:yeahthats

You're absolutely right.
Snarky remark removed from my post. Love me some sealed goodness.
 

bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
I drove right past a cop with some five foot tall plant a friend gave me when he lost power for two days and they started to flower. He had no room in his flower room for about 2 more weeks. He gave me five plants and they were all crammed up against the windows. No way you could not say they were dope. Half the windshield passenger windows and the back windows all jammed with pot leaves on full display. Haha.

And what the hell starting a thread over here with out telling me. Your a real, well you figure it out.

I didn't tell anyone. I knew everyone would find me eventually. I needed to step outside the vert forum and breath some fresh air. I'm sure you'll get over it.

:chin:

Damn! Looks like everyone is switchin back and forth these days. Just when Im ready to dump the dirt in the yard and break out the coir / maxi, guys like Bobble and Lapides are pullin numbers with big effortless beds.

:chin:


So goin sealed really makes all the difference huh? Im waffling on how to set up my first full size room. Crazy exhaust, or cut a hole in an interior wall for a big window banger (or two)?

Bangers work if that's what you have, but I'm using a mini split. I highly recommend going sealed with a split. I'm actually considering adding 2 more tons of ac so I can get the room up to 10kw. It would be a tight fit, but it would be worth it.


Good to see you persevering, Bobble. It's nice to see others 'Learning while Earning' and constantly making changes to optimize for a situation. I can def hear you on the SOG's. Seems easy on paper, but then something always comes up in execution. One in the hand, they say...

The last year i had 4 tents stuffed in a room. 2 4x8s with 2k, 1 4x8 with 1200, and 1 4.5 x 6 with 1200. Each light was a week on an 8 week cycle. Even with undervegged, not so healthy plants, I was pullin half a pound to a pound weekly in recycled soil, with approx 10 - 16 plants per light in 2 - 3 gallon bags. I was more concerned with the weekly rotation than overall health/yield/canopy, but after a few months of that i felt like i was cutting myself short. Many plants would finish too short, the canopy was patchy, with plenty of unused spaces. But it was a paycheck.

Then the heat came and prompted a reevaluation. It really seems beds are the way to max out with organics. My tents are running on a flip box, so vegging in the flower room isnt an option, and dragging 100gal+ beds around weekly up and down stairs solo doesnt seem plausible.

All you have to do is supplement with fluorescent lighting to lengthen the photo-period and keep your plants in veg. I will be vegging for at least a week in the big room. I want the roots to be well adjusted before the flip. I'm going to set my veg room up as a completely separate veg and flower room as well. Clones will be kept in a pre-veg area. I don't need a whole room for pre-veg.

Thats when I saw Lapides' new thread. He veg's for 3 weeks in 3 gallons and then plants them into the beds, almost as if the bed was an ebb and flow table.

Now seeing you do something similar REALLY has me thinking. Are you vegging in your beds, or in a separate room in smaller containers?

My plants have been vegging about a month and got up potted to #5's from #2's about a week ago. I vegged them under 3 430w hps lamps in another room. Now they're in the beds and vegging.

I was thinking of just using large smart pots in lieu of beds, but it really seems that the soil web is better established in the largest mass possible. Having my total soil amount spread over several smaller beds seems it will just exacerbate problems, and shrink the buffering capacity of a large bed.

My beds cost $100ea and took 20mins to build. When you're talking about soil, the bigger the better imo.

Anyway, Im ramblin off cheese and espresso for breakfast. Glad to see a new thread Bobble. Im always excited to see what you do next. Subbed.

I hope I was able to answer some of your questions... You'll get a better idea of what I do over the next few weeks. I'm on board with organics 100% with everything now, including my veggies. This fall I'm turning my lawn organic. I'm an organic fanatic.

nice new thread bobbles, i like the direction you are heading!! wanna share your soil mix / feeding schedule / tea mix?

:tiphat:
lookin proper as usual, big ups!!

oh my... Well my soil is a bit of guess work at the moment...

Each bed has 4 3.8cuft bales of promix, and 2cuft of grow rocks. The first grow I only added 6lbs of Dr. Earth 4-4-4, and foliar sprayed CaCl2 w/ triacontanol at lights on 1x a week for the first few weeks at lights on, followed by a EWC/alfalfa/microbe tea. Now I also have ful humix, Pure Protein Dry, quillaja, yucca, and I have to order some kelp... I had ordered it but the shipper/business owner was inept and the first gallon was destroyed in the mail, and he never reshipped after I contacted him regarding the issue. The frequency of the feeds really depends on the BRIX levels, but last grow I was going with 2 separate sprays in sequence 1x a week until week 5. I'll get into BRIX later.

Recently amended to each bed: 20 cups EWC w/ worms, 2 cups alfalfa meal, 3lbs Dr. Earth 4-4-4, 2 cups lime, 1 cup rock phosphate, 2 cups green sand, 4tbsp Pure Protein Dry, 2 tbsp ful humix, 2 tbsp CAPS nute pack. I plan on adding some oyster shell powder and soft rock phosphate when I can get it. Honestly I'm totally guessing with these amendments. I need to have a soil test conducted after this grow to see what's in my soil and what I need to add. When I do add backs, I'll try and use different sources for everything than what I've already used. This adds to the diversity. Oh yeah, I also added oil-dry which is mostly silica and fullers earth. I need to get some azomite too. All in time.

I will have more to share as I go on...

tagging along for the :canabis: ride

welcome aboard. :dance013:
 

bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
I'm just trying to get by...
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This is my refractometer for measuring BRIX. This type of refractometer measures sugars. What you do is take a couple leaves, roll them up, and stick the wad into that clamp, and squeeze out some sap. This allows you to see the sugar content of the sap, and know whether or not your fertilizers are effective, or if you're just wasting them. A vital tool for any chlorophyll manager, and not expensive at all. This one cost me $30. A BRIX above 12 indicates generally good health and NATURAL pest and disease resistance. I've seen a BRIX as high as 24, and as low as 2. Yeah, that's right, plants have immune systems like you and me. Weak plants attract bugs that suck the sap out of them and kill the plant. Its called natural selection. Synthetic nutrients kill BRIX, and even in the event of high BRIX with synthetic nutes, the plants are still subject to insect pressure and the use of pesticides and fungicides may be necessary. Pesticides like the ones killing the honey bees we need to pollinate our crops... Oh yeah, and you can even read Ca and K levels with this thing!
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this is my atomizer that I use for foliar feeds. It blows everything everywhere. Love it.
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bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
Here's what's currently the veg, with 3 430w HPS in cool tubes. 6" fan/scrubber combo to 8" tubes and insulated duct. Works better than air exchange alone was doing, and that's a fact. I just have to take those tubes down and clean them down. They're dirty.
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The big room has 4 20A 110v circuits just for light. Digital controls for synchronization.
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I have to clean this up a bit, but here's the a/c condensate feeding the fogger and the Marey CO2 genny. I also use the water to feed my plants. gettogro recently had a problem fogging with this water, so I don't recommend everyone use it. My room is loaded full of beneficial bacteria as it is... So I'm not concerned.
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1 5 disc fogger gets the whole room up to where I need it to be. I was surprised. It helps that I have 3 4'x8' living breathing beds in the room.
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bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
Ok this is totally not safe wiring, so I'll update it once I have this enclosed... but this is how I control my dehuey. It keeps frying 15A controllers, and they don't make 20A 110v dehumidistats that I know of. So, my dayton dehumidistat controls a DPDT relay, which turns power to my dehuey on and off. I know this idea has helped at least 1 other person here, so there it is. More uses for DPDT relays.
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bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
ah, more tools! My light meter and tensiometer. I've found that plants seems to produce the best buds in the 5-7kfc range. Maybe one day I'll get a umol meter, but foot candles are more common so I went with this meter from Pyle. The tensiometer is from blumat, and works just like an emitter, except it has the digital cap instead of the one with tubing. I'll be pulling my blumats back out and using this to dial them in. One less thing I'll have to do in the room. The tensiometer only costs $50! I recommend it to anyone considering using blumats.
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This bed is partitioned into 3 sections. The others don't have partitions. That's just in case I want to run different genetics. I was going to go back and take the partitions out, but then I found out that the microbes do better if you don't till the soil... So if it aint broke, don't fix it. No till means you only dig up where you're going to bury your plant. Those dead leaves aren't a mess. They're mulch.
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bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
My grows are about life, because my soil is alive! Here's a centipede that popped up while I was playing in the dirt. If you looked close, you would see millions of soil mites as well. My camera isn't good enough to capture them. These animals break down organic matter into smaller organic matter that the bacteria and fungi consume that makes food for the plants.
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A crucial part of the soil food web are worms! They're gonna mix the soil up for me and keep it aerated since its no till, as well as creating plant nutes and spreading bacteria. If I was to ever see worms escaping, that would be an indicator something is seriously wrong in my beds! Canary in the coal mine! I've had these worms a few months now, been feeding them leaves, banana peels, other food scraps...
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So welcome to the show. I'm burning 6.2kw right now. As the temps get cooler, I should be able to replace a 600w lamp with a 1kw lamp, and then each bed will have 2200w. Right now the bed closest to us in the pic only has 1800w. 9 plants! 3 straw DD, 3 Golden Goat, 3 Death Star. Medically compliant with #'s to fill another room!
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haha, nice karma man. You look like you know you way around some arts and crafts too lol. I'll have to remember the bed if I decide to stick with soil
 

bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
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haha, nice karma man. You look like you know you way around some arts and crafts too lol. I'll have to remember the bed if I decide to stick with soil

arts and crafts suggests I own a glue gun, and I don't. I have lithium ion power tools. ;) Thanks.
 

megayields

Grower of Connoisseur herb's.
ICMag Donor
Veteran
RE> This is my refractometer for measuring BRIX.

I grew up using a refractometer in the vinyards of California to check sugar levels.
 

megayields

Grower of Connoisseur herb's.
ICMag Donor
Veteran
RE> Ok this is totally not safe wiring, so I'll update it

Man and I thought I was ghetto......:biggrin:
 
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bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
lol...

If anyone is interested in more details about refractometers and the benefits of high brix gardening, you should watch this video. I can't embed a video for the life of me, but I'm going to try. It won't work, so I'll provide the link to the page hosting the video. I found it very informative.

http://vimeo.com/6689994
 

high life 45

Seen your Member?
Veteran
Happy to find the new thread and to see what your up to. Serious question here...Are you gonna start observing lunar cycles? Many of the organic heads garden with the moon. We have a stella natura calender at the house for the veggie garden.

Just our of curiosity..Are you implementing these organic practices into your life as well? I highly respect your decision to grow organically, when you mentioned BRIX and bees it got me thinking..Growing organic pot inside isn't doing much for the bees getting killed by pesticides used on gmo crops. Not consuming conventional produce and supporting the og farmers who dont use pesticides is a good way to help the bees...
Just wondering if your at the point were youve given up products with HFCS thats derived from gmo corn thats "round up ready" ??..pretty much ALL SODA... things like that.

Dont get the wrong idea...Im the hypocrite who uses Jacks in my ppk and eats 110% organic..im a straight up food snob atm

Don't burn your grow down with his wiring set up.

:laughing::thank you:
lol
srgb got on my case for having my lamp cords in a coil in my flip flop thread cant imagine what she will say when she see metal tape holding up electrical wires...use your lithium ion tools and screw down a zip tie or something... I know you have your stuff covered, its all the half assed stoned kids trying to copy you that I worry about.

Keep wearing down those electric trimmers..

that straw dd makes me drool ..
 
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bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
Happy to find the new thread and to see what your up to. Serious question here...Are you gonna start observing lunar cycles? Many of the organic heads garden with the moon. We have a stella natura calender at the house for the veggie garden.

Just our of curiosity..Are you implementing these organic practices into your life as well? I highly respect your decision to grow organically, when you mentioned BRIX and bees it got me thinking..Growing organic pot inside isn't doin:woohoo::woohoo:g much for the bees getting killed by pesticides used on gmo crops. Not consuming conventional produce and supporting the og farmers who dont use pesticides is a good way to help the bees...
Just wondering if your at the point were youve given up products with HFCS thats derived from gmo corn thats "round up ready" ??..pretty much ALL SODA... things like that.

Dont get the wrong idea...Im the hypocrite who uses Jacks in my ppk and eats 110% organic..im a straight up food snob atm



:laughing::thank you:
lol
srgb got on my case for having my lamp cords in a coil in my flip flop thread cant imagine what she will say when she see metal tape holding up electrical wires...use your lithium ion tools and screw down a zip tie or something... I know you have your stuff covered, its all the half assed stoned kids trying to copy you that I worry about.

Keep wearing down those electric trimmers..

that straw dd makes me drool ..

Lol I was just reading about the lunar cycles a bit... I haven't paid much attention to it so far, but eventually I'll get on a lunar calendar with my grow. It really does make a difference from what I can tell. Its not a bunch of voodoo.

The bees comment wasn't so much about indoor cannabis as the ag industry as a whole, which primarily relies on synthetic ferts. Cheaper isn't better especially when it comes to what we put in our bodies... So yes, BRIX is a lifestyle choice. It goes well with bodybuilding. I haven't given up HFCS, but you won't find it in my house. I normally drink water or tea. Sometimes I have diet soda. I haven't bought veggies all summer, and I have about a 2-3 month supply in the freezer. The tomato plants are really producing now, so its tomatoes with everything! Lol. Next year I'm going big and I'll grow enough high brix produce to last the year. The next step is to move away from store bought chicken... I want to get some venison in the freezer. Salmon would be nice too, but its a little late in the year now. Itchybod says I should raise my own chickens. I just don't have the property for that right now.

Lol and that wire is supported with a piece of wood screwed into the ceiling. The tape is just holding it tight against the wall. I have the enclosure, I've just been lazy. I'll get it fixed proper soon.

Kids will be kids... They don't need me to help them make bad decisions. :)
 
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