Trying to increase my understanding and application of organic farming methods

Well, I have 2 harvests under my belt now using a custom soil blend I threw together and hoped for the best with. Things worked out pretty good I must say, smoke quality is top notch, could use improvement, but what couldn't?

Yield? Decent, 2-3.5oz per plant. Not as much as I would like, but I am also trying vertical out for the first time. Need to figure out my strains a bit more, for instance, the phantom cookies I think likes to go untopped then it will spread out on stretch, my hash plant though I tried untopped last run, no bueno. So once I learn my strains a bit more, yield will obviously increase.

My room is not dialed in at all, I have no problem admitting this, only way to grow and change is admit weaknesses. I am working on getting temp and humidity standardized, but for now I am about 50-60% humidity in dark and 30-45% during lights. I am running a dehu just to prevent any mold issue for now, because I haven't been doing many AACT's.

I know AACT's will help my plants in overall vigor and yield, I truly only gave I think 2-4 teas in the last 2 harvests in total. Veg-flower. I need to figure out a better system, or read one of yours and just copy it. I know AACT's will also help mold issues, so I could raise humidity up once I start in on these more.

Was reading all night on brix and plant sap PH. I had no idea about either of those until 12 hours ago. So thats a whole new journey.

Started a living top mulch, spread Red crimson clover seeds all around the 7.5g pots, then put EWC ontop of that as a kind of crust. Clovers are all sprouted through, have done 2 waterings since then. Picked up some fir micro bark to also use as a mulch, hope this is okay.

I have been topdressing 1st week of flower bonemeal, little kelp meal, wood ash.

RECYCLING. I have truly not recycled my soil too much. I added so much to it initially, a lot of long breakdown stuff etc, and with the topdressings I haven't really needed it, or noticed I needed it. Each harvest I will empty pots, break down root balls, throw a little oyster shell in, then mix pots and replant. I have not added too much, so I need to figure that out soon.

Right now I am using 32 7.5g pots, 16 per donut, 2 floors each. I want to switch over to no-till this harvest or next. So I was thinking of getting smart pots or square pots or something like that. I have a 22x24inch space I can put pots in. I think 15-20gal pots is what I want to go for. I would just like to reclaim my space I use for mixing dirt etc.

Question Time: Tips on how you all do it or any suggestions or critiques very welcome.

1. In a no till situation, would I veg them in say 3gal pots, then when they are ready to flip, move them to the flower room and transplant? I always like to give the ladies a week or two to get used to their new homes. In that case does it involve me moving the 15gal pots in and out of the rooms every run to accommodate this?

2. In reference to 1, if I switch to no till is 15-20g enough dirt? Do I need more or should I use less.

3. For the living top mulch, can I just throw basically old plant clippings, clipped clover, micro bark all ontop of the EWC and growing crimson clover. Make the growing crimson fight through all that then chop it when its ready.

4. AACT's, I guess on that front, I will lookup Microbemans recipe and go from there. I really need to work on incorporating these, if anyone has any tips on getting started.

5. Foliar Feeding: How do you foliar feed effectively. I am worried I will overdo it, and I have one of those janky pressure hand sprayers from Ace. Is this the right route, or is there a smarter way. I will read more, but if someone could put up what they use to foliar on a general level that would be nice. I know there is a thread, I will read, I am just a scatterbrain.

6. I live near the ocean in northern california and the redwoods. Now I keep reading about the benefits of natural micro life that is everywhere. And these are two great sources I would say. So in terms of the ocean, can I just go down there, grab some ocean water and add that to my main water barrel in diluted rates. I heard theres lots of minerals and life in the ocean water, but to me it seems salty and dangerous.

7. This will tie in question 6, with regards to the redwoods. I setup a compost pile about 3 months ago, grabbed stuff from all around my property, and a bunch of dead/dying/alive stuff from the redwoods. I let this all compost on the bare ground, inside of a frame I made of pallets. Now it smells great, I add kitchen scraps, plant scraps, stems etc. WHen I turn it I see SO many bugs inside of it. The little ones that roll up into balls, small ants, spiders etc. Is this a bad idea to use the compost indoors? I know bugs are our friends as organic gardeners, but I worry of an infestation. So if bugs are bad, how to I fix this, or is this just outdoor compost now, and I need to start a pile on a tarp or something. So, proper way to compost, and how can I utilize my surroundings more.

8. Yarrow and ferns. They are high in potash correct? I believe I read this somewhere.

9. C02, Do you guys use c02 generators or gas to raise C02 levels. I haven't yet because I didn't know if it would have adverse reactions on my room or not. I am always bringing in fresh air and recycling it out, but not using C02 at all. Should I be?

10. Temps and humidity, I feel like I should be sitting at 77-80 degrees, 60-70% humidity without c02, and if I was to get it, 80-85 degrees, 60-70% humidity. Right now my rooms run a bit warm during the day due to temps outside, and at night they are 80-85. I am working on AC situation as we speak, rome was built in a day heh.

11. Source of Rice hulls, crab meal or shrimp meal. I can't find these things anywhere. Maybe I really am just that blind but. I have looked now. I am on the mendo coast, I should maybe start hitting up the harbors.

Sorry for the long post, but I truly want to learn more and apply more, so I can teach others and make this world better. I have already shown so many the light on how much better quality organics can make than synthetics. Socratic method, learn by asking questions.

Don't think I just made this post and I don't read, I am always reading, that may be the problem, I read 4 things at once, write down 1.5 of them and apply .5 of them. So I need to use this thread to kind of align myself and make things work better.

Others do the same, maybe we all could use this to help apply everything we have learned over the last few years into a more concise application. Thanks for reading, thanks even more for potential posts. I appreciate you all so damn much, we are making the world a better place through our dedication to medicine and people. Much love everyone, keep it going.

Started a living top mulch, spread Red crimson clover seeds all around the 7.5g pots, then put EWC ontop of that as a kind of crust. Clovers are all sprouted through, have done 2 waterings since then. Picked up some fir micro bark to also use as a mulch, hope this is okay.

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Sounds great!

3. For the living top mulch, can I just throw basically old plant clippings, clipped clover, micro bark all ontop of the EWC and growing crimson clover. Make the growing crimson fight through all that then chop it when its ready.

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i've killed spots of a living mulch carpet of rye grass before by throwing stuff on top of it ... instead, when it got too tall I would just lay it over or trim the tops so it stayed established. I have no experience with red crimson clover though ... i have some of my backyard whatever clover in there and it just grows and grows. I'll trim it back and it just gets bigger.

Makes sense, I took your advice last night and I didn't smother the growing clover. I am going to give it a few more days to get stronger, then lightly add some mulch around it.

So heres a thought, been wondering for awhile now. Its a drought here in california. In my permaculture book it talks about collecting your grey water, sink laundry etc. Could I say, run the drainage from my sink, into a pickle barrel with a 120micron filter over it. Then take that water, run it through a 37 micron, and run it through my RO system. I would like to clean the soap and sediment out, then use it for my veggie garden. Is this plausible? Would I run into any issues with overly dirty water. Thanks all.

Foolish it sounds like you may know more then me about the subject.So take what i say with a grain of salt.

To get a no till soil you should build some sort of bed with wood and pond liner with floor drains.When you harvest you can add admendments and transplants on top of the soil.Its kinda hard to have no till soil in pots!!

Co2 would help.But if you have good air exchange youre okay.Intake and exhaust.

Temps can go into mid 80's without issue during lights on.79 seems to be my sweet spot.Lights off can be up to 15 degrees cooler during lights off.

You may need more insulation in your room.If its a dedicated space insulate the shit outta it and put in a window or split ac.I have 3k in an outdoor shed in 95 degree heat with a 10k btu window ac air cooled lights big reflectors never goes over 80.

I would only use the dehumidifier water.Cant be too safe with your water source.

I am currently using organic ph up just to be safe.

My all water grow is simple.Its organic but im not sure if its alive lol I start in happy frog soil with mycos on the roots during transplant with roots organic uprising foundation.The soil is very hot but everything goes smooth.I veg for 3 to 4 weeks then jump to a 5 gallon with ocean forest and more mycos and ROOTS organic uprising bloom.

This go around i got a little burn.But things have corrected themselves properly and they are doing fine.The soil has to be hot because all i do is add water.I get very tasty buds that TASTE incredible.I have used the method twice without burn.This time i think i got a little bold..OOOH its organic it wont burn lol.

Sorry for the long winded reply.Im not saying my way is better.It should be 100% organic.You sound like you have a better grasp of the understanding then me.The method is expensive,But it works and produces excellent yield and taste potency.

I would like to try the roots uprising products in Co CO or promix.My hydro guy turned me on to the idea and it works and its fairly simple.my 2c

what up StayFoolish22

1. In a no till situation, would I veg them in say 3gal pots, then when they are ready to flip, move them to the flower room and transplant? I always like to give the ladies a week or two to get used to their new homes. In that case does it involve me moving the 15gal pots in and out of the rooms every run to accommodate this?

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you should do what is convenient for you. if you have a two room perpetual grow then transplanting is a must ... for the most part though, transplanting is avoided for no-till situations... besides the initial tp from the seed, cutting starting mix (root riot, peat puck, etc..) into their living hot spot. I forget the reasons why. it's in one of these old threads somewhere ... it's what I do, straight from a gentle beer cup nursery to a 15 gallon geopot jungle ... but, I can veg and flower in the same room.


I remember at my old house in the sticks the grass was always way greener, lush and grew faster where the washing machine drainage plumbing dumped the grey water.