If your feed is unbalanced and you jack it way up the unbalance will reveal itself in a hurry. That is why people say you cannot feed aggresively
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The Lounge : Growers Round Table Discussion Thread
- Thread starter growingcrazy
- Start date
If your feed is unbalanced and you jack it way up the unbalance will reveal itself in a hurry. That is why people say you cannot feed aggresively
I have zero use for m3 at all. I don’t think it applies to to high organic mixes at all.
I get s3 and s5 from aglabs
growingcrazy
Well-known member
Sure will.
Some would say the amount of P we run is unbalanced...I think you and I know that isn't the case.
I only posted "and that is why P" in the previous post because I tried to copy and paste the article from Canton mills by Reams...just wouldn't work in a readable format.
Who has the best prices on testing?
MSU doesn't compete price wise with Spectrum but I think Spectrum finds the newest intern they can to run the K series of tests.
M
moose eater
I'm editing the posting of my recent mix. I put it together tonight, and got -very- different results re. ph.
I had to add another 9 TBSP of dolomite, in addition to the oyster shell flour and the existing dolomite, as well as 2 TBSP of Lilly Miller's Super Sweet (something I only typically use very sparingly, like maybe 1 TBSP for a mix at least 50 to 80% greater in volume.), and it's now registering in the lower 6 range; maybe 6.2 - 6.3 or so.
I haven't had a ph this wonky with mostly-known amendments in a LONG time. I really get perturbed when this happens, and it's been a while.
So the changes I'm editing into the original posting are an increase to the dolomite of 9 TBSP, making a total of 19 TBSP of dolomite, and 2 TBSP of Super Sweet.
For the total of 16.5 gallons dry-weight, I'm approaching the amount of calcium ph buffers that I would typically have used in my older mixes for almost 2 x's the volume.
At what point have I created an issue with excess calcium, or have I already reached it??
I'll let it sit overnight, covered, hydrated, and see what if any the changes are from sitting.
I'm blown away by this!!
The most likely suspects are; New source of worm castings, zeolite in slightly increased volume, to the new 7.5 cups, or older Ocean Forest, as some bagged soils will transition form a balanced ph to an acid; I know of another who found this with Miracle Grow's bagged soils a long time ago.
I'm at a loss at this point. No definitive clue as to what the massive change was!
Has anyone got an educated opinion on the current amount of calcium added at this point?
If the mix is still holding at 6.2 or so in the A.M., then I'm intending to put rooted clones into a smaller portion of it, after reducing the intensity of the ferts by adding a bit of add'l Pro-Mix, Vermiculite and perlite.
I had to add another 9 TBSP of dolomite, in addition to the oyster shell flour and the existing dolomite, as well as 2 TBSP of Lilly Miller's Super Sweet (something I only typically use very sparingly, like maybe 1 TBSP for a mix at least 50 to 80% greater in volume.), and it's now registering in the lower 6 range; maybe 6.2 - 6.3 or so.
I haven't had a ph this wonky with mostly-known amendments in a LONG time. I really get perturbed when this happens, and it's been a while.
So the changes I'm editing into the original posting are an increase to the dolomite of 9 TBSP, making a total of 19 TBSP of dolomite, and 2 TBSP of Super Sweet.
For the total of 16.5 gallons dry-weight, I'm approaching the amount of calcium ph buffers that I would typically have used in my older mixes for almost 2 x's the volume.
At what point have I created an issue with excess calcium, or have I already reached it??
I'll let it sit overnight, covered, hydrated, and see what if any the changes are from sitting.
I'm blown away by this!!
The most likely suspects are; New source of worm castings, zeolite in slightly increased volume, to the new 7.5 cups, or older Ocean Forest, as some bagged soils will transition form a balanced ph to an acid; I know of another who found this with Miracle Grow's bagged soils a long time ago.
I'm at a loss at this point. No definitive clue as to what the massive change was!
Has anyone got an educated opinion on the current amount of calcium added at this point?
If the mix is still holding at 6.2 or so in the A.M., then I'm intending to put rooted clones into a smaller portion of it, after reducing the intensity of the ferts by adding a bit of add'l Pro-Mix, Vermiculite and perlite.
Even for soil samples?
So there is a place we can send leaf samples to? They will accept Cannabis?
Very curious...
Very curious...
Also is it leaf testing or sap testing?
M
moose eater
>>""#2 no more dolomite""<<
In this specific mix in its current state? In general? In anything?
I'd always used up to 2 TBSP /gallon of mix, but typically about 1.25 to 1.5 TBSP /gal. of mix.
My local Cooperative Extension Service uses a lab called Brookside/Brook Side. Any personal info on this lab, and their efficiency, accuracy, etc., especially where 'rich' organic soilless mixes are concerned?
The newer worm castings are Roots Organic, by the way. I've been using Wonder Worm and the less-expensive Wiggle Worm, often mixed 50:50. This mix had 12.5 cups each of the Wonder Worm and Roots Organic EWC, as well as 2.5 cups of the Wiggle Worm castings.
I need to come up with something stable to put the cuttings into, as I'm down to the wire with a deadline, and I may simply put this more recent mix aside, and whip up a more known commodity, more bland, etc., but done TODAY.
Apparently from the time of submission, the lab our local Cooperative Extension Service uses (Brookside) is about a 2-week delay to get results in-hand.
In this specific mix in its current state? In general? In anything?
I'd always used up to 2 TBSP /gallon of mix, but typically about 1.25 to 1.5 TBSP /gal. of mix.
My local Cooperative Extension Service uses a lab called Brookside/Brook Side. Any personal info on this lab, and their efficiency, accuracy, etc., especially where 'rich' organic soilless mixes are concerned?
The newer worm castings are Roots Organic, by the way. I've been using Wonder Worm and the less-expensive Wiggle Worm, often mixed 50:50. This mix had 12.5 cups each of the Wonder Worm and Roots Organic EWC, as well as 2.5 cups of the Wiggle Worm castings.
I need to come up with something stable to put the cuttings into, as I'm down to the wire with a deadline, and I may simply put this more recent mix aside, and whip up a more known commodity, more bland, etc., but done TODAY.
Apparently from the time of submission, the lab our local Cooperative Extension Service uses (Brookside) is about a 2-week delay to get results in-hand.
M
moose eater
The reagent in my test kit is alcohol-based, and typically gets past any slow-release amendments by that virtue, in determining ph. Even prilled.
Yet this morning, the ph that started as a 5.3-5.4 late last night, then became barely a 6.2, is now at a 6.5 and holding (for now) without further adjustment.
So what ever the addition is that represented itself as being so acidic, is giving way to something that's slow to show and neutralizing it a bit.
Again, the alcohol based reagent typically has no problem reading past stubborn amendments in coming to a good reading. In this case, something got in the way. And I'm stumped. Synergy? Maybe.
Apologies if this is too elementary or I fail to read the accepted short-hand very well..
If it's more convenient or appropriate to this thread, I can try and seek these answers elsewhere.
Brookside's fees are $40/sample. I'll be submitting a sample this morning or soon after.. Raw results in ~1 week, and about twice that wait for results with a recommendation write-up.
For now, I'm probably going to cut the current mix by adding half the volume in equal parts Pro-Mix and perlite to a 4 gallon amount of the mix from last night (1 gallon of Pro-Mix and 1 gallon of Perlite, or Perlite and Vermiculite 50:50) and planting the rooted clones. I don't have many other viable options, other than to maybe go back to a an older established mix.
Yet this morning, the ph that started as a 5.3-5.4 late last night, then became barely a 6.2, is now at a 6.5 and holding (for now) without further adjustment.
So what ever the addition is that represented itself as being so acidic, is giving way to something that's slow to show and neutralizing it a bit.
Again, the alcohol based reagent typically has no problem reading past stubborn amendments in coming to a good reading. In this case, something got in the way. And I'm stumped. Synergy? Maybe.
Apologies if this is too elementary or I fail to read the accepted short-hand very well..
If it's more convenient or appropriate to this thread, I can try and seek these answers elsewhere.
Brookside's fees are $40/sample. I'll be submitting a sample this morning or soon after.. Raw results in ~1 week, and about twice that wait for results with a recommendation write-up.
For now, I'm probably going to cut the current mix by adding half the volume in equal parts Pro-Mix and perlite to a 4 gallon amount of the mix from last night (1 gallon of Pro-Mix and 1 gallon of Perlite, or Perlite and Vermiculite 50:50) and planting the rooted clones. I don't have many other viable options, other than to maybe go back to a an older established mix.
M
moose eater
The soil(less) mix sample is in process.
The outfit I used is very generous, assessing what appear to be fairly reasonable rates for the tests, and have offered to help share the cost of the EWCs I'll have them analyze in the next couple days, as they see this as a mutual benefit to any and all interested (local?) parties. Including themselves.
I'll be taking them samples of 3 different EWCs, and may take in other amendments I'm suspicious of. They agree that variance from batch to batch, even from the same sources/companies, can be a problem.
The outfit I used is very generous, assessing what appear to be fairly reasonable rates for the tests, and have offered to help share the cost of the EWCs I'll have them analyze in the next couple days, as they see this as a mutual benefit to any and all interested (local?) parties. Including themselves.
I'll be taking them samples of 3 different EWCs, and may take in other amendments I'm suspicious of. They agree that variance from batch to batch, even from the same sources/companies, can be a problem.
growingcrazy
Well-known member
Do you have a farm/feed supply store near your M.E. or is the hydro store the only option?
Really looking forward to the results on the EWC. You will get to see why we have almost no reason to ever add Mg to any soils... Whatever amount of Mg you start with in your base mix...you are pretty much stuck with for a long time...more so than any other element. EWC will ruin a mix quicker than anything else...
Really looking forward to the results on the EWC. You will get to see why we have almost no reason to ever add Mg to any soils... Whatever amount of Mg you start with in your base mix...you are pretty much stuck with for a long time...more so than any other element. EWC will ruin a mix quicker than anything else...
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M
moose eater
I've had what appeared to be Mg deficiencies where adding more made things much worse. A long time learning that many things in deficiency appear the same or similar in efficiency.
Based on posts here, I've reduced my EWC in my mixes by 20-30%
In the Interior, there's a decent feed store that sells gardening stuff, but even with our hydro stores in rural areas (and there's at least 2 I know of in Fairbanks), often times the only way to get some more obscure items is to head to Anchorage, and even then, for some things, they'll have to order items from the Lower-48 that they don't and likely won't stock.. With those items often arriving on barges, then trucks. So trying to time trips to the Big City takes some effort to have them coincide with transport & pick-up..
Thank you for the reply, and for the help.
These are the ones that roll side to side to minimize aisles. Frequent maintenance yes but no tipping. They are pretty heavy duty
