Help trying organic for the first time

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

Since I started using barley teas and protekt the girth of the main stem and branches is simply off the charts. My veg plants are so goddamn healthy I can hear them laughing when some PM lands on them.
That's certainly the best way I've come across to take care of PM.

Johnny- Are you familiar with the "lift" method to determine when to water? If so, forget you ever learned it.
Wet/dry cycle...forget that too.
Ideally we are trying to keep the soil evenly moist...not soggy. If you pick up the pot and it feels like it is full of water...leave it be. If it feels like it is almost empty...you waited a bit too long. I never really water until I see runoff anymore. There is no black/white answer here as far as every two days or three or whatever. You need to water when the plant needs it.

I have some protekt I've never used... I am going to do some serious reading about teas...those may not be as frequent this run since I feel like I don't know enough yet and don't want to kill everything...

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Do you use teas with blumats or do you top water those?

Just top watering - I had some problems early in my Blumat experiences and went the straight water route.

Sunnydog has a thread that's been running for a few years which is a great resource - Blumat Auto Watering. He and others have really presented the best information that you'll find to set these devices to maximum effect.

Worth your time reviewing if you're interested.

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

Yes, I have checked put blue mats in the past and have read a good part of that thread in the past... The flood stories kinda scared me away though... I think I really want to handwater until I start feeling more comfortable with everything...

 

[ClackamasCootz]

A good way to proceed, IMHO

 

[Microbeman]

johnnyrotten
.

Worm Castings do not exist as it takes well over a year to turn the material into 100% worm castings. Vermicompost should be about 65 - 70% castings. The price on pure worm castings is in the stratosphere as you would expect.


CC

The only pure castings I've seen came from 2 farms in British Columbia which raise large African composting worms. They actually collect these castings in a two or three month period. They use shallow bins and top feed peatmoss and whole wheat crush of some kind. The worms like a drier, warmer than usual environment and create large poops which are easily harvested.

I don't like them because of the restricted diet. Some large American distributor buys them all as far as I know.

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

Thanks microbeman, I got in touch with my local worm lady and she calls it vermicompost... She sent me a email detailing her test results from a SoilFoodWeb lab and how she grows them etc... She's really into her worms, probably as much as I'm into my medicine...

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

Here is a question for everybody... Can you add root balls, stems, leaves (plant waste) etc to the soil mix to have it break down?

 

[ClackamasCootz]

The only pure castings I've seen came from 2 farms in British Columbia which raise large African composting worms. They actually collect these castings in a two or three month period. They use shallow bins and top feed peatmoss and whole wheat crush of some kind. The worms like a drier, warmer than usual environment and create large poops which are easily harvested.

I don't like them because of the restricted diet. Some large American distributor buys them all as far as I know.

MM

The only source I stumbled on was down in California's wine country, Sonoma County. Very high prices and their castings were primarily being sold to organic vineyards and farms.

Then again, they were promoting and selling the brewers from Growing Solutions - the 'micro-bubble' guys in Eugene! LOL

I had an opportunity to look at one of these brewers at a trade show which was made with clear materials so that you could how everything worked - bad mistake. All it really demonstrated was that this unit couldn't generate enough air bubbles to keep a goldfish alive.

Keep swingin' boys!

 

[CT Guy]

If you're in WA State, this is the best source I've found:
http://wormdirt.net/

I've looked at the product under the microscope and was impressed. Zero fillers, just as pure castings as she was able to harvest. Probably not as pure as MM's source, but way better than everything else I've seen on a commercial level. In fact, she refuses to call her product "castings" because it's near impossible to get just castings when you harvest. Very ethical woman, I'd vouch for her stuff.

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

Yeah, I'm not in WA... I wish I was!

 

[ClackamasCootz]

johnnyrotten

Check with Worm Composting Canada which is part of Bentley's Red Worm Composting group of websites

The Canada link has worm castings for sale. At least it's a starting point perhaps.

CC

 

[IncredibowlBoss]

Help trying organic for the first time

Ok, I've completed one coco hydro grow with pretty good results, I have also experimented with PPK's and have had great results so far...I've got a couple more plants that just started flowering using Jacks Hydroponic's in PPK with huge growth...

Even though I have had good results in hydro, I realized that i absolutely hate making RO water and mixing nutes, worrying about leaks in the system, float height, ph levels, ppm levels...etc...

I am thinking about trying a couple plants organic...I like the idea of recycling the soil, no flushing, better taste and a better overall product instead of increased yield since I only grow for myself... I had a couple of plants that smelled extremely chemical/pine/fuelly after 3 weeks of flushing that I want to make sure isn't nutes...the buds burn clean but they all taste pretty good but I want the best quality...

I have a few clones that are ready to go in my aero cloner, I think I'm going to put them into a 1g smart pot and feed them Roots Organic Grow until I can get my mix figured out...

I am thinking of using LC's Mix #1;

5 parts Coco
3 parts Perlite
2 parts Earthworm Castings
2 tablespoons powdered dolomite lime per gallon

and for nutes (mixed into soilless mix)

Every 5 gallons
1 Cup Mexican Bat Guano
1/2 cup Jamacain Bat Guano
1/2 cup Indonesian Bat Guano
1/4 cup Peruvian Bird Guano
10 Tbs Kelp meal
5 Tbs Green sand
5 Tbs Domolite lime

My goal is to use water only, add no nutes or boosters throughout the grow and get the best tasting, most natural bud I can...

Can I mix this and start using it immediately or do I need to let it cook for a few weeks?

I also had another thought, wouldn't it be smarter to mix the everything into the soilless mix except the guano and top feed those at different points during the grow to match each plants needs?

Congrats on coming over to the err... dirty side. In a few months, you'll have permanent dirt under your fingernails, forget where you left your pH meter, laugh when people talk about flushing, and have NO idea what the latest and greatest grow store supplement is!

Your quality in terms of potency will be at least the same - flavor and aroma are at a whole new level - and with good space management, your yields won't suffer too much (just pulled .7 grams per watt from 2 beds of 6 plants each under 1k).

Looks like you're already getting advice from the best around - good luck!

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

Thanks guys...

CC, I've got the worm castings handled...

Here is what is not available to me locally... That I would have to order...

Neem or Karanja meal
Crab meal
Gypsum
Crab meal
Pumice
Glacial rock dust

What I have available is

Peat moss
Coco
Compost
Humus
Ewc
Bone meal
Kelp meal
Blood meal
Guano - all kinds
Dolomite lime
Perlite
Texas greensand
Alfalfa

 

[FunTimesIndeed]

If you've already got perlite and can't find pummice, don't bother with shipping. Same could be said for greensand + dolomite lime and gypsum. The glacial rock dust isn't a deal breaker either. I would just get some neem and some kind of shell meal (it's the chitan we're after) for some bug control and go at it.

Let's say the base could be 1 part EWC, 1 part compost, 2 parts peat, 2 parts perlite. For every 7.5 gallons (a cubic foot) throw in a half cup each of bone meal, guano, kelp, neem, greensand, and crab. Do a whole cup of alfalfa and a 1/4 cup of dolomite lime. Be sure to save some castings for making tea and slurry.

EDIT: When you say something is available, you mean you haven't bought it right? I would skip the bone and guano. I was thinking you already had that stuff.

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

What I have on hand is
Coco - not using this
Kelp meal
Perlite
Greensand

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

Here is a question for everybody... Can you add root balls, stems, leaves (plant waste) etc to the soil mix to have it break down?

^^^^
Yes. No problems here.

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

^^^^
Yes. No problems here.

Another bonus to organic growing...

 

[ClackamasCootz]

A living soil is just that - living

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

So dude you've got everything available to make Coot's base mix.

Peat
Compost/EWC
Perlite

Dry amendments-
I've been subbing alfalfa for neem. This won't provide the protection against pests, but it works
You've got kelp meal.
You need to get crab meal.

I believe Stan's liming mix is equal parts dolomite, gypsum, and oyster shell. Use this instead of Coot's. I did something similar w/ half the plants I have in flower right now.

Crab meal, gypsum, and oyster shell...seem to be the ones you really should source. Gypsum should be readily available at most hardware stores, Lowes, Home Depot. Oyster shell is used to feed chickens - Ag supply store. Crab may be more difficult.

Hope this helps.
RD

 

[johnnyrotten]

Help trying organic for the first time

Sounds like a plan...that's what I'm gonna do... And make some teas...