cola
Active member
The only problem is that you can kill the mirobes that are truly feeding the plant if too much. That, and the balance.
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Osmocote, my favorite plant food - easy peasy, complete
- Thread starter Old Uncle Ben
- Start date
Old Uncle Ben
Well-known member
Yes, it goes a VERY long way. Can't beat the economics especially if you compare it to the phoney "cannabis specific" products.
It's not cheap any more, thanks to our current whack-a-mole' energy policies causing inflation. I used to buy an 8# bag from Amazon for $11-12 three years ago as did my tropical fruit gardener friends. About a year ago it jumped in price, now tripled at $35. Still not a bad price if we're talking Economy of Scale. I have most of a 50# bag of ICL brand left from last year. Got it cheap and a big bag of Berger BM7 with free shipping on a A.M. Leonard promo.
Just like when I cook, most times I do not measure anymore. Just use my hand, do it by sight. If I had to guess I worked in about 1-2 TB. into the top inch of soil when I upcan cannabis from germ pots to MicroKoted 2.5 gal. pots. You DO NOT need to add any more if your growing window is 6 months or less. The 15-9-12 also comes in a 8-9 month package.
I read my plants and if the leaves are green and remain that way pretty much thru harvest with only minor leaf necrosis then I'm happy.
Here's a happy Sensi Kush indica I destroyed. Perfect color, plenty of chlorophyll, not a blemish.
Question is, how are the roots? THAT is what's important! Took me many years but I have mastered root production and health.
Last time I mixed soil in bulk I added a handful of gypsum, handful or so of blood and bone meal and wet down the stuff with a slurry of horse nuggets aka as alfalfa meal. I then turn it over with a flat head shovel and store in a large bin.
Best,
Uncle Ben
Last edited:
Old Uncle Ben
Well-known member
That's a feeling not a fact.
What do you think salts from organic fertilizers do to microbes? I assume you define "microbe" as fungi.
What is "balance"? The only balance that matters to the plant is a decent NPK ratio with micros in a salt form that can be absorbed by the roots.
When it comes to one's philosophy about The Cosmos,
it often drives poor nutritional applications as reflected by poorly fed and grown plants.UB
Old Uncle Ben
Well-known member
Speaking of root production, I didn't bother to start a new thread on my experiment with MicroKote painted pots here. I did post it over at OverGrow if interested. https://overgrow.com/t/doing-the-root-pruning-thing-again-this-time-with-microkote/98490/72
You old timers may remember me experimenting with Griffin's Spin-Out, a copper based paint that terminates the root tip inducing profuse lateral branching from that point back. Here's the old ditty. https://mycotopia.net/HTFaq/1321.htm
Few weeks ago I shit canned 2 male indicas. I upcanned them to MicroKote painted pots as opposed to doing X's on the inside of the pot months ago, which wasn't very effective. Think of the affect as topping but underground. Your goal is to create a root system that is the most effective and efficient you can get in a given container space.
Was effective this time, producing rootballs so thick with roots I had a hard time beating any soil out of the rootball to salvage. This included tearing up the rootball by hand, beating it with a shovel......
It's all about The Tweeks,
Uncle Ben
You old timers may remember me experimenting with Griffin's Spin-Out, a copper based paint that terminates the root tip inducing profuse lateral branching from that point back. Here's the old ditty. https://mycotopia.net/HTFaq/1321.htm
Few weeks ago I shit canned 2 male indicas. I upcanned them to MicroKote painted pots as opposed to doing X's on the inside of the pot months ago, which wasn't very effective. Think of the affect as topping but underground. Your goal is to create a root system that is the most effective and efficient you can get in a given container space.
Was effective this time, producing rootballs so thick with roots I had a hard time beating any soil out of the rootball to salvage. This included tearing up the rootball by hand, beating it with a shovel......
It's all about The Tweeks,
Uncle Ben
Old Uncle Ben
Well-known member
A.M. Leonard is offering free shipping! Use code FSF23PG.
https://www.amleo.com/c/slow-release-fertilizer
I also get this huge 4 cu. bag of vermiculite. This is a bargain. https://www.amleo.com/p-v-p-industries-vermiculite-grade-2/p/PVP24CF
Enjoy, my American gardeners,
Uncle Ben
https://www.amleo.com/c/slow-release-fertilizer
I also get this huge 4 cu. bag of vermiculite. This is a bargain. https://www.amleo.com/p-v-p-industries-vermiculite-grade-2/p/PVP24CF
Enjoy, my American gardeners,
Uncle Ben
led05
Chasing The Present
For 3 years vermiculite was out of stock, it’s a MUCH better additive than perlite imo, cheers bro ! It’s always sold in 4CF bags in bulk, the perfect size I believe to stock 32 to a pallet
Old Uncle Ben
Well-known member
For 3 years vermiculite was out of stock, it’s a MUCH better additive than perlite imo, cheers bro ! It’s always sold in 4CF bags in bulk, the perfect size I believe to stock 32 to a pallet
Yeah, I switched to vermiculite, grade 2 coarse, long ago. Perlite has a tendency to crumble and you best wear a mask to keep from inhaling the dust. Checked many years ago but if memory serves me correct vermi also has some nutritional value regarding some micros.
Cheers
Bio boy
Active member
Is osmocote better than megacrop ?
BuckeyeGreen
Active member
Yes. The ratios are off on the mega crop. Osmocote has been proven effective for decades and is still popular because it works so well.
marwachine
Member
What about the 14-14-14 ones?
Ca++
Well-known member
Each serves a different purpose.
Megacrop is a full spectrum feed that can be used in most situations. Including hydro.
Osmocote is packaged up to dissolve slowly. It's for soil. It's not instantly available, it's slow release.
14-14-14 is unnecessarily high in P
BuckeyeGreen
Active member
Osmocote is a slow release fertilizer and the question was asked after the previous responders were talking only talking about soil grows. So keeping in context with the discussion, yes Osmocote is better for a soil application and in soil, slow release is all you need.
It has been proven to work effectively for many years. Mega Crop can be used in soil grows and the question of which one is better in that application, I’d go with the one proven over decades to work beautifully, it’s easy and simple to use, trouble free with many different types of plants, in many different environments and soil types. If Osmocote some how damaged the soil, farmers, gardeners and landscapers wouldn’t be able to use it year, after year, after year.
I know a guy who has been using it every year for over thirty years, on shrubs, flowers, trees. He uses the Osmocote flower and vegetable in his vegetable garden, always has a beautiful bumper crop. His landscape is always beautiful as well. People have been led to believe that cannabis is some special, unique plant that needs special unique feeding. It’s not and it doesn’t. The only time I had trouble growing pot was when I used the multi bottle feed products.
Changing the topic to someone who wanted to use a multi-use fertilizer that can be used for soil and hydro, yes Mega Crop or something similar, would be what you’d want, maybe. Depending on how well it actually works in both of those applications. We know how well Osmocote works. It’s been proven effective over many years, risk free and very simple to use with one application a crop, just water if necessary and that’s it. So when asked which one is better in a soil application when both can be used in a soil application, I’d recommend Osmocote every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
It has been proven to work effectively for many years. Mega Crop can be used in soil grows and the question of which one is better in that application, I’d go with the one proven over decades to work beautifully, it’s easy and simple to use, trouble free with many different types of plants, in many different environments and soil types. If Osmocote some how damaged the soil, farmers, gardeners and landscapers wouldn’t be able to use it year, after year, after year.
I know a guy who has been using it every year for over thirty years, on shrubs, flowers, trees. He uses the Osmocote flower and vegetable in his vegetable garden, always has a beautiful bumper crop. His landscape is always beautiful as well. People have been led to believe that cannabis is some special, unique plant that needs special unique feeding. It’s not and it doesn’t. The only time I had trouble growing pot was when I used the multi bottle feed products.
Changing the topic to someone who wanted to use a multi-use fertilizer that can be used for soil and hydro, yes Mega Crop or something similar, would be what you’d want, maybe. Depending on how well it actually works in both of those applications. We know how well Osmocote works. It’s been proven effective over many years, risk free and very simple to use with one application a crop, just water if necessary and that’s it. So when asked which one is better in a soil application when both can be used in a soil application, I’d recommend Osmocote every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Ca++
Well-known member
I'm using slow release outdoors. It's nice to broadcast a seasons worth of feed, at a gorilla site you don't want to maintain much.
I'm using soil indoors to. Where feed is given every single day, at hydro levels.
Neither feed can do both jobs.
We should keep in mind that other plants are not an indicator of how cannabis will react. A truth many kiss growers won't accept. In this instance, the slow release N isn't particularly suitable. The Megacrop has just 5% of the bad stuff, but the Osmocote is a general outdoor feed at heart, and will be about 30% nh4 from ammonia. Our plants are particularly sensative to this, and it can have a drastic effect. In situations where you can do daily maintenance, it could be avoided.
I don't see them as direct competitors.
I'm using soil indoors to. Where feed is given every single day, at hydro levels.
Neither feed can do both jobs.
We should keep in mind that other plants are not an indicator of how cannabis will react. A truth many kiss growers won't accept. In this instance, the slow release N isn't particularly suitable. The Megacrop has just 5% of the bad stuff, but the Osmocote is a general outdoor feed at heart, and will be about 30% nh4 from ammonia. Our plants are particularly sensative to this, and it can have a drastic effect. In situations where you can do daily maintenance, it could be avoided.
This was a controlled application, where total N was correct. Where we are just chucking it down, on substrate that already has some in it, this 30% and actual plant choice starts to put a bit of a wobble on things. You can fall off the fence on either side, but personally I only see it makes sense to keep nh4 low. Though you can't just use 100% no3. You need some nh4, or they drink too much.
I don't see them as direct competitors.
BuckeyeGreen
Active member
Both can be used in soil number 1. I’ve seen long threads of people using Osmocote in Hempy buckets indoors, which is real close to a hydro grow, with great success. So if you are interested in Osmocote, get it, try it and you’ll see. It releases the nutrients so slowly that it’s almost impossible to overfeed unless you use WAY more than recommended. Get some Promix, mix in some Osmocote, water and relax.
Ca++
Well-known member
I have only seen hempy done as hydro, though I read too few diaries to really know what people are putting in them.
No calcium. Many soil feeds lack it. With high growth rates, I have found some in solution to be very useful. A big pot likely combats this for many, but with just 10L, some free Ca is important. With hydro... well it just wouldn't work. Though the osmo does have more in it than I imagined it would.
I can get it, but being cheap, I found Doff brand in the bargain store. Trekked out to nowhere, and did some keyhole surgery with a Liter of high peat. Telling myself it was no till. Bit of Doff in the hole, then lots around the hole, where I hope my roots will reach out to. It's my first year with it, so can't say anything more. This thread has been a guiding light though. Hopefully it will lead me, like one of the 3 wise men. I suspect looking up may cause me to stand in something though.
No calcium. Many soil feeds lack it. With high growth rates, I have found some in solution to be very useful. A big pot likely combats this for many, but with just 10L, some free Ca is important. With hydro... well it just wouldn't work. Though the osmo does have more in it than I imagined it would.
I can get it, but being cheap, I found Doff brand in the bargain store. Trekked out to nowhere, and did some keyhole surgery with a Liter of high peat. Telling myself it was no till. Bit of Doff in the hole, then lots around the hole, where I hope my roots will reach out to. It's my first year with it, so can't say anything more. This thread has been a guiding light though. Hopefully it will lead me, like one of the 3 wise men. I suspect looking up may cause me to stand in something though.
BuckeyeGreen
Active member
I think this video would be helpful to everyone and I found it very educational. Washington State Horticulture professor Linda Chalker Scott has a long q&a with some of our marijuana growing pals in this video titled Mythbusting- Science vs. Bro Science. I really enjoyed this one, I learned quite a bit and unlearned quite a bit.
www.youtube.com
Mythbusting - Science vs. Bro Science
Washington State University Horticulture professor Linda Chalker-Scott will join us Monday morning at 8am. We'll talk mulch, specifically the benefits of arb...
www.youtube.com
Bio boy
Active member
Wow what a nice reply eh ! Thanks buddy ,
I guess the question is how ya grow eh , I grow in peat mixes and use sip growing fill the res with water shit
a lot use megacrop for that and works well , but these osmos has drawn me into read many many times , so the osmo would do my water only sip fine then yeah if it more efficently than megacrop and eliminating top waterings
I guess the question is how ya grow eh , I grow in peat mixes and use sip growing fill the res with water shit
a lot use megacrop for that and works well , but these osmos has drawn me into read many many times , so the osmo would do my water only sip fine then yeah if it more efficently than megacrop and eliminating top waterings
marwachine
Member
I see. But won't this balance out since it's "slow release"?
Ca++
Well-known member
I know who she is. Whatever she's spent 4 hours saying, you might want to question a bit more. Is she telling us not to use gypsum still? She seems to misapply herself. There are only two people I won't listen to, and she is one of them.I think this video would be helpful to everyone and I found it very educational. Washington State Horticulture professor Linda Chalker Scott has a long q&a with some of our marijuana growing pals in this video titled Mythbusting- Science vs. Bro Science. I really enjoyed this one, I learned quite a bit and unlearned quite a bit.
Mythbusting - Science vs. Bro Science
Washington State University Horticulture professor Linda Chalker-Scott will join us Monday morning at 8am. We'll talk mulch, specifically the benefits of arb...
The 15-15-15
It might be of use, if you actually need P above all else. The time constraint applies to all 3 (npk) in the basic versions. So you should keep getting that balance.
If you are in a field, you don't want the P to be building up over time. While in pots, you might be chucking it away pretty soon anyway. Some uni's run even numbers in their hydro research, so it's not like it will kill them instantly. It's the accumulation that poses the greater problem. Which your growing style influences.
BuckeyeGreen
Active member
Yeah she dispels a lot of religiously held beliefs with hard science and people get upset. When it has been scientifically proven that compost tea is a total waste and it does nothing. Using compost teas is like one of the holy commandments for many marijuana growers and she said that you can prove it to people that it doesn’t work with peer reviewed scientific data and it doesn’t matter to believers, they will do it anyway.
I would believe anything she would say because she uses peer reviewed scientific data, over anybody on this or any other marijuana site. Her credentials, her body of work and her experience in the field make her an authority who should be trusted. She doesn’t have beliefs, she has proven facts.
Sad that you won’t listen her because now I would never listen to you.
I would believe anything she would say because she uses peer reviewed scientific data, over anybody on this or any other marijuana site. Her credentials, her body of work and her experience in the field make her an authority who should be trusted. She doesn’t have beliefs, she has proven facts.
Sad that you won’t listen her because now I would never listen to you.
