organics, where to start?

[greasemonkeymann]

why do your plants often have speckles/blemishes or spots on them , just curious

ahh man, you kill me...
Damn funny

That would be great to find! I mean it makes sense, gardening has been a stress relieving/relaxing hobby for thousands of years. When I move the soil mix around and take a dip whiff that earthy Loam smell just calms me down so much, like all anxiety just goes away....and I have GAD so feeling relaxed, even for those few minutes, is one of the most wonderful feelings in the world

I think it's the same phenomena that happens when you pet your dog, the body works in a weird way..
off topic, but did you know that a frequent coffee drinker will have the same initial biochemical reaction from the caffeine just by smelling the coffee brewing? It doesn't last, of course, but its interesting, I wonder if that happens to potheads... like just the smell of the smoke? Course that is inhaling smoke.. but you guys know what I mean

 

[Banana444]

Im sure the bottled nutes do work. But if you are going to use water only and teas, you will have better results with an ammended soil. Its much cheaper in the long run to source dry ingredients and then just mix with a peat and coco base, than to buy premixed soils and bottled nutes.

 

[racerboy71]

Im sure the bottled nutes do work. But if you are going to use water only and teas, you will have better results with an ammended soil. Its much cheaper in the long run to source dry ingredients and then just mix with a peat and coco base, than to buy premixed soils and bottled nutes.

yeah, my one "friend' used the general hydroponics g.o. box line of nutes for a few grows.. i'm more interested in sourcing raw ingredients than using someone's bottled version of nutes fwiw.. not that i'm knocking anyone's bottled organic gear, just not what i was looking to try out personally

 

[hyroot]

why do your plants often have speckles/blemishes or spots on them , just curious

always trying to troll. Do you need a hug?

 

[racerboy71]

sexy, what strain hyroot?

 

[hyroot]

sexy, what strain hyroot?

pre 98 bubba, cherry pie and 9 lb. Hammer

 

[racerboy71]

pre 98 bubba, cherry pie and 9 lb. Hammer

nice, i just got done growing a bubba kush, what i thought at first was pre98, but the person i got the cut from said it wasn't pre98, but another bubba.. still nice smoke..

 

[hyroot]

oh I think @stowandgrow made a thread and posted a link to that article about microbes in soil that make you happy

 

[skunkd0c]

well i wondered weather you were spraying something on them
what causes the spots ?

 

[st0wandgrow]

i am quite happy to never speak to you again, from previous dealings with you i have come to regard you as lacking in intelligence anyway

Really? I've had just the opposite experience with Racer. I find him to be one of the more knowledgeable posters on the forum. Always willing to help where he can.

 

[st0wandgrow]

lol, yeah, i've already noticed that about the organics crowd.. i personally don't really have an issue using blood or bone meal that came from a cow as i love me some beef to begin with.. same with guano, except i've heard that some guano can carry diseases, which is probably enough to put me off on using it..
what's the deal with heavy metals from fish products? you talking about mercury that is commonly found in most ocean going fish, or something else?
thanks for all the info natro, much appreciated..

Here's the thing with blood meal. It's VERY soluble, so in essence it's similar to using synthetic ferts. It's plant available immediately as opposed to other meals which are released to the plant over a longer period of time. On the one hand that could be considered a good thing, say for example if you're having an N deficiency. The down side to me is that because it's so soluble, you continuously have to re-apply which defeats the purpose of a "water only" type set up. It also stinks to high heaven. Gag inducing for me.

 

[racerboy71]

Here's the thing with blood meal. It's VERY soluble, so in essence it's similar to using synthetic ferts. It's plant available immediately as opposed to other meals which are released to the plant over a longer period of time. On the one hand that could be considered a good thing, say for example if you're having an N deficiency. The down side to me is that because it's so soluble, you continuously have to re-apply which defeats the purpose of a "water only" type set up. It also stinks to high heaven. Gag inducing for me.

lol, yeah, i noticed that awful smell with the one i used in my last grow.. does this hold true for blood meal if any form, meaning from say fish or from any other animals stow? i'm talking about the immediate availabilty to the plants btw?

 

[skunkd0c]

Really? I've had just the opposite experience with Racer. I find him to be one of the more knowledgeable posters on the forum. Always willing to help where he can.

Each to their own
one of the things that makes life diverse is the differing of opinions

imo it would be better if he expressed himself more coherently
also i would like to see more pictures of his garden, folk who do not post pics are less fun

i am happy for you that you enjoy conversing with him, i also enjoy conversing with some of the members of this forum
i would have to disagree that he is knowledgeable, i have not witnessed this

when i recall how he cried and cried over the subcool thing for months on end, on virtually ever post he made
for me anyway his conduct back then was childish, and showed a negative aspect to his behaviour
even so i gave him the benefit-of-doubt
i have been patient with him and polite but his inability to follow a conversation without getting pissy is too much for me to invest in a stranger on the net
i am happy to leave racer on ignore, as i have no use for him

peace

 

[st0wandgrow]

lol, yeah, i noticed that awful smell with the one i used in my last grow.. does this hold true for blood meal if any form, meaning from say fish or from any other animals stow? i'm talking about the immediate availabilty to the plants btw?

It's the only meal to my knowledge that is so readily available. Of course there are some liquid additives like fish emulsion that would be similar, but no other dry meals that I'm aware of.

As for what is easier, I have a little different view than most on this. IMO, your first run of organics will be 10x more time consuming and difficult than using synthetic ferts. Sourcing all of the ingredients, building the soil, starting a worm bin, and just generally trying to wrap your brain around things can be a daunting task. Much more difficult than just measuring out a couple teaspoons of nutrients and applying. BUT, once you have your ingredients sourced, and develop a feel for what you're doing it's very simple. The monkey in my avatar is currently being trained to take over for me.

My opinion only, but aside from enviornmental reasons, the main thing I like most about organics is that you are putting to use the symbiotic relationship between the plant and the microbes in the soil that has been perfected over millions of years. This relationship will bring you closer to the plants genetic potential than using synthetic ferts will. if you think about it, a grower using synthetics is really just guessing when it comes to what to apply, how much to apply, and when to apply it. Throwing mud at a wall. With organics the plant directs the worker bees in soil through exudes that it releases from it's roots to bring to it what it needs, when it needs it. The biggest challenge a grower faces with organics is resisiting the urge to step in and tinker. Your only job (aside form the obvious) is to keep your medium moist, and stay out of the way.

I'd be thrilled to help you further if you decide to do this.....

 

[racerboy71]

This relationship will bring you closer to the plants genetic potential than using synthetic ferts will. if you think about it, a grower using synthetics is really just guessing when it comes to what to apply, how much to apply, and when to apply it. Throwing mud at a wall. With organics the plant directs the worker bees in soil through exudes that it releases from it's roots to bring to it what it needs, when it needs it.

I'd be thrilled to help you further if you decide to do this.....

that, in a nutshell, is what is really attracting me to organics stow.. i haven't been 100% happy with my results to date, and i thought a switch to organics would help me get the best out of my genetics..
idk, but like you said, at this point, i can kind of read my plants some what well, and can tell if they need this or that, but only to an extent, and going organic, i'd be giving them all that was needed from the get go, and it'd be up to the plants to take what was needed when it was needed from the soil.. i like that aspect..

 

[ganjaman87]

.. ok, so i've been a bit interested in switching over to organics, mostly for the simplicity of the way organics grow.. water only sounds like something i could really get behind..
so, i've been reading a bit up on some organic mixes, and jesu, tbh, it's all a bit over whelming for a newbie, well, to organics, like me.. anyone have a good book or site or anything that they could recommend to me as a starting point? i've been reading for what seems like ages now on organics, but idk, i'm just looking for a good starting point to get my feet wet, so any advice would be greatly appreciated..

I just switched to Organics myself from Hydro. my first soil/organic harvest is drying now I just amended the soil using subcools methood. pretty easy, and this has to be the easiest way of growing ever. I still have 2 plants in hydro that haven't finished yet and checking PH and shit is getting old since I don't have to do any of that shit with the organic. If I were you I would just use an amended soil recipe so that you only have to use water