My organic method.

[green_machine_two9er]

I have been wanting to put out some of my methods and get some feedback, positive and negative both valued greatly. so here we go.
I run a perpetual grow but and hoping to expand and have 2 flower rooms with every other month harvest give or take. It seems like one monthly harvests would be much easier when doing all the planning ahead that organics requires. I was a synthetic grower, but put down the bible and have seen the light, so to speak. I only say this because im sure some of the bottled dogma has stuck around. please point out anything im missing thanks all

this is going to be my fourth soil recipe. I have high hopes. Thanks to @greasemonkeymann for making me aware of the dangers of slaughterhouse ammendments.

Base
2.5 gallons EWC
3.5 gallons sunshine mix # 4 (60-70% peat, perlite)
2 gallons perlite (or rice hulls in the store gets them in by monday)

1 cup- Crab meal
1 cup-Neam meal
1 Cup Kelp meal
1 cup Alfalfa meal
.5 cups oyster shell

1 cup greensand
1 cup gyspum
1/2 cup humic
1 cup rock phosphate
1/2 cup azomite
1 cup dolomite lime

1 cup brown rice
4 cups compost ( I have a source for chicken?? any thoughts)

"cooked" sixty dayys.
This is my first recipe wihtout any bone,feather or blood meal. will this work well without those???

I also like to use a bottum compost layer. 1/2 inch.
1 g composted maure
1 g perlite
2 cups coco coir
1 tbsp green sand
1 tbsp kelp
1 tbsp crab meal
2 tbsp rock phosphate

mycos at transplant

ACCT bi weekly
/gallon
1 cup EWC
1 TBSP molasses
1 TBSP Kelp
1 TBSP aflafa

thoughts? IDeas? suggestions please! thanks all.
heres some of what my last soil batch gave me

 

[FamMan]

I SWEAR I JUST STARTED SALIVATING. GREAT JOB!

 

[green_machine_two9er]

I SWEAR I JUST STARTED SALIVATING. GREAT JOB!

thanks FamMan!!

 

[greasemonkeymann]

looks pretty good, may not need the d lime with the oyster flour, gypsum and the crab meal.
Probably could skip that.
I am happy to help you bby the way, glad you dodged the potential hazards of slaughterhouse stuff. Prions are some scary stuff, if I remember right I believe prions can exist in temperatures over 500 degrees farenheit.
That's crazy, in fact it's much higher than that, I just don't remember how high..
Speaking of...
can't wait to get home...

 

[green_machine_two9er]

looks pretty good, may not need the d lime with the oyster flour, gypsum and the crab meal.
Probably could skip that.
I am happy to help you bby the way, glad you dodged the potential hazards of slaughterhouse stuff. Prions are some scary stuff, if I remember right I believe prions can exist in temperatures over 500 degrees farenheit.
That's crazy, in fact it's much higher than that, I just don't remember how high..
Speaking of...
can't wait to get home...

Good to know. Do you think Useing ROed water will require more ca mg into soil ahead of time? In guess that was my reasoning for useing the lime. Well and habit. Haven't done any mix without it yet.

 

[green_machine_two9er]

TOP DRESS.

I have been useing a mix of
1 qt coir.
1qt perlite.
2 tbsp. diatomaceous earth
2tbsp. Crab meal
2 tbsp. neam meel
2 tbsp organicare 5-5-6
This mixed is layered 1 inch above 1 inch of Ewc.

I am happy with the control of fungas gnats. Although since this only goes onto my flowering pots still have some in veg.

I have some bene Nematodes ok te shelf just in case. Do these go in during initial mix of soil? Or during transplant?

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Good to know. Do you think Useing ROed water will require more ca mg into soil ahead of time? In guess that was my reasoning for useing the lime. Well and habit. Haven't done any mix without it yet.

I suppose so, logic would lead me to believe that, but you are adding a good amount of other ingredients that have calcium and magnesium already, that's all I was saying.
The gypsum is a good soil additive, as well as the crab meal, and neem meal.
Plus I think the sunshine has d-lime in it right? I don't know, but most bagged peat will be "pre-limed"
Personally I am not really a subscriber to the richer layer at the bottom concept, the way I see it, is cannabis has it's roots shoot down to the bottom of the container within a week after transplanting anyways, so the point of it being food that feeds it "later" doesn't make sense to me.. not to mention in nature the topsoil is where the majority of the nutrients is found, so that would lead me to think that a topdress would be a better idea in principle than a layer of richer soil at the bottom.
My thoughts are if you want a soil that feeds "longer", then you want slower release nutrients anyways. Fish bone meal, neem meal, kelp meal, crab meal, all those are great because they very slowly break down, which in my opinion is what we want to begin with. Which sorta brings me back to a main flaw in the supersoil (one of them) almost all of the nutrients are water soluble (high in nitrogen and VERY soluble)
BUT, doesn't mean it doesn't work, just saying it may just work regardless.
I'm not a scientist, nor a botanist, but it simply doesn't make sense to me.
Now, you have some nice results man, you obviously are a fairly competent grower, in absolutely no way, am I trying to nit-pick your growing techniques, Just merely am trying to point out that the added time and effort involved with that may not be needed.
Either way you are topdressing and "bottom feeding", so I think you got it covered, just may not be needed is all I am saying, but at the same time... "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a good saying to remember, in regards to growing cannabis.
Also remember that if you ever give them AACTs you will be using black strap molasses and that is a very good source of both cal and mag.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

ah, and I just saw that you plan on twice weekly AACTs?, that's too much man, after a couple doses your soil will be crawling with microbes, you may run into problems with using too much nutrients with kelp, molasses and alfalfa, used at that frequency
If you really want to use AACTs that often i'd just do it with EWC and a speck of molasses or agave or something.
But even molasses can screw things up used that often, even in small doses.
Kelp alfalfa and molasses is more of a nutrient tea, and should probably only be needed maybe two or three times during your whole grow, maybe even less, gotta remember that's why you are making your soil with all the nutrients already in it.
You are pretty close though man, but I think if you were to follow that regime you may end up with some problems though.
It's all good, you said you were a hydro guy before, and that's the mentality needed to grow successfully in hydro, but it's different with an ameded soil, more often than not your job will be almost exclusively two things...watering, and ooh'ing and ahh'ing at your results.
Really, it's that simple, more often than not when humans start mucking with it at that point all we do is slow things down.
If you want to make some teas..... make some SSTs, those are some good stuff. Don't cut corners and use coco-water, cocowater is some super awesome stuff but it's loaded with potassium and that can be overdone, I use no more than two doses of coco-water.
But SSTs? I usually do three per flowering, depending on the strain.

 

[green_machine_two9er]

I suppose so, logic would lead me to believe that, but you are adding a good amount of other ingredients that have calcium and magnesium already, that's all I was saying.
The gypsum is a good soil additive, as well as the crab meal, and neem meal.
Plus I think the sunshine has d-lime in it right? I don't know, but most bagged peat will be "pre-limed"
Personally I am not really a subscriber to the richer layer at the bottom concept, the way I see it, is cannabis has it's roots shoot down to the bottom of the container within a week after transplanting anyways, so the point of it being food that feeds it "later" doesn't make sense to me.. not to mention in nature the topsoil is where the majority of the nutrients is found, so that would lead me to think that a topdress would be a better idea in principle than a layer of richer soil at the bottom.
My thoughts are if you want a soil that feeds "longer", then you want slower release nutrients anyways. Fish bone meal, neem meal, kelp meal, crab meal, all those are great because they very slowly break down, which in my opinion is what we want to begin with. Which sorta brings me back to a main flaw in the supersoil (one of them) almost all of the nutrients are water soluble (high in nitrogen and VERY soluble)
BUT, doesn't mean it doesn't work, just saying it may just work regardless.
I'm not a scientist, nor a botanist, but it simply doesn't make sense to me.
Now, you have some nice results man, you obviously are a fairly competent grower, in absolutely no way, am I trying to nit-pick your growing techniques, Just merely am trying to point out that the added time and effort involved with that may not be needed.
Either way you are topdressing and "bottom feeding", so I think you got it covered, just may not be needed is all I am saying, but at the same time... "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a good saying to remember, in regards to growing cannabis.
Also remember that if you ever give them AACTs you will be using black strap molasses and that is a very good source of both cal and mag.

I'm posting all this to get nitpicked. I try to be a realists when it comes to gardening. No matter what it can always be improved. Also my tea has Been bi-weekly. Not twice weekly. I usually do 1 during veg. 3-4 during flower. It's back to work time. Ill check on later.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

I'm posting all this to get nitpicked. I try to be a realists when it comes to gardening. No matter what it can always be improved. Also my tea has Been bi-weekly. Not twice weekly. I usually do 1 during veg. 3-4 during flower. It's back to work time. Ill check on later.

ahh, bi weekly gotcha
that always throws me off.
bi-weekly mean twice a week or every two weeks?
always is confusing to me..
hah, I just looked it up, apparently it's confusing to me because it does indeed mean both...
good I don't feel so stupid now.

 

[green_machine_two9er]

ahh, bi weekly gotcha
that always throws me off.
bi-weekly mean twice a week or every two weeks?
always is confusing to me..
hah, I just looked it up, apparently it's confusing to me because it does indeed mean both...
good I don't feel so stupid now.

Once a fortnight. That should clear things up.

So back to the dolo lime. If I took it out completely I probable wouldn't see any difference first few runs anyway. I'm reading it can take years to break down and only starts to become available truly after 2nd or 3rd recycle and beyond.
So as far as problems associated with lime is it a lockout issue or burn? Ph? Just trying to wrap my head around everything.

ah, and I just saw that you plan on twice weekly AACTs?, that's too much man, after a couple doses your soil will be crawling with microbes, you may run into problems with using too much nutrients with kelp, molasses and alfalfa, used at that frequency
If you really want to use AACTs that often i'd just do it with EWC and a speck of molasses or agave or something.
But even molasses can screw things up used that often, even in small doses.
Kelp alfalfa and molasses is more of a nutrient tea, and should probably only be needed maybe two or three times during your whole grow, maybe even less, gotta remember that's why you are making your soil with all the nutrients already in it.
You are pretty close though man, but I think if you were to follow that regime you may end up with some problems though.
It's all good, you said you were a hydro guy before, and that's the mentality needed to grow successfully in hydro, but it's different with an ameded soil, more often than not your job will be almost exclusively two things...watering, and ooh'ing and ahh'ing at your results.
Really, it's that simple, more often than not when humans start mucking with it at that point all we do is slow things down.
If you want to make some teas..... make some SSTs, those are some good stuff. Don't cut corners and use coco-water, cocowater is some super awesome stuff but it's loaded with potassium and that can be overdone, I use no more than two doses of coco-water.
But SSTs? I usually do three per flowering, depending on the strain.

Sprouted seed tea. Something that I have read about by always put on the back burner. Ready to try it all. Any suggestions on seeds to use.? And other ingredients. Would aloe be useful for enzymes. Have some young ones that im trying to figure out how to repot. Peace

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Once a fortnight. That should clear things up.

So back to the dolo lime. If I took it out completely I probable wouldn't see any difference first few runs anyway. I'm reading it can take years to break down and only starts to become available truly after 2nd or 3rd recycle and beyond.
So as far as problems associated with lime is it a lockout issue or burn? Ph? Just trying to wrap my head around everything.

Sprouted seed tea. Something that I have read about by always put on the back burner. Ready to try it all. Any suggestions on seeds to use.? And other ingredients. Would aloe be useful for enzymes. Have some young ones that im trying to figure out how to repot. Peace

aloe is some great stuff, I use it for clones, and as a soil drench too, also I hear it works well with neem oil as a surfactant, haven't done that yet though.
I have used sunflower seeds, barley, and legumes, I kinda prefer the legume mix I get at the nursery. Any seeds will work though.
But it's just seeds and water, that's all.
As far as the dolomite lime, I just don't prefer it,, I imagine too much in conjuncture with other things that will steer your soil more alkaline may be an issue, but I haven't seen it firsthand, I was just saying that your mix is pretty stable without it.
Also the size of the d-lime dictates the availability meaning finer granules will have a faster availability than larger granules.
Honestly probably wouldn't hurt your mix, but it's hard to say for sure, because I haven't done that route before.
did you see if the sunshine was pre-limed?

 

[green_machine_two9er]

aloe is some great stuff, I use it for clones, and as a soil drench too, also I hear it works well with neem oil as a surfactant, haven't done that yet though.
I have used sunflower seeds, barley, and legumes, I kinda prefer the legume mix I get at the nursery. Any seeds will work though.
But it's just seeds and water, that's all.
As far as the dolomite lime, I just don't prefer it,, I imagine too much in conjuncture with other things that will steer your soil more alkaline may be an issue, but I haven't seen it firsthand, I was just saying that your mix is pretty stable without it.
Also the size of the d-lime dictates the availability meaning finer granules will have a faster availability than larger granules.
Honestly probably wouldn't hurt your mix, but it's hard to say for sure, because I haven't done that route before.
did you see if the sunshine was pre-limed?

Yes. Dolo lime. Was only other ingredient besides the peat and perlite and beneficials.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Yes. Dolo lime. Was only other ingredient besides the peat and perlite and beneficials.

yea, honestly i'd skip the lime brother, I think you are golden without it.
The gypsum is a superior additive in my opinion, on it's own it can replace d-lime.
And you still have oyster flour and crab meal as well.
I mean, conversely, if you already mixed it in with the lime I wouldn't lose sleep over it, don't beat yourself up over it.

 

[green_machine_two9er]

Would chia seeds work well for sst?

 

[Silky T]

I have been wanting to put out some of my methods and get some feedback, positive and negative both valued greatly. so here we go.
I run a perpetual grow but and hoping to expand and have 2 flower rooms with every other month harvest give or take. It seems like one monthly harvests would be much easier when doing all the planning ahead that organics requires. I was a synthetic grower, but put down the bible and have seen the light, so to speak. I only say this because im sure some of the bottled dogma has stuck around. please point out anything im missing thanks all

this is going to be my fourth soil recipe. I have high hopes. Thanks to @greasemonkeymann for making me aware of the dangers of slaughterhouse ammendments.

Base
2.5 gallons EWC
3.5 gallons sunshine mix # 4 (60-70% peat, perlite)
2 gallons perlite (or rice hulls in the store gets them in by monday)

1 cup- Crab meal
1 cup-Neam meal
1 Cup Kelp meal
1 cup Alfalfa meal
.5 cups oyster shell

1 cup greensand
1 cup gyspum
1/2 cup humic
1 cup rock phosphate
1/2 cup azomite
1 cup dolomite lime

1 cup brown rice
4 cups compost ( I have a source for chicken?? any thoughts)

"cooked" sixty dayys.
This is my first recipe wihtout any bone,feather or blood meal. will this work well without those???

I also like to use a bottum compost layer. 1/2 inch.
1 g composted maure
1 g perlite
2 cups coco coir
1 tbsp green sand
1 tbsp kelp
1 tbsp crab meal
2 tbsp rock phosphate

mycos at transplant

ACCT bi weekly
/gallon
1 cup EWC
1 TBSP molasses
1 TBSP Kelp
1 TBSP aflafa

thoughts? IDeas? suggestions please! thanks all.
heres some of what my last soil batch gave me

View attachment 3394853 View attachment 3394855 View attachment 3394856 View attachment 3394857

I have NEVER seen such dark green leaves (pic 2) like that on any strain! WoW! So your soil recipes produced all those? I would never have thought about crab meal and/or molasses. What's in it that you're getting out of it?

 

[green_machine_two9er]

I have NEVER seen such dark green leaves (pic 2) like that on any strain! WoW! So your soil recipes produced all those? I would never have thought about crab meal and/or molasses. What's in it that you're getting out of it?

Those pics were of an earlier recipe which was much d the same but with blood meal. Bone meal and feather meal. Of course the ratios on ammendments are a bit different. But yea water only with basic Ewc tea every other week. They love it!! Stay tuned will be updating with new pics in a few days.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Would chia seeds work well for sst?

hah, ask I think @stowandgrow I think I remember him saying they gelled up or something like that...

 

[greasemonkeymann]

I have NEVER seen such dark green leaves (pic 2) like that on any strain! WoW! So your soil recipes produced all those? I would never have thought about crab meal and/or molasses. What's in it that you're getting out of it?

check the stickys, most of us use crab meal, not only for its calcium and ph stabilizing abilities but also for it's slow release of nutrients and chitin as well.
Those dark leaves are most likely genetic, probably afghani/indica heavy.

 

[green_machine_two9er]

check the stickys, most of us use crab meal, not only for its calcium and ph stabilizing abilities but also for it's slow release of nutrients and chitin as well.
Those dark leaves are most likely genetic, probably afghani/indica heavy.

Black afghani kush! Good eye. Hey also had a question for ya greasemonkeyman. I came across some old mushroom grow bags. They are just peat an completely covered in white mylicium. Think this could be of benefit to boost my soil food web. And going to be cooking in my final flowering pots from now on and not messing up the web at all before transplant.

I can get 100s of these. If they are helpful.