when should i start using teas?

[FamMan]

whattup fellow organic heads! so i cant really find any info on when to start teas. my plants are from clone that i aquired june 10-12. transplanting most by 12-19. when should i start using teas? i was thinking ewc/molasses/fish hydro. i dont wanna do it too early. wanted to here some other opinions. peace and thanx.

 

[DonPetro]

whattup fellow organic heads! so i cant really find any info on when to start teas. my plants are from clone that i aquired june 10-12. transplanting most by 12-19. when should i start using teas? i was thinking ewc/molasses/fish hydro. i dont wanna do it too early. wanted to here some other opinions. peace and thanx.

You really only need to give teas if you have a deficiency happening. Otherwise i would just do a mild ewc/molasses brew to keep the microbe population flourishing. I've noticed that teas given to an already nutrient rich soil can cause leaf curl and or burn so be careful not to over-do it. Good luck!

 

[ButchyBoy]

I agree with Don... Only if there is a deficiency.

I stopped using teas after fighting with issues. For my soil mix clear water works best. I had terrible yellowing issues when I watered with tea due to the added food. Since I stopped I have green plants till around day 50ish of flower.


Less is more!!!!

 

[Richard Drysift]

Making organic tea is fun and all but it is easy to overdo it. I am guilty of trying to give the plants more than what is needed but at the same time teas can increase the activity of microbial life thereby causing an explosion of growth. It is vastly better to provide mostly what they need in the soil already so then it's just add water for most of your grow. If you notice a lighter tone of green on the leaves then maybe you should give a tea but you should only need to a couple/few times each grow cycle. Wait also until you have full size vegging plants at a decent size- clones shouldn't really need much other than a well draining mix to get them going. Teas dissolve the nutrients for easier plant uptake but if the plant doesn't need what you are trying to give it then it will just sit in the soil which can cause a myriad of other problems or even kill off the microlife. Endo mycorrizea is quite sensitive to huge changes in ph or available nutrient levels which I found out about myself the hard way. Stick with plain old water unless you see a reason to give a tea but if you find out you need to give the microlife a bump use this simple recipe:
1 cup EWC
1 tsp molasses
1 tblsp kelp meal
1 tblsp alfalfa meal
Mix into a gal of water & bubble with an airstone for 24 hrs- should get all foamy- then dilute this with another gal of water & give to the plants. Use this mixture up within 48 hrs or keep it on a bubble for up to 72hrs- I like to use collected rainwater in my teas which adds more natural microbes and contains macronutes- but if I have to use RO or distilled water from my dehumidifier I add in some organic calmag

 

[FamMan]

thanx for the quick replies,well wishes peeps, and excellent well put advive. ewc/molasses/fish hydro is what i was thinking....but i will wait lil while to do it. just wanted to boost the micro life in my soil....i mixed it in late may.....i hit it with a tea during cooking thought it would help if they got one now. i know that i wont be giving many during thier life(2-3????) but i will wait i plan to flip july 15ish(hopefully....the kushes are getting tall might top)....yall have helped me this far so i will go with wat yall say.......how tall do you guys think i should wait til to give them their tea?
btw.... i def dont have any deficiancies thanx yall happy growing

 

[machinegreenkelly]

What is EWC? Thanks.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

What is EWC? Thanks.

earth worm castings

 

[greasemonkeymann]

thanx for the quick replies,well wishes peeps, and excellent well put advive. ewc/molasses/fish hydro is what i was thinking....but i will wait lil while to do it. just wanted to boost the micro life in my soil....i mixed it in late may.....i hit it with a tea during cooking thought it would help if they got one now. i know that i wont be giving many during thier life(2-3????) but i will wait i plan to flip july 15ish(hopefully....the kushes are getting tall might top)....yall have helped me this far so i will go with wat yall say.......how tall do you guys think i should wait til to give them their tea?
btw.... i def dont have any deficiancies thanx yall happy growing

I used to do a lot of teas, found it sorta fun, but since I went to my own soil mix, you probably won't need it, unless you are running in tiny ass pots AND/OR are growing outside under the sun..
Don't do the fish hydro.
Just make a AACT if you are concerned about microbial life, but i'm pretty sure you are doing just fine there.
Remember that the hydrosylate is more of a nutrient tea, yes it does have microbial life, but pretty much EVERY organic nutrient will.
Just do a good homemade compost or EWC and a speck of molasses and bubble for 30 hrs or so, depending on your pump, and ambient temps.

 

[Dr. Who]

Making organic tea is fun and all but it is easy to overdo it. I am guilty of trying to give the plants more than what is needed but at the same time teas can increase the activity of microbial life thereby causing an explosion of growth. It is vastly better to provide mostly what they need in the soil already so then it's just add water for most of your grow. If you notice a lighter tone of green on the leaves then maybe you should give a tea but you should only need to a couple/few times each grow cycle. Wait also until you have full size vegging plants at a decent size- clones shouldn't really need much other than a well draining mix to get them going. Teas dissolve the nutrients for easier plant uptake but if the plant doesn't need what you are trying to give it then it will just sit in the soil which can cause a myriad of other problems or even kill off the microlife. Endo mycorrizea is quite sensitive to huge changes in ph or available nutrient levels which I found out about myself the hard way. Stick with plain old water unless you see a reason to give a tea but if you find out you need to give the microlife a bump use this simple recipe:
1 cup EWC
1 tsp molasses
1 tblsp kelp meal
1 tblsp alfalfa meal
Mix into a gal of water & bubble with an airstone for 24 hrs- should get all foamy- then dilute this with another gal of water & give to the plants. Use this mixture up within 48 hrs or keep it on a bubble for up to 72hrs- I like to use collected rainwater in my teas which adds more natural microbes and contains macronutes- but if I have to use RO or distilled water from my dehumidifier I add in some organic calmag

This tea with the Kelp and Alfalfa (I would up the molasses to 1 Tbl - more effective active/living bio counts) , will add minor a nutrient charge along with the beastie food......It will not be a "burner" at the given mix ratio and dilution rate in any way.

You can keep the fresh tea in the fridge for 2-3 days.....I would not bubble longer then 48 hrs.....Your bio counts drop on a bell curve after 48!

Here is a helpful list you might like
http://www.lundproduce.com/N-P-K-Value-of-Everything.html

Doc

 

[greasemonkeymann]

This tea with the Kelp and Alfalfa (I would up the molasses to 1 Tbl - more effective active/living bio counts) , will add minor a nutrient charge along with the beastie food......It will not be a "burner" at the given mix ratio and dilution rate in any way.

You can keep the fresh tea in the fridge for 2-3 days.....I would not bubble longer then 48 hrs.....Your bio counts drop on a bell curve after 48!

Here is a helpful list you might like
http://www.lundproduce.com/N-P-K-Value-of-Everything.html

Doc

I agree, for microbial diversity you can absolutely use small amount of any organic nutrient, but you just go lightly.
Personally I assume those microbes are already present in my soil, but who knows..
but I do have those amendments in my soil so I assume they are there.

 

[Dr. Who]

I agree, for microbial diversity you can absolutely use small amount of any organic nutrient, but you just go lightly.
Personally I assume those microbes are already present in my soil, but who knows..
but I do have those amendments in my soil so I assume they are there.

Well, the idea of the tea listed is a basic AACT bio tea.....Your adding back minimal nutrition, but adding back a host of living bio's cultured from the EWC and some from the alfalfa (I like Dr Earth's alfalfa meal for just that reason). The Kelp will add some more nutrition and some fulvic's, Bvits and hormones too.

Doc