Organic Growing: An Introductory Guide

bassman999

Well-Known Member
@bassman999 Diatomacious Earth NEEDS to be food grade otherwise it will from one of the MANY mines that have diatoms and heavy metals. To add to this, the Diatoms are heated and turned into a crystalline form which is very dangerous for your lungs as opposed to the amorphous type which is unheated and in its natural state. There are only about 3 mines in the US that are deemed food grade.

http://www.fertrell.com/diatomaceousearth.htm
So its bad to use in fertilizer even if I dont breathe the dust as I add it to soil?
 

NaturalFarmer

Well-Known Member
Not really but since it isn't labeled as food grade should be considered to contain heavy metals (cadmium is the biggest concern).
It may very well be amorphous because of the chunky size but regardless it still could be (and mosy likely is) mined from a mine that is known to NOT be food grade.

DE can take other heavy metals out of the body, so it may not necessarily be given off to the plant at all in the soil even if it is present but why take the risk? Fertrell is the way to go, you can even slap some in the mouth if your hungry. (2% in chicken feed 10% in sand bath for mites).
 
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Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
@bassman999 Diatomacious Earth NEEDS to be food grade otherwise it will from one of the MANY mines that have diatoms and heavy metals. To add to this, the Diatoms are heated and turned into a crystalline form which is very dangerous for your lungs as opposed to the amorphous type which is unheated and in its natural state. There are only about 3 mines in the US that are deemed food grade.

http://www.fertrell.com/diatomaceousearth.htm
Ahhh see I thought I heard this somewhere before but was unsure if I was thinking of something else. I definitely would avoid that...You might not notice the negative effects of using something that harmful off hand...But you are introducing toxins into your blood that will effect you over time...And causing environmental damage to your communities water table when you use products that contain heavy metals.
 

bassman999

Well-Known Member
Ahhh see I thought I heard this somewhere before but was unsure if I was thinking of something else. I definitely would avoid that...You might not notice the negative effects of using something that harmful off hand...But you are introducing toxins into your blood that will effect you over time...And causing environmental damage to your communities water table when you use products that contain heavy metals.
I see Ill quit using it in the future.
The question is should I throw away my soil after this grow?
All of my soil contains this, over 60 gallons worth.
I would have to spend a lot to make all my soil again, but if its unsafe I will.
The problem is that as long as I use it it wont be exposed to the environment, but to dispose of it then it will. I only grow indoors now.
 

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
I see Ill quit using it in the future.
The question is should I throw away my soil after this grow?
All of my soil contains this, over 60 gallons worth.
I would have to spend a lot to make all my soil again, but if its unsafe I will.
The problem is that as long as I use it it wont be exposed to the environment, but to dispose of it then it will. I only grow indoors now.
Even the water we use indoors gets added to water table friend! Unless you're upcyling any and all runoff water. Heavy metals probably do hang out in the soil forever... It's not like they're chemical fertilizers that you can rinse out of the soil or disease causing pathogens the you can compost out. But I do understand your dilemma. Maybe stick with it until youre in the position to buy more? Using bales of peat moss, perlite or sand and compost from a landscape supplier or nursery store to build soil can be relatively affordable. I could put together 60 gallons of soil for under 100 bucks.
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
Calcined clay holds a little water, provides aeration, and doesn't float. Plants love the stuff!
$4 for 25 lbs @ wal-mart
WP_20161221_016.jpg
Rinse before mixing. (the dust raises ph)
I just use a phillips screwdriver to poke a bunch of holes in the bottom of the bag, then stick a hose in it.
 

bassman999

Well-Known Member
Even the water we use indoors gets added to water table friend! Unless you're upcyling any and all runoff water. Heavy metals probably do hang out in the soil forever... It's not like they're chemical fertilizers that you can rinse out of the soil or disease causing pathogens the you can compost out. But I do understand your dilemma. Maybe stick with it until youre in the position to buy more? Using bales of peat moss, perlite or sand and compost from a landscape supplier or nursery store to build soil can be relatively affordable. I could put together 60 gallons of soil for under 100 bucks.
My water might evaporate, but never leaves my tent. I use sealed containers or cloth pots with saucers.

$100 is doable, but not easily by me lol.
My income is $758 a month
 

bassman999

Well-Known Member
Calcined clay holds a little water, provides aeration, and doesn't float. Plants love the stuff!
$4 for 25 lbs @ wal-mart
View attachment 3862160
Rinse before mixing. (the dust raises ph)
I just use a phillips screwdriver to poke a bunch of holes in the bottom of the bag, then stick a hose in it.
Its so funny growing my veggies outdoors the clay is my enemy, cant even dig through it.
 

bassman999

Well-Known Member
My water might evaporate, but never leaves my tent. I use sealed containers or cloth pots with saucers.

$100 is doable, but not easily by me lol.
My income is $758 a month
What would be a good recipe for indoor grow?
I am sure I am using way more things than needed to try to cover all bases
 

NaturalFarmer

Well-Known Member
I see Ill quit using it in the future.
The question is should I throw away my soil after this grow?
All of my soil contains this, over 60 gallons worth.
I would have to spend a lot to make all my soil again, but if its unsafe I will.
The problem is that as long as I use it it wont be exposed to the environment, but to dispose of it then it will. I only grow indoors now.
If you have space, you could grow a crop like sunflower over top for a few years, as I think it takes up heavy metals. I didn't mean to scare you that much. It mostly in medicine form that you need to be aware. I don't know if you are like me, but I smoke a lot;).
 

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
What would be a good recipe for indoor grow?
I am sure I am using way more things than needed to try to cover all bases
Peat moss
Perlite or sand
Compost
Worm castings
Lime or oyster shell flour
Kelp meal
Langbeinite
Bone meal or fish bone meal or crab meal
Neem seed meal
 

NaturalFarmer

Well-Known Member
This mix will give you a fluffy well drained mix with 6.3 pH (depending on your peat) and 75-80% Ca saturation. CEC of 27-30
17 gallons coco coir (1 5kg brick)
5 gallons earth worm castings or compost
5 gallons sphagnum peat moss
5 gallons rice hulls
3 cups gypsum
2 cups crab meal
1 cup kelp meal
3 cup soybean meal
3 cups bone char (NOT MEAL)
2 cups dolomitic lime
1 cup food grade Diatomaceous Earth
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
My water might evaporate, but never leaves my tent. I use sealed containers or cloth pots with saucers.

$100 is doable, but not easily by me lol.
My income is $758 a month
TIP
Buying in the off-season saves me a LOT of money on organic nutes. Wal-mart has the deepest discounts, and timing is everything. They do it in two stages:
1) Products are marked down but stay on the same shelf. These discounts are good and the more popular products usually sell out.
2) Leftovers from the first sale are moved to a designated clearance spot and DEEPLY discounted. This is where you can really score.
EcoScraps $1.50
Epsoma Tomato-tone $5
WP_20161227_002.jpg

Home Depot clearance --> Dr. Earth $4 (I'm going to try this on my lawn.)
WP_20161227_005.jpg
 
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bassman999

Well-Known Member
If you have space, you could grow a crop like sunflower over top for a few years, as I think it takes up heavy metals. I didn't mean to scare you that much. It mostly in medicine form that you need to be aware. I don't know if you are like me, but I smoke a lot;).
This in a 2x5x5ft tent so sunflowers wont work lol
Peat moss
Perlite or sand
Compost
Worm castings
Lime or oyster shell flour
Kelp meal
Langbeinite
Bone meal or fish bone meal or crab meal
Neem seed meal
This mix will give you a fluffy well drained mix with 6.3 pH (depending on your peat) and 75-80% Ca saturation. CEC of 27-30
17 gallons coco coir (1 5kg brick)
5 gallons earth worm castings or compost
5 gallons sphagnum peat moss
5 gallons rice hulls
3 cups gypsum
2 cups crab meal
1 cup kelp meal
3 cup soybean meal
3 cups bone char (NOT MEAL)
2 cups dolomitic lime
1 cup food grade Diatomaceous Earth
Thanks for the recipes!
I see neither uses guano, is that a no-no?
I use lots of that in my soil.
TIP
Buying in the off-season saves me a LOT of money on organic nutes. Wal-mart has the deepest discounts, and timing is everything. They do it in two stages:
1) Products are marked down but stay on the same shelf. These discounts are good and the more popular products usually sell out.
2) Leftovers from the first sale are moved to a designated clearance spot and DEEPLY discounted. This is where you can really score.
EcoScraps $1.50
Epsoma Tomato-tone $5
View attachment 3862179

Home Depot clearance --> Dr. Earth $4 (I'm going to try this on my lawn.)
View attachment 3862178
Ill have my girl look when she goes. I dont get out much anymore.
Although I just found our lost cat in the shed with a broken leg so I am off to the vet. He was missing 24 hrs so he must be starving and he smells of piss. Glad I found him and that he didnt freeze last night
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
What would be a good recipe for indoor grow?
I am sure I am using way more things than needed to try to cover all bases
Are you making large or small batches? Do you have space to store a lot of individual ingredients in bulk?
Do you want something close to a water-only super soil, or something milder that requires liquid nutes?
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
This in a 2x5x5ft tent so sunflowers wont work lol


Thanks for the recipes!
I see neither uses guano, is that a no-no?
I use lots of that in my soil.

Ill have my girl look when she goes. I dont get out much anymore.
Although I just found our lost cat in the shed with a broken leg so I am off to the vet. He was missing 24 hrs so he must be starving and he smells of piss. Glad I found him and that he didnt freeze last night
Ouch! Bad timing for a vet bill. Good luck!
 
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