Recycled Organic Living Soil (ROLS) and No Till Thread

NugHeuser

Well-Known Member
I've never checked the ppms of my runoff, so not really sure.

I just have the cheapest one that they sell on amazon. Yellow, very cheap. It needs calibrated, but it comes with the solution to do it.
Yeah that's what I have, I've tried a few different ones. They seem to all be the same so I'll be sticking with the cheap yellow and black one.
 

NugHeuser

Well-Known Member
Nice. I wish my tap was stable enough to do that, then I could stop pretending like I store my probe correctly.
I suppose I could just also use the drops to get the daily baseline...
I started using the drops cuz it only takes a few seconds. My pens always ends up to the point where I'm waiting a minute or two before they finally stop drifting and give me a steady reading. Mine have seemed to be solid for a few weeks to month of daily use but start to go down hill after that.
 

Miyagismokes

Well-Known Member
I started using the drops cuz it only takes a few seconds. My pens always ends up to the point where I'm waiting a minute or two before they finally stop drifting and give me a steady reading. Mine have seemed to be solid for a few weeks to month of daily use but start to go down hill after that.
I have so much tech I straight don't use...
I don't use the Hanna ppm meter because it requires a million fluids, nor the pH meter because it's comparatively slow.
Never mind my broken bluelab ec pen...
I always go back to the drops.
 

Strudelheim

Well-Known Member
@Spondylo Grow
So are you in the opinion that ppms that high is normal for living soil then?
Yes it is normal. I have created my own own soil mix as well, and my runoff comes out between 2,000-4,000. It is not like bottle nutrient ppms where its pure npk etc. There are so many other things that are in the runoff. I noticed this too when I made my own soil as per recipes on forums, and as i transitioned from soilless pro mix with pure blend pro and my bluelabs ppm meter I as used to 600ppm going in and 1000 or under coming out. Not so the case with real soil. Stopped taking measurements since switching as there is no point trying to analyze these numbers. I do check ph of my water going in and out from time to time.
 

Strudelheim

Well-Known Member
Also I recommmend for anyone that is going to actually pursue ph measurements to spend the $200 on a blue labs combo meter. If you save on a meter that gives you inaccurate readings your just going to waste time and money fixing things and going the wrong direction possibly and having poor results. So either ignore PH completely, or get a blue labs, but don't trust and take action based on inaccurate readings, I think that just hurts you in the long run. me 2 cents. PEACE!
 

NugHeuser

Well-Known Member
Well @Spondylo Grow
I think slight ph lockout is the verdict.
The couple that I had to water tonight came out to 6.9 and 7.1 ph.
I checked my water tank that was in range when I filled it about a week and a half ago and it had drifted to the lower 7s. So most likely everything's last watering or two got too high of ph, which is right around the time that I started noticing the deficiencies.
Should be able to slowly but surely get them back on track.
 

Miyagismokes

Well-Known Member
Also I recommmend for anyone that is going to actually pursue ph measurements to spend the $200 on a blue labs combo meter. If you save on a meter that gives you inaccurate readings your just going to waste time and money fixing things and going the wrong direction possibly and having poor results. So either ignore PH completely, or get a blue labs, but don't trust and take action based on inaccurate readings, I think that just hurts you in the long run. me 2 cents. PEACE!
Not a Hanna meter fan, eh?
 

Grow for fun only

Well-Known Member
What is Organic?
Organic refers to an “earth friendly” method of growing/farming and processing foods. Plants, weeds and pests are controlled using environmentally sound practices, which sustain the health of the plants, our planet and ultimately, our own health.

Organic systems recognise that our health is directly connected to the food we eat and ultimately, the future of our soil. One of the main features of organic farming is the complete restriction of artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides in any part of the food chain. It uses only naturally composted and reclaimed materials to sustain a healthy and living soil and to protect the natural countryside and landscape. The use of organics in agriculture is obviously not a new phenomenon but a naturally occurring process.

It has been since the dawn of time that the earth has recycled its natural deposits into reusable energies and nutrition, a natural balance that has always existed and which is ultimately the basis of all growth. Humans, animals and plants are all living, feeding and expiring together simultaneously in a self-sustaining life cycle where existence is based on what has gone before, whilst providing the foundations for future life to come.

Why Organics?
During the world wars of the last century, people-power was in short supply in the agricultural industry as all resources were directed to the war efforts. Ways of increasing productivity and maintaining the food chain were as important as bombs. Therefore the same scientists that were designing weapons of mass destruction were set to work creating cheap chemical substitutes to replace the labour intensive organic farming methods.

These factory-made chemical fertilizers take away from the soil rather than building it. Instead of recycling raw organic materials and leaving the land to rest, chemical use meant crops could be grown in continuous cycles whilst producing large crops free from pests and other natural hazards. After rendering soil useless in the name of a temporary fix, these industrial chemicals are then washed into the earth’s water tables killing and mutating fish, algae, and coral reef. Residual traces of chemicals and pesticides can be found in the produce itself, in the food we eat everyday. The cost of clearing this pollution runs into many millions of dollars.

Eating organic fruits, vegetables or herbs, grown without the use of “chemi-kills” or pesticides, has been proven to boost the immune system of animals and help them recover from disease. We also believe that agriculture should come “back-to-earth” and out of the laboratories.

Furthermore, organic delivers the highest quality, best tasting food grown without artificial chemicals or genetic modification, with complete respect and care for the environment. The health benefits of eating organic products are numerous. Studies have shown that organically reared crops contain greater sources of vitamins, minerals and amino acids than chemically grown food due to the complete spectrum of nutrients within the soil structure. Organic produce also contains many more phytonutrients that are involved in protecting the plants from pests and diseases. These are produced profusely in organic crops due to the non-use of artificial pesticides. The plants instead rely upon the miracle of nature and produce their own natural defence system. These phytonutrients are now being closely studied in medicine and are proving to be useful in the treatment of cancer.
 

Tyleb173rd

Well-Known Member
Hey guys I'm new to rols and have a question, hoping people can help me understand what's going on.

I mixed up a batch with 2 to 3 cups(dont remember which one I went with and can't find any notes on it) of amendment per cu.ft.
Started the plants in ffof, transplanted to 1gal with the super soil, plants showed extreme happiness in that soil, going off of the leaves, then were transplanted in 2 to 3 gal with more of the super soil and put into flower.
A few have showed some slightly burnt tips, most have been a lush green with extreme praying.
Now here about 3 to 4 weeks into flower I'm starting to see some deficiencies, I figured that to be normal.
However I've got a few clones that were thrown into flower a week after rooting so they're smaller plants, used the super soil with them, they seemed to loved it, they're about 5 weeks in now with some progressing deficiencies that I've been trying to correct with no luck, so I decided to check runoff ppm in case of lockout, although these never did show signs of N tox, or dark green leaves, or burnt tips so I figured I'd be getting a real low runoff ppm. They were between 2 and 3 thousand ppms!!

So I decided to check the runoff of several plants, including ones with zero tip burn, the healthiest plants I've ever had, which like I said above they're starting to lose a few lower leaves over deficiencies, I figured they have depleted a lot of their nutes, even my great looking plants are showing into the 3000s! A few plants I gave a shot or two of bud candy and bloom booster but no way that any should have salt build up.

So this brings me to my question.
How are my ppms that high, WITHOUT tip burn or noticable toxicity, WHILE starting to show progressive deficiencies and still looking happy and healthy??
Do I have way too hot of soil or does rols give off high runoff ppm like that?
If my soil was too hot you'd think I'd have burnt tips and unhealthy plants.

So now I dont know if I need to feed more or give heavy plain waterings!?

If anyone can please fill me in on this, my plants look great but things could go south quick because I really have no idea what's going on. I know when growing with liquid nutes you never want your runoff that high.

Disclaimer, some of these plants are also only a week or two into flower and maybe one or two low leaves showing a yellow edge, otherwise happy, but still with 3000 ppm, and those ones have got zero liquid nutes thus far.

Appreciate anyone and everyones help!
View attachment 4167377 View attachment 4167378

The clones, started showing deficiencies about a week and a half ago. They aren't dropping any leaves but show discoloring. If the soils too hot then why would they have been tickled pink the first 3 weeks? 3000 ppms.
View attachment 4167379

A couple plants lower deficiencies.
View attachment 4167380

The same plant pictured above with deficiencies, this is the plant that's kitty corner to the front pot in the above pic, about 2 and a half weeks in I believe.
View attachment 4167382

I dont get it, ppm's in the thousands. Feed or flush?
2-3 cups of what amendment/s per cubic foot?
 

hillbill

Well-Known Member
Going back to guano for P after using Fish Bone Meal for some time. Both work well but guano don't attract animals and I have given up using it outside or 8n my houseplants. Lots of forest friends just love fish meals and bone meals. Decent price and lightning delivery from Kelp4less! Supposed to come from collapsed caves that are not active. I used it for 8 years earlier.

Thinking of a new mix to use up some my Promix and letting some more mix cycle to outside use.
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
Going back to guano for P after using Fish Bone Meal for some time. Both work well but guano don't attract animals and I have given up using it outside or 8n my houseplants. Lots of forest friends just love fish meals and bone meals. Decent price and lightning delivery from Kelp4less! Supposed to come from collapsed caves that are not active. I used it for 8 years earlier.

Thinking of a new mix to use up some my Promix and letting some more mix cycle to outside use.
Guano is awesome!
It's loaded with calcium and works much faster than bone.
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
Noted.

I've always heard bone meals are slow, which is why I typically use guano for top ups. Didn't know it contained Ca in significant levels.
Calcium content isn't always listed on the labels, which I don't understand.
They probably just don't want to spend the money to have it tested in a lab... :dunce:

That's one reason I like Down-To-Earth products -- good info on the label.
Seabird guano (0-11-0) has 20% Ca.
Bat guano (0-7-0) has 17% Ca.

I prefer bat guano because of the chitin, but they are both good sources of phosphorous.

Then there's Peruvian seabird guano that's a little hotter @ 12-11-2... :twisted:
 

NugHeuser

Well-Known Member
2-3 cups of what amendment/s per cubic foot?
The fractions at the top left corner are being measured in the unit of a 5 gallon bucket.

This is my new (second round) recipe I just made up. The only difference from what the plants are growing in now is I did not add gypsum and i believe are flowering in 3 cups per cu. ft. amendment. 15321041418748622541253873337098.jpg
Yes I spelled amendment wrong lol :dunce:
 

Attachments

619kt619

Well-Known Member
Yes it is normal. I have created my own own soil mix as well, and my runoff comes out between 2,000-4,000. It is not like bottle nutrient ppms where its pure npk etc. There are so many other things that are in the runoff. I noticed this too when I made my own soil as per recipes on forums, and as i transitioned from soilless pro mix with pure blend pro and my bluelabs ppm meter I as used to 600ppm going in and 1000 or under coming out. Not so the case with real soil. Stopped taking measurements since switching as there is no point trying to analyze these numbers. I do check ph of my water going in and out from time to time.
Testing runoff would be super awesome to see it's composition. Imagine having a lab to do all of your own soil testing, microscopy analysis, and Mass spectrometer data collection. I dream of the day that I can be in the lab to help take my understanding to a more precise determination.
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
The fractions at the top left corner are being measured in the unit of a 5 gallon bucket.

This is my new (second round) recipe I just made up. The only difference from what the plants are growing in now is I did not add gypsum and i believe are flowering in 3 cups per cu. ft. amendment. View attachment 4168238
Yes I spelled amendment wrong lol :dunce:
Looks complicated.
I used to mix a lot of amendments like you, but lately I've gotten lazy and just gone with pre-made blends that I tweak a little.
I've had good luck with marine amendments so my favorite right now is a product called 'Bio Fish" by Down-To-Earth.
It's got many of my favorite things -- except crab, so I add it + extra kelp.
I top-dress every two weeks and can *almost* keep up...
IMG_1846.jpg
 

NugHeuser

Well-Known Member
Looks complicated.
I used to mix a lot of amendments like you, but lately I've gotten lazy and just gone with pre-made blends that I tweak a little.
I've had good luck with marine amendments so my favorite right now is a product called 'Bio Fish" by Down-To-Earth.
It's got many of my favorite things -- except crab, so I add it + extra kelp.
I top-dress every two weeks and can *almost* keep up...
View attachment 4168732
How much do you top dress at a time?
A mixture is of all your amendments I'm guessing?
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
How much do you top dress at a time?
A mixture is of all your amendments I'm guessing?
I usually top dress one cup per 10 gallon pot every two weeks.
It really depends on what they need at the time. My plants are pretty big for the pot size so they go through a lot of food.
The pic I posted earlier was a 5 gallon cloth pot.
My 10s are a little bigger... :twisted:
IMG_1864.jpg
 

NugHeuser

Well-Known Member
I usually top dress one cup per 10 gallon pot every two weeks.
It really depends on what they need at the time. My plants are pretty big for the pot size so they go through a lot of food.
The pic I posted earlier was a 5 gallon cloth pot.
My 10s are a little bigger... :twisted:
View attachment 4168979
Looking good for sure.
I cant wait until mine are done and I get to see what organically grown bud actually tastes like.
 
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