Kp sunshine
Well-Known Member
Do you have a link to that soil mix?
PeakSeedsBC
- Thread starter KeizerSoze
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nc208
Well-Known Member
Black Swallow Living Soils
Black Swallow Living Soils endeavours to provide a wide range of products that can be used in your gardening practices that will allow you to build and maintain a healthy ecosystem in your soils, which in turn feeds, strengthens and benefits your plants
blackswallowsoil.com
Kp sunshine
Well-Known Member
Thanks.
In my opinion (based on what I know now-which is nt a whole lot compared to most people on this thread) I think Stepwell could benefit from some added perlite. I don't thinks its ability to aerate was very good using it right out of the bag. It was kind of dense and muddy ... but that's just my opinion.
I think weed grown in soil tastes amazing. My Crop grown is stepwell tasted amazing. I needed to top dress with GAIA 2-8-4 a week or 2 after flip. All this said, If I ever grow in soil again, I will not use Stepwell. The remainder of my Stepwell bag is getting dumped into my Vegetable garden. If I ever grow in soil again it will be a light, fast draining mix which will be fed with a diluted compost tea at every water. The goal would be to have a mix that at least needs to be watered every other day.
My opinion of super soil grows is this: People on this thread have gotten some great results with ammended soil, but some of these guys have been growing 20+ years. Supersoil is always sold as "just add water..so simple". Kind of True, but if things aren't dialed in atmosphere wise, or your plant does n't like the mix - it becomes very complicated, very quickly. There's a guy on this thread named Greenhighlander. Look at his soil results on his grow journals- his grows are amazing. If there's anything you can take away from his journals it's this- 1) He's starts with not to "hot" a mix. 2) he always mentions that his RH is pretty low in his tent. 3) I think he starts with Pro-mix HP as a base which I think drains a little faster than stepwell does and he does n't bung it up with a shit ton of EWC- he adds this very conservatively. 4) he runs a 1000 watter so that it will definitely push things along. 5) Most importantly - he makes his own mix, so he has a good idea of what is in it. Stepwell has an ingredients list but does n't specify quantities, as a result it's tough to establish a base line that can be tweaked on future runs.
Currently I run the K.I.S.S. method with city tap water in a 60/40 coco perlite. I supplement with silica until week 2 of flower, 1/2 dose cal-mag and epsom salts as well. This is similar to what Saboo is running on his BB above, but he is using a coco/perlite/hydroton mix. K.I.S.S with Maxibloom is cheap, simple, and gives explosive results. Personally I think the K.I.S.S. method is far simpler than soil, because you know what the plants are getting every time. In a 60/40 coco /perlite blend you can't really overwater, so there's another variable gone. All you have to do is stay on top of your PH, and PPM and make sure you are there to feed the plant every day. I feed everyday in veg, and twice a day in flower. The amount of run-off I shop vac out of tent may be overkill, but the way I see it is that i'm "cleaning the media" with every feed. I have n't flushed once on my current run. Just very happy plants- these NL X C99 are fattening up nice.
There are some excellent threads out there that break down the K.I.S.S method step by step. There's a guy on the internet named Mick Foster who has a very simple thread on the K.I.S.S method. There is also a guy named HUSH on another forum who did a huge peak seeds grow in 4x4 with 1000 watter using only Maxibloom.
To be clear here - I'm not dissing soil at all. I just don't think it's as simple as it's made out out to be.
Hope this helps!
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Saboo the Shaman
Well-Known Member
Nice post, @MicroHaze .
It's always educational to see how other growers operate.
Regarding your setup, are you running traditional pots, or passive hydro style with the reservoir on the bottom? Your feeding schedule has me curious. I water/feed every second day once the plants are in their final 2 gallon containers. It allows me a lot more freedom than when I had to feed every day and also allows a PH swing.
My feed schedule is still evolving. I'm experimenting right now with not adding CaMg and silica in flower, but I have added them before all the way through with good results. Have you done both? Do you see tangible benefits from one way or the other?
Now that I've finally built up a healthy stash, I feel safe tweaking a bit, looking for those incremental improvements without adding complexity to the system.
It's always educational to see how other growers operate.
Regarding your setup, are you running traditional pots, or passive hydro style with the reservoir on the bottom? Your feeding schedule has me curious. I water/feed every second day once the plants are in their final 2 gallon containers. It allows me a lot more freedom than when I had to feed every day and also allows a PH swing.
My feed schedule is still evolving. I'm experimenting right now with not adding CaMg and silica in flower, but I have added them before all the way through with good results. Have you done both? Do you see tangible benefits from one way or the other?
Now that I've finally built up a healthy stash, I feel safe tweaking a bit, looking for those incremental improvements without adding complexity to the system.
I'm running my NL x C99 in 3 gallon fabric pots. I pre-soaked my coco in full strength cal mag, full strength silica , and quarter strength maxi bloom, ph 5.7-5.8. I soaked it for 24 hours. I only used the material that floats up to top of the soaking tub. All of that mucky coco is discarded. Of the entire dry block, typically 1/2 gets thrown away. I used the coarse kind of coco - its almost mulch-like. The reason I get rid of all that mucky stuff is I don't want it to screw up the drainage. I clean my perlite the same way, and I get rid of all that powdery sludge.
I eased up to 7 grams of Maxi per gallon early in veg. I started out in half full 2 gallon fabric pots, and each was hit with about 2 litres of solution once per day. Lots of run-off. I transplanted to 3 gallon fabric pots 1 week before flip. The top of the pot is topped with riverstone to prevent the medium from developing holes and gullies and to diffuse the water stream. I washed the stone with a hose and then soaked them overnight in water ph'd to 5.8. The main thing Is I don't want any of the dust on those rocks messing up my PH. Maybe unnecessary caution but it's not like it's that much work.
All of this creates a a medium that holds a lot of oxygen. Oxygen is one of those elements that I felt got overlooked when I grew my last run in soil.
I run a few additives. I only use city tapwater , and yes it contains chloramine. I'm not making any effort remove it. Basically, Its like this:
Early Veg from clone
Slowly work up to 7 grams MaxiBloom / per gallon
2.5 ml GH armor silica /per gallon
2 ml of rapid start / per gallon
1 ml floralicious /per gallon
1/2 dose of Nature's Nectar Cal-Mag.
Mid- Veg up until Week 2 of 12/12
7 grams MaxiBloom / per gallon
2.5 ml GH armor silica /per gallon
2 ml of rapid start / per gallon
1 ml floralicious /per gallon
1/2 dose of Nature's Nectar Cal-Mag.
Week 3 until today ( day 36) .
7 grams MaxiBloom / per gallon *
1 ml floralicious /per gallon
1/2 dose of Nature's Nectar Cal-Mag.
2 grams of Epsom salts per Gallon*
*Somewhere around the middle of week 2 , the plants looked as if they were struggling a little bit ( like just a bit ) I up'd the maxi to 7.5 grams per gallon and integrated a little mag boost with some epsom salts. Maybe coincidence but the plants perked back up quickly. I'm starting to believe that growing under quantum boards increases a plants need for Mag.
I mix the silica, epsom, maxi in 20 gallon tub which will last 3 days. I add in the rapidstart, floralicious, and Cal Mag at the time of feed. I don't want those things sitting around in a bucket for any amount of time. My cal-mag is derived from some living shit which is why i dont add to the 20 gallon res. The shit stinks. Last night I mixed my last full strength tub of Maxi. I'm going to be tapering down and diluting the rez over the next 2 weeks . I would like to be feeding plain ph'd water by the 49th day.
My next run of NLxC99 will be smaller and in my basement. I need to scale down for the winter. I've started this new run in rock wool blocks / ebb and flow style.It's already being fed with Jack's 3-2-1. As much as I have been very happy with Maxi, I just wanted to try Jack's out as it just became easy to get in Canada, and it's considerably cheaper than Maxibloom.
Anyway I am new to this, I'm trying this K.I.S.S. technique out and it seems to begoing really well. Apologies if I'm turning this thread into my own grow journal. I'll be back to the NLxC99 in a sec...
Peace.
I eased up to 7 grams of Maxi per gallon early in veg. I started out in half full 2 gallon fabric pots, and each was hit with about 2 litres of solution once per day. Lots of run-off. I transplanted to 3 gallon fabric pots 1 week before flip. The top of the pot is topped with riverstone to prevent the medium from developing holes and gullies and to diffuse the water stream. I washed the stone with a hose and then soaked them overnight in water ph'd to 5.8. The main thing Is I don't want any of the dust on those rocks messing up my PH. Maybe unnecessary caution but it's not like it's that much work.
All of this creates a a medium that holds a lot of oxygen. Oxygen is one of those elements that I felt got overlooked when I grew my last run in soil.
I run a few additives. I only use city tapwater , and yes it contains chloramine. I'm not making any effort remove it. Basically, Its like this:
Early Veg from clone
Slowly work up to 7 grams MaxiBloom / per gallon
2.5 ml GH armor silica /per gallon
2 ml of rapid start / per gallon
1 ml floralicious /per gallon
1/2 dose of Nature's Nectar Cal-Mag.
Mid- Veg up until Week 2 of 12/12
7 grams MaxiBloom / per gallon
2.5 ml GH armor silica /per gallon
2 ml of rapid start / per gallon
1 ml floralicious /per gallon
1/2 dose of Nature's Nectar Cal-Mag.
Week 3 until today ( day 36) .
7 grams MaxiBloom / per gallon *
1 ml floralicious /per gallon
1/2 dose of Nature's Nectar Cal-Mag.
2 grams of Epsom salts per Gallon*
*Somewhere around the middle of week 2 , the plants looked as if they were struggling a little bit ( like just a bit ) I up'd the maxi to 7.5 grams per gallon and integrated a little mag boost with some epsom salts. Maybe coincidence but the plants perked back up quickly. I'm starting to believe that growing under quantum boards increases a plants need for Mag.
I mix the silica, epsom, maxi in 20 gallon tub which will last 3 days. I add in the rapidstart, floralicious, and Cal Mag at the time of feed. I don't want those things sitting around in a bucket for any amount of time. My cal-mag is derived from some living shit which is why i dont add to the 20 gallon res. The shit stinks. Last night I mixed my last full strength tub of Maxi. I'm going to be tapering down and diluting the rez over the next 2 weeks . I would like to be feeding plain ph'd water by the 49th day.
My next run of NLxC99 will be smaller and in my basement. I need to scale down for the winter. I've started this new run in rock wool blocks / ebb and flow style.It's already being fed with Jack's 3-2-1. As much as I have been very happy with Maxi, I just wanted to try Jack's out as it just became easy to get in Canada, and it's considerably cheaper than Maxibloom.
Anyway I am new to this, I'm trying this K.I.S.S. technique out and it seems to begoing really well. Apologies if I'm turning this thread into my own grow journal. I'll be back to the NLxC99 in a sec...
Peace.
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Saboo the Shaman
Well-Known Member
Thank you for taking the time to share that. Your girls are looking great.
Where are you getting Jack's In Canada, may I ask? I've looked but never found a source.
Where are you getting Jack's In Canada, may I ask? I've looked but never found a source.
For Jacks 3-2-1 in Canada, The Distributor’s Name is Eddi’s wholesale. They supply a lot of grow shops in Ontario. This distribution deal is a new development.
I called one my regular stores and asked them if they could order it in . It showed up at the store a couple days later. $175 plus hst. Just under $200 taxes in for a 25lb bag of 5-12-26,($100) and a 25lb bag of calcium nitrate ($75)
The cal nite can be sourced cheaper but shipping may negate the savings.
That shit should last a while.
Anyway maxibloom k.i.s.s is still awesome and is great option for anyone who wants to build up good habits in hydroponics.
Cheers.
I called one my regular stores and asked them if they could order it in . It showed up at the store a couple days later. $175 plus hst. Just under $200 taxes in for a 25lb bag of 5-12-26,($100) and a 25lb bag of calcium nitrate ($75)
The cal nite can be sourced cheaper but shipping may negate the savings.
That shit should last a while.
Anyway maxibloom k.i.s.s is still awesome and is great option for anyone who wants to build up good habits in hydroponics.
Cheers.
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Saboo the Shaman
Well-Known Member
Thank you again. It's truly appreciated.
GiovanniJones
Well-Known Member
That's good info, I might try it in my next grow. Thanks.
Kp sunshine
Well-Known Member
Peaks frosted Blueberry. Oct 30 and no mold. These are tough
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GiovanniJones
Well-Known Member
Beautiful, look at those trichomes!!!
Kp sunshine
Well-Known Member
That's frost
GiovanniJones
Well-Known Member
Lol, you must be further up north than I.
unfiltered
Well-Known Member
I'm curious if anyone has ever tried the original Sweet Skunk from Breeder Steve/Spice of Life, Sweet Skunk from PeakSeedsBC, and Island Sweet Skunk from Federation. From my research, Breeder Steve's Sweet Skunk was legendary (in terms of aroma, taste, and effect) here in British Columbia. I read through all the pages on this thread and know about the history of these lines, but I am curious to know if anyone had smoked all 3 and could discern the differences.
I’ve been interested in this topic as well. There’s was a heated thread on icmag about it from 5-10 years ago where a couple of people got pretty wound about the origins. What came out of the thread I believe was something like this:
Breeder steve held the definitive “cut” of sweet skunk after some accidental polination went on. How that cut came to be was not clear from that thread.
I think there was speculation that MJ @ peak bred in skunk#1 to the line - not sure if he worked it into an SOL seed line or the cut.
Next Generation seeds has Island Sweet Skunk which is apparently the original line or cut worked with white widow.
Not sure about federation but it seems that it was. considered to be pretty legit.
A couple years after that thread on icmag died down. Chimera ( who was tight with Breeder Steve) did an S1 of “the cut” and called it “lemon cello” of course those seeds immediatley went out of stock.
Again - I dont know any of this shit first hand - thats just one account I read in the ol’ interwebs.
hillbill
Well-Known Member
Has anyone discussed the Sweet Skunk story with Mike lately. Believe he said the SS mother was a “Sweet Skunk”.
Got 3 Northern Berry, been topped and up potted one time ready to flower next week. Nice strong plants with w-i-d-e leaves. Been years since I last raised Northern Berry.
Got 3 Northern Berry, been topped and up potted one time ready to flower next week. Nice strong plants with w-i-d-e leaves. Been years since I last raised Northern Berry.
Hey man just curious what zone you’re in. I’m 5A and had zero jam this year with all the rain in the forecast so I chopped Oct 1st. I did however leave two clones out that got frosted heavily twice and showed NO signs of trauma
