Switching to organic

Speedtriplebbc

Speedtriplebbc

Well-Known Member
There seems to be a gap in information for anyone wishing to switch to organic growing, I can see a wealth of information that’s over my head at the moment and looking for a rough guide that’s understandable instead of tons of advanced things that are confusing to the newbies and scaring them away. As much as I understand the importance on making a good quality compost and feeding the soil not the plants, I feel a simple guide for anyone making a switch could get more people switching to organic and that’s a good thing.
What I'm looking for really is the easiest way to grow organic cannabis, then the options I have to expand in this? For instance, can I start with just shop brought compost and organic grow/ bloom fertilisers for a few grows to be organic? Then what should I learn next? Adding something to my compost mix? Concentrate on a soil mix from scratch? Just adding organic root or bloom boosts first and learn more about soil later? Then another step or something to learn after that? I’m not a novice in growing as I’ve got years of experience in different mediums, mainly hydroponic nft and non organic soil. Hoping to transfer my skills where possible and learn a few new skills on my way, while hopefully making a guide for anyone else taking a similar path.
 
Hollatchaboy

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
Speedtriplebbc said:
There seems to be a gap in information for anyone wishing to switch to organic growing, I can see a wealth of information that’s over my head at the moment and looking for a rough guide that’s understandable instead of tons of advanced things that are confusing to the newbies and scaring them away. As much as I understand the importance on making a good quality compost and feeding the soil not the plants, I feel a simple guide for anyone making a switch could get more people switching to organic and that’s a good thing.
What I'm looking for really is the easiest way to grow organic cannabis, then the options I have to expand in this? For instance, can I start with just shop brought compost and organic grow/ bloom fertilisers for a few grows to be organic? Then what should I learn next? Adding something to my compost mix? Concentrate on a soil mix from scratch? Just adding organic root or bloom boosts first and learn more about soil later? Then another step or something to learn after that? I’m not a novice in growing as I’ve got years of experience in different mediums, mainly hydroponic nft and non organic soil. Hoping to transfer my skills where possible and learn a few new skills on my way, while hopefully making a guide for anyone else taking a similar path.
Click to expand...
Watch the build a soil 10 x 10 series on youtube. Watch every episode of the first season. It'll have you growing organically in no time.
 
Rurumo

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
Here is an old thread but has some great info for beginners to organics. https://www.icmag.com/forum/marijuana-growing/organic-soil/48694-organics-for-beginners?t=53792
It has much simpler soil mixes than the "no till" or Cootz type mixes a lot of people use today. BUT, if you want to get deep into organics, there is a No Till thread here, and there is a great one called "no till revisited" on grasscity I think-it's 1,000+ pages with Cootz and MoFo talking organics, tons of info and stories in it.
 
Leeski

Leeski

Well-Known Member
As ^ great podcasts out there - check out Joshua steensland,Clackamus coot and kis organics just to name a few plenty of great info out there.
KIS keep it simple
Good luck op ☮
 
Speedtriplebbc

Speedtriplebbc

Well-Known Member
I certainly asked in the right place, it was a bit confusing just trawling the net blindly, a few minutes asking on here and I’m shown all the good sources. Thanks
 
wil2279

wil2279

Well-Known Member
Speedtriplebbc said:
Thanks, I’ll check it out. I’m kinda jumping in a little blindly at the moment so any information is appreciated.
Click to expand...
The build a solid 10x10 series... Season 1 was good... I liked season 2 more. Basically the larger the containers you use, the more soil you have, the easier and less maintenance your grow is likely to be. And when you watch the series keep in mind, you don't have to use everything he uses... At the bare minimum a good compost and maybe some good all purpose organic dry fertilizer will get you some quality buds! I'm giving the earthboxes a try. He made them look super easily and simple!
 
Hollatchaboy

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
wil2279 said:
The build a solid 10x10 series... Season 1 was good... I liked season 2 more. Basically the larger the containers you use, the more soil you have, the easier and less maintenance your grow is likely to be. And when you watch the series keep in mind, you don't have to use everything he uses... At the bare minimum a good compost and maybe some good all purpose organic dry fertilizer will get you some quality buds! I'm giving the earthboxes a try. He made them look super easily and simple!
Click to expand...
They are!
Screenshot_20211130-190005_Gallery.jpg

But remember it's only 1 cu.ft. of soil. I have to top dress weekly in flower.
 
wil2279

wil2279

Well-Known Member
Hollatchaboy said:
Thanks. The credit really belongs to the sip. That, and the soil, do all the work.
Click to expand...
Most of my issues from not watering enough. I'm so worried I'll over water. I am running autos and just ordered 8 of the earthbox juniors for my next run. I'm hoping they are as awesome as Jeremy makes them look. They seem almost too go to be true.
 
Hollatchaboy

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
wil2279 said:
Most of my issues from not watering enough. I'm so worried I'll over water. I am running autos and just ordered 8 of the earthbox juniors for my next run. I'm hoping they are as awesome as Jeremy makes them look. They seem almost too go to be true.
Click to expand...
Watering is never really an issue with the sip. It always keeps it at the perfect moisture level. They really are as good as he makes them look.
 
Richard Drysift

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
This book helped me a lot; Teaming w/Microbes is good but this one is cannabis specific…

True Living Organics: The Ultimate Guide to Growing All-Natural Marijuana Indoors: Rev, The: 9781937866099: Amazon.com: Books

True Living Organics: The Ultimate Guide to Growing All-Natural Marijuana Indoors [Rev, The] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. True Living Organics: The Ultimate Guide to Growing All-Natural Marijuana Indoors
www.amazon.com

Compost is the key to this; as long as you keep the soil active with worm castings or aactea regimen your plants/mix will do the rest. You just water them.
 
JustBlazin

JustBlazin

Well-Known Member
Easiest way is to buy bagged soil eg fox farm ocean forest/happy frog, Gaia green living soil(canada).
That's how I first did organics. Then just top dress with more of your soil when needed.
The bags are kind of expensive so I just bought a 2kg jug of Gaia green all purpose 4-4-4 and a 2kg jug of Gaia green power bloom 2-8-4 and some pro mix....Easy Peasy
Just mix that stuff up at the recommended rates for container gardens and let it sit moist for at least 2 weeks preferably a month. I've used it right away(no cooking) in like 2-4 gallon containers with no I'll affect, it did stink when I would go in my tent for like a week though, its better to let it cook for a bit first.
You also need to top dress in flower when using containers. Unless your in a giant container you might not have too.

I liked this method so much I bought the bigger bag of all purpose 10kg and never went back to bottled nutes. I just use Neptune fish and seaweed a couple times a grow if I use it at all.
 
C

Chapl

Well-Known Member
I love this thread and definitely think organics can be simple at the start and that the simple methods can achieve great results. The only challenge with organics is that it’s like snail mail, what you apply today might not be available to the plant until a few days or weeks later, so just try and anticipate what the plant might want down the road is all. I like using a basic starting mix and adding a balanced organic dry fertilizer at the recommended rate, say 4-4-4 at 2 tablespoons per gallon of soil, and quality earth worm castings mixed in, maybe 10% of the total mix. Then top dressing with earth worm castings and maybe a 4-6-2 dry fertilizer as the transition to flower commences, with occasional supplemental liquid feeds of fish and kelp, on the lighter side of the rates. The living soil approach is something i apply to the outdoor gardens. I really love investing in quality earth worm castings for the indoor grow. I make my own and buy some as well. I think EWC can be over-applied, but at 10% the plants seem to love it, and it simplifies things in terms of building the organic matter and microbial life of the soil in the most consistent manner. I hear growers have success with up to 20% EWC but I never seem to have enough around!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top