Gaia green and ffof

OrganicMartian

OrganicMartian

Active Member
Yes I pre mix the amendments into FFOF before transplant. I figure these amendments breakdown more efficiently when inside of the soil where the moisture level is steady. Top dress during flower for higher P and K. Just my two cents.

"Top dress only" should work as well. Gaia amendments are fine enough to leech down into the soil. And honestly your top dress only method seems safer, once I pre mix my soil I can't take it out. Whatever you decide to do, use high quality earthworm castings to create the necessary microbial life.

I maintain a healthy moisture level to keep the microbes alive. A dry soil wont kill them completely but some will die and others will go dormant until the next watering.
That being said, too much moisture is a breeding ground for root rot, low oxygen levels and fungus gnats. It's a fine balance.
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
OrganicMartian said:
Yes I pre mix the amendments into FFOF before transplant. I figure these amendments breakdown more efficiently when inside of the soil where the moisture level is steady. Top dress during flower for higher P and K. Just my two cents.

"Top dress only" should work as well. Gaia amendments are fine enough to leech down into the soil. And honestly your top dress only method seems safer, once I pre mix my soil I can't take it out. Whatever you decide to do, use high quality earthworm castings to create the necessary microbial life.

I maintain a healthy moisture level to keep the microbes alive. A dry soil wont kill them completely but some will die and others will go dormant until the next watering.
That being said, too much moisture is a breeding ground for root rot, low oxygen levels and fungus gnats. It's a fine balance.
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It’s my first grow and that’s what’s happening to me. I am over watering forsure. And I mixed my ffof with about 30% perlite and my soil is super compact. Shud I go 50/50 perlite. Or do u know what I can use next run to keep-soil aerated better How much do u water a 5 gallon fabric pot. Sorry for all the questions but have finally found someone that is growing like I want to next run.
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
OrganicMartian said:
I am using gaia green and FFOF with terrific results. I add EWC to jump start the microbial life that is necessary to break down the granular organic amendments. Day 10 of flower so I cannot speak for the final result yet. Absolutely use the power Bloom during flower.

I start in small container straight ffof. Repot to a 1 gallon with 6 part ffof 1 part ewc 1 part perlite, with gaia all purpose 3 tbs per gallon. And then repot into 5 gallon final homes 6 part ffof, 1 part ewc, 1 part perlite, with 50/50 split power bloom and all purpose, because I flip to flower a week after repotting.

I imagine your mother wants to skip the transplanting as it can be a lot of work. IMO starting in the final pot size is fine as long as you are watering appropriately, applying water only as far as the leaves reach. She could amend the soil 3 tbs per gallon 70/30 all-purpose/powerbloom to start, with a large handful on non amended soil we're the seedling will start. And start top dressing 2 months later. Top dress every 3 weeks after that at 1 tbs per gallon of a mixture of all purpose and power bloom, the ratio is depending on if you're flowering or plant to veg longer

I water 5- 10 percent volume of the pot size everyday. So for my 5 gallon fabric pot I water 1/2 gallon everyday. But the plant is large, so for your mother she would water less at the beginning and gradually increase the amount.
View attachment 4843755View attachment 4843756View attachment 4843760View attachment 4843761these girls are day 10 of flower, I germinated the seeds January 1st. They seem extremely healthy. Use EWC to Jumpstart the microbial life
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ALso do u give something like recharge or a micro inoculate to keep microbial life happy ?
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
GrowdoBaggins said:
I'm using this currently. I top dress monthly but I also give compost/nutrient tea basically at every watering.
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Can u let me in on your tea recipe. And how do u like recharge. And are teas kinda like a recharge ? And can I use recharge like great white mycroryzane and sprinkle on roots ? Sorry for all questions. Just don’t wanna mess up
 
OrganicMartian

OrganicMartian

Active Member
I used %12 percent perlite %12 ewc %80 FFOF. So your %30 perlite should be fine. Maybe add %10 of a high quality compost or EWC next time. Different hats for different people, what works for me might not be for everyone.

I have always transplanted from a small container to a medium and then to large final pot. Prevents overwatering.

With bottled synthetic nutrients I was letting the pots dry out quite a lot. Now I am watering more frequently with a smaller amount, because of the way nutrients are absorbed in organic. The amount of water is use is %5 - %10 of the container size. A 5 gallon would get .25 - .5 gallons a day. When I first transplanted from a 1g to a 5g. I watered .25 gallons every 3 days or so. Now that the plants fill the 5g fabric pot I water everyday. I lift the pots up the gauge the moisture level. Water only with top dress in flower is how I'm trying it. The EWC is the only recharge I give the soil

Ffof has peat moss in it. I find peatmoss becomes hydrophobic when dried out, so watering takes longer to soak in. Dry soil is easier to remedy than waterlogged soil.
 
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GrowdoBaggins

Well-Known Member
Herb potman said:
Can u let me in on your tea recipe. And how do u like recharge. And are teas kinda like a recharge ? And can I use recharge like great white mycroryzane and sprinkle on roots ? Sorry for all questions. Just don’t wanna mess up
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I don't measure much. I literally just eyeball it.
1 gallon dechlorinated water
1-2 cups worm castings (N + microbes)
1 cup of dry amendments depending on growth stage(kelp meal, fruit bat guano (P-K), insect eating bat guano (N), alfalfa meal, Gaia green all purpose or power bloom)
Fish fertilizer
Liquid seaweed
1 table spoon molasses
Like I said, I kind of eyeball it and play around with it. I also add home made fish fertilizer.
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
OrganicMartian said:
I used %12 percent perlite %12 ewc %80 FFOF. So your %30 perlite should be fine. Maybe add %10 of a high quality compost or EWC next time. Different hats for different people, what works for me might not be for everyone.

I have always transplanted from a small container to a medium and then to large final pot. Prevents overwatering.

With bottled synthetic nutrients I was letting the pots dry out quite a lot. Now I am watering more frequently with a smaller amount, because of the way nutrients are absorbed in organic. The amount of water is use is %5 - %10 of the container size. A 5 gallon would get .25 - .5 gallons a day. When I first transplanted from a 1g to a 5g. I watered .25 gallons every 3 days or so. Now that the plants fill the 5g fabric pot I water everyday. I lift the pots up the gauge the moisture level. Water only with top dress in flower is how I'm trying it. The EWC is the only recharge I give the soil

Ffof has peat moss in it. I find peatmoss becomes hydrophobic when dried out, so watering takes longer to soak in. Dry soil is easier to remedy than waterlogged soil.
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So your saying ewc is pretty much a form of recharge ? How often do u top dress ewc. ? And do u also top dress ewc in flower ?
 
OrganicMartian

OrganicMartian

Active Member
Herb potman said:
So your saying ewc is pretty much a form of recharge ? How often do u top dress ewc. ? And do u also top dress ewc in flower ?
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High quality EWC and compost have a large and diverse population of microbes. Using EWC is essentially a recharge. If I had any left I would top dress during flower. As long as I don't dry my soil out too much or some how kill the microbial life in my soil, I won't use any compost or tea top dressing, only gaia and dechlorinated tap water. Although it would be better if I did use teas.
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
OrganicMartian said:
High quality EWC and compost have a large and diverse population of microbes. Using EWC is essentially a recharge. If I had any left I would top dress during flower. As long as I don't dry my soil out too much or some how kill the microbial life in my soil, I won't use any compost or tea top dressing, only gaia and dechlorinated tap water. Although it would be better if I did use teas.
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Thanks For the help. If I think of more USB it ok to reach out to u.
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
OrganicMartian said:
Absolutely. I'll let you know how flowering goes
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HEllo again. I just wanted to know so u ph you’re water Lot a of ppl so no need and somebody say I need to. My tap water is 8ph And if u do what do u use for I heard ph downs solution can mess with microbial life ?
 
Green_Alchemist

Green_Alchemist

Well-Known Member
Herb potman said:
HEllo again. I just wanted to know so u ph you’re water Lot a of ppl so no need and somebody say I need to. My tap water is 8ph And if u do what do u use for I heard ph downs solution can mess with microbial life ?
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You can try some lemon juice, all organic Ph down. Just set some water aside, try a few drops out and Ph test to get an idea.
 
OrganicMartian

OrganicMartian

Active Member
I used citric acid powder but i don't PH my water anymore because of laziness. The soil will buffer the ph anyways, Gaia has dolomite lime in it. I dechlorinate my tap water by leaving it out for 24 hrs. And make sure your local water doesn't have chloramine, chloromine doesn't gas off like chlorine does.
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
OrganicMartian said:
I used citric acid powder but i don't PH my water anymore because of laziness. The soil will buffer the ph anyways, Gaia has dolomite lime in it. I dechlorinate my tap water by leaving it out for 24 hrs. And make sure your local water doesn't have chloramine, chloromine doesn't gas off like chlorine does.
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I check city it is chlorine I leave mine out for 48 hours with a submersible pump aerating water back in through tubing like a water fall aquarium affect for fish. And it’s on a timer and the end on every hours for 15 mins. I heard is best way to oxygenate water and only cost me 18 bucks to do. Heard it from royal queens seeds site and doctor coco and somewhere else Aswell. WHats your tap waters ph ?
 
OrganicMartian

OrganicMartian

Active Member
Herb potman said:
I check city it is chlorine I leave mine out for 48 hours with a submersible pump aerating water back in through tubing like a water fall aquarium affect for fish. And it’s on a timer and the end on every hours for 15 mins. I heard is best way to oxygenate water and only cost me 18 bucks to do. Heard it from royal queens seeds site and doctor coco and somewhere else Aswell. WHats your tap waters ph ?
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That is an excellent idea. I suppose I'm minimalist when growing. You only get out what you put in, so keep it up.

My ph is 8-8.5
 
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Herb potman

Well-Known Member
Green_Alchemist said:
yes I would recommend 2-8-4 Bloom as well for the flowering phase

edit: personally I topdress 2 Tbsp per Gallon of medium used every 3 weeks, and scratch that into the surface with a cup of worm castings and water in slowly.
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There recipe calls for 1 tablespoon per gallon of media for top dress. Have u had success with double the reccomend dosage for I was always told to use 75 % reccomended dosage ?
 
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