Organic Feeding 101.

[DonAlejandroVega]

True! with heavy bio-tivity, some layering, good sun, some moisture, aeration, and some kind of heat absorbant, you can make da mean custom humus in as little as 6 weeks, but lacking these, you are looking at a good few months, mon!

I've found the best results came when I got a season ahead on my pile. I use last year's stuff this year.

 

[zest]

hey guys, I was wondering if you guys could school me on foliar feeding with aloe vera? im finding very little information on the subject and Im really interested in using it to help with heat stress. The sun almost cooked one of my plants and want to avoid it next time it reaches those kind of temps. I just picked up some aloe vera juice and not sure if I should use it or not. thanks in advance.

 

[Pattahabi]

hey guys, I was wondering if you guys could school me on foliar feeding with aloe vera? im finding very little information on the subject and Im really interested in using it to help with heat stress. The sun almost cooked one of my plants and want to avoid it next time it reaches those kind of temps. I just picked up some aloe vera juice and not sure if I should use it or not. thanks in advance.

Look for preservatives in the aloe juice. “Sodium Benzoate” is the one you want to avoid. Citric acid, Ascorbic acid, Potassium Sorbate, Lemon juice, etc. are the safe one’s you’ll find.

2oz liquid aloe per gallon water to foliar or drench.

P-

 

[DonTesla]

Look for preservatives in the aloe juice. “Sodium Benzoate” is the one you want to avoid. Citric acid, Ascorbic acid, Potassium Sorbate, Lemon juice, etc. are the safe one’s you’ll find.

2oz liquid aloe per gallon water to foliar or drench.

P-

Smoooth.
Yo what you say bout da coconut water, P!?

 

[Pattahabi]

Smoooth.
Yo what you say bout da coconut water, P!?

Hey Don, I want to find out how and where the powder is made. All powdered varieties I have seen use tapioca dextrin. If I remember this was for clumping. Coconuts get shipped - not real fresh or sustainable imo. Liquid varieties the container goes in the land fill, and we have the preservatives. Tough call.

I've been using a little of the powdered. You can find this USDA organic certified - just watch out for any preservatives. I'm currently using navitas. There is also znaturals which I have not tried, but looks similar, if not better. The GF brought home a brand the other day that had citric acid in it. Possibly not a bad thing, but I try and go with as few ingredients as possible.

Also remember we get a lot of the same benefits from SST's - mainly cytokinins. I use a few more SSTs and a little less coconut water powder till I have time to dig deeper.

P-

 

[DonTesla]

Hey Don, I want to find out how and where the powder is made. All powdered varieties I have seen use tapioca dextrin. If I remember this was for clumping. Coconuts get shipped - not real fresh or sustainable imo. Liquid varieties the container goes in the land fill, and we have the preservatives. Tough call.

I've been using a little of the powdered. You can find this USDA organic certified - just watch out for any preservatives. I'm currently using navitas. There is also znaturals which I have not tried, but looks similar, if not better. The GF brought home a brand the other day that had citric acid in it. Possibly not a bad thing, but I try and go with as few ingredients as possible.

Also remember we get a lot of the same benefits from SST's - mainly cytokinins. I use a few more SSTs and a little less coconut water powder till I have time to dig deeper.

P-

Very interesting, thanks Pat.. i guess i need a few coconut trees but in this climate no chance. So meanwhile ill keep my eyes open Tapioca dextrin and other prezo's as well as good Canadian Brands ..

As for ur SST's, how do you work them into the input-rotation bruh?? Interested in sharpening the feed game.. -----Reespect.

 

[SouthernSoil*]

Greetings growers : ) i have a few questions before i put all my ingredients together.

1. Is it best to let the soil cook in the pots or in a tub ?
2. Is it better to cook it indoors or outdoors ?
3. When i mix everything up, should i just water it or should i add something like the lacto bacillus in order to help the process ?

Help will be kindly appreciated. Many thanks ! Peace

 

[st0wandgrow]

Greetings growers : ) i have a few questions before i put all my ingredients together.

1. Is it best to let the soil cook in the pots or in a tub ?
2. Is it better to cook it indoors or outdoors ?
3. When i mix everything up, should i just water it or should i add something like the lacto bacillus in order to help the process ?

Help will be kindly appreciated. Many thanks ! Peace

1. I let my soil sit in a large container. Probably doesn't matter, but you'd have to wet it down more often if you put it in to a bunch of smaller containers

2. I leave mine in the basement. Outside would be fine too as long as you don't have extreme weather to deal with, or a ton of rain making it a soppy mess

3. I like to brew up a compost tea and wet my soil down with it to really jump start the inoculation. Lacto b would be just fine as well

Good luck

 

[SouthernSoil*]

1. I let my soil sit in a large container. Probably doesn't matter, but you'd have to wet it down more often if you put it in to a bunch of smaller containers

2. I leave mine in the basement. Outside would be fine too as long as you don't have extreme weather to deal with, or a ton of rain making it a soppy mess

3. I like to brew up a compost tea and wet my soil down with it to really jump start the inoculation. Lacto b would be just fine as well

Good luck

Thank you bro, appreciate the advice. I might have a rubber dustbin that hasnt been used for garbage purposes, ill have to see when i arrive at the location though then i can confirm the containers available.

Might hit some frost until the end of the month possibly & the rain will be coming so i rate i will opt for the indoor option.

I forgot to add i havent made my lacto b, in flowering my tea needs the lacto b added after a 24hour bubble, not too sure how effective my tea will be in starting up the inoculation without the lacto b ?

Thank for your help again bro.

 

[Pattahabi]

Very interesting, thanks Pat.. i guess i need a few coconut trees but in this climate no chance. So meanwhile ill keep my eyes open Tapioca dextrin and other prezo's as well as good Canadian Brands ..

As for ur SST's, how do you work them into the input-rotation bruh?? Interested in sharpening the feed game.. -----Reespect.

Sorry, missed this. I use SST's at least once a week. I've been pretty haphazard with it. Hitting them with pretty much what ever, whenever. The only thing I try and stay away from is alfalfa seeds later in flower. I do use alfalfa seeds two weeks before till about two weeks into flower to reduce internodal space (tricantonal). I tend to do more corn later in flower, sunflower seeds or mung beans if I need something to sprout quick. I want to start trying them as an ipm spray due to the chitinase content. I'm kind of high and tired, yell if that didn't answer your question.

From a discussion on another site, it sounds like there is a good possibility whole coconuts or canned coconut water will not supply the PGH's and PGR's originally thought. I need to do a little more reading/research.

P-

 

[SouthernSoil*]

Hey Stow&grow, i forgot to add im using 1/3 Perlite 1/3 Peat 1/3 EWC

 

[st0wandgrow]

Thank you bro, appreciate the advice. I might have a rubber dustbin that hasnt been used for garbage purposes, ill have to see when i arrive at the location though then i can confirm the containers available.

Might hit some frost until the end of the month possibly & the rain will be coming so i rate i will opt for the indoor option.

I forgot to add i havent made my lacto b, in flowering my tea needs the lacto b added after a 24hour bubble, not too sure how effective my tea will be in starting up the inoculation without the lacto b ?

Thank for your help again bro.

The teas effectiveness is entirely dependent on the source of compost you're starting with. If you make your own compost/worm castings, or you have a local source of fresh compost, then your tea (given enough oxygen and a food stock) will have an abundance of micro life that you will be applying to your soil mix. Those microbes will get to work breaking down the organic amendments that you added to your soil while it's sitting, making them plant available once you plug a clone in there.

The lacto b is great, but not necessary to brew a compost tea imo.

Hey Stow&grow, i forgot to add im using 1/3 Perlite 1/3 Peat 1/3 EWC

Great! That's a solid base.

 

[SouthernSoil*]

Thank you man, i opted for worm castings instead of compost, i have a few bags of compost but they have been sitting for a year outside so i was just planning on using them for the veggies.

For the tea ill be using a cup of EWC, Molasses, fish hydrolysate & some organic chicken poop. Thanks to MadHam for base mix & tea !!
Could i ask is it better to use Sweet Molasses instead of blackstrap cause i know the blackstrap has sulfur in it ?

Would of loved to have gotten some Pumice for my mix but i couldnt afford a 100 litre bag including postage at this stage.

Last question i wanted to ask bro, how would you mix up a seedling mix with the peat,ewc&perlite? I was thinking if i should do 50/50 Peat/Perlite & then add a little bit of ewc?

Thanks again st0w, really appreciate it, im pretty confident this will turn out beautiful, so keen to mix it up.

The teas effectiveness is entirely dependent on the source of compost you're starting with. If you make your own compost/worm castings, or you have a local source of fresh compost, then your tea (given enough oxygen and a food stock) will have an abundance of micro life that you will be applying to your soil mix. Those microbes will get to work breaking down the organic amendments that you added to your soil while it's sitting, making them plant available once you plug a clone in there.

The lacto b is great, but not necessary to brew a compost tea imo.

Great! That's a solid base.

 

[st0wandgrow]

Thank you man, i opted for worm castings instead of compost, i have a few bags of compost but they have been sitting for a year outside so i was just planning on using them for the veggies.

For the tea ill be using a cup of EWC, Molasses, fish hydrolysate & some organic chicken poop. Thanks to MadHam for base mix & tea !!
Could i ask is it better to use Sweet Molasses instead of blackstrap cause i know the blackstrap has sulfur in it ?

Would of loved to have gotten some Pumice for my mix but i couldnt afford a 100 litre bag including postage at this stage.

Last question i wanted to ask bro, how would you mix up a seedling mix with the peat,ewc&perlite? I was thinking if i should do 50/50 Peat/Perlite & then add a little bit of ewc?

Thanks again st0w, really appreciate it, im pretty confident this will turn out beautiful, so keen to mix it up.

Use unsulphered black strap molasses if you can find it. It's in pretty much every grocery store (at least around here).

For a seedling mix, you could go several directions. What I've been using lately is 50% soil mix, 25% ewc, and 25% rice hulls (or perlite, or whatever). You could also just use your base (1/3 peat, 1/3 ewc. 1/3 perlite ....without amendments added). Or you could use 50/50 EWC/perlite.

I think the important thing to keep in mind is that the seedlings don't meed much in the way of nutrients for a few weeks, and you don't want to have a medium for them that can really compact, starving the young roots of oxygen.

 

[SouthernSoil*]

Use unsulphered black strap molasses if you can find it. It's in pretty much every grocery store (at least around here).

For a seedling mix, you could go several directions. What I've been using lately is 50% soil mix, 25% ewc, and 25% rice hulls (or perlite, or whatever). You could also just use your base (1/3 peat, 1/3 ewc. 1/3 perlite ....without amendments added). Or you could use 50/50 EWC/perlite.

I think the important thing to keep in mind is that the seedlings don't meed much in the way of nutrients for a few weeks, and you don't want to have a medium for them that can really compact, starving the young roots of oxygen.

Once again, big thank you bro, i tried searching online at the differences between "Sweet" & "Blackstrap" dont really find much info although im assuming its the same without the sulfur.

Ill take a look whats more abundant after mixing the base soil, didnt think of the root compaction but i will definitely keep that in mind. Just got to figure out now what size pots will suit the seedlings, i have small plastic bag pots which should be perfect & even better when transplanting.

Im going to be absolutely mind blown, i dont think anybody ive bought from has grown this way, im already creaming ! ahhh

 

[SpaaaceCowboy]

Hey guys...I just tossed a plant into flowering...It's just a plant that will fill space....Pretty soon it will be the only plant that I will have flowering....

Q: Is it possible to brew a tea for just one plant ? The plant is only in a 1 gallon air-pot right now....It will either be transplanted to a 2 gallon or 5 gallon air-pot....

Is it a waste to brew for just one plant in a small container ? Or is it possible to brew just a small amount so I am not wasting ingredients ?

thanks, SC

 

[DonTesla]

Hey guys...I just tossed a plant into flowering...It's just a plant that will fill space....Pretty soon it will be the only plant that I will have flowering....

Q: Is it possible to brew a tea for just one plant ? The plant is only in a 1 gallon air-pot right now....It will either be transplanted to a 2 gallon or 5 gallon air-pot....

Is it a waste to brew for just one plant in a small container ? Or is it possible to brew just a small amount so I am not wasting ingredients ?

thanks, SC

You can def brew just for one plant, id just make a small tea.. One litre is plenty for a one gallon pot. Only thing bruv, if shes in 12 and 12 alredi and u up-pot now ur gonna stress her out risk making her hermi on u. Re veg her after this crop, and up pot then. Pull ur half ounce or 2 and go bigger next time. We did one gallon smart pots, then 3s, then 5s (pail) next is 7. Loved em all but dialling in, best regards.. dt

Ps If u make a 1L tea for ur water day u wouldnt have to dilute it (gentler for microlife) and u cud apply it in stages while aerating it.. Since 36 a 42 hours is ideal for a micro life inoculation, u cud start it at 10pm two nights before the watering day, start watering at 10am, give her a few ladles every couple hours, bam, she'd be in heaven.. all u would need is a tsp of molasses and 1.5Tbsp of worm castings.. Then if u can get something to reduce internodal spacing / triancantonal Growth hormone for early flowering ur laughing

 

[SpaaaceCowboy]

You can def brew just for one plant, id just make a small tea.. One litre is plenty for a one gallon pot. Only thing bruv, if shes in 12 and 12 alredi and u up-pot now ur gonna stress her out risk making her hermi on u. Re veg her after this crop, and up pot then. Pull ur half ounce or 2 and go bigger next time. We did one gallon smart pots, then 3s, then 5s (pail) next is 7. Loved em all but dialling in, best regards.. dt

Ps If u make a 1L tea for ur water day u wouldnt have to dilute it (gentler for microlife) and u cud apply it in stages while aerating it.. Since 36 a 42 hours is ideal for a micro life inoculation, u cud start it at 10pm two nights before the watering day, start watering at 10am, give her a few ladles every couple hours, bam, she'd be in heaven.. all u would need is a tsp of molasses and 1.5Tbsp of worm castings.. Then if u can get something to reduce internodal spacing / triancantonal Growth hormone for early flowering ur laughing

thanks for that info Don....That makes sense....two grows ago I transplanted 5 or 6 plants after I started 12-12...If I remember right I had like 2 or 3 males, and 2 or 3 hermies.....

 

[cannakis]

i just started a compost pile i read its not useable for a year

yeah for cold composting, hot composting though gives you beautiful black mould in 18 days, you just have to have it 3'high and wide minimum and turn it every other day.

yeah you have to let the mirobes (bacteria and fungi) break down the organic material into nutriants takes a year or so too break down!!

 

[DonTesla]

thanks for that info Don....That makes sense....two grows ago I transplanted 5 or 6 plants after I started 12-12...If I remember right I had like 2 or 3 males, and 2 or 3 hermies.....

if the flower tent is busy, what a Don like to do is take a wolf pack of babies (already germinated and vegging) and put them under the light at 14 and 10 until they show sex. that way well before the actual flip they've been sexed. then we just get her in her final pot at least 10 days before the big Flip. the beauty of 14 and 10 is it sexes them but u can also go back to 18 and 6 or whatever you like (17/7?) without shocking em. Big up n good luck mang