First shot using teas from worm compost high in P and K for BLOOM BOOSTER side/side

[+ WitchDoctor +]

Gave the 2 OGs some worm leachate from the PK bin and fed ALL of the plants at 1 1/2 strength. I'll get some new pics up in the next couple days...

 

[Kalyx]

I was wondering where all the chatter went. Nice thread here WDoc!

+ WitchDoctor +

And by complete organics do you mean trying not to use bottles? Cause I'm still using bottles a little bit, I'm just working towards a goal of hopefully being able to get everything I need from compost and not have to use bottles at all. While still achieving hydro yields of course, just like you said. I can't believe how sweet my pot has been tasting since I started making my teas like this and feeding every other with them.​

I share these aspirations as well. I have done 1 round of (undiluted) AACT with guano, every other watering (alternating with plain water) in large containers of roots 707 and the yield and quality surpassed a GO plant right next to it. Then I started on the veganic journey...

+ WitchDoctor +

Ah ok gotcha. I'm using Humboldt Natural Bloom right now on the rest of the plants, but I want to get away from using rock phosphate all together as it's not renewable either. That's the real reason I'm trying to accomplish flowering with just high PK compost, is to prove that we don't have to use bat guano or rock phosphate. And I use a 80/20 coco/casting mix with amendments because coco is more environmentally responsible that peat. I'm one of those "small footprint" guys lol.

So yea, it sounds like me and you are on the same page man.
​

Me three, and well put good points on the vegan P search, and the peat vs coco!

+ WitchDoctor +

Oh, I forgot to mention AzaMax is plant-based and OMRI. If you haven't tried it yet I think it's right up your alley, it's awesome stuff. Apparently Azatrol is the same thing as well, but cheaper. They're both Azadirachtin baseds, which is supposedly the main component in Neem oil that gets the job done...but to be honest it's probably just the easiest effective component of it for them to produce...either way it works awesome as a preventative measure.​

I got a sample a while back of Azamax and it wasn't OMRI slapped but I'm glad GH finally listed something. I have used Azatrol for years and it works and is OMRI and WAY less residual is left clogging up your stomata after application. My yard is 50s era landscaping with thrips, mites, aphids, leafcutters, gangs of caterpillars, and all the rest but my greenhouse is flawless. I do a 2/3 week azatrol spray and mix in spinosad if I am worried about thrips (chile is a great indicator plant) and caterpillars (love tomatoes and basil). Monterey Insect Spray is an OMRI Spinosad product and it is a great addition to the organic arsenal. I prefer Take Down for Aphids and Mite outbreaks. Azadinactrin is only one of many beneficial compounds in Neem oil so I do use it as well. It does not have the knock down power of pyrethrins but will render all pests unable to feed on the plant or reproduce. They basically stumble around for awhile as they starve to death. Check out neemresource.com I just got both the neem and karanja oils are OMRI listed. Get some cake while ordering too. Adding neem cake to the mix will help with the semi systemic preventative bug control! Knock on wood!

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

Yup, I have both karanja and neem oil from them, as well as neem and karanja cake. I still have never used the karanja oil, I keep forgetting about it. I love the neem cake in my mix, not fond of the smell though...

You know, you're the third person in a week that's told me that they prefer Azatrol over Azamax, and it's cheaper.

I'd love to have a green house. I covered my raised beds with 1" garden fence. I can handle the bugs, but not the animals...especially with this being the first year and all, I'm not gonna have a lot of berries anyways!

 

[Kalyx]

Yeah the robins found my strawberry patch this year. (its not in the ghouse!) I had to eat berries every morning before I watered just to get any. Animals dont wait for the ripeness either so it was a bit sad compared to last June's harvest.

All that bug stuff was more for polyarcturus, I know you are a astute student of Matt and have got the Ahmisa stuff. I honestly just started to mix mine in. I use equal parts of both neem and Karanja cake and I dunno I kinda like the smell now, but it has been a love hate thing for me. As far as the oils I was a bit hesitant to use them both in equal doses at the same time but will do to see what happens. First application will be very soon...

So Azamax vs Azatrol - the both get the job done. This is all hearsay but I heard the only difference between the two products is the sufactants etc. (the other/non-active ingredients), I was told (of course by someone swearing that Azamax was better) that the GH product has more of a "smoker friendly" mix of the other ingredients. I never looked into it and cant substantiate it just wanted to pass it along anyway.

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

I've been told that the Azatrol has an ingredient that kills on contact better than AzaMax, which would probably make sense as to why the smoke may be better with AzaMax...but I guess that only makes sense if you spray during flower. I've had to do that a couple times before though lol....but I'd rather smoke a little vegan organic insecticide than lose half a harvest....I'm not one of those vacuum off the web guys...I'm one of those "there's more where that came from" guys lol.

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

Ok...so I'm kinda bummed out to discover that most people recommend dumping the leachate because it's anaerobic...

But apparently it does retain NPK from the compost...

So should I continue using a cup or two a week of the leachate from the PK bin until the compost is ready to harvest? Should I just keep using the leachate for the next 4 or 5 weeks of flower? Should I not use the leachate at all???

Thoughts anybody?




Oh, and I cut up an IBC tote this morning...got the bottom base cut out, which will drain the leachate....and I got most of the first stackable container done. I'll finish at least the rest of the first stack tomorrow, that way I can get some pics up...and start using this bitch!

 

[polyarcturus]

i personally would use the leacheate like i said or add honey to it and use that instead of mol.(like a 50/50 mix) leachete i very beneficial just not in concentration. microwave, pasteurize it, bubble it very well, freeze ect, just kill off the aerobic bac and use it, personally you just gave me a though of extracting plant hormones with worms(like feeding them willow onyl or in addition) and sterilizing the leacheate for an awesome fert.

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

So boiling it and pouring it doesn't sound like a bad idea to you either then? That's what I'm thinking. But I'm wondering if I even need to boil it..? I guess it'll still retain the NPK after boiling if it's already made it this far. After all, compost heaps get pretty hot.

 

[Kalyx]

It depends how much you want to test about vermi-gardening right now. If it has not caused you any issues thus far, IMO continue as planned. I think you're microherd is strong enough to handle a little bit of anaerobes and just turn them into plant/crobe food?

 

[polyarcturus]

for the most part yes your micro herd should be strong enough, but ideally you dont want any competition for the good microbes. as far as pasteurizing it, well i know shit can have some chemical reactions at high temps but im doubtful anything of harm will come of it or that it will change the NPK values.

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

Ok. I think what I'm gonna do is keep checking for leachate everyday, and if I get some fresh, I'll use it right away. If it hasn't been sitting there for days, I can't imagine it'll be very anaerobic anyways.

So....this journal was supposed to be about using high PK compost tea for a flower boost...but it looks like it's kicking off as more of a test to see if we can flower with leachate lol. Maybe the compost will be ready to harvest soon!

 

[polyarcturus]

who cares test it all do a couple plant differently ive done so many crazy experiments its not funny( birth control. flowering under 24/0, flowering under 6/6, all types of nutes and organics and combinations, super soil, all of it, to me thats the purpose of growing, too experiment till you find your style. that why i really like this thread it is definitely my style, find some crazy shit that works(wormcastings, no the craziest but you know what i mean), then make it better.
oh and as far as the leacheate goes, yeah so long as its fresh it should be sterile, or semi sterile and not anaerobic.

if it was me i would pressure cook it or boil it so i could just pour out the excess, i would look at it more like a booster or synthetic chem. and just store it inside a jar and put it on the shelf, i would use the gallons that they create just a couple oz per gal.(hell i would probably heat it up to make it more like a concentrate too and evaporate some of the water just me tho, im kinda sciency with shit)

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

Alright Poly, you've got it. I'm gonna boil it gently for a few minutes and then use it or store it. I'm gonna take a couple scoops of the compost from the bin in a few days though if the worms haven't moved on yet, just to get that part of the experiment going.

Yea, I'm all about trying and learning. I love doing side by sides...and now I have a sweet side by side tent set-up. Just gotta get 2 more 600s and light movers.

Pics up tonight...if I get a chance to get back on. I've been busting my ass building this worm composter. It's gonna be so fucking awesome. But I'm in pain and out of good meds, so I'm done fore the day. I can't wait to harvest some more Blue Dream...and some of this Cannatonic....

 

[Kalyx]

The one thing riu lacks; burn each other down capability.

 

[polyarcturus]

that would be sweet to have a teleporter and just pass the joint thru..... but im thinking i would be after keys from bolivia where that the case.

 

[seed to flower]

Worm tea is awesome. There many recipes and ready made kits to try.
Check out youtube and keep books handy on the subject. One tip on
making tea.....the PH is usually a bit high after brewing, so I lower the
PH of clean water to about 5.0 when it is done it will about 6.5 to 6.7
ready for use. Also, if you make a strong batch and plan to add it to more
water adjust that body of water as well, then add tea...grow in peace.

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

Here's a pic of the OG that's been getting the leachate

Here's a pic of the one getting 0-10-0 rock phosphate


So no noticeable difference in size or appearance yet....

Here's some pics of what I've got done with my worm composter so far. The fourth pic with the saw in it, that's the bottom of the container and it has a 1 1/4" industrial grade spigot. It's going to have a 9" metal frame around it and then the first stack that I'm making, which is in the pics, will sit on top of that 9" metal frame, so that the bottom part collects leachate and drains right out.

There are going to be 3 stacks, and then the very top part of the tote that has the screw on top with the 6" opening will sit on top of the stacks of composting containers. It's going to be in my basement, but this would work well outside as well...so I'm thinking about doing this with a couple more and keeping them outside and just adding worms to it...or even in the garage.

I use a reciprocating saw to cut the metal cage that comes around the tote into 8 1/4" sections so that after I've glued the plastic sections to the base with the lumber and perforated sheet metal, it can be wedged onto the container (by wedged I mean both me and my wife jumping on the fucking thing with a pallet stacked on it lol) and then screwed in with 2 1/2" 1/4" lugs.

I'll probably do an actual DIY of this when it's done. It'd be an easy project if I had the right saws and stuff...and my batteries keep running out. But I'm makin it happen. And these totes are easy to find on craigslist or ebay or places like that, and by using them you are also recycling them, as they use them to store liquids and then once they are empty they are discarded.

They also make AWESOME fucking rain barrels. I can water half my garden with one rain fall just from one of these on one side of the house lol, and they store so much water that they build pressure for the hose.

 

[seed to flower]

Trees look fine....Although, at some point i would line the walls with reflective matererial
make that light bounce.

Worm bins are fun, not much to them drainage & ventilation holes, periodic scrap feeding
and some medium rotation.

 

[polyarcturus]

every thing looks good, a DIY step by step would be awesome.


on another note i would slow down on the phosphate feeding tips are burned, got to remember to treat some organics like chem nutes phosphate is one of them.
but other wise babys both look pretty well fed tho the one on the left is in obvious great health.

 

[+ WitchDoctor +]

Trees look fine....Although, at some point i would line the walls with reflective matererial
make that light bounce.

Worm bins are fun, not much to them drainage & ventilation holes, periodic scrap feeding
and some medium rotation.

The walls are flat white on 2 sides (85-90% reflectivity) and white poly on the other 2 sides (95%+ reflectivity) which is about as good as it gets. Mylar and all those other reflective materials are 95% or less, and they reflect light right into your eyes. Try white poly if you've never used it. It's a great material for making tents.