TeamLoud53
Member
Has anybody ever experimenting making a compost for your own marijuana plants? Which are the best methods for what goes in it
Compost for marijuana?
- Thread starter TeamLoud53
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TeamLoud53
Member
Yeah, I'm making a batch of some in a huge tote with a sealed cover, I heard throwing greens and lots of vegetables, and other stuff can compost and make good nutes for the babys
bob jameson
Active Member
If you are composting only plant material you will have a nice organic soil conditioner but it will be low in nutrients. If you use manure in addition to the plant material and allow it all to fully compost you will have a more nutrient rich product, but it still will need other additives for texture, aeration, nutrient ratio, etc.
trichome fiend
Well-Known Member
....have a read OP, ------>https://www.rollitup.org/organics/427826-soil-food-web-gardening-compost.html
georgyboy
Active Member
You should not compost in a sealed container or things will quickly get anaerobic and stinky. Oxygen is an important part of healthy decomposition. My indoor vermicompost bin is a plastic tote with drills holed in the bottom for drainage and along the sides and top for some air exchange. Outdoors, I compost in an old rabbit cage and I have pvc pipes with holes drilled in them that I shove into the compost pile to supply air right to the center of the pile. My composting happens very fast.
As for cannabis specific compost, I would add all of your root balls after you harvest, as well as all large leaves and stems you don't use for hash, to an otherwise normal compost bin.
As for cannabis specific compost, I would add all of your root balls after you harvest, as well as all large leaves and stems you don't use for hash, to an otherwise normal compost bin.
Rising Moon
Well-Known Member
I would say, this is wrong for the most part.
Manure is not necessary for nutrient rich compost.
In fact, when legumes like clover, alfalfa and vetch are composted, the resulting compost is just as rich, if not richer, than if a cow had eaten those same plants and pooped them out.
Check out this link for a good compost recipe:
http://happyfood-funnyfarm.blogspot.com/2011/03/gourmet-vegan-compost-recipe.html
Peace.
Jack Harer
Well-Known Member
Dont let things go anaerobic, you'll get a toxic smelly nasty mess. Aeration is needed for composting as opposed to just letting things rot in a corner of your yard. Also, get out of that "Cannabis Specific" nutrients mindset. I don't believe they exist. Cannabis, being a "weed", has adapted to harsh environments including nutrient poor soil. It's a LOT easier to overfeed cannabis than to underfeed.
Also, you cant compare "the numbers" when deciding either on chem nutes or organic. In my experience, organic nutes (especially P) are way more readily available to plants for a variety of reasons, the most notably of which is the symbiotic relationship between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. The fungi hyphae act as a minute extention of the root system and deliver most nutrients in a form readily useable by the plants. You'll get more bang from an organic 3-5-3 than you would with say a high P bloom booster like Ferti-lome or green light.
But as has been mentioned we need pics to be able to give any sort of opinion as to whats going on.
Cann
Well-Known Member
This is not necessarily the case! It all depends on the microbes you are cultivating within the compost. Bokashi composting, for example, uses an anaerobic process to create compost. Yes, you heard me. Anaerobic. This is the opposite of most composting processes, but due to the bacteria within the bokashi (lactobacillus), the organic matter is converted into good stuff, not alcohol. If you had yeast in the bucket this would be a different story.
Please don't go spreading misinformation. As this is your first post, I would say make sure you are certain about your facts before you emphatically tell other people what you believe is true. There are a lot of folks on here who will take anyones word as fact...
SnakeByte
Active Member
Bump
My "compost" is wormless.
I've been adding plant matter from veggies and house-plant trimmings to a coir, construction sand, and worm castings mix in an open-lid clear container. Also throwing in some Ammonium, Molasses, H2O2, and unsweetened Cocoa powder. It all seems to decompose rather quickly if mixed once a day. I have my Ph meter coming in this week so I have no idea at the value right now.
Now as I understand it, beneficial bacteria in the soil is what breaks this stuff down to release the usable nutrients for plants.
What seems to be as important as adding material to be broken down, is the addition or maintenance of these micro-bacteria.
So I'm wondering what is the best way to incorporate these into the soil.
-Do Worm Castings contain these?
-Are there "tablets" one can buy - Sort of like the beneficial bacteria tabs for septic tanks?
My "compost" is wormless.
I've been adding plant matter from veggies and house-plant trimmings to a coir, construction sand, and worm castings mix in an open-lid clear container. Also throwing in some Ammonium, Molasses, H2O2, and unsweetened Cocoa powder. It all seems to decompose rather quickly if mixed once a day. I have my Ph meter coming in this week so I have no idea at the value right now.
Now as I understand it, beneficial bacteria in the soil is what breaks this stuff down to release the usable nutrients for plants.
What seems to be as important as adding material to be broken down, is the addition or maintenance of these micro-bacteria.
So I'm wondering what is the best way to incorporate these into the soil.
-Do Worm Castings contain these?
-Are there "tablets" one can buy - Sort of like the beneficial bacteria tabs for septic tanks?
Jack Harer
Well-Known Member
While anaerobic composting can certainly be done effectivly, the downsides of odor, time and toxic pathogens make it less than desirable. Aerobic composting and AACT are FAR easier to research, easier on the olfactory senses, and safer in the long run http://www.ecoevaluator.com/lifestyle/gardening/anaerobic-composting.html It's really not misinformation dude is spreading, just the major school of thought. You certainly wouldn't put human waste in your compost, but I am told that Milorganite is safe. Maybe it is, I dont know. But I DO know that rabbit poo and EWC are safe and FAR less disgusting.
Yes, EWC has bennies in it, as does good fresh compost. I like to add alfalfa to compost (Rather than hay) as it contains triacontinol (google it), and is a legume whose mycorrhizae are able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00937189?LI=true#
You do have me wondering tho...Whats the Cocoa powder for? I'd drop the "Ammonium" if I were you, but thats just me. Ammonaic nitrogen is a less than desirable source of N. It didnt really become popular (or mandatory in some items) until McVeigh did the OKC thing.
SnakeByte
Active Member
Cocoa Powder (Unsweetend) contains Many nutrients including micro nutes that can be broken down. I was looking for a good source of potassium and phosphorus.
It kind of boosts the Molasses nutes. It also contains more Phosphorus, Proteins, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and less Sodium than Molasses.
If I get an over-fert prob, just flush or add more soil mix.
Which is a better source of N besides chem ferts?
It kind of boosts the Molasses nutes. It also contains more Phosphorus, Proteins, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and less Sodium than Molasses.
If I get an over-fert prob, just flush or add more soil mix.
Which is a better source of N besides chem ferts?
Jack Harer
Well-Known Member
Learned something today. Thank you. I'ma look into the cocoa.
If you're already using chem salt ferts, dont swap horses mid stream. Organics are (for the most part) slow release. Very little chance of burning or overfeeding. If you wanna go organic go all the way. In that case, Bloodmeal is a good source of N as are composted coffee grounds (K too) Rabbit manure is the highest of all the manures at 2.4, 1.4, 0.6. Plus, rabbits eat primarily alfalfa so you get the added benefit of Triacontinol (A PGR, google it) Dont let the smallish NPK numbers fool ya, that NPK in organics will do more for the plant than a chemical fert 3 times as hot. Organics is a whole 'nuther mindset.
If you're already using chem salt ferts, dont swap horses mid stream. Organics are (for the most part) slow release. Very little chance of burning or overfeeding. If you wanna go organic go all the way. In that case, Bloodmeal is a good source of N as are composted coffee grounds (K too) Rabbit manure is the highest of all the manures at 2.4, 1.4, 0.6. Plus, rabbits eat primarily alfalfa so you get the added benefit of Triacontinol (A PGR, google it) Dont let the smallish NPK numbers fool ya, that NPK in organics will do more for the plant than a chemical fert 3 times as hot. Organics is a whole 'nuther mindset.
MokiHort
Member
There are ways to make a rich, balanced compost without the use of manures. Like Rising Moon said earlier, deep rooted crops such as alfalfa or comfrey literally mine up nutrients from deeper soil levels and provide a variety of nutrients. And because their growth habits (comfrey is like a weed in my parts), you can get a lot of compostable material fairly quickly.
Don't get me wrong though, I think worm compost is awesome. But if you think of it, in nature, nutrients originating from plant or microbe wastes far outweigh those from animal origins.
Don't get me wrong though, I think worm compost is awesome. But if you think of it, in nature, nutrients originating from plant or microbe wastes far outweigh those from animal origins.
timbeallnd
Member
There's some good and bad information here. Yes, it partly depends on what bacteria is composting the material for the by products produced during composting. However if your growing in the soil/media with fresh compost - phytotoxic element producing anaerobic bacteria will get in there no matter what other catalyst you dump in there to try and consume the material. Phytotoxic elements are basically volatile organic acids that are harmful to soft stemmed plants (usually have no ill effect on trees and shrubs). They are what makes shit smell like shit 
If you are growing outdoors and in soil whereby the amount of compost added is very small relative to the surrounding soil you won't have a problem (because the overall ppm of the VOA's are low). Same thing if you top dress the compost on soil outdoors. Why it works for outdoor growers in KY and TN. However adding high organic/nutrient solids (like manure) to a pot will definitely create serious growing issues unless you constantly leach the living daylights out of the soil (organic solids in manure are water soluble and easy to leach). The clover/barley/cover crop greens that some people work into their soil are way way way lower in total nutrients than manure, what they are good for is adding Nitrogen only (and quick releasing Nitrogen). Dairy Manure for example will usually contain about 3% total nitrogen, however it will take up to 6 years to fully release all of this nitrogen in a field/soil. This is why the N,P,K ratios are totally wack for understanding what it will add to your crop. For example fully composted dairy manure might only have 50ppm of soluble nitrogen (nitrogen that is available right away), however it will have the equivalent of 3,000ppm of total nitrogen that is chemically/organically bound up with other elements and will release over time. The release rate is greatly varied depending on growing conditions, microbial content (fungi & bacteria), and the available carbon in the soil. For example peatmoss even though it has high levels of carbon, it doesn't mineralize but very slowly over time. Lastly, Bloodmeal rocks as a source of Nitrogen - but only if you have the necessary mineralizing microbes present in your soil. This is why anyone trying to grow with organic fertilizers has all kinds of delays for release of Nitrogen when adding organic fertilizer unless they have 15%-25% of compost blended in with their soil. We did a growing trial two years ago ........ Plants were double height and quadruple weight after 7 weeks when growing with peat amended with compost then they were in straight peatmoss and perlite.
If you are growing outdoors and in soil whereby the amount of compost added is very small relative to the surrounding soil you won't have a problem (because the overall ppm of the VOA's are low). Same thing if you top dress the compost on soil outdoors. Why it works for outdoor growers in KY and TN. However adding high organic/nutrient solids (like manure) to a pot will definitely create serious growing issues unless you constantly leach the living daylights out of the soil (organic solids in manure are water soluble and easy to leach). The clover/barley/cover crop greens that some people work into their soil are way way way lower in total nutrients than manure, what they are good for is adding Nitrogen only (and quick releasing Nitrogen). Dairy Manure for example will usually contain about 3% total nitrogen, however it will take up to 6 years to fully release all of this nitrogen in a field/soil. This is why the N,P,K ratios are totally wack for understanding what it will add to your crop. For example fully composted dairy manure might only have 50ppm of soluble nitrogen (nitrogen that is available right away), however it will have the equivalent of 3,000ppm of total nitrogen that is chemically/organically bound up with other elements and will release over time. The release rate is greatly varied depending on growing conditions, microbial content (fungi & bacteria), and the available carbon in the soil. For example peatmoss even though it has high levels of carbon, it doesn't mineralize but very slowly over time. Lastly, Bloodmeal rocks as a source of Nitrogen - but only if you have the necessary mineralizing microbes present in your soil. This is why anyone trying to grow with organic fertilizers has all kinds of delays for release of Nitrogen when adding organic fertilizer unless they have 15%-25% of compost blended in with their soil. We did a growing trial two years ago ........ Plants were double height and quadruple weight after 7 weeks when growing with peat amended with compost then they were in straight peatmoss and perlite.
timbeallnd
Member
FYI - soil/fertilizer labeling requirements for N,P,K are for "soluble" and available immediate nutrients. Organic/Compost N,P,K is normally much much higher in Total Nutrients (which includes short-term available plus long-term available nutrients). Pretty much you should at least triple the ratio of N,P,K on the label over a 4-6 months growing cycle.