Example Top Dress Only Program?

PadawanWarrior said:

The bigger pot the better with organics. Either way, you need to keep up with top dressing to feed the soil. With organics and dry amendments you don't want to let it dry out either. You can do it in smaller pots, but it's just a little harder.

Just top dressed an hour ago with a mix I just made.

Bat guano 7-3-1
Neem 6-1-2
Chicken shit 4-4-3
Basalt
Kashi 3-3-2

A little langbeinite, and I think that's it, but I didn't take notes this time. I am gonna try to feed my soil more. I was lazy last time and it showed. I also have to remember nitrogen off gasses.

My avatar is deceiving because I'm no master,

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I believe they all off gas, no?

Hollatchaboy said:

I believe they all off gas, no?

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Probably. I've heard nitrogen is especially volatile. I'm still figuring all this stuff out.

PadawanWarrior said:

Probably. I've heard nitrogen is especially volatile. I'm still figuring all this stuff out.

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Ok, I just read that phosphorous doesn't gas off, but I can't find anything on potassium. Nitrogen definitely does, and I believe carbon.

Hollatchaboy said:

Ok, I just read that phosphorous doesn't gas off, but I can't find anything on potassium. Nitrogen definitely does, and I believe carbon.

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Oh ya, Carbon for sure too.

PadawanWarrior said:

Oh ya, Carbon for sure too.

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You could try growing a cover crop simultaneously, for nitrogen fixing, but it takes a while before it starts to do it, and I'm guessing there would be no light for it anyways.

chico1st said:

It was recipe #1 from here: https://buildasoil.com/blogs/news/17627464-build-a-soil-from-scratch-in-2-simple-steps

I try to grow scrog and make bigger plants so i think I need to top dress a bit. Everyone I meet who just uses water tends to grow SOG or autos or something. I let this one veg for 2 months to get nice and big which I think means I need extra nutes.

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I use the same recipe.

You definitely need a bigger pot. I would suggest shooting for 15-20 gallons, with 10 being the bare minimum.

This is a Racefuel og (archive) that’s about
6 foot tall and 3 f wide. She was grown in a 15 gallon pot with zero top dresses. She was given fulvic acid and malted barley once a week and that’s it. Grown in the same mix as you with zero deficiencies and a big yield of top shelf buds



If the goal is strong healthy plants with big yields of buds that reach true potential pot size absolutely matters in organics. Adjust accordingly.

MistaRasta said:

I use the same recipe.
You definitely need a bigger pot. I would suggest shooting for 15-20 gallons, with 10 being the bare minimum.

This is a Racefuel og (archive) that’s about
6 foot tall and 3 f wide. She was grown in a 15 gallon pot with zero top dresses. She was given fulvic acid and malted barley once a week and that’s it. Grown in the same mix as you with zero deficiencies and a big yield of top shelf buds

If the goal is strong healthy plants with big yields of buds that reach true potential pot size absolutely matters in organics. Adjust accordingly.

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I'm in. I just ordered 20gal living soil pots for my next cycle. (someone else also recommended bigger pots too ).
Do you reuse the soil on your next cycle or do you build it fresh every time?
I was thinking I would cover crop and toss in some worms and try to just keep it perpetual.

chico1st said:

I'm in. I just ordered 20gal living soil pots for my next cycle. (someone else also recommended bigger pots too ).
Do you reuse the soil on your next cycle or do you build it fresh every time?
I was thinking I would cover crop and toss in some worms and try to just keep it perpetual.

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Reuse it. Look into no-till.

chico1st said:

I'm in. I just ordered 20gal living soil pots for my next cycle. (someone else also recommended bigger pots too ).
Do you reuse the soil on your next cycle or do you build it fresh every time?
I was thinking I would cover crop and toss in some worms and try to just keep it perpetual.

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Yep. You can cover crop it, chop it, add a balanced feed and ewc, and mulch.

chico1st said:

I'm in. I just ordered 20gal living soil pots for my next cycle. (someone else also recommended bigger pots too ).
Do you reuse the soil on your next cycle or do you build it fresh every time?
I was thinking I would cover crop and toss in some worms and try to just keep it perpetual.

Click to expand...

I use 20 gallon pots and they’re all-around the perfect size.

I reuse my soil in a notill program.Every harvest gets better as you’re not messing with the microbiology we’re trying to build in organics. Just simply cut your finished plant at the base, leaving the rootball in the soil. Plant your next clone/seed somewhere in the pot, by the time you’re finishing veg or beginning flower, the old rootball should be gone.

I do both a cover crop and worms as well. Two of the best additions you can go with in no till.

I use red clover, hairy vetch, and buckwheat as my cover crop ( these are the main ones available at the local nursery) and I generally just get night crawlers from a bait shop or tractor supply. Adding these two things will be an absolute game changer.

HTH