First organic grow

getogrow

Well-Known Member
Yep I’ve used the lime/lemon juice before and it worked well. I know soil in theory buffers ph to a point, but I’m guessing water at 8.5 is way too far out. Could be wrong but don’t want to gamble lol.
You were correct in the first place. A HEALTHY SOIL will buffer itself. Yours is super healthy soil, not just "dirt" or soiless. 8.5 wont hurt a thing in that beautiful soil BUT go by what YOU think your girls need , not us. Were just here for a lil help and advice.
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
6 tbsp of powder and a couple liters of compost is all you have gave them so far? Your doing GREAT for 100% organic!
 

Gussy85

Active Member
Thanks Getogrow! Yeah just initially amended the soil in April while I let it “cook”. Only other time was beginning of flower, and will again after week 4. Honestly don’t have signs of needing it at all, but I don’t want to take any chances and it’s pretty hard to burn the plants with Gaia Green dry amendments I’ve heard. I don’t even have any burnt tips whatsoever. Can’t believe how tall they are though! Over 42” from base of stem. All the leaves are praying upwards.
 

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Day 21 of flower today, girls are looking fantastic! Can’t say enough good things about going organic. Soil is on point. Framed a wall up and added reflective 5/8” insulation on every wall to make a sealed grow room. Cut a 6” hole for fresh air intake and have the in-line fan and filter dumping outside off the old bath fan exhaust lol. VPD has been perfect, starting to see some trichs and getting that strawberry smell. Stretch is over so the buds should start making big gains!
Hey gussy
Great journal. what is vpd? And do you recommend a trelis? im in the beginning of my second grow
 

Gussy85

Active Member
Also first time I’ve used a trellis myself. Seems to be great for low stress training LST the taller branches. Or you can super crop under the string HST.
 
Hey Rogerlodge, it’s called Vapour Pressure Deficit. It’s essentially a chart used to make sure your temperature and humidity are dialled in. It shows propagation, veg-early flower, late flower etc. I’ll send a chart.
Thanks for the chart.

i used natures living soil for my first organic grow. I didnt add any nutrients and the plants really fell off a cliff(Cal/mag and nitrogen deficiencies i think) around week 4 of flower. Im at it again and have used dolomite lime with ffof and nls for this round. Iplan on using jobes spikes a bit before flower. Then i have aloe and silica along the way. Anything else i should add(or remove)?

RL
 

loco41

Well-Known Member
Day 21 of flower today, girls are looking fantastic! Can’t say enough good things about going organic. Soil is on point. Framed a wall up and added reflective 5/8” insulation on every wall to make a sealed grow room. Cut a 6” hole for fresh air intake and have the in-line fan and filter dumping outside off the old bath fan exhaust lol. VPD has been perfect, starting to see some trichs and getting that strawberry smell. Stretch is over so the buds should start making big gains!
Looking beautiful man and look forward to the rest of the progress..
 

Gussy85

Active Member
Thanks for the chart.

i used natures living soil for my first organic grow. I didnt add any nutrients and the plants really fell off a cliff(Cal/mag and nitrogen deficiencies i think) around week 4 of flower. Im at it again and have used dolomite lime with ffof and nls for this round. Iplan on using jobes spikes a bit before flower. Then i have aloe and silica along the way. Anything else i should add(or remove)?

RL
I’ve literally done;
-1/3 Sea Soil compost/worm castings (a lot more compost then castings),
-1/3 lava rock (size about 1/3”-1”) for aeration
-1/3 sphagnum peat.
- Gaia Green dry amendments (80% 4-4-4/ 20% 2-8-4) per gallon

Mixed them up and added dechlorinated water with molasses, liquid kelp, and mycorrhizae. Kept it damp and turned it once a week for roughly 45 days. Planted the germinated seeds in that same mix (without the dry amendments) so it wasn’t hot and also the seeds carry enough of everything the plant needs for 2-3 weeks.

I transplanted the seedlings after 3.5-4 weeks from the cell pots into the 6.3 gal pots. That is it man. Water when needed and one compost tea about 6 weeks into veg. Top dressed once at the start of flower and will once more after the fourth week of flower.

Funny thing is these dry amendments have zero calcium, mag or Sulphur in it. I’ve used Gaia Green Epsom salts once late in veg for a watering to make sure I’m good on mag/Sulphur. The water in Alberta is loaded with calcium so I’ve yet to deal with issues. Fingers crossed none mid-late flower .

Ived used Aloe for clones but not in waterings or foliar spray yet. Haven’t used silica but heard both those are great!
 

loco41

Well-Known Member
I’ve literally done;
-1/3 Sea Soil compost/worm castings (a lot more compost then castings),
-1/3 lava rock (size about 1/3”-1”) for aeration
-1/3 sphagnum peat.
- Gaia Green dry amendments (80% 4-4-4/ 20% 2-8-4) per gallon

Mixed them up and added dechlorinated water with molasses, liquid kelp, and mycorrhizae. Kept it damp and turned it once a week for roughly 45 days. Planted the germinated seeds in that same mix (without the dry amendments) so it wasn’t hot and also the seeds carry enough of everything the plant needs for 2-3 weeks.

I transplanted the seedlings after 3.5-4 weeks from the cell pots into the 6.3 gal pots. That is it man. Water when needed and one compost tea about 6 weeks into veg. Top dressed once at the start of flower and will once more after the fourth week of flower.

Funny thing is these dry amendments have zero calcium, mag or Sulphur in it. I’ve used Gaia Green Epsom salts once late in veg for a watering to make sure I’m good on mag/Sulphur. The water in Alberta is loaded with calcium so I’ve yet to deal with issues. Fingers crossed none mid-late flower .

Ived used Aloe for clones but not in waterings or foliar spray yet. Haven’t used silica but heard both those are great!
So a lot of the inputs for both those Gaia products will bring some Ca/Mg/S (amounts and availability will vary between each individual input) along to the party for sure. Whatever you got going on in there is looking spot on though..

Sorry, came back to re-read through your setup and figured I would throw that out there.
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
Did you cook the dry powder with the mix for 45 days also? Or did you add the powder after transplanting?
 

Gussy85

Active Member
Did you cook the dry powder with the mix for 45 days also? Or did you add the powder after transplanting?
Yeah I added the dry amendments in with the mix so the bacteria could break them down to a form the plants could uptake. I kept a small amount of mix for when the seeds germinated, in the cell pots WITHOUT any amendments. Have to keep the soil moist not wet, and turn once a week. It grew a layer of white good fungus on top and you just mix it in. The soil mix smelled like a forest after it rains lol, pretty surprised but that’s the aerobic bacteria (the good kind). If it smells bad that’s the anaerobic bad kind you don’t want.
 

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getogrow

Well-Known Member
Yeah I added the dry amendments in with the mix so the bacteria could break them down to a form the plants could uptake. I kept a small amount of mix for when the seeds germinated, in the cell pots WITHOUT any amendments. Have to keep the soil moist not wet, and turn once a week. It grew a layer of white good fungus on top and you just mix it in. The soil mix smelled like a forest after it rains lol, pretty surprised but that’s the aerobic bacteria (the good kind). If it smells bad that’s the anaerobic bad kind you don’t want.
Yes sir, im aware of all that and its great info , thank you !
Ive got years of organic knowledge in me , just never did any good at full organics. I love seeing the fungus on the soil. I love the smell of the forest!
I just wanted to see if you cooked your food first......im going back to 100% organic soon but its going to be awhile ....i need more room to make soil.
 

Gussy85

Active Member
Yes sir, im aware of all that and its great info , thank you !
Ive got years of organic knowledge in me , just never did any good at full organics. I love seeing the fungus on the soil. I love the smell of the forest!
I just wanted to see if you cooked your food first......im going back to 100% organic soon but its going to be awhile ....i need more room to make soil.
I figured you did! It’s the only way I think I’ll grow now as I can keep reusing the soil. Save a fortune on nutes as well. These two bags of amendments only cost $40 total.
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
I figured you did! It’s the only way I think I’ll grow now as I can keep reusing the soil. Save a fortune on nutes as well. These two bags of amendments only cost $40 total.
Yea , i got about the same nutes....i dont think i have any bloom powder left. i have happy frog powder and rainbow mix grow.... i love the rainbow mix,,,,, thats one of the original organic powders made for "reefer".
Ive spent more on soil in a year then i ever wanna do again. its just dumb and a major waste of money. I had my worm bins running for years before i had to move an lost it all. Thats the first thing i need to get is a pile of worms.....
 

Gussy85

Active Member
Yea , i got about the same nutes....i dont think i have any bloom powder left. i have happy frog powder and rainbow mix grow.... i love the rainbow mix,,,,, thats one of the original organic powders made for "reefer".
Ive spent more on soil in a year then i ever wanna do again. its just dumb and a major waste of money. I had my worm bins running for years before i had to move an lost it all. Thats the first thing i need to get is a pile of worms.....
I’ve heard getting a worm bin going is the best thing possible for organics. I’ve looked into the kits and contemplated making my own and just buying the worms. That’ll be the next thing I do for sure. When I get around to it. I’m sure the fresh worm castings are light yrs better then store bought.
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
I’ve heard getting a worm bin going is the best thing possible for organics. I’ve looked into the kits and contemplated making my own and just buying the worms. That’ll be the next thing I do for sure. When I get around to it. I’m sure the fresh worm castings are light yrs better then store bought.
That and they are always available. Nothing special needed....just a decent size tote with a lid. Drill tiny holes everywhere and your done. Grab some paper , rip it up, soak it in water for a minute, wring it out so its not dripping wet , put that in the bottom of the tote, add table scraps and a handful of dirt , then top off with more paper.....your up and running. Very very simple. If the worms try to leave then somwething is wrong in the bin. (too much moisture , too dry , not enough food ect...)
You can leave them be for months at a time if you really have to.
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
im gonna throw some powder nutes in some used soil and see what i get. im gonna use a couple tbsp per gallon plus lime and myco and cook it for a couple weeks or so. im anxious now :weed:
 
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