First time grower - i picked organic style

First post, how's it goin.
This is my first grow and i wanted to go organic,
what i used:
~50% Generic Potting Mix
~30% Perlite
~ 3% "Bulb Starter"
~ 2% "Searles 5 in 1"
~ 5% Garden sand
~10% Natural potash - from my wood fire.
These are rough estimates.

I water with rain water and I've just got my hands on some worm casting tea will be watering ~10:1 next water.

"Bulb Starter"
Organic Carbon, 10.0
Humate Content, 4.9
Ca, 5.8
Mg, 2.4
N, 0.1
S, 0.8
Si, 19.5
Fe, 1.8
k, 1.2
CEC, 14.2
B, .00381
P, .10162
Co, .00042
Mo, .00003
Ni, .00084
Zn, .00642
Cu, .02142
Mn, .06504

"Searles 5 in 1" 10kg bag
contents: Rock minerals + zeolite, fish + kelp, "potash bloom booster", mushroom compost, chicken sheep and cow manure(composted), and blood + bone.

N 2
P 0.4
K 2.1
Ca 4.5
Mg 0.7
S 0.5
Fe 1.4
Mn 400mg/kg
Zn 200mg/kg
Cu 70mg/kg
B 25mg/kg
Mo 4mg/kg

First started the bigger plant in the ground, it
got sick, put it in this soil mix. it's around 4 weeks
old. (Unknown sex)
the smaller plant is a seed i germinated in 2 days
in cotton wool+water in a container(with a lid)
it took under 18 hours to sprout in this mix.

Will frequently update this thread! cheers guys looking forward to your responses and input.

I too just started and sorta went organic....I WILL NEVER EVER EVER BUY PERLITE FOR AERATION. Best wishes bro....im subbed for that ryde!

FamMan said:

I too just started and sorta went organic....I WILL NEVER EVER EVER BUY PERLITE FOR AERATION. Best wishes bro....im subbed for that ryde!

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Good luck to you too, sir! no Perlite you say? may i ask why, this is literately my first time growing, not just organically.
thanks for the support my man!

yellowsunday said:

Good luck to you too, sir! no Perlite you say? may i ask why, this is literately my first time growing, not just organically.
thanks for the support my man!

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I is mostly a problem when going no till as perlite floats after time. Secound or third run in a notill contsiner will have most perlite float to top of container. And with your mix im assuming your only using once and reamending.

green_machine_two9er said:

I is mostly a problem when going no till as perlite floats after time. Secound or third run in a notill contsiner will have most perlite float to top of container. And with your mix im assuming your only using once and reamending.

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when i transfer plants i will be re-using as much soil as possible, efficient and sufficient. i will keep an eye on the perlite though. May i ask what you use as an aerator?

yellowsunday said:

when i transfer plants i will be re-using as much soil as possible, efficient and sufficient. i will keep an eye on the perlite though. May i ask what you use as an aerator?

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Yes. Reusing is essierw with perlite. Always add a bit extra and fresh conpost. And half amount of orihanolw ammendments. I would try to get aeayw from the premade organic dry ammendments and nutrient. Just source your kelp. Alfsfa. Crab meals. Fish bone meal. Neam seed meal. Ec. And raw minerals. I like 5 cups nutrients 2-3 cups minerals. Oyster shell and gypsum. For ph balance. Equal parts ewc. Peat. And perlite as my base

I do use perlite. It works. Big snd chunky. For my no till beds im working on finding rice hulls and rotted wood chunks.

green_machine_two9er said:

Yes. Reusing is essierw with perlite. Always add a bit extra and fresh conpost. And half amount of orihanolw ammendments. I would try to get aeayw from the premade organic dry ammendments and nutrient. Just source your kelp. Alfsfa. Crab meals. Fish bone meal. Neam seed meal. Ec. And raw minerals. I like 5 cups nutrients 2-3 cups minerals. Oyster shell and gypsum. For ph balance. Equal parts ewc. Peat. And perlite as my base

I do use perlite. It works. Big snd chunky. For my no till beds im working on finding rice hulls and rotted wood chunks.

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i can get my hands on most of that stuff, cheers for your help mate, much appreciated! I'll see what i can source out tomorrow.
im only using pots so i think perlite will be fine.
with the wood chucks do you have to level the Ph?

keen to see your organic grow journal progress in the future mate good luck!

I forgot to say i topped this plant about a week-week 1/2 ago at the 4th node. photo is a few days old.

Now looking at your pics. Something is off. I know your 4 wk old was sick. But its way underdeveloped and hurting. I woukd instead use a light mix. Just organic bagged soil. No nutrients. Extta perlite. Maybe ewc globally. Roots. Ffof. Lighf warrior. Or any local bag will work.
Also. Your growth will increase if you start in smakl pots. Pic 1 and 3 i woukd have in pint cups or solo cups. Seeds will always be better off germing in cubes. I like root riot.

Good luxk and glad your choosing organic. Keep at it. Doesnt happen over night.
Feel free to chexk out mt thread as well as journal.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/my-organic-method.867548/

green_machine_two9er said:

Now looking at your pics. Something is off. I know your 4 wk old was sick. But its way underdeveloped and hurting. I woukd instead use a light mix. Just organic bagged soil. No nutrients. Extta perlite. Maybe ewc globally. Roots. Ffof. Lighf warrior. Or any local bag will work.
Also. Your growth will increase if you start in smakl pots. Pic 1 and 3 i woukd have in pint cups or solo cups. Seeds will always be better off germing in cubes. I like root riot.

Good luxk and glad your choosing organic. Keep at it. Doesnt happen over night.
Feel free to chexk out mt thread as well as journal.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/my-organic-method.867548/

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i do believe it is deformed in some way, i rescued it from near death! aha, but thanks for your advice man, i appreciate it loads, next time, smaller pots. organic all the way brother, goodluck to you too, keep an eye on this thread!
cheers mate ill have a browse

here's the plant when i rescued it.

yellowsunday said:

i do believe it is deformed in some way, i rescued it from near death! aha, but thanks for your advice man, i appreciate it loads, next time, smaller pots. organic all the way brother, goodluck to you too, keep an eye on this thread!
cheers mate ill have a browse

here's the plant when i rescued it.
View attachment 3532489

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G
Well props gettinf it where it is now. Also checl out the notill/rols thread. Ita stickied in orgsnics sextions.

green_machine_two9er said:

G
Well props gettinf it where it is now. Also checl out the notill/rols thread. Ita stickied in orgsnics sextions.

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cheers man took some tlc! will check them out now. have a good one my man

green_machine_two9er said:

Now looking at your pics. Something is off. I know your 4 wk old was sick. But its way underdeveloped and hurting. I woukd instead use a light mix. Just organic bagged soil. No nutrients. Extta perlite. Maybe ewc globally. Roots. Ffof. Lighf warrior. Or any local bag will work.
Also. Your growth will increase if you start in smakl pots. Pic 1 and 3 i woukd have in pint cups or solo cups. Seeds will always be better off germing in cubes. I like root riot.

Good luxk and glad your choosing organic. Keep at it. Doesnt happen over night.
Feel free to chexk out mt thread as well as journal.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/my-organic-method.867548/

Click to expand...

What do you think about solo cups after germinating? I use paper towel (it works super well for myself atleast,) then into solo cups then into 1 or 2 gallon and so on.

I only have 4x4x7 tent, what size smart pot would you recommend? I hear alot of people using like 15 gal pots, think I could fit 3 of them?

green_machine_two9er said:

I is mostly a problem when going no till as perlite floats after time. Secound or third run in a notill contsiner will have most perlite float to top of container. And with your mix im assuming your only using once and reamending.

Click to expand...

I've used perlite for over 40 years and that is simply not true.

Yes, it floats, and yes, if hit with too much force from a hose, it might break loose from the top 1" or so of the mix, but to suggest that it will migrate up from deeper in the container is just repeating a myth with no basis in fact.

I just recently repotted a perinneal herb that the container cracked after 6 years. Except for the surface, all the perlite was where it was 6 years ago.

Speak from experience, not just reguritating bad info you read on the net.

Wet

Wetdog said:

I've used perlite for over 40 years and that is simply not true.

Yes, it floats, and yes, if hit with too much force from a hose, it might break loose from the top 1" or so of the mix, but to suggest that it will migrate up from deeper in the container is just repeating a myth with no basis in fact.

I just recently repotted a perinneal herb that the container cracked after 6 years. Except for the surface, all the perlite was where it was 6 years ago.

Speak from experience, not just reguritating bad info you read on the net.

Wet

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cheers for the info wet

Kind Sir said:

What do you think about solo cups after germinating? I use paper towel (it works super well for myself atleast,) then into solo cups then into 1 or 2 gallon and so on.

I only have 4x4x7 tent, what size smart pot would you recommend? I hear alot of people using like 15 gal pots, think I could fit 3 of them?

Click to expand...

I would personally stop the paper towel method. It works. But leaves nore room for human error to put you back a few days. And a solo cup is to big for a germ seed. Root riot cubes are awesome! Cubes until roots a grown through and than a solo cup or sinular size pot.

And i personally dont use smart pots or grow bags. Never had the results i wanted with them. I think it is how much moisture sas being leeched from my soil from all sides. Idk. Done side by sides and hard pots with well draining bottums work best for me.

Wetdog said:

I've used perlite for over 40 years and that is simply not true.

Yes, it floats, and yes, if hit with too much force from a hose, it might break loose from the top 1" or so of the mix, but to suggest that it will migrate up from deeper in the container is just repeating a myth with no basis in fact.

I just recently repotted a perinneal herb that the container cracked after 6 years. Except for the surface, all the perlite was where it was 6 years ago.

Speak from experience, not just reguritating bad info you read on the net.

Wet

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Ok but does a perennial herb get the same watering practices thst cannabis does? And i have Always used per light. Works great. However i have seen the bottum of my pots in no till get a bit heavy or compacted.

Thats why im switching rice hulls/perlight/rottin wood for notill pots only. Ill continue to use in my rols pots.

I just am leaning in the direction that there are cheaper more effective options. Nothing wrong with it.

Cannibis is a flowering annual, not an alien being, and gets watered the same as any other plant ... when it needs it.

There is no mystery to growing cannabis other than what is created on mj sites. Just about any 'straight' organic gardening site would be a better source of information. Really

I agree with the no smart pots bit and more than a few experienced growers are moving away from them. They sound cool to noobs, less cool to experienced gardeners.

Chunky perlite. Again, mainly directed at mj growers and new ones at that. Actually is less effective than the smaller, regular perlite, due to less surfffface area for equal amounts.

Rice hulls break down to mush in well under a year and become useless for aeration. Might do well in worm bedding where it's harvested in a few months.

For the rotted wood/aeration/eventual humus, BARK fines are great. NOT wood chips, but bark. I use pine bark since that is what's available for cheap. Fir bark is good if you're out west.

Wood chips will deplete N, bark is a different animal.

I use a 1/2" screen because larger chunks just get in the way, but that's personal preference.

Wet

Wetdog said:

Cannibis is a flowering annual, not an alien being, and gets watered the same as any other plant ... when it needs it.

There is no mystery to growing cannabis other than what is created on mj sites. Just about any 'straight' organic gardening site would be a better source of information. Really

I agree with the no smart pots bit and more than a few experienced growers are moving away from them. They sound cool to noobs, less cool to experienced gardeners.

Chunky perlite. Again, mainly directed at mj growers and new ones at that. Actually is less effective than the smaller, regular perlite, due to less surfffface area for equal amounts.

Rice hulls break down to mush in well under a year and become useless for aeration. Might do well in worm bedding where it's harvested in a few months.

For the rotted wood/aeration/eventual humus, BARK fines are great. NOT wood chips, but bark. I use pine bark since that is what's available for cheap. Fir bark is good if you're out west.

Wood chips will deplete N, bark is a different animal.

I use a 1/2" screen because larger chunks just get in the way, but that's personal preference.

Wet

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yeah i'm not sold on the fabrics that i've just picked up. but we'll see. i'm going to do some 7 gal plastic and fabric side by side challenges. i just don't like moving the fabrics around, the soil moves like crazy when you just transplant a plant into them. i liked the firmer plastic containers before i got these fabrics. we'll see how they do.

Wetdog said:

I've used perlite for over 40 years and that is simply not true.

Yes, it floats, and yes, if hit with too much force from a hose, it might break loose from the top 1" or so of the mix, but to suggest that it will migrate up from deeper in the container is just repeating a myth with no basis in fact.

I just recently repotted a perinneal herb that the container cracked after 6 years. Except for the surface, all the perlite was where it was 6 years ago.

Speak from experience, not just reguritating bad info you read on the net.

Wet

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it depends on your definition of "floats" if you mean that the heavier organic materials, different aeration amendments, etc, settle, (the same exact concept as goldpanning) then YES, it sorta does, the key is to water with a trickle instead of either a "shower" or "spray" setting, those tend to separate the soils ingredients.
I use a single stream setting, and on low pressure, watering from the outsides in.
I use smartpots for that.
Perlite will absolutely over the course of time tend to "float" or separate to the top.

I don't agree withit be considered "regurgitated bad internet info"
it's a valid point.

Also rotted wood chunks are fairly ph neutral (depending on the wood of course)
treat it exactly like you would biochar, in that it needs to be charged prior to using.
Important to make sure its well rotten, and can crumble easily in your hands