First Try at moving towards Organics

Hey Everyone - would consider myself to be quite the amature, and I know a lot of people may view this question as being stupid - but I think a lot of rookie gardeners have this kind of question. My last 2-3 grows I have been using Black and Gold OMRI listed soil, the House and Garden nutrient line(roots excel, shooting powder, etc.) as well as a few additivies from Emerald Triangle (SnoStorm, Crystal Burst, Gravity). This grow I'm doing half my ladies on my old feeding schedule - but half my ladies this time around are going to get the OMRI listed Sunleaves Intl House of Guano feeding schedule, I've already hit them with the Mexican (10-1-1) and followed up a couple weeks later with the Peruvian Seabird Guano. Honestly do not have the means of making compost teas with the guanos, planning on using as a top dressing of the soil. I am a total n00b in Organics land, but as a patient I can def. tell the difference between clean tasting organic buds and buds that have been grown with chem ferts (although I was allow a 2 week flush with a flush solution).

I was wondering if many have had good results with sunleaves? This stuff is much higher in Nitrogen, P and K than most of the nutes I've used in the past and pretty happy with the ones that have been feeding organic so far. Another question is can products from H&G (ex roots ex., MZ, BXL, SP) or Emerald Triangle (SnoStorm/Crystal burst/Gravity) can be used as additives with the organic Sunleaves guanos? Ive been pretty stunned at the results I have gotten from theses additives, are there OMRI listed or organic additives that can serve the same cause? Thanks for any help from any organic "know how" gardeners.

Happy Friday Tokin'

I love sunleaves guano, its my main feed. although I do use compost tea it is def not the only way of doing things. it may be a good idea to get some humic acid, and molasses. also if you can afford it a premium compost instead of humis as a top dressing in conjunction to your guano would be good too, water with tepid water with molasses.

Don't be too hung up on having higher numbers in organics. It's more about the availability. Rabbit Poo is only 2.4-1.4-.6, but it kicks ass in terms of being available to the plant!!

Good advice Jack. As usual.

indicaman, if you're thinking about organic soil, have you considered just building a well amended soil and skipping all the commercial ($$) ferts?

I agree with Rrog man you can make your dirt for next to nothing and customize as you learn. Here is a good article https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/190926-best-soil-mix-rep-good.html

Build your soil. Add water. Drop Seed. Add water. Chop. Dry. Smoke the best bud in your life. Welcome to organics!

I'm migrating away from guano and relying more on my own compost.

Indicaman19..... Guanos are great natural fertilizers. One thing you might consider adding to get the most out of them, is a root inoculant. Like Super Plant Tonic (ebay), Roots Organism XL, or Plant Success (the last two are carried by most hydro stores)
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With the beneficial bacteria and fungi in those products working in your medium, it's a win / win situation. They will help break down what the plants need, at a steady pace, and regulate soil pH as well.
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Soil that is alive, helps plants thrive......
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No offense, but these products are not needed for a natural soil. That's been my point here and in other threads. I'd love it if more people could migrate away from bottled nutes.

Build the soil, ad a little compost along the way, and develop a really great soil

Rrog.... I completely agree with you about going all organic. For some folks, it's harder to pull off, and bagged soils end up being pretty much their only choice. Most bagged soils, are really lacking in micro-life, adding some into them, really benefits the plants, and the grower in the long run. Not to mention, tune ups along with way, when using chem, or semi-chem nutes.
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Personally, I love all organic soils, and all organic feeding (compost, ewc, guanos teas..etc..). But not everyone has the luxury of all organic growing. Especially folks, living in apartments, in large cities, where places to have and maintain compost piles, and soil building bins (for soil recycling) is not an option.
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Some organic, is better than none....
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Peace...
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Some is better than none. Agree 100%

I've just finished my last run with SuperSoil, all organic. I had to initially amend the soil with guano, meals, etc, but no maintenance program with bottled ferts. I just have a bone to pick with the organic bottled fert companies. I'm sure they're nice guys and all, but their products just aren't needed and growers are paying a lot more to grow weed than they need to.

People can buy compost and EWC, the two biggest amendments needed. Maybe a N source. The point being once you've paid for a nice soil structure, use it again and again. Bottled nutes will not build a soil as well as compost and EWC. Nutrients are not designed to be poured over plants. The bacteria and fungus extract it from the soil amendments, including compost and EWC.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. I'm whining at the commercialization of a beautiful thing is all. Certainly not aimed at the very good people doing the growing. As you said, better to have some organic than none.

Thanks everyone for input, no offense taken as I came here to look for helpful criticism and perhaps a better way to care for my ladies. I'm excited to have tossed all my bottled nutes in the dark drawer I never open, and for the new babies about a week into Veg I gave them a nice aerated tea of:

Alaskan Humisoil
Bountea Bioactivator
Bountea M3 (not added until an hour before application as instructed)
Soluble Sea Weed Extract (same as above)
Sunleaves Mexican Bat Guano

and right before application I added in some Plant Success Myco (was out of mycos at transplant )

Definitely excited to learn to build from the soil - up, and wave good-bye to growing synthetically. The plan is to continue on with bountea and sunleaves every couple of weeks. Happy Friday everyone

Jack Harer said:

Don't be too hung up on having higher numbers in organics. It's more about the availability. Rabbit Poo is only 2.4-1.4-.6, but it kicks ass in terms of being available to the plant!!

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^^^^^WORD^^^^^^

Don't get all ga ga for the ORMI listing either. All it does is guarantee higher prices and is pretty much a legal scam.

Learn to read labels, ingredients and most important, the guaranteed analysis. That's where the truth lies.

Wet

i saw that bountea stuff, i'm keen to know how it works for you! :]

organic soil is much more forgiving than you think

AtrophyIntelect said:

i saw that bountea stuff, i'm keen to know how it works for you! :]

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So far they love the bountea! Have some of the healthiest roots and foliage I've seen yet, definitely will let you know how it works in the long run.