So who here is growing in true organic living soil?

[Rrog]

A pic of my LED build so far

 

[fattiemcnuggins]

Hey if anyone is interested, all the pics I've been talking about are in the michigan posts pics too thread. That was first batch next runs looking better. Already took down well over a lb so far.

 

[st0wandgrow]

Hey if anyone is interested, all the pics I've been talking about are in the michigan posts pics too thread. That was first batch next runs looking better. Already took down well over a lb so far.

Was this your first time trying organic? If so, have you noticed any variations from how you were growing before?

I just finished up my first batch a few days ago. The only thing I've noticed so far is the organic plants look a little leafier and maybe a bit less dense than the same strain grown using synthetic nutes.

Gonna do a little pre-cure smoke test tonight too....

 

[fattiemcnuggins]

Yes my first, I have noticed maybe just a tiny bit less frost and yield but I think that may be part of the learning curve. Density about the same as before, which is good. I did notice no pest issues, less deficiencies, and healthier plants overall with the tlo . This next batch has alot more goodies in the soil and looks to be showing in the nugs. Are you happy with how it went besides the added leaf?

 

[st0wandgrow]

Yes my first, I have noticed maybe just a tiny bit less frost and yield but I think that may be part of the learning curve. Density about the same as before, which is good. I did notice no pest issues, less deficiencies, and healthier plants overall with the tlo . This next batch has alot more goodies in the soil and looks to be showing in the nugs. Are you happy with how it went besides the added leaf?

Just took my first sample last night. I was pleased that I didn't notice any decrease in potency. The taste and smell seemed about the same (it hasn't been cured yet) but the big thing I notice is the smoothness of the smoke. Wow! This stuff has only been drying for 4 days now, has never seen the inside of a jar, and is barely dry enough to smoke but man is it smooth!!! I packed a bowl of organically grown bud, and synthetically grown bud, and the wife and I sat down to sample them and we both agreed 100% that the organic stuff was way smoother! No coughing at all.

Considering that I didn't know what the fuck I was doing for the most part, I am very pleased with the results!

Let me know what you think about the smoke once you've had a chance to sample it......

 

[Rrog]

That's a pretty classic response to organic vs. non. It's very smooth.

Side note, but I'm fascinated by what soil conditions might do to flavor. Molasses, Sulfur, even Sphagnum vs coco, all reported to have some influence on flavor.

Anyway, my soil grows blow away everything I've done previously. I really believe that a very well dialed in soil, with specific teas used, would give hydro a real run in terms of yield. I think the problem has been that we have an army of hydro guys with vast experience growing vs. a couple of soil attempts that naturally didn't do as well.

 

[st0wandgrow]

Rrog, I really went in to this without a specific plan of attack. I purchased some packaged granules for both veg and flower, and also used some bottled sea kelp extract, some bat guano, and EWC. It was really a half-assed attempt at it, but none the less it turned out quite well. This really gives me hope that if I take the time to amend some soil, or at least buy a proper line of bottled organic nutrients the results will be even more impressive. I think the main thing I struggled with was addressing deficiencies throughout the grow. With synthetics it very easy for me to identify a problem and remedy it. Not so easy for me with organics.

Ideally I'd like to find something that is relatively easy/low maintenance to follow. My guess is that coming up with a good soil recipe to stick to would be easiest. I'd love to be able to dick around in my garden all day, but I am self employed, with a family, so my window to be playing in the garden every day is quite small.

 

[Cory and trevor]

I read TLO and I am finishing teaming with microbes...slowly LOL. What's you all think of this soil? Its what I used to use with my fox farms plus some. I think I covered all the bases, probably not easily reusable but that will be the seond test.
4) 40 lb bags of organic topsoil (menards 98 cent bags, not roots organic)
I use one of the 40 lb bags to fill one each of peat moss perlite and vermiculite then amend with
25 lbs wiggle worm castings
2.5 lbs jamaican bat poo-sunleaves
2.5 lbs mexican bat poo-sunleaves
2.5 lbs steamed bone meal
2.5 lbs blood meal
1 cup dolomite lime
3 tablespoons azomite
tablespoon powder mycos-xtreme gardening brand
wet in a trash can and sit in the grow rooms 72 degree weather for 4 weeks.
its alot like supersoil and even without the fox farms I get pretty good results, seems organic enough til I put the bloom booster to it and the tiger bloom in the 3rd week of flower

 

[st0wandgrow]

I read TLO and I am finishing teaming with microbes...slowly LOL. What's you all think of this soil? Its what I used to use with my fox farms plus some. I think I covered all the bases, probably not easily reusable but that will be the seond test.
4) 40 lb bags of organic topsoil (menards 98 cent bags, not roots organic)
I use one of the 40 lb bags to fill one each of peat moss perlite and vermiculite then amend with
25 lbs wiggle worm castings
2.5 lbs jamaican bat poo-sunleaves
2.5 lbs mexican bat poo-sunleaves
2.5 lbs steamed bone meal
2.5 lbs blood meal
1 cup dolomite lime
3 tablespoons azomite
tablespoon powder mycos-xtreme gardening brand
wet in a trash can and sit in the grow rooms 72 degree weather for 4 weeks.
its alot like supersoil and even without the fox farms I get pretty good results, seems organic enough til I put the bloom booster to it and the tiger bloom in the 3rd week of flower

Isn't adding the Tiger Bloom just killing your micro-herd?

 

[Rrog]

This recipe assumes you're going to amend a little (1-2 a week) and use the soil again and again:

Base Soil

1/3 Sphagnum Peat from Premier Peat or Alaska Peat
1/3 Aeration material (pumice)
1/3 EWC

Per Cubic Foot of the Base Soil:

3 cup Charcoal (activated)
4 cups Rock Powders (4X Glacial, 1X Bentonite, 1X Oyster Shell, 1X Basalt)

½ Cup Neem Meal (2 g / L)
1 Cup Crab Shell Meal
2 Cups Kelp Meal
2 Cups Fish Meal
2 Cups Fish Bone Meal
1 Cup Sul-Po-Mag
½ Cup Alfalfa

1/2 cup this 3 part lime mix:

1 part powdered dolomite lime
1 part agricultural gypsum
2 parts powdered oyster shell


1 cubic foot = 7.5 gallons.

Moisten with Fresh Aloe (2 Tbs Juice with 1 gallon water) and Accelerant Tea (Comfrey, Yarrow, Horsetail or Nettle)

I pre-inoculate with BTI and Nematodes.

Let this rest for 4 weeks.

 

[Cory and trevor]

Isn't adding the Tiger Bloom just killing your micro-herd?

that's what I was told. I don't know if that soil will stand up and do a full run start to end with the same yeild as I had with my salty gross ferts. it's not really killing them as I understand it they die or go dormant from a lack of food, the plant uses the ferts instead of the natural shit and doesn't kick out good stuff fr the microbes so they go dormant or starve off. that right Rrog? I hate trying to get all that shit on the list if I can find a cheap way out and skip some stuff....

 

[Rrog]

Hey CT- I really speculate with the different bloom ferts. I really don't follow what's in them. I would imagine things go dormant as you say, rather than outright killed.

The recipe I just posted is a bit streamlined from previous.

 

[Cory and trevor]

I see that, the REV would have me spend about 300$ to get started if I went with his recipe exact. Just FYI-capital hydro....or is it hydro capital...I forget ; on cooper street in jackson has (they were temporary out of azomite when I went in) has been stocking all the ingredients for the TLO recipe. BJ one of the guys there is a friend of mine from the way back and said he's been at putting everything on the shelves for a while now and took it straight from the book, which they also sell.....for less than I paid on amazon in fact. I got a price quote for the full list....and I'm trying to cut corners LOL. Thanks Rrog, I can get that list one stop shoping and not go completely broke.

 

[Cory and trevor]

Where do you get nematode inoculant? Haven't seen that one in the grow store but whole rest of that list is on the shelf at CAP. I got most of it already so its about time to try this full on organic shit

 

[Rrog]

Sweet! I'd speculate that the complete list from the Rev would be more $$ than what I posted earlier today.

 

[fattiemcnuggins]

Yeah the mix I used was closest to rrogs and I have had a chance to sample plenty lol. I haven't noticed a huge difference but I had been doing "organic" for awhile before that just involved more bottles, less scientific approach. I am just sampling my first reuused soil nugs and am impressed that it is even possible to do and the Snell seems a little stronger than previous batch in virgin soil.

 

[fattiemcnuggins]

Oh and c and t they have the nematodes at hydro capital just have to ask for them. And I have to beg to differ with then saying they have all the S.s. ingredients. Last time I was there they had like 2 things, one box of each.

 

[buckaroo bonzai]

Side note, but I'm ----->fascinated by what soil conditions might do to flavor. Molasses, Sulfur, even Sphagnum vs coco, all reported to have some influence on flavor. <--------

I really believe that a very well dialed in soil, .......would give hydro a real run in terms of yield........

the 'flavonoids'.......and it's true everything in the environment can effect that....everything
.like wine--think grapes...cannabis>grapes gro the same

 

[buckaroo bonzai]

Rrog, I really went in to this without a specific plan of attack. I purchased some packaged granules for both veg and flower, and also used some bottled sea kelp extract, some bat guano, and EWC. It was really a half-assed attempt at it, but none the less it turned out quite well. This really gives me hope that if I take the time to amend some soil, or at least buy a proper line of bottled organic nutrients the results will be even more impressive. I think the main thing I struggled with was addressing deficiencies throughout the grow. With synthetics it very easy for me to identify a problem and remedy it. Not so easy for me with organics.

Ideally I'd like to find something that is relatively easy/low maintenance to follow. My guess is that coming up with a good soil recipe to stick to would be easiest. I'd love to be able to dick around in my garden all day, but I am self employed, with a family, so my window to be playing in the garden every day is quite small.

to make it easy just try and keep it simple when mixing soil....

theres really three main components.......

macro nutrients>NPK the three main ones-

and then all the minor >'micro' nutrients.....wat like ??? 8-9?? there is a list-
...it's the same for 'most' plants not just mm
these are mostly in rock dusts and similar ....and vermi-
you can find real good ones even at home depot with micro --they sell a product ironite--all the micro nutes and good cal --cheap

when I mix my soil blends I always consider the number on the NPK ratio but some will argue with me on that-it's ok

i have found myself I get better results(yield) when I keep the macros high and close to even (32-26-26 --20-10-10 --30-15-15)

that is hot and cooked months but man it gets nice.....and some fresh old horse compost
just water all the way thru --just water...no bottles of anything period.
I did scratch in some top dressing in the middle and end....an my friend does 10gl
with bigger containers sometimes that's needed-to complete a cycle strongly
decimated seaweed 0-17-0
and potash (wood ashes but be careful) 0-1.5-8(?) and a high k bird (had no fish)

--I always thro all the coffee grounds in and eggshells ground up from the house-in my mixes
coffee is good N ...eggshells good CAL and help keep soil ph balanced along w oyster or chicken scratch shells

i just think micro and macro when I mix and balance things out--if I mix soil
....amending after that can get trickier...
.but if you always replenish the macros....
-N usually gets used up first-

hope that helps to simplify bartending ---jm2c

 

[Rrog]

I really recommend the Nematodes. I wish we had a guy in MI raising some of these beneficial predators.