Long time synthetic grower switching to organic grow, thoughts?

Jamp said:

Hey, congrats on the switch to organics! You will definitely get higher terpene % and hopefully like your finished product more. If it doesn’t work at first don’t get discouraged. Try again. I suggest keeping a journal, even if it’s very simple so you what you do wrong AND right. You’ll thank yourself later.
A while back I switched from salts to Organics and I will just give you my advice and ideas. Take what you want and leave the rest. I am by no means the supreme organic authority.
So previously mentioned, I would also use 80% promix and 20% coco. When I switched I tried for a few rounds in coco. It was OK, but when I switched to a promix super soil style it was way better.


I would also put a top dress on at the flip, then at the beginning of week 3, 5, and 6. I’m not sure how big of a pot you’re using, but the reason being on this 1st run you’re not going to want to run out of nutrients. The most common thing I see people do in their 1st organic try is underfeed and jump back to liquid nutes and never go back to Organics again. Since you can reuse your soil now, you can’t really put in too much organic amendments (within reason)

For your last week I would not pH your water. I’m guessing it comes out high between 7-8? Just bubble it to get rid of chlorine or chloramines and water in (if it’s high pH) and watch the awesome fade.

I know you said you want it simple, but I would really suggest at least a couple easy compost teas. I actually only do an easy worm tea for mybplants snd soil. They love it. I’d do week 1and 5, or 2 and 6.

Your plan seems great. I just wanted to throw in my 2¢. Good luck. Post some photos so we can see your progress!

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Medskunk said:

Dude if you go for no coco, defo use at least 20% worm castings and 20% perlite and the rest for compost.

I wouldnt say growing organic is necessary slow especially if you use some sort of added microbes and humic, fulvic acids. I use urb natural.. one of the Lsd's finished at day 58 from switch. The aromas and taste are better than any amsterdam coffee shops i been. Damn i only got a rolly left of it now

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Diesel0889 said:

I dont see slow in my room either. As a side note malted barley once a week def helps my finishing time. 10-15% strain dependent imo. Others may feel differently, just my experience. If anything synthetic may edge it out in some rooms during veg but again strain depending, even that some will argue is bs.

Happy growing!

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Dabbie McDoob said:

My pots are 5 gal. and I top dress week 1 and 3 for 8 week strains and again at week 6 for 10 week strains.
3 cups worm castings, 2 TBSP Gypsum, 4 TBSP oyster shell flour, 4 TBSP Gaia Green power bloom.
Sometimes I pre-mix the top dressings in recycled cat litter containers, saves time.

@Jamp Has some great points. I suggest sticking with it.

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VILEPLUME said:

Do you think I should use 25% coco or just go full promix?

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ganga gurl420 said:

I've seen too many people burn their plants from using subs recipe.

Personally I find just buying a premixed bag of nutes is way more efficient and cost effective, and it doesn't matter really what brand you use. I am a huge fan of the espoma company in itself so that is why I use their product as a main base and top dress with something else but I don't have to worry about mixing too much of this or that. Plus the products I use is already inoculated with a ton of bennies. Its nice not having a million half partially used bags of different dry amendments laying around like some of my friends do.

Just my 2 cents.

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Diesel0889 said:

IMO look up coots mix or a build a soil recipie online if unfamiliar with living soil. This route will be your ultimate success on a first organic grow with some decent research going in thats at this point ALL over the net.

. When useing a mix like this never overlook the compost portion. Cheap vermicompost or composted cow manure is not the same as a worm bin started with high quality compost and fed on a specific diet to be used as you 1/3rd compost portion. Or as a quality bagged compost like malibu or oly mountain fish compost. Shit in equals shit out. Keep in mind im not saying promix, coco and this that or the other won't work but a proven mix that has been established for years is a much safer bet when you have not been down the road before.

I am on my 6th or 7th run in some of my coots mix and my soil life is booming and my worms I introduced all that time back are happy as ever. Remember spending in the beginning is normal and you are making a long term investment! My first run in coots mix i pulled over 2 elbows with medium yielding genetics, 4 plants in a 4x4 under a se1000 hps, 30 gallon smart pots yearssss ago! There is many here who use coots mix or a variation of it with there twist they have added over the years getting similar results consistently as well. Some very talented growers here on riu!

Happy growing!

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VILEPLUME said:

Do you think I should use 25% coco or just go full promix?

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swedsteven said:

Straight promix and reuse it !
Use 1 cup of 4-4-4 each 5 gallon off promix hp or bx for your first mix that will be enought for 1 month

Then go 50/50 2-8-4 for topdress half cup each 5 gallon every 3 week

Try to harvest after 4 week straight tap water no need to air out or ph !

When you remix the second round you usualy dont need to add dolomite right away the third round you reuse it your soil will need some to keep the ph to getting to accid .

Your third cycle you will need half wath you put in so
Half a cup off 4-4-4 for the first mixxing and some perlite and dolomite !but thats far

My fourth cycle here in this promix with gaia green 4-4-4 and 2-8-4 old ass promix 3 cycle synthétique and 3cycle organic !

5 week old 2week in flow my first top dress was yesterday half cup 50/50 ... love gaia green !!
View attachment 4669040View attachment 4669041View attachment 4669043

Sleeping
Dragon punch my best yield ever from this strain
8 week in flow
View attachment 4669047

Peace keep it green hhh

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swedsteven said:

Straight promix and reuse it !
Use 1 cup of 4-4-4 each 5 gallon off promix hp or bx for your first mix that will be enought for 1 month

Then go 50/50 2-8-4 for topdress half cup each 5 gallon every 3 week

Try to harvest after 4 week straight tap water no need to air out or ph !

When you remix the second round you usualy dont need to add dolomite right away the third round you reuse it your soil will need some to keep the ph to getting to accid .

Your third cycle you will need half wath you put in so
Half a cup off 4-4-4 for the first mixxing and some perlite and dolomite !but thats far

My fourth cycle here in this promix with gaia green 4-4-4 and 2-8-4 old ass promix 3 cycle synthétique and 3cycle organic !

5 week old 2week in flow my first top dress was yesterday half cup 50/50 ... love gaia green !!
View attachment 4669040View attachment 4669041View attachment 4669043

Sleeping
Dragon punch my best yield ever from this strain
8 week in flow
View attachment 4669047

Peace keep it green hhh

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VILEPLUME said:

Thanks for your reply.
I noticed you use fabric pots do you recommend them over plastic pots for organic? I dont want my peatmoss to dry out.

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VILEPLUME said:

Thanks for your reply.
I noticed you use fabric pots do you recommend them over plastic pots for organic? I dont want my peatmoss to dry out.

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myke said:

Im following along as I have the same questions,please post what you end up mixing.Im going to try an organic grow also thx.

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VILEPLUME said:

Hi, I made my soil. Its a mix of ocean forest, worm casings, gia green 444, oyster shell powder, gypsum and promix hp. Letting bake in a large container for 45 days, every 5 days I churn it. When I get further along I'll post pics.

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Diesel0889 said:

As one that builds soil exclusively.... still a impressive room. Props to you! Dragon punch looks fire!

Happy growing!

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Jamp said:

I saw a grow using a bag of Roots Organic and a bag of BioLive watered with s weekly Worm tea. It was amazing!

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myke said:

Im following along as I have the same questions,please post what you end up mixing.Im going to try an organic grow also thx.

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myke said:

Im a hydro guy,so this is all new.Is there a way to check after say 45 days just how hot it is.ha i didnt want to say pp... in the organic section.

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Diesel0889 said:

IMO look up coots mix or a build a soil recipie online if unfamiliar with living soil. This route will be your ultimate success on a first organic grow with some decent research going in thats at this point ALL over the net.

. When useing a mix like this never overlook the compost portion. Cheap vermicompost or composted cow manure is not the same as a worm bin started with high quality compost and fed on a specific diet to be used as you 1/3rd compost portion. Or as a quality bagged compost like malibu or oly mountain fish compost. Shit in equals shit out. Keep in mind im not saying promix, coco and this that or the other won't work but a proven mix that has been established for years is a much safer bet when you have not been down the road before.

I am on my 6th or 7th run in some of my coots mix and my soil life is booming and my worms I introduced all that time back are happy as ever. Remember spending in the beginning is normal and you are making a long term investment! My first run in coots mix i pulled over 2 elbows with medium yielding genetics, 4 plants in a 4x4 under a se1000 hps, 30 gallon smart pots yearssss ago! There is many here who use coots mix or a variation of it with there twist they have added over the years getting similar results consistently as well. Some very talented growers here on riu!

Happy growing!

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GrassBurner said:

Hey hows it going. Was hoping to pick your brain a bit. I started making some coots mix soil about 6 weeks ago. Used 2 cu ft of local compost, 2 cu ft of local worm castings, 3 cu ft of lava rock, 3 cu ft of peat moss, 3 lbs of worms from the farm i got the ewc's, some mychorizzae fungus, and the coots soil kit from Kis Organics. I let it cook for about a month outside, and planted some seedlings.
Theyve all been very light green/yellow from the beginning, and now my 3 phk's are getting some pretty bad spotting between the veins. My 3 NL1's don't have the spotting, but they do lack good green coloring. Seedlings are in 2 gallon fabric pots right now (1 is in 3 gallon with top rolled down).
My concern is that the coots mix recipe calls for about 6.5 cups of ammendments per cu ft of soil, and my mix only called for 2 cups. The price was super cheap for all the ammendments, but im worried that I just don't have enough in the soil. Did I let it cook long enough @4 weeks, or do you think my soil needs more ammendments? My water ph is right around 7. I appreciate any advice. Im considering buying the coots ammendment pack from Build A Soil for 4.5 cu ft of soil, and mixing that into what ive got, but im gonna wait until I hear back from Kis. I asked for a breakdown of ingrediant quantities so I can see where I need to focus.

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