blazebug65
Well-Known Member
When making up new soil, is it better to mix your slow release amendments in or top dress and water in?
Mixing vs top dressing fertilizers
- Thread starter blazebug65
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DoobieDoobs
Well-Known Member
I think they need more than a week man, more like 8 weeks. Maybe that's too many weeks but better safe than sorry.
rkron0413
Well-Known Member
I was thinking bare minimum
maybe 2-4? XD
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
Does the same apply for top dressing?
rkron0413
Well-Known Member
I haven't grown much in soil to know. Hydro grower. From the dry amendments I have they feed about 30 days. With my mother's I'm going to try and feed them about a week before the soil runs dry(ffof). Im still a noob haha xD
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
Me too. I'm using ffhf and it's been like a few weeks. It's gonna be a trick to learn when to top dress. Lol
DoobieDoobs
Well-Known Member
From what I understand, top dressing depends on a few things: pot size, plant size, and what stage is the plant in.
The smaller the pot the more top dresses you are going to need. I've seen a few videos on youtube, like CaliGreen's channel, where he grows in 10gal or 15 gallon pots and he never top dresses (maybe sometimes a cup or two of compost and earthworm castings), another videos like Mr. Canuck's channel where he grows in 5 gallon pots and he top dresses quite a few times throughout the grow (gaia green amendments).
I guess it's one of those things that you learn with experience, getting a feeling of how much your plant is eating and how many weeks can your pot size support those needs.
And top dresses also require some time, eg. If you are about to switch from veg to flower maybe you top dress a week before switching because you know your plant is going to take more nutrients in the second and third week of flower.
I'm just starting with organic, so far I bought a 10 gal pot in which I'll be transplanting my gallon pot when the time arrives, and I don't think I'll top dress too much, maybe a couple times, before switching and/or during flower some earthworm castings and compost.
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
I'm just keeping moms in soil for now. I flower in dwc. I'm going to have to top dress often I believe. I figure if I can keep a few moms alive for a while, maybe I'll flower a couple times in soil.
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
I think it’s always better to put everything in the mix at once and then just water the plants. Top dressing imo is for extending the life of an established container; like say in mid to late bloom phase. If the roots are well developed and in symbiosis with mycorrhizae they will find whatever is in the container no matter where it is. Hyphae can reach for miles under an ancient forest.
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
So it's possible to keep moms alive for a while with top dressing in your opinion? Can I add mycorrizae (like great white) to top dress, or to water?
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
Yes but I’ve never been able to keep moms going indefinitely. After so long they always get woody and lose vigor. I always ended up taking cuts to make into new moms. Top dressing for me is almost like a last resort because takes awhile to go to work. I prefer to give compost teas and/or liquid fish to any plants that have been in same pot for too long. My secret weapon though is worm leacheate that flows from the spigot of the worm factory 360. Liquid gold!
It says on the label to water the Great White in; it is an inoculant so if you just get it in the root ball it should find the roots. I think it is even more effective sprinkling it in the hole at each transplant in contact with the roots but any way you can get myco downrange is a good thing. Great white is real good but overpriced for what it is. I’ve been using myco xtreme but even a generic white label granular mycorrhizae will do much the same thing.
It says on the label to water the Great White in; it is an inoculant so if you just get it in the root ball it should find the roots. I think it is even more effective sprinkling it in the hole at each transplant in contact with the roots but any way you can get myco downrange is a good thing. Great white is real good but overpriced for what it is. I’ve been using myco xtreme but even a generic white label granular mycorrhizae will do much the same thing.
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
I have some craft blend and ewc from bas. I'm gonna cook those and some perlite for a couple days and top dress. I did put great white on the roots when I transplanted. It was about a month ago. Is that's all that's needed or is it better to add more at watering?
WubbaLubbaDubDub
Well-Known Member
I reuse my soil every run. Re amend it after each grow and let it cook a month.
Top dressing still has its place in my regime couple times throughout veg couple times through flower just remember when top dressing you won’t see the results for a week
Top dressing still has its place in my regime couple times throughout veg couple times through flower just remember when top dressing you won’t see the results for a week
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
Does a tea get them by for that week?
WubbaLubbaDubDub
Well-Known Member
Nope I feed before they look hungry,by the time they want it, it’s breaking down.
Don’t get me wrong I use teas occasionally too but I’ve been leaning on them less and less lately
-edit- I might do a tea if I’m transplanting up to a bigger pot for a Kickstarter. Or if I’ve left my plants too long and the soil has gone dry
Don’t get me wrong I use teas occasionally too but I’ve been leaning on them less and less lately
-edit- I might do a tea if I’m transplanting up to a bigger pot for a Kickstarter. Or if I’ve left my plants too long and the soil has gone dry