Recycled Organic Living Soil (ROLS) and No Till Thread

Thanks. It was hell of a lot of work, but I'm glad I did it. There's a big gap between existing organic grow books and what is practice on this board. Of course, we're heavily borrowing from permaculture, but permaculture pot needs to be more well known. Even non-gardeners could benefit so to be more educated consumers.
 
hyroot said:
1 cup glacial rock dust
1 cup basalt rock dust
1 cup bentonite ( volcanic ) rock dust
1 cup oyster shell flour

then after harvest when you replant the next plant in the same pot of soil, you only need to add half as much





so do you think its good to have the night crawlers. Since my worms vanished I've been trying to decide between ordering just the red wigglers from uncle jims or the combo of red wigglers and night crawlers from build a soil. with night crawlers its a better deal from build a soil. just red wigglers is a better deal from uncle jims.

I was kind of holding out hoping some cocoons would hatch. I haven't seen any. I'm on a tight budget for the next month.
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That's BAS's mineral mix. That is not what Coot recommends. I haven't tried reamending minerals, but Coot said not to. It's a one time deal is my understanding.

On the worms, I think it depends on the type of worm bin you are running. European nightcrawlers are going to work deeper in the soil which is not good for a continuous flow through. Red wigglers are going to work the top leaf litter, so not as deep. If you are going to through compost in a smart pot and leave it be, I'd use both.

Peace!

P-
 
I've been having a bit of an issue with 3 of my ladies and I think I finally figured it out. We recently had to put our window ac in now that spring is here (Finally!! Seasonal Affective Disorder is a bitch) and I've noticed that at the bottom of my tent at the root zone it usually stays around 70 or less, even with a DIY riser under them to elevate them away from the cold floor. Now, the issue with my ladies is that about 2 weeks ago before I transplanted from solos I fudged and watered with a heavy hand. So they lost their bottom true leaves and started to get that jaundice look to them. I handled that issue, transplanted them as they needed more leg room, but they still have that overwatered sag and yellowing look to them. Their secondary branches and nodes are much greener, but not quite "healthy" looking like they should. I gave them an aloe vera and endo Mycorrhizae tea this morning. What is a bit strange to me is that my heavier feeder of the 3 is much paler in comparison.

Here's the B52 1426948980943932979631.jpg
 
Pattahabi said:
Is it possible to hit them with an EWC slurry? Or just add an inch or two of high quality vermicompost/EWC? If it were me I'd start with the castings, and then follow up with a kelp/alfalfa tea.

Peace!

P-
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I'm going to have to dig around in my worm bin for some good vermicompost unless I want to order some online and wait. Damn lol I was hoping to avoid rooting around in my bin any more.
 
Midwest Weedist said:
I've been having a bit of an issue with 3 of my ladies and I think I finally figured it out. We recently had to put our window ac in now that spring is here (Finally!! Seasonal Affective Disorder is a bitch) and I've noticed that at the bottom of my tent at the root zone it usually stays around 70 or less, even with a DIY riser under them to elevate them away from the cold floor. Now, the issue with my ladies is that about 2 weeks ago before I transplanted from solos I fudged and watered with a heavy hand. So they lost their bottom true leaves and started to get that jaundice look to them. I handled that issue, transplanted them as they needed more leg room, but they still have that overwatered sag and yellowing look to them. Their secondary branches and nodes are much greener, but not quite "healthy" looking like they should. I gave them an aloe vera and endo Mycorrhizae tea this morning. What is a bit strange to me is that my heavier feeder of the 3 is much paler in comparison.

Here's the B52 View attachment 3376987
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This is definitely and most certainly magnesium deficiency
also mate. I do not know any organic emergency measures for mag def, but I would also shoot for an EWC top dress...
 
Mad Hamish said:
This is definitely and most certainly magnesium deficiency
also mate. I do not know any organic emergency measures for mag def, but I would also shoot for an EWC top dress...
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Thank you, I'll start googling for some organic quick fix methods for a magnesium deficiency.
I'll get on that top dress
I appreciate the help guys!
 
Did some reading on fixing my deficiency and I realized that my dolomite lime should have taken care of my magnesium as well, right? I also have powered egg shells in my mix.
I can try and find some epsom salt to fix it, but I'm a little worried maybe it's something acting as a magnesium def? Though it's very possible I didn't use enough in my mix.

Edit: on second thought, would a kelp meal tea / vermicompost top dress be better than using epsom salt?
 
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I heated my cabinet until my soil reading hit 78. It was 90 in the canopy but the girls went nuts with new vigor!
 
So, I'm following a recipe that has oyster shell, if I have dolomite lime, is it necessary that I purchase oyster shell? Also, which is a better source of nitrogen, fish meal or a 50/50 mix of neem and karanja?
 
Midwest Weedist said:
Did some reading on fixing my deficiency and I realized that my dolomite lime should have taken care of my magnesium as well, right? I also have powered egg shells in my mix.
I can try and find some epsom salt to fix it, but I'm a little worried maybe it's something acting as a magnesium def? Though it's very possible I didn't use enough in my mix.

Edit: on second thought, would a kelp meal tea / vermicompost top dress be better than using epsom salt?
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Ah, dolomite. This might be the reason for your deficiency. It acts as a Ph buffer waaaaaaaaaaybefore it breaks down to make any magnesium available to the plant. Replace Dolly with a 50/50 mix of gypsum and crushed oyster shell. Another issue is how it is nailing your Ph really high. Dolomite lime removes the olant's capability to control Ph. Nutrient absorption changes per nute as Ph and temps change. I have a feeling your narrow Ph range coupled with lower temps are also affecting uptake. Epsom salts work very well for may deficiency, half tespoon per gallon water should do the trick every time. But in my OPINION top dressing worm castings is the best emergency treatment for most non bug issues.
 
worm poo should work if it has had inputs with magnesium. on it's own, it may not help:
https://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/vermiculture/castings.html

The nutrient content was much higher in the vermicomposts for most elements except magnesium [compared to commercial compost]. The researchers noted that many of the nutrients in waste materials (including nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium), when processed by earthworms, are changed into forms more readily taken up by plants.​
 
Mad Hamish said:
Ah, dolomite. This might be the reason for your deficiency. It acts as a Ph buffer waaaaaaaaaaybefore it breaks down to make any magnesium available to the plant. Replace Dolly with a 50/50 mix of gypsum and crushed oyster shell. Another issue is how it is nailing your Ph really high. Dolomite lime removes the olant's capability to control Ph. Nutrient absorption changes per nute as Ph and temps change. I have a feeling your narrow Ph range coupled with lower temps are also affecting uptake. Epsom salts work very well for may deficiency, half tespoon per gallon water should do the trick every time. But in my OPINION top dressing worm castings is the best emergency treatment for most non bug issues.
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I'm really wishing I had never bought any. It was just so cheap on that Hydro store shelf when I first got into Organics, box lasts forever too..
Well I went ahead and got some epsom salt last night and gave them a small watering (they already got watered yesterday morning) at a ratio of a tea spoon per gallon. I also used it to give them a foliar. Somewhere suggested I focus on getting the underside of the leaves more so than anything, so I did.
I also went through my worm bin last night and there's no way I'd have enough compost to top dress even one plant. I need to buy more worms instead I've been procrastinating for a month.
Sigh. If the epsom salts don't work I may not be able to get any vermicompost / castings before I get paid again. So hopefully it does!!


How long does dolomite take to break down? I've let my soil mix mature for almost two months now, it's like 50+ days old now. I'm not afraid to give all of my plants some epsom salt but I'd rather avoid that if possible.
Maybe make a very light epsom salt "tea" to compensate until the dolo works and water that mix into my maturing soil? My Yunnan landrace that's a week younger than these 3 gals I've been talking about acts like it has nothing wrong with it even though it's in the same soil, less mg intake?
 
Midwest Weedist said:
I'm really wishing I had never bought any. It was just so cheap on that Hydro store shelf when I first got into Organics, box lasts forever too..
Well I went ahead and got some epsom salt last night and gave them a small watering (they already got watered yesterday morning) at a ratio of a tea spoon per gallon. I also used it to give them a foliar. Somewhere suggested I focus on getting the underside of the leaves more so than anything, so I did.
I also went through my worm bin last night and there's no way I'd have enough compost to top dress even one plant. I need to buy more worms instead I've been procrastinating for a month.
Sigh. If the epsom salts don't work I may not be able to get any vermicompost / castings before I get paid again. So hopefully it does!!


How long does dolomite take to break down? I've let my soil mix mature for almost two months now, it's like 50+ days old now. I'm not afraid to give all of my plants some epsom salt but I'd rather avoid that if possible.
Maybe make a very light epsom salt "tea" to compensate until the dolo works and water that mix into my maturing soil? My Yunnan landrace that's a week younger than these 3 gals I've been talking about acts like it has nothing wrong with it even though it's in the same soil, less mg intake?
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I have never seen a deficiency on a land race so I guess you are spot on there, they do more with less food. The Epsom salts work fine, I used to use half of the recommended tsp per gallon and only one little watering with that has always been sufficient to see a clear difference within a few days. I was told that dolomite lime can take a few months to become useful for Mg, and was recommended to cook my dolly mixed soil for at least 12 weeks. Since switching up to the gypsum and oyster shell I will feel cool with a four week cook and can probably get away with less. Bro I totally overdosed an outdoor crop on dolly back in the day, I can definitely relate to 'wish I never got this stuff'... After this light Epsom salt feed give them a few days, they should go greener feom the veins of the leaves outwards at first... I love watching the recovery phase. Cannabis has an awesome will to not only live, but thrive.
 
Mad Hamish said:
I have never seen a deficiency on a land race so I guess you are spot on there, they do more with less food. The Epsom salts work fine, I used to use half of the recommended tsp per gallon and only one little watering with that has always been sufficient to see a clear difference within a few days. I was told that dolomite lime can take a few months to become useful for Mg, and was recommended to cook my dolly mixed soil for at least 12 weeks. Since switching up to the gypsum and oyster shell I will feel cool with a four week cook and can probably get away with less. Bro I totally overdosed an outdoor crop on dolly back in the day, I can definitely relate to 'wish I never got this stuff'... After this light Epsom salt feed give them a few days, they should go greener feom the veins of the leaves outwards at first... I love watching the recovery phase. Cannabis has an awesome will to not only live, but thrive.
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Which is why I love landraces so much. The only issues I ever had was with a columbian gold that hated if you even looked at her wrong.. Finicky thing.
It may just be me, but it seems as if the b52 has started to lift up again instead of sagging. No green yet obviously but it surprised me this morning when I took a peak. I also toyed with my fans and I think I corrected my cold root zone issue. Rh rose a bit too so that makes me happy.
Damn, 12 weeks? I'm at like half that.. That would definitely help explain my issue.
I remember looking at buildasoils products and thinking "nah, I'll just use up my dolomite". Never again..
There should be a thread in the organic section warning people about dolomite lime.

What ended up happening to that outdoor crop?
 
Midwest Weedist said:
Which is why I love landraces so much. The only issues I ever had was with a columbian gold that hated if you even looked at her wrong.. Finicky thing.
It may just be me, but it seems as if the b52 has started to lift up again instead of sagging. No green yet obviously but it surprised me this morning when I took a peak. I also toyed with my fans and I think I corrected my cold root zone issue. Rh rose a bit too so that makes me happy.
Damn, 12 weeks? I'm at like half that.. That would definitely help explain my issue.
I remember looking at buildasoils products and thinking "nah, I'll just use up my dolomite". Never again..
There should be a thread in the organic section warning people about dolomite lime.

What ended up happening to that outdoor crop?
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Well if you like the build a soil guys' products, and you want to make a mix every inch as good (those guys are not Mickey Mouse they know what they are doing) all the knowledge you will ever need is around here on this thread :) You are right, it is a great idea for a thread, call it 'dangerous or useless organic amendments' or something like that. There was one like that on a different forum which happens to be exactly where I got all my info on dolomite lime from. Coot was very good at explaining it all. That particular overdosed crop was taken to finish but just barely. Got some bud is all I can say. It was pretty severe though, one of my first ever runs so when I was told to buffer my soil I just dumped a bag of the stuff in and barely mixed properly lol... bro it was BAD.
 
I still say hit them with a good amount of castings. It's the microbes in the castings that you are really looking for. Add an inch or two of castings, cover with mulch, water them in, and you will be seeing green leaves very quickly. I have also been known to sprinkle some amendments inbetween the ewc and mulch layers. A little kelp meal should cover your trace elements. If you want, add a little neem meal for ipm.

Peace!

P-
 
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