Were you using epsom salt or dolomite lime when you encountered this before?
Brand Spankin New ViparSpectra KS5000 Grows Herbies Seeds Collection In LOS
- Thread starter StoneOtter
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Hey StoneOtter does it still look like a deficiency with that beast of a light off . Mine acts like it’s taking an X-ray fooling me into adding more calmag .CURSES UPDATE
Yep I've been operating this grow as if I had fixed the Magnesium issue my soil had. Nope, still cursed with a mag def. I just top dressed a Tbsp of epsom salts over these girls.
I've been waiting for them to rip into the new soil and really go but the ribs are showing and all 4 plants are having very slow growth. Like nodes are being made but all bunched up in the last quarter inch of the cola. Let's see how they recover.
Thanks Otter. Thois is most informative. I am going to mulch with rooibos when I can get around to getting some. My soil guy swears by it but I am not a sciency person (dint learn it at school), so I don't retain the science. I follow the masters lol and try to do what you guys do. I'd love to know how the rooibos helps. I must ask Jamie again. I wish I could upload some pics of his grows.... he grows monster trees in massive cloth pots.... gonna try to show you now.Hey Tim, here's some of what I was talking about. This is what The Rev, my soil guy, says about mulch:
"Iknow for some of you, mulching your cannabis plants seems of little importance. I get it. Hells man, I used to be you. Today I want to explain, without getting all technical on your asses, how mulching enhances your soil microlife populations, and helps to diversify them. Specifically, regarding some special fungus, that is among us. Yeah buddy.
Fungi and bacteria share “the battlefield” of the soil in your growing containers. They are basically the yin and the yang powering your plants. Fungi and bacteria are at “war” with each other—from one perspective. Battling for resources and territory they can colonize, each claiming different zones within the container. Fungi and bacterial strongholds, if you will.
Mulching Your Cannabis Plants Should Begin as Sprouts and Never End
Giving the powerful soil fungi a place to call home in your containers is a great thing indeed. The activities of certain fungi make things like (rock phosphate as one example of many), phosphorous, and potassium much more plant-available. Along with things like sulfur and iron, et al. Cannabis prefers a bacterial dominated soil, but they couldn’t make it without the help of the fungi as well. Let’s have a little peek regarding these thangs…
Mulching Your Cannabis Plants Using Tree Bark
Tree Bark for Special Fungi Up Top and for Bacteria in the Soil
Let me begin by saying that almost any tree bark is fine. I would be very hesitant to use cedar, or walnut tree bark indoors, or in containers especially, myself. The resin/terpenes in cedar are off the chain heavy/powerful; but I have used cedar mulch outdoors several times without any obvious issues. Walnut bark/twigs/leaves/nuts are super high regarding pH value, so that’s the only reason I hesitate with walnut.
Use Chunky Bark Mulch Like This Rather Than Shredded to Summon the Ancient Fungi
Using the chunky style of bark mulch is fantastic for many reasons, trust me. But when it is used as a mulch up top, it attracts—and is colonized by—special fungi. The same kind of fungi you hear old artisan growers call “leaf mold”. Let’s just say they are HIGHLY beneficial, and aid greatly with phosphorous that they un-bond from the soil minerals and make available to the plant. The plant benefits are obvious once you see them, especially where flowering and root mass are concerned.
Shredded bark, used as mulch on top is attractive to both bacteria and fungi, but bacteria dominate quickly thereafter. Bark buried in your soil mix is also mostly dominated by bacteria, no matter the grade, chunky or shredded. So, this is one of those really cool subtle things to know when growing, all artisan druid style. Keep some chunky bark mulch up top and you make a home for some of your favorite fungal microlife; a stronghold for some very special good-guys."
I love questions! I wouldn't have seen what I missed the first times I read it! I missed the alfalfa meal part!
"If you never have used mulch before and you are about to try it for the first time, I would use a little alfalfa meal top dressing underneath your mulch. If you find mulch already composted, you’re golden no worries; just use it and ignore the alfalfa meal suggestion."
Make life happen seems to be a theme!
Omg I love that bark topcoat!
Is it bark?! Lol
It really looks beautiful. I’m all about the growastetics astetecs asteticks (fuck you spellcheck you found this word yesterday!) lookin schmick lolllll
Can I copy?!
Is it bark?! Lol
It really looks beautiful. I’m all about the grow
Can I copy?!
- Thread starter
- #445
Every time and it brings them right around. I usually hit them earlier and it's not so apparent. This soil's been through 6 grows maybe I'm thinking. Could be time to have it looked at. The aggie in MA does it.
Haha, I'm running a new and improved light this run West. A @ViparSpectra KS5000. It spreads the light out more with less power. Only 500 watts and it's plenty of PAR.
Jamie grows some beauties Carmen!
Yes, they'll love you more for it! No walnut or cedar. I know you're outdoors and it may not matter to you but I put it in foil and cook it in my bbq grill for an hour on med off heat zone to kill any nastys.
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- #446
SOIL TESTING DAY PH UPDATE
Hello all, today it was ph of soil day at the otter farm. 2 methods and I'm thankful for that! First was the kit I bought. I could have tested for N, P, K, and soil PH with it. I found it not believable after doing both "it" and a typical slurry test. Look at the results for the kit test. It's telling me ph is somewhere between 7 and 7.5. To get it to look at all green the test said to (if you can't read it put a tiny spoon of x sulfur and shake). Well I had to do that and it did turn green from brown but I'm not on board with a test like that.
So I did a slurry test to verify the results and I do trust these numbers as it's a tried and true test if done with a calibrated ph meter will give proper results. Big difference and thank the weed Gods! 6.5 on the nose. Close enough.
This kit did not work out for ph testing for me. I didn't check for NPK.
The slurry test I did was inspired by @InTheShed, an equal amount of soil and distilled water stirred, wait 15 minutes, stir again, wait an hour. I moved the thickest mud to the side and stuck in the calibrated ph meter and that's it.
Hello all, today it was ph of soil day at the otter farm. 2 methods and I'm thankful for that! First was the kit I bought. I could have tested for N, P, K, and soil PH with it. I found it not believable after doing both "it" and a typical slurry test. Look at the results for the kit test. It's telling me ph is somewhere between 7 and 7.5. To get it to look at all green the test said to (if you can't read it put a tiny spoon of x sulfur and shake). Well I had to do that and it did turn green from brown but I'm not on board with a test like that.
Just add up the ingredients and see what pH level is to each ingredient. What I do
- Thread starter
- #448
Distilled water, yes?
Dirt has pH level just like anything else. Each say compound has a acid level or alki level. Just look it up.
Tree bark fish meal all has a pH level.
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- #451
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- #452
Yes, thank you! Change made.
Thirvnrob
Well-Known Member
But why are you concerned about ph in a TLO grow?SOIL TESTING DAY PH UPDATE
Hello all, today it was ph of soil day at the otter farm. 2 methods and I'm thankful for that! First was the kit I bought. I could have tested for N, P, K, and soil PH with it. I found it not believable after doing both "it" and a typical slurry test. Look at the results for the kit test. It's telling me ph is somewhere between 7 and 7.5. To get it to look at all green the test said to (if you can't read it put a tiny spoon of x sulfur and shake). Well I had to do that and it did turn green from brown but I'm not on board with a test like that.
So I did a slurry test to verify the results and I do trust these numbers as it's a tried and true test if done with a calibrated ph meter will give proper results. Big difference and thank the weed Gods! 6.5 on the nose. Close enough.
This kit did not work out for ph testing for me. I didn't check for NPK.
The slurry test I did was inspired by @InTheShed, an equal amount of soil and distilled water stirred, wait 15 minutes, stir again, wait an hour. I moved the thickest mud to the side and stuck in the calibrated ph meter and that's it.
- Thread starter
- #454
They have been needing epsom salts to fix a mag def situation so my soil is off somehow. I didn't know just what the issue is so I started with a ph test to see if any lock out is happening from that.
In an LOS grow with years old soil, the soil can change ph due to coco decomposing I'm reading. Add that to me amending it over that time with the things that make changes to soil ph, I imagine things can land in varied ph areas.
I'm looking at calcium's effect on mag per Gees' suggestion in the soil now for the next run.
Top of the Week to sir. Enjoy the week and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
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- #456
How'd we get here again Nev!?Top of the Week to sir. Enjoy the week and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
You too!
You run an interesting journal, Stone. I was wondering how you move 10-gallon filled pots. Good thing you have wheels.
The plants look good. How old are they now?
The plants look good. How old are they now?
- Thread starter
- #458
Thanks for your kind words Hashgirl. The journal is downstairs, I think they are in the 50's of days now. Topping time any minute now.
I'm real glad my daughter gave me a rolling cart! It's been a portable workbench too.
Hey Otter, I hope you wake up to a bright new day
Please remind me what Gee said. I think it possibly may have been a little technical for me to understand. Could you tell me again pls?
- Thread starter
- #460
Ouch, it's about the relationship of calcium and magnesium in soil. A ratio needs to be kept, I can't go further now as I want to understand it myself as it pertains to my soil. I'm having a hard time with the science of it. What I do have going is a note to the addie college here asking what soil test I should have them do so I can amend it properly, The fix will likely be more calcium. We'll see.Hey Otter, I hope you wake up to a bright new day
Please remind me what Gee said. I think it possibly may have been a little technical for me to understand. Could you tell me again pls?
Apparently mag is locked with low calcium.
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