Does anyone who tried the JMS foliar have any harvest reflections? I know
@danishoes21 said he had great luck with his willow spray (not the JMS that was suggested in the initial post), and I think that his version desreves some more attempts next season.
Just thought I'd shake the thread a bit and see if we can learn anything from last grow.
Hi Azi,
Thanks again for the mention and keeping the thread on. I have to excuse myself as I have been absent from the community for some time now, nothing wrong just catching up with real life. Hope everyone is doing good and having a good holidays.
So down to subject; this season I tried something different, entirely base on the assumption that spray (citric acid) widely use by many helps fight and/or prevent mold, pm, rot and other fungal derived problems, I decided to research (in my humble way) the use of JMS made out of willow leaf. I had posted a test for around a month or so, I sprayed vigorously a set of leaves from a tree in my back yard that had a severe case of PM.
The exact solution I used was a generous amount of fresh willow leaf, when I said fresh I mean took them direct from the tree and did not wash them as I wanted all the microbes in the organic matter to be a part of the JMS. I the used a 1 litre maison jar stuffed the leafs (use of bark is also possible), I filled with rain water, added a tea spoon of unsulphured molasses to feed microbes, closed the jar and let it do its anaerobic process. I used the same maison jar with same organic material and I kept adding water and molasses after each use.
When I sprayed I started with small amount and worked my way up to no dilution, at the end I sprayed undiluted willow JMS.
To avoid run off it is suggested to use a wetting agent (Azi had suggested aloe) I had a bunch of Xanthan gum
[is a
polysaccharide with many industrial uses, including as a common
food additive. It is an effective
thickening agent,
emulsifier, and
stabilizer that prevents ingredients from separating. It can be produced from
simple sugars using a
fermentation process and derives its name from the
species of
bacteria used,
Xanthomonas campestris. Wikipedia]
I found that in small amounts Xanthan gum works perfectly as a wetting agent, small amounts is between 1-2 grms per litre of solution.
So what’s the main component that makes the Willow tree so good, it’s salicylic acid.
So based on the assumption that using citric acid to make surface ph to a more acidic environment helps prevent or fight PM, mold and other fungal illnesses on the surface of the leaves, I went with Salicylic Acid because not only will it make the environment slightly acidic it has science backing it as a anti fungal and many other science (aspirin has salicylic acid).
My results displayed on my grow this year, I started using heavy foliar spray during the months of September and October been the most vulnerable months for PM, rot, mold… I found that foliar spraying helped prevent any form of fungal disease, I had no case of mold or rot, and slim to none PM. I sprayed on the buds, soaked them to see how much they would take and if the would rot at all. I did not see a mayor incident of bud rot.
I would try this again on my next grow, with out a doubt.
By November 6 the phenos were still alive, by this time it had rained, snowed and despite having frostbite, they did not have mold, PM or bud rot.
Post in thread 'Vancouver Island 2022 Organic Grow'
Vancouver Island 2022 Organic Grow
I hope you find this helpful. Keep it tight and till the next grow.