Building A Better Soil: Demonstrations & Discussions Of Organic Soil Recipes

I'm having trouble diagnosing the issue my dark devil is having. I'm thinking it's a phosphorus toxicity but I'm not certain I'm correct, and I'm also not finding any info on what to do to correct that issue in LOS. Can anyone give me some advice on how to fix my girl?

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key1999 said:
I'm having trouble diagnosing the issue my dark devil is having. I'm thinking it's a phosphorus toxicity but I'm not certain I'm correct, and I'm also not finding any info on what to do to correct that issue in LOS. Can anyone give me some advice on how to fix my girl?

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Two thoughts and one disclaimer

Thought 1) Your new leaves are not affected, so it doesn't seem like a CURRENT problem, it seems like a past problem. What did you feed it?

Thought 2) "Toxicity" and "fixing" soil isn't really the way to think of living soil. If there is something 'off' with the soil, you need to a) wait for nature to stabilize things, b) flush, c) remix your soil with a better balance of ingredients.

Disclaimer) I am not a soil expert
 
Radogast said:
Two thoughts and one disclaimer

Thought 1) Your new leaves are not affected, so it doesn't seem like a CURRENT problem, it seems like a past problem. What did you feed it?

Thought 2) "Toxicity" and "fixing" soil isn't really the way to think of living soil. If there is something 'off' with the soil, you need to a) wait for nature to stabilize things, b) flush, c) remix your soil with a better balance of ingredients.

Disclaimer) I am not a soil expert
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The discoloration just happened over the last three days. Also, the top leaves are effected. Just differently which is what is really puzzling me.

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I was initially thinking it was a deficiency so I brewed up some compost tea with npk in it and watered it yesterday but it has gotten a bit worse since then.
 
36Gr0w said:
Seaweed and Plant Growth
T.L. Senn
Chapter 7
Why Plants Need Micronutrients
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^^^^ That - for the win... good, no make that "required reading" for gardeners and farmers. First few chapters are hard to read, get past that and you're into some mighty fine reading. Then get yourself some kelp meal!
 
key1999 said:
The discoloration just happened over the last three days. Also, the top leaves are effected. Just differently which is what is really puzzling me.

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I was initially thinking it was a deficiency so I brewed up some compost tea with npk in it and watered it yesterday but it has gotten a bit worse since then.
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Let me start with my own disclaimer that I'm just learning how to maintain a good living soil base myself, but this coloration speaks to me of a root zone problem. It doesn't appear you're possibly root bound, but I'm wondering how wet the soil is? How well does your soil drain?

The other thing that came to mind is the LOS cultivator's go-to, give her a good topdressing of the best vermicompost you can muster. With LOS it's not a problem with the plant, it's a problem with the soil. I always default to hydration as a first line of investigation.

Other, more brilliant minds that actually know LOS will be along soon. Hang tight. We'll get it figured out.
 
36Gr0w said:
Do you plant these together with cannabis?

Aloe is an incredibly beneficial plant, and borage is great too.

I broke my pitchfork this evening, so I threw it at a tree. Had just started screening my first of four 3 yard piles of compost!
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Catching up here. ...Prolly missed the point of that previous post.... so no not companion crops, those I mentioned are compost plants (nitrogen fixers) that we feed the worm bin with. Like you we also throw in rock dusts, neem cake meal, Kelp meal along with organic green food scraps, coffee grounds etc.



Companion crops I use alfalfa not exclusively but it's my goto cover crop outside and inside for companion in containers. I sometimes grow alfalfa in an empty pot if they are not going to be used, keeps the mircro-herd alive and happy.

We use fresh Aloe for starting seeds, along with Coconut water. I make a mix of those 2 and blend with water and put my seeds in that mix to start them (no paper towels) .. sometimes I do it hydroponically with that mix and sometimes in rooting plugs soaked in that mix (again no paper towels). Both methods are pretty much 100% sprouting and then downhill from there!! Kinda like breaking a pitch fork... :Namaste:

Stinging Nettle - that we harvest and save. We use it for tea for us and teas for the ladies a few times every cycle. We will throw nettle stems and roots in the worm bin but we keep the leaves for us. It's right about time to harvest nettles here where we are right now.

Tomorrow we will go in the woods and harvest a few backpacks full of nettles (with gloves and scissors), sort thru them and hang dry and save the leaves after drying. Nettle tea is extremely beneficial for human consumption. Even the sting is good for you, when you accidentally rub up against it. A few backpacks stuffed with nettles will last us the rest of the year until next spring ... we just ran out last week and will harvest tomorrow. Nettles is a must have in our gardening and living routine.

Nettles are right on par with Neem Cake meal, Kelp Meal and Aloe Vera for MUST HAVE for gardening and living. If you're wondering about neem and living ... its a natural pest deterrent, even the 4 legged versions. By "Deterrent", I'm being kind.
 
Around here the young nettles are a traditional delicacy - the first thing to grow the spring. It used to be in March that they'd start sprouting. Every year it's earlier now and we picked them on New Year's day this year. Boiled/steamed for a minute or two, with butter, or sour cream or grated cheese if you want to get really decadent. Yum!
 
36Gr0w said:
What is your soil mix?
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I started with an equal mix of Spaguhm peat moss, ewc, and Lava rock.

I amended with lime and Gypsum.

I've top dressed with crushed egg shells and later oyster shells when I got them to add calcium to the soil.

The tea I gave it was the vegetative stage of "mother Mary's tea" molasses, ewc, fish fertilizer, and Jobes organic fertilizer in place of the Fox farms. I also used an npk rich solution of water for the tea base that had had dandelions and stinging nettles chopped up and soaking in it for the last week.

Another thought I had, Its spot in the grow room is next to a cinder block wall. Would the leaves touching cement be harmful in the same manner that it will damage untreated wood over time?
 
Good morning Key1999 :)

As Radogast mentioned, toxicity is something that is highly unlikely in a LOS or organic soil. Once prepared and properly cooked, the plant and mycos will regulate the the nutrient availability as required for the plant's growth.

Deficiencies are also uncommon in organic soils that are well prepared.

Generally speaking, plants in organic soils rarely show any signs of nutrient based distress unless something has been introduced to throw the system out of sync.

For example, my first run as I was still learning, I had read that adding molasses to my water during flowering was a good thing. What I didn't realize at the time, was I was driving the potassium levels up which displaced the magnesium in the soil and caused a magnesium deficiency.

What I see in your photos appears like nutrient burn with should not happen in an organic soil unless you have added something to throw the pH severely off or added something to drive up the nitrogen levels in the soil.

As the original image shows the discoloring at about the same level across the plant and what appears to be on one side. This leads be to believe it is not due to the soil at all, but rather possible light or wind burn. I don't know what your set up is, but is it possible you have a light "hot spot" near where the damage is? Or a fan that blows on that area more than it does the rest of the plants?

Plants too close to a light or fan will exhibit those same burn patterns as nutrient burn.

Some things to consider as it is not always your soil that will cause issues :)

RC
 
Thank your guys for the feedback. I was thinking about the environmental impact as well, which is why I was thinking it might be the cinderblock wall it was touching.

I sprayed the leaves with a light spray of soapy water about a week ago to help with insects and discovered moisture between the two fan leaves that are most affected yesterday. Possible light burn from moisture on the leaves? I kept the lights way down on 20% for the day cycle after I spayed the leaves but maybe enough moisture was still on the leaves. To burn it.
 
Weaselcracker said:
Around here the young nettles are a traditional delicacy - the first thing to grow the spring. It used to be in March that they'd start sprouting. Every year it's earlier now and we picked them on New Year's day this year. Boiled/steamed for a minute or two, with butter, or sour cream or grated cheese if you want to get really decadent. Yum!
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I still remember the taste of a nettles and goat cheese pizza I ate in California in the 70s.
 
yankeetoker said:
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What ya think?
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Morning Yankee :)

If you have had that soil cooking in the dark/shade, it could be mycorrhizae, the fungus that aids in nutrient transport.

Warm, humid and dark/dim conditions, it will appear above ground. I have seen it appear over night in the pot Big Momma was in (outside) only to disappear once the sun shone on the soil.

It appears as a bright white 'fuzz' and if that is what it is, it is a good thing. Your plants will be better for it :thumb:
 
I can tell looking at it that's exactly what's going on Robert. Congratulations yankeetoker. You are the proud papa of your own batch of living organic soil. Well done buckaroo. :high-five:
 
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