How to get started growing indoors organically - No bottles

Comfrey is a hyperaccumulator with a lot of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus + a lot pf microelements. I also mixed it with my tea, and used it as a drench when cooking my soil. Plants grown in this mix were one of the best I've had. I believe that hyperaccumulator tea can be developed easily at home according to your need and can replace foliar feeding or cure any deficiencies there are during veg or bloom. Has to be used carefully though.
 
I believe the key is to dilute it down and use it sparingly. I'm thinking it will perform better in this new soil. Ahh, the future experiments that await. :)
 
Use it no more than 2-3 times in veg and 2-3 times in bloom, and observe how plants react. Usually they react in a day or two
 
I have about nine days longer to cook my soil. I'm wondering about the wisdom of doing a drench with rainwater and a light dilution of comfrey juice I made this summer. Any thoughts? If I do so, my instinct is to give the soil at least a week to assimilate it. I can't think of any reason not to add a bit of comfrey.

Comfrey is rich in so many things - calcium, silica, iron, magnesium, Vit A, Vit C and proteins. It's high in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Comfrey is one of my all time favorite plants. I've used it for years for its healing properties (using it right now to heal my husband's sternum following open heart surgery) and it makes me happy to be able to use it to benefit my soil.

So, what do you think?
 
I would do it, I can only see positives. I like to do an ACT at the start as well, to kick off the soil microorganism party we want going on in our soil.
 
Conradino, I just started reading through your last grow journal and I was wondering, how do you process your banana peels? Have you ever used them like that as a top dressing? I apologize if you've already covered that in the journal, but I'm only on the first page now. The husband is still in so much pain from open heart surgery that it's been impossible to focus on much else. Now that he's napping more comfortably I have a wee bit more free time. I figured your journal would be a good source for organic info during this last week before I plant my seeds.
 
Indeed I wrote it in my journal, but it's simple. You leave them out for a day or two, then cut them and fry/dry them in the oven until they are black and can be powdered with a blender. To be honest it might've give me an edge with bigger plants, but with smaller ones I haven't noticed any benefit. Remember that they contain a lot of potassium, so add only if your soil is poor in this nutrient.
 
Thanks Conradino. An interesting technique. It appears it would be most valuable with your approach for outdoor gardening. As an indoor gardener I'm starting out with a nicely balanced soil.

I'll file that away. It may come in handy someday. I'm looking forward to getting back to your journal in a bit here. I like to read them beginning to end.
 
Hi Corgie and Co.! :circle-of-love: I didn't even know this thread was going or I'd have been here a while ago. Now its bookmarked haha, thanks to you my bookmark bar is far from empty. Right now I'm only on post #14 here listening about IPM, but I just wanted to say about azamax, yes it does have a very limited amount of essential neem oil, but you didn't bring up the active ingredient in azamax, azadirachtin, which is a secondary metabolite of the neem seed that completely degrades in 100 hours when exposed to light/water, and is a growth inhibitor and antifeedant to over 200 insects. I have some and haven't used it, but I'm confident that keeping it around is a smart idea, I've seen Lester fight off hordes of caterpillars with the stuff. And it was only 15 bucks. I don't feel too swindled by big business hahah. just saying. ;)

I have been loving this IPM talk as I'm vaping a little BBK, I definitely want to gear away from the "wait for bugs then NUKE" approach, but - if you've seen the mites and pillars I've seen, maybe you'd want to keep the red button handy too :laughtwo: just in case. I love you for doing this thread, you have a heart of green Sir Corgie.

edit: I love how they got to anti-feedants right after I posted this.. lol. I will defer to their wisdom, Clackamus Coot sounds like he knows his stuff, I honestly want to try his soil but, I'm broke, and I have lots of soil. So I'll put that off for the future. *I definitely want to find some really good neem meal now, and find ways to use that for IPM. I'll come back later for part 2 of that talk lol - my gardening isn't second nature to me yet, I need to focus on it or limbs get snapped haha. :Namaste: ... and I've been to Boulder Wellness quite a few times times. That guy knows his stuff. I will never forget the golden goat I got there, amazing stuff.
 
Hey Co, great thread. For someone new to the world of organics this has been a wealth of knowledge. I do have one question though I've read on multiple occasions peat moss is a nonrenewable resource and is destroying wetland environments where it is mined. I've read that composted leaves can work just as well as peat moss, and it is completely renewable. I'm also currently growing in TLO containers, and seeing great results, but still have to buy things like calmg+ and FF Big Bloom. As I understand from reading these are all natural products fine for organics, and usually used in ACTs. Would you feel this is acceptable as all natural and organic?
 
Hey there,
Yes peat is a non renewable resource, although the world has plenty, leaf mold IS a renewable, superior choice. I used to grow TLO style. No, I don't think FF big bloom and GO CaMg+ are good in act's. Contrary to what the Rev claims, I think they are completely unnecessary and counter productive in ACT's.

Here is the link on SPM vs. Coir.
| USU

And did u know NaCl was an ingredient in FF big bloom? I'm not salting up my compost teas, no sir!
 
COorganics said:
Hey there,
Yes peat is a non renewable resource, although the world has plenty, leaf mold IS a renewable, superior choice. I used to grow TLO style. No, I don't think FF big bloom and GO CaMg+ are good in act's. Contrary to what the Rev claims, I think they are completely unnecessary and counter productive in ACT's.

Here is the link on SPM vs. Coir.
| USU

And did u know NaCl was an ingredient in FF big bloom? I'm not salting up my compost teas, no sir!
Click to expand...

Great article on coco coir !

I just bought coco coir as my "wet newspaper" for the worm bin.
Should I replace all/ or half of it with leaves or newspapers before the worms arrive?
 
Food for thought, that was a very interesting article. That is exactly what I've heard regarding coir it's high salt content , but I didn't think it was that hard to rinse of the saline I'll definitely have to try SPM in my next grow and compare with my current journal. As far as the big bloom goes, I haven't had any bad experience, but maybe that's because my water source is so low in dissolved minerals, but I do agree that as long as you use bottled anything you don't truly know what goes into your grow, and hidden Things like NaCl can make it through even in organic products. I suppose the only way I can know what is happening in my soil and teas is through a microscope, then I could do side by side comparisons and see which developed more life. So far I have to say going organic I've seen I drastic improvement in my crop, but organic isn't enough I wanna be a self reliant grower and would eventually love to cut out any store bought products. I definitely have a long road ahead learning organics, but I'm glad to have people like you Co to help guide me along.
 
Radogast said:
Great article on coco coir !

I just bought coco coir as my "wet newspaper" for the worm bin.
Should I replace all/ or half of it with leaves or newspapers before the worms arrive?
Click to expand...

Hey Radogast, first off badass username I bet he grows super dank haha. I wanna ask did you build your own worm bin? And if so do you have plans?
 
BubblegumJoey said:
Hey Radogast, first off badass username I bet he grows super dank haha. I wanna ask did you build your own worm bin? And if so do you have plans?
Click to expand...

Greetings Sir Bubblegum Joey
I purchased my worm bin, a four tray Worm Factory 360, here on this thread. :)
Not to hijack the thread, but COorganics is an inspiration and occasional facilitator of good old fashioned, sustainable growin backed up with research and solid scientific concepts. He just can't seem to help being a mentor and opinionated advocate.

I'm looking to have as nice quiet 2-3lb a year medical grow that will make my permaculture buddies and green thumb ecologist daddy proud.

COorganics helps that happen . Thanks dude:green_heart:
 
BubblegumJoey said:
Hey Radogast, first off badass username I bet he grows super dank haha. I wanna ask did you build your own worm bin? And if so do you have plans?
Click to expand...

Google "worm bin plans" and be prepared to be amazed at the variety of approaches. The best I've seen so far is this one:

https://https://www.ecoyardfarming.com/ezwormcomposter/

I may do this one myself. It looks incredible. No sorting needed. I love simplicity. I would think it would be much less stressful on the worms too.

My current ones are a small plastic tote under the kitchen sink (fast and easy set-up) and a 7 gallon Geo Pot under the stairs. This is an easily adaptable hobby.

:Namaste:
 
BubblegumJoey said:
Food for thought, that was a very interesting article. That is exactly what I've heard regarding coir it's high salt content , but I didn't think it was that hard to rinse of the saline I'll definitely have to try SPM in my next grow and compare with my current journal. As far as the big bloom goes, I haven't had any bad experience, but maybe that's because my water source is so low in dissolved minerals, but I do agree that as long as you use bottled anything you don't truly know what goes into your grow, and hidden Things like NaCl can make it through even in organic products. I suppose the only way I can know what is happening in my soil and teas is through a microscope, then I could do side by side comparisons and see which developed more life. So far I have to say going organic I've seen I drastic improvement in my crop, but organic isn't enough I wanna be a self reliant grower and would eventually love to cut out any store bought products. I definitely have a long road ahead learning organics, but I'm glad to have people like you Co to help guide me along.
Click to expand...

I feel you on being entirely self sufficient. I'm new to growing cannabis, but have been researching implementation self sourced gardening for a little while now. I've been toying with the idea of starting a thread dedicated to showing what I do to become and remain entirely self sourced.

If anyone is interested in watching we fall flat on my face :) then I'll start it up.

edit: This article has a good overview of local alternatives to the "exotic" ingredients many of us use in our potting soil and why we should shy away from packaged materials completely How to Make Your Own Potting Soil – Mother Earth News
 
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