Keffkas Coast Of Maine Line, TLO/LOS Style, Bagseed, Indoor Grow

[Keffka]

Sure glad I didn’t water this morning! Here’s the seedling after a nice long day of photosynthesis

Seedling warmed

• Keffka
• Dec 31, 2022

Seedling from this morning all warmed up and working hard

Looking all strong and independent and not needing any man.. Well.. actually I did have to turn the heat up and change the humidifiers but you get my point


Here’s a shot of all the seedlings aged 7-10 days. They’re all looking strong and almost ready for their 1 gallons.

Seedlings Day 7-10

• Keffka
• Dec 31, 2022

Seedlings aged 7-10 days

Tomorrow the first container will be made then the rest will follow.. I like to give em about 3 days to sit and fire up. If I had a stronger mix I’d probably make em 7 days before. I’m also thinking about a myco watering for their next drink but may just save it for watering into the 1 gallons.

Have a good night, and Happy New Year to everyone!

 

[StoneOtter]

They bounded overnight!

 

[Keffka]

They bounded overnight!

I’m telling you.. I had an idea of what I was doing the first time around just from reading, but between you, @Gee64 and @Melville Hobbes helping guide what I saw I was able to really zero in on the grow. These are just bagseed plants. Im interested to see how I do with high quality genetics I’ve chosen.

 

[Keffka]

Alright so we touched on water and VPD.. Before we get much further I’m gonna breakdown some basic chemistry information so we can discuss nutrients without going over too many peoples heads.. The whole idea of these posts is to make plants a little more accessible so folks can think for themselves beyond following directions or internet tips on growing.

Plants are autotrophic, meaning they can produce their own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals. They use 17 elements to create everything they need for life. These are known as essential elements. There may be more that have an effect, but plants do not require them to survive and reproduce.

Each nutrient is an element, a substance composed of identical atoms. Atoms are the smallest unit of an element. An atom has positively charged protons in its nucleus, which is surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons.

When atoms of the same or different elements share electrons, a chemical bond is formed. Nutrients form three types of bonds: covalent, ionic, and hydrogen bonds. These affect the qualities and availability of the various nutrients. Plants take in the nutrients in order to build the four types of molecules that are necessary for life: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.

Molecules are the smallest unit of a compound. They result from atoms bonding together. Plants are simply the combination of those four groups of molecules. In fact, so is all life. The only difference between us the cultivators and a bacterium is the way carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleic acid molecules are put together.

I know that can be a little intense, but it will make more sense as we discuss in further detail some of these things. The bonds will be explained as we get to them, however I think it’s important for people to at least hear these words so it can make describing the processes a little bit easier.

 

[Keffka]

While it’s not 0 ppm 16 is low enough that I do not have to worry about PH at all and I will be able to know exactly what my nutrients are going into the grow. I have a feeling this number will go even lower in the coming days as the filters gain efficiency from their shelf stable form.

 

[Gee64]

16ppm could be a dirty container. I always rinse my container in RO water before filling it to test. Quite often it makes a difference.

 

[Keffka]

16ppm could be a dirty container. I always rinse my container in RO water before filling it to test. Quite often it makes a difference.

Ooo this makes sense.. I used an older plastic cup which most likely has scratches in it.. I’ll have to grab a beaker and test it

 

[Gee64]

Sure glad I didn’t water this morning! Here’s the seedling after a nice long day of photosynthesis

Seedling warmed

• Keffka
• Dec 31, 2022

Seedling from this morning all warmed up and working hard

Looking all strong and independent and not needing any man.. Well.. actually I did have to turn the heat up and change the humidifiers but you get my point


Here’s a shot of all the seedlings aged 7-10 days. They’re all looking strong and almost ready for their 1 gallons.

Seedlings Day 7-10

• Keffka
• Dec 31, 2022

Seedlings aged 7-10 days

Tomorrow the first container will be made then the rest will follow.. I like to give em about 3 days to sit and fire up. If I had a stronger mix I’d probably make em 7 days before. I’m also thinking about a myco watering for their next drink but may just save it for watering into the 1 gallons.

Have a good night, and Happy New Year to everyone!

The babies look very fine Keff!

 

[Azimuth]

Alright so we touched on water and VPD.. Before we get much further I’m gonna breakdown some basic chemistry information so we can discuss nutrients without going over too many peoples heads.. The whole idea of these posts is to make plants a little more accessible so folks can think for themselves beyond following directions or internet tips on growing.

Plants are autotrophic, meaning they can produce their own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals. They use 17 elements to create everything they need for life. These are known as essential elements. There may be more that have an effect, but plants do not require them to survive and reproduce.

Each nutrient is an element, a substance composed of identical atoms. Atoms are the smallest unit of an element. An atom has positively charged protons in its nucleus, which is surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons.

When atoms of the same or different elements share electrons, a chemical bond is formed. Nutrients form three types of bonds: covalent, ionic, and hydrogen bonds. These affect the qualities and availability of the various nutrients. Plants take in the nutrients in order to build the four types of molecules that are necessary for life: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.

Molecules are the smallest unit of a compound. They result from atoms bonding together. Plants are simply the combination of those four groups of molecules. In fact, so is all life. The only difference between us the cultivators and a bacterium is the way carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleic acid molecules are put together.

I know that can be a little intense, but it will make more sense as we discuss in further detail some of these things. The bonds will be explained as we get to them, however I think it’s important for people to at least hear these words so it can make describing the processes a little bit easier.

I've often wondered if it's necessary to ship Bat Guano halfway around the world when I have a worm bin in my basement. To me, the N and P and K as well as all of the other trace minerals should be the same in their basic structure and it should not matter the source.

Now, maybe those bats are feeding on bugs or flowers or whatever and those elements are higher in some Bat or bird Guano than others, but that's because of the inputs they are eating.

To me, it seems like if I can feed my worms a healthy and varied diet, I should have everything in my castings that I could get from commercial deposits, and the rest is just commercial advertising.

I should also add the same should be true for feather meal, blood and bone meal, etc. The basic elements should be the same whether they are plant, insect, or animal based.

You agree or not?

 

[Keffka]

I've often wondered if it's necessary to ship Bat Guano halfway around the world when I have a worm bin in my basement. To me, the N and P and K as well as all of the other trace minerals should be the same in their basic structure and it should not matter the source.

Now, maybe those bats are feeding on bugs or flowers or whatever and those elements are higher in some Bat or bird Guano than others, but that's because of the inputs they are eating.

To me, it seems like if I can feed my worms a healthy and varied diet, I should have everything in my castings that I could get from commercial deposits, and the rest is just commercial advertising.

I should also add the same should be true for feather meal, blood and bone meal, etc. The basic elements should be the same whether they are plant, insect, or animal based.

You agree or not?

I agree 100%.. @Gee64 and I actually had a very similar conversation to this. I believe he does in fact add all of the essential elements to his worm bin which makes for outstanding castings. I believe that it would also be highly probable that one could grow the entire grow with just these quality EWC and perlite or pumice (or any other aeration amendment that will hold up to the insanely high decomp levels.). It may not be pushing the charts on yield, but theoretically it seems entirely possible.

I think we would find that there’s really no need for anything other than some myco.. Custom fed EWC would provide everything from the nutrients to the food web life. We would probably find it beneficial to add a few amendments just for soil structure but that’s more physical characteristics than any sort of nutrient need.

It’s thought that every single particle of soil has passed through a worm at least once, and as we know soil holds everything we need, especially when healthy with a food web. I’m working on getting my EWC bin going myself now that Christmas is over and I can spend my money on myself again lol.

 

[Azimuth]

I agree 100%.. @Gee64 and I actually had a very similar conversation to this. I believe he does in fact add all of the essential elements to his worm bin which makes for outstanding castings. I believe that it would also be highly probable that one could grow the entire grow with just these quality EWC and perlite or pumice (or any other aeration amendment that will hold up to the insanely high decomp levels.). It may not be pushing the charts on yield, but theoretically it seems entirely possible.

I think we would find that there’s really no need for anything other than some myco.. Custom fed EWC would provide everything from the nutrients to the food web life. We would probably find it beneficial to add a few amendments just for soil structure but that’s more physical characteristics than any sort of nutrient need.

It’s thought that every single particle of soil has passed through a worm at least once, and as we know soil holds everything we need, especially when healthy with a food web. I’m working on getting my EWC bin going myself now that Christmas is over and I can spend my money on myself again lol.

I started adding all the amendments I use through my worm bin but the first output from that is still a few months away. I call them my 2.0 version. They should have everything needed as well as a headstart in breaking down the minerals I add from stone dust and sand, etc.

But all that said, I'm wondering if that is even necessary if I feed the worms leaves, which contain mined minerals from deep in the earth, as well as fruits, vegetables, and my comfrey and nettles. Theoretically, those inputs which are all local to me, should have everything needed.

That's something I intend to play around with in the coming months.

 

[Keffka]

I started adding all the amendments I use through my worm bin but the first output from that is still a few months away. I call them my 2.0 version. They should have everything needed as well as a headstart in breaking down the minerals I add from stone dust and sand, etc.

But all that said, I'm wondering if that is even necessary if I feed the worms leaves, which contain mined minerals from deep in the earth, as well as fruits, vegetables, and my comfrey and nettles. Theoretically, those inputs which are all local to me, should have everything needed.

That's something I intend to play around with in the coming months.

I would also add as much of your plants back as you can.. Any leaves/tops/roots/broken down stems/etc. and they’ll be able to pull out anything the plant left behind. This will also most likely lead to an increase in the worms efficiency in breaking down these specific elements.

I’d just keep an eye and make sure they’re digesting it and not avoiding it.. However if you’re running red wrigglers this most likely won’t be an issue.

 

[Azimuth]

I would also add as much of your plants back as you can

Yep, already do that, but do it as a Crumble. Basically I dry the healthy green leaves from a specific strain and use it to help fertilize that specific strain. Different strains sometimes like more or less of certain elements so by using the healthy leaves of the same strain that has the elements wanted in the exact ratios needed, I figure I'm a step ahead.

 

[Keffka]

Yep, already do that, but do it as a Crumble. Basically I dry the healthy green leaves from a specific strain and use it to help fertilize that specific strain. Different strains sometimes like more or less of certain elements so by using the healthy leaves of the same strain that has the elements wanted in the exact ratios needed, I figure I'm a step ahead.

Yep there’s no doubt in my mind this would work very, very well. All of this kind of stuff is why when I stumbled into the knowledge it felt like something forbidden that was actively suppressed. What we’re talking about here is nothing less than the disruption of the entire fertilizer industry and by extension every associated industry. If people knew and understood they could generate greater quality, and yields, using such trivial mechanisms as a worm bin, it would crush the industry. All of these things can be scaled up to meet an industrial farmers needs. People have been misled so long by the fertilizer industries though it’s really hard to break through incorrect information.

 

[Keffka]

@TwelveCoffee Im tagging you like I said so you can stop through if you’re interested. FYI I haven’t watered my seedlings since Tuesday, that’s how chill this style is.

 

[StoneOtter]

Pretty sure I heard Coots say he runs his worms just like that and has perfectly balanced soil when done.

 

[Keffka]

Pretty sure I heard Coots say he runs his worms just like that and has perfectly balanced soil when done.

That’s why I got angry when I figured it out can you imagine how much we could cut back on emissions and unsustainable practices if we were taught in childhood how simple it is to maintain a high quality self sustaining garden? How clean and efficient our farms could be if we had started from this point instead of fighting literal wars over nitrogen?! Don’t get me started on Phosphorus lol. We’ve been betrayed for profit, again.

I feel my blood pressure raising just thinking about it

 

[StoneOtter]

That’s why I got angry when I figured it out can you imagine how much we could cut back on emissions and unsustainable practices if we were taught in childhood how simple it is to maintain a high quality self sustaining garden? How clean and efficient our farms could be if we had started from this point instead of fighting literal wars over nitrogen?! Don’t get me started on Phosphorus lol.

I feel my blood pressure raising just thinking about it

I don't know if feeding the world can keep up with this but we can I think. Some of us anyway.

 

[Keffka]

I don't know if feeding the world can keep up with this but we can I think. Some of us anyway.

So without going too wild, farmers who have switched over to sustainable food web practices have found their yields have been equivalent if not slightly greater. Their profits are also greater due to lower costs.

The problem is the same as with so many other things, making the switch is tough. The time and investment it takes to turn synthetic fields into healthy soil food webs is considerable. It also takes an entirely different outlook and view to be able to do it successfully.

One of our biggest issues though is that culturally, we outsource things we really should be doing ourselves. We should all have our own gardens to tend to. We should be far more community oriented wherever we are so we can help those who are sick or disabled. Even in cities we should have community/rooftop gardens, and we should all have basic growing and plant knowledge.

For all that we have gained with being independent, private citizens, we have lost a lot. It’s essentially about what our priorities are and that’s a really hard pie to cut. Which priorities do we replace? Which do we boost? I know what I believe is and isn’t important, but like I said in the Pardon thread, what’s important to me in my life may not be the same to you or even my neighbor.

 

[Keffka]

I don’t know if you saw this video or not in my other journal @StoneOtter but here is Gabe Brown (a soil food web farmer) talking about his results versus synthetic monoculture