Keffka's Stonington Soil, Bag Seed, 2022 Setup Indoor Grow

[Gee64]

Ooh, I have some Coma Cluster and Cindy Congo that share some lineage of that. Haven't grown either of them yet. Glad you are!

Keep a close watch so you can get her what she wants early.

Otter nailed it Keff. Stay ahead. Gonna be funnnnnnn

 

[Keffka]

I know I post long posts so sorry for that but I believe helping people decide for themselves thru knowledge is better than grunting out " Your pots are too small" or whatever depending on the subject, and that requires a lot of words so..."Keff your pots are too small! Get ready! What ya gonna do about it!!??!!" lol. The spoiler: You are going to run out of carbon, not minerals or nutes...carbon. The hint: its organic and tastes exactly like blackstrap mollasses.... The negative...it will burn your tips... the positive...who cares. Start reading and only use additives that feed microbes not the plants. Get the ingredients. Hint there are really only 2 you need. The one that tastes exactly like blackstrap molasses and one that sounds exactly like EWC. Make sure they are on your shelf and yhe split second stretch stops start brewing and repeat every 10 days til 2 weeks from finish. Its just microbes and pure natural carbon. Organic cane sugar works too but bsm gives a better taste profile.

Lol no worries, I post long stuff all the time, unintentionally the majority of the time, especially if I’m giving or getting advice. I’d much rather you take a long winded route explaining something to me than to just point and say go.. It doesn’t help me, and in the end sort of creates more work for you, because now you’re having to do my thinking and my directing for me.

I’ve got BSM and EWC on standby.. One question I do have that I can’t figure out how to google is, when I put my fbm (fish bone meal) in I mixed it with compost. I didn’t scratch it into the soil, but I watered it in. The compost has formed an almost shell on top, and while I can see it being beneficial to leave it alone so it acts as a sort of moisture retention mechanism for the soil below, protecting the microbes, I started wondering if I should’ve scratched it all in so it could penetrate deeper into the soil. My question I guess would be, should I break the surface and scratch it in, or should I leave it as is since it’s helping to keep the microbes environment steady, and watering it in already drew the FBM down?

 

[Gee64]

Yes you should. If its not dry enough to crumble into dust or fine dirt then just crack it in a few places and wait another day til its crumblier. Then gently crumble it to dust or fairly fine dirt and water it in again quite gently but to runoff letting the crumble leach in. Its the natural cal and mag attracting to each other now that it has the soils ec to power it. I have never used lobster shell but I live in British Columbia so we have an abundance of oyster shells and I use powdered oyster shells instead. I would imagine they are very similar. You shouldnt see the crust again but next time the pot dries out, when only the top half inch is dry, poke around and see if its starting to form a damp cake about a half inch below the surface and about 1-1.5 inches thick. It will feel more like a damp coco cake. If its there gently break it up with your fingers, take your time as you are really close to roots, and water it again but only a bit to wet the top couple inches. After that you shouldnt see it again. You will see what I mean about the coco-ish cake. It doesnt need to be turned to dust, just break it up to a crumble. As the calcium sets up its ec it will all turn into nice textured soil but that takes time and that cake and the crust will block your oxygen from seeping in until the calcium really gets to doing its job. Like anything in organics it takes 7-14 days and you dont want to wait that long for good oxygen exchange to come back.

 

[Gee64]

If you try to break it up into dust while its still too damp it will likely be like muck, thats the mag clumping because the cal hasnt had time to neutralize mags cling and your nitrogen is being locked. Let it dry a bit more to crumble finer and cal releases your nitrogen way quicker. Its faster to wait the 1 extra day for the crust to dry a bit more than it is to deal with the muck. clumped mag takes a few days for cal to neutralize. I hope that makes sense. Cal and mag are tricky.... but not really. You just need to know that mag causes crusting and nitro lockup, and cal neutralizes both. Thats why cal-mag is ratioed in the bottle. That air that the crust is blocking is 78% nitrogen, and its free. Let the cal give it to you.

 

[Gee64]

I have done experiments on crusty pots where I spray them with a pure cal and water mix. 1 spraying at 200 ppm cal completely turns the crust to dust in a week but you cant do it in a living pot as it hammers the ec so hard it kills the plant or severly injures it but it really shows both the clingyness of mag and the power of cal.

 

[Gee64]

sorry i meant fish bone meal not lobster meal, i was reading about lobster meal right before I read your message. Damn stoners!lol

 

[Keffka]

I left it alone until this morning and it crumbles nicely.. I need to water today so it works out.

I do believe I may be seeing the initial stages of Potassium deficiency though.. I was looking over my oldest leaves and came across this on a few of the leaves

 

[Keffka]

I’m at an impasse.. I just fertilized and don’t want to throw the OG plant food at it as well.. I think I’ll go BSM water today since I’m watering in the compost and search for a way to get just potassium to it.. I have liquid ferts like big bud and flora bloom but don’t want to add synthetics add the finish line

I also need to learn how to make teas.. I’m fairly certain I’m missing some of the components for it

 

[StoneOtter]

Good eye! Stay on that one. Typically at this stage of growth the plant will need lots of phosphorus. There's a link to a cannabis problem solver in my signature below if you want to look at some pics to compare. You can search the mag and find some possibly as well.

 

[Gee64]

I wouldn't judge anything by the older leaves tbh, watch the new ones. All the minor corrected issues your plants went thru, mainly the vpd to rootball ratio can mimic almost any deficiency because your plant was forced to run so hard it ended up starving because it couldnt eat fast enough to feed itself for the pace it was forced to maintain. If you see those signs show up in an unscarred leaf thats the truth talking. That to me actually looks like a hungry plant starting to consume itself. It wants carbon and probably gonna need protein too real fast. You will have all the minerals you need between your soil and that top dressing, but stretch is almost done so its carbon time and carbon doesn't burn without protein so make a good veg tea, yeah thats right veg, and if its in a 5 gal bucket add 4 tablespoons of BSM and your protein. Always make kelp meal one of your proteins and whatever else you want like a smidge of alfalfa,feather meal, whatever your shelf has or your recipe calls for, and brew it with airstones for 24 hours. Then dump in some ewc to explode the microlife to digest all the proteins while chasing the BSM carbon for another 18-24 hours. Put a mat or a towel under the bucket, it may get foamy. Thats normal. I brew mine in the bath tub(well in a bucket in the bathtub lolol). Then cut it 50/50 with your water, preferrably all room temp, and feed generously, then water on top gently until runoff so the carbon and microbes get everywhere in your pot. This is a rescue operation all the way to finish now because stretch used more carbon than your small pots had in them. The protein in your soil is low too but not out or you would see a huge nitro deficiency so stay ahead. The high BSM in this tea is because your empty so the extra tablespoon ensures the microbes in the bucket cant eat it all and the soil gets some. Then after that make every tea with 3 tablespoons per 5gal pail and bend the tea more towards flower tea by adding soft rock phosphate gently, or guano, or whatever flower power you want for phosphorus you use ( ratio that down as needed. 1 gal will turn into 2 when you cut it), and always cut it please. They are capable of eating on their own so dont force feed them. Not yet. Later in flower maybe.

Thats a ramble sorry so point form, brew a good veg tea with microbes and 1/3 extra BSM. Cut it 50/50 with H20. Pour it in fairly generously as its cut, and water to run-off.

I have been thru this many times, I science every grow in Gee's tent of Torture. Here is a tip I figured out that works for me when its tea time, but it does accelerate the effects a bit so leaf-tip burn is real. Dont worry about it. The tip is fully root drench every pot and allow it to drain for an hour. Then start the tea adding process. Then water to runoff, which isnt that much now but it pushes the tea in evenly as the soil is already pre-wetted 100%. I just notice better results on the pots I do this to when compared to the others that I didnt drench is all. Its alot of messy drippy work so I move my plants into the bath tub and do everything there until the tea is in and the pots stop dripping. I hate trays, I dont use them, sooner or later they bite me in the butt, but if your diligent to not allow standing water find a way you like. Its alot of work for a tea but things have evolved now, in 10 gal pots my plants get 1 microbe loaded veg tea at each up-potting and thats it. In 2 gal pots you need a lot of teas. Build a good habit that works for you because you will need a few more food teas ahead. Probably only this one with ewc tho. Food only teas only need 24 hours to bubble. If you want a good read go back to the 1st post I made in here and read all 10,000,000,000 words in order and you will see a path forming. Synergy will start to lead you. Gonna be fun Dude! This is the hard way where you learn things, but its totally do-able in small pots. Also the small pots will soon need water every day so every 2nd water now, or 3rd for now but once its every day every 2nd water should and really really needs to be fish fert at about 1.5ml/litre. There are 2 kinds of life in your soil, Microbes and fungii. Fish is for fungii. Fungii actually play a more important role in organics than microbes but you never really hear about fungii other than "Use Myco" and thats because once its established all it needs is fish fert, or any fungii food but fish fert is top shelf and always works and is almost free. Buy the good stuff, 1.5ml per litre will literally last years. The reason fungii is actually more important is because microbes can't come to your plant but fungii attaches to your root and can easily go to your microbes. It uses the sugar the plant sends down to bribe the microbes for nutrients, and can even ask for specific ones if the plant requests, and brings those nutrients to the plant. It keeps some sugar as its own to eat to get carbon because it lives in the dark so cant photosynth its own. Ever hear the term "He who has the most sugar wins"? Go back and read all my posts. Get ready. Wicked cool fun ahead. You're about to boldly go where no ( well ok actually alot of, but still only a small percentage) have gone before. Or...., and this is a totally viable option, go buy a good easy to use highly reputable, sponsored so you get a discount line of nutes. But theres no fun in that, just a bunch of weed for sure. Myself bad grows go in the worm farm as I am a purist who just cant buy nutes to even try that, but.... I do have a multii year supply
on hand of well aged weed so I can afford the purist outlook. You got this man just get ready...It cannabis...Its unstoppable

 

[Keffka]

I wouldn't judge anything by the older leaves tbh, watch the new ones. All the minor corrected issues your plants went thru, mainly the vpd to rootball ratio can mimic almost any deficiency because your plant was forced to run so hard it ended up starving because it couldnt eat fast enough to feed itself for the pace it was forced to maintain. If you see those signs show up in an unscarred leaf thats the truth talking. That to me actually looks like a hungry plant starting to consume itself. It wants carbon and probably gonna need protein too real fast. You will have all the minerals you need between your soil and that top dressing, but stretch is almost done so its carbon time and carbon doesn't burn without protein so make a good veg tea, yeah thats right veg, and if its in a 5 gal bucket add 4 tablespoons of BSM and your protein. Always make kelp meal one of your proteins and whatever else you want like a smidge of alfalfa,feather meal, whatever your shelf has or your recipe calls for, and brew it with airstones for 24 hours. Then dump in some ewc to explode the microlife to digest all the proteins while chasing the BSM carbon for another 18-24 hours. Put a mat or a towel under the bucket, it may get foamy. Thats normal. I brew mine in the bath tub(well in a bucket in the bathtub lolol). Then cut it 50/50 with your water, preferrably all room temp, and feed generously, then water on top gently until runoff so the carbon and microbes get everywhere in your pot. This is a rescue operation all the way to finish now because stretch used more carbon than your small pots had in them. The protein in your soil is low too but not out or you would see a huge nitro deficiency so stay ahead. The high BSM in this tea is because your empty so the extra tablespoon ensures the microbes in the bucket cant eat it all and the soil gets some. Then after that make every tea with 3 tablespoons per 5gal pail and bend the tea more towards flower tea by adding soft rock phosphate gently, or guano, or whatever flower power you want for phosphorus you use ( ratio that down as needed. 1 gal will turn into 2 when you cut it), and always cut it please. They are capable of eating on their own so dont force feed them. Not yet. Later in flower maybe.

Thats a ramble sorry so point form, brew a good veg tea with microbes and 1/3 extra BSM. Cut it 50/50 with H20. Pour it in fairly generously as its cut, and water to run-off.

I have been thru this many times, I science every grow in Gee's tent of Torture. Here is a tip I figured out that works for me when its tea time, but it does accelerate the effects a bit so leaf-tip burn is real. Dont worry about it. The tip is fully root drench every pot and allow it to drain for an hour. Then start the tea adding process. Then water to runoff, which isnt that much now but it pushes the tea in evenly as the soil is already pre-wetted 100%. I just notice better results on the pots I do this to when compared to the others that I didnt drench is all. Its alot of messy drippy work so I move my plants into the bath tub and do everything there until the tea is in and the pots stop dripping. I hate trays, I dont use them, sooner or later they bite me in the butt, but if your diligent to not allow standing water find a way you like. Its alot of work for a tea but things have evolved now, in 10 gal pots my plants get 1 microbe loaded veg tea at each up-potting and thats it. In 2 gal pots you need a lot of teas. Build a good habit that works for you because you will need a few more food teas ahead. Probably only this one with ewc tho. Food only teas only need 24 hours to bubble. If you want a good read go back to the 1st post I made in here and read all 10,000,000,000 words in order and you will see a path forming. Synergy will start to lead you. Gonna be fun Dude! This is the hard way where you learn things, but its totally do-able in small pots. Also the small pots will soon need water every day so every 2nd water now, or 3rd for now but once its every day every 2nd water should and really really needs to be fish fert at about 1.5ml/litre. There are 2 kinds of life in your soil, Microbes and fungii. Fish is for fungii. Fungii actually play a more important role in organics than microbes but you never really hear about fungii other than "Use Myco" and thats because once its established all it needs is fish fert, or any fungii food but fish fert is top shelf and always works and is almost free. Buy the good stuff, 1.5ml per litre will literally last years. The reason fungii is actually more important is because microbes can't come to your plant but fungii attaches to your root and can easily go to your microbes. It uses the sugar the plant sends down to bribe the microbes for nutrients, and can even ask for specific ones if the plant requests, and brings those nutrients to the plant. It keeps some sugar as its own to eat to get carbon because it lives in the dark so cant photosynth its own. Ever hear the term "He who has the most sugar wins"? Go back and read all my posts. Get ready. Wicked cool fun ahead. You're about to boldly go where no ( well ok actually alot of, but still only a small percentage) have gone before. Or...., and this is a totally viable option, go buy a good easy to use highly reputable, sponsored so you get a discount line of nutes. But theres no fun in that, just a bunch of weed for sure. Myself bad grows go in the worm farm as I am a purist who just cant buy nutes to even try that, but.... I do have a multii year supply
on hand of well aged weed so I can afford the purist outlook. You got this man just get ready...It cannabis...Its unstoppable

I have a theory that everything we as a species could possibly need to continue our evolution and spread through the universe has a symbiotic avenue. There is a symbiotic way to obtain the energy we need to understand the universe and continue our evolution. I believe our species has chosen shortcuts like fossil fuels because it’s cheap, easy, and being finite is a way to exert control and dominion over the rest.

With that theory as a main driver of my values and beliefs, I believe the same transfers down to even the microscopic level, so to me, growing life should be an exercise in attempting to reach a level of symbiosis. So, I say all that to say, I’d much rather take my own path to nutrients, fertilizers, microbes, etc. Yes I could continue buying nutrient lines and fertilizers but I’ll never attain the knowledge or discipline to reach that symbiotic relationship.

For brewing teas.. should I be adding my ingredients directly into the water or should I be adding the ingredients to a tea bag and be steeping it in the bucket?

 

[Gee64]

1st I whole-heartedly agree with your philosohpy 2nd Yes, absolutely choose all your own everything its yours and life only happens once. Ride your ride. Again . Myself I just dump the ingredients in. After you brew all the proteins out of say kelp meal, the remaining hallow carcass of the meal is all fibre. Its carbon. I add it in, and I always vigourously stir the batch of tea before every single jar is taken out and used to spread that fibre evenly. Totally up to you tho either way works great

 

[Gee64]

If you go the tea bag route its excellent compost material to jack the compost up a notch, count it as a brown tho its carbon heavy, but very microbially active

 

[Gee64]

I’m at an impasse.. I just fertilized and don’t want to throw the OG plant food at it as well.. I think I’ll go BSM water today since I’m watering in the compost and search for a way to get just potassium to it.. I have liquid ferts like big bud and flora bloom but don’t want to add synthetics add the finish line

I also need to learn how to make teas.. I’m fairly certain I’m missing some of the components for it

1 tablespoon of BSM has about 10% of a humans daily potassium requirements in it. Its also got natural cal/mag in it. Its my personal favorite rescue tool but in dire straights cal/mag seems to work better. Straightens out the soils electrical field better. That being said your the guy there with them I definitely think you should follow your gut, just compensate for whats already in the BSM

I left it alone until this morning and it crumbles nicely.. I need to water today so it works out.

I do believe I may be seeing the initial stages of Potassium deficiency though.. I was looking over my oldest leaves and came across this on a few of the leaves

 

[Gee64]

Im glad the topdressing broke up quick It has good calcium content.

 

[Gee64]

Between the cal-mag, then the top dressing, and now the tea, your soil is fairly full of good food and good EC so it will burn it quick. Every speck needs an oxygen molecule so once the soil starts to rev it will suck in O2 and then dry. Then the plant will need a drink. All the food you have added lately is too much food for one breath of O2 to burn so next watering be really gentle and water fully to pull new 02 in but dont flood out all that remaining food and you will get a really nice 2nd run til the next watering. Then you will need to get a bit ahead again but you will need a fish fert watering too. If it looks hungry at that point use a tea and if its still cruising get the Fish fert, which will inadvertantly be a feeding by stimulating the fungus, in for the fungii. By then waterings will become more frequent so its more work but it becomes much easier to cycle water, Fish, and tea. Once your soil starts to breath daily you can quickly medicate anything that pops up as you keep feeding. Its quite important to lower VPD down to 1.3 ish before a tea, let the food move thru a little slower so the solar panels can burn it all and lessen nute burn. She will fatten up quickly. I prefer to just raise RH but if you need to move your light anyways then adjusting it works too.

 

[Keffka]

Here she is this morning before her water:

Here she is in the afternoon after water:

Here is a closer look at her bud sites:

Her upward growth appears to have stopped.. I am now seeing the sugar leaves beginning to really come in, in the different bud sites.

Today I decided to water her with just water and BSM.. I didn’t add calmag to the water for a few reasons.. One, the FBM is heavy on calcium.. Two, the compost is full of calmag and needed to be watered in.. I didn’t want to run the risk of throwing another round of calmag at it while there was still some left to be absorbed.. She’s drinking every 3 days right now but I suspect that’s about to change to 2, so it’s not the end of the world and I can get it in there if I need to before stuff goes sideways. My main concern today was making sure the microbes are staying healthy and fed and trying to drive a little extra carbon into it.. I was originally going to top dress EWC at the end of this week beginning of next, but thats probably going to change if I can get my tea production setup in time. I’m currently lacking an air pump and air stone for bubbling, and I should probably buy a new 5 gallon bucket and lid.

 

[Keffka]

I do wish I would’ve cloned this plant.. this plants genetics are tough, and the fact that she’s maintained her sexuality despite an inconsistent environment and multiple stresses makes her a perfect candidate for honing cultivation skills.

 

[Keffka]

Todays images..

Buds are beginning to fatten up, I can see crystals on the leaves poking out of the buds, there’s a slight scent I keep catching.. I’ve been moving my thermo/hygro meter around the room.. the size of the plant is affecting my readings.

 

[Keffka]

Gonna drop these educational links right here.. one is a general overview of soil and soil life the other is an in depth series on building a healthy living soil.. Others are welcome to post any resources they have or would like to share in relation to soil.

Both of these are outstanding videos.. I have quite a bit of work ahead of me in trying to establish and maintain a healthy living soil.

Here’s another really cool video with direct comparisons between organic farming with soil health in mind and synthetic monoculture farming.