Nitrogen toxicity in organic Kind soil

[Emilya Green]

With using full strength recharge every watering, the numbers of microbes coming in each time is astounding, and even though the chlorine in tap water will kill a few of them, there will be more than enough to do the job at hand. If you can filter or use RO or even do the bathtub/vit c thing, thats great.... but it will no longer be a grow killer not to do so.

 

[Northbar]

@Emilya . Good afternoon to ya. Hope all is well. I’m a little curious here as to how patient I should be. Still using unmolested Poland spring water, and they’ve all had 2 hot doses of recharge. Situation seems to be improved, but moving forward at a snails pace.

The affected leaves slowed their dying pace as well. Seems I’m gonna be a little short of fan leaves on the sativas in the near future.

Should I top dress with some kind soil in addition to using recharge? If so what method would you use? Or just continue the recharge? Its almost 6 wks into flower from the flip. Is there a pause in this stage I’m missing?

 

[Emilya Green]

Hi Northbar... It sounds like the recharge is doing what it is designed to do and that now all you can do is wait. Yes, after going so long without a proper feeding cycle, things are bound to go slow for a while, but celebrate that you are again looking at improvement instead of further decline and continue to trust what is working for you now. You could add back some more of the original kind soil if you like, but I don't think it will dramatically change things now that the microbes are getting back to work, because all of the original kind soil is still there. Just keep adding recharge with each watering and things will continue to improve.

 

[Northbar]

@Emilya hope all is well with you. I have MC on the way for my next grow. Read lots of information but I mostly centered on your journal. Very Impressive. And if I can grow a plant with MC that is bigger than the pot, I’ll be very happy.

Since MC and super soil are incompatible, would MC (being dominant in nutrient transmission) neutralize the organic microbe system and take over feeding? Would it simply put those microbes out of work or could there be an adverse reaction? If I can I want to take over feeding with MC at least on 2 out of 4.

 

[Emilya Green]

Doing good here, thank you for asking! Its not that supersoil and vegan fertilizer are incompatible, they just don't both work at the same time. With the first feeding of MC the natural feeding cycle will be interrupted. Suddenly the plant will have everything it needs and it will stop sending signals to the microbes as to what food is needed nor providing benefits and nutrition so that the microbes can continue their work. With the symbiotic relationship between roots and microbes broken, the microbes will quickly die out and even though the soil is still rich enough that it would be capable of being broken down and supplying what is needed, the super soil will take on a passive role in the grow and there will be no adverse reaction to the megacrop.

 

[Northbar]

Doing good here, thank you for asking! Its not that supersoil and vegan fertilizer are incompatible, they just don't both work at the same time. With the first feeding of MC the natural feeding cycle will be interrupted. Suddenly the plant will have everything it needs and it will stop sending signals to the microbes as to what food is needed nor providing benefits and nutrition so that the microbes can continue their work. With the symbiotic relationship between roots and microbes broken, the microbes will quickly die out and even though the soil is still rich enough that it would be capable of being broken down and supplying what is needed, the super soil will take on a passive role in the grow and there will be no adverse reaction to the megacrop.

Thanks for breaking that down to me. Also, with plants as small as mine my thoughts are to introduce MC at 4g/g and observe from there. I’m factoring in her size(less), stage of growth(more), and 90% sativa genes(less). I read they tend like smaller bites of food rather than big ones. MC online calc. would SUGGEST I use more in bloom, but I’m sure that assumes my plants are not micro.

Do I sound on track?

 

[Emilya Green]

It sounds like you are going into it with both eyes open and aware of what the problems may be. You have read my journal so you know not to use that MC online calculator as a goal, and know that many plants are perfectly happy at 5g or less. MC is all about reading your plants and it isn't always obvious what you are seeing. Good luck, and remember that we are always here to help if things go wonky.

 

[Northbar]

Update: I have been feeding MC at 4 1/2g per gal. My girls are responding well despite the many set backs I experienced through early mid flower. I’ve lost most of the fan leaves on 2 sativas but I can see them pushing hard to carry on and steady stacking up.

I harvested one already and waiting for the other 3. I just may win the award for smallest yield but at least I can still salvage a proper dry and cure. Its all beneficial to the learning experience. I thank everyone for the wealth of information you share.