So yesterday we were talking about Silica and all that... I wanted to share some books I've been reading (im on the last one now). I was following a dude named Jeff Lowenfels on youtube, before I realized he wrote 4 books, 3 on soil composition and plant function and one on auto flowering cannabis. The auto flower book " DIY Autoflowering Cannabis" is interesting, but there aren't really any huge break throughs, its pretty basic. Don't transplant, don't top... that sort of thing. I have no interest in autos, but I read the book.
The other three, " Teaming with Fungus" "Teaming with Microbes" and "Teaming with Nutrients" are absolutely amazing. He shows you how an organic soil plant requests food from bacteria and fungi and trades exudates for broken down/bioavailable elements. He teaches you how to build a soil and compost your kitchen scraps and yard waste for free plant food. He spends quite a bit of time on building the rhizosphere and mycorhizae. Turns out mycorhiza is very fragile and there are dos and don'ts that users need to be made aware of for a happy fungus. He diagrams how important these fungi are to almost all plants, that there are really only 2 species of the 1000s of types of myco. that pot farmers need to know.
While these three books cater to the organic purist farmer they give you the fundamental road map of a how a plant operates, from an atomic level in the soil through transportation. I enjoy learning about what we do and have spent a fair amount of time chasing down answers, but NOTHING has given me more than these three books, even as a self proclaimed hydro guy. They are about 700 pages all together and cost about $75 for the three. If you're a reader and have the time, these books are better than any book from Rosenthal or Cervantes. If you're really serious about growing these books are outstanding at breaking down the systems in and around a plant.
As for cannabis based books I like Jorge Cervantes for info on why my plant is droopy or changing colors. His Encyclopedia is a very well rounded explanation of most things regarding pot farming. But, it has something I haven't seen from any other author... he gives you a way to diagnose nutrient deficiencies and excesses not only by how the plant looks, but more importantly if the issue is from a mobile or immobile nutrient. This is huge. Instead of just saying "thats a Calcium deficiency" because of the wonky leaves, he shows you how to figure out which type of nutrient from its location. So simple, so effective. If you dont buy the first 4 books, this one may be up your alley.
I also have Ed Rosenthals "Marijuana Growers Handbook". Its the textbook for Oaksterdam University. This one isn't anything special to me. It has some good points, but its not the last word in detail, and doesn't hold a candle to Mr. Cervates' masterpiece. Ive always liked Mr. Rosenthal. His writing for High Times was required reading when there was no internet. Sensi has a strain named after him that I've always thought about growing, but its a regular seed, so I dont know if that will happen).
Well there you go. If you have a thirst for knowledge, and enjoy reading, here are a few worth looking into. I understand the "Teaming With" trilogy is a bit of a chore, but im confident you will learn a ton... so worth it.
ok... Kwazulu will arrive someday... thank God I've 50 beans stashed..
