Plant Alchemy With KNF: Korean Natural Farming And Jadam

[Bode]

Yes, correct.

 

[Vegan4life]

Highya guys,

I don't dilute the microbe solution to use for botrytis deterrant. But I do dilute the solution to apply to the plants. Also, I'm sure it was the microbe solution applied weekly that accounted for increased potency. Happy Smokin'

Hello, thanks for your reply. You use full strength on your buds up to harvest? How often do you apply? Does it also help to prevent WPM?

Edit: just saw that you said applied weekly. Was that applied weekly as spray or soil drench or both?

 

[Bode]

I apply the day of or the day before a wet humid spell comes, trying to get to dry on the leaves before the humidity.

 

[Azimuth]

For the past week or so I've noticed some light spots on some of the leaves of the 'air gap' SIP plant, but it didn't look like what I'm used to seeing with thrips and I've been scoping daily and haven't seen any of the buggers.

Today I found out why. Mites. Those little bastards have found my plant(s). It's been about two and a half months since it was up-potted into my new mix with the IPM meals mixed in, and I haven't seen any issues at all until a week or so ago.

I was wondering how long the meals that were mixed into the mix would keep up their anti-bug properties and it looks like it's about 2 months. I think this was the same plant that had thrips that disappeared after I repotted it into the new mix so I'm hopeful the topdressing will address the issue. If not I'll get back on the whole spray routine. I'll give it a few days and see how things progress.

So I top dressed with my IPM mix which is a combination of crustacean, karanja, and neem meals in equal amounts and will plan to do that monthly which will add some additional IPM mix at about the half-way point of its apparent effectiness. I added it at a rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon of soil.

I'll plan to do a top dressing every 10 days, rotating between my crumble, malted barley and the IPM mix.

The two month period is interesting as that's about the time the first SIP plant started to develop a nitrogen deficiency, so maybe that's about when the mix runs out of gas without additional inputs.

For the past week or so I've fertigated with my FAA fish fertilizer and I'm finally starting to get better color returning to the plant. I guess I can rule out this mix being a "water only" mix which isn't all that surprising since it's not loaded up with a whole bunch of inputs to start. It's actually a bit surprising it has lasted this long.

So, the fish fertilizer seems to be working, but I'd really like to make this work with my crumbles which should be roughly about 2/3rds as nutrient rich as the fish. We'll see if that's enough between top dressing and watering with a JLF version of them.

I think the nitrogen deficiency and bug issues will be a good test of what I hope will be my grow process going forward, but I guess we'll see in the coming weeks.

It's been almost a week since topdressing with my IPM mix and the mite damage doesn't seem to be spreading to other plants, nor getting materially worse on the infected plant. I scoped it pretty well today and finally found a single mite so they're still there but, so far at least, it's not a major infestation. Probably just some new hatchling. I hope so, anyway. I added a bit more of the IPM mix for good measure.

I'm also going to step up my top dressing with the crumbles, both in frequency and amount. Most of the plants look great, but the original and largest plant still shows a lack of nice green color. I'm going to increase the frequency to every 10 days, and the amount to roughly 1T per gallon of pot size. Sprinkle it on and spray it down. I'll also give them all a bit of fish fertilizer with some added JMS today and will plan to do that weekly until the color hopefully gets to where I want it. I'm hoping that will be overkill and I'll be able to back off some of the inputs, but want to get everything back to looking good first.

And, the new round of clones look much better without having the reservoir filled. As the mix dries out I'll water it in a bit with some of my water soluble calcium (WCA) as that is supposed to promote good root growth. After 5 days the domes have all come off so now it's time for them to get their rooting game on.

 

[Azimuth]

Hello, thanks for your reply. You use full strength on your buds up to harvest? How often do you apply? Does it also help to prevent WPM?

Hey, @Vegan4life.

Sorry I missed your question twice!

I don't know about using the JMS for WPM, but Shed swears by His recipe here! It's a citric acid spray, and the citric acid can be found in the baking/canning aisle at the grocery store (apparently).

He says it kills WPM but doesn't prevent it. So, maybe try the JMS and see if it prevents it, and if not you have a tried and true solution as a backup.

The JMS microbes work to help battle other kinds of microbes and fungi so I would expect it to help against WPM as well, but I've never had that issue and don't know anyone who has tried it for that.

 

[ReservoirDog]

Azimuth, this is a top 3 thread for me, and it consistently develops branching, novel thoughts and ideas for me to think over, experiment with and research.

Did you ever take a look at that group I mentioned and their regenerative agriculture model?

I wanted to mention re: SIPs and fertigation, the commercially and otherwise successful SIP product, `octopot`, recommends in their usage instructions to fertigate with mineral salts from below ONLY and as a medium to use Sunshine mix no.4. This system has also been successfully used with living soil and coco with any combination of products such as worm castings, organic ferts, etc, however, the company recommends mineral salts applied from below in the reservoir, and only from below for the entire plant life, and an inert mix as the likeliest successful mix for new users it would seem to me that while hydrotropism is an important element here that your observations of nutrient deficiency and reasoning that water roots make poor feeding roots may be off the mark.

Is it possible that because the plants were not started in this reservoir system, some sort of hydrotropic prejudice against deep feeding roots was somehow developed?

Is it possible that this apparent deficiency is being caused by bio-availability issues?

My own experiences with reservoir growing has used too many mixed elements to be able to make firm judgments here, nonetheless, because of the success so many people have with these systems when fertigating from below and only from below I wanted to raise this with you, discuss the possibilities, and figure out some methods of experimentation that might lead us to some firmer ground on this.

BTW I`ve begun culturing bacteria and mycorrhizae for consistent use in cannabis horticulture. I believe that having access to `fresh` propagules that include a higher percentage of living hyphae vs spores will have a significant positive impact on early growth and the entire colony`s viability over time. I`ll be adding a running tutorial, or at least photos and descriptions of my efforts, in my journal. I`ll tag you in when I have it up.

I`m desperate for a microscope but it is just not in the cards for me for quite a while, financially. I will have to come to some conclusions about my microbe cultures based solely on plant growth comparisons - I think. Any insights or thoughts on experiment design you have to offer would be very much appreciated.

 

[scottreid1966]

And, when you say you don't dilute it, that's for foliar application, right? And when you say "dilute the solution to apply to the plants" that's a watering in the soil?

I was about to ask the same question untill I scolled down.

 

[Azimuth]

Hey ResDog,

Interesting thoughts coming in from your way as usual.

Azimuth, this is a top 3 thread for me, and it consistently develops branching, novel thoughts and ideas for me to think over, experiment with and research.

That's kind of you to say. I've been having fun with my various experiments and thought I'd share them with any others who might be interested. Like minds collaborating on similar ideas generate better ideas along the way, so I'm glad to have you share your thoughts.

Did you ever take a look at that group I mentioned and their regenerative agriculture model?

I did look at the site when you suggested it. Then I got sidetracked and never went back to dive deeper.

I wanted to mention re: SIPs and fertigation, the commercially and otherwise successful SIP product, `octopot`, recommends in their usage instructions to fertigate with mineral salts from below ONLY and as a medium to use Sunshine mix no.4. This system has also been successfully used with living soil and coco with any combination of products such as worm castings, organic ferts, etc, however, the company recommends mineral salts applied from below in the reservoir, and only from below for the entire plant life, and an inert mix as the likeliest successful mix for new users it would seem to me that while hydrotropism is an important element here that your observations of nutrient deficiency and reasoning that water roots make poor feeding roots may be off the mark.

Maybe it's the mineral salts that are the issue although I have no idea how I would produce that. And the idea of introducing salts that I may not have to is not all that appealing.

I will say that I had the same poor results using my extracts when I tried to do a hempy grow so maybe it has more to do with the water roots ability to absorb nutrients that are not chelated somehow rather than location of the roots.

Is it possible that because the plants were not started in this reservoir system, some sort of hydrotropic prejudice against deep feeding roots was somehow developed?

I don't think that's it but really have no idea. I didn't try to force root change like would happen if cloning in a water cloner and then planting in soil. All I did was set the existing root ball on top of the gravel bed and let the roots do what they wanted. A bunch of them grew into the reservoir and the plant took off so I would assume they adapted themselves to that environment.

Is it possible that this apparent deficiency is being caused by bio-availability issues?

Both Masters Cho describe the output of their extracts as "extremely plant available" and providing them from the top through the soil with microbes seem to bear that out. After developing the deficiencies and switching to top feeding the issue seems to be getting better. Your thoughts about the salts may be exactly on point especially with a water based feeding.

But, my goals aren't to necessarily feed this with hydro, but rather figure out a way to grow good plants organically with the SIP structure and my yard based nutes. So, if they work better from the top that's OK with me. I had thought the water based approach might be easier but so far it's not been giving me the results I hoped for.

BTW I`ve begun culturing bacteria and mycorrhizae for consistent use in cannabis horticulture. I believe that having access to `fresh` propagules that include a higher percentage of living hyphae vs spores will have a significant positive impact on early growth and the entire colony`s viability over time. I`ll be adding a running tutorial, or at least photos and descriptions of my efforts, in my journal. I`ll tag you in when I have it up.

Please do tag me in! That sounds like an interesting project. I'm bringing in fungi with my leaf mold and adding microbes with my worms, castings and periodic JMS, and assume mycorrhizae are included in the mix but really have no idea.

 

[Azimuth]

I'm trying a new fix today with a couple of plants that have yellow lower leaves and are an overall paler green color than I would like, a classic sign of nitrogen deficiency.

One is the previously mentioned first, and most well established, SIP plant and the other is the lone remaining soil-only plant. For the past few weeks I've been giving them top dressings and liquid JLF feedings of comfrey, and last week switched over to my more powerful FAA (Fish Amino Acid), a sugar based fish ferment. I know those things take a week or two to kick-in in an organic grow but it's been about three and I'm not seeing as much progress as I'd like.

So I got to thinking what is it about the incredible improvement I get when up-potting a clone into this new system I'm using, both in new growth and fantastic color that seems to only last so long (maybe 8-10 weeks) before running out of gas?

My conclusion is that the largest factor must be my top dressing of worm castings and leaf mold mulch layers. All the other plants still look great; nice healthy green color, strong stems, etc. But they were all up-potted more recently than SIP #1. So something is getting used up faster than it can be replaced with the various weekly fertigations, comfrey top dressings, etc.

So today I reapplied a fresh, thick layer (an inch or so) of worm castings and topped that off with another inch or so of leaf mold and a bit of my IPM mix to both plants, and then misted it all quite well to get the juices flowing. I'll pay close attention to see if better color can return to the 'hood and note how long that takes. The SIP plant otherwise looks quite happy and healthy with nice strong stems, but it'll be getting flipped next and I want it healthy going into flower.

 

[Azimuth]

My newest addition to the group, a feminized cbg seedling, is starting work on her 5th node so it's time to start her training. More specifically, a Quadline.

So today I took the 4 growth tips off of nodes one and two and will top the plant probably tomorrow. Normally when Quading all of the greenery from the first two nodes is stripped off but I leave the fan leaves on to have them continue to provide energy to the plant.

Once the four nodes that are left start to grow out I'll be using Hafta's Fishing Weight Strength Training Method instead of ties to structure the plant.

I will say that this plant is easily the healthiest and best looking plant I've ever grown. I planted the seed with a tail directly in a 1L/1Q SIP in my new GroMix with a castings and leaf mold mulch top layer so she's getting the benefits of many of my experiments right out of the gate.

She'll also be the first to go into flower in a much larger container than I've ever used, a 2 Gal SIP bucket!

Should be epic.

 

[scottreid1966]

My newest addition to the group, a feminized cbg seedling, is starting work on her 5th node so it's time to start her training. More specifically, a Quadline.

So today I took the 4 growth tips off of nodes one and two and will top the plant probably tomorrow. Normally when Quading all of the greenery from the first two nodes is stripped off but I leave the fan leaves on to have them continue to provide energy to the plant.

Once the four nodes that are left start to grow out I'll be using Hafta's Fishing Weight Strength Training Method instead of ties to structure the plant.

I will say that this plant is easily the healthiest and best looking plant I've ever grown. I planted the seed with a tail directly in a 1L/1Q SIP in my new GroMix with a castings and leaf mold mulch top layer so she's getting the benefits of many of my experiments right out of the gate.

She'll also be the first to go into flower in a much larger container than I've ever used, a 2 Gal SIP bucket!

Should be epic.

Good luck with your quadline, my friend. I am liking my results.
I started mine with something like @Hafta 's method except with fluffy pipe cleaners and 3/8 inch nuts. They were fine in the smaller pots, up to 1.5 gallons. Then I would have hade to buy a shitload more nuts. 2 or 3 per branch wouldn't do it. This is why I chose a string that seems to be made of some kind of twisted celophane or another plastic film. I used a slip-knot tight enough to keep them down but just enough loose to give way.

Love your mini-me recipe, ordered some worm-castings but was wondering if I could use like a square inch of baked potato?
Also was wondering what an SIP bucket is. I hope you can post some pics of your progress.

Cheers

 

[Azimuth]

Hey Scottr,

Love your mini-me recipe, ordered some worm-castings but was wondering if I could use like a square inch of baked potato?

The potato is there for food for the microbes. The full scale recipe calls for a baked potato in an amount that is several times that of the microbe component added. But, for very small batches its just too wasteful for me so I use the flakes to dial it down a bit.

Nothing wrong with the original, in fact it may be better, but my latest round was done in an 8oz cup so I figured no need to cook a whole potato just for that.

Also was wondering what an SIP bucket is.

SIP = Sub Irrigated Planter. Essentially a growing container with a built in water reservoir in the bottom. Earth Boxes are the original from decades ago, but the world is now full of copycats like Global Buckets and the like.

Pretty easy to build and so far I'm having great results. So good in fact that I've switched almost all my plants over to that style. You can follow my experiments starting here if you want more of the background.

 

[scottreid1966]

Interesting results on the cutting mix. The ALM heavy mix is substantially outperforming the mostly sand mix, although that might be attributable to operator error. The sand mix itself is much heavier than the ALM mix and therefore harder to tell when it has dried out, while the ALM holds much more moisture for longer and is therefore more forgiving. So I may have let the sand based clones get too dry, affecting the outcome.

But, in the spirit of doing more of what's working and less of what ain't, the next round of cuts that I'll take today will be done with a heavier emphasis on ALM. The ALM seemed to hold enough moisture through the process so this round I'm going to go with a 50/50 ALM/sand mix and try that. I think the mostly sand mix would work pretty well with enough attention, but I'm looking for something less fussy and more automatic, and I'd like to get away from perlite if I can, at least for rooting cuttings.

The temperature experiment was a bust that will be retried on this next round. The heating pad never got the bottoms warm enough for me, so I'll try it a slightly different way this round.

The aloe definitely seemed to help speed up the rooting process so I will continue to use that.

So, this round, I'll change the mix slightly, and continue with the aloe dunk and try for more elevated temperatures. The graduated vented domes will also be used for the first five days.

My previous experiment with the ALM and RWC cap is so far inconclusive. Those with the cap look better and healthier, but rooting was actually a bit faster on the uncapped ones. This experiment will be done again.

Really need a couple of threads for my "newbie-ness"
Would love to see an illustration of the anatomy of a plant. Pistils, colas, etc.
And things like ALM for a beginner is like learning Cantonese.

The more I follow you, Azi, the wiser I get. Appreciate your postings because you often have a reference link.

I feel that I may be asking alot but when it comes to references... you da GO TO Man!
I have learnd so much about organic growing and such with your help. Yet after 5 months here, I am still bothering people with questions that are obvious to the more experienced.
So if you can drum up a link or two ...

Cheers!

 

[Azimuth]

What, no Google in your country?

Here's one!

Parts of the cannabis plant​

Cannabis grows in a variety of climates around the world and can be used in many applications: rope, biofuel, paper, and many medical and recreational uses. The plant is part of the Cannabaceae family, which also includes hops. It is further classified as Cannabis sativa L. Each part of the plant serves a purpose and while the whole of a cannabis plant is certainly greater than the sum of its parts, knowing its parts can inform your experience and appreciation of it. Below are descriptions of each of the plant's parts and the functions they perform.

Each part of the cannabis plant serves a purpose.

Flower​

The flowers of the female marijuana plant can be identified by their small teardrop structures, which consist of pistils attached to bracts. Cannabis flowers are usually covered with a frosty-looking coating of trichomes, with a heavier density of trichomes making for a more desirable flower.

Cola​

The main part of the flower, at the end of a female plant's stem is composed of many small floral clusters. In general, the bigger, heavier, and more densely covered in trichomes a cola is, the better quality it will be, although some cultivars will naturally grow flowers that are more loosely structured and airy.

Bracts​

The small leaves that surround the reproductive cells of a female weed plant. When a female plant is exposed to pollen from a male marijuana plant, the bracts surround and shield the seed pod.

Trichomes​

Marijuana trichomes are hairlike appendages found on the surface of the cannabis plant. Trichomes protect the plant from external stressors and contain resinous glands that create flavonoids, cannabinoids and terpenes — the chemical compounds that give the marijuana plant its unique features and effects. Trichomes give cannabis buds a crystal-like sheen and make them sticky feeling.
Within the glandular trichomes, there are three main types: bulbous, capitate-sessile and capitate-stalked.
Non-glandular trichomes are called cystoliths. Bulbous trichomes are tiny bulbs that are sparsely located throughout the entire plant, but are so small they can't be seen with the naked eye. Capitate-sessile trichomes are more abundant than bulbous trichomes, found on the underside of the sugar leaves and fan leaves, but are usually only visible through a microscope. Capitate-stalked trichomes are shaped like mushrooms and contain a large trichome head at the top of the stalk. These are the trichomes that can be easily seen on the cannabis flower surface.

Node​

The point at which the stem and leaf intersect. Nodes can hold one or more leaves or offshoots. As explained below, nodes are important to be familiar with, as they are where cannabis plants begin to grow either pollen sacs (male cannabis plants) or pistils (female cannabis plants). Understanding the sex of a marijuana plant is crucial to the final product, since only female plants produce flowers and since non-pollinated flowers are far superior than pollinated buds when it comes to consumption.

Fan leaves​

Leaves are important components of a weed plant, and there are actually a couple types of marijuana leaves. The large, protruding leaves that appear along the length of the plant are called fan leaves. Theses leaves are essential to the living plant's photosynthesis, but are always removed from the finished, harvested product.

Sugar leaves​

As opposed to fan leaves, sugar leaves are small leaves found throughout cannabis colas' cupping buds that are typically trimmed off the flower after harvest. They are called “sugar leaves” because of the high volume of trichomes found on them, which makes it look like the leaves are covered in sugar. Sugar leaf trim can be used to make edibles or concentrates.

Stem​

The main support structure of the marijuana plant, the stem transports fluids, nutrients, and information from the roots to the rest of the weed plant. The stem provides a foundation to give fan leaves access to the light they need to facilitate growth and carries the weight of heavy colas.

Pistils vs. stigmas​

There is often a lot of confusion surrounding pistils and stigmas, with many people confusing one of the other. Here's a quick breakdown on the difference between the two important cannabis plant components.

What is a pistil?​

The pistil is the primary piece of the female flower's reproductive system, comprising a single ovule with two protruding stigmas.

What are stigmas?​

The thin hairs that extend from a female's bract to catch male pollen. They are commonly confused with pistils. Knowing how to identify stigmas is an important part of growing weed, as these are the telltale signs that a plant is female and will therefore produce the cannabinoid-rich flowers you're trying to harvest.

Types of weed plants​

If you want to stay in touch with the origins of your favorite cannabis products, knowing the ins and outs of the plant at the industry's core is a good place to start. And that includes knowing not only the specific parts of a cannabis plant, but also the different types and strains of weed that exist.
Along with understanding the various parts of a marijuana plant, you should also know about the different types of cannabis. While there are long-held claims about the effects that sativas, indicas, and hybrids offer, current research suggests that the effects of cannabis are determined by a person's endocannabinoid system and the plant-specific cannabinoid profile.
Despite that, cannabis is typically classified in the following four categories:

• Indica: Indica-leaning weed plants tend to produce dense, fat, heavy buds during the flowering stage. These strains are typically believed to give consumers a “body high” instead of a more cerebral high.
• Sativa: Sativa plants tend to produce buds that are airy and more formed than indica plants. Sativa strains of the weed plant are often said to offer users a more cerebral, energetic, “buzzy” highs.
• Hybrid: As a blend of sativa and indica, hybrid strains are generally believed to give you a more balanced high.
• Hemp: Hemp plants are part of the cannabis family, but they differ from a regular weed plant in that they produce only trace amounts of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the intoxicating effects of the marijuana plant. In the U.S., the 2018 Farm Bill specified hemp as a cannabis plant containing up to 0.3% THC. However, hemp plants produce a number of other important cannabinoids, most notably cannabidiol (CBD), and their fibers are used to produce a range of textiles.

To break it down even further, there are numerous strains within each of the more general categories indica, sativa, and hybrid. Understanding and becoming familiar with these various strains is what will really enable you to target — on a specific level — the type of experience you have when consuming weed.

How to tell male from female marijuana plants​

Typically, you will be able to distinguish between male and female cannabis plants when the plant is about six weeks old. To figure out the sex of a marijuana plant, look at the plant's nodes, where the leaves and branches connect to the main stem.
Male plants will produce pollen sacs that at first look like little tiny balls and then grow into larger clusters of oblong-shaped sacs. Conversely, a female weed plant will produce pistils, which in their early stages look like thin hairs and then eventually start growing into more structured ovules and stigmas.

To figure out the sex of a marijuana plant, look at the plant's nodes, where the leaves and branches connect to the main stem.Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps
There is one very important reason why it's crucial to be able to distinguish male from female plants: Only female plants produce flowers. Because male plants produce pollen sacs, they do not generate any of the buds that people actually harvest and consume. From the perspective of growing weed for human consumption, male plants are really only good for propagating brand new baby plants from seed.
With the exception of consciously choosing to reproduce plants through pollination (as opposed to cloning a female plant), growers must carefully keep male plants away from female plants.
Hermaphrodite plants are a rare monecious plant, meaning it develops both male and female sex organs. Hermaphrodites are primarily formed if a female weed plant is exposed to extreme conditions during key stages of growth. Flowers from hermaphrodite plants will be full of seeds, making them very poor quality for consumption. To avoid this, growers must be experts at spotting both hermaphrodite and male plants early and then getting rid of them before they ruin nearby female plants.
Many breeders produce seeds that are feminized as a way to avoid male genetics. These feminized seeds only carry female genetics, and in most cases, is guaranteed to produce female plants. Another option is to grow auto-flowering strains, which are genetically engineered to automatically flower after a brief vegetative period of two to four weeks.

How to propagate cannabis plants​

Knowing the parts of a marijuana plant is necessary for propagating cannabis plants. Propagation refers to the process of using one plant to create new plants. In general, cannabis growers do this in one of two ways:

1. Cloning: Cloning is a popular method, as it allows you to get multiple baby plants from a single adult plant, without having to buy seeds or go through the longer process of germinating, planting, and growing a weed plant from seed. To clone a marijuana plant, carefully cut a branch away from the stem right at the node. From there, place the cutting into a growing medium, typically either suspended in water or inserted into a starter plug. When the cutting develops roots you can then transplant it into a larger container or the ground, depending on where you're going to be growing the plant.
2. Seeds: Growing from seed requires you to start from scratch, and is ideally suited to growers who are novices, growers who want to produce a new type or strain than what they're already growing, and growers who don't have a plant they want to replicate exactly. To grow a weed plant from seed, place a seed in some sort of starting medium such as rockwool or peat pellets and keep it moist until it sprouts. As the sprout develops leaves and roots, it will start requiring more and more light. When a decent little ball of roots has formed, transplant the baby marijuana plant to a larger container or the ground and proceed to feed, water, and ventilate it until the weed plant reaches maturity.

Reviewed by Dr. Itzhak Kurek, Ph.D on 9/16/20

 

[Azimuth]

And things like ALM for a beginner is like learning Cantonese.

As for my ALM (Aged Leaf Mold), or any of the various natural farming concoctions, I'm a bit of an outlier in that not very many growers use those inputs. I have an interest in them and enjoy my various experiments and like to share with anyone who might also have an interest. But don't feel like you're missing out on some common body of knowledge on this stuff. It's actually quite the opposite.

I don't know of any other grower who uses the leaf mold to the extent I do and, while it has worked great for me so far, it is not something I'm yet prepared to suggest others use, at least until I have more experience with it. So, you're not alone in staring in bewilderment at all of the acronyms I throw around, although I do try to spell them out periodically for any new readers.

This thread is a place for me to record ideas I pick up along the way and maybe spark some back and forth with others who might have a different angle on things as I'm learning as much as anyone about this stuff everyday. It's also a place for me to park interesting videos and other background info for future reference. Almost like my personal journal or diary but without the day to day grow updates.

So, kind of like my grow, this thread is a bit unusual compared to most, but it's interesting to me and I hope also for others.

 

[Hafta]

Good luck with your quadline, my friend. I am liking my results.
I started mine with something like @Hafta 's method except with fluffy pipe cleaners and 3/8 inch nuts. They were fine in the smaller pots, up to 1.5 gallons. Then I would have hade to buy a shitload more nuts. 2 or 3 per branch wouldn't do it. This is why I chose a string that seems to be made of some kind of twisted celophane or another plastic film. I used a slip-knot tight enough to keep them down but just enough loose to give way.

Love your mini-me recipe, ordered some worm-castings but was wondering if I could use like a square inch of baked potato?
Also was wondering what an SIP bucket is. I hope you can post some pics of your progress.

Cheers

Were you moving the weights out to the end of the branches as they grew? A longer branch = more leverage = less weight required. Of course, the more secondary branches you have, the more weights you will need.

 

[scottreid1966]

As for my ALM (Aged Leaf Mold), or any of the various natural farming concoctions, I'm a bit of an outlier in that not very many growers use those inputs. I have an interest in them and enjoy my various experiments and like to share with anyone who might also have an interest. But don't feel like you're missing out on some common body of knowledge on this stuff. It's actually quite the opposite.

I don't know of any other grower who uses the leaf mold to the extent I do and, while it has worked great for me so far, it is not something I'm yet prepared to suggest others use, at least until I have more experience with it. So, you're not alone in staring in bewilderment at all of the acronyms I throw around, although I do try to spell them out periodically for any new readers.

This thread is a place for me to record ideas I pick up along the way and maybe spark some back and forth with others who might have a different angle on things as I'm learning as much as anyone about this stuff everyday. It's also a place for me to park interesting videos and other background info for future reference. Almost like my personal journal or diary but without the day to day grow updates.

So, kind of like my grow, this thread is a bit unusual compared to most, but it's interesting to me and I hope also for others.

Thanks again, Azi. That was very helpful.
I am glad that I took a look at your thread for I too would like to learn with experiment
Keep up the good work!
PS I didn't even think of googling it!
Cheers

 

[scottreid1966]

Were you moving the weights out to the end of the branches as they grew? A longer branch = more leverage = less weight required. Of course, the more secondary branches you have, the more weights you will need.

But of course, my friend. My original mistake was to start them in jiffy pots. They grew dense and strong but got stunted at the start. The indoors are doing well, fairly even and healthy canopy.

 

[Azimuth]

But of course, my friend. My original mistake was to start them in jiffy pots. They grew dense and strong but got stunted at the start. The indoors are doing well, fairly even and healthy canopy.

I find many of these techniques take a few rounds to get the hang of them. Stuff you could have done early but didn't can make a big difference later on. I started my first plant with the weights after I had already supercropped it and many of the branches weren't as flexible as would have been beneficial. Still I did what I could and noted what might have worked better and used that knowledge on the next plant.

I seem to be getting the hang of the basics at least, and am glad i stumbled across @Hafta 's thread (and really grateful he elected to share his technique! )

 

[Azimuth]

PS I didn't even think of googling it!
Cheers

Ha! I figured as much, and I was only teasing you. I get the same way sometimes when I get so focused on stuff in front of me that I get lost in it.

Glad you're finding some of my stuff and links helpful. Much has been shared with me and I'm just trying to pass it along!