SoilGirl's Indoor Organic Soil Medical Grow Journal - Mars II 1600 & Other LEDs

[SweetSue]

Thanks SoilGirl. I shall add to my soil as time moves on with top-up amendments but will only use 'vermicompost' for the soil part from now. By the way, I've ordered my neem and crab shell on your advice.

The absolute best top dress is vermicompost. It breaks down into a usable form better than just about anything else. Throw a batch of your compost together with lots of worms and let them make it a stronger additive. Good for soil building, excellent for top dressing.

I went looking for info by CC on building quality vermicompost for cannabis growing and came up with this pretty concise overview from another forum. Part of their conversation was dealing with adding nutrient poor foods that were mostly water.

"Dumdumdummy, on 22 Sept 2014 - 11:48 PM, said:
Hate to keep badgering with questions but this leads to another, lol. I see a lot of people here add comfrey to their compost and then turn around and provide that for the worm bedding. How do you feel about using kale for its nutrient profile? Kind of off subject but I'm planning to have alot of it this winter and I'm thinking of growing more of it just to put in my compost pile and use it the way most here use comfrey....then provide that as worm bedding.

DDD

That's a good question and here's my best answer: besides the uber levels of microbes that we want to have in our vermicompost we also want elements - macro and micronutrients. Adding nutrient-dense foods like comfrey leaves, aloe vera leaves, neem meal, kelp meal, alfalfa meal, etc. gives us the entire range of 83 elements that plants need to thrive. Some people around here only care about making their plants survive - again we're talking about competing agendas. I put the bar higher than simply wanting a plant to survive.

Comfrey and aloe vera (in your situation) would be the best choices because you can harvest that from your garden meaning no money is involved.

Anything that you can add to your worm bins that isn't 70%+ water is worth considering. Fluff foods provide you with nothing but water and a pitiful amount of actual food. A 40-lb. case of apples gives you 6 lbs. of material that can be converted to vermicompost.

CC"

 

[SoilGirl]

Re: SoilGirl's Indoor Organic Soil Medical Grow Journal w/ Mars II 1600 and other LED

The bottom line is, mulch is extremely important for soil health. This PDF explains that and some other things very well in my opinion. See 3. a.

Sustainable Landscape Management from a Soil Foodweb (SFW) Perspective
by Alane O'Rielly Weber, Botanical Arts

1. Stop killing the beneficial resident soil biology:

a. Stop or significantly reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.

b. Stop manipulating soil pH with lime, dolomite, or gypsum. If calcium need is indicated by soil testing, use oyster shell flour or azomite along w/ compost/organic matter to increase soil foodweb growth, which will buffer pH, and hold plant available calcium in the soil.

c. Stop manipulating soil pH lower with "acid food" fertilizers high in sulfur. Instead, increase compost/organic matter use and let the soil foodweb microbes adjust pH naturally. Sulfur is a fungicide.

d. Stop destroying the natural placement and organization of the soil foodweb microbes with unnecessary roto‐tilling and turning of soil.

1. annual plants are able to benefit from some soil disturbance. When possible leave roots of last seasons' annuals in the ground for organic matter & place new plants 1 off the grid.

2. in severe compaction, where faster results are required, till soil once only, while adding 2 — 6 " of compost into the re‐worked soil horizon, followed with a mulch after planting.

3. when possible, do not till large spaces; dig & amend each planting hole only. Mulch w/ compost &/or raw organic materials; use microbial rich additives like actively aerated compost tea (AACT).

2. Add the Soil Foodweb (SFW) microbes:

a. Increase the populations of SFW by using well made compost or aerated compost tea , and products w/ mycorrhizae at planting or when aerating turf — this product must touch root surfaces to take effect.

b. Test for the specific categories needed: bacteria, fungi (both decomposers), protozoa (bacterial predators for nutrient cycling), nematodes (fungal predators for nutrient cycling); note: predatory nematodes have other benefits of controlling specific soil insects; single species products available.

3. Create a biology‐friendly habitat for the microbes to proliferate.

a. Mulch is the simplest way of improving soil health. Different materials will affect the soil and support the SFW microbes and their plants in different ways: (Keep away from base/trunk of plants)

1. compost (as alive and mature as possible) is always appropriate; but may be expensive.

2. raw (un‐composted) organic matter is available and frequently reduces a waste stream.
a. a very thin layer (or successive layers over time) of grass clippings around annuals - This tactic favors SFW bacterial counts and increases biological nitrogen retention.
b. a thin, single layer of cocoa hulls around annuals or perennials (caution around dogs)
c. straw mulch appropriate for use w/veggies, annuals and perennials
d. 'coco‐peat'(coarsely‐shredded coconut husk) around annuals, perennials or shrubs; or as a finely shredded amendment, a.k.a. coir, can be used to replace peat moss.
e. longer lived plants, such as perennials, shrubs, trees prefer high carbon mulches, such as arborists' wood chips, chipped bark products, sawdust, or nut shells.

3. layered, multi‐component mulch (a.k.a. lasagna composting) can also be very effective.

Use caution and understanding with raw wood products that are unusually high in tannins or anti‐ microbial/anti‐fungal properties; they are temporarily resistant to microbial breakdown (it's why we use redwood lumber outside) and may not support your SFW for months to years. Sm. amount of N to start.

4. Feed the beneficial SFW microbes ("feed the soil") and jump‐start the "poop loop"

a. Some plants and plant groups do better w/ higher levels of nitrogen and supporting macro and micro‐nutrients than may be available in poor, damaged, or only raw‐fed soil systems. Many nursery grown and cultivated species are peak‐performers, chosen for their growth habits in trials while fed high levels of inorganic fertilizers. Many plants that produce fruit or bloom profusely will perform better with seasonal additions of full‐nutrient organic fertilizers. Reward them with the extra nutrients in order to maintain their expected performance. Use mixed animal or plant based raw organic fertilizers.

b. On the other hand, many natives, like chaparral or other dry‐land/drought‐tolerant types, require no regular additions of nutrients other than small amounts of compost and mulches.

c. 'Organic fertilizers' are typically concentrated liquid or dried down pulverized and concentrated plant, animal or mineral materials. They are naturally high in particular minerals and available in single stream packaging (i.e. alfalfa meal) or blends of materials. They, like compost and mulch, must be acted upon by the SFW microbes in order for "nutrient cycling" to occur. Some immediately available nutrients (nitrogen) occur in animal based products; especially manure and guano; use w/ caution & understanding.

1. use proprietary blends or single source organic fertilizers made from processed plant or animal parts; clays or mined mineral sources and kelp can provide most non‐N mineral nutrients.

2. alfalfa meal, fish meal, feather meal, composted manures for increased nitrogen; caution with blood, bone, and other slaughter house by‐products.

3. Reduce or avoid manufactured urea or ammoniacal nitrogen products (salty)

4. use kelp/seaweed products or mined minerals for micro‐nutrients.

5. growing "green manure" cover crops, grown in between rows or seasons, can add nutrients and microbes to your soil system.

5. Choose compatible plants to match the soil biology's level of succession

a. Like the concept of grouping plants with similar water needs, keep in mind that plants' roots' microbial partners can be categorized into a gradient from bacterial dominance, as in annual plants, to fungal dominance, as in woodland/climax forest‐type plants.

Plants do better when the surrounding soil habitat supports the microbes that they prefer.

Alkalinity and acidity are influenced by the microbe groups.

6. Specific Recommendations for Soil Preparation & Compaction Mitigation:

a. Individual plantings: It is best to dig single holes for individual plants and mulch the surrounding soil to attract the SFW microbes that will improve the soil structure in the larger areas between the plantings.

1. backfill with 5 — 25% mature compost or organic planting mix.

2. use appropriate mycorrhizal fungi for plants, dusted on root ball, in backfill or dipped.

3. use Rhizobia to inoculate the seeds/roots of all Leguminous plants.

4. use a v. small amount of organic fertilizer in bottom of planting hole; teaspoon per 5 gal. plant.

5. if compaction was an issue in planting area, subsequent applications of well‐made compost or compost tea (AACT) can increase microbial component in order to aerate soils more quickly.

6. Mulch is a verb: Do it on the surrounding soil area to improve SFW habitat.

7. An alternate spot treatment for compaction mitigation:

a. "vertical mulching" ‐ using an auger to punch past compaction layers; fill with high‐fungal compost or decomposed leaf litter. Addition of AACT and mycorrhizal fungi (if close to root zones) very helpful.

b. trenching (where appropriate) and back‐filling with high‐fungal compost or composted organic mixes. Subsequent applications of compost tea helpful.

c. Compost tea can be applied to individual plants or soil drenched into larger areas. When used alone, without any mechanical intervention, the power of the SFW microbes can do the job, however expect them to take several seasons to several years to open up soil and mitigate compaction.

this just needed to be bumped lol, even though its from months ago. what a post CO.

 

[SoilGirl]

Veg Update!

Gonna make this short since I already spent a lot of time emailing my uncle startup instructions for his grow today. He's actually wondering about a commercial grow now... If I can help him I will haha.

Alright so, lets start with the bad news. My OG Kush PR clone is probably going to die, I was trying to remove the old node left on there, but it was stiff and sturdier than I thought, and in the struggle, I killed the only new growth node at the base. Too bad.. so sad... oh well there's a flowering OG Kush clone in the cloner now

Ghost OG Flux (Started Veg 12-14-2014)

Did more trimming and training.

Dinafem Diesel (Sprouted 10-27-14)

Momma's looking a little light green, but nothing too serious. I'm just itching to put her into flowering but I want to hold off until CK#2's well into her 4th week of flower, so I'll feel less bad about moving it to the side for Diesel. maybe I took too many cuttings...

Blue Blood (Sprouted 11-09-14)

Still just being her unkempt self, beautiful coloring!

Right: Dinafem Diesel Clone (Started Veg X-Mas Day) Left: Red Cherry Berry Clone (Started Veg 1-4-15)

Both: Corleone Kush #1 Clones (Started Veg 12-31-14)

Blue Blood Clone!(Started Veg 1-02-15)

Not committing to the flux very much atm so can't call it a flux, but I still plan on fluxing this one, it just may end up similar to BBK haha.

A Few Flowering Day 26 Pics!

couldn't resist snapping a few of these. First is BBK, second is CK#1, third and 4th are Ghost OG.

Hope everyone's having a nice day! I'm beating my cold today and it feels awesome, I hate being kept down!

 

[SweetSue]

Blogged. Thanks SoilGirl. So invaluable.

 

[B A R]

Lovin the LOS lessons SoulGirl...

How long should it take the organic popcorn to sprout? It's been soaking for 3 days & we empty the white looking water everyday replacing it with fresh water. I keep it on top of our gas stove to stay warm when it's not in use.

 

[SoilGirl]

Oh snap Reg - I'm sorry I didn't catch that sooner! If you go back over my instructions, I say to return the wet seeds to the dry jar, you only do the soak for the first 12 hours or so! But maybe you can still get those to sprout! but drain the water! They've absorbed enough, and will be coated in a little bit anyways. If they don't show sprouts tomorrow morning, I'd dump them and start over (in fact maybe it'd be a good idea to start some new ones right now just in case....up to you!) - this is why I tried to go in depth about it! That's exactly what I was confused about!

 

[B A R]

There I go again; not paying attention to detail...
Dumping the water now.

 

[SoilGirl]

There I go again; not paying attention to detail...
Dumping the water now.

Lol its ok Reg, I also could have been better at the detailing bit. Good luck with those!!

 

[SweetSue]

Thankfully popcorn is cheap Reg. An inexpensive lesson to learn.

 

[MedFarmer]

SoilGirl & Sweetsue, a great big green kiss X to you both for your efforts to educate me more on LOS. Im off to order some Comfrey if i can find it or as soon as I can find it. I will also consider using grass clippings as a mulch in my outdoor garden too as I get so much of it. There is some great information there girls

SoilGirl don't give up on OG Kush PR, she may well surprise you. I've seen them come back from similar and I hope yours does too.

I have 2 'Blue Blood' ladies at the moment off-site.

Your girls and ladies(If they are vegging they are girls and when flowering they are ladies in my eyes) are looking real good .

 

[Green Dreamz]

Just taking a peek in here and everything looks great SG.....I hope your finished with that cold......Here's to a bright and shiny day

 

[B A R]

Lol its ok Reg, I also could have been better at the detailing bit. Good luck with those!!

Thankfully popcorn is cheap Reg. An inexpensive lesson to learn.

Yeap, it's only popcorn & I have a big bag of it. As a matter of fact I may pop some tonight. I can't remember the last time we made popcorn that wasn't Orville Redenboker's Microwaved.

 

[Subnoise]

Hey sg hope all is well and your staying warm today. Hate going from 60 degrees to this cold snowy crap.

 

[B A R]

BAR Babygirl

Hello SoulGirl. Those kernels are starting to tap-root...

You know what else? The popcorn industry has pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. I popped a batch of the Organic Popcorn & it taste 100X better than any Microwave garbage. Even better than Theater popcorn and do you know how many big bowls we can make out of that $6 bag? Probably about 100. They definitely have a hustle going on with the popcorn. As Fifi would say; "Just sayin"

 

[SweetSue]

BAR Babygirl

Hello SoulGirl. Those kernels are starting to tap-root...

Let the tails get about an inch long Reg. It makes them easier to purée. I could smell the popped corn as I read that. LOL!


You know what else? The popcorn industry has pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. I popped a batch of the Organic Popcorn & it taste 100X better than any Microwave garbage. Even better than Theater popcorn and do you know how many big bowls we can make out of that $6 bag? Probably about 100. They definitely have a hustle going on with the popcorn. As Fifi would say; "Just sayin"

Let the tails get an inch long Reg. It makes them easier to purée (popcorn, that is). I could smell that popped corn as I read this. LOL!

 

[SoilGirl]

Hi Everyone! I feel awful I've not been keeping up with 420 mag lately except to do my journal! The last couple days I've been spending a lot of time with my dad, and with a really really sweet guy I met named Jay. (you guys remember mitch? Lol well things didn't work out with him, forget him.) Not to mention talking with my uncle. Lol I'm so excited Jay wants to get into growing too!! Plus he's really really romantic and just... ok enough about that. just excited, I'm starting to get a life here hahahah.

Thankfully popcorn is cheap Reg. An inexpensive lesson to learn.

This is true.

SoilGirl & Sweetsue, a great big green kiss X to you both for your efforts to educate me more on LOS. Im off to order some Comfrey if i can find it or as soon as I can find it. I will also consider using grass clippings as a mulch in my outdoor garden too as I get so much of it. There is some great information there girls

SoilGirl don't give up on OG Kush PR, she may well surprise you. I've seen them come back from similar and I hope yours does too.

I have 2 'Blue Blood' ladies at the moment off-site.

Your girls and ladies(If they are vegging they are girls and when flowering they are ladies in my eyes) are looking real good .

Aw thanks and you're so welcome MedFarmer! - I'll try not to give up on the currently planted OG clone, but the prognosis is grim haha... if I hadn't gone and mauled it it would've gotten past the ghetto clone dome mold easy peasy. But now, I think the same thing that happened to the CK#2 clone is happening to it. (rotting from the inside of the stem since there's no new growth) -- but oh well, I still have another OGK PR seed, and a whole plant to take flowering clones from. If I lose it, no biggie is all. Awesome that you have Blue Bloods going!!

Just taking a peek in here and everything looks great SG.....I hope your finished with that cold......Here's to a bright and shiny day

Aw thanks GD! Much less coldy now. Although my nose is still all chapped and red - looks like I had a bad sunburn lol -.- oh well. Happy Thurweedsday!

Yeap, it's only popcorn & I have a big bag of it. As a matter of fact I may pop some tonight. I can't remember the last time we made popcorn that wasn't Orville Redenboker's Microwaved.

Hahaha great idea! I'm so tired of the packaged stuff too! Homemade popcorn is the best! Especially organic.

Hey sg hope all is well and your staying warm today. Hate going from 60 degrees to this cold snowy crap.

CO weather Subnoise, what can we do lol? god isn't the humidity crazy lately?? Since when does it get this wet here?? Global weirding for sure. I've been very warm though, thanks to the heater in with my plants haha! Hope you're all cozy and snug today too!

BAR Babygirl

Hello SoulGirl. Those kernels are starting to tap-root...

You know what else? The popcorn industry has pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. I popped a batch of the Organic Popcorn & it taste 100X better than any Microwave garbage. Even better than Theater popcorn and do you know how many big bowls we can make out of that $6 bag? Probably about 100. They definitely have a hustle going on with the popcorn. As Fifi would say; "Just sayin"

just awesome Reg/BG! I finished my SST today and fed my plants too I think it really makes a difference growing the way we do, especially to help break down our rock dusts and add little immune system boosters and add chitinases.. I really notice my plants look very happy after SST's! more than just water.

And right!! its an international popcorn conspiracy! I don't even think theatre popcorn compares to good homemade popcorn, with all that oily fake butter!

People of 420 mag, buy a bunch of organic popcorn! You and your plants will love to eat them!

Let the tails get an inch long Reg. It makes them easier to purée (popcorn, that is). I could smell that popped corn as I read this. LOL!

Always great shares Sue, I think I remember Jeremy Silva saying that in his video. I'm about to get some popcorn for my SST's. (today's was top cover and cannabis seeds mixed together again LOL)... I also fed some organic, (and actually kosher ) blackstrap molasses to my plants before my SST today. Now I have my eye on this aloe leaf..... next watering may include a CC top dressing for gnats and some aloe juice growing makes me so happy hahaha.

 

[SweetSue]

Since I went to the SWICK there's been a noticeable drop off of gnat populations. I discovered this morning that I have a thriving community in the aloe pot, explaining their continued presence in the living room. When I get home today I'm going to set up its own SWICK, top dress with kelp/neem/crustacean meal, top it all off with EWC and water. Maybe that will end that group's life cycle.

 

[B A R]

just awesome Reg/BG! I finished my SST today and fed my plants too I think it really makes a difference growing the way we do, especially to help break down our rock dusts and add little immune system boosters and add chitinases.. I really notice my plants look very happy after SST's! more than just water.

And right!! its an international popcorn conspiracy! I don't even think theatre popcorn compares to good homemade popcorn, with all that oily fake butter!

People of 420 mag, buy a bunch of organic popcorn! You and your plants will love to eat them!

They look almost ready today SoulGirl but I just realized my sister borrowed (that's her word for taking something out of here & never returning it) our blender when her's went on the fritz.

And oh yeah, the organic popcorn taste so good you don't have to add anything to it; not even salt!

 

[Green Dreamz]

Happy Daze SG.....glad to hear you are feeling a bit better.....hopefully you will be fully recovered in a snap so you can take advantage of Jay's romanticismlol

 

[SoilGirl]

Since I went to the SWICK there's been a noticeable drop off of gnat populations. I discovered this morning that I have a thriving community in the aloe pot, explaining their continued presence in the living room. When I get home today I'm going to set up its own SWICK, top dress with kelp/neem/crustacean meal, top it all off with EWC and water. Maybe that will end that group's life cycle.

I hope it does Sue! I should definitely try a SWICK system. I really want to. And god knows I have the perlite. >.< I doubt I'll ever be totally rid of it lol. I just want one big basin for it in my flower room... how cool would that be. For now I don't have any tubs for it and, I'm getting by pretty well with the slow hand-watering although its turning into quite the chore now with all these plants... chores I can handle. Money's another situation lol. Thank you for the concern! Love your input as always Sue.

They look almost ready today SoulGirl but I just realized my sister borrowed (that's her word for taking something out of here & never returning it) our blender when her's went on the fritz.

And oh yeah, the organic popcorn taste so good you don't have to add anything to it; not even salt!

Oh no! That stinks Reg! Maybe you could puree them with something else?

No salt?? Now that might just be too good to be true... But I'll try it.

Happy Daze SG.....glad to hear you are feeling a bit better.....hopefully you will be fully recovered in a snap so you can take advantage of Jay's romanticismlol

Hahaha well - my face and nose are back to normal after the barrage of kleenex. I'll consider that better. Although I still have a bit of a cough haha. I coughed all over RCB today lol I feel bad. Hopefully she'll forgive the germs and spit, and will enjoy the extra CO2. And as for jay I think the advantage is almost mine lol. but.

Anyways.

Sorry I've not been my usual journaling self! I'm visiting a few journals at a time haha, and I even snapped a few flowering pics for you guys

Flowering Day 30 Quick Update!

Really great smells developing, more early trichs than I've ever seen... just the beauty of almost being a full month in to flower! Despite the early interruption of their flowering (I left an LED on overnight in the flowering room around night 6... >.<) everything really does look good.

Ghost OG!

Black Bubba Kush!

Corleone Kush #1!

I couldn't pick a favorite smell right now from in there... BBK's so tangy, GOG's so sweet, CK#1's so sandalwoody but fruity... I've never grown GOG or CK#1 before but its kinda like growing BBK for the first time hahah... it smells so much better than it did previously... this soil is doing something awesome for my plants, no doubt

But one thing I'd like more available in my soil is Magnesium. I have a scary brand of sulpomag (there's a good kind! the stuff that looks like dirt is good, also known as langbeinite, I may get some from buildasoil... but I'm scared to use this stuff I got from Greenway Biotech, Inc.) ... not gonna use mine because it looks exactly like Epsom's Salt, another thing I'm scared to use in my soil.

I'm pretty sure my plants are a bit magnesium deficient under these strong LED's, because every one of them has in their turn gone from totally green-stemmed in veg (under fluorescents), to red-stemmed in flower. (under LED) though not enough to stop chlorophyll production... perhaps enough to slow it down a bit.

Anyways happy Shatterday everyone! I'm.... gonna go bake some cookies... and maybe some brownies