A question for you all or y'all depending on where you are from. In a no-till container for outdoor growing when its time to harvest the Cannabis do you cut the plant off at ground level and leave the root mass to decay or do you remove all of the root ball?
Anyone here ever tried using just terpenes as cleaner or ipm. I found this place http://www.greenterpene.com/Buy_Essential_Oil_Terpenes_s/61.htm
I was just listening to Adam Dunn's podcast and they briefly talked about terpenes and how they are probably a major factor in the pest resistance of certain strains.
guys if i made a mix of equal parts crabshell, garden gypsum and oyster flower and added only 1/2 a cup per QF to my soil (spm/lava rock/vermicompost) am i in trouble? i was under the impression that crabshell and gypsum would also act as liming agents but as i research it seems that is wrong, right? will i have to re amend or remix my soil?
Anything with calcium can act as a liming agent, how well it will is a different story. I can't elaborate, but Ik someone said this before, can't remember who... HTH Drop by my paradise! http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-grow-journals/1351737-fresh-ronins-paradise.html
That's what i thought as well, but that doesnt seem to be the case according to this publication: Applying Lime to Raise Soil pH for Crop Production (Western Oregon) (<--click) rock dust is also not a good buffer agent according to this thread: dolomitic lime vs basalt rock dust but then i see this and i get confused: Difference in Lime: and this: im just worried weather i have enough liming in my mix or not, i guess if CC said he only used 1/2 cup crab and he was ok with it i should be ok, and i also have high quality humus... but i have a polish mother and its in my genes to worry about things i guess i just need some reassurance peace!
Scoobie, maybe this will help. From Coot: Okay – the first goals of wanting Calcium & Magnesium are good we'll stipulate. Whether or not you need a mineral amendment to achieve that will be put aside. Dolomite Lime is used in ‘the real world' when a complete soil analysis has been done and now you have a complete overview of the element levels, CeC, etc. and it's been established that lower levels exist for the long term on the Magnesium percentage. Even then, DL is applied maybe once every 4 or 5 years. The Magnesium in DL arrives as Magnesium Carbonate (MgCO3) but it's a bit more complicated than that. The reason that it is ‘slow acting' is the molecular structure and if you were to hit even WikiPedia and looked at the molecular formula you can easily understand why this material is as slow acting as it is. If in fact you need a Magnesium jolt then you'd be far better off using a mined mineral compound like Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) or Sul-Po-Mag (Sulphur, Potassium & Magnesium). The Magnesium in Epsom Salts is in its elemental form like Sul-Po-Mag. The main straight liming agents, Limestone, Calcite (aka Agricultural Lime), Oyster shell powder and Crab meal are sources for Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3). All are pure Calcium Carbonate with the exception of Limestone which can have a Mg level between 2 – 3% depending on the specific mine, country of origin, etc. When looking at the numbers on a Calcium Carbonate source you have to multiply the CaCO3 percentage by 0.375% and now you will have the elemental Calcium (Ca++) numbers. Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) is the preferred ‘liming' agent in the PNW due to the acidic soils we deal with (the west side). That has to do with the adulteration of the clay platelets which no longer carry a pure negative charge (-) on the edges which bind along its edge with the center of adjacent clay particles and now you have clay compaction. All the Rototilling isn't going to change that – ever. So back to Dolomite Lime and why it's used in commercial potting soils – certainly not used by professional nurseries other than for specific growing schedules like 3 – 5 years in containers. Even then, DL is part of a ‘liming mix' that will include Gypsum (Calcium & Sulphur), Limestone or one of the shells meals. Bottom line is the DL is the least expensive because Calcium Carbonate is widely used in animal & human supplements – next time you're in a store selling vitamins and supplements look at the label on the Calcium products – Calcium Carbonate. Same for livestock and poultry. Calcium is a necessary part of their feed and DL isn't part of that. DL has several industrial, manufacturing, etc. uses – it's not the big deal in agriculture or horticulture like it is in the cannabis hobby gardening paradigm. All of this assumes of course that the potting soil that you make is deficient in Calcium or Magnesium. It would be highly unlikely that given the compost and EWC you produce that you need additional Magnesium or Calcium. EWC are covered with a slime which is Calcium Carbonate from the worm's digestive tract. Calcium is not this elusive element that Goober wants you to believe it is CC
Scooby dooby you're probably fine. CC also feeds his worms crab shell and oyster shell which will really up the calcium carbonate content. So I tend to stick with 1 cup CaCO3 per cf in peat based mixes with store-bought "humus". You're not going to overdo it on calcium if you use reasonable amounts. I've used 1/2 cup crab + 1 cup oyster pr cf many times. No issues to speak of.
Your well water is probably fine if you can bypass the water softener. Definitely don't use the softened water, though.
Thanks guys! I can sleep better now, not kidding...i was up in bed last night thinking "how am i going to mix more lime into that thing? maybe i should get a PH meter for the soil...." ...silly bedtime thoughts, lol! but im more confident now thanks to all you gentlemen here I really should just read this thread AGAIN! kinda hard to pay attention to everything first time cause It was all so new to me. takes time to absorb everything yaknow?
Finally got my soil mixed - it sat for 2 weeks, lava rock- 5/16 and 3/4 and some hydrogron peet moss worm castings one Cup Alfalfa Meal One Cup Fish Meal one cup crab meal 1/2 cup Kelp Meal 1 Cup Soft Rock Phosphate 1 cup neem/karanja seed meal 4 or 5 cups (glacial) rock dust 1/2 cup gypsum 1/4 oyster shells I DONT have worms yet, i dont have a cover crop, I CANT find SEEDS or plants for cover crop, should be EZ to find, im in bay area, just old and dumb i guess.... HOW does this mix look??? DID i FORGET anything??? got tea brewing now to water it, HOW WET should i keep the soil??? PIC included if i can..
Fenugreek seeds! i found mine at the local organic market. or you can order clover on the web, ive seen the website people order from around here a few times, though i cant remember the name