Hello, I been growing for about 3 years now and this is the first time I decided to grow organic. Before asking my question I want to explain my environment. I am using fox farm's happy frog soil mixed with espoma's dolomite lime (I grinded the pellets into powder) and agrowinn minerals (phosphoric acid .003%, soluble potash .007%, calcium 4%, magnesium 1.5%, iron 6%) and I have only given them water since I put them in flower with 1 dose of unsulfured molasses. Strain is white widow x big bud. I am in the 2nd week of flowering (4 weeks since transplant and set to flower) and I am thinking my soil must be running out of nutrients and I need to brew some teas to add before the plants start showing deficiencies. I could not find any information on this subject on the internet and I was hoping someone here can answer my question. I use happy frog soil from fox farm, which contains bat guano, worm castings and all the goodies needed for creating a compost tea. I thought to myself that why not just use the happy frog soil, add some molasses and aerated for a couple of days to brew the tea. Wouldn't this be just as good? \nHere is a picture from a few weeks ago, they are well above the screen now. \nThanks in advance.
unless the soil has been sterilized,i wouldn't see why not. read the thread on tea recipes above this thread,should help you.
Thanks, but I don't have ingredients to make compost tea so I am wondering if using the soil will yield similar results. The soil is not sterilized. I guess I will give it a try and see how it goes.
As with most replies, take it with a grain of salt, but I don't see that soil blend making a very potent tea, at least not in the typical 24-36 hr. period. It's probably going to lack good humates as well. If you do go with it, think about adding twice the amount of soil you would if using compost. I use 2 C. compost, 1C. EWC, and a few Tbl of kelp and alfalfa along with molasses for energy. My teas bubble and froth from the get go, and after 24 hrs., my 5 gal bucket filled with 4 gal tea is frothing over like a miss poured hefeweizen. This froth is mostly due to the polysaccharides and proteins that form naturally under metabolic conditions, and are found in all good humus. If your tea lacks froth, it would be a good indicator of its quality. My two cents are now up.
Worm casting are coming in the mail and I do have molasses. I just don't have all he other things that people use to brew their teas, but my soil does.
Thanks. All is great information. I'll keep this thread posted with results and pictures, I am just waiting for the worm castings to arrive.