Easy Organic Soil Mix for Beginners

Discussion in 'Growing Organic Marijuana' started by InTheGarden, Oct 2, 2012.

  1. I've got a Scope on my wishlist for an upcoming birthday. Never done any scope work but eager to learn and see what's actually going on in my teas, etc. Anyone have good starting points for reference material so I can identify the good and the bad?
     
  2. Just went back up the page a few posts and saw the link to Tim Wilson's page. I'll look there. If there are any other good directions for me to head, I'm all ears.
     
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  3. If you’re on IG microbeherder is another.
     
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  4. Thanks, I just realized I do follow that account!
     
  5. Does anybody know a good place online to get soil and amendments? I live in a rural area, and there is little offered locally... I was going to buy stuff from kis organics, because they have high quality stuff, and Tad is a cool guy, but the shipping is a killer... any help would be appreciated!
     
  6. Check at the local farm or feed store. They will carry alfalfa pellets, blood and bone meals, ag lime and dolomite lime. many have kelp meals and other grain meals in bulk. Prices are reasonable and large bags are available. I pay $12 for a 50# bag of alfalfa pellets from these type of stores. You can usually get rock dusts for free at a local monument (tombstone) cutter business.

    PW
     
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  7. Thanks!, i'll check it out- never would have thought of a monument cutter.
     
  8. Has anyone ever used dragonfly Earth medicine the radiant green superfood Brew for plants? If so do you brew that like you would a compost tea or just mixed with water and Drench soil?
     
  9. Follow the directions on the product label.

    $40 is a lot of money, and a real ripoff for a pound of fertilizer. A bag of Espoma is only $2-$3/pound. You can mix your own for about $1/pound.

    PW
     
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  10. Hey thanks for the input.i guess to each their own.
     
  11. Can I substitute leaf mold for peat moss?
     
  12. Absolutely. Ask @jerry111165, he’s almost all strictly leaf mold. Nice substitute to have laying around.
     
  13. Hi all, I have some soil and nutrient questions. I've used the soil recipe from the beginning of the thread for some indoor use with success and now using it for outdoor. My land came with some 300 gallon smart pots including used potting soil. I decided to re amend the existing potting soil per instructions at start of thread. I also decided to splurge and try out a local soil company that has a good reputation for some empty 300 gallon and 30 gallon smart pots, their recipe was pretty similar to the recipe on this thread. So I have Some 300 gallon with re-amended soil, some with purchased soil back at end of May, the 30 gallons have the new purchased soil. I planted beginning of June some seeded plants and some clones that had been indoors. I have everything set up on irrigation timer. I'm wondering since the 30 gallon are in a much smaller pot will I probably need to add some amendments/ferts.... I figure they'll start lacking in nitrogen soon. Any recommendations on what to look for in deficiencies etc and if I should just add some bagged organic fertilizer? I used G&B Organics Citrus and Fruit tree fertilizer 8-4-2 for the re-amended mix as local nursery recommended it, they aren't carrying DR. earth or tomato tone anymore. The garden has looked super healthy minus issues with Russet mites... All neighbors have them. We've been treating them with Gran Devo, Venerate, Regalia.. and used PyGanic earlier on. Could I add some of the G&B Citrus & fruit fert or will this be too late in the season now and too much Nitrogen? I tend to get confused about what the plant is choosing to uptake vs what's available and if I'll be overdoing it with this fertilizer.. I hope this question makes sense. Any suggestions? My co-captain is usually all about using bottled nutrients and so I'm feeling the heat/stress re this grow going over well... I love this thread and hope to be able to finish reading the whole thing some time. I'm attaching some pics of one of the smaller pots with plant.. Some yellowing down low. Could just be older leaves and time to die or start of running low on Nitrogen etc.
     

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  14. It’s only been six weeks...

    J
     
  15. I definitely wouldn’t do anything until the plants tell you to do so…

    J
     
  16. The very last thing I would worry about is those yellow leaves. Those leaves yellowing is inevitable no matter what. They are simply old leaves and this will happen no matter what method of gardening you choose or what fertilizers are used. Judge plant health by the big picture… Look at the whole plant and newer growth. Is it healthy? I’m guessing it is so leave them alone.
     
  17. Thanks for the response Jerry111165.. I did use one of those Luster leaf rapitest this weekend and it did show low nitrogen levels all else fine. I'm not sure if these tests work for potting soil etc or really give accurate measurements. I've used them for some of the other pots. The soil I re-amended checks out fine. Since I'm using two soils I decided (one purchased and the other I re-amended) testing would be a good idea for $13. If they do run out of steam would you just recommend some composted chicken poo? I know that I'm probably still hanging on to the drilled in info of conventional crap, chemicals, hydro stuff.... I really do appreciate your responding. I have lots of respect for you. The Plants for the most part look very happy though, growing. But I need a backup plan for appropriate amendments if they do run low.
     

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  18. What sized pots again?

    Very fast growing plants like cannabis can require friggin HUGE pots - or they can run out of steam - and is why the big outdoor boys often use 100+ gallon pots - and sometimes 200-300... etc etc...

    A lot of times plants grown in pots - depending on ambient conditions - humidity, temperatures- the pots will dry out too quickly and end up having to be watered more often than usual which isn’t great either.

    Organic plant material mulch is a huge help - multiple layers of different types seem to work great - I’ll use old hay, a layer of Comfrey, a layer of old decomposing leaves etc -

    Working some composted chicken manure in and then mulching thickly around the plants certainly wouldn’t hurt anything at all. A lot of folks think of chicken manure as being high in mostly nitrogen but it’s actually a pretty well rounded amendment.

    J
     
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  19. Re
     
  20. I for sure agree! I've used chicken manure mixed in with the straw I give them for litter for over 30 years for growing all kinds of things, with lots of success. Just don't go overboard with it though. You can find yourself with too much nitrogen. I'm currently fixing that one myself.

    Sent from my SM-T530NU using Grasscity Forum mobile app
     
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