I am trying to go completely organic for my next grow but it is hard for me to source everything organic where I live. So far I have as follows Organic Coast of Maine bar harbor blend premium potting soil, Epsoma cottonseed meal and kelp meal, Soil Moist organic blend of beneficial bacteria, and half a bottle of Neptune's Harvest fish seaweed from my last grow. I also from my last grow have EWC, perlite, vermiculite, MG organic choice blood and bone meals, earth juice meta-k, and Guano Co super tea mix. Would this be enough to get me through another grow. I am trying not to use the bone or blood meal if I can avoid it, and would prefer to do a just water mix. I have read through a few threads listing so many additives but I am wondering what is the bare minimum I could add to grow 2 or 3 healthy plants. My goal is organic more then yield because once I have the basics I know I can improve upon my mixes like the pro's on this forum do.
For me, the absolute minimum is, Alfalfa meal, Kelp meal and EWC. Of course I use more than that, but that is my bare bones. Wet
Okay so do you think that I can sub cottonseed meal for alfalfa meal? Otherwise what is a good source of phosphorous besides the bone meal and fish bone meal. I know there is guano and that is okay but I would rather use a meal or should I just amend with rock phosphate?
Why don't you want to use the Bone or Blood Meals? Bone Meal is one of my favorite ferts, with some going into all of my soil mixes.
Greenmanb, there are any number of good soil mixes in the stickies and in the forum in general. If you want to have a water only grow, great but you need to amend your soil. Cottonseed meals gets mixed reviews due to the insecticides used on cotton. Blood and bone meals are the back bones for most mixes, you can leave both out but you will need some similar, say fish meal and fish bone meal. Guano's in the right npk needed and so on. If your local hydro store don't carry these things, look to farm/ feed stores, their usually better priced anyway. And if you want an all in one fert mix look at espoma's tone line of ferts that is sold in nurseries, hardwares, big box stores, and farm stores....best of luck.......MIW Edit. Don't let anyone fool you on yields. I regularly outyield my chem friends. Most of my friends growing using chem bottles are very happy with two zips per plant, i pull 4 or more often. Yields have more to do with available light, genetics, root space veg time, health of the plants and so on. I have some organic growing friends that get 8+ zips on some plants with more light. And those juiced up chem buds are pretty harsh smoking too.
I am a vegetarian and I sorta follow the "you are what you eat, smoke" mantra. So I am going to try and do without blood and bone meals or fish products. I know guano works and you can't do it without worm castings but that is about as close to using animal additives as I want to get.
Well if it helps, worm castings are mostly just degrading plant materials that pass through & are processed by the worms, and Bat Guanos are often digested fruits. Both are very earthy. You'll want to have at least: 1 strong, high-N fertilizer- for this there are a number of choices 1 strong, high-P fertilizer- Some Guanos and Bone Meal are the best sources imo. In addition to P, Bone Meal is a great source of Ca for strong stems, and really all other parts as well. It also supplies plenty of Iron, which worm castings do not. 1 strong, high-K fertilizer- Kelp & Seaweed ferts are moderate sources of K but are usually good fertilizers. Palm Bunch Ash (0-0-30) is the best strong source of Potassium and should fit with your preferences. With those three ferts, you can create mixes for any strain in any stage of growing.
You may want to look into kelp meal and alfalfa meal then along with compost and ewc, the maybe fill the gaps with guano, if that fits your lifestyle or personal goals better. Without looking I think espoma's tones have blood, bone meals. When you get time, there are fermented plant extracts that are simple as fuck to make. Weeds and water, let sit, then use. But your right not to turn up your nose to shit, ugh guano n worm poo.......MIW
So far for the mix Soil Coast of Maine Perlite Vermiculite EWC Additives Cottonseed meal Flaxseed meal ( wasn't able to source alfalfa) Guano Kelp meal Soil Moist beneficial bacteria Would adding a nettle tea help? and is there anything else I should try to add I'm on the east coast and as for hydrostores they are few and far between but I can find basic organic additives.
Do you have a place outside, like for a small garden?? If so, you can do it all with just one thing, Comfrey. Besides all the chemicals used on cottonseed meal, it is VERY acidic, needing something like 10lbs of lime/100lbs of CS meal. Alfalfa and soybean meal makes a much better combo. CS meal is not recommended for container growing. Wet
Thanks for the info WET I remember reading something about Russian Comfery do you make it into an AATC or just amend the dry leaves?