I have an organic grows in the works and am havign a few problems with it. My electronic pH tester also has a fert tester on there that gives three readings: Not enough, Ideal, and too much. Everytime I probe the soil it says "Not enough." Does the probe read organic ferts differently since they work a different way or is it possible I really don't have enough ferts?
I'm just speculating here but the fert side might be for hydroponic testing but don't quote me on that. I use soil too and I'm not sure how it could accurately read ferts- especially time release organics such as bloodmeal/bonemeal. Most likely you're just fine especially if you've been fertilizing regularly.
Yeah, that's the thing- this is my first grow and IDK if I am fertilizing correctly or not. I was told not to feed until late into flowering since I used the blood and bone meal in my mix and I started having problems way before that. I think I will just switch to chem ferts next grow for simplicity and ease. I won't have to exhaust extra resources on distilled water and I will know when and how much of what they're getting. I was just won over by organics b/c of the whole taste issue. Lol you have to get your bud to mature all the way before you can taste it, anyways. If you don't mind me asking, what soil mix and ferts do you use? Also, the probe is for soil but I'm thinking like you, anyhow, in that I don't see how it could get a reading on organic style ferts.
The mix I use is- 1-Bag of Fox Farms Ocean Forest potting Soil. This stuff is amazing- best soil there is in my opinion and I've tried several kinds. 2 cups of bloodmeal per 10 gallons of soil. 2 cups of bonemeal per 10 gallons of soil. 1 cup of perlite 1 cup of vermiculite. And that's basically it. I'd post pics but I am a paranoid SOB and don't even take pictures of anything I grow. But my plants grow amazingly. I was taught by Bushyoldgrower who is like a pot legend now. His methods are the best and I highly recommend his book. Blow your mind man, lol. Only thing different between his soil mix and mine is he uses cheap Wal Mart brand but Ocean Forest is FAR superior hands down. As for Ferts I like to use Alaska Fish Fertilizer, comes in a bottle and smells like the worst thing you can imagine. I start using ferts around a month and a half from veg. Also Bat Guano - make a tea and use that along side the Alaska Fish Ferts. Trick to not overfertilize is I only use 1/4 strength what the bottles suggest and my plants show no signs of lacking nutrients. I usually only give my plants 1 dose of the Alaska-Guano Tea mix around 40 days in veg. Then let it go another couple of weeks and begin flowering. Then I flower until the buds start forming I give them some stuff called Super Bloom at 1/4th the strength. Then dose them again every couple of weeks. Then I use Clearex and flush the last couple of weeks and leave them in 48hrs darkness before harvest. Anyway lot to put into one post, lol. There's a lot more to it just keep reading the forums and I highly recommend Bonanza of Green by Bushyoldgrower. I was lucky enough to be part of an old website Overgrow and have him teach his techniques personally. Unfortunately now the best way to learn this mans teachings is through his book. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Bonanza-illustrated-yourself-marijuana-indoors/dp/B000E12SUU]Amazon.com: Bonanza of Green (A fully illustrated do-it-yourself guide to growing the highest quality medical marijuana indoors., Edition #1): Bushy Old Grower, BOG: Books[/ame] Good luck man.