Mikedin’s Living Soil Adventure and Living Soil discussion topic

[Mikedin]

Woah...didn't even think about that one .. the flowering time can differ between phenotype... INTERESTING.

Yep I’m averaging the kahunas right now, kahuna 3 was an 8 wheeler and kahuna 2 was a 9-9.5 so plan is to push both of them to at least 9 most likely the kahuna 2 appears to be maturing a bit faster this run, but is also why the kahuna 2 mother was moved to the flower tent and only kahuna 3’s mother and Frostette #6 mother were kept

Kahuna 2 is doing great in the 4x8 as well as the 3x3x the colas are larger for sure tbis run but also running over double the soil volume, I think she’ll yield heavier than 3 but I think 3 holds the candle on overall quality and ease of growth, visible characteristics, symmetry between colas, color, flower time, node spacing, resistances (disease and environmental) including light stresses, I don’t seal my tent perfect, I don’t block indicator lights, if the plant herms it’s weak genetics, a genetically diverse and strong genetic should not herm form those factors, and they don’t, unless you had a lazy breeder or the strain hasent been worked as throughly as they said they did.

That’s my option but is also something that the shadier breeders have been known to do then blame the grower for a “light leak” or humidity swings or temps changes etc,

 

[Eledin]

Im aware that my opinion about the 7ph in organic not being the best might be controversial but if I have to go based on science thats what it tells me. Maybe Im missing something and Im always open to discover new information but I keep my organic grows close to 6,2 in veg and close to 6,5 in flower.

 

[Mikedin]

It does play a role yes! Anthocyanins are produced in higher quantities in slightly acidic soil. I dont know where you got the info that blueberries prefeer higher PH soil, they thrive in acidic soil of 4 to 5,5. Thats because some aminoacids are absorved better at lower PH. Also I think that the statement that it doesnt matter if your PH is 7 in organic is WRONG. Yes, you can have nice plants with 7 ph but what the microorganisms do is break down the organic matter in the same exact chemicals that many salt based ferts have so in the end a PH of 6,2 or 6,5 is still prefeered and will bring out the best of every strain, specially colors.

What’s weird is as I have a higher ph the purples come in more, almost opposite of something like blueberry like increasing from 6.4 to 7.1 made the purples deeper, but then again it’s living soil, so seeing the soil at 7.1 dosent mean that’s what the rhizosphere is providing to the roots

 

[Eledin]

Yep I’m averaging the kahunas right now, kahuna 3 was an 8 wheeler and kahuna 2 was a 9-9.5 so plan is to push both of them to at least 9 most likely the kahuna 2 appears to be maturing a bit faster this run, but is also why the kahuna 2 mother was moved to the flower tent and only kahuna 3’s mother and Frostette #6 mother were kept

Kahuna 2 is doing great in the 4x8 as well as the 3x3x the colas are larger for sure tbis run but also running over double the soil volume, I think she’ll yield heavier than 3 but I think 3 holds the candle on overall quality and ease of growth, visible characteristics, symmetry between colas, color, flower time, node spacing, resistances (disease and environmental) including light stresses, I don’t seal my tent perfect, I don’t block indicator lights, if the plant herms it’s weak genetics, a genetically diverse and strong genetic should not herm form those factors, and they don’t, unless you had a lazy breeder or the strain hasent been worked as throughly as they said they did.

That’s my option but is also something that the shadier breeders have been known to do then blame the grower for a “light leak” or humidity swings or temps changes etc,

Wow looking lovely!
I agree, many times hermies are due to bad genetics but sadly some strains will always have more chances to herm than others no matter how well bred they are. Chiquita banana is the one I always bring out, any cross from any bank like Fat Banana or Banana OG, will herm on you more than once, but its usually a couple of naners or three, wont cause a seed armagedon.

 

[Mikedin]

It does play a role yes! Anthocyanins are produced in higher quantities in slightly acidic soil. I dont know where you got the info that blueberries prefeer higher PH soil, they thrive in acidic soil of 4 to 5,5. Thats because some aminoacids are absorved better at lower PH. Also I think that the statement that it doesnt matter if your PH is 7 in organic is WRONG. Yes, you can have nice plants with 7 ph but what the microorganisms do is break down the organic matter in the same exact chemicals that many salt based ferts have so in the end a PH of 6,2 or 6,5 is still prefeered and will bring out the best of every strain, specially colors.

I always went with the same theory of PH till I stopped altering it or adjusting it and just letting the rhizosphere adjust it itself for the plant and basically my deficiencies disappeared

 

[Eledin]

What’s weird is as I have a higher ph the purples come in more, almost opposite of something like blueberry like increasing from 6.4 to 7.1 made the purples deeper, but then again it’s living soil, so seeing the soil at 7.1 dosent mean that’s what the rhizosphere is providing to the roots

Interesting, I understood it the wrong way then. Well thats weird hahaha, and that was the only factor? No colder nights or anything? Same feeding?

 

[Mikedin]

Wow looking lovely!
I agree, many times hermies are due to bad genetics but sadly some strains will always have more chances to herm than others no matter how well bred they are. Chiquita banana is the one I always bring out, any cross from any bank like Fat Banana or Banana OG, will herm on you more than once, but its usually a couple of naners or three, wont cause a seed armagedon.

Oh 100% some strains are going to have genetic traits to cause them to herm, possible due to origin of the strain and seasons, mighta been a shorter season strain, alsmost any plant will herm if you run it far enough past maturity, plants know when they need to reproduce and will throw those nanners if it’s internal clock says times up for the year

 

[Eledin]

I did some digging, looks like we are both right hahaha

Anthocyanins exhibit a pH-dependent color change, being red or pink in acidic solutions and blue in alkaline solutions. They are more stable at lower pH (acidic conditions). Conversely, higher pH values can lead to color fading, and anthocyanins can be unstable and degrade in basic environments.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Red or Pink in Acidic Conditions: At lower pH values, anthocyanins exist primarily as flavylium cations, which are red or pink in color.
  
  
• Purple in Neutral Conditions: In neutral pH, anthocyanins appear purple.
  
  
• Blue in Alkaline Conditions: As the pH increases, anthocyanins shift to a blue or bluish-purple color.
  
  
• Color Fading and Degradation: In alkaline conditions, anthocyanins can become unstable and degrade into dark brown oxidized compounds.

 

[Mikedin]

Interesting, I understood it the wrong way then. Well thats weird hahaha, and that was the only factor? No colder nights or anything? Same feeding?

Only change was from” organic “ Gaia green and the like, to full living soil and the 30 gallon pots

Everything else is identical, same water, same lights, temps, humidity, the whole 9

I think I explained it a bit weird after I read it back haha

 

[Mikedin]

I did some digging, looks like we are both right hahaha

Anthocyanins exhibit a pH-dependent color change, being red or pink in acidic solutions and blue in alkaline solutions. They are more stable at lower pH (acidic conditions). Conversely, higher pH values can lead to color fading, and anthocyanins can be unstable and degrade in basic environments.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Red or Pink in Acidic Conditions: At lower pH values, anthocyanins exist primarily as flavylium cations, which are red or pink in color.
  
  
• Purple in Neutral Conditions: In neutral pH, anthocyanins appear purple.
  
  
• Blue in Alkaline Conditions: As the pH increases, anthocyanins shift to a blue or bluish-purple color.
  
  
• Color Fading and Degradation: In alkaline conditions, anthocyanins can become unstable and degrade into dark brown oxidized compounds.

Ok now this is really interesting, because I feel the purple on the kahuna 3 early was more pink in the 6.4 ph organic and much deeper purple to black in the 7-7.2 range

Very interesting, might have some experimenting to do here

So at 7 ph (neutral) seeing the dark purples is right on target then, and so was the lighter pinkish purple at the more acidic values

 

[Eledin]

I always went with the same theory of PH till I stopped altering it or adjusting it and just letting the rhizosphere adjust it itself for the plant and basically my deficiencies disappeared

You wont have deficiencies with a PH of 7, thats what people get wrong when I say that I dont like a ph of 7 in organic. You can grow a plant that looks perfectly healthy but with lower PH you are helping the uptake of nutrients. Same way you dont need to feed a plant to its maxium potential for her to be healthy.

 

[Week4Bytch]

Im aware that my opinion about the 7ph in organic not being the best might be controversial but if I have to go based on science thats what it tells me. Maybe Im missing something and Im always open to discover new information but I keep my organic grows close to 6,2 in veg and close to 6,5 in flower.

I'm almost the same.. if it's up near 7 it gets me nervous. 6.5 and I'm at ease.

The one Kahuna I'm growing seems to be Sativa heavy, so for sure longer flowering time.

 

[Mikedin]

I'm almost the same.. if it's up near 7 it gets me nervous. 6.5 and I'm at ease.

The one Kahuna I'm growing seems to be Sativa heavy, so for sure longer flowering time.

Throw up some pics! Don’t be shy just because it my topic, I welcome all to post here!

My diaries are more like a discussion topic I love the opinions, like you see above that’s how new ideas come about!

 

[Eledin]

Ok now this is really interesting, because I feel the purple on the kahuna 3 early was more pink in the 6.4 ph organic and much deeper purple to black in the 7-7.2 range

Very interesting, might have some experimenting to do here

So at 7 ph (neutral) seeing the dark purples is right on target then, and so was the lighter pinkish purple at the more acidic values

I know that people use sulfur to treat the soil to decrease PH to plant blueberries. If you think about it, they appear blue but when you open them theyre pink inside, perhaps its just a very saturated pink? Just trying to make sense of it since blueberries grow in acidic soil.

 

[Eledin]

Also perhaps the PH changes depending on the part of the plant, we can meassure the ph of the water and the soil but not the ph changes inside the plant.

 

[Week4Bytch]

I know that people use sulfur to treat the soil to decrease PH to plant blueberries. If you think about it, they appear blue but when you open them theyre pink inside, perhaps its just a very saturated pink? Just trying to make sense of it since blueberries grow in acidic soil.

Coffee grounds... Used coffee grounds after that morning coffee. I just dump it top soil rub it in a little. Not religiously, just and only when I notice shit off a little.

 

[Eledin]

Throw up some pics! Don’t be shy just because it my topic, I welcome all to post here!

My diaries are more like a discussion topic I love the opinions, like you see above that’s how new ideas come about!

You've been to my post recently, you saw I can grow very big tight buds even from bag seeds. It helps a lot that I plant a lot of Runtz which is highly productive, and even more productive if you make it foxtail early, the buds will swell like crazy and the foxtails will mature at the same time as the bud, a little trick with Runtz, if she is not bitching keep those lights as close as possible hahaha.

 

[Eledin]

Im thinking about it now, my Runtz gets blue always on top of the leaves and many times red-pink below the leaves. Sometimes it will get so blue it will appear as totally black. Maybe is due to the fact that I do flush and I dont PH my water when I flush because I add epsom salts. Another unpopular opinion, flushing in organic. Im asthmatic and for me, it makes a difference to let them take stuff from the leaves, the more suggars they get to turn intro trichomes the less suggar you will be smoking with your buds. Because all buds have leaves, suggar leaves.

 

[Week4Bytch]

But Mike mentioned it already, it's really at the rhizosphere where it counts. So keep them roots as healthy as you can. How? I have no idea... Fake it till you make it....

 

[Eledin]

Coffee grounds... Used coffee grounds after that morning coffee. I just dump it top soil rub it in a little. Not religiously, just and only when I notice shit off a little.

Theyve been used since forever but there are better options because coffe grounds still contain caffeine and its not good for plants. I think its better added to a compost pile in moderate ammounts since the caffeine has time to degrade and also gets diluted in the compost.