C
CT Guy
- 252
- 18
Compared to some of the other forums I participate in, I've noticed this one is really heavy on bottled nutes. Since we're talking about organic growing here, it would be nice to move away from using bottled nutrient products in general, plus they tend to be overpriced. I think sometimes that we forget that cannabis is just a plant in regards to it's nutrient requirements, and think we need all these fancy labels with their crazy claims.
I'm a firm believer that if you get the soil right (meaning your soil mix contains the nutrients) and have good active biology in place, then bottled nutes are unnecessary. I realize that they may be more convenient, but I think organics should require a bit more time and knowledge than chemicals, as we get to know our plants more intimately, as we create the perfect environment for them to be happy.
I also think that bottled nutrients fit more with a chemical paradigm, supporting the concept that we're in charge of the plant and it's feeding cycle. In reality, with an organic system the plant is in charge. Based on the exudates it releases through it's roots (carbons, sugars, carbohydrates), it selects for which sets of organisms it feeds, who in turn cycle the nutrients for the plant. When you put our organic fertilizer, you're not feeding your plant, but rather feeding the microbes, which is why they're so important.
I spend my money on my soil mix, let it cook, and get it as nutrient rich and biologically active as possible. The only products I buy are:
Dynagrow's ProTekt - it's an excellent silica source and used as a foliar spray 1x a week in conjunction with neem oil (best source is neemresource.com) and an organic aloe vera gel (for saponin content, best source is online, I can look it up if anyone is interested).
Nature's essence seaweed extract powder from simplici-tea.com. Comes out to something like $0.14/gal and is the best type of seaweed (cold water processed ascophyllum nodosum). I use it as a foliar and soil drench in conjunction with Tera Vita LC-10+7
Tera Vita LC-10+7 liquid humic acid from simplici-tea.com. Advantage of this humic acid is that it's extracted properly (some humic acids use harsh chemicals that can affect the enzymatic qualities of your final product), and it's CHELATED, meaning it's already bonded with 7 essential minerals that your plant needs, and in the proper amounts.
I'm looking into jasmonic acid and been reading a bunch of studies on that, as it seems to have huge increases in trichome density and production. It's a "natural" but possibly not "organic" product (I'm referring to a commercial product called "Jaz Spray"). It's sprayed 1X about 3-4 weeks into flower at 1/4 strength and that's it. There's better forms of jasmonic acid, but they require a researcher's permit/explanation in order to order them. I can post more on this as I learn if people are interested, though there is a thread already on another IC website under cannabis botany and advanced growing science. If you're into research-validated techniques and studies, this is a good place to check out.
Okay, so I'm hoping this post can generate some discussion. There's so many products/nutrients you can pick up from a local farm/feed store and different fermented plant extracts and aerated compost teas that you can make yourself.
I'd like to see people moving away from spending all this money on bottled nutes, but that's just my 2 cents.
Thought I'd see what others thought though.
Cheers,
CT
I'm a firm believer that if you get the soil right (meaning your soil mix contains the nutrients) and have good active biology in place, then bottled nutes are unnecessary. I realize that they may be more convenient, but I think organics should require a bit more time and knowledge than chemicals, as we get to know our plants more intimately, as we create the perfect environment for them to be happy.
I also think that bottled nutrients fit more with a chemical paradigm, supporting the concept that we're in charge of the plant and it's feeding cycle. In reality, with an organic system the plant is in charge. Based on the exudates it releases through it's roots (carbons, sugars, carbohydrates), it selects for which sets of organisms it feeds, who in turn cycle the nutrients for the plant. When you put our organic fertilizer, you're not feeding your plant, but rather feeding the microbes, which is why they're so important.
I spend my money on my soil mix, let it cook, and get it as nutrient rich and biologically active as possible. The only products I buy are:
Dynagrow's ProTekt - it's an excellent silica source and used as a foliar spray 1x a week in conjunction with neem oil (best source is neemresource.com) and an organic aloe vera gel (for saponin content, best source is online, I can look it up if anyone is interested).
Nature's essence seaweed extract powder from simplici-tea.com. Comes out to something like $0.14/gal and is the best type of seaweed (cold water processed ascophyllum nodosum). I use it as a foliar and soil drench in conjunction with Tera Vita LC-10+7
Tera Vita LC-10+7 liquid humic acid from simplici-tea.com. Advantage of this humic acid is that it's extracted properly (some humic acids use harsh chemicals that can affect the enzymatic qualities of your final product), and it's CHELATED, meaning it's already bonded with 7 essential minerals that your plant needs, and in the proper amounts.
I'm looking into jasmonic acid and been reading a bunch of studies on that, as it seems to have huge increases in trichome density and production. It's a "natural" but possibly not "organic" product (I'm referring to a commercial product called "Jaz Spray"). It's sprayed 1X about 3-4 weeks into flower at 1/4 strength and that's it. There's better forms of jasmonic acid, but they require a researcher's permit/explanation in order to order them. I can post more on this as I learn if people are interested, though there is a thread already on another IC website under cannabis botany and advanced growing science. If you're into research-validated techniques and studies, this is a good place to check out.
Okay, so I'm hoping this post can generate some discussion. There's so many products/nutrients you can pick up from a local farm/feed store and different fermented plant extracts and aerated compost teas that you can make yourself.
I'd like to see people moving away from spending all this money on bottled nutes, but that's just my 2 cents.
Thought I'd see what others thought though.
Cheers,
CT