Dextros Lab

[MediMary]

I do it before I inoculate the soil with microbes.:) ewc tea with some additives is pretty darn cheap= )

 

[Toes]

Well, that's just a quick solution.

 

[MediMary]

I figure if i get a serious bug problem like root aphids, or anything else that may arise, Im going to pay more on pesticides than just reinoculating the soil after baking it.

I don't reuse soil for my MJ plants, it goes outside into the garden for the veggies, but if I was to try and reuse seems like a good way to sterilze between crops as well.

 

[Toes]

Found this from the three little birds.

The minimum time our soil sits is two weeks, and it's sat waiting for use for a couple months like this during slower times in our grow. This time gives soil bacteria a chance to work and make the various organic amendments more quickly and easily available for our plants.

We use this soil again for another grow, watering with our usual array of teas, Earth Juice, etc. If needed, containers are top-dressed with compost (our own or mushroom compost depending on availability) as any soil settling occurs.

Upon yet another successful harvest, the soil is reconditioned again. Once we reached our third mix of soil, we cut back on the soil amendments. The greensand and rock phosphate are still working from the last re-mix so we don't need to add any more of them for sure. What remains in your soil at this point in terms of nitrogen and such may depend on your strain, some strains are much more greedy for some nutrients.

So if our plants haven't shown any signs of yellowing as they mature, we figure there is nitrogen enough in the soil for the next round (at least to get started - we can add more N on the fly with fish ferts and teas if needed) and no blood meal is added. If yellowing has occurred then blood meal is added again.

Kelp meal is usually added again since many of the major liquid organic ferts seem a little short on potassium, and also because we like the micro nutrients kelp meal provides to our plants.

Dolomite lime will probably be necessary again too, and it's possible your soil will need even more this time than last. Any peat in the soil adds acidity as it decomposes, and the lime balances this as well as providing magnesium.

After the standard 15 - 30 days of standing moistened waiting for use this soil is used still another time. Now our soil has grown 4 crops of herbs and is still going and growing strong. At this point, we have started plants in our soil remixes directly alongside plants in fresh potting soil, just to make sure our mix wasn't subtly stunting our plants.

The plants grown in our 4th and 5th generation soil remix did far better than those directly alongside grown in fresh from the bag FoxFarm OceanForest potting soil!

 

[Green Supreme]

If you have root aphids, re using your soil is a serious mistake. Get that shit as far out of your house as possible. Good luck. Peace GS

 

[MediMary]

after reading peoples experiences, (i never had them) I think i would just move if I got the aphids. Thats why I bake my soil as a preventive. cool post toes.

 

[dextr0]

Ok. I understand now that i need to put the blunts down at least for a sec...Thanx guys.

Throw this soil out. All soil that is contaminated for that matter.
Restart from new and only reuse if you are sure what has been depleted and is not contaminated.
Compost roots etc...i can reuse this.

Hate on me industrialists....lol

 

[homebrew420]

Just wiped out all my root aphids. Had to take that Chem-Death route though. Took pots off and sprayed with pyrethrin and then with Azamax. Actually sprayed the insects themselves. They did not even slow down. And after researching the subject a bit Triazicide was one of the only options. Worked like a charme out of the plant in less than 45 days. As Pankflamingomon said it, "Root aphid genocide."
I have begun to reuse soil and have had no issues. I have a worm bin and se those castings, sometimes will buy a bag of Root Organic 707 or FFOF, add some Coco chip and/or perlite, chunky, every now and again. Keeping the soil moist during the down time is important. Dont dry it out.

And as far as your CMH goes, looks fine. Without a reflector and that many plants it is difficult to maximize light penetration. You are doing fine. They really are a great lamp. I also noticed the way you were hanging it in one of the picts, not so vertical. Those lamp, I am sure you know, are rated as base up or horzontal. Make sure you are using it in the proper fashion. It could case premature lamp failure.

Hope this helps. Great info you post btw, always a good read.

Peace

 

[Seamaiden]

Pictures for u Medi, since its been established by other members that u dont read...lol.

Laugh my fucking ASS OFF! Good one, dex.

Get Spectracide, treat the girls with a root drench, leave them soaking in it for a full day at least, two are better. This eradicated my pet root aphids.

^^edit:I need to start thinking about future. I wanna be re-using my mix. How n the hell am i going to get salt build up out. How to restore soil...etc. You know im into that microbiology so imma be taking that route on this....Back to studying.

Big sheet
Big flush

Is this actually soil you're working with? If so, then I'd say work with more organics and less chem salt ferts, it's just so much easier for the reuse issue that way. If coco (sorry! can't remember now) then flush. This is assuming you get the RA problem sorted first.

 

[dextr0]

Just wiped out all my root aphids. Had to take that Chem-Death route though. Took pots off and sprayed with pyrethrin and then with Azamax. Actually sprayed the insects themselves. They did not even slow down. And after researching the subject a bit Triazicide was one of the only options. Worked like a charme out of the plant in less than 45 days. As Pankflamingomon said it, "Root aphid genocide."
I have begun to reuse soil and have had no issues. I have a worm bin and se those castings, sometimes will buy a bag of Root Organic 707 or FFOF, add some Coco chip and/or perlite, chunky, every now and again. Keeping the soil moist during the down time is important. Dont dry it out.

And as far as your CMH goes, looks fine. Without a reflector and that many plants it is difficult to maximize light penetration. You are doing fine. They really are a great lamp. I also noticed the way you were hanging it in one of the picts, not so vertical. Those lamp, I am sure you know, are rated as base up or horizontal. Make sure you are using it in the proper fashion. It could case premature lamp failure.

Hope this helps. Great info you post btw, always a good read.

Peace

Hey Homebrew thanx for the praises.
Just trien to understand mi girls in order to facilitate and manipulate...if u know what I mean.
Triazicide, and Sea says in the form of Spectracide. Noted.
Im also thinking of getting a worm bin, or a bokashi bucket.
Thanx for input on the CMH. I did have it vert but changed back to horizontal, i couldnt wait. Here she is now, horizontal.

I did read about lower life expectancy from hanging wrong. Ive got two new bulbs waiting to be used and this is my last grow with this one. Thought i would play with her. U do know they have vert CMH tho right??

Laugh my fucking ASS OFF! Good one, dex.

Get Spectracide, treat the girls with a root drench, leave them soaking in it for a full day at least, two are better. This eradicated my pet root aphids.


Big sheet
Big flush

Is this actually soil you're working with? If so, then I'd say work with more organics and less chem salt ferts, it's just so much easier for the reuse issue that way. If coco (sorry! can't remember now) then flush. This is assuming you get the RA problem sorted first.

Hey SeA, yea if youll notice one of medis' last posts was again speaking of pictures this and that...his fondness for pictures....(speaking of which, where they at Medi)
This is currently my soil: Medium is Fertilome Potting mix.
The ingredience listed are canadian sphagnum peat moss, horticultural perlite, starter charge, dolomitic limestone, calcitic limestone, and wetting agent.
Besides that i added about half way with EWC and about a handful of Kelp meal.<<This mix will be changing soon. I forgot to add that i put a little of this in also when mixing my soil. I also add this to my acts when i feed sometimes in veg (rarely) but most of the time during flower.<<This is why i ask if Soft Rock Phosphate is readily available, because if its not i hope the ACTS are breaking it down as its my only source of Phosphorous this go. I was trying to go organic before I knew alot about it. I liked the diy appeal and the money aspects.
CT guy sent me some interesting soil recipes. Ive yet to really sit down and read up but I will soon and will be getting back with new soil plans.

Gonna spark me one and of course puff and pass....b easy.

 

[Seamaiden]

To the best of my knowledge greensand, SRP, and glacial rock dust--all mineral forms of P--require some time and microbial action to be made available for uptake by plants. In Teaming With Microbes, mineralization is defined as nutrients held within the bodies of soil microbes and other creatures.

Let's see if this will help... The Four Bases of Mineralized Soil

 

[dextr0]

It does...damn it. Imma hit the tea thread see what CT guy has. Thanx Sea.

I also found this here.

Soft Rock does not contain
soluble phosphate, therefore phosphate
availability is a function of acid soil conditions
and/or active soil biology. In alkaline soils, it
should be combined with humates or
compost and a microbial inoculum

 

[dextr0]

This cleared my mind...how it got cluttered up. Idk.


Everything that was said here I should have known from watching the AEROPONIC gr/shows I love so much. Each and every one of them were ranting and raving on how cannabis is a K hog....<< Me sometimes trippin....n, slippin too...

 

[MediMary]

love this thread man. one of my favs.

 

[dextr0]

Thanx Medi, goes to show u why EJ is on point with theres too. Look at there feed schedual.
Earth Juice
MAINTENANCE: Change solution once a week. Empty old solution and fill with clean water only. Run through the system for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 1 full day. Empty and fill with fresh solution.
Rates per 1 gallon of water
EARTH JUICE STARTING FORMULA FINISHING FORMULA
Grow 20 ml 28 ml
Bloom 10 ml 13 ml
Meta-K 3 ml 4 ml
Microblast 7.5 ml 10 ml
Catalyst 5 ml 10 ml
Assist 3 ml 3 ml
APPROXIMATE PPM TOTALS:
START-(N)105 (P)58 (K)132 (Ca)110 (Mg)20
FINISH -(N)149 (P)78 (K)178 (Ca)148 (Mg)26

 

[dextr0]

QUOTE=true grit;403046]Yes I noticed this too. I was up around 12-14ml/g with the GO CaMg+. And it took at least 12ml/g to make em happy. Botanicare they were happy around 7-10ml/g.



Folks are just trying to expand to those "organic" options!

I have to agree with Ent- I think its just a bit light on nitrogen a bit early. If you kept the GO CaMg+ at the same rate you were feeding at the beginnin of flower then you would probably need to up that to a lil. Like jaybee said I was up past 10ml/g before they were happy with the GO. Stuff worked great but having to use so much I went through it like crazy- not as efficient as others.

Ya do have quite a bit going on there, but sticking with one brand isn't a big deal. Check out the Calplex (not sure by who). its organic too and no mg. I use other boosters that have Mg and from runnin nutes, haven't really found a base nute lacking in it yet, and since switching to Calplex I have seen '0' mg deficiencies...[/QUOTE]

And this got me thinking of leaving the dolomite out dont need tha Mag.

 

[mittenmedgrow]

You guy and girls is to smart for me. I have the attention span of a two year old. I do like your pics. dextro have visited your thread a few times but I need more pics.please.Lookin good dex.

 

[dextr0]

^^^I got u tomorrow they asleep now....i just dont post much cuz it aint a grow log playa...lol

 

[mittenmedgrow]

Where's the log at? I wanna see.

 

[dextr0]

U wanna watch the end of this one?? Sick plants n all??