So overwhelmed, I need a mentor! :)

[7munkee]

If I was to start completely over today. I would keep it so simple. Build a soil 3.0 recipe in earthboxes. Dry amend with craft blend and worm casting at flower and harvest. No ph no bottled nutrients. Simple simple

I use Earthboxes and make my own soil based on BuildASoil's recipe. I also make my own ferts according to Jeremy's specifications. Growing herb is so simple this way. Basicy I just fill the reservoir when its dry and watch them grow.

 

[Natep]

I use Earthboxes and make my own soil based on BuildASoil's recipe. I also make my own ferts according to Jeremy's specifications. Growing herb is so simple this way. Basicy I just fill the reservoir when its dry and watch them grow.

I did five cycles in a earthbox. It was the easiest, least amount of work, with the highest yields. 1 box would yeild 1lb per cycle in my little 2x3 tent I had. Now I run 2 15 gallons in a 2x4. I think I’m going to go back to the earth boxes.

 

[Zab]

A new Twist! FML!!!!

Ok, so finalizing the tent. Air in, air out, plugged it all in... I can get my lights on WiFi, should be able to get the fan but it will not pick up on bluetooth. I do not have a thermometer without it. I may need another one.

I got the basics.... seems I will have to wait till thurs. to get nutrients. As soon as I find an extension for the seed warming mat... getting seeds in soil. FINALLY!!!

Have you germinated your seeds already

 

[7munkee]

I did five cycles in a earthbox. It was the easiest, least amount of work, with the highest yields. 1 box would yeild 1lb per cycle in my little 2x3 tent I had. Now I run 2 15 gallons in a 2x4. I think I’m going to go back to the earth boxes.

I am about to start my 6th cycle in my 2 Earthboxes. I top dress between each cycle and usually add a 1/4 cup of seabird guano (0-11-0) and some humic 2 weeks before flower.
Other than that it's just straight water.

I get the best tasting and smelling flower I have ever grew this way and will not go back to synthetics. I highly encourage new growers to try them.

 

[WickedMichelle]

Have you germinated your seeds already

Yes (just went in soil 4:37pm central time.). I got it working.

 

[Newty]

Yes there is a huge problem with this. Organic is not synthetic. The second you start feeding a plant synthetics it will no longer have microbial life to break down the nutrients in the soil. You will only have synthetic nutrients available. At that point it was a waste to even put the plant in soil. You should have just used a soilless media at that point. Good organic soil is really expensive to make and any of the cheap recipes just don’t last. If you build a good soil and take care of it you can run the same soil for years. My 4x4 bed has had the same soil for 5 cycles now. I reamend with craft blend twice per cycle and feed with differnt knf techniques.

Before I switched to synthetic, I seen people talking about synthetics killing microbial life. I looked more into it and Dr. Bruce Bugbee, in the Organic vs Synthetic video, talks about this and to sum it up says synthetic is the same elements the organic is breaking down to and that synthetics do not kill microbial life. He does say that organic can stimulate microbes but so do things such as root turnover, regardless of nutrients used.
Was also a study a few years ago comparing soil and plant samples of lettuce grown in synthetic vs organic.

 

[Natep]

Before I switched to synthetic, I seen people talking about synthetics killing microbial life. I looked more into it and Dr. Bruce Bugbee, in the Organic vs Synthetic video, talks about this and to sum it up says synthetic is the same elements the organic is breaking down to and that synthetics do not kill microbial life. He does say that organic can stimulate microbes but so do things such as root turnover, regardless of nutrients used.
Was also a study a few years ago comparing soil and plant samples of lettuce grown in synthetic vs organic.

The microbial life can not live in the salt from the synthetic nutrients. Bruce Bugbee video explains the outcome could be the same. I grew synthetic for five years before going organic. It is some much easier and some much cheaper.

 

[Newty]

The microbial life can not live in the salt from the synthetic nutrients. Bruce Bugbee video explains the outcome could be the same. I grew synthetic for five years before going organic. It is some much easier and some much cheaper.

What he says is salt stress will cause microbial shift but will not kill them and it would take over fertilization to even cause the shift, plant would die but microbes would still be present.

Maybe the reg water I give once a week keeps salts from "killing the microbes", idk.

I'm completely opposite, grew organic for a few years and then switched to synthetic and I think it's easier with synthetic, bigger yields and better potency.

I guess my soil doesn't need microbes to grow good bud.

Just add it to the list of things I don't need to grow good weed:
Dark periods before harvest
Flushing
Ph meter
Microbes

We can agree to disagree.
Which is fine, I don't know enough about the subject to debate it.

I can only share the information I've come across and what I've learned from experience.
I'll never pretend to know more about something then I actually do.


I guess I could buy this kit and see what the results of my soil are.

microBIOMETER® 10 Test Starter Kit USA - microBIOMETER

With the 10-Test Starter Kit from Microbiometer, you can take charge of soil health. Find out how healthy your soil is with accurate and effective testing. Visit us now

microbiometer.com

 

[Newty]

The microbial life can not live in the salt from the synthetic nutrients. Bruce Bugbee video explains the outcome could be the same. I grew synthetic for five years before going organic. It is some much easier and some much cheaper.

Interesting read as well

Do salt based nutrients kill bacteria, microbes and mycorrhizae?

Does Fertilizer Kill Soil Bacteria? Read most organic books or blogs and they will tell you that synthetic chemical fertilizers are killing the bacteria, fungi, and the microbes, in soil. Dr. Ingham and her Soil Food Web preach this same...

www.420magazine.com

 

[ganzigunnu]

hi, i liked this thread. according to a report in 2017 ( latest i could find including caco3)
i have 200 mg/l caco3 in my tap water while calcium is 38 mg/l and magnesium is 7 mg/l
ph is 7.0-7.5
ec is 0.43

im using this water in my blumat reservoir after letting it sit for 2 days.

i did 2 organic grows using biotabs line and plain water with blumats.
always got calcium and phosphorus related deficiencies around week 7-8 with autos. I noticed this could be from salt buildup.

do you think my water is okay to use with that much caco3?

I dont see salt stains around pots since im using air pots but heard people saying extreme caco3 binds up calcium and other nutrients in soil and making them unavailable.

Should i use something like drip clean?
ata clean or t.a flash clean (florakleen)
or brita filter it and add gypsum epsom?