Using a water meter for cannabis

[The_word]

You do know that plants can't tell the difference between organic & synthetic, an ion is an ion is an ion whether it comes from organic or synthetic its all the same....

There is much debate over this but as far as I am concerned I prefer growing and consuming organic products. Just a question of personal choice. With organic nutrients you very rarely have build up, no need to water until run off (saving money on nutrients that just end up as run off) They are much more forgiving if you OD on anything and as I said it is personal choice. If I go to the fruit and veg shop then I buy organic because it is proven to be healthier, I just apply the same logic to my plants as, at the end of the day, it is something I am going to consume. But as I say each to their own. Peace

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

There is much debate over this but as far as I am concerned I prefer growing and consuming organic products. Just a question of personal choice. With organic nutrients you very rarely have build up, no need to water until run off (saving money on nutrients that just end up as run off) They are much more forgiving if you OD on anything and as I said it is personal choice. If I go to the fruit and veg shop then I buy organic because it is proven to be healthier, I just apply the same logic to my plants as, at the end of the day, it is something I am going to consume. But as I say each to their own. Peace

For all the reason you stated, I prefer organic growing ... except there's one thing left unmentioned. "YIELD" I get better yields indoors using synthetics. Outdoors, the difference doesn't seem as great.

 

[RootsRuler]

There is much debate over this but as far as I am concerned I prefer growing and consuming organic products. Just a question of personal choice. With organic nutrients you very rarely have build up, no need to water until run off (saving money on nutrients that just end up as run off) They are much more forgiving if you OD on anything and as I said it is personal choice. If I go to the fruit and veg shop then I buy organic because it is proven to be healthier, I just apply the same logic to my plants as, at the end of the day, it is something I am going to consume. But as I say each to their own. Peace

Not true for the most part. The food that your fruits and vegetables eat are the same regardless of whether they came from an organic source or a synthetic source. Once those molecules are broken down into an absorbable ion form there is no difference. The ONLY difference is in HOW they present themselves. Synthetic is presented as a nitrate and/or ammonium in an available form whereas organic is presented in an easily broken down form of proteins and amino acids for the microbes in your soil to use to break down the organic matter in the soil into the ions it can uptake.

Obviously taste is subjective and if you prefer the taste of organically grown weed then good for you but I can say with certainty that if I put up a taste test you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Organically grown food today is not without its own pollution issues regardless of what the tree huggers tell you. Organics originated as a recycling paradigm. In the early days, before ad agencies got ahold of it, organics was all about composting your waste vegetation, recycling the water you used, etc.

I'm not against organically grown anything but the hype it's gotten is not deserved. The word itself has been bastardized into a meaningless catch phrase that, many times, has nothing to do with the intention. To tell you the truth it's more a marketing scheme than a real product devoid of harmful ingredients.

 

[BigBlonde]

Regarding organic versus synthetic nutrients: I can think of no reason for me to be persuasive about how someone else grows their weed. I suppose what matters is the individual's abilities and reasons for growing. My observation is that the use of synthetics requires more skill and knowledge, which I have yet to acquire. I began my indoor growing with synthetics because I didn't know the difference. In the year since I began, I have been moving toward organic growing. I don't have a need for a large yield. A few organically grown plants in smaller-sized tents work well for what I want to accomplish. The best reason I have for moving to organic, though, is it seems to be a very forgiving method. I need that right now.

During the last few days, we here in our domicile for the demented have been comparing the costs of growing versus buying. I roughly estimated that we use about 24 ounces per year. Taking that as a starting point, I tried to figure out how much it would cost to buy that amount. So, I scanned the prices for bud while at a local store. $125 for 14 grams, or $250 per ounce was the highest price. The lowest was about $130 for an ounce. That was only one store and a small sample because they didn't have many ounces or half ounces on display. That resolves to $3,120 to $6,000 per year. Suffice to say, I felt a lot better about investing in growing after that.

 

[PahPahCee]

I don’t care if you grow organic or synthetic. I Do Care about what you sprayed your crop with.

 

[RootsRuler]

I don’t care if you grow organic or synthetic. I Do Care about what you sprayed your crop with.

Now THAT is what you should be looking out for!!!

Had an ex who loved to tend her organic vegetable garden. I asked her what she did for pest and disease mitigation. She showed me a bottle of synthetic pesticide. I explained to her that spraying her plants with a synthetic pesticide nullified her attempts at growing "organic" food. She just shrugged and kept on planting.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Now THAT is what you should be looking out for!!!

Had an ex who loved to tend her organic vegetable garden. I asked her what she did for pest and disease mitigation. She showed me a bottle of synthetic pesticide. I explained to her that spraying her plants with a synthetic pesticide nullified her attempts at growing "organic" food. She just shrugged and kept on planting.

What was she using, Eagle 20EW?

 

[PipeCarver]

Regarding organic versus synthetic nutrients: I can think of no reason for me to be persuasive about how someone else grows their weed. I suppose what matters is the individual's abilities and reasons for growing. My observation is that the use of synthetics requires more skill and knowledge, which I have yet to acquire. I began my indoor growing with synthetics because I didn't know the difference. In the year since I began, I have been moving toward organic growing. I don't have a need for a large yield. A few organically grown plants in smaller-sized tents work well for what I want to accomplish. The best reason I have for moving to organic, though, is it seems to be a very forgiving method. I need that right now.

During the last few days, we here in our domicile for the demented have been comparing the costs of growing versus buying. I roughly estimated that we use about 24 ounces per year. Taking that as a starting point, I tried to figure out how much it would cost to buy that amount. So, I scanned the prices for bud while at a local store. $125 for 14 grams, or $250 per ounce was the highest price. The lowest was about $130 for an ounce. That was only one store and a small sample because they didn't have many ounces or half ounces on display. That resolves to $3,120 to $6,000 per year. Suffice to say, I felt a lot better about investing in growing after that.

I see less problems growing with synthetic nutrients from folks on this site. The scientists have done the work for us, follow their feed program's and nutrient deficiency don't happen as often. If you know your shit and have grown organically you probably laugh at us fools wasting money but unless you can provide all of the micro nutes that are required with your banana's egg shells, bat shit, sea weed & coffee grounds they will be.....imho......inferior to plants that have been grown with all the nutrients they require at the right ratio's.....What do you do if you are seeing a calcium deficiency??? toss on a few egg shells??? or add Cal/mag

 

[Oldchucky]

I see less problems growing with synthetic nutrients from folks on this site. The scientists have done the work for us, follow their feed program's and nutrient deficiency don't happen as often. If you know your shit and have grown organically you probably laugh at us fools wasting money but unless you can provide all of the micro nutes that are required with your banana's egg shells, bat shit, sea weed & coffee grounds they will be.....imho......inferior to plants that have been grown with all the nutrients they require at the right ratio's.....What do you do if you are seeing a calcium deficiency??? toss on a few egg shells??? or add Cal/mag

You just don’t live where it is possible to grow outdoors! And you’re too old to do it anyway!

 

[BigBlonde]

What do you do if you are seeing a calcium deficiency??? toss on a few egg shells??? or add Cal/mag

Post on thcfarmer.com, of course.
Maybe I'd top dress with calcium sulfate.
Mostly, I would hope to avoid a deficiency of any kind.

A significant difference between the two is the rate of uptake. I'm only suggesting that managing rapid uptake typical of synthetics can require more skill than some folks possess, and I can use myself as an example. I doubt I'll ever have growing skills at that level, but in growing only for personal use, I don't need to have those skills. If I can produce 1.5 to 2 pounds of bud a year, I'll be happy.

It's a good thing that there are many ways to grow weed. It means we can all be happy in our own way.

 

[RootsRuler]

I see less problems growing with synthetic nutrients from folks on this site. The scientists have done the work for us, follow their feed program's and nutrient deficiency don't happen as often. If you know your shit and have grown organically you probably laugh at us fools wasting money but unless you can provide all of the micro nutes that are required with your banana's egg shells, bat shit, sea weed & coffee grounds they will be.....imho......inferior to plants that have been grown with all the nutrients they require at the right ratio's.....What do you do if you are seeing a calcium deficiency??? toss on a few egg shells??? or add Cal/mag

This is the big myth that a lot of growers perpetuate.

You're point is taken in regards to issues like that but I do believe that organic farming has its place with those that like their ions derived naturally rather than synthetically. Does it change the cellular exchanges happening versus synthetic? Not really but if that method of grow works for you then by all means go organic.

I get requests for nutrient ratios all the time. My response is I'm not really qualified to give out that info and I'm still learning myself but the one thing I do know for a fact is that, at the end of the day, it's not so much about how much as it is about the balance between all the nutrient ions if we're talking about growing in soil. This is where Mulders Chart comes into play. What a lot of newbs to nutrient ratio compositions need to understand is the delicate balance that all these ions need to strike so that they can be available for the plant to take up without depriving a particular ion.

A more advanced concept in regards to nutrient take up that goes along with the soil ion dance is light spectrum and intensity but that's a whole other discussion.

 

[BigBlonde]

What a lot of newbs to nutrient ratio compositions need to understand is the delicate balance that all these ions need to strike so that they can be available for the plant to take up without depriving a particular ion.

That's the hard part. Of course, that comes after learning the names and effects of all those nutrients. This is why I keep reminding myself not to be so arrogant as to believe I understand nutrients and ratios. Perhaps someday, but not today.

 

[PipeCarver]

This is the big myth that a lot of growers perpetuate.

You're point is taken in regards to issues like that but I do believe that organic farming has its place with those that like their ions derived naturally rather than synthetically. Does it change the cellular exchanges happening versus synthetic? Not really but if that method of grow works for you then by all means go organic.

I get requests for nutrient ratios all the time. My response is I'm not really qualified to give out that info and I'm still learning myself but the one thing I do know for a fact is that, at the end of the day, it's not so much about how much as it is about the balance between all the nutrient ions if we're talking about growing in soil. This is where Mulders Chart comes into play. What a lot of newbs to nutrient ratio compositions need to understand is the delicate balance that all these ions need to strike so that they can be available for the plant to take up without depriving a particular ion.

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A more advanced concept in regards to nutrient take up that goes along with the soil ion dance is light spectrum and intensity but that's a whole other discussion.

Hey don't miss understand me, If you can grow organically you're better off. Why pay for nutes if you don't have to....I think it too be more complicated is what I was getting at....you need good soil ......I get promix......you need all of the nutrients from various plant material egg shell, sea weed, bat guano oyster shells and a myriad of other things to veg and flower your plants in different perportions ......I use brown, green, pink. and when it goes into flower I add more pink......cause that's what the bottle says to do.....simple......I need that......

 

[RootsRuler]

Hey don't miss understand me, If you can grow organically you're better off. Why pay for nutes if you don't have to....I think it too be more complicated is what I was getting at....you need good soil ......I get promix......you need all of the nutrients from various plant material egg shell, sea weed, bat guano oyster shells and a myriad of other things to veg and flower your plants in different perportions ......I use brown, green, pink. and when it goes into flower I add more pink......cause that's what the bottle says to do.....simple......I need that......

Oh no, I agree with you. There are reasons why some like to grow organically and if they can pull it off then more power to them. My point is if your argument is that organic nutrients will give you "better" weed, at a molecular level, that just isn't true.

I read a lot of questions and answers, and give 'em, on this site. Almost every one of them should start with "It depends.......". So many factors that go into a decision.

 

[GoldenDragondnw]

I just used mine today. Works great. I check a couple spots in each plant.

 

[The_word]

I use biobizz organic nutrients, not an egg shell in sight

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Hey don't miss understand me, If you can grow organically you're better off. Why pay for nutes if you don't have to....I think it too be more complicated is what I was getting at....you need good soil ......I get promix......you need all of the nutrients from various plant material egg shell, sea weed, bat guano oyster shells and a myriad of other things to veg and flower your plants in different perportions ......I use brown, green, pink. and when it goes into flower I add more pink......cause that's what the bottle says to do.....simple......I need that......

Or you can reach for Roots Organic Terp Teas ... BioBiz ... Gaia Green ... or whatever dry organic amendment brand you choose and then you don't have to compost egg shells and everything else from the kitchen sink. Yes, I get it ... they cost money. However, at least with Roots Organic Terp Teas, a 3 lb bag is pretty reasonably priced. It's dry so it goes much further than GH Flora series.

Disclaimer:

@PipeCarver I'm not suggesting you change what works for you. I like GH Flora myself other than its liquid. I'm simply pointing out that there are other choices than composting everything at home.

 

[RootsRuler]

Or you can reach for Roots Organic Terp Teas ... BioBiz ... Gaia Green ... or whatever dry organic amendment brand you choose and then you don't have to compost egg shells and everything else from the kitchen sink. Yes, I get it ... they cost money. However, at least with Roots Organic Terp Teas, a 3 lb bag is pretty reasonably priced. It's dry so it goes much further than GH Flora series.

Disclaimer:

@PipeCarver I'm not suggesting you change what works for you. I like GH Flora myself other than its liquid. I'm simply pointing out that there are other choices than composting everything at home.

Those Terp teas are getting some rave reviews all over the net. Great choice if you want to go the tea route.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Those Terp teas are getting some rave reviews all over the net. Great choice if you want to go the tea route.

I've been using the Terp Teas for just about 2 yrs now. At first, I brewed it as a tea. This run, I've used it as a soil amendment to boost Roots Organic Original soil mix. I have a dozen autoflowers in the mix (11 already in flower and in the greenhouse) and they are loving it.

I'm loving that its been pretty much a water only grow so far. (I'm using AC Infinity self watering fabric pot bases.)

 

[PahPahCee]

Here I am collecting egg shells from the last few months…

Never tried terp tea. I don’t like root organic because I bought some calmag from them when I first started growing and realized it wasn’t organic. And now I just associate them with me being ignorant and doing what the hydro stores tell me to do.

My only real issue is if I have to brew it for 24hr’s. I might as well make Aerated compost tea which is really cheap to make.

I’ve been using cultured biologix instant teas which don’t require aeration. Just a tea though, not a fertilizer. I keep telling myself I’ll bust out the airlift brewer but I don’t think I used it at all this grow.