Why Cheap Amendments Aren't Practical...

[Organikz]

I wanted to share a bit of info I have gained from old lumperdawg posts.

I will find it later and cite his exact words but no matter how much of an amendment you use it breaks down at the same rate. People ate under a notion that if they add a little extra it will go further.

Quite the contrary. This is why overamended soil is hot. You are having to introduce more proteins to achieve the proper potassium for instance when using inferior kelp meal. I buy the big ass bag of Neptunes harvest on Amazon. Great stuff.

The silly thing is the amendments seem more expensive but if you can get away with a half cup instead of a cup and achieve the same nutrient values without introducing unnecessary nitrogen wouldn't that be the more logical path to take.

This applies to pretty much anything...even EWC. Neem in particular I've noticed. I burned my plants literally. I couldn't hold my hand on the soil. While fungus gnats are still flying in my ears, eyes, nose, and throat...lol a little exaggeration.

Cheap IPMs are a No no
Neem oil isn't something to go cheap on either. I may start only utilizing predators soon but i only use dynagro neem oil and neem resource for karanja cake now and not one fungus gnat until a small pocket popped up recently but im in the late stages of flower. The h. Miles will flare back up and take them down.

Potassium insecticides are harmful to beneficials.

Please I actually encourage any and all input. What's your top shelf,?

 

[chickenman]

Dunno bout all dat..
I do well with aged chicken and goat manure, water, sun, local soil...

 

[Organikz]

Dunno bout all dat..
I do well with aged chicken and goat manure, water, sun, local soil...

I will rephrase as you know what is sourced in your amendments. I'm talking about designer amendments such as.down to earth vs neptunes harvest. Locally sourced trumps all. Some companies mix byproduct and dregs (leftovers after processing liquid kelp fertilizer or teas) in. Down to earth kelp meal even has an N value posted. I know all organic matter will contain some N but it shouldn't be enough to have to put on your NPK ratio posting.

Definitely shouldn't be half of your target nutrient in ratio.

 

[Organikz]

I have top dressed 1 cup of down to earth and still show potassium defficiency while gaining more nitrogen tox.

I switched to Neptunes and a half cup a month and not 1 hiccup.

Cold pressed neem oil makes all the difference. Just as they sacrifice lower yield for higher potency in rosin. Gnats were drinking the premixed crap from lowes.

To check me take some down to earth and soak it. Put It in a blender to make a slurry. Should be the consistency of peanut butter. Karanja cake from neem resource carries this characteristic and it's a family owned business.

 

[Organikz]

I'm with you @chickenman

I've actually come to realize the power of coop poop and compost.

Masanobu actually recommends chickens to keep the top layer scratched and fertilized. The enzymes in chicken manure accelerate decomposition as well.

 

[SpiderK]

it does make a difference on products so research is a must ...... with things like neem. so many people have issues with it but have no clue why. so they go onto forums and complain about neem and it gets a bad name and is avoided by most moving forward. dynagrow is one of the best for a reason. and people have issues without having a true zero point .... ( sub standard product ) regarding performance.

ive used loads and loads of neem on my plants over the years and never had one burn spot or issue on my plants. some times spraying 3-4 times per week.

 

[Organikz]

it does make a difference on products so research is a must ...... with things like neem. so many people have issues with it but have no clue why. so they go onto forums and complain about neem and it gets a bad name and is avoided by most moving forward. dynagrow is one of the best for a reason. and people have issues without having a true zero point .... ( sub standard product ) regarding performance.

ive used loads and loads of neem on my plants over the years and never had one burn spot or issue on my plants. some times spraying 3-4 times per week.

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You ever used karanja oil? I may try some from neem resource. I've also read Coots has started making emulsifier out of soap nut tea. So no more silica products.