Organic Feeding 101.

robro

Active Member
Excellent thread,very helpful.I am just starting to use teas,and am using alfalfa pellets.From what i have read about alfalfa the NPK is about 3-1-2,you say in your thread that it is 2.5-5-2,this is a big difference in phosphorous.Im no expert on the subject,but if there is a question to be asked,i will ask it."If you dont ask,you wont find out".
 

Sincerely420

New Member
Excellent thread,very helpful.I am just starting to use teas,and am using alfalfa pellets.From what i have read about alfalfa the NPK is about 3-1-2,you say in your thread that it is 2.5-5-2,this is a big difference in phosphorous.Im no expert on the subject,but if there is a question to be asked,i will ask it."If you dont ask,you wont find out".

Not Alfalfa will have the same NPK content brother. Just depends on what you get and where it comes from. I'm sure you can probably find Alfalfa with 5 different NPK amounts a u can with everything else just about :joint:
 

ounevinsmoke

Well-Known Member
Can I just use my Juicer and press to make nutrient rich fruit tea instead of letting rotten fruit sit in bags? Or do I need at least the fruits pulp to contribute to the process?
 

robro

Active Member
Not Alfalfa will have the same NPK content brother. Just depends on what you get and where it comes from. I'm sure you can probably find Alfalfa with 5 different NPK amounts a u can with everything else just about :joint:
i think it is a matter of a decimal point in front of the P value,making it 0.5,which is about right.alfalfa is grown for animal feed,and would probably not be beneficial with high phosphorous.unless you were growing cannabis of course.
 

Alexander Supertramp

Well-Known Member
Organic feeding provides great results. A good organic grow starts with the soil. (look at subcool's section on that. he knows soil.) Im going to go over strictly what to do once the plant is in the dirt, and you still need to feed them something. Feeding the plants the right stuff is key to successful grows, and knowing what to feed and when, is needed for every grower.

If your plant has some sort of issue, theres threads on that https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/488004-guide-nutrient-deficiency-toxicity.html . this thread is gonna cover what do to AFTER you notice a deficiency, or just to keep a healthy garden. this will be using only organic nutrients. Ive purchased bottles of guano, and molasses and wondered... what now? well this is what now.

**note: most of these teas/mixtures involve some mixing, but a lot of wait time. this is to fully let the properties of the substance combine with the water, and for microbial activity to start. Do not skip the waiting**

Vegetative Teas:

Worm humus:
Origin:this mix is produced from the excrement of worms. they ingest organic material and you end up with this. The best quality of worm humus is going to be from the Californian worms.
Provides: water soluble, and boosts microbes in the soil
Preparation: In 5 liters of water, add in 400gr (about 2 cups) and let it sit for 2 days. stirring every so often to keep it well mixed and the water somewhat oxygenated.
Application:During the watering, mixing 1 part of poo-juice with 3 parts water. you can add this in weekly.

Blood Meal:
Origin: After removing and drying blood from animals(usually in a slaughterhouse), it is ground up into a fine powder.
Provides about 12-15%N, 1.2%P, and 1%k
Preparation: in a container, add 1 part blood meal to 9 parts water. cover. over 1 week, open to burp the mix, and stir. after, filter with coffee strainer.
Application: Applying usually only when N deficiency is noted, add to water to create a 10%-25% strength solution.

Gypsum
Origin: CaSO4. Its a rock basically, you can find it naturally outdoors, or (probably easier) at a local plant shop.
Provides: Activates healthy microbial activity. Corrects salinity (toxic salt levels). Provides sulfur, calcium and potassium. Regulates pH, and most importantly, helps in the absorption of N.
Preparation: add 1 pound of gypsum powder (use a mortar and pistil if its too coarse) to the inside of a nylon stocking, or other fine screen material. place this inside a container with 5L of water. Cover. leave for 1-2 weeks, opening the container to stir briskly every few days.
Application: Add it in with the water when pH is unstable, max 10% strength (so dilute it!). dilute it to 5% if mixing it with a N tea, and can be used weekly.

Fishmeal
Origin: obtained from dried, ground fish.
Provides: 8%N, 7%P, trace elements.
Preparation: mix 10% of this powder with 90% water in a container. leave it a week covered, and opening it to burp out the gas (dont breathe it in, smells). Filter at the end of the week.
Application: Dilute the mix, 1part fishgoop with 10 parts water. add in weekly with the feedings, or when a N/P deficiency is noted.

Bat Guano
Origin: decomposed bat poo. preferably pasteurized (since bats can and do carry disease, like rabies!)
Provides: High in N, but also contains P and trace elements. Fresher guano has higher N rating
Preparation: 2 tablespoons of bat poo in 4 -5 liters of water. let sit for 1 week
Application: mix the finished poo water, 1 part to 3 parts water. use every 2 weeks.

Mixed Teas: This is ok for veg + flowering.

Compost Tea (one of my favorites, as i use ground up male plants, or the sticks/stems/fan leaves of the harvested females for this)
Origin: The easiest to come across commercially, or to make at home. this is used worldwide with a variety of ingredients.
Provides: A big boost of microorganisms, helps feed the plants, and boosts a plant's immune system. NPK ratios vary depending the type of compost made.
Preparation: Place a bunch of dead plants in a nylon stocking or screen, put that inside a bucket with about 15L of water, adding water as it evaporates (which means leave it uncovered). after 2 weeks, dump the inside of the bag/screen/stocking back with the rest of your compost pile outside or throw it away or whatever.
Application: If you want to foliar feed this, filter it well, then 1:8 ratio of tea to water. otherwise, just add it in when watering, at a 1:5 ratio. use it every 2 weeks.

Alfalfa Tea. (can also be used during flowering)
Origin: your rabbit's food. this is ground up alfalfa, leaves, stems.
Provides: 2.5%n, 5%p, and 2%k.
Preparation: grabbing a nylon sock and filling with 1 part of the alfalfa, setting it into a bucket with 10 parts water. leave it for a week to create a strong tea.
Application: use every 2 weeks, diluted 1part tea with 10 parts water.

Manures
Origin: the business end of various animals.
Provides: This really depends on what the animal ate, and what the animal is. Rough estimates are:
Cows: .6%N-.3%P-.3%K
horse: .6%N-.6%P-.4%k
Rabbit: .5%N-1.2%P-.5%K
Sheep: .8%N-.5%P-.4%K
Pigs: .6%N-.6%P-.4%K
Preparation: 1 part crap to 10 parts water, in a bucket. 2 weeks, stirring periodically. (again, this is better for the nylon stockings, otherwise your gonna have to filter it - yuck)
Application: 1 part poop water to 1 part water. can be used every 2 weeks.

Fruit tea, with or without Molasses.
Origin: made with fermenting fruits. its recommended to add molasses for flowering.
Provides: Rich in NPK, but also contains calcium and some other trace elements. Very rich in microbial activity. Using molasses adds a large amounts of carbs and can contribute to fungus (in high heat grows)
Preparation: Cut fruits into small pieces. place in a container and cover them with molasses( OR cut up fruits, place into a ziploc bag with NO molasses or air) Let it sit for 2 weeks, opening it periodically to let out gases. filter.
Application: 1 tablespoon of fruit rot juice (ew) to 1 liter of water. use it every 10 days.

Flowering Teas:

Banana Peel Tea.
Origin: Bananas. Cheap to make. eat the banana, use the peels.
Provides: Strong Potassium Boost. ideal for flowering.
Preparation: after selecting 4 bananas, and eating the insides, place the 4 peels into a pot, with 4 cups of water (1L). You can also add in 2 tablespoons of molasses. Bring to a boil. let boil for 5 minutes. remove the peels. let cool. place in jars for storage.
Application: mix this 1 part banana goop to 2 parts water. use every 2 weeks.

Sea Weed
Origin: algae or kelp, dried, ground into a powder.
Provides: Lots of K, and trace elements, aminoacids, vitamins, hormones.
Preparation: 100grams of algae powder + 2Liters of water, let sit overnight.
Application: mix 1 part of sea weed juice to 3 parts water, and apply during waterings. can be used every watering.

Paper Ash tea.
Origin: This powder is obtained from burned paper. make sure the paper has no pigments (inks), glues, adhesives, or plastic covering. just plain paper. the cheaper the stuff, the better.
Provides: 5% P and 2% K
Preparation: Burn the paper fully. Ground up the ash. 100g of ash mixed with 2 L of water. let sit 10 days, then filter.
Application: use every 15 days, mixed 1 part ash juice to 2 parts water.

Bonemeal
Origin: Bones, crushed, ground up.
Provides: some N (3%?) and around 7% of P. high in calcium
Preparation: cook in a pot for 10 minutes, 200grams of bonemeal with 6 liters of water, and 1/2 cup of baking soda. let cool, then remove any grease that may have formed at the top. filter the rest of the mix.
Application: Use 1 part bone water to 3 parts water. use it at the start of the 12/12 cycle, or the start of flowering. will last the entire grow.



if you guys have other recipes, post them on here!
Good info and post. But wouldnt it have been easier to do this: http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/archive/index.php?t-48494.html
 

BUDies

Active Member
So I'm very interested in the banana tea, but not so interested in taking away from the plants natural flavor. I thought I had read somewhere on here that flowers won't take on the smell or taste from just being fed, but rather would need you to soak the stems in a juice after harvest so the plants are absorbing that into the buds with no root system, as I have no experience with this, how many people has noticed a difference on taste and smell from what you fed the plants?
 

nick17gar

Well-Known Member
Good info and post. But wouldnt it have been easier to do this: http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/archive/index.php?t-48494.html
that bastard copy and pasted my thread! tweetybird, and all i get is ¨borrowed from another site¨
well atleast im being read.

atleast it shows i wrote this almost a year before. the original post there would be good if they said what those things were. i dunno what chammomile looks like and theres no way im going thru the forest to pick some. i also dont have a forest nearby, so i guess thats up to each person. I like composting, boosting with tea, and adding any thing strong to the compost pile itself, giving it time to work in, dissipate, etc.
 

nick17gar

Well-Known Member
So I'm very interested in the banana tea, but not so interested in taking away from the plants natural flavor. I thought I had read somewhere on here that flowers won't take on the smell or taste from just being fed, but rather would need you to soak the stems in a juice after harvest so the plants are absorbing that into the buds with no root system, as I have no experience with this, how many people has noticed a difference on taste and smell from what you fed the plants?

BANANA TEA.

i think it does take on the flavor a little. perhaps maybe cuz i know how much of this stuff i give them (a LOT). im sure if you stopped a week or 2 before then you wouldnt, i dont tho, the beauty of organics is that they are safe to use up to the end. either way, i toss the peels in the dirt in my compost mound, and make the tea, and do it often, and the taste is negligible.

someone else asked how fast does it act? make it, and use it, and youll see a difference the next day, for sure. i have. just make sure its not hot still when you go to pour it
 

Timewasmoney1

New Member
So can we not use bat poo in flowering? Im going to assume no because of its high nitrogen content?

Also what about buffalo poo during flowering the brand i have is 1-1-1

EDIT: Great post by the way! I cant wait to start my first organic grow
 

nick17gar

Well-Known Member
Thought you went inactive bro! i just hit you with another friend request.
YES and NO! i moved, from the 1bedroom apartment to a 6br house! its fucking huge! ive got a few plants going now, 3... but 2 are my size, and they are outdoor which is new for me, im gonna start a thread on it today hopefully, just waiting for the camera to charge
 

nick17gar

Well-Known Member
Well fuck it, they are organic, so why not, ill just post it here

First, my dirt: IMG_1566.JPG is a mix of many dirts.
i had this flower bed, (as well as others that wrap around the entire backyard, and emptied one (the smallest). I stick everything in there, when i dig a hole for a rose bush, or whatever, the dirt removed goes here; kitchen scraps (fruits, veggies, egg shells), plain paper, cardboard, wood, charcoal from the word burning grill... i just throw it all in, and layer it with dirt as much as possible, stir it often with the shovel, and let it fill, then i can almost instantly use it all on any project. Anything i purchase, like bonemeal, castings, blood meal, whatever, goes in here, to sit, and work, without plants! thats important, chemical levels, pH, its too active to measure anything that will be long term, so i let it sit, and work its way throughout. add in the rain, sunlight and bugs, and in a month or 2, its full of great, active, and nutrient filled dirt.
(mainly, its banana peels, apple cores, and lettuce/tomato/onion clippings + dirt)



Anyways, the plants:

IMG_1564.jpg
clones i took today!
they were at the base of the plants, did it real quick, used some cloning powder, and put it into fresh composted soil (purchased, ill explain why i buy dirt later)


Next up is the 1 month or so plant (i stopped counting the days long ago, about the same time i figured looking at the plant to be done to harvest it is better then crossing off days on a calendar) IMG_1559.JPG
real vivid green color, not a hint of yellow, or dark/dry patches.


Next is the sativa strain: IMG_1556.JPG
this one isnt looking 100%, it was transplanted about a week ago, the pot was much smaller, and it was root bound. apparently, the soil mix i made was heavy on N, and ive been flushing all morning with water right out of the hose. its bouncing back nicely, the N claws were pretty well defined last night, and now they are spreading out, opening and its perky-er then it was last night

And lastly, the indica: IMG_1563.jpgIMG_1562.JPGIMG_1561.JPGIMG_1560.JPG

to give you an idea, with the pot, its my height, 5´9 so really, 4´9 (without the pot), maybe 3-3.5 foot diameter?
its probably a few months old(?) either way, its loving the outside. yes, theres bugs chomping away, but the budding has already started so im not too concerned. also, the leaves that were attacked by bugs are few and far inbetween, so fuck it, i dont care. its negligible really, im not gonna spray shit on the plant for 5 half eaten leaves, whatever was there is gone, and if it comes back, they satisfy quickly apparently.

this is my first grow outside. all i did was a 50/50 mix of store bought composted dirt, and my compost, in the bottom half of the pot. in the top half i did only store bought soil (less chemically active). i also add the teas, and whatever else i do to my compost pile directly, and let it do its work there, so the stuff is HOT, probably why the other plant got an N toxicity after the transplant. Im sure it wasnt transplant shock, the smaller pots i use are all those black plastic pots that are super cheap and flimsy, and i just cut the side and take out the entire mass in 1 easy method. fuck it, its 2 dollars a pot, ill pay that to make sure theres no root damage.

Also, the backyard has a lemon tree, a kumquat tree (and some peppers), so im sure the excess of those will make their way into the compost pile =) atleast the citrus will, be a nice boost of carbs, sugars, and nutrients.


IMG_1565.JPG <--- thats a spicy pepper!
 
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