Colombian Andes Greenhouse SIP CBD Auto Grow

[InTheShed]

I'd browse through this thread for using a press:

Grandpa Likes To Squeeze Stuff: Solventless Extracts, Rosin, Pressed Here!

Solventless Extracts (Rosin) Pressed Here! Hello everyone, and welcome to Grandpa’s squeeze box. I’ve been receiving quite a few emails lately asking me about my extracts; specifically, about solventless, so I thought I would share exactly what I do again so everyone can see. This little...

www.420magazine.com

And this for doing ethanol extraction:

Grandpa Gets Oily! Everclear Extracts For Shatter Or Oil!

Hello everyone! Grandpa’s making some killer oils and I want to share the process I go through. The goal with this particular batch is to get the best I can from the material I’m using. I’m in search of trichome heads and as little green (Chlorophyll) as possible. We want the Everclear to do...

www.420magazine.com

 

[CBDMed]

I'd browse through this thread for using a press:

Grandpa Likes To Squeeze Stuff: Solventless Extracts, Rosin, Pressed Here!

Solventless Extracts (Rosin) Pressed Here! Hello everyone, and welcome to Grandpa’s squeeze box. I’ve been receiving quite a few emails lately asking me about my extracts; specifically, about solventless, so I thought I would share exactly what I do again so everyone can see. This little...

www.420magazine.com

Thanks, Shed!

 

[cbdhemp808]

If you have any questions about rosin press, I have a friend who is expert level.

 

[CBDMed]

If you have any questions about rosin press, I have a friend who is expert level.

Thanks CBD!
Prolly I need to read the thread first and see what kind of presses are available, but thanks!
I read the first two pages of Shed's thread (Grandpa Tokin') and it seems pretty informative! I just have to decide how much I want to spend on a press.

 

[CBDMed]

:-/
The soil analysis facility called to say they cannot test either the Roots or the Confiabonos.
I asked why.
They said because their equipment is set up to process soil only.
I said it is potting soil (like, coco fibers, vermitculite, perlite, bat guano, that kind of thing).
He said that is not dirt. He said they test dirt, not man-made soil, so what do we really need?
I said we got hit with some salted soil substrate (which messed everything up). Mostly we just need the two samples tested for sodium, and the macros, plus also the micros if they can (calsium, magnesium, copper, etc.).
He said they can test it as a fertilizer, but it would cost another $100.
:-/
:-[
Oy....
Well, what to do?? Confiabonos and Roots are known brands, and their bags are sealed, and I don't think they are going to risk their reputation.
The soil analysis people said that I could abandon the samples and they would refund my $80, so I said to abandon them.

I am pretty sure those soils are what they say they are, so when I get some time (maybe the week after next) I can follow the original Subcool recipe, and mix up a batch.
And then if I want I can experiment with some GeoFlora pots and some worm casting mulch.
And I have to experiment with a lot of other plants also (alfalfa, rye grasses, clover, oats, etc.), and I will probably at least hatch them in the Veg room, and then move them to the roof.
So, it is time to clean out the Salted Forest and start afresh!

 

[cbdhemp808]

Oy! Well, you could also just make your own soil, using some good topsoil, and then add some coir, compost, and all the organic nutrients, plus worm casting. If I had to make the choice between the two commercial potting soils, I'd probably choose the Confio. Please remind me... did Confio send you an analysis?

 

[CBDMed]

Oy! Well, you could also just make your own soil, using some good topsoil, and then add some coir, compost, and all the organic nutrients, plus worm casting. If I had to make the choice between the two commercial potting soils, I'd probably choose the Confio. Please remind me... did Confio send you an analysis?

Hey, CBD!
Great questions!
Yeah, @Azimuth did help me to make my own soil at one point, a little over a year ago. I was having a hard time finding organic soil, so he helped me make a simple three-way soil, and actually, it worked pretty ok! (I am sure I could do better a second time around!) Only, finding components with guaranteed analysis on the components is not easy.

I know what you are thinking, but it is not like in the States here. And it would take forever to chase down substrates with guaranteed analysis, etc. And I have not found anyone who will stand behind their products or workmanship here, like they do in the States.

I appreciate your protectiveness after the "Salted Sodium Soil" nightmare soil from Bendita Sea. The bags came in plastic wrappers, so I did not see that it was just a simple home-spray-painted bag, and not a professional label. (They wrap packages in plastic here sometimes, to stop theft and substitution.)
Bendita Sea seemed like a haven but it seems their ethics are not the best. They sold me their "house mix" but it was someone else's "Tablesalt Supreme". So I just need to not use their house mix anymore.

I have always been a guy to try to be thrifty, and save where I can--but I think given this last experience, I think I might want to pay a little more, and get the best products I can, to save more nightmare experiences like with the Bendita Sea Salt Soil.

I think the Confiabonos is probably not a bad option. It is "the" only respected Colombian national brand.
I wrote them, and they do not provide any technical analysis on their soil (period).
I wrote again and asked them about sodium content, and they did not even respond :-[
Just based on the fact that it is "the" Colombian "premium" brand, and they have a reputation to uphold, I think it is probably "good decent basic base soil".
I don't think it is probably anything fancy, but it looks and feels pretty good.
I think if I had known to buy Confiabonos Biogreen Premium a year ago I would not have had the Salt Disaster, and I would probably still be using it.
It feels pretty good. It feels like a good decent "basic premium" soil (just guessing, based on their reputation).

In contrast, we determined that the Roots Organic soil is a bonafide US soil, made by Aurora Innovations, Oregon, USA.
Homeboy said they make and bag it in Oregon, and then they ship it through their two official importers, Tech Industries and Dr. Wee (which are the same company, just two different websites, basically).
They have to put a stupid label on it, as it if was intended as an agricultural amendment for hectacreage, because the Colombian government is filled with people who are hired because someone likes them, rather than through any technical merit--so they have to put a slap-happy-stupid label on the bag, to get it through government customs.
(Really, probably some government agent said, "You have to print this horticulture information on the bag", and they knew how stupid governments can be here, so they probably literally did a "copy-paste" onto the bag label, and left it, to get the government to give them permission. I cannot see it happening in the States but I can totally see it happening here. Our accountant advised us to do something similar twice, just to avoid any government hassles [and there are many].)
When I asked home-grow if it was genuine Roots product, his first question was where I bought it. I said I bought it through Tech Industries, and he said that is one of their two official distributors (so when I cut the bag open I should at least hypothetically get a whiff of Oregon air, haha).
I will say that the stuff looks and feels plush. This sounds weird to say, but it feels like the nicest and plushest soil I have ever felt (hard to explain). It just feels good.
I can see why SubCool recommended this soil for his original soil.
If I was counterfeitting soil, I don't think I would try this hard to make a batch of soil that looks, feels, and smells this good. (Someone worked at this.)

One really nice thing about this whole debacle is that I am learning a lot about soil.
I think for this batch I am going to go ahead with the Roots, but I am also thinking that I could probably doctor the Confiabonos up in the future, to make it match the Roots. Because they had a few articles out, and I think it shows what premium "extra" ingredients they put in the Roots bag--so just add those ingredients.
But I also think the texture of the Roots is very different than the Confiabonos. I am not sure what it is yet, but there are less long fibers, and more perlite, and more vermitculite.
It just feels different.
Anyway, I appreciate the protectiveness, but I think I have confidence with either product--but since the Roots seems genuine, and since SubCool's original formula calls for Roots, I will go ahead and mix it up with the Roots.
And then next time we can try Confiabonos, or we can try to recondition the Roots soil.
The Roots soil seems really interesting, because there are just no long fibers, and it feels really good. So I am curious to know if it grows stuff as well as it feels.

 

[Azimuth]

Given your acquisition challenges, you might think of dumbing it down. A lot.

Maybe try the Coot's approach which is  much simpler than Subcool's soil. It’s basically three ingredients (equal parts of CSPM, compost, and perlite) plus a bunch of amendments. And each of the three, and all of the amendments, have substitution potential.

That's where I started and my mix has evolved to mostly stuff I can grow myself or scrounge locally.

There's lots of intrigue with the water only designer soils, but given your sourcing constraints that doesn't sound like the most practical solution. Plus, if you're going to scale it up to farm size in the future, you might as well learn a process and develop a mix that's scalable in your locale.

 

[CBDMed]

Given your acquisition challenges, you might think of dumbing it down. A lot.

Maybe try the Coot's approach which is  much simpler than Subcool's soil. It’s basically three ingredients (equal parts of CSPM, compost, and perlite) plus a bunch of amendments. And each of the three, and all of the amendments, have substitution potential.

That's where I started and my mix has evolved to mostly stuff I can grow myself or scrounge locally.

I like Clackamas Coot's. I have made it before.
The reason I started with SubCool's is that I ran across SubCool's components in the Bendita Sea shop, and so I went that way.
As I recall, I looked for CPSM, but could not find it here.
(In contrast, coco is everywhere.)

I have two more sets of SubCool's. At this rate that will last me years (but we will see what happens if I get that rosin press, haha!)

If I hypothetically go Clack after I run out of SubCool's someday, I will still have to fly all the meals and such in.
But in contrast, I can get SubCool's components, and Roots.

So really, the simple thing is to go with what I have.
It looks like we will probably be here another couple of years.

There's lots of intrigue with the water only designer soils, but given your sourcing constraints that doesn't sound like the most practical solution. Plus, if you're going to scale it up to farm size in the future, you might as well learn a process and develop a mix that's scalable in your locale.

Yeah, I'm not actually planning on growing pot commercially. (It would be fun, but...)
There was a huge surge in investment in Colombia for pot growers until Canada opened their market--and then the whole market went to Canada, because even though in Canada you have to grow indoors under lights (and I am guessing you have to insulate the buildings)--but still it is cheaper than to deal with all of the inefficiencies and all of the siesta ethic.

As of Friday the Bio-Agriculture people (who seem heaven-sent) are recommending that we drop the idea of bison and cows, and reorient for organic goat and sheep cheeses. (And we will probably do whatever they recommend, since they are the experts, and they are trying to help us a lot.)
So maybe in the future I can transition to in-ground grows, or at least in-greenhouse. And in that day I might switch to KNF and Jadam. But I've probably got enough components already to keep me going several years, at least (unless I go crazy with that rosin press, haha!).

 

[CBDMed]

Given your acquisition challenges, you might think of dumbing it down. A lot.

You know, Azi, that may be the nicest thing you ever said to me!
Some people would accuse me of already having "dumbed things down" too much, haha! So your implied accusation that I have not dumbed it down enough was encouraging, haha!

Maybe try the Coot's approach which is  much simpler than Subcool's soil. It’s basically three ingredients (equal parts of CSPM, compost, and perlite) plus a bunch of amendments. And each of the three, and all of the amendments, have substitution potential.

That's where I started and my mix has evolved to mostly stuff I can grow myself or scrounge locally.

You got me thinking. CSPM has to be flown in, but coco coir is all over the place here.
Could you hypothetically make Coots with coco coir?

 

[Azimuth]

You got me thinking. CSPM has to be flown in, but coco coir is all over the place here.
Could you hypothetically make Coots with coco coir?

@Gee64 is working with me on a new mix for my organic grows. Basically equal parts coco, compost/worm castings, old soil and perlite. Then, add a bit of amendments like garden lime, some stone dusts, etc. and you're off.

How's that for stupid easy? I haven't mixed it yet, but that's next on the agenda. Then I'm planning on using my various Jadam nutes to bring it home.

Coco you've got. Compost and/or worm castings you can make, old soil you'll get from prior rounds, and that just leaves perlite and stone dusts to source.

Something like that might work great given your constraints.

 

[cbdhemp808]

@Gee64 is working with me on a new mix for my organic grows. Basically equal parts coco, compost/worm castings, old soil and perlite. Then, add a bit of amendments like garden lime, some stone dusts, etc. and you're off.

This is the backbone of my mix... old compost soil, fresh worm compost from our bins, coco coir, and perlite. Then I add a bunch of Down to Earth ferts... oyster shell, bat guano, seabird guano, dolomite lime, greensand, gypsum, solution grade potassium sulfate (and/or Langbeinite), kelp meal, humic acid. I also add silicate in the form of powdered quartz.

Lately I've been tuning into the wonders of Trichoderma – the fungus-killing fungus. I actually just got some delivered yesterday. I think it's even more important than mycorrhiza, which by the way it can coexist with in the root zone. Trichoderma attacks root rot fungi: Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium. It can be added when sprouting seeds, added to a grow mix, added into the hole when transplanting, or added to compost bins. It can be used as a preventative, or watered-in to treat infected plants. It grows in soil, lives in the root zone, and can colonize the entire plant – leaf surfaces and all. I'm gonna mix some in water and go treat a couple of my plants right now.

By adding Trichoderma to my worm bins, I can naturalize it into my grow. The way I manage my worm bins, I just keeping adding coco coir to the bins, so the microbiome just perpetuates itself. Trichoderma can also be cultured on cooked rice.

I posted more info in my thread, HERE.

 

[CBDMed]

@Gee64 is working with me on a new mix for my organic grows. Basically equal parts coco, compost/worm castings, old soil and perlite. Then, add a bit of amendments like garden lime, some stone dusts, etc. and you're off.

How's that for stupid easy? I haven't mixed it yet, but that's next on the agenda. Then I'm planning on using my various Jadam nutes to bring it home.

That sounds pretty good, Azi!

Coco you've got.

Yep!

Compost and/or worm castings you can make, old soil you'll get from prior rounds, and that just leaves perlite and stone dusts to source.

Perlite and stone dust are easy. And Jadam we can make.

Something like that might work great given your constraints.

Yeah, that sounds very doable! Sounds good!

 

[CBDMed]

This is the backbone of my mix... old compost soil, fresh worm compost from our bins, coco coir, and perlite.

Sounds good!

Then I add a bunch of Down to Earth ferts... oyster shell, bat guano, seabird guano, dolomite lime, greensand, gypsum, solution grade potassium sulfate (and/or Langbeinite), kelp meal, humic acid. I also add silicate in the form of powdered quartz.

I can get the bat guano for sure locally, probably also the seabird guano.
Dolomite yes.
Greensand I would have to have shipped in.
Gypsum yes.
Langbeinite or Potassium Sulfate I would have to have shipped in.
Kelp pellets I am supposed to be able to get locally for half the cost of shipping them in, but they were out last time I checked.
I think I can get humic acid here, but someone said there is a big variance in quality, and the good stuff has to be shipped in. (I am not sure. Does anyone know about Humic Acid?)
I can get rock dust here, although I am not sure what kind it is.

Lately I've been tuning into the wonders of Trichoderma – the fungus-killing fungus. I actually just got some delivered yesterday. I think it's even more important than mycorrhiza, which by the way it can coexist with in the root zone. Trichoderma attacks root rot fungi: Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium. It can be added when sprouting seeds, added to a grow mix, added into the hole when transplanting, or added to compost bins. It can be used as a preventative, or watered-in to treat infected plants. It grows in soil, lives in the root zone, and can colonize the entire plant – leaf surfaces and all. I'm gonna mix some in water and go treat a couple of my plants right now.

That sounds good.
It looks like Confiabonos makes a trichoderma. I have no idea if it is any good, but it should be available.
(Is it worth shipping it in? Or local is probably good?)

By adding Trichoderma to my worm bins, I can naturalize it into my grow. The way I manage my worm bins, I just keeping adding coco coir to the bins, so the microbiome just perpetuates itself. Trichoderma can also be cultured on cooked rice.

I posted more info in my thread, HERE.

Haha!! That's great! Way to think!

 

[cbdhemp808]

Sounds good!

I can get the bat guano for sure locally, probably also the seabird guano.
Dolomite yes.
Greensand I would have to have shipped in.
Gypsum yes.
Langbeinite or Potassium Sulfate I would have to have shipped in.
Kelp pellets I am supposed to be able to get locally for half the cost of shipping them in, but they were out last time I checked.
I think I can get humic acid here, but someone said there is a big variance in quality, and the good stuff has to be shipped in. (I am not sure. Does anyone know about Humic Acid?)
I can get rock dust here, although I am not sure what kind it is.

For a long time, I didn't use kelp. I started using it specifically for its iron content, but it's got a lot of great stuff in it. Another source for iron that I found is glacial rock dusk. The humic acid I probably don't even need to add, because I'm already adding worm compost... but I bought a box, so I am just using that up.

The seabird guano is your phosphorous source... gotta have that. I think it's a better, more bioavailable form than rock phosphate, which can contain heavy metals. You're also going to need a potassium source – that's why I use greensand, but it's slow-release. I'd say definitely import the K-sulfate, because you need both potassium and sulfate. It's a lighter weight, concentrated product, which makes more sense for shipping cost. Get the Down to Earth solution grade product, that way you can also use it as a drench or foliar spray.

That sounds good.
It looks like Confiabonos makes a trichoderma. I have no idea if it is any good, but it should be available.
(Is it worth shipping it in? Or local is probably good?)

I would say definitely try out the Confia product. You are also in a warm, humid tropical environment, so root rot, damping off, etc., are likely a threat. Trichoderma activates the plant's innate ability to fight off fungi that attack the leaves and buds, as well. It does this by communicating with the plant. You can also do a foliar spray of trichoderma, and then the organism will colonize leaf surfaces, etc., and directly attack pathogenic fungi and mildew on leaves and buds, including botrytis bud rot.

 

[CBDMed]

Hola a todos!
Wow, we made it, halleluyah! We got a project manager who seems to know what he is doing, and we are off! We have to walk very carefully for at least the next two years, but at the moment it looks great! So we are definitely not out of the woods, but the good news is that we are on our way!

Hahaha, now, on to cannabis!! Haha.
I want to know more about Azi's soil, and CBD's soil.

@Gee64 is working with me on a new mix for my organic grows. Basically equal parts coco, compost/worm castings, old soil and perlite. Then, add a bit of amendments like garden lime, some stone dusts, etc. and you're off.

Ok, what do I do if I don't have old soil? Just double up with the new Roots soil? Or what?

How's that for stupid easy?

Umm, on second thought, is there a specific mix I can follow?
Are there quantities for garden lime, stone dusts, etc.?
Also, do you have to let anything cook?

I haven't mixed it yet, but that's next on the agenda. Then I'm planning on using my various Jadam nutes to bring it home.

Coco you've got. Compost and/or worm castings you can make, old soil you'll get from prior rounds, and that just leaves perlite and stone dusts to source.

Something like that might work great given your constraints.

That sounds great!
Is there a specific formula, so I know what nutes and things I need to source?

 

[cbdhemp808]

Hey, good to hear from you! I've gotta head out to do some potting and spraying, but just wanted to say hi.

 

[CBDMed]

This is the backbone of my mix... old compost soil, fresh worm compost from our bins, coco coir, and perlite. Then I add a bunch of Down to Earth ferts... oyster shell, bat guano, seabird guano, dolomite lime, greensand, gypsum, solution grade potassium sulfate (and/or Langbeinite), kelp meal, humic acid. I also add silicate in the form of powdered quartz.

Lately I've been tuning into the wonders of Trichoderma – the fungus-killing fungus. I actually just got some delivered yesterday. I think it's even more important than mycorrhiza, which by the way it can coexist with in the root zone. Trichoderma attacks root rot fungi: Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium. It can be added when sprouting seeds, added to a grow mix, added into the hole when transplanting, or added to compost bins. It can be used as a preventative, or watered-in to treat infected plants. It grows in soil, lives in the root zone, and can colonize the entire plant – leaf surfaces and all. I'm gonna mix some in water and go treat a couple of my plants right now.

By adding Trichoderma to my worm bins, I can naturalize it into my grow. The way I manage my worm bins, I just keeping adding coco coir to the bins, so the microbiome just perpetuates itself. Trichoderma can also be cultured on cooked rice.

I posted more info in my thread, HERE.

Hey, CBD!
Do you have perhaps a specific recipe, so I can be sure I have enough of all the stuff?
Also, do you let your mix cook?

I think I will probably have to order a lot of stuff if I go with this formula, but it looks good, and it would be good to see if I can source everything!

And I ordered some of the Mikrobs. Thanks!

 

[CBDMed]

Hey, good to hear from you! I've gotta head out to do some potting and spraying, but just wanted to say hi.

Hey CBD!!
How's it going? Happy potting and spraying!
It would be great if you wanted to share your formula, so I can get the next round started!
I am eager to try out these all-CBD autos, and maybe some all-THC strains to go with them. (Thanks to you and Azi [I think] for the idea of mixing bud in the vaping bowl.

My eyelids are falling, but it looks like we made it, aleluyah!!
I've got plenty of greenbud (or brown bud, in my case?? Lol), but it is so nice to be growing something!
Hope to talk later! Right now I've got to get some sleep.
Zzzzzzzz..................

 

[Azimuth]

The old soil comes from your prior rounds in your pots. What do you do with that stuff? The old soil brings in the strain specific microbes assuming you run the same strains, but at the very least canna specific ones, plus brings in some of the goodies that take longer than one grow cycleto break down like stone dust.

Without out it, hmmm not sure. I know Bill284 says not to mix castings with pure coco because it screws up the pH.

Also, to that mix I add a half part of my bio char. And the amendments are really small parts. I'll look up what The Rev uses from his book.

Congrats on getting your situation squared away.