Budnoob2's Soil - Kosher Kush - 4-2-2014

[Icemud]

Very nice setup and clear and detailed journal Budnoob! Hope you don't mind me stopping by from time to time to enjoy!

 

[budnoob2]

Very nice setup and clear and detailed journal Budnoob! Hope you don't mind me stopping by from time to time to enjoy!

Thanks for dropping in Icemud! I've actually been hearing about you and will be catching up on some of your stuff soon, still have a way to go through Docs thread but really curious to learn more about your methods of making your own soil for the future.

 

[budnoob2]

What a night, so busy reading didn't even realize sun was coming up again! Anyway, switched to GLR lighting today because it just makes much more sense and seems way more practical than 18/6 or 24/0. Thanks for those posts BID. For those that may not know, go check out @BigIrishDoode's journal for the gory details. For the abbreviated version it's 12/5.5/1/5.5 lighting - 12 on, 5 1/2 off followed by 1 on and another 5 1/2 hours off. I also am really digging the plants that Doc Bud and BID are growing so I ordered a High Brix kit for next grow and went ahead and got a few more things for the current grow to mineralize and make some tea, better late than never:

Food Grade Calcium Carbonate
Dr Earth Soft Rock Phosphate
Encap Gypsum
Azomite
Myco Maximum
Lava Sand
Humic Acid Powder

 

[SmokerJoe]

Wow sounds like you've been busy.

 

[budnoob2]

Wow sounds like you've been busy.

Very busy indeed, and plenty more research to do. My goal is to become self-sufficient as much as possible so I'll be doing some side by side grows using my experiments against the tried and true HB kit/s. I have a ton of chicken manure compost that has always served me well in the garden so I'd like to come up with a way to continue using it successfully for everything while introducing the mineralization aspect that I've never done before. I'll continue to use the manure in the garden without a doubt and at a minimum I'd like to leverage to make suitable teas as well for both indoor and outdoor use. None of that will happen for this indoor grow, but at least I'll have a game plan for the next.

 

[Calyx Hunter]

With the GLR and all the extra striking of the lamp, do you think this could degrade the lamp and/or ballast faster?

 

[budnoob2]

Absolutely, forgot to mention that I kept a CFL and floro on a different timer for the 1 hour part - the HID stays of for 12 - thanks for reminding me to point that out!

 

[budnoob2]

I am very happy to report that I happened upon the remnants of a nugget to celebrate 420; it wasn't much but it was just enough Hope every one had a happy and safe 420

 

[Billyjack]

for the absolute highest quality i would recommend the high brix method, the easiest way i know of is to get ahold of member docbud and get one of his high brix kits, or you can do what i did and read and research the high brix gardening method and build your own soil teas and foliar sprays, there is nothing like hb bud

This has been excellent advice. The more I research the HB method, the more it seems a no brainer. I have literally spent the last 3 days reading every journal and copying every soil, tea and foliar feeding recipe. The collection of recipes is fairly easy, it is learning the why's behind everything. I found Icemud's journals to be very informative. He has lots of info, which is supplemented by expert advice and techniques by doc bud and others. Until I get a better foundation, I am starting with doc bud's HB kit. Very reasonably priced (IMO) and he was very responsive to emails.

Thanks again for the advice

 

[budnoob2]

I agree Billyjack, I'm really looking forward to the kit. I'll be doing the kit by the book and playing with some side-by-sides to see if my own compost can be leveraged with some minor customizations but I'm going to need to have my compost and topsoil tested by Soil Test Order Form - Soil Test Order Form | HighBrix Gardens.

 

[budnoob2]

Here we go, Day 22 for Sybl Vane (Kosher Kush) and Day 16 for Spicoli (Silver Surfer Haze). It's getting close to topping time so any tips and advise in that regard are greatly appreciated. I've been doing some LST with string and garden wire and have to say I'm not a fan of either one for workability so I'll be grabbing some yarn soon to give that a try. Also, I've done a little topping of the soil (which I don't really expect to do much if anything this time around) using 1 tsp of Calcium Carbonate (powdered limestone 97% food grade), and a little less than a tsp of Soft Rock Phosphate. I will be adding just a touch of gypsum as well but that hasn't arrived yet, so we'll see what, if anything, that does. Once I've added all of those I will very lightly water them in with a hint of molasses. By my calculations, 1 oz of liquid molasses diluted in 1 ga of water is enough to treat 667 sq feet of soil surface area so just a few squirts on the surface should be more than enough.

Here's Sybl:

The curly tape on sides is double sided tape that isn't sticking so well - meant to be a preventative for any creepy crawlies.

Here's Spicoli:

 

[SmokerJoe]

Nice plant. Molasses can be used whenever true but its effect is to fatten up the nugs and so it is used in flowering. I use yarn for lst and I have done so for 4 years. It works great. I use wire to anchor the plant in place so it doesnt uproot itself while im bending branches or watering heavily. Where did you get your temp/humidity meter I like it.

 

[budnoob2]

Thanks, I got the meter on Amazon

Nice plant. Molasses can be used whenever true but its effect is to fatten up the nugs and so it is used in flowering. I use yarn for lst and I have done so for 4 years. It works great. I use wire to anchor the plant in place so it doesnt uproot itself while im bending branches or watering heavily. Where did you get your temp/humidity meter I like it.

 

[budnoob2]

The purpose of the molasses in this case is food for the microbes, wanna get those babies pooping out some of those minerals, but i'm a realist and don't expect it to have much impact for this grow

 

[Icemud]

Just a suggestion for what I use for LST. I picked up that thicker rope/twine from the Uhaul store thats used for packing or wrapping boxes. Its light, nylon and strong I use that in loops and attach them to my pots with those binder clips. The ones that have the black bracket in the middle and a chrome hinged piece on each side.. The kind for holding a bunch of papers together. Anyhow, this works great because I can easily unknot the looks and change position of them with ease.

Hope you don't mind me posting this photo, but here is the clips that I am talking about with the thicker twine/nylon rope.

Hey, I saw you fed with molasses. I would suggest holding off on any sugars/carb sources such as molasses until later in the grow, in flowering, around week 5 or so. The reason is even though the microbes will eat the carb source, it makes them lazy, which this is what you don't want. You want them eating rocks and minerals and stuff and so its best to hold off on any carbs until later. So I have been told by the master Docbud! He truly knows his stuff!

Best way to improve soil heath is making a compost tea.... Very easy, you need a bucket, a airpump, a airstone, old nylon stockings or a paint strainer, and a good handful or 2 of soil, worm castings or humus. Other things can be added like kelp meals, alfalfa meals or other things, but just a good soil/worm compost tea will help get that soil popping with microlife. Just put the soil/castings in the nylon, hang in a bucket of water like a teabag, and bubble for 48 hours Also giving your plants a nice foliar spray of compost tea will leave them smiling and thanking you

Your plants are looking very nice so far though and love how you are keeping your journal up, with photos, updates and details! Great job so far man!!! hope you don't mind me chiming in here and there.

 

[budnoob2]

Best way to improve soil heath is making a compost tea....

Thanks ICE, quick question; what do you do with the castings/soil that you've soaked when done? I would envision adding them to my compost pile, but curious if you use them to top soil or something.

 

[Duggan]

Hey there budnoob2, Try using regular pipe cleaners for your lst'ing! Once you try them ...you won't use anything else.They are soft ,and you can make them as long as you need and they are real easy to work with! About your used castings after tea...just top dress your pots with them,,can't hurt, and your not just tossing them out! Cheers eh!

 

[Icemud]

Thanks ICE, quick question; what do you do with the castings/soil that you've soaked when done? I would envision adding them to my compost pile, but curious if you use them to top soil or something.

I usually just dump them on the roses outside my apartment...

 

[budnoob2]

Thanks for the tips everyone, and thanks for sending me those vids CO!

I settled on a combination of yarn and binder clips for my lst but in a slightly different way than I see others using the binder clips. I'll have to upload pics later so you can see what I'm talking about but basically I have those tomato stabilizers with the 3 legs and the circular scrog looking top. What I do is run the yarn around the plant and one of the legs then put the clip on the end of yarn so I have a quick release and quick adjustment instead of having to tie it or twist things. I like this method a lot. I also added some holes to the base board for my shelf contraption so that once the plants get bigger I can train by running yarn through those holes and then clipping there. Again, I'll post pics when I have some time today or tomorrow.

Thanks again all!

Here's the pics:

 

[Duggan]

Hey!....If you try long soft pipe cleaners you can stop fu...ing around with all that crap.It's all you need...they are the best for lst'g.Nevermind those clips that could let go ...or the yarn you have to fuck with,tying knots ...what a pain in the ass ,been there, trust me PIPE CLEANERS! You will love them,you can do anything with them! I'm using them right now on my MK Ultra.Bin using them for over 25 yrs.Now i gotta go have a stella...worked up eh! Cheers.
Sent from my Delorean...in the future!
I settled on a combination of yarn and binder clips for my lst but in a slightly different way than I see others using the binder clips. I'll have to upload pics later so you can see what I'm talking about but basically I have those tomato stabilizers with the 3 legs and the circular scrog looking top. What I do is run the yarn around the plant and one of the legs then put the clip on the end of yarn so I have a quick release and quick adjustment instead of having to tie it or twist things. I like this method a lot. I also added some holes to the base board for my shelf contraption so that once the plants get bigger I can train by running yarn through those holes and then clipping there. Again, I'll post pics when I have some time today or tomorrow.

Thanks again all!

Here's the pics:

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