CBD Auto EmmyStack In AziSIPs, GeoFlora, Sweet Candy, Dynomyco, Roots Organic Soil +

[InTheShed]

If you're using GeoFlora on top of a SIP then I would find Emilya's instructions on that since she seemed to have success with that method (a combination of top and tube watering I believe). @Azimuth may remember more on that.

Then I mixed 1 tablespoon of calmag in a half L of water, and put it over the roots, just to get calcium to the roots quickly. (Maybe that was wrong.)

Calmag needs to be applied to the entire root system. Don't try to section off your roots by layer or type in your head.

At this point I probably need to shift to the calmag feeding schedule for full flower, which is 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) per gallon, and keep watching for deficiencies on any new leaves.

Full dose, full gallon. Down the tube is fine. It can burn the roots at higher dilutions. As I mentioned, per the bottles instructions rather than second guessing the manufacturer.

Hahaha, yeah, maybe time to switch to the dose for full flower?

Yes. I'd call that full flower!

 

[Azimuth]

If I want to feed molasses and recharge at the midway point between the biweekly feedings, do I just mix molasses and Recharge in water, and pour it over the top (fresh)?
Or is it better to bubble it first as a Recharge-Molasses tea for 24 hours first (and then pour that over the top)?
(I think the latter, but just to check.) Thanks.

The point of making a tea is to multiply the microbes in a batch of castings or compost. Is imagine it would work the same with the recharge but I've never used it.

 

[Azimuth]

If you're using GeoFlora on top of a SIP then I would find Emilya's instructions on that since she seemed to have success with that method (a combination of top and tube watering I believe). @Azimuth may remember more on that.

She watered mostly down the feed tube with the exception of the every two week Geoflora application. With that she would lightly water it in from the top.

 

[CBDMed]

If you're using GeoFlora on top of a SIP then I would find Emilya's instructions on that since she seemed to have success with that method (a combination of top and tube watering I believe). @Azimuth may remember more on that.

OK thanks. She said to use Sweet Candy, but I plan to skip the finishing herbs now.
She never said anything to me about calmag.

Calmag needs to be applied to the entire root system. Don't try to section off your roots by layer or type in your head.

Ok.
My thought was to put some over the top of the roots, and then that would get washed further down in when I do the feeding in two days. So my thought was to affect the whole root system that way (like with the GF).

Full dose, full gallon. Down the tube is fine. It can burn the roots at higher dilutions. As I mentioned, per the bottles instructions rather than second guessing the manufacturer.

Got it. Thanks.

Yes. I'd call that full flower!

I am very thankful for everyone's help.

 

[InTheShed]

She never said anything to me about calmag.

Maybe you didn't have a deficiency! She would probably say to use it when you see an issue, since it's mostly coco growers that use it regardless of what the plant looks like because of coco's issue with cal-mag.

 

[CBDMed]

The point of making a tea is to multiply the microbes in a batch of castings or compost. Is imagine it would work the same with the recharge but I've never used it.

I do not know, I'm just repeating what I heard (monkey hear, monkey repeat ).
Emmy said that to multiply bacteria with worm castings or compost gives a lot of bacteria, but not necessarily the same bacteria that the plants need.
I do not know, but she said that the Recharge gives more like the specific bacteria that the plants need.

 

[CBDMed]

Maybe you didn't have a deficiency! She would probably say to use it when you see an issue, since it's mostly coco growers that use it regardless of what the plant looks like because of coco's issue with cal-mag.

Makes sense. Gracias.

 

[CBDMed]

She watered mostly down the feed tube with the exception of the every two week Geoflora application. With that she would lightly water it in from the top.

 

[CBDMed]

If you're using GeoFlora on top of a SIP then I would find Emilya's instructions on that since she seemed to have success with that method (a combination of top and tube watering I believe). @Azimuth may remember more on that.

Emilya I think made some custom SIP monster boxes with plenty of room. I am in the 5 gallon buckets where 1 gallon is taken up for the reservoir and the air layer, so it's a maximum of 4 gallons of soil. I'm just estimating that to put all the solids in there, probably I could only load it with 3 gallons of soil, plus the 1 inches of earthworm castings. [There's just not that much space.)

 

[CBDMed]

I realize that GF, Dr. Earth, TT, etc., they probably all lose at least 25% or more when you're not putting the residues. Kind of like with a used teabag. It's usually good for an extra half a cup or something. So not putting the residues, I'm missing part of the Geo Flora treatment. So that's the idea behind putting molasses and Recharge At the midway point.

 

[InTheShed]

I realize that GF, Dr. Earth, TT, etc., they probably all lose at least 25% or more when you're not putting the residues. Kind of like with a used teabag. It's usually good for an extra half a cup or something. So not putting the residues, I'm missing part of the Geo Flora treatment. So that's the idea behind putting molasses and Recharge At the midway point.

I'm not sure what residues you're referring to but as I recall Emilya said that GF provided all the microbes needed for the grow. It's tough to grow a large healthy plant in LOS in only 3 gallons of soil. Even the folks who have access to all the ingredients in Rev's soil will say that bigger pots are needed to keep the plant happy to harvest.

 

[CBDMed]

I'm not sure what residues you're referring to but as I recall Emilya said that GF provided all the microbes needed for the grow. It's tough to grow a large healthy plant in LOS in only 3 gallons of soil. Even the folks who have access to all the ingredients in Rev's soil will say that bigger pots are needed to keep the plant happy to harvest.

Yes, I guess my concern is that because I do not have enough room to put the residue as a top dressing, the plants will not get that estimated plus or -20–25% of the nutrition that they would otherwise get.

Since my plants will be missing some 20 or 25% of the nutrition they would normally get with GF, I am wondering if I should make a tea with a kilogram of mushroom compost, recharge, and molasses, or if it is not necessary to make up for those missing nutrients. (Another variable.)

 

[InTheShed]

GF is a complete set of balanced nutrients that can't be replaced by randomly adding other stuff to the top dress. I'd say scrape off whatever is on top to make room for the correct amount of GF for the amount of actual soil you have in there.

Or build up the top of the pots with cardboard or plastic and tape to make the lip taller.

 

[CBDMed]

GF is a complete set of balanced nutrients that can't be replaced by randomly adding other stuff to the top dress. I'd say scrape off whatever is on top to make room for the correct amount of GF for the amount of actual soil you have in there.

Thanks.
Well, oh dear...
I am wondering if maybe I should not have said anything, as this will take time to explain (and maybe you will still not like my answer).

I worked the presribed pre-feed of GF Grow into the soil, and the first topfeed of GF Grow I worked into the 1" EWC layer (which took time).
A few of the plants wilted some when I worked the GF into the 1" EWC layer, so I realized I should not try to work it in after that, because the spreader roots probably got disturbed.
Plus, as mentioned, the GF adds significantly to the height. I estimate I could add ONE more topdress before I would have to put plug stoppers in the feed tubes just to be able to stack the topdresses on and fertigate, and methinks it would be a great big mess (and take a long time)!

Or build up the top of the pots with cardboard or plastic and tape to make the lip taller.

Oy... You would have to make it with a lip so that when you flood with top fertigation it does not spill all over everything, and down the tube. And extend the fill tube... Sorry to say, but it sounds like a lot of time and work....

 

[InTheShed]

3 gallons of soil takes 1/3 cup of GF every two weeks (or so). That should be mostly dissolved before add the next 1/3 cup two weeks later. You don't post a lot of full plant pics that show how full your pots are but 1/3 cup spread across the top of a 5 gallon bucket doesn't add measurable depth.

 

[CBDMed]

3 gallons of soil takes 1/3 cup of GF every two weeks (or so). That should be mostly dissolved before add the next 1/3 cup two weeks later. You don't post a lot of full plant pics that show how full your pots are but 1/3 cup spread across the top of a 5 gallon bucket doesn't add measurable depth.

Ahhh, ok. Now I think I see what you are saying. Thanks.

If I understand correctly, it is better to run 3.5G of soil (i.e., a little less soil) and put all of the topdress, than to run 4G of soil and not put the whole topdress. (That is what I was asking about on the forum before the grow. Now I know.)

I can maybe do 3.5G starting the next grow, except the next grow will probably be supersoil (as it is the cheapest here).

To do that for this grow, I guess I can use the corks.
I hesitate to remove the 1" EWC layer on this grow, as I think there are spreader roots in there (so I am concerned that it might damage the plants).

 

[InTheShed]

If I understand correctly, it is better to run 3.5G of soil (i.e., a little less soil) and put all of the topdress, than to run 4G of soil and not put the whole topdress. (That is what I was asking about on the forum before the grow. Now I know.)

4 gallons of soil would still take less than ½ cup of GF every two weeks. Like I said, across a 5 gallon bucket that can't even be 1/4" deep and it should be mostly gone by the next time you top dress. How little space is there on top of the soil now?

It's always better to be able to feed the soil you have than have more soil than you can feed.

I hesitate to remove the 1" EWC layer on this grow, as I think there are spreader roots in there (so I am concerned that it might damage the plants).

Any reason you can't raise the lip by cutting strips of a gallon milk jug, taping them together, and sliding that inside the lip of the pot to raise the lip by an inch? If the feed tube is the problem then cut the top couple of inches off a soda/water bottle and glue it to the tube narrow end down like a funnel.

Surely there are simple 5 minute solutions to this height issue.

 

[CBDMed]

4 gallons of soil would still take less than ½ cup of GF every two weeks. Like I said, across a 5 gallon bucket that can't even be 1/4" deep and it should be mostly gone by the next time you top dress.

I could be wrong, but it has not been my experience that the residue really disappears.
Before I fertigate, I re-level the surface, and then basically do flood irrigation.
Midweekly spreader root waterings are very light.
ResDog said you want to put as much liquid down the tube as you can, so as not to mess up the water gradient.

How little space is there on top of the soil now?

It's always better to be able to feed the soil you have than have more soil than you can feed.

Right. Good saying.

Any reason you can't raise the lip by cutting strips of a gallon milk jug, taping them together, and sliding that inside the lip of the pot to raise the lip by an inch?

Here??
I can't remember when the last time was that I saw a gallon milk jug.
When you first mentioned it, I thought I could get a bunch more 5 gallon buckets, and cut them just right so that they almost nest, but that's just a lot of messing And I think the next grow is going to be super soil anyway.

If the feed tube is the problem then cut the top couple of inches off a soda/water bottle and glue it to the tube narrow end down like a funnel.

Surely there are simple 5 minute solutions to this height issue.

You are right, there are only like 2 feedings left, so I think I can try with the corks.
Thanks.

 

[InTheShed]

I could be wrong, but it has not been my experience that the residue really disappears.
Before I fertigate, I re-level the surface, and then basically do flood irrigation.
Midweekly spreader root waterings are very light.
ResDog said you want to put as much liquid down the tube as you can, so as not to mess up the water gradient.

Okay, just so I'm clear, you can certainly fit 1/2 cup of GF in this gap, and even do it before the height of the fill tube:

But if you swear you can't, then only the fill tube is the issue because it surely isn't the top of the lip that is. Use the water bottle top trick to raise the height of the tub. Or wrap the tube in Saran wrap/cling film and put a rubber band around it when you're doing your top water.

When you first mentioned it, I thought I could get a bunch more 5 gallon buckets, and cut them just right so that they almost nest, but that's just a lot of messing.

Didn't take me long at all to make this.

 

[CBDMed]

Okay, just so I'm clear, you can certainly fit 1/2 cup of GF in this gap, and even do it before the height of the fill tube:

Yes, but if you do not have enough room, then you cannot do "flood fertigation", which means I have to spend really a lot of time with the watering cans.
However, if you have corks, then you should still be able to flood fertigate.

But if you swear you can't,

To clarify, since there are only two more feedings, I have decided that yes, there IS room, and that I can put the corks and the residues, and still flood fertigate.

then only the fill tube is the issue because it surely isn't the top of the lip that is. Use the water bottle top trick to raise the height of the tub. Or wrap the tube in Saran wrap/cling film and put a rubber band around it when you're doing your top water.


Didn't take me long at all to make this.

Nice build!
I was wondering how to do something like that, you just saved me a whole lot of time on the design!
It seems like you could do that with large trash cans also, in case you wanted to grow a large sativa.