COorganics - All Natural - No-Till With ACT's - Winter Attic Grow

[J189RFC]

I use sticky yellow traps and a layer of sand on top of my soil after watering. Put those damn traps out of the way though or it will get you! I also hear potato slice on top of the soil for 2-3 days and then replaced helps as well but I haven't tried yet.

 

[MagicMediwana]

Gnats... ahem .. sorry for the NOOB question but how do I know what gnats I have. I did see some but not that many and they were not on the plants so I didn't worry about them this run, didn't do anything and they went away to ... somewhere?? Ah well not to worry my mother in law is going to be visiting next week so I gotta tear down my grow tent - she's sleeping in that spare bedroom. If there's any gnats left she will get the rest of em!! Not sure where she's going to get them but just the same they will be dealt with. The ones I saw were small and fast didn't fly very well but were darting around the soil. I'm sure they are gnats cause we get them in the compost I grow outside and make their way indoors in the summer time. Some gnats are beneficial eh?

The ol' 'Sick the MIL on the gnats' approach. Good thinking! She'll get 'em!

 

[SweetSue]

It's not the fungus gnats themselves that are the concern, but their larval young that live below the surface, merrily chewing away on your roots. It's to the grower's benefit to limit the infestation ASAP. I'm not certain one can eliminate them 100%.

I use an improvised duster and hit the mulch surface of the plants with diatomaceous earth on watering day, waiting until the surface has dried before application. It keeps the numbers down significantly while I wait for the bt that was in the dunks to work. I expect it to take a few weeks to break the life cycle of the fungus gnats. Dusting keeps the coverage thin enough not to become a concern for the soil community. In balance it should be a steady silicon supply, which if memory serves me right, is good to have on hand while the plants are strengthening their branches.

Sometimes you just make do with what's on hand and trust the process. The soil is strong. It will learn to adapt and we will eventually reduce the numbers to insignificant numbers. I'm always seeking balance.

CO, I had to laugh at your story about dumping the gnats. My worm bin is now located under my kitchen sink and I recently overloaded with fruit, so the kitchen has fruit flies and fungus gnats. This morning at breakfast Dale fished a fruit fly out of the milk in his cereal and looked over at me. I smiled and said " The kitchen has fruit flies. Deal with it. " LOL

 

[COorganics]

See, that's what I was thinking. In nature it's worms and leaves. I'll periodically drop in moist and leafy greens. Mine also like the egg cartons. I was planning on using flattened ones to make the top cover. Been saving a few of them to use with this bin. I'm looking forward to checking out my original bin. I'll be redoing it as well to just make it better. I've learned quite a lot about the process since starting.

Ok, not for sue, but for anyone doing a smartpot worm bin looking for ideal inputs: buy some HIGH quality compost. (Oly mtn fish, buffaloam, coast of Maine, etc) and fill your smartpot up with this, add worms. This will make the best premo vermicompost/castings on the planet. Also add oyster shell flour.

Worth adding, I think.

 

[COorganics]

It's not the fungus gnats themselves that are the concern, but their larval young that live below the surface, merrily chewing away on your roots. It's to the grower's benefit to limit the infestation ASAP. I'm not certain one can eliminate them 100%.

I use an improvised duster and hit the mulch surface of the plants with diatomaceous earth on watering day, waiting until the surface has dried before application. It keeps the numbers down significantly while I wait for the bt that was in the dunks to work. I expect it to take a few weeks to break the life cycle of the fungus gnats. Dusting keeps the coverage thin enough not to become a concern for the soil community. In balance it should be a steady silicon supply, which if memory serves me right, is good to have on hand while the plants are strengthening their branches.

Sometimes you just make do with what's on hand and trust the process. The soil is strong. It will learn to adapt and we will eventually reduce the numbers to insignificant numbers. I'm always seeking balance.

CO, I had to laugh at your story about dumping the gnats. My worm bin is now located under my kitchen sink and I recently overloaded with fruit, so the kitchen has fruit flies and fungus gnats. This morning at breakfast Dale fished a fruit fly out of the milk in his cereal and looked over at me. I smiled and said " The kitchen has fruit flies. Deal with it. " LOL

See, I think, (please note!!!, I'm not sure) that in true LOS soil fungus gnats aren't so damaging to the fine roots. The thing is we have living mulch, with lots of young roots, and cannabis roots.... But I don't ever see any evidence of fungus gnat larvae being destructive to these. I think they are munching on the abundance of organic matter in the system. I actually read somewhere yesterday that fungus gnats are composters, themselves. The guy hypothesized that you could have a fungus gnat composting bin, much like a worm bin. Crazy idea, huh?

 

[SweetLeef]

See, I think, (please note!!!, I'm not sure) that in true LOS soil fungus gnats aren't so damaging to the fine roots. The thing is we have living mulch, with lots of young roots, and cannabis roots.... But I don't ever see any evidence of fungus gnat larvae being destructive to these. I think they are munching on the abundance of organic matter in the system. I actually read somewhere yesterday that fungus gnats are composters, themselves. The guy hypothesized that you could have a fungus gnat composting bin, much like a worm bin. Crazy idea, huh?

My girlfriend is down with the worm farm idea, but I don't think I could convince her to have a gnat farm. Nor do I want one. That is a funny thought though

 

[SweetSue]

I know they love my worm bin. You may be on to something. I think about that every time I open up the worm bin and find them there. And our soil does have a higher ratio of organic matter. That would explain why they tend to be more annoyance than trouble in LOS.

 

[COorganics]

They really are no trouble for me. In fact every time I squish one and throw it in my containers, I think "free Chitin, coming in!"

All jokes aside, I'd prefer to have no gnats.

 

[SweetLeef]

So I'll probably be ordering worms later this month, as far as bedding goes I was thinking of using 25-50% used soil full of wheatgrass roots, and the rest shredded paper and egg cartons.

Is that an acceptable start for a little farm? I will be doing a DIY tote worm farm. I read to fill it about 3/4 with bedding. Does that sound right?

Besides the link you posted earlier, where else should I look for a good concise source of worm information?

 

[drcannabi]

Hi CO,

I see a lot of people using the term Living Organic Soil (LOS), but Tad from KIS Organics calls it Organic Living Soil (OLS). Just wondering what the proper term is? Not even sure if it's really worth discussing since they are identical in their meaning. It's just that there is so much misinformation out there that I really like to get facts straight when I can. Maybe you can help me overcome my OCD with this LOL!

Super excited for your Cookies grow. If there was that kind of genetics available here I'd be all over it!

 

[COorganics]

Sweetleaf, do you have a few bucks to spend to optimize things?

 

[COorganics]

Dr,
LOS is basically what a select group of folks call it. (A group I have learned much from!!). Tad and MM are doing there own, but similar thing, as far as I can tell.

I think most folks who really know what they are doing are using a base mix + amendments derived from the work of ClackamasCootz, Gasacastan, Jay Kush, microbeman, and others. I mean, it's tried and true nowadays, I missed the beginning and was late to the party myself.

So yes, LOS means something other than, "hey, I think I'm growing organic, I read this thread and now I call my soil LOS".

If you are using the KIS, OLS, or whatever they call it, you've found the holy grail of organics. It's how I grow and the smoke blows my mind. I prefer to do all they leg work way ahead of time and grow my ultra dank for pennies. You will to, once you've been at it a bit. Your LOS, OLS is gonna be one of the best grows on this forum, I predict. And soon you will have multiple compost projects running, sprouting heirloom corn seeds for teas etc. wait and see.

Back to acronyms, It only seems necessary to me because of the bad info on organics and the bottles and the TLO, it just seems necessary to me to define that I'm doing something different, and better.

People say to me often," I grow 100% organic, I've been using the XXXXX line and I love it." It's like comparing apples to turds IMO.

 

[SweetLeef]

Sweetleaf, do you have a few bucks to spend to optimize things?

Lay it on me CO. I want things to be optimized for sure. I'm just trying to make things work and get things rolling. I know you understand. But I know that you probably know a better way and will point me in the right direction. I have spent the last couple of days reading what google comes up with, but feel like the info is a little vague, and mostly copied from one page. The link you posted is great, but I don't get some of it and I want to. So please, lay it on me brother!

 

[drcannabi]

Thank you so much CO for taking the time to explain that to me. It makes perfect sense. OLS/LOS is the same thing just called by a different name. Now my OCD can take a nap lol

I'm very grateful that I found this method of growing so early on. I hear exactly what your saying about the organic bottle growers. If they could just see the light -- their weed would be better And they'd have allot more dollars to spend on munchies

You're absolutely on the mark as far as the compost piles hehehe. I actually dream of making my own compost now. I've got my spring activities all planned.

Thanks again for the information

 

[SweetSue]

Ok, not for sue, but for anyone doing a smartpot worm bin looking for ideal inputs: buy some HIGH quality compost. (Oly mtn fish, buffaloam, coast of Maine, etc) and fill your smartpot up with this, add worms. This will make the best premo vermicompost/castings on the planet. Also add oyster shell flour.

Worth adding, I think.

From what I've read the best on that list is Coast of Maine. After my experiment with leaves is complete that will be my next glorious addition to my worm population.

 

[SweetSue]

Sweetleaf, do you have a few bucks to spend to optimize things?

Explain. I seem to always make funds available when they're really needed.

 

[SweetSue]

drcannabi, I've also seen it called Real Organic Living Soil (ROLS). LOL! Many ways to say the same thing - build a soil rich in microbial life and let the soil grow the plant for you. It's growing the soil as a pet.

SweetLeaf, I know it can seem vague on one hand or intimidating once you encounter so many different views. Google "no-till cannabis" and be prepared to be wowed. You're definitely headed in the right direction, and it will become an obsession. Here I am in a tiny apartment growing two incredible plants in a teeny closet with water only and playing around with worms and leaf mold. LOL!

Once I located a good source for supplies to build a soil it became so easy. A small investment in a nutrient and mineral kit based on CC's work and I was well on my way to success. Take the time to get better educated. It takes a month (minimum) to cook the soil mix anyway. Now I'm planning to grow more different plants in SIP containers and living soil on our balcony and gaining a working understanding of soil biology and micro communities. A new hobby is born.

We're going to be the standard of growing technique in a few year's time. Just watch.

 

[COorganics]

Starting a worm bin with premium compost in a large smartpot is what we're talking about. Sweetleaf, here is some cheap, good compost for sale in your area.
Portland Gravel, Portland Topsoil, Portland Compost, Portland Bark Mulch - Pickup or Delivery

Having the worms work compost, as opposed to rawer materials, means you get castings quicker. And using quality compost ensures that you are getting really high quality castings.

You don't have to buy compost, make it! But while your waiting for your own, buy some and get the ball rolling. Coast of Maine sounds like great compost, with the lobster shell. Reminds me to try to do some restaurant dumpster diving after valentines day and try and score free lobster shells for my own compost.

All you need is a big smartpot, or preferable get 2 or 3 and stagger them a little bit, so you harvest fresh castings more often. You need worms, red wiggler composting worms are what I like to use. Get a lot, 5 lbs, sweetleaf. Get some premium compost, enough to fill your smartpot(s) up around 3/4 of the way. Add worms, then cover up the whole smartpot with a health dusting of oyster shell flour, then a thick layer of leaves, from that chopped up pile you made.

Around 4 months later you are going to be swimming in awesome vermicompost. Use in soil mix, periodically apply a nice thick layer to all your containers, use in ACT's, EWC slurries. Eat some for breakfast... Jk.

That's what id do if I were you.

 

[SoilGirl]

Hey CO, you make your own Aloe Vera juice right? Would you mind sharing how you do that? I just got an aloe plant today - and actually one of the leaves is damaged and might fall off - I'd like to make use of it while its fresh if I can

 

[drcannabi]

Hey CO, you make your own Aloe Vera juice right? Would you mind sharing how you do that? I just got an aloe plant today - and actually one of the leaves is damaged and might fall off - I'd like to make use of it while its fresh if I can

x 2 Please Mr CO!