Organic Top Dressing

[Northern Boxer]

I have made the transition to my first supersoil grow and my plants have been responding nicely. A few weeks ago I prepared a top dress to be used into the first few weeks of flowering which consisted of worm castings, bokashi , kelp meal, bat guano, bone meal, glacial rock dust, and kelp meal. I mixed it up in a pail with a sealed lid and put it aside until plans to use next week. When I recently opened it a fungus growth has covered the entire surface of the mix. A grow pal indicated that this was good sign of microbial activity and suggested to stir it up and used as planned. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[MassMedMan]

I would agree with him. Worm castings with some kelp meal sitting in a bucket, alone, will grow you some benis. Especially with some moisture locked in there.... that's good stuff

That's a rich mix you have right there, sounds good but be careful.

Nice job making your own soil and doing it that way. I miss that. Lot of work, but very noticeable and worth it.

Stay frosty

 

[lxcpanda]

the fungus is mycelium, the hyphal network to carry microbes and nutrients along and directly into the root of the plant. it's good stuff and i wouldnt disturb it. i believe it is because you top dressed with bokashi, usually in bran form. powdered oats will do the same, great in flowering. next time i suggest applying the amendments (ewc first, others after) directly to the growing medium/bed, so as to not disturb the mycelium.

 

[Northern Boxer]

Thanks for your response. My organic grow has been somewhat experimental. The plants on the right were transplanted into a global mix of amendments and have literally depleted the nitrogen source in the 5th week of flowering while the plants on the left had a layer of amendments on the floor of the pot prior to transplanting. For my next grow I'm going to experiment with custom blended nutrient spikes which hopefully will supply an extended supply of nitrogen based amendments a little longer into the bloom stage. I hit them with the last application of compost tea last week and will be straight RO water for the last 3 or so weeks of flowering.

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

Awesome plants man. Im strongly contemplating the organic route

 

[Northern Boxer]

Thanks. Initially it's more work than feeding from a bottle but the benefits are well worth it. What convinced me was a couple friends grew the same genetics, one living soil and the other chem nutes and the difference was extremely noticeable. I hope to get it to the point where it becomes literally an add water grow but I still have a lot to learn.

 

[bobrown14]

I hope to get it to the point where it becomes literally an add water grow but I still have a lot to learn.

What I see is the plants on the right are using up nutrients stored in the leaves to grow bigger frostier flowers.

 

[FungiClay]

This is what you want on your worm castings that you make your comcost tea for flower to achieve a fungally dominated tea. Several days before brewing the tea, mix the compost with a simple protein like powered oatmeal. 3-4tlbs per cup. Warmth (27C), moister and darkness. In about 3 days the invisible hyphal threads should have merged into a network of visible mycelia.