I’m thinking a 2-8-4 / 4-4-4 combo with castings… If your looking for a flower booster look into Seaweed Extract (water Soluble meaning you add in your water not top dress). Vs going with the kelp meal
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I like that idea! My only issue is a lack of 2-8-4 in my repertoire. Time to go out and get some! My local garden store doesn’t carry DTE amendments I like to use so I may purchase from a different brand. Possibly epsoma, which is what my local store carries. Should be just fine.
Is the seaweed extract more concentrated in p/k or something? More trace minerals? Or does it just uptake through the roots much easier? I’ve seen it at the local shop but I’ve never pulled the trigger on trying some over the regular meal I usually use
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Something like this, @Mpower11 is what you’re referring to? I’ll check some out & add as a light feed. The girls would probably want something ASAP when I get back, also. Thank you, Mark!
Liquid Seaweed for Plants (32 oz) Quart | Concentrated Liquid Kelp Supplement from Blue Planet Nutrients | Hydroponic Aeroponic Soil Coco Coir | for All Plants & Gardens https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UBEL5E0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_A17EZMMG40PG5R74K0R9
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I have used this product in early flower and liked the results but only 1 feeding no more…
It’s a lot different that the one you linked
Mine is 0-0-17
Works get as a spray also
Before we talk about top dress it sounds to be your looking to add products for better buds. If I’m correct what is your thoughts on tea. Nothing is better for a plant than a nice tea. Plus you can add little extras bonus things into your tea to activate them for better results.
This is my go too
Keep the top dress simply add all the bonus into teas
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I like teas! Though, I have had little luck in brewing them in the past. I’m excited to brew some and I think it sounds good. I have a bunch of ingredients for the tea to use. I’ll send pics when I get back, but what’s your recommendation for ingredients for an early flower brew?
That seaweed extract isn’t as available in my area as others but I’ll look into similar ones. Usually I find my teas either are not high in concentration or bacterial/fungal activation. I have to adjust a few factors like bucket size and pump strength etc
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First I’m going to chat about current grow then I will follow up future plan
For Tea I’m starting with a pre made base Boogie Brew Base A and B (keeping this simply right now)
Now I will take this tea as my starting point I brew for 24 hours and water down with RO water for 1:2 Rate and use as is…
Sometimes I want to add a little extra
Example say in Veg I need more N say… I will add Frass Grass to the tea but I add this at 18 hours then finish the Brew at 24 hours… If added early it will make a feeding fency in the tea which isn’t good…
Example 2
I will Carbs into my tea in flower… I use Brix… Same thing 18 hours add in brew for 24 hours…
Example 3
In Veg and early flower I will Add extra worm castings in at the start of the brew…
What I do is Add my A and B in a container… You see in this picture I added extra worm castings
Add the Tea in the bag
Then add air stone in bag
Then I add 2 stones medium size stones in the bucket… Air is your friend when making teas
Then after a couple hours
Finished product
This has worked well for me but next grow I’m going to make my tea without buying the Base A/B plan is to follow this recipe
Veg
Flower
Finish
Let’s start here and see if you have any questions and go from there
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I don’t know if I recommended this book to you before but it’s great just make sure it’s 2nd Edition
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Thank you so much for all the info! This is huge. I’ve gathered the majority of the ingredients and I believe I will be able to put this into action next week. I have the perfect bucket for it and plan to use the organic input method recommended in your book. What a gift, my friend! Thanks so much. I actually am reading a book this week called Teaming with Microbes, so once I finish that I will purchase the one you recommended!
I have some azomite coming in the mail soon and plan to purchase a dry bloom fertilizer soon, as well as bat guano. I’ll be all set I feel. Maybe some insect frass as well. Build a soil might be the spot.
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Sorry for the delay in reply… Needed all those pictures before I could reply…
Teaming with Microbes looks like a good book… I may get myself a copy also…
True Living soil book covers everything From A to Z… I believe you will enjoy the book… If you want I have a copy of first edition on PDF I can share but Second edition has updated Tea recipes etc… Plus you can’t bet having a hard copy…
All good stuff your getting… Frass is high in N and it’s packed with Humic acid and Vitamin’s very good for the plants if timed right… But not every feeding… Just to much…
Build a soil rocks I know so many people that live it there. Wish I could order from them but shipping costs make it not possible for me…
Good luck you have questions I’m around if needed
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I definitely plan to grab a hard copy of the book, but I really appreciate your offer!
I do have one question. The recipe calls for a humic acid. I have something coming in the mail called URB natural and it’s an organic humic and microbial innoculant. Do you think that’ll work for the tea?
Also, if I do not implement all of the required ingredients for the tea, will that cause an imbalance in the ratios and burn my plants?
To be honest I was going to use the tea at half strength my first time, but if you think that’s a bad idea please let me know. I’m trying to go easy on the plants. None of them seem to be heavy feeders as of yet, the gold leaf may be the heaviest feeder in the tent.
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I don’t see this being a problem
Depends on what your leaving out required products you need for sure… There is a few products listed as optional
If there were my plants I would do this
Example lets say you need 5 gallons of water to feed the plants
I would make 2.5 gallons of tea then add 2.5 gallons of water…
Unless it’s just the picture to me your plants are starting to look hungry… Don’t get me wrong they look great no issues right now at all… Just I think it’s feeding time… When your back I would consider removing some more Fan leafs also… Congratulations looking like some fire coming
Also when watering I would do it like this if possible
Watering Twice
Arguably one of the most important fundamental practices in TLO container growing is watering
twice. This can have a huge influence on root health as well as mineral absorption. Here’s how it
works: you water with plain water, lightly, until you see some water run out the bottom of the
container. Then wait for at least 1 hour (I often wait a couple of hours) then water again until you see
drainage from the bottom. This evenly saturates the container soil mix and the roots. If you do not do
this, the roots will actually start guiding the water flow through the container and you will end up with
dry spots that are bad for roots, and bad for plants, especially when container growing!
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That’s all killer info. Thank you, Mark!
I do not implement the watering twice method but I will now. Beginning when I come back I will have a more organized feeding schedule, as I have landed a position working at an organic farm during the week! I’ll be able to see my girls every night of the week. I’m giddy!
With that, I’ll have more time to organize my grow as well as take more time to feed.
In regards to certain ingredients I’d leave out, I was referring to some of the ingredients like the high N bat quano. I suppose whatever I leave out would need supplementation down the line whether it be amending or another tea down the road… so it’s best to add as many or all of the ingredients. Okay. Thank you for clearing that up! They are certainly starting to look hungry, so I’ll whip up a tea the day I get back, they’ll be fed dechlorinated, filtered water pH 6.1-6.8 with added Orca Myco until Saturday.
Definitely beginning to look lighter and lighter. Though, the light tends to make them look slightly yellow/puke colored in pictures. When I left they looked lush, maybe I should’ve amended before I left, but I was too worried about changing factors before I left and couldn’t fix them myself for a week.
Edit: this is all gold bars of knowledge! Thank you @Mpower11 for sharing!
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Np…
Sounds like your on track and have a ready good handle on everything… Yes I believe you should have Top Dressed before you left… When your back I would add a good shot of worm castings they will help speed up the time it takes to break down the nutes…
I rotate from tea to top dress also… Not both at the same time… In your case I would consider a small top dress / Tea combo only because I feel the soil is low on nutes
I forgot to add… The left over product in the tea bag after brew I split up as top dress before I feed the tea… (water it in)
Also on the water twice with Living soiling… You want the runoff as little as possible. When you see the first drop stop there
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Thank you!
Definitely going to do this and follow up. I’ve been meaning to mention that I will be training with bamboo stakes when I get back. They are on their way to my house, I think the stakes will help me fill out the space and open the canopy, albeit a bit late. Either way, the bud sites could use more light and airflow, as many of the plants grow tight to the stalk, really sharp-angled upward growth on a lot of the side branching caused the bud sites to be too close together. Plus additional support for the colas down the line.
I rotate from tea to top dress also… Not both at the same time… In your case I would consider a small top dress / Tea combo only because I feel the soil is low on nutes
How often do you feed teas/top dress? I understand top dressing every thirty days, does that mean that you feed teas every thirty days, with two weeks in between your top dress and teas? Or do you feed teas more often? I want to make sure I’m understanding your schedule.
In this particular case I’ll top dress w/ castings and do a compost tea at half strength (brewed at full strength) at the same time and top dress the tea components prior to the feeding.
You were right about the plants becoming hungry while I’m gone. Here’s a few pics from my aunt who watered them last night:
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The most beautiful shades of green 
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Certainly coming along!! 
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That will work I have tried stakes plastic before… I stopped doing it because I needed half a dozen in the pot and I was concerned about disturbing roots… ended up not seeing a problem but you never know…
That is a really good question… The hardest part about growing this way is timing… What I found works the best for me is this…
Example Week 4 in veg (first feed)
I start with Top Dress 7 days later I add Compost Tea… Because they are close together I adjust accordingly strength of top dress / Tea… not to over do it… You can always add more
Normally repeat the 2 to 3 weeks later…
I like to top dress first because after abut 1 week the top dress starts to become available to the plant… Then you add the tea and it really aids breaking down the food from 7 days ago…
But I don’t feed based on Time… I feed based on when I feel it’s time again by the way the plant looks… But Like I said normally it’s 2 to 3 weeks later. Once you learn to understand what the plant is wanting… I call this reading the plant you will be untouchable
I agree… In your case top dress as soon as you get home… I would go heavy on worm cast because it will aid the breakdown of nutes and you need that ASAP… Same day your home start your 24 brew for the next day feeding… IF they were my plants that is what I would do… And don’t forgot to add the carbs… This is prime time for carbs… This is the product that brings on the flavors
Yes they are very hungry
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I should add this also… The bigger the pot size the better everything will be and easier…
My next grow I’m going to finish in 10 to 12 gallon pots (at least that’s the plan at the moment)… But once in flower I don’t recommend you change pots anymore… Should be in your final pot before you flip
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Awesome info. I’ll do all of the above when I get home and begin brewing the tea at that time as well. At this point I’m ready to get home! Leaving tomorrow night…
Went for a bike ride today w/ semi-electric bikes! Super fun and gorgeous views out here in northeast Vermont. Highly recommend this leisure spot.
On my next run, I’m going to do either 10 or 15-gallon pots for my sister cookies & fluffhead og to flower. they’ll be able to fill out and then I’ll probably just use those pots from there & re-amend & plant seeds right next to the stalk or transplant next to the stalk.
The 5-gallon pots I’m using now are good. I like that they stay wet for a day or two, but not easily accessible to reach the plants for watering. I’m in a tight space. I can see now that a pump system for watering would be most beneficial for a possible pheno-hunt in 3-5 gal pots.
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