[MEGA]Community Growing advice, tips, tricks, & experiences Part 5 (2012-2013)

[Artificial Emotion]

They're liquid. The fishmix is okay for container growing but for this I prefer to use Plant Magic Oldtimer grow/bloom and to use the fishmix on outdoor plants in the grround/earth when they need a bit of nitrogen after I occasionally see yellowing. The only solid fertilizer I use would be organic fish, blood and bone which is a powder/granule mix that's dug into the soil, although this is usually not needed. The manure is solid as well and has a decent nutrient content (although I would not necessarily call it a fertilizer per se) but it needs to be well rotted before use obviously.

If you are growing in the ground and you want to add a decent amount of really good quality organic nitrogen to the soil I would thoroughly recommend digging a hole in the soil and placing up chopped up fish under the soil. If it has enough time to rot down it will release plenty of nitrogen for your plants. You have to be careful to not have too much N though, otherwise you will have really lush foliage at the expense of the buds.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Greetings everyone,

This is my first time posting. I'll do my very best to not step on any toes here. I've taken time to review stickies and Growing Tips thread already.

I heard a rumor from a friend of mine recently that not only is there a supposed rise in growers using Miracle-Gro in their cannabis plants, but that this is a dangerous practice since, according to my friend, smoking cannabis with traces of the chemicals in Miracle-Gro can have profoundly negative effects on the body, specifically bone/muscle pain, and literal "killing of brain cells".

I am wondering if anyone here can source me material about this, and/or share feedback with me about this supposed issue? It frankly has me worried.

Thank you for your time!

Killing brain cells and bone/muscle pain? Sounds like a myth. If I were you I would be very cautious about 'rumours' you hear.

That said, Miracle Gro has a terrible rep amongst canna growers on account of the crap they add to it. In my opinion it's not suitable for edible/consumable crops, whether it be fruit, veg or canna.

 

[lunalovegood]

Thank you for your feedback, artificial emotion. I am aware that it sounds like a myth, and I am aware that I should be cautious - that's why I'm posting here to hear some solid feedback about it. I know there are dangerous chemicals in it that are very much unsuitable for edible/consumable crops.

It makes sense to me that IF miracle-gro is used in any canna plants, these would be some symptoms, would they not?

Also, I was asking to see if there are not only specific ways to tell if what a person has has been grown with miracle-gro, and furthermore, if anyone else has heard of a supposed rise in this being used within the last few years.

Thanks.

 

[freehugs]

They're liquid. The fishmix is okay for container growing but for this I prefer to use Plant Magic Oldtimer grow/bloom and to use the fishmix on outdoor plants in the grround/earth when they need a bit of nitrogen after I occasionally see yellowing. The only solid fertilizer I use would be organic fish, blood and bone which is a powder/granule mix that's dug into the soil, although this is usually not needed. The manure is solid as well and has a decent nutrient content (although I would not necessarily call it a fertilizer per se) but it needs to be well rotted before use obviously.

If you are growing in the ground and you want to add a decent amount of really good quality organic nitrogen to the soil I would thoroughly recommend digging a hole in the soil and placing up chopped up fish under the soil. If it has enough time to rot down it will release plenty of nitrogen for your plants. You have to be careful to not have too much N though, otherwise you will have really lush foliage at the expense of the buds.

Ok for sure thanks for the reply. Have you ever tried feeding with worm casting tea and fish fertalizer and what not in the tea as well? Because the microorganisms in the castings will start to break to the ferts thus making an organic quickish uptake complete nutrient.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Ok for sure thanks for the reply. Have you ever tried feeding with worm casting tea and fish fertalizer and what not in the tea as well? Because the microorganisms in the castings will start to break to the ferts thus making an organic quickish uptake complete nutrient.

If I'm honest I haven't considered it, no, but for me personally if I had to feed the plants very quickly I would prefer using a foliar spray because I feel it would be more immediate. Organic fertilizers are thankfully able to be absorbed through foliar uptake as well as through the roots.

Thank you for your feedback, artificial emotion. I am aware that it sounds like a myth, and I am aware that I should be cautious - that's why I'm posting here to hear some solid feedback about it. I know there are dangerous chemicals in it that are very much unsuitable for edible/consumable crops.

It makes sense to me that IF miracle-gro is used in any canna plants, these would be some symptoms, would they not?

Also, I was asking to see if there are not only specific ways to tell if what a person has has been grown with miracle-gro, and furthermore, if anyone else has heard of a supposed rise in this being used within the last few years.

Thanks.

Sorry I didn't mean to sound patronizing.

I think it's too difficult to say what the side effects would actually be because a) we don't know exactly what is added and b) the effects would be so subtle that it would be impossible to factor out other causes. But my gut tells me brain damage is unlikely. A far more realistic consequence long term would be something like cancer but who knows for sure? I'm just speculating.

AFAIK it would be impossible to determine whether canna has been grown with Miracle Gro because there is no specific test that would determine that. The only thing that would tip you off is the taste and burn quality but beyond that I would imagine it would be guesswork.

 

[freehugs]

If I'm honest I haven't considered it, no, but for me personally if I had to feed the plants very quickly I would prefer using a foliar spray because I feel it would be more immediate. Organic fertilizers are thankfully able to be absorbed through foliar uptake as well as through the roots.



Sorry I didn't mean to sound patronizing.

I think it's too difficult to say what the side effects would actually be because a) we don't know exactly what is added and b) the effects would be so subtle that it would be impossible to factor out other causes. But my gut tells me brain damage is unlikely. A far more realistic consequence long term would be something like cancer but who knows for sure? I'm just speculating.

AFAIK it would be impossible to determine whether canna has been grown with Miracle Gro because there is no specific test that would determine that. The only thing that would tip you off is the taste and burn quality but beyond that I would imagine it would be guesswork.

Fair enough, it might be worth it
But dude I agree, foliar spray is pretty great. I just have no idea how to calculate ratios for it though so I mainly use it as a pep up.

But just so you know, at the garden I work at, we feed our pots with worm castings/compost/other organic nute tea multiple times a week and it works wonders Its just though to foliar spray when your plants are 20+ feet tall, but since I'm low stress training a bunch this year I'll give it a go.

Oh and 5 Malawi Gold seeds are in the soil, I'm beyond excited.

 

[nekointheclouds]

bump

 

[Fire&Water]

Just wanted to share a tip...
I have easy access to sandy growing areas in full sun. My sativas love fast draining soil I recently did an experiment with 10 big natural sponges soaked in complex B-vitamins, buried about 10-12 inches below the surface - these plant roots are literally turning horizontal, and reaching over up to 5 ft. to wrap themselves around these sponges - most roots are at least 1/4 in. in diameter It's amazing!

And yes, I do water directly on the plant w/ food at least once a day, so they are not starving...though I could probably water them 3 times some days, and they do not get as big as my plants grown in mixed mediums, (which is good because they would be easy to spot)
My strongest, highest THC grown buds have been grown in sand (over the course of 30 years)

 

[the toad]

I still havent planted any outdoor... I really should get after it and get a few plants in begore its too late... Theyll already be a lil small but not too bad... I always grow way more than i can smoke and give most away lol

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Fire & water, thanks for the tip. I know it's unlikely but do you have any pics of the roots growing towards the sponge? What product did you soak it in and what other ingredients where there?

Thetoad, whereabouts do you actually live (like what country)? If you are in the UK you need to pop your seeds now and plant loads to make up for a smaller yield. I hope you do well anyway mate

I have a question maybe nekointheclouds might be able to answer because she knows a lot about arts and crafts but I'm open to advice from anyone. Yellow sticky tape is used in greenhouse and grow rooms which insects stick to, letting you know that you are about to have an infestation of say fungus gnats before you would otherwise know. Insects are naturally attracted to the colour yellow because that is often the colour of dying leaves. Anyway I wanted to make my own but I need a spray on adhesive (for the sake of convenience) which will not dry and will stay sticky enough to trap insects in a warm, humid grow area. What type of spray on glue would you suggest?

 

[Fire&Water]

My other grows are on East Lake Michigan my buddy of 30 years tends to my grows and gets half.
I just got back from visiting, taught him everything about growing and he's getting very good at it...It's basically a B viamin plant food w/ our own B-1, B-12 etc...supplements added, (one cup to a gallon of water) been experimenting with these for 10-15 years I've learned a vigorous root system promotes a vigorous plant.
My buddy pretty much lives off the grid, he walks about 1000 yards every night w/ 4 gallons (crates) of water/food in each hand I'll try to get pictures next visit

 

[nekointheclouds]

I have a question maybe nekointheclouds might be able to answer because she knows a lot about arts and crafts but I'm open to advice from anyone. Yellow sticky tape is used in greenhouse and grow rooms which insects stick to, letting you know that you are about to have an infestation of say fungus gnats before you would otherwise know. Insects are naturally attracted to the colour yellow because that is often the colour of dying leaves. Anyway I wanted to make my own but I need a spray on adhesive (for the sake of convenience) which will not dry and will stay sticky enough to trap insects in a warm, humid grow area. What type of spray on glue would you suggest?

Any brand of artist spray adhesive is good, though you dont want one that is "easy-tack" because that means it isnt permanent and isnt very sticky. The stronger spray adhesives practically never dry, which is why they tell you in bold to not spray over anything of any value. I used "Krylon Spray Adhesive" specifically for many projects and would spray it over scrap news paper spread out and even after drying for days the adhesive that got on the paper would be fresh as just sprayed.

Shit you could spray that on yellow pieces of paper, cut the paper down to the size you want it first, then spray it thoroughly with the adhesive and BAM. Yellow tape.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Thanks neko. I don't know if Krylon Spray Adhesive spray is available over here but at least I know what to look for now. I just hope insects stick to it. I would have thought they would but I'll have to do a bit of experimenting to find out.

 

[nekointheclouds]

I'm almost sure they will, I hated working with that shit for projects cause if you so much as touch where you have sprayed some of that shit your finger will be sticky for awhile. And if you accidently sprayed it ON you, then you were fucked. It would only wash off under very hot water with dish soup and a scrubbing cloth. It might dry out after awhile or collect dust which will impair the stickyness.

 

[Fire&Water]

The yellow color of the strips being the attractor "factor" is somewhat negligible...hopefully your research will reveal post patented ingredient(s) that are safe and easily replicated I just remember reading something ages ago about the color being a small part of the attractant compared to the chemical makeup of the sticky "goo"

Not to dissuade your experiment, I hope you can prove my memory as a normal fade.
Cheers

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Fire&water you might be right for all I know I just found this info on the subject which is interesting, which you might want to look at:

HOW YELLOW TRAPS CATCH INSECTS Aphids, whiteflies, scales, and many other insects initially locate plants on which they feed by using visual cues such as color. However they do not see the colors reflected from the plants in the same way we do. Insects are able to distinguish among the various colors-of light that are reflected from the surface of plants. Therefore, instead of seeing leaves as a green color, they see varying hues of yellow and blue that are reflected from the leaf surface. The color of reflected light that we perceive as yellow (wavelength 500-600 nm) is a major component of the light reflected from plant surfaces, and a greater amount is reflected from newer growth than older growth. Most aphids, whiteflies and scales prefer the newer growth and fly towards objects reflecting lbutarge amounts of light at the proper wavelength. They will be attracted to any object strongly reflecting light in the 500-600 nm range including plants, shirts or cars. This strong response to yellow colored objects can be used to help control the numbers of aphids and whiteflies in your garden. Our yellow card looks like a mass of new foliage to the flying insect and attracts it to the card where it attempts to land. By covering the card with a clean, sticky material such as oil or vaseline, you can reduce the population of aphids or whiteflies in your garden. The impact of the cards will be greatest when pest numbers are low in the spring/ early summer. After aphid or whitefly numbers have built up there are simply too many to allow the card to catch enough to be of any help. Another way of utilizing the color sensitivity of these insects includes placing pans of water colored with yellow food coloring (or pans painted a bright yellow) and mixed with a few drops of detergent in the garden; the insects are attracted to the colored water, land and drown. Other objects that can be used as traps include Melmac® dinnerplates, plywood boards (6" x 12") painted yellow, or old Prestone® antifreeze containers cut in half. The trap must match the yellow color of the card as closely as possible. For those who want to perform simple experiments on their garden, the color response of many insects can be an ideal tool. Simply get several different colors of paint-yellow, green, red, blue and white are good-and paint small boards with each color. Cover with a clear sticky substance such as heavy oil, vaseline, or petroleum jelly and hang in a line near a large bush or tree. Then take daily counts of the insects that are caught. This same experiment can be performed using water traps and food coloring. You might be very surprised by the results.

Division o f Pest Management

 

[WeeksendinginY]

Fungus gnat nematodes work well.

Cinnamon for ants and soapy dish water for aphids.

The top two are used around grow spaces, nematodes are mixed with water and added to soil.

I grow organic and in soil, good luck.

 

[Livinginthealps]

For pest control, mites, gnats, aphids etc. I only use Neem Cake in my dirt. A 50 lb bag of neem cake is less than a $/lb. I only put a half a cup in my holes in the beginning of the season. I use 200, 300 and 400 gallon pots.
So a 50 lb bag will last a long time.

^Makes me want to buy some land. Its shame about the legal restrictions here. 15 ft is not very discrete in the suburbs.

Yup, owing land in an area where you can have 15 ft + giants is amazing. But, sadly not too many options on where you can do such a grow. (and safely)
Even the properties that only have an acre or so and have neighbors have massive OP's. I have lived in many different locations, and their is nothing like far northern california when it comes to growing giants.

 

[FunctionalOlfactio]

Hydro experiment with pictures

I was once a frequent cannabis smoker. I've had many valuable experiences with the cannabis plant. I haven't smoked in years due to concern over the quality of black market cannabis. Personally I am an advocate of legalization and regulation. I recently preformed an experiment in order to provide objective proof to support my position.


I am a hydroponic hobbyist and have a couple years of hydro experience with many different species of flora. I've been growing things in soil for as long as I can remember and grew cannabis in this medium many years ago. My curiosity in regards to the safety of smoking plant material started when I discovered I had dental fluorosis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fluorosis

Apparently, as a child I was exposed to excessive levels of fluoride in municipal water supplies which lead to this benign condition. I don't know all of what's in my municipal water supply. My understanding is that it has changed over the years. I've read that in most developed countries chloramine and various fluoride salts are added. Also depending on where you live there is other stuff left over from the source. Regardless there was enough fluoride in the water when I grew up to bleach my teeth. This got me thinking about how simple the metabolism of plants is. They can't metabolize many of the molecules humans can and they also lack an equivalent to renal function. They do participate in transpiration expelling mainly water vapour and carbon-dioxide. What happens to the rest of the chemicals they consume. I had to ask an old botanist who confirmed my suspicion. Some of the water soluble materials consumed by a plant build up inside of the plant and stay there. I thought of the elementary school experiment with a stick of celery and a glass of water with food colouring in it. I decided to try this experiment on a living plant in my hydro garden.

The procedures were fairly simple. I had an established mimosa growing in rockwool on a standard vegetative solution. My set up is a ebb and flow system. I placed the tree in its own container and watered manually 2-3 times a day as needed with the original nutrient solution mixed with red food colouring. I choose to stop at day eight because the plant was starting to get stressed. The pictures are pretty self explanatory and appear to demonstrate that over the course of time some chemicals do accumulate at concentrations higher than in the water source.

Day 1
http://www.bayimg.com/GaNpoaaEM
Day 3
http://www.bayimg.com/GANpPAAem
Day 4
http://www.bayimg.com/haNpcaAeM
Day 5
http://www.bayimg.com/HaNpdaAem
Day 6
http://www.bayimg.com/hanPfaaeM
Day 7
http://www.bayimg.com/hanphAaEm
Day 8
http://www.bayimg.com/haNpIAaeM


I can't tell you what's in your water so I'll use fluoride salts as an example because they are in mine. I know drinking standard concentrations of fluoride salts has had an objectively verifiable effect on my body. I imagine that the people deciding the amount of fluoride to add to drinking water don't plan on people smoking high concentrations and in doing so bypassing first pass metabolism. I'm sure this applies to other non volatile additives.

I don't smoke cannabis because I don't trust the quality of black market cannabis grown using municipal water supplies. I believe this experiment supports my decision to remain abstinent.

I support legalization and regulation because I believe cannabis users would be safer if cannabis became tested and regulated similar to foodstuffs. This would insure that producers used adequate filtration and responsible growing practices.

In fact some growers already participate in some forms of testing.

http://www.analytical360.com

What are some of your opinions?




--------------------
http://www.shulginresearch.org
http://www.freeleonardpickard.org
http://www.maps.org
http://www.erowid.org

 

[dankplantgrower]

The total amount of weed grown hydroponically might be fairly low to begin with. Also, plenty of hydro users are savvy enough to use RO or treated waters in their systems. What am I looking at in these pictures?

Also Im a medical patient here in CA. You wouldnt believe how popular strain testing is, I believe straingenius is the go to site around here. Everything on the "top shelf" of most reputable shops is tested through the online labs, and labeled accordingly. For example, say you get Masterkush at my shop. On the jar you will see "Masterkush. 18.1% THC. 3.1% CBD 1.1% CBN. Organic" or something like that. Some shops around here seem to try to one up each other over who has the single highest THC% tested strain for sale...