Elephant Man's Grow Journal, 1st attempt

[Elephant Man]

Dude, it's sooo tiring to dig through an entire website for an answer to a specific question. Getting a link specific to the topic is more useful than just reading a whole mag. I dunno where to begin. I did read an 'herbal tea' prep article which had some ingredients sim to what you're using. I still need to follow up on the lit tho...

I do not read much literature aimed at MJ cultivation. I think a lot is replete with errors. Initially I read some of the 'bibles' of growing but had problems with lack of hard knowledge or specifics.

So now when I have q's I go to botany sites, agricultural sites, or search pubmed which is one of the largest scientific databases in the world. While I like learn from other people's experience, I temper that with doing my own reading. Not tryin to be difficult, just the way I do it.

I did some reading on your link in my pm but still couldn't find what I was looking for.

RE: Above article: I can see the usefulness in looking at overall biomass of microorganisms in general and P release (although most commercial preps use bioavailable NPK). I think his cautions here are appropriate;

"Although growth promotion in such cases is generally associated with increased plant P nutrition, it is difficult in many cases to ascertain whether increased P-mobilization is either the cause or the consequence of the response.

Similarly, many other organisms (including mixed populations of soil bacteria and fungi, that often are only poorly characterized) have been promoted as commercial inoculants with claims that they increase plant growth through P-mobilization. Unfortunately, in most cases detailed evidence to support these claims does not exist."

I think this is the crux of my ongoing questions regarding specific microorganisms. I think there's value in them, but I want to look at it's usefulness with each piece I add. I have learned the hard way that adding more stuff, more things can really throw my grow off (happened this time) just by hearing a 'good idea' and not looking into it.

I need my own 'organics' forum to really cover everything I have read. I see what your saying about components, but that is a long dusty road my freind. Out of all the beneficials I use, I know specifics on about a dozen...out of thousands. I am not sure anyone knows all of their purposes...I do know alot more is known about the mycorrhizael type (fungal) than the bacterial type.

I do not think anyone knows which species of myco will inhabit mj either. Everything I have read says it depends on environment, as these beasties are often infinately adaptable.

Microbial farming has been around for a long time, I have about a month reading in it. I can tell you where to collect a few species of myco on your own, but as far as what they will do or whether or not they will inhabit your plant...well...
I can tell you this though...they live in symbiance with the plant...and in no way will be harmful.
I can also tell you this...it works.
My plants are impervious to drought, pests, deficiencies, ph, and more.
And believe me...I am still trying to kill one...the only way I know for sure to do so is to add something synthetic and wipe out your soillife, or, with constant powerful innoculations, you can rob a plant of P...but even that has not succeeded in killing one.

 

[Elephant Man]

http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html

http://www.newfarm.org/features/0404/microorgs/index.shtml

http://www.agriton.nl/higa.html

http://www.sunseed.org.uk/page.asp?p=167

http://www.ffp.csiro.au/research/mycorrhiza/index.html

Some of my favorite places to read...

...and my favorite one of them all.

http://www.attra.ncat.org/

 

[Zarnon]

Cool! I'll look into it.

I agree, it's a very very complex and incompletely understood area. I thinn the more we apply rigorous scientific principles, the more successful we're going to be in creating the 'ultra mix'.

 

[Elephant Man]

Cool! I'll look into it.

I agree, it's a very very complex and incompletely understood area. I thinn the more we apply rigorous scientific principles, the more successful we're going to be in creating the 'ultra mix'.

Yeah...I'm gonna start messing with a few soon...currently looking at beastie freindly ways to adjust ph...if even necessary.

Few pics of my weeds too:

 

[THE BROTHER'S GRUNT]

Whats going on Eman. Man them ladies in the pics look killer. Whatever that stuff is that you feed them sure does the job. One of these days were gonna quit the MG and try our own mix but as of now it's not broke so were not gonna fix it. As always my friend great job.

 

[Elephant Man]

Whats going on Eman. Man them ladies in the pics look killer. Whatever that stuff is that you feed them sure does the job. One of these days were gonna quit the MG and try our own mix but as of now it's not broke so were not gonna fix it. As always my friend great job.

Thanks TBG...I would love to see you get yourself some FF Ocean Forest and some FF POM ferts...that's all you really need with the big bloom to be organic.

 

[Elephant Man]

Just in case there were any of you in doubt of the extent of my madness...here you go. An all seed grow.

6 prime young ladies and one lucky male...actually, male pheno b is still in there...'lesser stag scent' and all lol.

Specially designed cab, 24K lumens of overdriven flouros (512w), filtered intake and exhaust, externally controlled misting system...don't try this at home.

2 White Widow males (99% sure only pheno A is staying once they are ripe)
2 White Widow females (2 best phenos of 5)
2 Blue Mystic clones
2 Nirvana Special clones

Let the pollen fly. Go get em' boy.

 

[Elephant Man]

Been helping a few peeps out messing with organics...this is the most complete list of organic npk profiles I have to date:

Alfalfa Hay: 2.45/05/2.1
Apple Fruit: 0.05/0.02/0.1
Apple Leaves: 1.0/0.15/0.4
Apple Pomace: 0.2/0.02/0.15
Apple skins(ash) : 0/3.0/11/74
Banana Residues (ash): 1.75/0.75/0.5
Barley (grain): 0/0/0.5
Barley (straw): 0/0/1.0
Basalt Rock: 0/0/1.5
Bat Guano: 5.0-8.0/4.0-5.0/1.0
Beans, garden(seed and hull): 0.25/0.08/03
Beet Wastes: 0.4/0.4/0.7-4.1
Blood meal: 15.0/0/0
Bone Black: 1.5/0/0
Bonemeal (raw): 3.3-4.1/21.0/0.2
Bonemeal (steamed): 1.6-2.5/21.0/0.2
Brewery Wastes (wet): 1.0/0.5/0.05
Buckwheat straw: 0/0/2.0
Cantaloupe Rinds (ash): 0/9.77/12.0
Castor pomace: 4.0-6.6/1.0-2.0/1.0-2.0
Cattail reeds and water lily stems: 2.0/0.8/3.4
Cattail Seed: 0.98/0.25/0.1
Cattle Manure (fresh): 0.29/0.25/0.1
Cherry Leaves: 0.6/0/0.7
Chicken Manure (fresh): 1.6/1.0-1.5/0.6-1.0
Clover: 2/0/0/0 (also contains calcium)
Cocoa Shell Dust: 1.0/1.5/1.7
Coffee Grounds: 2.0/0.36/0.67
Corn (grain): 1.65/0.65/0.4
Corn (green forage): 0.4/0.13/0.33
Corn cobs: 0/0/2.0
Corn Silage: 0.42/0/0
Cornstalks: 0.75/0/0.8
Cottonseed hulls (ash): 0/8.7/23.9Cottonseed Meal: 7.0/2.0-3.0/1.8
Cotton Wastes (factory): 1.32/0.45/0.36
Cowpea Hay: 3.0/0/2.3
Cowpeas (green forage): 0.45/0.12/0.45
Cowpeas (seed): 3.1/1.0/1.2
Crabgrass (green): 0.66/0.19/0.71
Crabs (dried, ground): 10.0/0/0 (I personally just crush the shells with my foot)
Crabs (fresh): 5.0/3.6/0.2
Cucumber Skins (ash): 0/11.28/27.2 ( WOW!!!! Who knew???)
Dried Blood: 10.0-14.0/1.0-5.0/0
Duck Manure (fresh): 1.12/1.44/0.6
Eggs: 2.25/0.4/0.15
Eggshells: 1.19/0.38/0.14
Feathers: 15.3/0/0
Felt Wastes: 14.0/0/1.0
Field Beans (seed): 4.0/1.2/1.3
Feild Beans (shells): 1.7/0.3/1.3
Fish (dried, ground): 8.0/7.0/0
Fish Scraps (fresh): 6.5/3.75/0
Gluten Meal: 6.4/0/0
Granite Dust: 0/0/3.0-5.5
Grapefruit Skins (ash): 0/3.6/30.6 (And people throw these things away? Wow!)
Grape Leaves: 0.45/0.1/0.4
Grape Pomace: 1.0/0.07/0.3
Grass (imature): 1.0/0/1.2
Greensand: 0/1.5/7.0
Hair: 14/0/0/0
Hoof and Horn Meal: 12.5/2.0/0
Horse Manure (fresh): 0.44/0.35/0.3
Incinerator Ash: 0.24/5.15/2.33
Jellyfish (dried): 4.6/0/0
Kentucky Bluegrass (green): 0.66/0.19/0.71
Kentucky Bluegrass (hay): 1.2/0.4/2.0
Leather Dust: 11.0/0/0
Lemon Culls: 0.15/0.06/0.26
Lemon Skins (ash): 06.33/1.0
Lobster Refuse: 4.5/3.5/0
Milk: 0.5/0.3/0.18
Millet Hay: 1.2/0/3.2
Molasses Residue
(From alcohol manufacture): 0.7/0/5.32
Molasses Waste
(From Sugar refining): 0/0/3.0-4.0
Mud (fresh water): 1.37/0.26/0.22
Mud (harbour): 0.99/0.77/0.05
Mud (salt): 0.4.0/0
Mussels: 1.0/0.12/0.13
Nutshells: 2.5/0/0
Oak Leaves: 0.8/0.35/0.2
Oats (grain): 2.0/0.8/0.6
Oats (green fodder): 0.49/0/0
Oat straw: 0/0/1.5
Olive Pomace: 1.15/0.78/1.3
Orange Culls: 0.2/0.13/0.21
Orange Skins: 0/3.0/27.0 (Right up there with Grapefruit. Note: both can attract fruit flies so, bury them in the compost)
Oyster Shells: 0.36/0/0
Peach Leaves: 0.9/0.15/0.6
Pea forage: 1.5-2.5/0/1.4
Peanuts (seed/kernals): 3.6/0.7/0.45
Peanut Shells: 3.6/0.15/0.5 (I grind them up in the food processor first)
Pea Pods (ash): 0/3.0/9.0 (I cut them up with a pair of scissors while shelling them)
Pea (vines): 0.25/0/0.7
Pear Leaves: 0.7/0/0.4
Pigeon manure (fresh): 4.19/2.24/1.0
Pigweed (rough): 0.6/0.1/0
Pine Needles: 0.5/0.12/0.03
Potato Skins (ash): 0/5.18/27.5
Potaote Tubers: 0.35/0.15/2.5
Potatoe Vines (dried): 0.6/0.16/1.6
Prune Refuse: 0.18/0.07/0.31
Pumpkins (fresh): 0.16/0.07/0.26
Rabbitbrush (ash): 0/0/13.04
Rabbit Manure: 2.4/1.4/0.6
Ragweed: 0.76/0.26/0
Rapeseed meal: 0/1.0=2.0/1.0=3.0
Raspberry leaves: 1.45/0/0.6
Red clover hay: 2.1/0.6/2.1
Redrop Hay: 1.2/0.35/1.0
Rock and Mussel Deposits
From Ocean: 0.22/0.09/1.78
Roses (flowers): 0.3/0.1/0.4
Rye Straw: 0/0/1.0
Salt March Hay: 1.1/0.25/0.75
Sardine Scrap: 8.0/7.1/0
Seaweed (dried): 1.1-1.5/0.75/4.9 (Seaweed is loaded with micronutrients including: Boron, Iodine, Magnesium and so on.)
Seaweed (fresh): 0.2-0.4/0/0
Sheep and Goat Manure (fresh): 0.55/0.6/0.3
Shoddy and Felt: 8.0/0/0
Shrimp Heads (dried): 7.8/4.2/0
Shrimp Wastes: 2.9/10.0/0
Siftings From Oyster Shell Mounds: 0.36/10.38/0.09
Silk Mill Wastes: 8.0/1.14/1.0
Silkworm Cocoons:10.0/1.82/1.08
Sludge: 2.0/1.9/0.3
Sludge (activated): 5.0/2.5-4.0/0.6
Smokehouse/Firepit Ash:0/0/4.96 (I put the ashes from my smoker in the pile)
Sorghum Straw:0/0/1.0
Soybean Hay: 1.5-3.0/0/1.2-2.3
Starfish: 1.8/0.2/0.25
Sugar Wastes (raw): 2.0/8.0/0
Sweet Potatoes: 0.25/0.1/0.5
Swine Manure (fresh): 0.6/0.45/0.5
Tanbark Ash: 0/0.34/3.8
Tanbark Ash (spent): 0/1.75/2.0
Tankage: 3.0-11.0/2.0-5.0/0
Tea Grounds: 4.15/0.62/0.4
Timothy Hay: 1.2/0.55/1.4
Tobacco Leaves: 4.0/0.5/6.0
Tobacco Stems: 2.5-3.7/0.6-0.9/4.5-7.0
Tomatoe Fruit: 0.2/0.07/0.35 (A note on tomatoe fruit: These should be hot composted. I just let any rotted or insect eaten tomatoes compost in the soil beneath the plants and have "freebees" come back each consecutive year. Hot composting will kill the seeds.)
Tomatoe Leaves: 0.35/0.1/0.4
Tomatoe Stalks: 0.35/0.1/0.5
Tung Oil Pumace: 6.1/0/0
Vetch Hay: 2.8/0/2.3
Waste Silt: 9.5/0/0
Wheat Bran: 2.4/2.9/1.6
Wheat (grain): 2.0/0.85/0.5
Wheat Straw: 0.5/0.15/0.8
White Clover (Green): 0.5/0.2/0.3
Winter Rye Hay: 0/0/1.0
Wood Ash: 0/1.0-2.0/6.0-10.0 (A note on Wood ash: Wood Ash can contain chemicals that could harm plants and also carcinogens so, they should be composted in moderation)
Wool Wastes: 3.5-6.0/2.0-4.0/1.0-3.5

 

[Elephant Man]

Bit more:

Organic fertilizer:

Nitrogen sources:
legumes (pea, fava, alfalfa, clover, etc. )
with inoculant
increase N, P, K, and make soil more acidic
vetch and rye - plant in the fall,
work in as green manure in spring
2 weeks before planting
or stalk chop as mulch
alfalfa - inoculate with Rhizobium meliloti
from Bountiful Gardens

Potassium sources - for flowering and fruit
wood chips, Russian Comfrey, stinging nettle,
grass family, yarrow, maple leaves, borage,
clover, sunflower family

Phosphorous sources - for root growth and strong stem
comfrey, oak leaves, yarrow, clover, alfalfa, castor
bone or rock phosphate - needed if soil is alkaline,
plant directly in it

Micro nutrients:
Boron - borax(only add if known deficiency), cabbage,
cauliflower, apple, echinacea will fix boron
Cobolt - comfrey, willow herb
Zinc - granite dust
Silica - granite dust, sand, grains, thistle???
Manganese - alfalfa, leaf mold, comfrey
Sulphur - alliums, brassicas
Copper - dandelion, stinging nettle, yarrow
Molybdenum - alfalfa, rock phosphate - don't mix with soil
Calcium - comfrey, dandelion, stinging nettle, kudzu
, borage, chicory
causes soil to be fluffy and well aerated
Magnesium - yarrow
Aluminium - peas, sunflower, grains
Iron - legumes, comfrey, dandelion, stinging nettle
Trace minerals - granite meal, greensand (glauconite)
, kelp meal

 

[newgreenthumb]

You are a "Mad Scientist" and I love it! Keep it up. :farm:

 

[THE BROTHER'S GRUNT]

Eman where you at dude. Haven't seen ya around since 01/24/07. Hope everything is ok your way mang.

 

[stunzeed]

Truely one of the best and most interesting reads on this forum. You are a very talented grower and photogrowfer E man and after reading this thread I definitly look at your stuff the same as TBG, Hick, Turkey, Zarnon and....... E man. Keep it up brother.



Stunzeed..

 

[laylow6988]

Hey I see you have been busy while I have been gone. Looking good, looking good man. You are going to end up with more pot than you know what to do with. But who says that is a bad thing right? I got my babies going finally. It's wild that some of you didn't start all that long ago and are showing off such a nice crop. I can only hope mine turns out as good as what I have seen in yours. Good job, happy harvest man!
:2940th_rasta:

 

[Elephant Man]

Sorry guys...been hectic over here. Finally got first grow under my belt and decided to sit down and do the math and come up with a plan. Tore everything down, moved everything around and setting up for soil SOG, gonna be the best way to do what I like best, play with soilmixes and try different strains to target pain. Put all my mothers in flower to start over on them too...gonna bonsai new ones and may have close to 60 in 4x6 room. Still experimenting on pot sizes for SOG but flower room will be 9'x4' with 2300 watts. Some pics:

 

[Elephant Man]

More random pics...200 site aerocloner,reveg, male in full bloom, etc.

 

[newgreenthumb]

And they say weed smokers are "unproductive". To know it is to grow it. You my friend are the man I must say! Nice setup you got there eman.:clap: Can't wait to see how your SOG turns out. :farm:

 

[Elephant Man]

And they say weed smokers are "unproductive". To know it is to grow it. You my friend are the man I must say! Nice setup you got there eman.:clap: Can't wait to see how your SOG turns out. :farm:

Thanks NGT! Gave all the veggers a guano/e casting/molasses aerobic tea feeding and a fish and trace foliar yesterday and wow...entered grow to some amazing smiles today. Gonna try and share some of them with you, even though my photography still stinks. Just veggers today...

 

[Zarnon]

Truely one of the best and most interesting reads on this forum. You are a very talented grower and photogrowfer

True dat! I really like how EM is always searching and how he does it in a really earnest way. I may not agree with everything, but I can see where he's coming from. He treads where I fear so I'm giving him his props hee hee.

Dude, if your camera has a macro you really need to take a close up of those male flowers! So few grow 'em. First with the 'hermie' now the male... oye!

 

[Elephant Man]

True dat! I really like how EM is always searching and how he does it in a really earnest way. I may not agree with everything, but I can see where he's coming from. He treads where I fear so I'm giving him his props hee hee.

Dude, if your camera has a macro you really need to take a close up of those male flowers! So few grow 'em. First with the 'hermie' now the male... oye!

Hehe...yeah bro, I hear ya. No macro, but when I take down the male I will take him outside and get the best possible pics.

Just like you Zarnon, I enjoy growing from seed...just imagine the fun of knowing you made the seed yourself (or allowed seed production to happen). In just my first harvest I already have alot of smoke...almost enough to make it to next winter, so I am not too afraid to screw up at this point. I love to grow...and will probably continue to do so for as long as possible...it is the other half of my therapy.

 

[Zarnon]

BTW dudes, EM has put so much work and research it really deserves to be a 'five star' grow! I guess I already voted cuz I tried to give it again LOL. Let's get EM that star back, vote!