Not sure where to put this

[valleyboy]

Haven't been here in a while. Anyways.

I recently landed a job at a soil/foliage analysis laboratory. I will be able to take foliage samples and measure the level of nutrients within the plant material. I searched google but I couldn't come up with anything.

What I'm looking for is a guideline showing a healthy range of chemicals that you would get from these samples.

To get a better idea of what I'm talking about please refer to the picture provided.

I'm guessing each strain has it's own sweet spot but if anyone could provide general levels of a healthy plant.. Please do.

 

[Locked]

I am sure one of our resident "scientists" can help you out or you help them out....lol

 

[valleyboy]

I plan on doing a few tests on my brothers kush which seems to suffer from a magnesium deficiency and some of his blue dream which seems to be doing well. I just wish I had more general guidelines to look for when testing them.

I guess my best bet is to test the levels in the healthiest looking plants and just use those to set the bar for other tests.

Regardless when I do get these done I'd be more than happy to share with the folks on here if you guys/girls want.

 

[PencilHead]

I think you'd be shooting at moving targets as each strain and each variety of that strain have different requirements. And--you'd have to timeline the process as the requirements will change as the plant progresses.

Sounds like a fun and interesting project. Keep MP tuned on your findings.

 

[StoneyBud]

This isn't specific to MJ, but is accurate for "most" plants on earth.

For testing purposes, plants are generally dried before testing.

80 to 90 percent of almost all plants is water.

About 90 percent of the resulting dry matter is made up of only three elements; Carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.

In regards to just these three elements, when you water a plant, it provides the hydrogen and oxygen and more oxygen and carbon come from the carbon dioxide from the planets atmosphere.

What these percentages tell us is that if you break down the wet weight of almost all of the plants on our planet, only 1.5 percent of that plant is made up of the remaining elements that make up a plant.

That 1.5 percent of total plant weight is made up of the 60 elements found in living plants. Of the 60 elements only some are used in each plant or plant type and they are used in varying amounts, depending on the plant type and conditions.

The elements that make up this 1.5 percent of plants have a major impact on the health and harvest of the plants. If only one of all the elements used in a plant is missing, it can quite literally kill the plant. On the other end of the spectrum, if too much of some single elements are used, it can also kill the plant.

This is why feeding a plant in a way that is balanced for that particular plant is so necessary.

Of the 60 elements found in almost all plants on our planet, only 16 of the elements are considered to be essential for growth.

In order of the percentage of each element in the dry weight of most plant matter:

45% = Carbon
45% = Oxygen
6% = Hydrogen

Macro Nutrients

1.5% = Nitrogen
1.0% = Potassium
0.5% = Calcium
0.2% = Magnesium
0.2% = Phosphorus
0.1% = Sulfur

Micronutrients

0.01% = Chlorine
0.01% = Iron
0.005% = Manganese
0.002% = Boron
0.002% = Zinc
0.0006% = Copper
0.00001% = Molybdenum

 

[Locked]

He blinded me with Science......Science!!!

 

[valleyboy]

@Pencilhead
I am aware of such factors, If you look in the lower right corner you will see that the specific example is of a petiole from the bloom stage of grapes. The company I will be working for has dialed in many cultivars of everything from Grapes to Almonds at all stages of growth. I plan on doing so with the strains available. I look forward to posting results.

@Stoneybud
Thanks for the statistics. I suppose that will be what I have to use to set the bar. I'm currently an undergrad in Agronomy and Organic Chem, with Emphasis in Soil, Fruit and Crop science, minor in being a stoner. In all of my classes not one professor has ever laid out the amounts of micro and macro-nutrients so plainly. Thank you.

I'll throw in some updates from time to time.

 

[StoneyBud]

@Stoneybud
Thanks for the statistics. I suppose that will be what I have to use to set the bar. I'm currently an undergrad in Agronomy and Organic Chem, with Emphasis in Soil, Fruit and Crop science, minor in being a stoner. In all of my classes not one professor has ever laid out the amounts of micro and macro-nutrients so plainly. Thank you.

I wish I could say it's original, but I found it some time ago and stored the information. I have a directory on one of my hard drives that has hundreds of sub-directories named for thier contents. This one was in the "Plant Nutrients" sub-directory. I usually also put a reference link into the data, but didn't for this one. I have no idea where I found it originally.

Good luck on your career path. The field you're entering is fascinating and will become more and more important as our planet's population increases beyond it's ability to feed the masses using conventional means.

Two words; Vertical Hydroponics. What I feel will feed the world into the future. Sky-Scrapers of food.

 

[valleyboy]

I wish I could say it's original, but I found it some time ago and stored the information. I have a directory on one of my hard drives that has hundreds of sub-directories named for thier contents. This one was in the "Plant Nutrients" sub-directory. I usually also put a reference link into the data, but didn't for this one. I have no idea where I found it originally.

Good luck on your career path. The field you're entering is fascinating and will become more and more important as our planet's population increases beyond it's ability to feed the masses using conventional means.

Two words; Vertical Hydroponics. What I feel will feed the world into the future. Sky-Scrapers of food.

We actually covered theory of such greenhouses. There are a few problems but the further we go along the more advancements there are in that field. There are a lot of great applications for such a structure but the problem is with hardwood crops; Almonds, Walnuts, Fruited tree's etc. That and now farmers have to compete with third world countries who have fractions of the input costs of those in the US. Which goes back to the problematic monetary system which puts low prices above efficiency and sustainability.

I personally have a pessimistic view on humanity's future. I think we should be investing more in birth control than methods to increase food production. But that is a completely different debate itself.


Back on topic, If you have any sites, ebooks or text books with more information on nutrients with cannabis I would greatly appreciate it if you would share .

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Your boss is cool with you bringing in your brother's marijuana to test?

 

[valleyboy]

I am the one who will be processing and preparing the analysis, as far as boss-man is concerned, he'll just be another paying customer.

The only problem is they will more than likely have no guidelines for cannabis. I could enter it as unknown foliage, cotton, tomatoes, whatever I please. I will still get the nutrient levels within the plant, just no recommendations as to whether the amounts found are Low/Med/High.

Putting that all aside, I'm from California, the crop is medically permitted. There is nothing illegal about what I am doing.

 

[Roddy]

Just don't risk your job and possibly career......

 

[Locked]

Putting that all aside, I'm from California, the crop is medically permitted. There is nothing illegal about what I am doing.

Maybe state wise.....but don't forget about the Feds. And let me say that I don't believe for one minute the Feds wld even know let alone care....just pointing out how dumb the whole MMJ legality thing is in our country. Legal by state law but yet the Feds can pick and choose when and where they enforce their laws....be safe

 

[valleyboy]

I appreciate the concern guys (and girls). I don't feel this would put my job in jeopardy, but I will be careful.

As far as the federal vs. state laws I agree, it's bogus.

A buddy of mine works as an officer up in the northern area of California, he was told by his chief that unless there are more or less a thousand plants, to not touch the crop. That of course is in a different county, with different judges and officers, but I think it goes to show that despite federal laws people can still grow this wonderful plant.

 

[StoneyBud]

Yeah, the Feds...the ones who always leave themselves a way out.

"Deniability", or even better; "Plausible Deniability " (I've always liked the irony of the refinement of that phrase)

"We (I) never said it should be legal" - Any politician

"Federal Law has *always held it to be illegal" - Any politician

"State Laws can *enhance* Federal Law, but may not replace it with a law of lesser restrictions" - Most politicians think this is an accepted fact.

In regards to MJ, Federal level politicians are real sleazeballs. Our country has grown to accept "The lesser of two evils" when it comes to politicians.

What a shame. It's not what our forefathers had in mind when our country was set up. I think it's safe to say that we all agree on that.

If marijuana law today was examined by any time-traveling signatory of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, they would be furious in that their words and contract with our nation have been twisted to 180 degrees out, in some cases. Today's laws and lawmakers would make them cry in anguish.

 

[valleyboy]

Yup, it's a sad fact but the constitution is no longer valid in this country. It's being (excuse my language) raped left and right.

Even worse are the politicians who say, "Well we don't really know what they were thinking when they wrote it", even though we completely do (the federalist papers). Then they create regulations based on their own interpretation of what they think the forefathers thought.


:doh:

'Vote for NOBODY,
NOBODY tells the truth,
NOBODY will keep election promises,
NOBODY will listen to your concerns,
NOBODY will help with the poor and unemployed,
NOBODY cares!
If NOBODY is elected, things will be better for everyone!'

Heh. I guess I might have dragged this thread a little off topic

 

[Locked]

All good points....let's get this thread back more on point before it gets closed or deleted for being of political content.
Less work for Hick.....

 

[valleyboy]

Been busy at work, processing 2-500 samples a day. One stood out, just a soil mix, what stood out though was on the sheet under crop it said 'Medicinal Marijuana'. Did a double take on that one hah. From LA.

Also, General Hydroponics sent in some water and precipitates to be tested. Curious as to how those will turn out.

 

[JBonez]

This thread is at best pointless. Its like getting a degree in changing tires.

I dont understand how analysis of ones plants will aid in deficiencies that are clearly visible to the naked eye, and easily corrected. Or did i miss the point?

 

[valleyboy]

Pretty much to get a log going of good plants. The whole reason farmers do this is to know exactly what to put in to fit perfectly with their variety of crop X. I would like to log them and see exactly what they do best at. If you think the thread is pointless then why bother with a reply?