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Popping seeds and starting experiments. It will take more than 2 weeks but the next week in diary is from ending the torture I put some through.
4x10x7 tent. 3000W aglex and 600W mars hydro.
There are 10 female seeds started in 1 gallon pots with most being tortured in various ways up til this week.
Three were germinated in 50% manure and 50% promix hp blends.
-Sheep manure
-Cattle manure
-Pet rabbit manure (some old and partly broken down, some as straight from litter box with alfalfa litter as mulching later)
Three were given a nicer treatment in KIS organic living soil and a moderately dense cover crop.
-Red Clover
-Alfalfa
-Sweet Orchard Grass ***edit this doesnt sprout and is replaced with a clover and alfalfa later.
Three were started in Promix HP with 20% worm castings and given only tap water at different pH levels.
-8.0ish (Straight tap water with no standing)
-7.0
-Usually an unmeasured splash of pH down into 7.0 water but tested once to 6.3 and again at 5.4 and on the third watering 6.8.
The final plant was given my old habits treatment.
25% Recycled potting soils (ProMix HP and compost equally mixed otherwise)
All manures and mixed together in roughly equal parts; 20%
Worm castings; 20%
5% Biochar
5% Old roots ripped up
20% Rice Hulls
5% Pumice
With sprinklings of; Glacial rock dust, insect frass, bokashi bran, dolemite lime, oyster shell dust, gaia green organic 4-4-4 fertilizer, sand from the rabbits dig box (with urine content as well), powdered aloe vera, cinnamon and some ash and charred bits from toking. Altogether likely taking a sizeable percentage but this is lazy math for a lazy gardener...
I was given 3 microbial mass product samples this week from a local shop to play with. One is a bacteria product, one fungi and the third is a combination.
I think I will try each one individually on 3 similar plants going forward and combined all 3 for another similar plant. If by chance one of the 4 seems to make a huge difference than I will likely apply it to all 10 going forward from then.
Suffered excess heat this week. Added top dressing consisting of Gaia Green 4-4-4 mixed with around 5% 2-8-4. This was measured tk around 2 tbsp per pot, mixed with a healthy scoop of worm castings per pot, a sprinkling of insect frass, aloe vera powder, biochar and bokashi bran. To add some texture I add handful of rice hulls and mix in some old roots ripped up by hand.
Fungus gnats and aphids confirmed. Rove beetle, green lacewing, springtail, armadillo bug and nematodes were added to the tent to accompany a large jumping spider who has taken up residence. Neem oil was applied outside of tent and the remainder was misted onto then canopy.
Added top dressing consisting of Gaia Green 2-8-4 and 4-4-4 mixed 80/20 around 4 tbsp per pot, mixed with a healthy scoop of worm castings, a sprinkling of insect frass, aloe vera powder, biochar and bokashi bran. To add bulk to that mix and more spreadable, I add a couple handfuls of rice hulls.
Started using all 3 Microbial Mass products mixed together because I am impatient and nof seeing immediate results. Will feed half of the plants the Microbial mix going forward until I see any results. The 5th plant will be the KIS living soil with the cover crop mix.
Got some milled 2-row malted barley to throw down as some mulch. Around 4 cups per pot but just thrown on by hand. Smell of barley is more pungent than the weed ever seems to get. I will be trying unsulphured blackstrap molasses at a rate of 1 tablespoon to 1 gallon in my water next watering. I am undecided how to use it and wether I want to test it out.
Some plants have been showing their differences this week however I missed a few days and they got really thirsty. Really wishing I took clippings from each plant.