First Soil Grow: aMaphondo 2020

[Stinger96]

She'll recover nicely. Had a few of those last season.. I think you'll be surprised at how well they recover. My grow called "Slakkie" I had a seedling chomped by a snail.. you could barely see green and she turned out nicely.

 

[Onion]

18 hours ago, Stinger96 said:

She'll recover nicely. Had a few of those last season.. I think you'll be surprised at how well they recover. My grow called "Slakkie" I had a seedling chomped by a snail.. you could barely see green and she turned out nicely.

 

 

Thanks for the encouragement Stinger. Check the bridezollas
 

[Onion]

I realize my view was very unpopular when I commented on the Cannabis Bill in a thread on this site. This is the reason why Cannabis Bill Rejected Outright All I have to say is Viva Legacy Growers, Viva!!! and %*&$# the government.

[StonerZN]

Caption this....
(and feel free to use expletives)

That is one weird ass almost scary looking grasshopper type critter you have there. Yirre. Lucky you still have your wallet and car keys!

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

[Onion]

Time has passed and I have topped two of my plants. The one that got eaten by the locust is bouncing back fast and furious as @Stinger96predicted for me. My mystery purple plant has begun fattening out nicely and I have a Double Wild Durban which will go in the ground in a week or two. I am still popping beans so I hope to have another Transkei heirloom seed sprouted soon.
I bought buckets from Mambos. There were plenty to choose from and the price was acceptable. I bought the untreated Lucerne seed from Agricol for under R200 for the kg.

MY teas are all made and fermenting now. I have the Bacteria Juice in one bucket, SST (with Kelp) in another, and Banana Tea in the third. I am doing vegetables in a seed tray at the moment too. I will have to build tents for all of the plants. There are squashed locusts errywhere!

 

[Onion]

I've decided to journal my vegetable grow here too. I was lucky to win second prize in the photo of the month in September, and I won a bottle of Envirofarm EPIC 5:2, which I will use as a foliar spray for my veggies. I have already used other products in my cannabis soil mix, so the EPIC will be for my veggies (I sprayed a germinating cannabis seed with it to see if it would speed up germination). Here is the seed tray, with the following seeds being sprouted:

[John Stonedwell]

I love your style brother. Very healthy looking plants you have there. I am excited to follow this grow. Will most likely learn a shit load about organics as you seam to champion the notion. 

Big up the veggie selection, but where's the beans bro? 

[Onion]

@John Stonedwell Hi and thank you. This is my first soil grow, so I am learning as I go too. I like the idea of growing local strains in local conditions. I like that it doesn't cost a lot to do. The results will be interesting to me.
I have bean seeds on my shopping list. Beans and herb seedlings. I'm not going to try to propagate the herbs myself... headaches!
What have you got growing?

[John Stonedwell]

@Onion great stuff man. Yeah we do have some epic landraces that flourish in our environment. 

Currently I have some different strain ladies chilling in the tent and then we also run some herbs and veggies in a mini greenhouse. 

We currently have rocket, basil, coriander, dill and pumpkin. All of them germinated from seed. So not really as extensive as your list but you have to start somewhere. 

And on a side note we got our first swarm scouts checking out our beehive this spring. So hopefully some honey soon as well 

Happy growing brother

[Onion]

Thanks John!
The two bigger plants had their first night out of the screens last night and I doused them in Margaret Roberts garlic and canola. The one plant was munched before I opened them up. They both survived the temperature fluctuations and another day. I'm pleased with progress generally but this is going to be a labour of love, hand rearing these outdoor plants. They need constant attention at this stage. Soon they will be vegging powerfully and hopefully less maintenance will be required. When I sprayed them this evening, a cloud of aphids flew off the unscathed one. I will have to watch that closely. There are no crawlers on the leaves yet and I hope to keep it that way. I'll buy ant traps if necessary too. I have a more potent muti than the Margaret Roberts which I must make this weekend. It has cayenne, marigold, pennyroyal, canola, casteel, onion and garlic and bicarb and works pretty darn well. If these bugs give me kak I will use Diatomaceous Earth too, as no bees are going to be around them at this stage of their development, and that stuff is pretty effective imo.
 

[Onion]

I have made a three pronged attack on the bugs. Yesterday I did a soil drench of BT, a foliar spray of Beauveria Bassiana, and a sprinkle of DE. Today I squashed a fat green grass hopper that had feasted on the one plant all night. The toxins take a while to work. It's not immediate. I have several different kinds of grass hopper as well as the large red locust. Just for extra measure for the night, I sprayed with the Margaret Roberts garlic and canola mix. Two plants are still in tents. I see now what I am up against and will have to make tents for all the vegetables too.

[Onion]

This is an update of all the plants so far. I have one more seed sprouting, an heirloom TK.

Order:
SSL  (TK x DBN)
DWD (Double Wild Durban)
MP (Mystery Purple)
Adopted 1?? (belongs to housemate)
Adopted 2?? (belongs to housemate)
Holly (TK who was fimmed severely by the locust)
Molly (TK my favourite from seed)
Polly (TK looking very lanky... suspected male)
Vegetable seedlings

My housemate asked me to give his plants some tlc because they were stunted and necrotic. They have bounced back nicely.
 

[Onion]

Good news. My tents have withstood 3 nights of gale force winds.

I need to lay some straw and then after the cold front that is on its way with several days of rain, I want to plant out some vegetable seedlings.

In the meanwhile, here is an update on my ganga plants:
The tiny sprout is a Banana Blaze auto (will go into a pot)
The bigger sprout is the LC18 x TK
The seedling is the DWD (interesting growth)
The pot plant is the Mystery Purple (wonder if a summer grower will produce purple tones)
The bushy little plant is Holly (TKO2), recovered from her violent munching by the locust
The one close to the wall is Molly (TKO1), who lost a branch due to LST in the gale force wind
The last pic is of Polly (TKO3), who has been a different grower from day one and has been clipped by grasshoppers

[Onion]

I gave the TK origin plants a tidy up this morning after pruning them severely two days ago. The white stuff on the leaves is residue from the foliar treatment for pests, which I am now doing every second day (BT and Bioinsek).

The first one is Holly, who was fimmed by the red locust initially.
This second one is Molly, still coming out of the abnormal growth from the garlic spray suffocation.
The next plant is DWD, growing strong in a tent until she fattens off nicely.
I have the LC-18 x TK in a small pot, hardening off and recovering from a wind blasting a few nights ago (not pictured here).
I took my Banana Blaze auto out her pot and put her in hydro because the stem was too damaged from the wind. I hope it doesn't rot off now. It was a last ditch attempt to get her to stand up on her own again (not pictured here).
The mystery purple plant lives on. I didn't have the heart to cull it (not pictured here).

I am playing food by ear. I have given SST, LABs and Seagrow. I will feed a bit more with Seagrow I think. I also think the new growth is looking good and any leaf damage is old now. I don't know if it is Brix or pesticide or both, but there is little insect damage these days.
 

[Onion]

Greetings all.

Weekly update time. On the weekend I pruned again. Each plant can tell a story.

Some of the plants had some severe leaf miner damage, so I took the leaves off and I added neem to the usual pesticides. The affected plants have recovered nicely. I gave them all another pruning yesterday and training will begin with my little DWD.

I'm still feeding them the teas I made, Seagrow and Envirofarm's Epic 5:2 Biostimulant. The Seagrow and SST goes with everything and occasionally I throw in the banana tea and the bacteria juice. I have given them the biostimulant twice. I am not sure how often it is done as that instruction is not on the tin. I need to contact them and find out. Is it a once off, or something ongoing?

Despite some bad insect damage, wind damage and the near suffocation of two of the plants by a garlic and oil spray, I am happy with their overall growth and progress.

The pics in order are as follows:
Double Wild Durban (landrace)
Polly (TK origin)
Wedding Cake clone (thank you @Fridge)
LC-18 x Transkei (TK landrace)
Molly (TK origin formerly fimmed by locust)
Mystery Purple (bag seed) already going purple in the stems
I took a couple of cuts from the DWD and they are in my make shift cloner.

[Onion]

13 minutes ago, ORGANinc. said:

Hi there! Replying regarding Epic 5:2... they are really looking great  with bio stimulants, applications are best done frequently and at lower dosages. 

The product will not burn but will integrate with any current feeding program in place. Making huge amounts of nutrients more available.

Definitely recommend using it in a foliar, I pull out a scalpel tip full for 1l foliar and apply every 3/4 days. Soil application will be super effective weekly. 

Foliar feeding can stop in week 2 of flowering and soil drenches can continue throughout, and best during flushing, as Epic 5:2 can assist with further chelation.

Enjoy and all the best! Keen to follow along on this grow☝

Hey ORGANinc. Thanks so much for the info. This is very helpful indeed. I look forward to having you along for my journey with these plants. I feel confident they are going to flourish with the help of the Epic 5:2. I'm still so chuffed that I won this awesome product!

[ORGANinc.]

1 minute ago, Onion said:

Hey ORGANinc. Thanks so much for the info. This is very helpful indeed. I look forward to having you along for my journey with these plants. I feel confident they are going to flourish with the help of the Epic 5:2. I'm still so chuffed that I won this awesome product!

Do appreciate that

[Onion]

Another week has gone by. How time flies. I am now incorporating the Epic 5:2 as a weekly soil drench. I am still using the combo of BT / BB and Neem as a weekly foliar spray and partial drench, and this appears to be successful as I am not having a problem with pests, other than leaf miners on the one plant, which will be up-potted soon and may relieve some stress. Here are the plants in varying stages of growth and training. The biggest, bushiest plant is the one that was almost completely munched by the locust when it went in the ground. Not a lot to report at this stage. It seems the plants are relatively free of pests, with only hoppers and leaf miners evident. That little baby is not looking hundreds. I have just potted it up, so hopefully condition will improve.
 

[Onion]

Weekly Update:
All of the plants are starting to push now which is making me happy. I am still contending with hoppers and now we can add bolworm and aphids to the mix. I have been monitoring the infected plant, Holly, the big Transkei origin plant, and hand picking the worms. The aphids haven't made it onto the ganga yet but they have heavily infected the nearby weeds, which I have been pulling and throwing away. The hoppers are everywhere. Spraying once a week with BT/BB/Neem. Feeding daily with Seagrow and SST and weekly with Epic 5:2.

[Onion]

Weekly update. The plants are flourishing at different stages of growth and training. I have run out of Seagrow and must replace, otherwise I am still giving the plants SST in their water daily and feeding Epic 5:2 once a week, with foliar spray of Epic 5:2 every 2nd day with my pest control (BB/BT/Neem). Two Double Wild Durban clones have rooted.

From the top are:

1. Molly (Transkei origin in my soil mix)
2. Purple Haze (Mystery purple thought to be haze in my soil mix)
3. Inzane ITM (clone in Orgasoilux)
4. Double Wild Durban 1 (in my soil mix)
5. LC-18 x Transkei (in my soil mix)
6. Holly (Transkei origin in my soil mix)
7. Wedding Cake (clone in Orgasoilux)

 

[Onion]

Weekly update:

Still with the same routine. Seagrow and SST in their water daily and feeding Epic 5:2 once a week, with foliar spray of Epic 5:2 every 2nd day with my pest control (BB/BT/Neem).

From the top:

• LC-18 x Transkei (in my soil mix)
• Double Wild Durban 1 (in my soil mix)
• Wedding Cake (clone in Orgasoilux)
• Inzane ITM (clone in Orgasoilux)
• Molly (Transkei origin in my soil mix)
• Purple Haze (Mystery purple thought to be haze in my soil mix)
• Holly (Transkei origin in my soil mix)
• Bella (DWD Clone 1 left) and Donna (DWD Clone 2 right)

[Onion]

Weekly Update:
The plants are doing great. They are taking a bit of wind but are none the worse for wear. They are still getting the same feeds and pest control.
From the top:
LC-18 x TK
DWD
Wedding Cake
Inzane In The Membrane
Inzane In The Membrane (top view)
Molly (TK origin)
Mystery Purple
Holly (TK origin)

[Onion]

I was gifted a tub of Epic 5:2 as a competition prize and have been using it both as soil drench and as foliar spray. This is the way that the Fulvic and Humic Acids in the Epic 5:2 work https://www.powergrown.com/fulvic-acid/

"Fulvic Acid

This miracle molecule, fulvic acid passes through plant’s cell walls with ease. Fulvic acid acts like a claw or chelating agent attaching to minerals that would otherwise be rendered useless to plants. Essential nutrients vitamins and/or plant growth regulators (which plants may not be able to assimilate easily), will ‘piggyback’ on the fulvic acid to be transported to all cells that need them. This miracle molecule has incredible potential when used for soil enrichment in hydroponic applications and as a foliar spray.

When necessary, they act as “free-radical” scavengers, supply vital electrolytes, enhance and transport nutrients, catalyze enzyme reactions, increase assimilation, stimulate metabolism, chelate and change inorganic minerals into organically complex minerals, solubilize, energize and transport major and trace elements to the site of need, and demonstrate amazing capacity for electrochemical balance.

Fulvic acid is a natural mineral which has survived through the many years of evolution on Earth. It is one of the best and most basic minerals to encourage healthy plant growth. It has chemical properties that allow plants to absorb more nutrients and increases water storage capacity within the plant. Fulvic is so powerful that one fulvic molecule is capable of carrying 60 or more minerals and trace elements into plant cells. It also prolongs the time that essential nutrients remain in the plant cells and maximizes nutritional potential. Fulvic acid increases plant metabolism therefore it naturally increases growth.

One property of fulvic acid is its ability to assimilate with other minerals in the ground when it’s a soluble state. It helps turn minerals into a more organic, usable product. When the minerals turn organic, they are more readily and easily absorbed by plant roots. Fulvic acid transmits immunity to all living things. It reacts to everything including living cells, plants, animals and even microscopic organisms.

Fulvic acid may be administered via foliar applications. It has a low molecular weight which facilitates penetration into plants. Nutrients can be quickly delivered to all sites within the plant, correcting deficiencies and restoring natural balance.

As soon as the first flower sites appear, apply fulvic acid as a foliar spray to increase the number of internodes, (flower sites a plant produces).

The most exciting discovery in glasshouse agriculture in recent years is the application of fulvic acid in hydroponic or soilles cultivation. Agricultural scientists have been aware of the benefits of soil applications of fulvic acid for many years. However, it was only recently discovered that fulvic acid could provide the same benefits to soilless crop production.

Adding fulvic acid to the nutrient solution once plants are established, around the second week, strengthens their immunities and increases their resistance to stress. Plants are not as susceptible to slight environmental changes in temperature or humidity. Fulvic acid will not compensate for poor hydroponic cultural practices however it does offer a buffer against minor inconsistencies.

Nutrient up take is definitely enhanced when fulvic acid is added to the solution. Plants receive a steady supply of food as they require it. Sediment is reduced or eliminated from the nutrient solution when fulvic acid is added. Fulvic acid discourages binding which can cause minerals to fall out of suspension, rendering them unusable to plants.

Fulvic acid helps plants deal with drought and freeze better. Its Superior Chelating action is highly desired by hydroponic growers it greatly improves the plants ability to absorb nutrients. It readily penetrates the cell walls of the plant, carrying nutrients and/or plant growth hormones along with it when applied as a foliar spray."

And Humic Acid https://soilbiotics.com/files/7373-soilbiotics-humicacid.pdf

"Humic acids chemically change the fixation properties of the soil, with benefits such as: • Neutralizes both acid and alkaline soils; regulates the pH-value of soils. • Improves and optimizes the uptake of nutrients and water by plants. • Increases buffering properties of soil. • Acts as natural chelator for metal ions under alkaline conditions and promote their uptake by the roots. • Becomes rich in both organic and mineral substances essential to plant growth. • Retains water soluble inorganic fertilizers in the root zones and reduces leaching. • Possesses extremely high cation-exchange capacities. • Promotes the conversion of nutrient elements (N, P, K + Fe, Zn and other trace elements) into forms available to plants. • Enhances the uptake of nitrogen by plants. • Reduces the reaction of phosphorus with Ca, Fe, Mg and Al and liberates it into a form that is available and beneficial to plants. The productivity of particular mineral fertilizers is increased considerably. • Liberates carbon dioxide from soil calcium carbonate and enables its use in photosynthesis. • Helps to eliminate chlorosis due to iron deficiency in plants. • Reduces the availability of toxic substances in soils. Humic acids biologically stimulate the plant and the activities of micro-organisms. • Stimulates plant enzymes and increase their production. • Acts as an organic catalyst in many biological processes. • Stimulates growth and proliferation of desirable micro-organisms in soil • Enhances plant’s natural resistance against diseases and pests. • Stimulates root growth, especially vertically and enable better uptake of nutrients. • Increases root respiration and root formation. • Promotes the development of chlorophyll, sugars and amino acids in plants and aid in photosynthesis. • Increases vitamin and mineral content of plants. • Thickens the cell walls in fruits and prolongs storage time. • Increases germination and viability of seeds. • Stimulates plant growth (higher biomass production) by accelerating cell division, increasing the rate of development in root systems and increasing the yield of dry matter. • Increases the quality of yields; improves their physical appearance and nutritional value."

[ORGANinc.]

23 hours ago, Onion said:

I was gifted a tub of Epic 5:2 as a competition prize and have been using it both as soil drench and as foliar spray. This is the way that the Fulvic and Humic Acids in the Epic 5:2 work https://www.powergrown.com/fulvic-acid/

"Fulvic Acid

This miracle molecule, fulvic acid passes through plant’s cell walls with ease. Fulvic acid acts like a claw or chelating agent attaching to minerals that would otherwise be rendered useless to plants. Essential nutrients vitamins and/or plant growth regulators (which plants may not be able to assimilate easily), will ‘piggyback’ on the fulvic acid to be transported to all cells that need them. This miracle molecule has incredible potential when used for soil enrichment in hydroponic applications and as a foliar spray.

When necessary, they act as “free-radical” scavengers, supply vital electrolytes, enhance and transport nutrients, catalyze enzyme reactions, increase assimilation, stimulate metabolism, chelate and change inorganic minerals into organically complex minerals, solubilize, energize and transport major and trace elements to the site of need, and demonstrate amazing capacity for electrochemical balance.

Fulvic acid is a natural mineral which has survived through the many years of evolution on Earth. It is one of the best and most basic minerals to encourage healthy plant growth. It has chemical properties that allow plants to absorb more nutrients and increases water storage capacity within the plant. Fulvic is so powerful that one fulvic molecule is capable of carrying 60 or more minerals and trace elements into plant cells. It also prolongs the time that essential nutrients remain in the plant cells and maximizes nutritional potential. Fulvic acid increases plant metabolism therefore it naturally increases growth.

One property of fulvic acid is its ability to assimilate with other minerals in the ground when it’s a soluble state. It helps turn minerals into a more organic, usable product. When the minerals turn organic, they are more readily and easily absorbed by plant roots. Fulvic acid transmits immunity to all living things. It reacts to everything including living cells, plants, animals and even microscopic organisms.

Fulvic acid may be administered via foliar applications. It has a low molecular weight which facilitates penetration into plants. Nutrients can be quickly delivered to all sites within the plant, correcting deficiencies and restoring natural balance.

As soon as the first flower sites appear, apply fulvic acid as a foliar spray to increase the number of internodes, (flower sites a plant produces).

The most exciting discovery in glasshouse agriculture in recent years is the application of fulvic acid in hydroponic or soilles cultivation. Agricultural scientists have been aware of the benefits of soil applications of fulvic acid for many years. However, it was only recently discovered that fulvic acid could provide the same benefits to soilless crop production.

Adding fulvic acid to the nutrient solution once plants are established, around the second week, strengthens their immunities and increases their resistance to stress. Plants are not as susceptible to slight environmental changes in temperature or humidity. Fulvic acid will not compensate for poor hydroponic cultural practices however it does offer a buffer against minor inconsistencies.

Nutrient up take is definitely enhanced when fulvic acid is added to the solution. Plants receive a steady supply of food as they require it. Sediment is reduced or eliminated from the nutrient solution when fulvic acid is added. Fulvic acid discourages binding which can cause minerals to fall out of suspension, rendering them unusable to plants.

Fulvic acid helps plants deal with drought and freeze better. Its Superior Chelating action is highly desired by hydroponic growers it greatly improves the plants ability to absorb nutrients. It readily penetrates the cell walls of the plant, carrying nutrients and/or plant growth hormones along with it when applied as a foliar spray."

And Humic Acid https://soilbiotics.com/files/7373-soilbiotics-humicacid.pdf

"Humic acids chemically change the fixation properties of the soil, with benefits such as: • Neutralizes both acid and alkaline soils; regulates the pH-value of soils. • Improves and optimizes the uptake of nutrients and water by plants. • Increases buffering properties of soil. • Acts as natural chelator for metal ions under alkaline conditions and promote their uptake by the roots. • Becomes rich in both organic and mineral substances essential to plant growth. • Retains water soluble inorganic fertilizers in the root zones and reduces leaching. • Possesses extremely high cation-exchange capacities. • Promotes the conversion of nutrient elements (N, P, K + Fe, Zn and other trace elements) into forms available to plants. • Enhances the uptake of nitrogen by plants. • Reduces the reaction of phosphorus with Ca, Fe, Mg and Al and liberates it into a form that is available and beneficial to plants. The productivity of particular mineral fertilizers is increased considerably. • Liberates carbon dioxide from soil calcium carbonate and enables its use in photosynthesis. • Helps to eliminate chlorosis due to iron deficiency in plants. • Reduces the availability of toxic substances in soils. Humic acids biologically stimulate the plant and the activities of micro-organisms. • Stimulates plant enzymes and increase their production. • Acts as an organic catalyst in many biological processes. • Stimulates growth and proliferation of desirable micro-organisms in soil • Enhances plant’s natural resistance against diseases and pests. • Stimulates root growth, especially vertically and enable better uptake of nutrients. • Increases root respiration and root formation. • Promotes the development of chlorophyll, sugars and amino acids in plants and aid in photosynthesis. • Increases vitamin and mineral content of plants. • Thickens the cell walls in fruits and prolongs storage time. • Increases germination and viability of seeds. • Stimulates plant growth (higher biomass production) by accelerating cell division, increasing the rate of development in root systems and increasing the yield of dry matter. • Increases the quality of yields; improves their physical appearance and nutritional value."

This is a very informative, thanks @Onion ! The effects of humic and fulvic acids are highly understated, but also happen to be key ingredients in big name nutrient lines.

The true magic with-in Epic is the ratio in which the the humic + fulvic combines with the kelp. Add more kelp or more fulvic/humic and the desired result is not achieved, basically with all the above listed advantages, there is another outstanding advantage that takes center stage and this is how the ratio creates a rare enzyme the likes of which is similar to how Lab serum operates, Superoxide dismutase (still cant get over how cool this name is). This is the plants first line of defense against free radicals... Note - Superoxide is O2-, which is a by bi-product of oxygen metabolism. So quite literally without the enzyme, the bad guys can take over, with an abundance, the rhizosphere thrives. 

There are multiple SODs and their functionalities are linked to Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn... and that's obviously the importance of where the kelp comes in.

Just happened to stubble upon another fun fact about Superoxide dismutase by pure accident while watching ''Rhizophagy Cycle'' Microbial Endophytes - James white. He says, these microbes carrying nutrients reactive and/or none reactive get sucked into plants root hairs from germination, and within the root hair, the plant doses the microbes with the SOD freeing up the nutrients as well as pairing with or eliminating the carrier (UNBELIEVEABLE!) 

Edited January 5, 2021 by ORGANinc.

[Onion]

Thank you @ORGANinc.

That is very good information to help me understand the way the product is working.