Switching over to Organic Nutrients from Synthetic Nutrients

goodjoint

goodjoint

Well-Known Member
I've been growing for about 3 weeks now. I started with 8 clones from the dispensary and have so far fed them a 1/4 dose and 3/4 dose of GH flora series. I also used a little bit of General Hydroponics PH down with some waterings and regret it.

I'm not happy with them and want to start using the Go Box organic nutrients lineup and forget about all this PH bullshit that has been giving me a headache. I hear that a lot of people don't bother checking PH with using organics so this is what appeals so much to me.

When I took them home from the dispensary, I planted them in 1 gallon smart pots with fox farms ocean forest. My question is...

Will the nutes that I fed to them need to be flushed out before I start feeding them the Go Box organic nutrients? Will a good flushing with water clear out all or most of the GH flora chemicals? I need to figure out a good way to transition my plants to the new nutrients.

thanks for your help!
 
Banana444

Banana444

Well-Known Member
I don't know if you need to flush if you are changing nutes but the soil you are using should feed them for at least a couple of weeks. Why are you regretting using the flora series? What do the plants look like after the feeding? And what is the ph of the solution that you fed them? I would not recomend going full strength with those nutes in soil, I have been using the flora for my first grow and I have mixed feeling about using them in soil. I will be using mostly organic compost and vermicast teas, my 2 week old plants in veg are doing way better than my first go round.
 
goodjoint

goodjoint

Well-Known Member
Banana444 said:
I don't know if you need to flush if you are changing nutes but the soil you are using should feed them for at least a couple of weeks. Why are you regretting using the flora series? What do the plants look like after the feeding? And what is the ph of the solution that you fed them? I would not recomend going full strength with those nutes in soil, I have been using the flora for my first grow and I have mixed feeling about using them in soil. I will be using mostly organic compost and vermicast teas, my 2 week old plants in veg are doing way better than my first go round.
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I'm going to ignore PH all together and just switch to organics.
I've been adjusting the PH of the flora nutes to 6.8ish and then feeding. It comes out the bottom at 5.9-6.0. I think the PH down and 1/4 to 3/4 recommended flora nutes are fucking my plants.
I'm getting all sorts of symptoms like twisting leaves, spiky tipped leaves, purple stems, yellowish/browning older leaves... It leads me to believe I messed with something that didn't even need to be messed with.

I was told by a few people on here to go organic if growing in soil because you don't have to adjust the PH at all. It even says so on the back of the Go Box.
Apparently the enzymes in the organic nutrients will keep the PH where you want/need it to be for nice plants.
Sure sounds appealing to me. Now I want to switch.

Just checking to see if the synthetic flora nutes that are now already in my soil will kill off any organic enzymes/nutrients that I want put into it from now on?
Has anyone had any experience switching to organic nutrients mid-veg with good results?
 
Banana444

Banana444

Well-Known Member
Ok I guess I didnt understand the question. I can definatelly answer it now :), with reference. When you fertilize and plant you break the bond between the micro organism in your soil. Because, the nutrients you are supplying are more readilly available. Also synthetic nutes are "salts" and acidic. If you were to look under a microscope at a bacterial colony and then introduce a chemical fertilizer, it would cause mass genocide. The acids would cause the cell walls to burst and would decimate the colony. Now you can reintroduce that bacteria and fungi into the soil by using ACT aerated compost teas. The bacteria and fungi will then work with your plants to remove the salts and break any "locked up" nutrients. This info is from the book "Teaming with Microbes". I would highly suggest it, it will change the way you think about the world around you and your confidence with growing anything will have you not second guessing anything. And, your plants will thank you!
 
goodjoint

goodjoint

Well-Known Member
Thanks for your response. So even though I've added a bit of synthetic nutrients already, over time the newly introduced organic nutrients will work just fine? Hopefully better
 
Banana444

Banana444

Well-Known Member
I can't say for sure, I have not used the gh go box. But I might pick it up. After reading that book, I feel that you really don't need "nutrients". Because once you have established a network of benefical bacteria and fungi in your soil, all you need to do is feed the micro organisms which then feed your plants. You do this by using things like unsulfered mollases among other things. Your soil become a living breathing life force. Thats why when growing organically within a food soil web your soil never gets "used up". And that's why organic growers reuse their soil because it is contantly renewing itself. ACT is an essentual tool when it come to building a soil food web. Organic growing is a developing science, farmers are just begining to realize the error of thier ways using "traditional" methods. With new advances in technology we are begining to better understand the world around us. Keep reading and learning and passing on your knowledge, it will in turn benefit you. And I highly recomend that book!
 
Banana444

Banana444

Well-Known Member
I will also say hydro is a different beast, and I'm 100% sure a dialed in hydro setup could out grow an organic setup. But you will never match the quality of organic. Look at vegetables, they can grow them to massive sizes, but how do they really taste? Since I grow for my own needs I want quality over quanity. And who knows, as organic growing developes and gets dialed in, it could very well surpass hydro and chemically derived nutrients.
 
Speciosa

Speciosa

New Member
Since your early enough along, i'd transplant your plants into a 3 gallon minimum smart pot with some quality pre bagged soil (miracle grow is counter productive) and add an AACT to increase the microbe activity. Ideally you'd want to have a soil and amendment mixture already pre cooked for a month minimum to all allow the nutrient content to be available to the roots.

As Banana said earlier Teaming With Microbes is a very informational book to read. As well as True Living Organic by the Rev. You cant go wrong with either books.

Organic growing is all about breaking down the nutrients present by the use of bacteria and fungi, which in turn allows the roots to uptake it at its own leisure. While synthetic growing relies on the use of chelated salts to force feed the roots. Chele the root word of chelate in Greek means to claw. Directly forcing feeding the roots and ignoring the soil. Therefore creating a salt buildup and destroying the current microbe colony present. It ends up working because the plant is getting the needed nutrients to grow, not relying on those present in the soil.
 
goodjoint

goodjoint

Well-Known Member
Would you suggest adding an AACT along with the lineup of nutrients in the General Organics Go Box?
Transplanting sounds like a good idea. Thanks for your help! :)

Speciosa said:
Since your early enough along, i'd transplant your plants into a 3 gallon minimum smart pot with some quality pre bagged soil (miracle grow is counter productive) and add an AACT to increase the microbe activity. Ideally you'd want to have a soil and amendment mixture already pre cooked for a month minimum to all allow the nutrient content to be available to the roots.

As Banana said earlier Teaming With Microbes is a very informational book to read. As well as True Living Organic by the Rev. You cant go wrong with either books.

Organic growing is all about breaking down the nutrients present by the use of bacteria and fungi, which in turn allows the roots to uptake it at its own leisure. While synthetic growing relies on the use of chelated salts to force feed the roots. Chele the root word of chelate in Greek means to claw. Directly forcing feeding the roots and ignoring the soil. Therefore creating a salt buildup and destroying the current microbe colony present. It ends up working because the plant is getting the needed nutrients to grow, not relying on those present in the soil.
Click to expand...
 
fatality

fatality

Well-Known Member
The AACT acts in conjunction with your organic nutes by adding a massive amount of the wanted aerobic bacteria that will in turn break down your added organic nutrients making them available for your plant to uptake easily at the plants discretion. If your serious about going organic i would also suggest to givemycorrhizae a shot. I use great white brand and have noticed a difference. Not saying to go ahead and go with that brand, just that's what i use and it works well for me. It forms a symbiotic relationship with your roots and makes certain nutrients easier for the plant to uptake. I made the organic switch about two years ago and my expensive ph pen now has about a inch layer of dust on it. The microbes will regulate your ph for you! Just make sure your water supply isnt massively overloaded with mineral like calcium and magnesium or you still might have a few problems down the road when those levels become toxic for the plant. GL!
 
SpicySativa

SpicySativa

Well-Known Member
My thoughts....

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. Right now you are growing conventionally, so finish it out using sound conventional techniques. NEXT round, go full organic from the start.

I think you'll end up with the best results if you don't switch horses in the middle of the race, as it were...
 
Banana444

Banana444

Well-Known Member
Every comment has been spot on! I am loving this forum. I started my first grow with GHflora performance pack which are mostly synthetic nutes (it looks like everything is somewhat chemically derived beside the vegan plant booster) and I fed mine again with nutes probably the last time to finisg them out, I'm close to flush. My next grow is going amazing and is completely organic, I did one tea with mushroom compost (store bought which is not the best quality) and the it seemed to help. Then I made an ACT with worm castings, alfalfa meal, and mollases and the plants are booming. At 3 weeks they have 6 nodes and have been topped and look better everyday. The cotlydons are just now yellowing. I had my first true leaves yellow at week 2 of my first grow. I also used a myko tea on all my plants, stump tea, but I have heard there are better mykos, but I'm happy with it. Idk anyone using stump tea, but it has positive effects.
 
Speciosa

Speciosa

New Member
I'd definitely add some AACT to your fox farm soil! It can only help after that onslaught of synthetic nutrients. I mix my own soil mixture with different amendments, castings and perlite and honestly feel the plants can survive without any AACT. But my soil has a higher nutrient content then bagged soil. The big advantage i weigh is the added microbe content when adding AACT's

It hasnt been said yet but i definitely believe you need to flush your plants. You are switching from a synthetic to an organic nutrient and you have that salt build up already around the roots. And thats coming from someone who has never flushed, thats because i grow organic. The common flushing method is 2x a gallon of soil. Maybe do one real heavy watering and forget about the flushing because it will piss your microbes off. The extent of it no one can definitely answer (to my knowledge). But personally i feel it does slow them down.
 
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