I’m back in my tents and growcave for the winter, got a couple things going on here, let’s get started:
Just got back from my lovely local grow store, love them folks. Reupped on my favorite dry general fertilizer, Coast of Maine Stonington, and I got some of their fish bone meal to try their topdressing feeding chart this time around:
Also some langbeinite and Azomite for recycling soil with, and some Hygrozyme to get my root zone clear and pumping, along with breaking down old root balls after harvest and speeding up the composting process. I’ve had good luck so far using LABS for that but I want to try this stuff, everyone seems to love it, soil or hydro. I didn’t really want to use Azomite because I don’t love the aluminum content, but I’ll find some rock dusts for the next time and use this in the yard. And once I finish this Hygrozyme maybe I’ll give the barley straw extract a try instead, IDK it appeals for the cheapness in me:
Langbeinite is one that I’m excited to get in the mix:
"Down To Earth’s Langbeinite 0-0-22 is a naturally mined crystalline mineral that supplies the water-soluble sulfate form of three vital plant nutrients: potassium, magnesium and sulfurs. It’s maximum chlorine content is less than 3.0 percent, minimizing the potential for fertilizer “burn,” and it’s neutral pH does not alter soil activity.
SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O) 22.0%
MAGNESIUM (Mg) 10.8%
10.8% Water Soluble Magnesium
SULFUR (S) 22.0%
22.0% Combined Sulfur
CHLORINE (Cl) Max 3.0% "
Potassium contributes strongly to overall plant health by regulating internal processes. Since potassium makes up part of the fluid of the plant, it is found throughout plant tissue, meaning plants need a strong source of potassium as they grow. Potassium deficiencies lead to weak stalks and immature roots, leaving the plant susceptible to insects.
DTE Langbeinite 0-0-22 is widely used on sensitive vegetables and fruit crops that require high fertilization rates but do not tolerate high levels of chlorine or soluble salts. This standard grade langbeinite has a typical SGN of 95 and is an excellent source of readily available sulfur, potassium and magnesium."
After potting up my first cycle of the year, I had to get cracking on breaking down the five 7g footballs from last year along with lots of sundry houseplants and culled seedling from sexing this run. I’ve got three of these bins remoistened and ready for the dry amendments:
This time around that’s going to be:
-CoM Stonington dry blend, fish bone meal, and EWC
-DtE bone meal, crab meal, langbeinite, and azomite
-Espoma garden gypsum and kelp meal
-Roots seabird guano
-malted barley powder
I might track down some rice hulls from the local brew shop when I go see about getting beer malt. I stopped adding coco after the roots in my recycled bins started dong similar things for aeration but I need more.