Happy to help!!
I have an little education under my belt but the vast majority of my knowledge is through practical application and trial/ error. It’s one thing to read or be taught something, but to actually implement it and see first hand really helps to lock in the knowledge. I also was raised in the agricultural industry and worked a family farm throughout my youth.
But if your interested in acquiring an easy to read yet sufficiently detailed resources, I’d highly recommend the 4 book series “Teaming With”, by Jeff Lowenfels.
Teaming with Microbes
Teaming with Nutrients
Teaming with Bacteria
Teaming with Fungi
I believe he also wrote one about Autoflower Cannabis. You can get the on Amazon in hard cover for pretty cheap, like $20-25 ea. Very handy resources and he tends to focus on the important stuff you need to know. Basically he takes what would be a 1000 page book and zips it down to 200 or so. He has a way of explaining things that really helps to reaffirm and retain what you read. I have the 4 book series and even with my previous education, I still will glance at things or notes I’ve made. I’m a stoner, my memory ain’t what it used to be lol
I have tried nearly everything mentioned here with varying success, homemade bubble cloner was good but a bitch to clean. Recently I have gone back to 1" rock wool cubes ph’ed to 5.8. Fresh cuts into tap water and cut again in the water before use, FRESH rooting gel (always take it out of
original container for use), then into rooting powder(still in container, probably not good), then into the cubes so they are well set. Tray with dome, heating pad at 78 with controller. Bottom water only, keep top of those cubes dry as possible and the bottom juicy if that makes sense. Spray bottom of leaves with tap water, but still dry on top of cubes. Everyone has rooted lately if I wait long enough and keep those conditions consistent. I slowly open the vents on top, and they are off to the side in my veg area.
I’m high af on new edibles I made, sorry for the wall of text.
Interesting you mention temps.
About 15 yrs ago, we had a bitter winter, and the local grow shop were saying ‘‘the Government must have put something in the water, no ones clones are rooting’’…It was purely due to very cold weather, I’m sure.
I have fried clones before by keeping them too hot in a heated propagator under a lamp.
There’s a definite sweet spot of ‘Not too wet/not too dry’ not too hot, not too cold’’
I genuinely didn’t realise that Clonex gel goes off.
In summer, cuttings can root by themselves in plain water {Found out by accident}, but they grow 'a different type of root. Far less ‘Hairy’ and more string like.
@petedacook
Worm castings would be a nice compliment in every situation added to any soil, indoor and out. If your ambitious enough to build a bin and maintain it, I’d say go for it. Your typical casting that’s purchased won’t be as nutritious as what you could make at home.
I pulled out two clones, last week, that looked lik ethey were about to root. I stuck them in an inch ot water. They rooted with as few days.
I lrearned not to put several inches of water in whatever I am trying to root. I had 4 plats sitting in a dixie cup of water and they never rooted. I later learned I had them in too much water.
I also learned to keep water from
Now I am careful not to put too much water in them. I still use cubes, but it was nice to succeed at creating soots in water alone.
getting where the stem enters the cube. Getting that wet, opr adding water there makes it take longer to root.
Looks good to me!
The only thing that I’ve found in making AACT is the higher the dissolved oxygen, the higher the microbial populations. Consequently your basic air pump just isn’t going to cut it, and more often than not, you’ll have maxed your microbial populations at the 24hr mark. Taking the brew to the 36 or even 48hr is going to do more harm than it will provide any additional benifit.
Having a pump that can keep up with the required 02 levels for longer brewing is imperative to get a high diversity of both bacteria and fungi. Fungi tend to take their time and don’t really show up until the 36hr mark. Bacteria are the first to the show, and peak at about 24-30hr. This is based on your typical (20-40 LPM) pump. A larger commercial pond pump (80+ Liters per minute) is ideal. Bacteria multiply very very fast, like every 20 minutes, so you can turn a few dozen individual bacterium into a tremendous amount in that 24 hr period. Every single aerobic microbe takes its portion of dissolved oxygen.
Without a big enough pump you really won’t get that high diversity that AACT is know for. And this sole reason is what gave birth to airlift conical brewers.
Also, the the airstone that you use makes a big difference. You want micro bubbles, not big one. Here’s what I use for a diffuser. It’s not made of sand like the vast majority, this one is EPDM. The bacteria have a hard time forming biofilms on this material. Plus the mass output of the pump just doesn’t allow it. If your serious about brewing AACT or Nutritive Teas I’d highly recommend snagging a pond diffuser.
At minimum $125 for anything decent, upwards to $200 for quality. The main thing to look at is the pressure they can produce. You want a pump that can maintain a minimum of 3.5psi.
Thanks a lot! I’ll report back after I make and apply some. I’m planning to spray some on the foliage, and the rest at the base of each plant. Probably wont be for at least 2 weeks.
I picked up and used some of this stuff for \trichoderma:
But it’s all gone. Before I buy another product, I wanted to check and see if thhere is a product you recommend. Do you have a recommendations for a brand of trichoderma?
Try the ziplock method. Works like a charm.
It has never failed me. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hJIjKKmThIk
I don’t use rock wool, I use jiffy pucks and works extremely well.
Update- I’ve been successful making clones. I figured out one of the problems I was having was when I would bring the clones inside from outside, they would start flowerring. I guess it’s harder to have plants in flower make roots.
Anyhow, it’s all good now.
I had a storm hit the plants and knock some of the bnranches off. I mended them all nback together and added supports.
Seeing all the houses together makes me worry about rippers. Hope you have some good security cameras and or motion detectors. Even better, you have very good neighbors and it’s not an issue.
depends where you live. the stank is on everywhere here you really notice it in the morning time. one guy in my neighborhood has them in the front yard two blocks from an elementary school. taking comfortable to an extreme.
