Bag of Stonington Dried Out

[Dr.Dave]

Hey fellow organic living soil growers - I purchased two bags of Coast of Maine's Stonington Blend. Unfortunately, I didn't begin germination until recently and both bags dried out.

The pic attached is a Skywalker OG bean that just popped sitting in a 10 gallon pot with that same dry soil that I prepared for planting.

Do you think adding Recharge could help to supplement enough additional microbes into the soil so my girl can make it through a 4 month grow? I appreciate your advice and time.

 

[MariJan]

Hey fellow organic living soil growers - I purchased two bags of Coast of Maine's Stonington Blend. Unfortunately, I didn't begin germination until recently and both bags dried out.

The pic attached is a Skywalker OG bean that just popped sitting in a 10 gallon pot with that same dry soil that I prepared for planting.

Do you think adding Recharge could help to supplement enough additional microbes into the soil so my girl can make it through a 4 month grow? I appreciate your advice and time.

Maybe add mykos and some worm castings.

 

[Dr.Dave]

Maybe add mykos and some worm castings.

I've got the Myko covered....castings is a good idea - should help to add protozoans. Thank you!!!!

 

[greenmobster440]

I'm sure some organic growers will pop in here. Organics freak me out. To much mixing of this n that for me.

 

[Dr.Dave]

I'm sure some organic growers will pop in here. Organics freak me out. To much mixing of this n that for me.

Really? Luving soil freaks you out? LoL. That's just it...with a fresh bag of Stonington, all you do is water for 4 months, nothing else as long as you're in a 15-20 gallon pot. Less? No problem, just top dress in a few small amendments and the microbes do the rest. It's actually the easiest and best way to grow - just don't let it dry out.

 

[greenmobster440]

Really? Luving soil freaks you out? LoL. That's just it...with a fresh bag of Stonington, all you do is water for 4 months, nothing else as long as you're in a 15-20 gallon pot. Less? No problem, just top dress in a few small amendments and the microbes do the rest. It's actually the easiest and best way to grow - just don't let it dry out.

It's all good if ya get the right combination but if ya don't your chasing a dragon the whole grow.

I'm totally on board with the ease of organics. Once dialed in they kick some great bud but I found to much trial and error with all the additives, teas, and such.

I've grown in soils, hydro, coco, n peat. Today I prefer peat based promix. I feed every watering with Jack's, calnit, and Epsom same amount all the way through so it's a pretty simple easy way of growing as well. If they need water. They get Jack's.

We all seem to prefer our own ways and they all lead to some great homegrown herb.

 

[Dr.Dave]

It's all good if ya get the right combination but if ya don't your chasing a dragon the whole grow.

I'm totally on board with the ease of organics. Once dialed in they kick some great bud but I found to much trial and error with all the additives, teas, and such.

I've grown in soils, hydro, coco, n peat. Today I prefer peat based promix. I feed every watering with Jack's, calnit, and Epsom same amount all the way through so it's a pretty simple easy way of growing as well. If they need water. They get Jack's.

We all seem to prefer our own ways and they all lead to some great homegrown herb.

It's all good if ya get the right combination but if ya don't your chasing a dragon the whole grow.

I'm totally on board with the ease of organics. Once dialed in they kick some great bud but I found to much trial and error with all the additives, teas, and such.

I've grown in soils, hydro, coco, n peat. Today I prefer peat based promix. I feed every watering with Jack's, calnit, and Epsom same amount all the way through so it's a pretty simple easy way of growing as well. If they need water. They get Jack's.

We all seem to prefer our own ways and they all lead to some great homegrown herb.

I agree with you, if it works, why change anything? I started out in straight peat amended with gypsum and dolomitic lime using GH's Flora-Grow liquid nutes. It worked fine, but between the nute mixing, pH'ing and EC'ing even the runoff, I was getting tired.

Stonington comes already mixed and it was engineered specifically for cannabis. The ONLY thing I do is water the plant for the first two months (in a 10 gallon pot). Around the flip, you start top-dressing in some organic plant food, fish bone meal and castings and just water and watch it grow. For me, it's truly amazing and my last harvest of Skywalker OG was friggin' incredible. The grow stays lush green throughout the entire grow and I threw my pH and EC meter in the garbage...just don't need 'em any more.

Unfortunately, my current grow was delayed, so the bag of Stonington did dry out after almost 3 months. I wrote to CoM and they suggested adding Recharge, Castings and their plant food which should add sufficient microbes.

Thanks again to Jan for suggesting myko and castings!!!!

 

[greenmobster440]

I agree with you, if it works, why change anything? I started out in straight peat amended with gypsum and dolomitic lime using GH's Flora-Grow liquid nutes. It worked fine, but between the nute mixing, pH'ing and EC'ing even the runoff, I was getting tired.

Stonington comes already mixed and it was engineered specifically for cannabis. The ONLY thing I do is water the plant for the first two months (in a 10 gallon pot). Around the flip, you start top-dressing in some organic plant food, fish bone meal and castings and just water and watch it grow. For me, it's truly amazing and my last harvest of Skywalker OG was friggin' incredible. The grow stays lush green throughout the entire grow and I threw my pH and EC meter in the garbage...just don't need 'em any more.

Unfortunately, my current grow was delayed, so the bag of Stonington did dry out after almost 3 months. I wrote to CoM and they suggested adding Recharge, Castings and their plant food which should add sufficient microbes.

Thanks again to Jan for suggesting myko and castings!!!!

I never did measure ppm, ph, ec, or runoff. Yeah, I know it's not common but.... It worked.

 

[Dr.Dave]

It's all good if ya get the right combination but if ya don't your chasing a dragon the whole grow.

I'm totally on board with the ease of organics. Once dialed in they kick some great bud but I found to much trial and error with all the additives, teas, and such.

I've grown in soils, hydro, coco, n peat. Today I prefer peat based promix. I feed every watering with Jack's, calnit, and Epsom same amount all the way through so it's a pretty simple easy way of growing as well. If they need water. They get Jack's.

We all seem to prefer our own ways and they all lead to some great homegrown herb.

GreenMobster: here's my take on that dragon reference: whatever nutes were in the bag, remain. I do not think I have to manage the nute levels...my goal is to add enough c.f.u.'s to build a sufficient microbiome capable of breaking down the organics in the soil into plant-available nutes. Thankfully, Recharge contains glomus interacides, an endo-mychorizal fungus that I've read pairs with cannabis roots specifically in the wild, which Stonington contains and I probably dried out. I suspect that the plant receives its phosphorous exclusively from this pairing. I'll add small amounts of Blackstrap to hopefully bulk up those microbial colonies.
I'm just not convinced that Recharge provides the diversity of Flora that used to exist in that soil. I'm looking into other teas, perhaps derived from composting that could help to add back what may be missing.

 

[Dr.Dave]

Hey fellow organic living soil growers - I purchased two bags of Coast of Maine's Stonington Blend. Unfortunately, I didn't begin germination until recently and both bags dried out.

The pic attached is a Skywalker OG bean that just popped sitting in a 10 gallon pot with that same dry soil that I prepared for planting.

Do you think adding Recharge could help to supplement enough additional microbes into the soil so my girl can make it through a 4 month grow? I appreciate your advice and time.

So far, so good. It's only 8 days since germination and transplant. I have noticed that when planting into an organic soil, it takes a few days for the seedling to make all of its connections below the surface. It's like no growth is happening, but it really is. The seedling is sitting in the middle of the pot and it's tap root drilled down to the bottom of the 10 gallon pot and is now expanding to maximize its root system. I hope I put enough Recharge in that pot.

 

[Dr.Dave]

So far, so good. It's only 8 days since germination and transplant. I have noticed that when planting into an organic soil, it takes a few days for the seedling to make all of its connections below the surface. It's like no growth is happening, but it really is. The seedling is sitting in the middle of the pot and it's tap root drilled down to the bottom of the 10 gallon pot and is now expanding to maximize its root system. I hope I put enough Recharge in that pot.

Full disclosure: today marks 32 days since germination began, and 16 days in veg (pic below). You'll remember that I added Recharge and Castings to the dry soil mix - the castings were actually recommended by CoM customer service, but they ended up burning the end of one of the first true leaves. Thankfully that only impacted the first node and one single blade of a leaf on the second node and then it stopped. The plant looks and feels healthy and happy despite the recent lollipopping and topping.

Lesson learned: soil dried out? Just add water, Recharge Tea (according to package instructions), Blackstrap and water normally. No need to add more nutes - don't do that, LoL.

 

[MariJan]

Full disclosure: today marks 32 days since germination began, and 16 days in veg (pic below). You'll remember that I added Recharge and Castings to the dry soil mix - the castings were actually recommended by CoM customer service, but they ended up burning the end of one of the first true leaves. Thankfully that only impacted the first node and one single blade of a leaf on the second node and then it stopped. The plant looks and feels healthy and happy despite the recent lollipopping and topping.

Lesson learned: soil dried out? Just add water, Recharge Tea (according to package instructions), Blackstrap and water normally. No need to add more nutes - don't do that, LoL.

They look healthy

 

[Dr.Dave]

Thanks Jan, I'm hoping I'm past that safe point. Just wanted anyone going through the same issue to know exactly what happened. I'll continue to update the Skywalker grow thread.

 

[MariJan]

Yep that is why I love going through grow logs. You learn a lot what to do as well as what not to do. I always welcome comments. It is what makes us better growers. Happy growing

 

[greenmobster440]

That lil one is moving right along.

Like Jan I read a lot of threads as well. I wanna see how others do it. Ya pick up a lot of good ideas and info.

 

[MariJan]

That lil one is moving right along.

Like Jan I read a lot of threads as well. I wanna see how others do it. Ya pick up a lot of good ideas and info.

Yep a good idea is a good idea no matter who thought of it

 

[Carty]

I've got the Myko covered....castings is a good idea - should help to add protozoans. Thank you!!!!

Hygrozyme is a product I used for years, and a must if you ever want to recycle soil.. but one of my favorite organic items to add is by Espoma. A nice low NPK of 4-3-3 is great, but, it's the mycorrhizae you want.
I have since switched to Great White as it doesn't have the foods...
I always begin my organics 2wks before the seedling goes in.. like you stated, soil is a living being and needs to be activated.. watering in and keeping it moist until seed goes in does just that...

Thanks Jan, I'm hoping I'm past that safe point. Just wanted anyone going through the same issue to know exactly what happened. I'll continue to update the Skywalker grow thread.

Skywalker eh? nice. I have a bunch of Skywalker XXX also called Triple Lemon.. so love to watch your grow