New Grower First Grow in 22 years, Nature's Living Soil

[Tom Bombadil]

Our Soil — Nature's Living Soil

www.natureslivingsoil.com

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I used nls twice.. It smells terrible.. like they took all the ingredients you would use in supersoil minus the soil and mixed it with water and left it to rot in a bag... oh wait... lmao. the second bag was free because the first one burned the daylights out of my plants, used as directed. The second time I let it sit and watered the pots for a month before planting anything into them and I still got the rust spots. The critical purple top left wasn't even that big and it still yellowed out way too early..
That was the last time I bothered with nls and discovered bas. Anyhow, this is how the second run went. Not bad but could have been better. If I recall I had to feed worm casting tea almost every watering with a little lime a couple times. Cant see the rust spots really but they are there believe me!

 

[Big Sul]

When faced with an issue, I look for commonalities. @xena499 , @NickDanger3rdEye & I are all using NLS and live in AZ? I know this is an outlandish thought and NLS is a culprit, but COULD there be any connection to AZ? I know, I know, it's crazy thinking and I know the plants don't know what state they are in.

 

[Proph]

When faced with an issue, I look for commonalities. @xena499 , @NickDanger3rdEye & I are all using NLS and live in AZ? I know this is an outlandish thought and NLS is a culprit, but COULD there be any connection to AZ? I know, I know, it's crazy thinking and I know the plants don't know what state they are in.

I live in Az, lol.. So does most of my team.. A lot of things suck about this place, lol.. But this is not Az's fault, lol. Other commonalities are that all three did not use water only as directed, all three layered their pots.. And they all used a pre amended soil to mix with NLS. As much as AZ sucks, I cant let her take that fall for this, lol.

I'll let this be my last word ob NLS..This is off of their website..

"Our Original Concentrate was designed for photoperiod plants, the base nutrients are longer releasing and allow for upto 3 months of vegetative growth before flowering"

This is the MOST informative paragraph on their site, lol. It doesn't say much but says a TON. First, the nutrients used are time released! Not a good thing at all.. Next, it says it has enough nutrients to get a photo period through 3 months of veg!! That alone give you an idea of how hot that mix really is. Not flower.. But 3 months of veg... An auto only lives 3 months max, and is in flower by day 30-40. The mix just isn't right for autos. The company is brand new and I can't find a single success story on the internet.. Hate to say it, but NLS isn't just a culprit, at this point, it's THE culprit. Maybe it's not that bad when used with water only.. That we don't know because no one has done that yet. But I wouldn't risk any more seeds, water, electricity, space, or time to find out.

 

[Big Sul]

I live in Az, lol.. So does most of my team.. A lot of things suck about this place, lol.. But this is not Az's fault, lol. Other commonalities are that all three did not use water only as directed, all three layered their pots.. And they all used a pre amended soil to mix with NLS. As much as AZ sucks, I cant let her take that fall for this, lol.

I'll let this be my last word ob NLS..This is off of their website..

"Our Original Concentrate was designed for photoperiod plants, the base nutrients are longer releasing and allow for upto 3 months of vegetative growth before flowering"

This is the MOST informative paragraph on their site, lol. It doesn't say much but says a TON. First, the nutrients used are time released! Not a good thing at all.. Next, it says it has enough nutrients to get a photo period through 3 months of veg!! That alone give you an idea of how hot that mix really is. Not flower.. But 3 months of veg... An auto only lives 3 months max, and is in flower by day 30-40. The mix just isn't right for autos. The company is brand new and I can't find a single success story on the internet.. Hate to say it, but NLS isn't just a culprit, at this point, it's THE culprit. Maybe it's not that bad when used with water only.. That we don't know because no one has done that yet. But I wouldn't risk any more seeds, water, electricity, space, or time to find out.

I know ur in AZ. I was just having a little fun with you. Figured u would "roast me on a spit" if I posted that.

NLS, combined with operator error is my downfall.

 

[xena499]

@Proph Thanks for the special education !
The time, effort, and respectable way you have responded will undoubtedly lead to changes!
Your passion and talent then passes onto to others in many ways.

I think like many others, including our new pal @NickDanger3rdEye , that we were sold on the water only seed to harvest, along with the simple recyclability of adding 1 lb of any compost concentrate. Then we can rest the pots for a set time, and ready to start over. I think we all know what we were doing was a little too good to be true, like a cheat or short-cut. To be honest, it was that method that sold me in growing
It brought me to this moment/ I didn't plan on doing this other, than 1 round per year. However, now I'm more hooked at getting this right - the challenge. And, now, you are explaining, in order to get to end, you really must become a gardener!

I appreciate you see things from my side and that time, practicality, (confidence), and naivete are what is driving my thoughts. In retrospect, I wish I did the top-dress NLS reset or start fresh with a top-dress. (since it was what is on-hand). I DID plan to only listen to the plants, after preparing the pots. I'm sure, despite that intention, regardless, I would have hit with teas at weeks 5, 7 and likely 9.
The product, NLS will never be used again! Its a marketing gimmick.

Moving forward, I will listen to what the plants need!
Please don't feel bad sharing, yet again, bad news, rather feel great that you have made a substantial impact, and removed my blinders.

I will read more, and learn more.

Now, I do have 2 time-sensitive questions:
1) Under the current circumstance I need a reasonable remedial plan for my 5 set pots:
(assuming we are not throwing it all out, nor taking 90 days to rest/water/reset the pots)
I know this is not ideal, nor the best route.
a) dump pots into large container.
b) dilute with 50% HF or lighter mix to reduce heat ?
c) no, chuck it and start over....

2) best plan for recycling my pots, after grows are completed with the least amount of maintenance?
I read @Master_gRoshi incredible grow guide, so could move in that direction, but fail to see how to recycle the pots afterwards?
How would he recycle for round 2?
Yes, I have a lot more homework and reading...
a) top dress for example with a Buildasoil product, and rest the pots for 90 days to allow the microbes to do their thing...

thanks a ton,
respect!

 

[xena499]

@Tom Bombadil
a) How would you proceed if you were in my shoes (with the pots set ready with NLS), but still have 10 days or so before transplanting?
b) How do you recycle your pots with buildasoil? I cannot find the NLS equivalent soil "amendment" product to start again? They do not answer the phone ("the caller cannot accept more calls vm box full"... and I left them an email).
thanks for sharing ! thanks for helping in advance !

 

[NickDanger3rdEye]

My first grow with NLS is in the grow journal section. I used the Living Soil Method on both grows, i.e., mixing NLS with soil without layering. 1st grow was with distilled water only and ran into problems in week 7 (2 wks in flower). That’s when I added molasses and top dressed with NLS. Buds did not fully mature and no frost. I yanked her. 2nd grow same thing but used NLS Autoflower blend. Same issues as before but I started throwing everything at it. Stunted but finished. Drying now. I have two pots cooking now for next grows with Strawberry Fields soil at bottom and 50/50 mix of Strawberry fields with Happy Frog. Molasses and worm castings on standby for Teas and/or top dressing if needed. Getting rid of the NLS. I will continue to follow your guys’ grows to stay on top of things.

 

[NickDanger3rdEye]

I just want to get successful results that are repeatable.

 

[sickzone]

Maybe it's not that bad when used with water only.. That we don't know because no one has done that yet.

For my first grow I completed a couple wees ago I used water only for the first 37 days.
Then I added molasses and on day 44 added the gfp amendment.

Day 45 rust spots appeared.

If I go by the rule of 2 weeks until a problem shows after adding an amendment, would this mean the rust spots would have appeared day 45 even if I hadn't added molasses 8 days earlier?

My current grow is at Day 35 this time mixed with ffof and not bottom 1/3.
I'm expecting rust spots to show up in the next 2 weeks.
This is a photo that I just switched to 12/12.
At the moment I have a few leaves on 1 plant with yellow tips.
I gave 1 plant with molasses and the other plant without molasses.

While I don't plan on using nls again.i will continue with 1 plant just plain water and the other with molasses to hopefully help warn others when issues arise.
Though,other issues may arise because of environment,as I am doing this test run to see how high temps and humidity will get in the storage room so I can plan optimal growing times in the future.

Sorry to highjack your thread Xena.

 

[Proph]

@Proph Thanks for the special education !
The time, effort, and respectable way you have responded will undoubtedly lead to changes!
Your passion and talent then passes onto to others in many ways.

I think like many others, including our new pal @NickDanger3rdEye , that we were sold on the water only seed to harvest, along with the simple recyclability of adding 1 lb of any compost concentrate. Then we can rest the pots for a set time, and ready to start over. I think we all know what we were doing was a little too good to be true, like a cheat or short-cut. To be honest, it was that method that sold me in growing
It brought me to this moment/ I didn't plan on doing this other, than 1 round per year. However, now I'm more hooked at getting this right - the challenge. And, now, you are explaining, in order to get to end, you really must become a gardener!

I appreciate you see things from my side and that time, practicality, (confidence), and naivete are what is driving my thoughts. In retrospect, I wish I did the top-dress NLS reset or start fresh with a top-dress. (since it was what is on-hand). I DID plan to only listen to the plants, after preparing the pots. I'm sure, despite that intention, regardless, I would have hit with teas at weeks 5, 7 and likely 9.
The product, NLS will never be used again! Its a marketing gimmick.

Moving forward, I will listen to what the plants need!
Please don't feel bad sharing, yet again, bad news, rather feel great that you have made a substantial impact, and removed my blinders.

I will read more, and learn more.

Now, I do have 2 time-sensitive questions:
1) Under the current circumstance I need a reasonable remedial plan for my 5 set pots:
(assuming we are not throwing it all out, nor taking 90 days to rest/water/reset the pots)
I know this is not ideal, nor the best route.
a) dump pots into large container.
b) dilute with 50% HF or lighter mix to reduce heat ?
c) no, chuck it and start over....

2) best plan for recycling my pots, after grows are completed with the least amount of maintenance?
I read @Master_gRoshi incredible grow guide, so could move in that direction, but fail to see how to recycle the pots afterwards?
How would he recycle for round 2?
Yes, I have a lot more homework and reading...
a) top dress for example with a Buildasoil product, and rest the pots for 90 days to allow the microbes to do their thing...

thanks a ton,
respect!

I can't suggest what to do unfortunately.. If you've already mixed the NLS with the soil, then it is what it is.. You can't remove or separate the NLS from the soil. If we KNEW what was in it, we could give suggestions of what to add to counter the effect.. Or reduce nutrient levels.. But it's anyone's guess. You need to pick a growing style that best fits your mentality. I use a no till style. There is no "process" to recycle the soil. I chop a plant, and same day, put a seed or clone into that same pot and start another grow. This is my lil story, lol... After doing everything you all are currently doing, I threw up my hands in frustration. I got tired of killing plants (waste of seeds and cost to buy seeds) and tired of smoking deficient weed. Deficient weed suuuucckkkss, lol. My friends would see my plants with rust stained leaves or crispy curled leaves and ask, "what's wrong with it, why does it look like that? Lol. I had to lie and say it's normal or that it didn't matter much.. But even they knew that was b.s. that's when I realized that I would only benefit from this investment if I grew happy healthy plants. That became my mission.. Perfectly green leaves from seed to harvest. I wanted to do it as natural as possible because that's how I normally live my life.. I found Build a Soil almost 3 years ago.. I bought 15gals of soil and a 15 gal pot. 60 bucks delivered. Started researching organic growing.. A year later, got another 15 gallons and 15 gal pot.. I haven't bought soil since, and will never need to again.. 2-3 years of back to back no till growing in each pot. Autos and photos.. I've never "rested" or "reset". Ive never "cooked" a soil.. I chop, and immediately put a plant into the same pot that I just harvested from.

Living soils are designed to be reused over and over for years.. The more use, the better it gets.. In 2 plus years, I've top dressed only a handful of times, and used teas one a month during the grows. Right now, both of my 15 gal pots are performing the best they have yet. The soil is super active and I am legit water only for damn near the entire grow with autos.
I have 3 plants in a 15 gal pot right now.. Probably 45 days in.. In mid flower right now.. Nothing but plain water.. And I don't see myself needing to add anything before harvest.. I actually have slight nute burn just from water only. Again, Im not promoting a product, just the basics of gardening.. Water only is the shit! It's as awesome as it sounds. But everything has to stay in balance for it work. Thats not the easiest thing for new growers because they always seems to succumb to the urges to add stuff. Organic or water only grows really are a hands off type of thing, especially with autos.. I totally get it though. I did the same thing, lol. I also looked for the easy route/short cut. But trust me, there are no shortcuts or easy routes.

All three of you have the right idea and are on the right path. Keep following that thirst for learning. Ask hella questions, and question everything someone suggests doing.

Maybe think of ii like this.. You only have to options when growing... You're either (1) feeding the plant.. Which is bottled nutes and/or liquid npk feeds.. Or you're (2) feeding the soil, which the plant will feed from on its own.. This is known as organics.. It's pre amended soil, dry amendments, stuff like recharge, teas, etc. All of those things help feed the soil and keep it "alive".. So if you buy a soil or product that already has all the required food and food sources, there should be no need to add anything for a while. And if you do add, it should be very small amounts at a time.

With option 1, you are pretty much the plants pilot. You are in charge of making sure it's fueled up, that everything is in working order, correcting any issues on the fly, and even for sticking the landing. All feeds should be ph'd, and ppms checked.. It's basically all you.. Option 2.. (With a quality living soil) your job is to keep the soil alive.. That's pretty much it.. It will constantly cycle nutrients for the plant to use if the soil is kept alive and well. For years and years.. Keep it watered.. Keep the microbe life in good ratios (by sparingly using teas/recharge/myko/light npk top dresses etc.)... Use a mulch maybe or cover crop.. Maybe even some bokashi.. And let the plant work it's magic. If issues arise, it's usually because we (the growers) have added too much of something at some point, or didn't add something soon enough. It's rarely a ph issue, or a lockout.

Keep in mind that 90% of every thing you read about cannabis.. All the feed charts, suggestions etc are based on photo period grows, and also usually based on a 2-3 months veg period. Autos move far to fast to follow a feed chart. Day 21 of an auto and it can be showing sex, which means it's mature and its feeding needs are about to change.. Far different than day 21 of a photo period. Thus, less is always more. This is why I don't follow charts, and choose to watch the plants. My first 2 yrs on this site was spent lurking in the infirmary... I took the time to learn every nutrient, what it does, how it works... Every deficiency, how it worked, what it meant, what it looked like.. All of the mediums.. It's alot, lol... But the knowledge is priceless. That's how Im now able to watch and listen to the plants needs. I can now understand baby talk, lol. I don't have to ask anyone what's wrong with my baby when it cries or makes weird noises, lol. So reading/watching/listening to the plant (however you wanna say it, lol) is more than staring at the plant and waiting for rust spots to show up. You have to know the symptoms as well as the warning signs. Okay, enough words, lmao. This has to be the longest thing I've ever posted, lol. Back to my cave, lol!