Hey guys, as most of you know, PGS has a sister company called Local Harvest. Local Harvest produces organic plant food that out performs most synthetic, chemical/ salt based hydroponic nutrients. We recently have perfected the feeding schedule for Local Harvest and it’s based on our own experience with our own product. Feel free to give us a call anytime with any questions you might have. We want you guys to have some of the success we have had with Local Harvest!
New Local Harvest Feed Chart
Organic nutrient manufacturers are very secretive about their recipes. This makes it very difficult to write about them except where I have seen the results. Some commercial organic nutrients have been certified by independent organic bodies. There are some products that are claimed to be organic but have not been certified. This may be simply because the manufacturer wants to keep the ingredients secret. In the cases where the nutrient is not certified you have to decide whether you trust the manufacturer. There have been cases where the producer just uses the word organic to mean that there is some part of the nutrient made from organic products with a base of chemicals.
It is a common myth that you cannot provide enough nitrogen with organic nutrients. With modern organic nutrients it is quite possible to over-fertilise with nitrogen, so always use the nutrients as recommended on the labels. Don’t assume stronger solutions are better. Too much, even of organic nitrogen, will result in weak growth that is more vulnerable to pest attack. This can provoke the production of too many leaves, few flowers and tasteless harvests.
Bio Sevia is one of the latest organic nutrients and will give excellent results surprising to those who may have tried older attempts at organic nutrients made by less technically-minded producers. I know some people who have managed to use the new Bio Sevia range in hydroponics but the technique is so intricate that it would require an article on its own. I would recommend only using organics in soil unless you want to learn degree-level hydroponics. The use of their Trichoderma fungus additive is very much recommended to drive the best results from your plant. Bio Sevia is certified organic by Qualité France.
Canna have recently revised and improved the formulae of their Bio Vega or Bio Flores. They should now give even better results than before. Simple to use they are another one part organic nutrient for use with soil. The ingredients are all plant extracts but only hops are specified on the labels. Hop waste is a very rich organic nutrient mostly obtained from the beer brewing industry. For the those who don’t know the hop, the hop vine is a massive, fast-growing plant that reaches 8 metres tall from ground level every year. The hop vine drags huge amounts of minerals through its large root system. One of the problems of growing hops is feeding them fast enough to keep up with their growth. The hop flowers contain lots of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus as well as most of the minor minerals that were present in the soil in which it was grown. Canna Bio Flores and Vega are certified organic by the official organic certification body for the Netherlands.
Another Dutch certified organic nutrient with as many satisfied growers as Canna is Bio Bizz. Although they do not reveal the ingredients they are all plant- and mineral-derived. As they a little cheaper than the Canna products they are used by the majority of organic growers whom I know. Perhaps that says more about my friends than the relative quality of the two nutrients.
An old favourite that is still used by many organically-minded gardeners is Earth Juice. The manufacturers give the ingredients on the label. So, if you want to add your own favourite additives you will know whether they are already in the mix. Because of the high content of bird and bat guano it can smell quite objectionably bad to some people. Earth Juice contains molasses so you will not need to add any carbohydrate additives like Carbo Load. Both the bloom and grow formulae contain phosphates and potash so you may not need to add them to your soil.
Most one part organic nutrients will be short of phosphorus and/or calcium as they are one part nutrients (not A & B). It is quite difficult to make calcium and phosphate soluble at the concentrations needed in a one part nutrient. This is quite easy to allow for by adding rock phosphate or bonemeal to your soil mixture. The fungi in your soil will make these available to the plant.
Local Harvest is another great organic liquid Organic nutrient that performs just like a salt/chemical based fertilizer would. Based out of Sebastopol Ca. They have a Grow and Bloom and a Calcium supplement. I have heard great things about this product.
Another way to feed your plants organically is to make your own “compost tea”. Though some of these are made from well-rotted garden compost dissolved in water there are simpler, faster methods. Garden manure will contain a large range of organisms, not just those that help your plants. It is not possible to reproduce the entire ecosystem indoors so you must select those that help. These live teas can be made from fresh plants and manures. Traditional recipes involved comfrey, nettles and other herbs rotted in water for two weeks. This produced a very stinky liquid that was very good for the plants.
Modern compost teas are made with fungal or bacterial starters Some contain both bacteria and fungi. An air pump is essential to ensure that the mixture stays oxygenated. Keeping high levels of oxygen in the tea reduces the smell to tolerable levels but it is still best to put your composting bucket in a relatively unused room. High oxygenation also benefits the better types of bacteria and fungi. Compost tea made without oxygenation could produce very high levels of the most dangerous fungi and bacteria, for you and your plants. Using Liquid Oxygen or other hydrogen peroxide solutions is not possible with compost teas as the useful organisms will die immediately they are added.
Bacteria-dominated teas should contain plenty of protein rich plant matter such as vegetable waste, especially from beans and leafy vegetables. The bacteria-dominated teas can be diluted and used as foliar sprays when plants are young.
Fungi-dominated compost teas should be given small amounts of molasses or other sugary foods to feed the fungi. Too much sugar can be detrimental producing an overgrowth of common yeast, it is best to add a little every day. Phosphates can be added by the action of the fungi or bacteria on rock phosphate or bat guano.
Compost teas must always be made with chlorine-free water. Chlorine is added to the water-supply because it kills a wide range of bacteria, fungi and other disease-causing organisms, having the same action as bleach. It will also kill your beneficial organisms. You can get rid of low levels of chlorine by leaving the water to stand overnight but to be absolutely sure use a charcoal-based water filter or Reverse Osmosis filter.
If you don’t like the idea of all this bother for your plant food, you can get the same benefits by using any of the liquid organic nutrients as a short cut. Make up the solutions in your reservoir as directed on the bottles. Add a bacterial or fungal starter. Keep the mixture heavily oxygenated by an air pump driving air through airstones. Clean the airstones regularly so they do not become blocked. Use the liquid to feed your plants whenever they need it. After a week make another batch of nutrient. If your mixture smells sweet and yummy you can keep a little of your old nutrient tea in the bottom of the reservoir to start the new batch. However, after some time you will lose some of the organisms you need and should add the starters occasionally. You do not have to wash your reservoir thoroughly, the beneficial organisms should be keeping the nasty ones in check
Thanks Urban Garden Magazine for the Article – Original Page Here
They finally did it! SunGRO has created an organic SunShine mix. All the great benefits of their other sunshine mixes but now they offer an organic version. This stuff is fantastic. I grabed a bail and tried it last week. To my surprise I actually noticed a visible improvement in the health of my plants. After years of using Sunshine mix #4, I am really excited about this new organic mix. The extra care and quality that this organic version totes is worth the extra cost. If you are an organic gardener, I very strongly suggest that you give this mix a try.
Sunshine® Natural & Organic Mix #4
Sunshine Natural & Organic Mix #4 is recommended where high air capacity and fast drainage are needed: during winter months, with water or salt sensitive crops, or where frequent leaching is required.
Available Sizes
Available in 3.8 cu ft compressed bales, as well as 2.8 cu ft loose fill bags. Loose fill is also available in 60 cu ft from our Western and Central regions, and 80/60/45 cu ft from our Eastern region. This product is available in our 110 cu ft SunTower bale in the Eastern region.
Ingredients
Formulated with Canadian Sphagnum peat moss, coarse grade perlite, gypsum, Dolomitic lime, and an organic wetting agent.
Applications
This mix is highly recommended for nursery stock, perennials, cutting propagation, hanging baskets and interiorscape.
We have tons of this stuff in stock…. Come on in or give us a call 1-866-PGS-GROW.
Space can be at a premium, especially these days when apartments and condos are so popular. A simple solution for those wanting to grow at least a few basic herbs and vegetables is to grow in containers. Maybe you don’t have the time to maintain a large vegetable garden, or you have a physical condition that prevents you bending down or using the usual gardening tools. Whatever the reason, container gardening can be a great way to produce some of your organic food needs.
While container gardening may have its limitations, there are some great benefits.
* You have the advantage of being able to bring containers indoors through the coldest part of winter.
* Your pots / containers can create a focal point on a balcony or patio area, adding interest, colour or foliage.
* Planters can be made from just about any type of container that holds soil and allows adequate drainage.
* Potting mediums are easy to work with as they are the correct pH.
* Weeds are much less likely to become a problem.
* Less likely to be attacked by snails and slugs or soil borne diseases.
* The tiniest space – even a windowsill can be used to produce some fresh herbs
Soil
You need to purchase premium potting mix for growing in containers. Don’t be tempted to use soil from the garden in your pots as it will become compact and heavy, not allowing water to drain well. A premium potting medium is a must. It is lighter and so provides excellent drainage.
You will need to provide all your plants nutrients as most potting mixes do not come with organic fertilizer. Remember that more is not better when it comes to applying fertilizer. Too much fertilizer in contact with your plant’s roots will burn them. Always follow the directions on packaged fertilizers. There are many organic fertilizers available to choose from so look for blends suited to the type of plant you are growing – leafy, flowering, vegetables, etc.
Container plants need watering more frequently than normal garden plants, and as a result the water leaches away fertilizers. So container grown plants benefit from liquid feeds on a regular basis throughout their growing season. You can purchase organic liquid fertilizers if you don’t have room to make your own. Use them for foliar feeding and drenching the soil around your plants.
Watering
Because container plants are above ground the sun and wind will dry potting soils out quicker than plants grown in the ground. During summer you will need to take care that your pots do not dry out.
Water containers when the soil dries out to a depth of 1-2cm (1/2 inch). Apply water with a soft flow to be gentle on your plants and the soil. In really hot weather I usually re-water about 30 minutes after my initial watering. This is beneficial in containers as plants cannot always take up the water quickly.
It is important to make sure that your containers have adequate drainage or your plants will suffer and ultimately die if the roots are permanently sitting in water. If your containers sit on the ground bottom holes may not drain readily. If they are on a patio or are just off the ground, there should be no problem with bottom holes. If you’re not sure, make side holes.
Pieces from an old broken clay pot or fly wire placed over the holes will keep the potting mix from packing around the holes and reducing drainage, as well as keeping it in the pot.
You can add some mulch to larger pots in summer to help prevent them from drying out. I like to use pea straw.
Choosing the right plants
When you’re growing in containers you will need to look for varieties that are the most suitable for growing in small areas. Many herbs make excellent container specimens. You could start with some of the smaller vegetables such as radishes, lettuce, onions, capsicum or chillies, eggplant, short varieties of carrots, bush beans etc. Container planting is ideal to try out some companion planting techniques. You’ll have better success if your plant combinations are happy ones! If you plant in three weekly successions you may be able to achieve continuous production of some plants.
You can also try some climbing plants providing you have some trellis or railing for support. Strawberries grow well in containers, particularly hanging baskets if they are not allowed to dry out.
Location
Choose a position for you container plants where they get about six hour sun each day, preferably morning sun rather than afternoon sun. ou may also need to protect your plants from falling over in strong winds. If you have many pots they might provide some protection for each other. Place the tallest plants along walls or trellises.
Many conventional gardeners find themselves with more than just a few plants growing in containers. I wouldn’t think of any other way to grow mints as they are just impossible if they escape into the garden. And how many people have the space for a full grown bay tree, when they only use a few leaves each week?
Yes, they take a little extra care, but we are well rewarded with our bounties. Try growing a few pots together. They look great and they provide a suitable micro-climate for each other. Good luck with yours!
Hi, I am an avid organic gardener and am known by my friends as the recycling queen. I live on a small country property in South Australia.
It is my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening ( I know you’ll become addicted). This will improve both our individual lives and the wellbeing of our personal and global environments.
Anyone can grow their own healthy food with Organic Gardening – Click here to get started
Happy Organic Gardening, Healthy Living…
Julie Williams
http://www.1stoporganicgardening.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Williams
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