Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible

and a menagerie of trace elements, but it is available very, very slowly.
    Colloidal phosphate (powdered or soft phosphate) is a natural clay phosphate deposit that contains just over 20 percent phosphorus (P 2 O 5 ), calcium, and many trace elements. It yields only 2 percent phosphate by weight the first few months.
    Seaweed meal and/or kelp meal is harvested from the ocean or picked up along the beaches, cleansed of salty water, dried, and ground into a powdery meal. It is packed with potassium (potash), numerous trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, and plant hormones. The nutrient content varies according to the type of kelp and growing conditions. Seaweed meal is easily assimilated by the plants, and contributes to soil life, structure, and nitrogen fixation. It may also help the plants resist many diseases and withstand light frosts. Kelp meal also eases transplant shock.
    Seaweed (liquid) contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, all necessary trace elements in a chelated form, as well as plant hormones. Apply diluted solution to the soil for a quick cure of nutrient deficiencies. Liquid seaweed is also great for soaking seeds and, dipping cuttings and bare roots before planting.
    Sheep manure is high in nutrients and makes a wonderful tea. The average nutrient content is: N – 0.8%, P – 0.5%, K – 0.4%, and a full range of trace elements. Sheep manures contain little water and lots of air. They heat up readily in a compost pile. Cow and pig manures are cold because they hold a lot of water and can be compacted easily, squeezing out the air.
    Shrimp & crab wastes contain relatively high levels of phosphorus.
    Sulfate of potash is normally produced chemically by treating rock powders with sulfuric acid, but one company, Great Salt Lake Minerals and Chemicals Company, produces a concentrated natural form. The sulfate of potash is extracted from the Great Salt Lake.
    Swine manure has a high nutrient content but is slower acting and wetter (more anaerobic) than cow and horse manure. The average nutrient content of pig manure is: N – 0.6%, P – 0.6%, K – 0.4%, and a full range of trace elements.
    Wood ashes (hardwood) supply up to 10 percent potash, and softwood ashes contain about 5 percent. Potash leaches rapidly. Collect the ash soon after burning, and store in a dry place. Apply in a mix with other fertilizers at the rate of one-quarter cup per 3-gallon pot (25 cl per 11 L). The potash washes out of the wood ash quickly and can cause compacted, sticky soil. Avoid using alkaline wood ashes in soil with a pH above 6.5.
    Worm castings are excreted, digested humus and other (decomposing) organic matter that contain varying amounts of nitrogen as well as many other elements. They are an excellent source of non-burning soluble nitrogen and an excellent soil amendment that promotes fertility and structure. Mix with the potting soil to form a rich, fertile blend. Pure worm castings look like coarse graphite powder and are heavy and dense. Do not add more than 20 percent worm castings to any mix. They are so heavy that root growth can be impaired. Worm castings are very popular and easier to obtain at commercial nurseries.
    Note: The nutrients in organic fertilizers may vary greatly depending upon source, age, erosion, climate, etc. For exact nutrient content, consult the vendor’s specifications.
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    Make super tea by gently agitating and oxygenating the soup. This will supercharge the tea and add 10 to 100 times more microbes than regular compost tea. The Compost Tea Brewing Manual by Dr. Elaine R. Ingham of Soil Foodweb, Inc., compares some commercial tea makers, including a bio-blender used in a 5-gallon bucket (19 L), 100- (380 L), and 500-gallon (1900 L) brewers. The book includes recipes for high-bacteria, high-fungal, and high-mycorrhizal teas. Take a look at the super-compost tea makers at www.soilsoup.com .

Fill a nylon stocking with sifted, well-rotted compost and soak in a bucket for a few days to make a potent fertilizer and plant elixir.
Mixing Fertilizers
    Always read the entire label, and follow the directions. To mix, dissolve the powder and the crystals into a little warm water, and make sure it is totally dissolved before adding the balance of the tepid water. This will ensure that the fertilizer and the water mix evenly. Liquid fertilizers can be mixed directly with water.
    Containers have very little growing medium in which to hold the nutrients, and toxic salt buildup may become a