Firstly this is not a hipster/trendsetter thread. I see a lot in the organic world buying that many amendments costing an absolute fortune. Usually the same people who kick back thinking they are clever and sticking it to the fertiliser companies. End of the day they are being taken for a ride by marketing companies as the trend for organics is in full swing. If you fit this bill probably best you don't read on or you may find yourself in tears or pulling your hair out in rage lol.
So no bullshit let's break it down to the basics eh.
The first rule in organic growing is , IS what I'm using sustainable, how many miles away did it come from and what environment is being mined and destroyed to get it.
You shouldn't really need to purchase many materials to grow organically, they are already on your doorstep.
The four main things any organic gardener should have in his arsenal are:
Compost bin
Worm farm
An incinerator
An aerator/aquarium pump min 200ltr/hr
Anything on top of this is a bonus.
The only products you really should have to buy are molasses, buy this from a feed lot cheap as chips and usually you can supply your own bottle for them to fill which makes it an environmentally friendly option. Aloe vera plants or powder. Its not necessary but I highly recommend it. I'm lucky enough to have tons of it growing but you can buy the powder which is a little costly. I use mine fresh but you can make your own powder. If your climate isn't suitable to grow it maybe ya can squeeze one into your grow room. Crusher dust you can buy for next to nothing at a landscape suppliers, I pay about $2 for a 20ltr bucket. Sugar cane mulch again not totally necessary but an excellent product for mulching/top dressing, and feeding to your worms. Chock-a-block full of carbs. Dolomite from a landscape supplier not a nursery or home depot if ya want cheap, Epsom salts is a good one to have handy, again buy from a stock feed joint cost nothing. For making my fertiliser ferments I also use kelp but I collect my own if that's not possible , again it's cheap from the stock feed. That should be about all you need, I do buy a powdered fertiliser which is basically a blend of blood and bone, and manures. Again the landscape joint has this very cheap I pay about $17 for 25kg. I rarely use this product but It's handy to have and probably would provide some comfort if your new to this lol. I might add here I keep chickens and I also make my own flowering and vegetative fertilisers. I will provide recipes for this later on. One other product I use but isn't a necessity is Great White Shark powder. Ok so you now have enough amendments to last you for years. Forget about the hundred of other meals and powders out there, not saying they don't have a purpose ya just don't need em. I will provide pics later to back this up. Job done.
Through the thread I will dispel some of the myths in the organic world as I think or hear of them.
So let's dispel some myths by common sense.
First one we are gunna look at is:
Do synthetic nutrients put your microbes on death row.
The general and simplified answer is NO.
Like any goods craftsman knows, the key to success is having the right tools in his arsenal and now exactly how to use them for the best results.
Has Hobbit been known to throw a handful of super phosphates on his passion fruits? YES, would I do this continuously or without any other amendment NO.
The reality of our farmland soils being lifeless is not only from the use of synthetic fertilisers, compaction from live stock and heavy machinery, the lack of replenishing organic material and the constant productivity of the soil all play a part here. The fact that most once fertile farmland was once forest or rain forest or simply bush as we call it in Oz got things off to a bad start. Scientists are only now questioning how many microbe species we may have made extinct in this process. The benefits of microbes in many non soil related applications is growing by the day. They are even using microbes now to enhance the performance and recovery times of athletes. Synthetics wont instantly kill microbes. The common misconception comes about due to the fact that synthetics are salt based and have an osmosis effect on microbes. I will talk more about this further on
Does tap water kill microbes?
No
1 You'd be dead. You are basically microbes , without your stomach flora and fauna you wouldn't survive, yet they add chemicals to our drinking water and we kick on. we are after all chemical factories as are the plants and animals we eat.
2 Outbreaks of giardia sourced back to drinking water supplies would never happen.
3 My vegetable garden would be dead.
4 My other favourite hobby, brewing beer would not be possible. We use water straight from the tap and add yeast within 6 hrs if conditions are right the microbes are going mad and multiplying.
My tap water has an EC of 0.3, I know some is higher but this generally isn't because it's loaded with way more chemicals but generally where it is sourced from, and the organic salts it contains. Most using synthetics in growing weed aren't pushing much more than 1.4 EC. By the way the EC straight from the tap compared to having let it stand 24hrs doesn't change.
Another myth is organics have no EC. Wrong most everything has an EC in organics or basic physics wouldn't work. This theory is ignorant and a total lack of understanding on how soil holds nutrients and plants take them up. I might be the only soil grower who owns an EC pen, an if you don't I recommend you do.
My point is that organic minerals are often salt based as well. The EC run-off from my soil grow after watering 2 nights ago is 9.1, I'm usually hanging around the 4-6 mark but a microbe tea with a high molasses content given last week has it up there right now and the plants are in great health.
Am I promoting the use of synthetics No, but lets keep it in perspective eh. The continuous use of synthetics will make your soil devoid of life over time but using a few synthetics here and there is just another tool in your arsenal if needed. It's all about understanding the whole process.
Alright for the now that's enough dribble to get ya heads around, let's take a picture break eh.
Flowering and veg ferments
Simple cold compost. The piece of metal in t is the floor i cut outta my trailer. The rain and watering will deteriorate this and add iron to my compost. waste not want not. I will provide more detail on hot composting and carbon nitrogen ratios later.
only thing that scares me of going organic is the smell in the house , I have a weak stomach when it comes to smells 
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