Delta

Introduction:

Quite a few people have pinged me on my fertilization techniques, so I thought I’d share some knowledge. Hopefully this can help some people out and maybe some plants, too. Also, I wanted to share some tips and advice on how to obtain the stuff you need. Thus, the ‘for Dummies’ part. This is not intended to be an ‘Organic vs. Chemical’ debate.

I come from the water …

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Delta

Fact: Plants feed on Inorganic Ions, ONLY. Raw Salt Fertilization is the technique of blending the correct, water soluble, composites that can provide the Inorganic Ions DIRECTLY to the plant via its water supply: Systemic or Foliar. Typically, raw salts are ALL NATURAL in origin although certain compounds are processed for purity.

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Delta

* Increase plant flower and resin production, quality, yield, vigor, and overall health.

* Provide a finer grain of control (over commercial fertilizers) to the NPK/micro ratios, for experimentation.

* Stop paying for marketing and lower the costs of my fertilizers.

* Reduce risk of insects and nematodes.

* Identify any gaps or deltas between organic and chemical extracts in search of the perfect ‘water of life’.

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Delta

This thread will be organized by post. Each individual post will focus on a particular salt, or set of salts, that provide a needed macro or micronutrient. Obviously, there are quite a few other factors that determine optimum plant health and these are outside the scope of this thread (i.e. medium, soil, hydro, etc.). Please refrain from these types of discussion tangents.

Raw salt fertilization techniques can be applied to any growing medium.

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Delta

… Is different for many plants. The following nutrients have been identified as contributors to our hobby. This IS NOT listed in order of precedence, rather by order of reference.

Remember, the salts must be water soluble forms of the following:

Macros
----------
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorous (P)
Potassium (K)

Micros
---------
Magnesium (Mg)
Calcium (Ca)
Sulfur (S)
Iron (Fe)
Chlorine (Cl)
Manganese (Mn)
Zinc (Z)
Copper (C)
Boron (B)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Cobalt (Co)

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Delta

Every amino acid contains nitrogen.

According to the manner in which nitrogen is combined with other elements, the nitrogenous fertilizers are divided into four groups; nitrate, ammonia and ammonium salts, chemical compounds containing nitrogen in the amide form, and plant and animal by-products such as Urea.

Before long, I’ll begin to sound like a broken record. But, Plants feed on Inorganic Ions, only.

The type of Nitrogen selected is VERY important.

Nitrogen can affect the finished product in a few distinct ways. Color, smell, and taste can depend on whether you used Urea or Ammonia, how much you used, and at what rate.

Every smoke something that tasted like piss (Cat Piss, maybe?)? Ureas are to blame; or hey, maybe you like it.

Also, ever have smoke the stuff that tastes real chemically … like, um, Ammonia? You see where I’m going with this?

It is very important to understand that by using a raw salt such as Nitrate Nitrogen you will allow your plant to produce it’s bouquet, untainted. It will not leave a residual taste like the other forms normally do. Also, Nitrate Nitrogen does not ironically bond to the particles in the soil, like Urea and Ammonia, and it is very easy to flush.

Overdosing on Nitrates is very difficult compared to the other forms. This is a good thing because too much Nitrogen will build up in the plant (causing a very DARK GREEN color) and the finished product will be very harsh (Nitrogen burns at a very high temperature and this quality translates to hotter smoke).

Also, inhaling Nitrogen is known to cause headaches.

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Delta

Fertilizer Name, Nitrate Nitrogen (%), Ammoniacal Nitrogen (%), Amide Nitrogen (%), Total Nitrogen

Sodium Nitrate (Nitrate of Soda), 15 - 16, -, -, 15 - 16
Ammonium Sulphate, -, 20 - 21, -, 20 - 21
Ammonium Nitrate, 17 - 18, 17 - 18, -, 17 - 18
Ammonium Sulphate Nitrate, 6.5, 19.5, -, 26
Ammonium Chloride, -, 25 - 26, -, 25 - 26
Anhydrous Ammonia, -, 99.0, -, 99.0
Urea (Biuret = 1.5%), -, -, 46.0, 46.0
Urea (Coated), -, -, 45.0, 45.0
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (25%N), 12.5, 12.5, -, 25.0
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (26%N), 13.0, 13.0, -, 26.0
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (28%N), 14.0, 14.0, -, 28.0


As you can see, a great source of Nitrate Nitrogen is ‘Nitrate of Soda’ followed closely by Ammonium Nitrate. These are the BEST ionically available sources of Nitrogen available.

Go for the raw salt! (I'll get to why later)
Sodium Nitrate (Nitrate of Soda)

Or, what I like to do, some times, is add Ammonium Nitrate at a rate of 50/50 with Nitrate Nitrogen to skunk varieties. This tends to enhance the skunk flavor. Then flush just the Nitrogen during the final weeks of flowering. This has a leaching effect and will turn your buds a beautiful NEON GREEN … the bottom fan leaves will yellow and drop off.

Using Ureas in practice is fraught with many cons! They have a nasty way of ionically bonding to the soil and becoming incredibly hard to leach. This will cause Nitrogen Toxicity and can kill a plant very quickly. My advice is to make every effort to steer away from these compounds.

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Delta

Every molecule making up every cell's membrane contains phosphorous (the membrane molecules are called phospholipids), and so does every molecule of ATP (the main energy source of all cells).

Many phosphorus fertilizers have been developed over the years to provide P that is directly available to growing plants. ALL of these fertilizers are made from phosphate rock, which, as it is mined, is very low in available P. Apatite is the mineral form of phosphorous. Phosphate deposits are concentrations of apatite. Most phosphate deposits form as sedimentary deposits resulting from biological activity. To increase P availability, it is treated with acids or heat to provide high-analysis fertilizer salts with improved agronomic and physical properties. The refined forms of are: rock Phosphorus, ammoniated Phosphates, super Phosphates, Phosphoric acid and bone in amount of Phosphate can dissolve at any time in soil and water (Bone Meal).

Raw phosphorous salts can work miracles on a variety of the desirable qualities of our favorite plant. It promotes development of strong root structures, aids in the plant's ability to use and transfer energy, and hastens maturity. Plus, it stimulates growth of larger flowers and trichomes.

It is, however, very easy to overdose on raw phosphorous salts. ALWAYS MIX A TEA AHEAD OF TIME! PPM Readings will fluctuate wildly until the solution has stabilized. Allow the salts to dissolve 100% before application.

Also, Algae loves this stuff and can consume large amounts of phosphorous.

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Delta

Fertilizer Name, Total Phosphorous (P2O5) (%), Water Solubility (%)
Phosphate Rock, 25-35, 0-10
Phosphoric Acid, 40-54, 100
Superphosphoric Acid, 69-72, 100
Normal Superphosphate, 20(15S), 85-95
Triple Superphosphate, 44-46, 85-95
Monoammonium Phosphate, 52 (11N), 95-100
Ammonium Phosphate, 20(16N-15S), 95-100
Diammonium Phosphate, 46(18N), 95-100
Ammonium Polyphosphate, 34(10N), 100


Ok, this time the ‘best’ AVAILABLE source of pure Phosphorous is somewhat ambiguous (some P salts have nitrogen in them, especially the ammoniates). It will most definitely be one of the Apatite phosphorous concentrates that are dissolved in sulfuric acid to make phosphoric acid, superphosphate (16 - 21% P2O5) and triple superphosphate (43-48% P2O 5) for raw fertilizer salts.

Triple SuperPhosphate that has been ground with a coffee grinder to a powder is the easiest to find and use. First I cheleat this for about a week, then I shake and let stand for months in a light and air-tight container as I use it.

Phosphoric Acid is also great stuff, especially Superphosphoric Acid … but you will definitely have to adjust the Ph if you use this. I use it in conjunction with Hydrated Lime as they are opposites on the Ph scale. The actual mixture is more of an art form than science.

We’ll talk about Ph of the salts in another post.

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Delta

... and edit the previous posts. As far as Nitrate of Soda, it's NaNO3 ...

[Updated 2-12-02, Now I can, though! ]

Thanks for pointing this out. I'd thought about it previously but didn't want to scare people away with the chemical formulae.

My intention was really to focus on obtaining what you need, by PRODUCT name, via the Internet or US Retailer. Sorry for my lack of regard for you international folks.

What does everyone else think? Do you want me to attach chemical formulas, or do you just want to wait for the product names and PICTURES?!

As an oversight, I think it'd probably be pretty useful for others.

This stuff isn't difficult to find. Not really, if you know what you're looking for. Here's a quick shopping list. Although, I wouldn't recommend using this stuff without some understanding of what it does. Some of this stuff can be very dangerous if mishandled.

I have a few different places I get things from. Here's a TYPICAL shopping list. There are SO MANY different salts to choose from. Some are more available resources in different parts of the world (i.e. Saltpeter is all over Kentucky (naturally), but try and find it in Florida ... No Rite Aids)

Here it is:
N - Nitrate of Soda and Potassium Nitrate aka SaltPeter - Local Nursery for Nitrate of Soda and Rite Aid or www.medichest.com for the Saltpeter
P - Triple Super Phosphate and Phosphoric Acid - Home Depot or Lowe's for the TSP and you can get powdered or liquid PA from www.medichest.com or almost any hydro store
K - Potash, Potassium Chloride, and Potassium Nitrate - See Nitrogen; Potash is available at the local Nursery and Potassium Chloride is the primary ingredient in Morton Salt Substitute (grocery store)
Mg & S - Epsom Salts - Walmart, Eckerd, almost everywhere
Ca & Cl - Hydrated Lime or Tomatoe Stop Rot, check contents, only need Ca & Cl and you can get these at your local nursery, Lowes or Home Depot
The rest of the micro's can be found in EDTA form from www.medichest.com, Rite Aid Pharmacy, or another local pharmacy will probably have what you need. (Not Eckerd, though)

Remember, though, patience is a virtue. I already have something more useful than this planned for towards the end of the thread. If you're a rogue, make sure you know how to cheleat these together or you will cause ionic bonding in the solution. THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE MIXED IS VERY IMPORTANT!

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