grow fertilizer

8/10/2019 Grow Fertilizer

1/17

Grow Fertilizer

This is the natural farming plant growth formula. This formula is effective not only for the

Nitrogen it supplies, but more importantly for the growth promoting enzymes and hormones it

contains. Chlorophyll in leaves is not broken down in oil or in water. They require weak alcoholin order to be broken down. Fermentation produces some alcohol as a byproduct, which breaks

down leaves and releases those enzymes and hormones. This is an awesome product not only by

itself, but when used in conjunction with other nutrients.

***For an illustrated example of this recipe, check out the farm loghere.The flog has all

kinds of good stuff, sign up to get the updates via email!***

How to Make:This is really a combination of fish hydrolysate and fermented plant extract. Fish hydrolysate is

used because its high in Nitrogen, a principal element needed by growing plants. Its also rich inmany vitamins, minerals, oils, etc. The plant extracts provide the growth hormones along with

essential macro- and micro-nutrients.

1. Our grow formula uses 1:1 fermented plant material and fish hydrolysate.Learn to makeyour own fish hydrolysate.

Instructions for fermented plant extract:

2. Find a fast-growing plant in your area. It must be a green-color plant, fresh juicy

succulent leaves are best.

3.

Collect a bunch of the growing tips of the plant. The green leaves give you Nitrogen, thegrowing tips give you the growth hormones. We try not to wash them for you may wash

off those microbes too. We want the photosynthetic bacteria that naturally occur on theleaf surface of these fast-growing plants (phyllosphere microbes).

4. Weigh the amount of material youve collected and add roughly half that weight in sugar.

5. Put in a clay jar or plastic container.

6. If fermenting a large batch, put a large rock on top of the material to push it down into thebottom of the container. After at least 5 hours, remove the rock, and cover the container

with a newspaper/cheese cloth/etc and secure with string/rubber-band.

7. If fermenting a smaller batch, you can add water. Add at least enough water to cover the

material but if you want to add more no problem.8. Keep container out of direct sunlight. Solution will be fermented in approximately 7-15

days (depending on temperature).

9. After that time, drain the liquid and put in plastic bottle, leaving 1/3 empty so organismscan breathe.

10.DONT TIGHTEN lid for at least2 weeks or so. Wait till tiny bubble disappear and then

close the container tightly.11.Note: if you observe un-dissolved sugar in the bottom it means fermentation did not go to

completion. Add a little water to reactivate and leave lid off for a few days.
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2/17

Notes on this fermented plant extract:

1. To use on its own, mix 1Tbsp/L or 4tbsp/gallon.2. Apply as foliar spray in morning or evening when temp is lower . During the middle of

the day when sunlight is highest, the plant stomata are closed (to preserve moisture), thus

the intake of our foliar spray becomes difficult and less effective.3. Plant material can be used as animal feed or compost.

4. Extract should have a sweet, sour, and even alcoholic smell and taste. Yes, you can taste

it no problem but make sure to smell it first! Make sure it doesnt smell foul in that caseyou screwed something up and will have to start over. It should keep forever technically.

Will be progressively more vinegary but no problem.

TIP:This recipe is for your generalized growth promotant. If you want something

specific to your plant type, use your plant type in the recipe. If growing tomatoes,

use the growing tips of a tomato plant!

How to use complete grow formula:So now youve made your own fish hydrolysate thats loaded with Nitrogen and trace elements,

not to mention fats and oils that will feed teeming fungal/bacterial hordes thatll protect and

nourish your plant; along with your own natural plant extract, full of growth hormones andstimulating enzymes, that will get your plants growing full and green!

Now its really up to you what ratio you mix your plant extract and fish hydrolysate. I mix mine1:1, that is 1 part homemade fish hydrolysate to 1 part fermented plant growth stimulant. But

again, everything is relative. The more you know and understand the materials, their active

ingredients, the more you will be able to determine their appropriate use. Hypothesize,experiment, report back! Have fun!

Mix 1 Tbsp/gal

Apply once per week or as necessary

Apply as foliar spray in morning/evening

Apply as soil drench anytime

Mix with BIM for enhanced effectiveness

Share this:


3/17

Big Ray

April 5, 2013 at 3:34 am -Reply...

I wish you would also add the equivalent US measurement in these instructions. I have

never used metric measurements and find it very difficult to go to a conversion chartseveral times while I read each great article.

This is some incredible information. I have already started some ferments going!

o Patrick


Haha gosh that is my number one constructive criticism so far. Im going to go

through all these recipes and fix the measurements. Im also thinking of putting a

converter box thing at the top of each article. You can get quick conversions fromgoogle by typing simple commands eg. 15ml to tbsp or 25cl to gal or

whatever, but I know its a pain, again Ill be fixing these up as I can.

Big Ray


Because I live near vast brackish marshes, I have access to literally tons of waterhyacinth and other invasive aquatic plants. The water hyacinth is known for having an

affinity for metals.

Would adding water hyacinth and its high(ish) concentration of metals be good or bad

for use in this product? If not this product, is there a specific use that water hyacinth is

good for?

I know this question is a little off-topic but, would it be OK to apply water hyacinth over

my soil as a mulch while still green? Right from the water to my garden?

Thanks for your patience with all of the questions!

o Patrick


Ha, good question dont know much about the plant. It does take up metals andtoxins, if those are present in the water. Id think about the water its in and how

much pollutants are likely to be there. It is used as a feedstock in many countries

apparently although they say not to over use.
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4/17

But jeez, looking at the info on it, what an awesome plant to use for this stuff!

Grows incredibly fast, produces tons of seeds, and roots support an amazing

bacterial community. Awesome! Id ferment the buds to produce a flowerinducer, seeds for fruiting formula, stolons(runners) for your grow formula, and

figure out some way to capture those root zone bacteria. At least take a bunch of

growing roots and ferment them for a root growth stimulant.

If you have an co-op extension office near you maybe they could help determine

it its safe? Or you could do all the fermentation and send samples of finalproducts in to be tested, thats probably what Id do just out of curiosity. Not sure

how concentration in tissues translates to concentration in fermented extract.

edi


Can this fertilizer apply in brackishwater aquaculture?

o Patrick

April 29, 2013 at 4:51 pm -Reply...

Good question Edi, the microbes might not do well in saline water but thebeneficial enzymes and hormones, vitamins and minerals would probably be fine.

Health of the microbes would probably depend on level of salinity..

Diane

June 4, 2013 at 7:18 pm -Reply...

Could I ferment it in a glass jar? that is what I ferment all of my lactofermented food indill pickles, sauerkraut, kombucha and kefir.

o Patrick

June 5, 2013 at 2:22 am -Reply...

Hi Diane, yep for sure you can ferment in a glass vessel thats a great way. Just

make sure you dont tighten the lid all the way. Should be tight enough to keep itfairly anaerobic, but let excess air out so it doesnt explode. Of course if you havea one-way valve or airlock that would be ideal.

BillFoster

June 17, 2013 at 11:20 pm -Reply...
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5/17

Wow, Ive been working on FPEs LactoBacillus, BIMs etc. and spending hrs going

from site to site trying to find one that covers it all.

How did I miss this one over the past few months? Great info, great instructions and

recipes, intelligent Q&A without any unfriendly comments and such.

Great site, Great job. Thank You so much! Ill be visiting regularly

o Patrick

June 19, 2013 at 7:00 am -Reply...

Thanks Bill! Sign up for the Flog to be at the front line of news regarding this

stuff. Right now its about a garden project of mine that covers basic utilization ofthese recipes, but there will be updates from Gil also.

Anyway welcome, glad youre enjoying the site!

Joe

July 3, 2013 at 7:56 am -Reply...

Hello and great info. Towards the end of the sentence on step 4, it says add roughly half

that weight in sugar. What kind of sugar were you talking about? Brown sugar, cane

sugar, powdered sugar, etc. and will the type of sugar used affect the end results(better/worst)? Also, I have unsulphured molasses, can I substitute the sugar for

molasses?

o Patrick

July 3, 2013 at 10:10 am -Reply...

Hey Joe, great question. Thanks for joining us, join the mailing list! So withregard to your question, any sugar source will workbrown sugar, white sugar,

molasses, honey, syrup, you can use any. BUT, some types are better than others.

For example brown sugar is better than white sugar. The more unrefined thebetter, since those have more micronutrients in them. And in that vein, molasses is

an awesome sugar source! Maybe the best you can use actually! So, go for it.

Cheers,Patrick

Joe

July 3, 2013 at 3:56 pm -Reply...


6/17

Thank you. I have flowers that grows rapidly with nice dark green waxy

leaves, can I use those for growth? Or should I save it for the bloom recipe

for the flowering stage, since the plant being flowers too?

Patrick

July 4, 2013 at 3:05 am -Reply...

Hey Joe,

Yep, as long as its a fast-growing plant and its in the growthstage (not bloom stage), that should be fine. Use the brighter green

growing tips of the plant for the recipe. Once it blooms, you can

use those for the bloom recipe.

Cheers,

Patrick

Mark

July 6, 2013 at 2:57 am -Reply...

Hi, can you use the grass clippings, especially a fast growing grass like kikuyu. Then use

to spray back on the grass. Regards

o Patrick

July 8, 2013 at 10:35 am -Reply...

Hi Mark,

Yes for sure you can, that is a great idea and one of the things we recommend. It

has the nutrients that it requires in it already, it is best used on itself, like mothersmilk to a baby. Go for it. Let us know how it goes. And join the mailing list!

Patrick

vicnz

July 14, 2013 at 3:23 am -Reply...

hi. thanks for very informative site. especially for me who is starting organics gardening.I have a question about the amount of water to put in as I cant find any in the recipe.

thanks again.

o Patrick


7/17

July 17, 2013 at 4:18 am -Reply...

Traditionally you dont add water for this recipe. However if you want to addwater that is fine. I like adding a little water so I end up with a little more product,

and you dont have to dilute it as much then.

Just make sure the water is non-chlorinated!

Henry

July 22, 2013 at 2:14 pm -Reply...

Patrick,

Do you or Gil know of a method to ferment alfalfa pellets? Any info will be helpful by

anyone. Many thanks!

o Patrick

July 23, 2013 at 3:01 pm -Reply...

No problem there Henry. Im not sure of a specific method but this is how I

would do it:

1. Weigh the pellets dry, and weigh out 1/3 that of sugar(or equivalent volume

molasses). Set this aside.

2. Add enough water to re-hydrate the pellets AND form a slurry of at least semi-

liquid consistency.3. Add sugar and a littlelactoto the slurry

4. Ferment to completion

5. Drain liquid off with a fine mesh cloth, press to get all liquid out6. The solids leftover after fermentation, either add more sugar/water/lacto and

ferment again, or add to a compost pile withBIMandGrowand a carbon source

like dried leaves/sawdust/etcshould decompose VERY quickly

6. Use liquid at 1tbsp/gal (although this depends how much water you addedabove, its what I would start with) as a foliar spray. Use composted dry materials

as topdressing.

7. Now youre really maximizing your alfalfa pellets. ha ha

Hope that gives you some ideas. Let us know how it goes! Should be great.

Cheers,

Patrick

Henry
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8/17

July 23, 2013 at 8:03 pm -Reply...

Patrick,

Thank you very much for your quick response, and I basically got it started as per your

instructions. In addition to foliar spray, I plan on using it as a drench, at a ratio of 1/2-3/4tbs. per gallon . My understanding of alfalfa is that its pretty hot (can and will burn

plants) if over used. So I want to exercise some caution until I see the effects it has.

Well its been two days and we have nearly 2 of foam, off-course the temperature here

in South Florida has been in the nineties and humid. I will keep you updated after 7 daysand through the feeding process.

Again many thanks for your input!

o Patrick

July 24, 2013 at 4:21 am -Reply...

Great! Foam is a good sign, looks like its going nicely. Happy to help, let us

know how it goes..

Henry

August 10, 2013 at 5:08 am -Reply...

Patrick,

Im on the 19th day of fermenting the alfalfa pellets and it has a strong alcohol smell.

Will the smell subside? Should I add more lacto?

Many thanks

o Patrick


Hmm it should get to vinegar after alcohol. If it doesnt shape up Id add more

sugar. It should keep going though until its more of a vinegar smell. Might stillsmell a little alcoholic but more vinegary.

Annie

August 10, 2013 at 7:35 pm -Reply...
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9/17

In his talk a few back in Hawaii, Gil said he does not use a rock to press down the plant,

what he does is add water as without water, how can the juice be extracted. Does what he

said still stand? Thank you

o Patrick

August 10, 2013 at 9:21 pm -Reply...

Yes, I was working off old material of his. He does both methods actually.

Particularly for the bloom recipe that uses fruits, the ingredients have a lot of

water already so you dont need sometimes. With this recipe, you dont need touse water if you are fermenting a large batch. In a large batch there will be

enough juice from the material. However for smaller batches we use water (I

always use water since I always make small batches). I will amend the recipe I

think. Thanks Annie for bringing this up.

Henry


Patrick,

A little clarification please.The fertilizer[em]Our grow formula uses 1:1 fermented plantmaterial and fish hydrolysate.[/em]The GROW uses 1 tblsp. per gallon,yet the fish

hydro. says to use 2 tblsp. per gallon. What then would be the correct ratio?

o Patrick

October 23, 2013 at 5:50 am -Reply...

Hey Henry,

Theres no rule on this. The grow formula is a mixture of the fish fert and

fermented extract, depending on how strong you make your fermented plantextract(how much water, if any, you use when making it) will determine how

much of the final product you can mix. Id play around with it and see what works

for you. Id start with 1 tbsp/gal and go from there. Its kinda hard to burn your

plants with this stuff, but it can be less effective if you mix it too strongly. That

said I encourage you to mix larger amounts and see what happens!

Patrick

Paul Sober

October 23, 2013 at 8:43 pm -Reply...
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10/17

Thank you for all the wonderful info. Very awesome. Just made an aqueous extract of

moringa oleifera (no fermentation) new growth tips. I think its called mallungay in

Philippines. Am wondering how fermentation would effect the natural growth hormonespresent in the plants. Rice wash is fermenting nicely for first try at lactobacillus serum.

Thank you.

o Patrick

November 20, 2013 at 10:14 pm -Reply...

Awesome stuff Paul! Generally we are very positive about fermenting for growthhormones. Microbes tend to process the material to its base constituents which

are those molecules. Good luck with the lacto, by now it should be done so I hope

it turned out well for you!

Paul

February 3, 2014 at 5:34 pm -Reply...

Have generally found that excessive bacterial activity can be detrimentalto baby plants, but that is easily solved by using an inert base like sand and

feeding with compost tea which has been slightly augmented.

Also, what do you prefer re: plant based insecticides/repellants? I have had

success using diatomaceous earth as a spray, although there is some delaybetween application and eradication of the pest.

Patrick

February 4, 2014 at 8:46 am -Reply...

Hey Paul,

Ginger garlic works wellall the aromatic herbs have somedeterrent effects. Chili works well as a deterrent. Some plants have

specific toxicity, like parsnip on mites. Diatomaceous earth is

awesome, that seems like a pretty popular organic choice. Chitosan

looks promising for a lot of applications in that regard, Im making

some now Ill let you know how it goes..

Thanks for the input thats great.

Patrick

Gaston
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11/17

January 13, 2014 at 3:37 pm -Reply...

Henry? Any chance I could find out how the Alfalfa ferment went? I am thinking ofdoing that early on next spring. Would you have suggestions for the proportions?

Henry

January 15, 2014 at 5:09 am -Reply...

Gaston,

Went very well and its working great. At the time I made it I only had the pellets, so I

soaked them in unchlorinated water til they softened,waited till the alfalfa softened and

dried, pulverized them to a fine powder, and then fermented as per the above recipe.

I started by using 1 TBL. per gallon and gradually moved up to 3 TBL. It would have

been easier if I had the alfalfa meal, since it would eliminate the soaking. I hope thishelps.

o Gaston

January 26, 2014 at 2:25 pm -Reply...

thanks so much Henry, I am looking forward trying it myself as alfalfa pellets are

a big item in my arsenal of tools for growing my own food. Thanks again.

Henry


Gaston,

I should have added that after a couple of months there was a gelatinoussubstance (similar to a small squid)that I simply discarded. No foul, no

harm. All is working well!

Patrick


Ha halike a small squid..well like you say Henry no foul no

harm!

panooq

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12/17

Azomite mineral powder is another great way to increase the micronutrients in the soil,

although I have found that acup is enough to treat an entire truckload of good compost,

rather than a tablespoon per cubic foot.

o Patrick


Azomite looks like terrific stuff! I havent used it but based on the description it

looks pretty cool.

Thanks for the input!

Patrick

Jonny


can i use molasses instead of sugar?

o Patrick


Hi JonnyMolasses is the best nutrient source to use!

Paul


Been experimenting with pyremithin daisie, nicotiana rustica and osage orange as pestrepellants. Neem is fairly effective applied as a foliar spray against many things. Never

tried cayenne. Thought I was getting cayenne as part of a package deal, but wound up

with anaheim chilies instead, which is fine for my store, but probably not useful as a planttreatment. Will try your garlic recipe. Cheers.

Roger


Sir,

I noticed white molds from my fermented plant mixture. Is it okey or am I going to start

over?

o Patrick
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13/17


White molds are great! Watch for yellow, green or black molds though. Keepyour system anaerobic as possible to keep the right species thriving.

Jose Kristensen

March 15, 2014 at 9:47 pm -Reply...

Hi Patrick,

Interesting to read Henrys account of his alfalfa fermenting. I wonder it was actually avinegar mother that formed on top of his solution. I use such a squid-like growth to

turn red wine into good vinegar.

On a different subject, I see lots of seaweed extract on the market. I have easy access to

seaweed and wonder if there is some way to make an extract myself or do you think justusing it as garden mulch is the most practical way to use it?

Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this site. To me this is a whole newdimension of plant care. I am slowly working my way through the recipes and am keen tosee the results on my plants

o Patrick


Thanks Jose, glad you are enjoying the material and my efforts, hah..

Good point about Henrys alfalfa culture.. Hey Henry! What do you think?? I

have limited experience with kombucha and that type of stuff although Im keento start as it is closely related to all our stuff. I think thats the same principle..

Yeah, using your seaweed as mulch is a pretty darn good application of it.. I

would still make a seaweed extract though to use as a soil drench and compost teaadditive. Just use the seaweed and follow this Grow recipe. After fermentation

you can use the solids leftover in the compost bin, or mixed in with the mulch

(just dont mix too much in at one time).

Cheers,

Patrick

Henry

March 18, 2014 at 4:28 am -Reply...

Hello Patrick and Greetings Jose,


14/17

I have no clue as to whether that substance that formed (again) is

Kombucha. The batch of the fermented Alfalfa was made August 17,2013.

So far I have had two fair sized layers of whatever it is. When I refer to itas squid like, I mean just that!

I swear I can slice it into rings and it would pass for great lookingCalamari. Having said that I have been using the liquid portion of the

mix without any ill-effects whatsoever. On the flip side Im not sure of the

exact benefits either.

Jose you mentioned that [em]I use such a squid-like growth to turnred wine into good vinegar[/em]. Can you please elaborate on whatcauses the latter, and maybe some uses for it?

Thanks,Henry

Jose Kristensen


Thanks Patrick, Ill have a go at the seaweed fermenting.

Hello Henry,

To make your own cider vinegar or red wine vinegar you need to have Acetobacter, avery acidic strain of bacteria which ferments any alcoholic liquids and converts them to

vinegar. The most common way to introduce this bacteria is by using Mother of vinegar,

a cellulose substance made up of various Acetobacter. It looks like a very firm jelly.

I thought what you described sounded very much like this. If you google Mother of

vinegar it will be easier for you to see images of what I use rather than have me try

describe in words what it looks like. I only use the vinegar for culinary purposes but if

you are throwing your squid-like growth out then perhaps it should go under youblueberry bush or some other plant that enjoys acid soil.

o Henry


Jose,

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!You nailed it dead on. Thats exactly what I have Mother of

vinegar. Thats very interesting. Now Im wondering if my fermented alfalfa is

too acidic? Hmmm.

Jose Kristensen
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15/17


Henry, I have never used it but 2-3 tablespoon vinegar in 4 liters water is supposed tohelp control powdery mildew. I guess if it benefits plants like zucchini then it cant be

harmful, as long as it is diluted.

Like you, I am also wondering if I will be able to see visible benefits from using the

growth solution. I aim to do a trial with half my plants getting the solution and the other

half not and see if there is a difference in performance. One trial does not necessarilyprove anything but if others also report their results it will help build the picture.

o Patrick


Guys, great to see you chatting on here, that is awesome! Cant wait to launch the

forum and really get some knowledge sharing going.

Henry you should test the pH of that alfalfa solution, just out of curiosity. It

shouldnt be a problem to use though properly diluted.

jana


hi, Patric

I was reading about willow bark and branches to have a lot of rooting hormones. So I am

thinking to make a fertilizer for improvement the root structures for my plants and for myhusbands bonsai-to-be cuttings to promote rooting and reduce the stress. I believe it willwork fine with grow fertilizer.

Additionally willow contain salicylic acid (aspirin), which can also help

Since willow bark and branches are more hard material, do you think it will be good toprolong the fermentation time for additional week or so? Can I extract root hormons from

willow with this grow formula?

thanks

jana

o Patrick

May 6, 2014 at 9:41 pm -Reply...

Hi Jana,


16/17

Yeah, you should be able to extract rooting hormones with the grow fertilizer

formula.. I would add more sugar in order to make a stronger ferment, since it is

a hard material. Also, make sure you cut/shred/pulverize the bark quite a bit toincrease surface area and help the ferment.

In addition, you might consider trying the tincture approach, since the bark is sotough. Follow the Ginger-Garlic recipe but with the willow bark. Just make sure

you dilute appropriately since that is very alcoholic.

Hope it works well, let us know the results! Lots of inquiries about willow bark

on here.

Patrick

jana

May 9, 2014 at 10:28 pm -Reply...

Patrick,

indeed, more sugar will help. I already make the concoction by the growformula and it seemed OK, but after a few days a sediment was forming

on the bottom and white-yellow-ish mold on the top. Since the smell was

nice, I added more sugar and now it is fermenting further.

I follow your attitude: have fun and experimentI am a farmer, it shouldwork!!

So I will play with it as long as the smell will be fine. Thanks for advice tomake a tincture. Even it is not the spring any more (ideal time), I willmake it anyway.

Other interesting thing with willow branches is happening in my garden. Ihad idea to put willow bark as bottom layer in my raised beds. After I peel

thick branches I also cut young smaller ones to about 10 cm (to gain the

benefits of willow and to make beds for worms ).

I didnt fully cover this with dirt, because the rain begins we had a fair

share of rain. After 23 weeks most of this little branches developed tiny

rootsup to 12 roots along this 10 cmamazing! So I can certainlyconfirm that willow bark indeed have rooting hormone within .

Patrick

May 12, 2014 at 8:47 pm -Reply...

Hey Jana,
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17/17

Haha great post, that is awesome to hear about the willow bark in

your planters! Pretty cool. I cant wait to see how your experiments

with the willow fermentation and/or tincture go. You should use onone part and then dig up the roots and compare to another part of

the garden. See how it works in practice.

Yeah, thats ok regarding the grow formula, sometimes molds form

in there and you can add some sugar like you did or just leave it as

long as you keep it as anaerobic as possible.

Cheers,

Patrick

silcax

July 14, 2014 at 8:53 am -Reply...

can i still use my FPJ even there is black molds observed? black isnt dominant thoughsince i also saw brown and white molds when tried checking it..

thanks
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grow fertilizer

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