Posted on January 23, 2019March 20, 2020 by CHA — 3 Comments

Companion Planting for Cannabis

Examining the Management of Ecological Habitats for Beneficial Insects

Background

With a growing concern for eliminating pesticide residue in cannabis, farmers are learning to incorporate beneficial insects into their Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methodologies. Along with this IPM comes the potential to integrate the habitats for these insects, which ultimately decreases a dependency of purchasing them. Regenerative and biodynamic management are now amalgamating with IPM, helping us develop new insight for the complexity of running these systems. This article will attempt to encompass the broad concepts of companion planting beneficial insects and discuss the caveats of landscape management for these integrated ecosystems.

Posted on December 16, 2018February 6, 2020 by CHA — Leave a comment

Sun Grown Regenerative Cannabis Tests in at over 25% THC

Indoor vs Outdoor? The long standing argument among the cannabis connoisseur is always a hotly debated topic. The argument for indoor grown cannabis has always been that it is higher quality and higher THC levels. While this might be true in some regards, the emerging science suggests that sun grown cannabis with optimal soil biology will be able to provide a more full spectrum of its cannabinoid levels. This means more cannabinoids, more terpenes and more full plant medicine for the patient and consumer. For the longest time everyone was just focused on THC levels, and as the headline was designed to wrap you in. Gotchya! But now it’s time to talk about why regenerative cannabis can provide a more full spectrum assay of the cannabinoids AND produce high levels of THC! We’ll take a look at regenerative farms, discuss different aspects of ecological farming and get to the root of it all, literally…

Posted on January 19, 2017February 14, 2020 by CHA — Leave a comment

Effect of Aerated Compost Tea on the Growth in Organic Cultivation

Here we see that Compost Tea is well worth the effort. Four types of compost were brewed and then the available nitrogen was determined, as well as the density of microbial communities, along with their affect on plant growth characteristics. Across the board it was shown that aerating compost tea released more nutrients, increased microbial counts, and helped plants grow. Way to go AACT.

Article Courtesy of TeaLab.

Effect of Aerated Compost Tea on the Growth Promotion of Lettuce, Soybean, and Sweet Corn in Organic Cultivation
Journal of Plant Pathology 2015

Posted on December 20, 2016February 6, 2020 by CHA — 1 Comment

Shilajit – An Ayurvedic Powerhouse

Often times I get the question, “How do I prevent my plants from getting sick?”. The answer is simple, and that is through plant immunity. In short, there are two primary factors that contribute to plant immunity:

Adequate Mineral Nutrition
Having that nutrition delivered in the form of microbial metabolites

When plants are given these essential needs in the form of microbial metabolites (fulvic acid), they are capable of stacking energy reserves in the forms of fats and waxes known as lipids. These lipids can be recognized as that glossy leaf shine you see in healthy gardens; it coats the leaf surfaces and provides a layer of protection against pests & diseases. For example, in the case of powdery mildew – you’ve just inhaled hundreds of powdery mildew spores since you’ve started reading this article. The reason you’re not falling ill is due to the fact that you’ve got a functional immune system powered by microbiology in your gut. The soil is the gut of the plant; it is the very life line the plant relies on to fend off threats in the field. Plant immunity is directly correlated with disease susceptibility.

Posted on August 6, 2016February 6, 2020 by CHA — Leave a comment

Plants to the Rescue of Plants

“Maybe it’s because of their wine-making heritage, but the French are obsessed with fermenting various plants into special insecticidal, bactericidal, and fungicidal brews to use on…other plants.”

In a world gone mad with pesticides and fungicides, it’s time we take a step backwards and analyze what our ancestors have accomplished without the use of synthetically created chemicals. This synopsis from frenchgardening.com provides a clear example of different varieties of herbs and their unique control properties on pests or pathogens.

Posted on August 3, 2016February 6, 2020 by CHA — Leave a comment

Product Spotlight – OG BioWar

OG BioWar is a product that has been used rather extensively by a group of conscious minded farmers here in Humboldt County. The root pack is a microbial inoculant. It is a blend of highly concentrated beneficial fungi and bacteria that perform many important functions in the rhizosphere. The root pack promotes plant health by boosting the immune system, increasing shoot and root growth, multiplying flower production and increasing essential oil production. The entire line of OG BIOWAR is worth checking out, definitely a CHA recommended product for biological controls.