This is from MOFO NTG Guru and owner of Mountain Organics. I follow the first protocol but alternate between MBP malted barley powder, sprout, compost, Neem , fulvic acid, worm compost,citrus, mint family for IPM as required on a weekly basis. Lots of experience and science in this info.
From MOFO
“Here’s an example of a tried and true watering schedule (because I personally used it for years) to use from day 1 to ensure your plants are being pushed to ‘peak health’ and expressing their full ‘genetic potential.’:
Day 1 Plain water
Day 2 No watering
Day 3 MBP top-dress watered in with Aloe/Fulvic/Silica (agsil or your silica source of choice)
Day 4 No watering
Day 5 Plain water
Day 6 Neem/Kelp tea
Day 7 No watering
Day 8 Plain water
Day 9 No watering
Day 10 Coconut Water
Day 11 No watering
REPEAT - Beginning to end, no changes needed for various stages of growth, simple enough right?
Now for al the reasons previously stated your soil is becoming richer and richer as the water and nutrient retaining ability of your soil improves over time. By the 3rd cycle the plants may already be showing signs that you could back off on the above watering schedule and that can be done any number of ways to best suit your situation. For example, use half the amount of neem/kelp tea and coconut water. Add a couple extra days of plain water in between 'feedings', and so on.
As an observant gardener you should be able to notice plants performing equally as well even though you are using less inputs and in the same way you can tell if perhaps you backed off too much from time to time - in this way you can find the "sweet spot" for your garden and when that clicks with you it is very easy from then on to know what your soil needs.
Here's an example of a watering schedule a couple or few years into established no-till gardens (it happens to be my current routine as well):
- Plain water every other day, beginning to end
- MBP top-dress every 10-12 days watered with aloe/fulvic/silica
- Kelp & neem top-dress at the beginning of the cycle, maybe once more in early flowering.
Yea, that's it! No teas are ever made. The days of needing a soluble 'quick fix' are long gone. The soil is extremely rich and the mulch and top-dress' we do apply are not for that moment but for the weeks and months to come - make sense?
