HERB-SUPERB

For providing a good nutrient base when mixing new soils, we recommend using HERB-SUPERB at up to 3.5% of the volume of the mix. The most effective HERB-SUPERB formula for building a new soil for general purpose is the HERB-SUPERB balance formula.

You can use HERB-SUPERB to build your soil on by itself, however for maximal effect and long term feeding we recommend the use of STONE-AGE mineral composite at a 1:1 Ratio (so for every 1 part HERB-SUPERB you use 1 part STONE-AGE) along side it to supply soil buffering and complimentary trace minerals.

ABOUT NEW SOIL DOSING:

• E.g you want to make 40L of soil with a Low Charge - the 1% HERB-SUPERB dose would be 400ml (and 400ml STONE-AGE)
• E.g you want to make 40L of soil with a Medium Charge - the 2% HERB-SUPERB dose would be 800ml (and 800ml STONE-AGE)
• E.g you want to make 40L of soil with a High Charge - the 3.5% HERB-SUPERB dose would be 1.4L (and 1.4L STONE-AGE)

40L of soil is defined by your base materials (including Drainage and Compost/Casting portions) in total.

You are best advised to mix the above portions thoroughly with your base materials, adding enough moisture to ensure it feels like moist cake base (it shouldn't feel wet), then set aside, covered for a minimum of 2 weeks (longer is better! and establishes a much better soil food web) before use. 

You can also add GREEN-SUPREME with the water used to moisten down the mix to aid in better water absorption. DARK-MATTER can be applied also to supply a fresh charge of soil probiotics, mycorrhizal species and pest/pathogen preventing organisms.

 

For recharging used soils, we recommend using HERB-SUPERB at ratios from 1% to 2.5% of the volume of the mix. The most effective HERB-SUPERB formula for recharging a used soil for general purpose is the HERB-SUPERB Balance Formula.

You can use HERB-SUPERB to recharge your soil by itself, however for maximal effect and long term feeding we recommend the use of STONE-AGE at a 1:1 Ratio (so for every 1 part HERB-SUPERB you use 1 part STONE-AGE) along side it to supply soil buffering and complimentary trace minerals.

ABOUT USED SOIL DOSING:

How much you choose to add back to the soil really depends on how the plants looked as they came out of the soil previously. For plants that were looking a bit lacking or showing signs of deficiencies, higher charge rates are recommended, for plants that looked fine and healthy, lower charge rates can be utilized.

• E.g you want to recharge 40L of soil with that has been run down - 2.5% HERB-SUPERB is recommended and the dose would be 1L (and 1L STONE-AGE)
• E.g you want to recharge 40L of soil that wasn't run down fully but was lacking a bit - 1.5% HERB-SUPERB is recommended and the dose would be 600ml (and 600ml STONE-AGE)
• E.g you want to recharge 40L of soil that had no obvious signs of deficiency - 1% HERB-SUPERB is recommended and the dose would be 400ml (and 400ml STONE-AGE)

You are best advised to mix the above portions thoroughly with your used soil, adding enough moisture to ensure it feels like moist cake base (it shouldn't feel wet), then set aside, covered for a minimum of 2 weeks (longer is better! and establishes a much better soil food web) before use. 

You can also add GREEN-SUPREME with the water used to moisten down the mix to aid in better water absorption. DARK-MATTER can be applied also to supply a fresh charge of soil probiotics, mycorrhizal species and pest/pathogen preventing organisms. ANTI-MATTER can be added to assist in breaking down dead roots and converting them into usable sugars for your plants/microbes.

 

For use in planting holes inground, we recommend using HERB-SUPERB at up to 2%, incorporated into the existing soil thoroughly.

Inground, this equates to roughly 1 Cup of HERB-SUPERB per average sized planting hole (2 spade widths wide by 1 spade width deep). Using STONE-AGE alongside at a 1:1 Ratio is recommended for maximal nutrient uptake and to ensure there is adequate nutrition in the soil.

ABOUT DOSING PLANTING HOLES:

• E.g you want to prepare an average sized planting hole (Approx 2 Spadewidths wide X 1 Spadewidth deep) - 1 Cup HERB-SUPERB is recommended alongside 1 Cup STONE-AGE.

 

For use as a Topdress we recommend applying a dusting of HERB-SUPERB around the dripline of each plant (avoiding the stem), followed by a thorough watering. If growing in bottom irrigated containers (Such as S.I.P style) then top watering isn't a 100% requirement. 

Covering with a quality layer of organic mulch such as our ALFA-MULCH is highly recommended and aids in decomposition.

Utilizing with ANTI-MATTER will aid in more rapid and complete assimilation of these top dressings.

• If utilizing alongside our water in supplements and in the Water Only GRO-DIRT blends (such as Full Spectrum & Guerrilla) we recommend sticking to the lower (Maintenance) doses (see below).
• If utilizing on Small establishing plants, we recommend waiting to top dress until the plants have gotten to their 2nd or 3rd set of "true leaves", in the case of seedlings, or have started growing strongly in the case of clones  & sticking to the (Maintenance) Dosage. This works great with the HERB-SUPERB Supergrass or Balance Formula and in our GRO-DIRT Super Starter blend.
• If utilizing for Epic Autoflowering plants in the GRO-DIRT Lite we recommend starting the top dressing at about week 3 to 4 of growth (after germination) and continuing at fortnightly intervals until 2 to 3 weeks prior to harvest. Our research has demonstrated that starting at the lower (Maintenance) doses up until the plants are established and growing strongly, then gradually titrating up to the (Aggressive feeds) dosage works fantastic. Start with HERB-SUPERB Supergrass Formula when pushing Vegetative growth, then move onto HERB-SUPERB Balance for late Veg/Early(pre) Flower, with HERB-SUPERB Mega-Yield working terrifically from the end of stretch throughout the bloom period.
• When utilizing alongside STONE-AGE our trials have shown a 3 parts HERB-SUPERB to 1 part STONE-AGE works supremely well. HERB-SUPERB is readily and easily broken down and assimilated into the soil, where STONE-AGE hangs around longer, we find that if equal parts are used as top dressings, you can get some caking occur on the top of the soil. All HERB-SUPERB formulas provide Calcium and some trace minerals from the high quality Guano's used, and so less mineral backing from the STONE-AGE is required when top dressing, especially in heavily amended soils like our GRO-DIRT Organic Living Soils.

ABOUT TOP DRESS DOSING:

• For every 1L of Soil you have in a pot - you top dress with about 3mls HERB-SUPERB and 1ml STONE-AGE for a Maintenance Dose.
• For every 1L of Soil you have in a pot - you top dress with about 6mls HERB-SUPERB to 2mls STONE-AGE for an Aggressive Dose.
• This can easily be scaled up to whichever size container you are using to grow your plants in.
• E.g for a 5L Pot size you would apply 1 Tablespoon HERB-SUPERB (whichever formula) along with 1 Teaspoon STONE-AGE for a Maintenance Dose.
• E.g for a 5L Pot size you would apply 2 Tablespoons HERB-SUPERB (whichever formula) along with 2 Teaspoons STONE-AGE for an Aggressive Dose.
• E.g for a 20L Pot size you would apply 1/4 Cup HERB-SUPERB (whichever formula) along with 1 Tablespoon STONE-AGE for a Maintenance Dose.
• E.g for a 20L Pot size you would apply 1/2 Cup HERB-SUPERB (whichever formula) along with 2 Tablespoons STONE-AGE for an Aggressive Dose.
• If using along side AQUA-MARINE or any of our other aqueous Fertilizers, sticking to the lower doses will provide better synergy as you are already adding NPK, growth factors and chelators from these supplements. Using one, does not negate the use of the other, and ideally both feed the soil food web, and subsequently your plant, in entirely different - yet complimentary ways.

While these are recommended doses, it is important to note that due to the nature of how these organic top dressings work in soil, it is quite difficult to overdo their application - unlike chemically derived and refined fertilizers.

 

HERB-SUPERB is chock full of super awesome microbe foods and can be used to brew high quality Compost/Vermicast teas for Microbe multiplication, or rapid effect Nutrient Teas for use as biofertilisers to boost your soil.

It is 100% completely vital that your Brew apparatus is both well designed with the ability to supply adequate (or even Luxury level oxygenation) and for the brewer to be thoroughly clean for quality - disease free brews to be made. If this cannot be supplied, many people will do better Top Dressing as recommended above.

ABOUT DOSING TEAS:

• To brew a Microbe tea from either Soil, Compost or Vermicast, fill your brewer with 20L of fresh chlorine free (preferably rain) water - Add to this a 1/2 Cup HERB-SUPERB Balance Formula along with 1 Teaspoon STONE-AGE as a Microbial food stock, then add 1 Cup of your Soil/Compost/Castings (scale up/down this recipe as required). Brew for 12 to 24hrs or until Microbe populations have peaked (check with a Microscope for maximum effect). USE IMMEDIATELY AFTER BREWING - IT WILL NOT STORE UNOXYGENATED AND BEGINS TO DIE THE MINUTE AERATION IS REMOVED.
• To brew a Nutrient Tea you would negate the Soil/Compost/Casting portion of the brew and to 20L of fresh chlorine free (preferably rain) water add - 1 Cup HERB-SUPERB (whichever formula best suits your stage of growth i.e Supergrass for Growth, Balance for General Purpose/Preflower, Mega-Yield for Bloom/Ripening) Along with a source of Microbes capable of extracting Nutrients in the brew - We recommend our ANTI-MATTER & RHIZO-MOJO. Brew for 24hrs to extract and convert the nutrients before feeding to your plants. USE IMMEDIATELY AFTER BREWING - IT WILL NOT STORE UNOXYGENATED AND BEGINS TO DIE THE MINUTE AERATION IS REMOVED.

We don't recommend using Blackstrap molasses or other sugars alongside brewing teas with the HERB-SUPERB range, as these formulas already provide readily digestible sugars and feedstocks for the microbes in balanced proportions. More sugars can have the effect of culturing "lazy" microbes rather than the slower - yet more valuable and resilient microbes which prefer less "junkfood" feed sources, this is especially true when utilising alongside our Microbial products as these also supply additional food stock tailored to the microbes in those formulations

Nutrient Teas vs Microbial teas - We define Nutrient Teas as those brewed specifically to extract Nutrients from solid amendments for use as soil drenches/foliar feeds not unlike conventional fertilisers are used, Wheras Microbe Teas (commonly called Compost teas) we define as those brewed for their Microbial content, the fact that they contain nutrients is more a bonus than the purpose.

• Microbe Teas are especially useful when establishing New Soils and rebuilding Used Soils to boost the soil food web or for plants that have suffered attacks from pathogens, providing more "good" microbes helps to drive down and outcompete the "bad".
• Nutrient Teas are useful when you want food for your plants faster than what Top Dressings can supply, this is useful for plants suffering deficiencies, or for when you are really trying to push growth/yield.
• We highly recommend "bagless" brewing over using brew/strainer bags. No matter how good the design or weave, the inherent nature of how easily air permeates them, particularly in water, leads to vastly inferior tea both in terms of nutrients extracted (in the case of Nutrient Teas) or Microbial multiplication - (especially Fungal Hyphae production). This IS a "messier" way to brew, requiring the need to strain your tea at the end. But just like brewing a cuppa with Loose Leaf tea in a Teapot produces a better brew - so to does Bagless brewing in your Plant teas. 

TEAS SHOULD SMELL GOOD WHEN COMPLETE - WHILE IT MIGHT NOT SMELL GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT IT SHOULD NOT SMELL BAD OR MAKE YOU WRETCH. THE GENERAL RULE IS IF IT STINKS, SMELLS "EGGY" OR OTHERWISE FOUL THEN IT ISN'T WORTH APPLYING TO YOUR SOIL DUE TO BEING LOADED WITH PATHOGENIC ORGANISMS AND WILL DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD, IF IN DOUBT CHUCK IT OUT!!

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• HERB-SUPERB can be used to create custom soil mixes, with nutrient profiles for various stages of plant growth. For example you could use HERB-SUPERB Supergrass to create a high Nitrogen soil for use in the Vegetative state, and a custom Flowering specific soil by blending HERB-SUPERB Balance & Mega Yield.
• Mixing and matching different formulations allows for a huge amount of flexibility in creating the perfect nutrient balance for fussy cultivars such as landrace varieties and certain hybrids.
• All HERB-SUPERB formulations are designed to work with our STONE-AGE for added synergistic effects. As a general guide, utilizing them at a 1:1 ratio is a good place to start for amending new soils soils, a 1:1 ratio is suitable for reamending used soil, and a 3:1 ratio (HERB-SUPERB to STONE-AGE) for top dressing. Experimentation with different ratios can easily be performed and the crop outcomes monitored. 
• HERB-SUPERB works with all organic soils (including our GRO-DIRT range) and can be utilized when growing organically in Coconut coir media as an organic replacement for bottled nutrients. While the above doses are recommended for Peat Based soils, with a few tweaks you can easily charge up Coco to make "SuperCoco"
• If utilizing HERB-SUPERB with our ALFA-MULCH (or any soil covering), we recommend pulling back the mulch layer, applying the top dressing, then covering back over with the mulch. You can apply the HERB-SUPERB through the mulch, it will cause the mulch to break down faster. Covering the application facilitates the activation by the microbes present in both the soil, and the plant super food itself. 

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Dosages of HERB-SUPERB have been based on extensive, real world trials with growers both in Australia across a multitude of States and settings in addition to being trialled in legal states such as Oregon and California. 

It is important to note that while it is difficult to apply too much HERB-SUPERB, following the application guidelines will help you achieve optimal results in the use of this product. 

HERB-SUPERB is slow release and unlikely to cause burning, it is recommended however to follow any application of amendments with a good watering to ensure the product is washed into the soil for access by your plants.