2026 - Outdoor No Till in S. California

[durbin92810]

Took about 2 months off now it's time to get things started for the year ahead.

The roots on the plants from last year were finally brittle enough to break out without tearing up the soil.

Was able to get all the overgrown foliage chopped down and the area cleaned up and ready for a new layer of goodies.

2 year old compost = Farmer's gold

Final step was layering the old soil from some containers last year and sprinkling some cover seed. Will check back on it in about 6 weeks for the next phase of soil prep. This process is boring but is the most critical part of growing plants. It's where all the magic starts.

And a random pick of my lavender. If you're able to get it to grow in your area I advise you to get a few and stick em in the ground around your grow area. They're very cheap, perennials, easy to take care of, and will save a lot of headaches when it come to most pests.

That's the first update. Now it's just the waiting game. Happy Sunday.

 

[Ninjadogma]

Took about 2 months off now it's time to get things started for the year ahead.

The roots on the plants from last year were finally brittle enough to break out without tearing up the soil.View attachment 2594731View attachment 2594732
View attachment 2594733

Was able to get all the overgrown foliage chopped down and the area cleaned up and ready for a new layer of goodies.
View attachment 2594735
View attachment 2594736

2 year old compost = Farmer's goldView attachment 2594738
View attachment 2594739
View attachment 2594740

Final step was layering the old soil from some containers last year and sprinkling some cover seed. Will check back on it in about 6 weeks for the next phase of soil prep. This process is boring but is the most critical part of growing plants. It's where all the magic starts.View attachment 2594741
View attachment 2594742
View attachment 2594743

And a random pick of my lavender. If you're able to get it to grow in your area I advise you to get a few and stick em in the ground around your grow area. They're very cheap, perennials, easy to take care of, and will save a lot of headaches when it come to most pests.
View attachment 2594744

That's the first update. Now it's just the waiting game. Happy Sunday.

Dont forget the biochar... not every year, every other is good. Not essential, just a good stabilizer to help make things go smoother across the board.

 

[durbin92810]

Looks like you’re off to a solid start for the year! Breaking up last year’s roots and clearing the area sets a strong foundation, and adding two-year-old compost plus old container soil is a smart move for nutrients. Cover seeds will help protect and enrich the soil while you wait for the next phase. Love the tip on lavender too—it’s low-maintenance, perennial, and really helps with pest control. Now it’s just a matter of patience, but you’ve set things up perfectly for a healthy grow season.

Thanks. Yeah I'm hoping to raise enough cover crop "green manure" over the next six weeks to chop down into a nice layer.

 

[durbin92810]

Dont forget the biochar... not every year, every other is good. Not essential, just a good stabilizer to help make things go smoother across the board.

Thanks for the tip. I have a pile of wood chips that have been piled up in the corner for a year or two. Stuff on the inside is breaking down nicely. Was planning on adding some on the next soil layering in March. Also while I have a healthy level of earthworms in the ground already, will probably add some more in March as well. Will need that extra labor breaking things down, and more castings. Then about 8 weeks after that (Mid-May) I should have plants in the ground. At least that's the plan.

 

[Hossgrows]

Dont forget the biochar... not every year, every other is good. Not essential, just a good stabilizer to help make things go smoother across the board.

I'm using my scrap pieces of lump charcoal, that I use for my smoker. (Too small to be useful in cooking. ).

Think I'll soak them in a fish emulsion , before application. Unless there's something better.

 

[Hossgrows]

Thanks for the tip. I have a pile of wood chips that have been piled up in the corner for a year or two. Stuff on the inside is breaking down nicely. Was planning on adding some on the next soil layering in March. Also while I have a healthy level of earthworms in the ground already, will probably add some more in March as well. Will need that extra labor breaking things down, and more castings. Then about 8 weeks after that (Mid-May) I should have plants in the ground. At least that's the plan.

Funny ....same transplanting window, opposite corner of the country.
Is that because of solstice time, or don't want huge plants.

 

[durbin92810]

Love my nectarine tree. It's like the rooster of Spring. Once it starts flowering that means "cock a doodle doodle, get your ass to work".

 

[durbin92810]

Funny ....same transplanting window, opposite corner of the country.
Is that because of solstice time, or don't want huge plants.

Yeah mid to late June is typically when Summer solstice hits. So mid to late May seems to work best starting them here. Last year I put em in the ground 1st week of June and they still got pretty big and yielded 2 lbs each. I don't sell it or anything so that's enough for me and a few others to never have to pay for it.

 

[Hossgrows]

Yeah mid to late June is typically when Summer solstice hits. So mid to late May seems to work best starting them here. Last year I put em in the ground 1st week of June and they still got pretty big and yielded 2 lbs each. I don't sell it or anything so that's enough for me and a few others to never have to pay for it.

Mine typically go in on mother's day, weather permitting .
Yea....u had some nice COLAS your last grow.

 

[Ninjadogma]

Love my nectarine tree. It's like the rooster of Spring. Once it starts flowering that means "cock a doodle doodle, get your ass to work".

This year has been weird. Our crepe myrtle trees decided not to shed their leaves for the winter. The oranges on the tree went through a growth spurt after the October rains we got, they doubled in size and split and then threw rind of the splits but stayed green longer then normal, and the citrus blossoms came a month early before the oranges even turned. I was worried they might have gotten hit with that Asian Psyllid virus, but it appears it's just attributed to the weather stress.

 

[Leste]

I just ain’t feelin it

 

[durbin92810]

View attachment 2594885
I just ain’t feelin it

I ain't feeling it for you either.

 

[durbin92810]

First of the winter cover crop (green manure) is sprouting.

 

[durbin92810]

Went and visited my nute guy yesterday. He had some new crosses he bred so I stocked up on some stuff for this year's grow.

Fruity Pebbles OG x Juicy Fruit (Hybrid)
Blue Headband x Juicy Fruit (Indica)
AK47 x Juicy Fruit (Sativa)

Also have some bag seed from last year's grow. The arsenal's looking pretty good so far.

Blueberry (Indica)
Bruce Banner (Sativa)
Qrazy Train (Sativa)
Mystery Seed (Found it on my tray)

 

[durbin92810]

Cover crop is starting to take over. Maybe another 6 weeks before I chop it all down. The waiting game continues.

 

[grayoldnproud]

Cover crop is starting to take over. Maybe another 6 weeks before I chop it all down. The waiting game continues.

Why cut it? Just crimp and cover you have a small enough plot there. Even if you have several that size should be fairly inexpensive.

 

[durbin92810]

Why cut it? Just crimp and cover you have a small enough plot there. Even if you have several that size should be fairly inexpensive.

Doesnt cost anything to get the weed eater after it. Probably take 5-10 minutes. Cutting it and spreading the clippings evenly over the beds allows it to dry up and break down for a week or two before I layer more soil over it. No different than how it works naturally, just speeding up the process. Also allowing it to dry up before layering more stuff over it helps with moisture levels in the soil and can prevent issues down the line. At least that's what my man Jade Nectar said. Lol.

 

[durbin92810]

Why cut it? Just crimp and cover you have a small enough plot there. Even if you have several that size should be fairly inexpensive.

Here we go. This can explain it better than I can.

 

[Leste]

The organic farm I’m on is constantly disking in cover crops, all season. Green manure!

 

[grayoldnproud]

Here we go. This can explain it better than I can.

I'm well aware been doing it a long time. But if you just fold it over (crimp) you don't even need to cut it. Cover it with a tarp (trash bag or whatever depending on size) and it's the same effect.