Norcal Outdoor Medical, Organic Forest Grow. First Grow Log

[BudBogart]

Looking good! Subscribed and I hope you find some keepers and treasures :)

Good luck

Thank you and welcome.

 

[Underthesun]

Dealing with similar weather as you if not more bipolar than yours. Here at 6k feet in CO. Got down to near freezing last night, 70 today. Good luck on your grow, growing outside is the best...ignore the high school trolls. Is that a spring you have there or just a nice little pond?

 

[BudBogart]

Dealing with similar weather as you if not more bipolar than yours. Here at 6k feet in CO. Got down to near freezing last night, 70 today. Good luck on your grow, growing outside is the best...ignore the high school trolls. Is that a spring you have there or just a nice little pond?

Thank you. It is filled seasonally from an underground creek formed with rain absorbed by the mountain. We have a near inpenatrable lava cap under our mountain preventing the run off from continuing to soak in. We have a couple of ponds fed by this, but still have water seeping out of several various spots on the road, etc. until maybe June.
This lil pond is located just below our orchard, so I am hoping that all the microbes will be related and get along. I wish I had a microscope and knowledge to see what I am actually creating, but I am used to winging it. (Which includes getting clobbered on occasion.). Wish me luck, and if anyone's sees me about to blow it, please shout out.

 

[BudBogart]

So, yesterday it hit 70f. The plants were outside all day and a few of them started showing wilt. The soil temps were 78f plus. I didn't want to water until today, but I gave most pots a little water to cool them down.
I went to nursery yesterday and got some myco apply micronized endo n ecto to apply at transplant. The nursery has several employees that specialize in cannabis gardening.
Very helpful indeed.
I also decided to try the line of Peruvian Gold organic nutes. Produced very locally using organically fed llama droppings, kelp, worm castings. Fed the girls head start this morning. They had all perked back up nicely from the sun stress.
The seeds taken from paper towels and planted yesterday have already started to pop.
Bad news, the guy at the nursery says most outdoor growers up here shoot for June first. My thoughts were to wait till May first, then check the ten day forecast and look for clear weather. Didn't really foresee such fast root growth and may have to consider getting larger pots.

 

[BudBogart]

Talked with a neighbor who grows. He tells me growers on this part of the mtn. plant outdoors on Mother's Day, second Sunday in May. Much closer to when I thought and what I am shooting for.
While at the nursery, I was talked into buying 8 cubic feet of perlite to mix into my holes. To do so would mean completely disrupting any microbial highways that have developed since the holes were last disturbed.
I went to the orchard this morning to check on the holes. I dug into one hole with a spading fork. I could push it all the way into the soil up to the hilt. The soil is dark, breaking down very nicely over the past year. At this point I will not be adding additional perlite into the holes.
I also got 44 lbs of azomite micronized that I can top dress the holes with and let the rains this weekend wash it into the holes.

 

[Orcaman]

Great words from your neighbor on planting time. Here in Colorado, Mothers day is like a standard for outdoor planting. I want to say that I hate perlite outdoors period for any type of garden. It keeps the soil very loose and dries out too fast in the sun. But I have half of the daily relative humidity you have. I like to let the soil compact and stabilize. Then periodically hand turn the soil as needed to hold moisture. I think that topping sounds like a winner!:)

 

[BudBogart]

Great words from your neighbor on planting time. Here in Colorado, Mothers day is like a standard for outdoor planting. I want to say that I hate perlite outdoors period for any type of garden. It keeps the soil very loose and dries out too fast in the sun. But I have half of the daily relative humidity you have. I like to let the soil compact and stabilize. Then periodically hand turn the soil as needed to hold moisture. I think that topping sounds like a winner!:)

Thanks for the feedback. I'm kind of embarrassed that I let myself be talked into buying the perlite. It wasn't feeling right. I mean, I've been working conscientiously building these holes for a couple of years and then some random nursery guy who has never been to our ranch devines that my orchard has a heavy clay soil and the predominately organic medium mixed with some native (silt, not clay) soil must be disturbed by adding a large amount of perlite.
I tell you, use hyphae in a sentence and you can sell me anything, lol. Again, really appreciate you watching over my project.
Yesterday my wife and I discovered a near by hydroponic store.
They occupied thei own unit, then over flowed into two adjacent warehouses full of every product I ever heard you guys talking about. I felt like I was backstage at at the cannabis cup.
Good to know its there.

 

[BudBogart]

A couple of pics I would like your opinions on, thanks. A couple plants with droopy leaves. At first I thought too dry from all day in the sun. I gave small evening drinks to cool the top of the soil. But a day or so later and still signs of droop. I use my water meter all the way to the bottom of the pots (where the roots have made it too) is still damp. So I am thinking droop is from too wet, I put the two plants in a warm but shady spot to do some healing.
On track or missing something?
The other pic is a chronic thunder that is more like chronic illness. I'm not really hoping to save this plant, but if you have an idea of what the problem is please share.

 

[BudBogart]

Day 17
4/5/16
80f and sunny

 

[Orcaman]

My question is what are your water and soil PH levels? Nothing like having 30 kids at once and none of them liking the same thing!:) They are all growing up so fast. I'm looking forward to seeing them in the orchard.

 

[BudBogart]

I haven't tested the ph. I do have a ph meter that I plan on using on the orchard soil once I get off my lazy, but the seedling soil is all dr. Earth potting soil mixed with perlite, one worm tea drink and one light Peruvian gold head start llama poo ferting. My assumption is that the Dr. E. potting soil would be well into acceptable ph range. I have never tested my well water for ph. Guess I should! The pond that I took the spring water from would have to be a bit more acidic i would guess due to the overhanging pine tree dropping needles into the pond.
But I think your point was I should check my ph and I am rambling, lol. Your point is well taken, since my only excuse is I am lazy, it's probably a good day to figure out the ph. Thank for the guidance. Have a great day!

 

[BudBogart]

PH
I didn't have a water ph meter, so I took soil ph readings on Dr. E. Potting soil using first my well water and then bottled water.
Using well water the soil tested as low as 5.9, but usually tested 6.1, 6.2. Using bottled water showed 6.2 consistently. (Taking multiple tests using the same samples of soil.)
Hmmmm. I didn't have any Dr.E. Left over to test with the pond water, but ph definitely has my interest.
After breakfast I will go to the orchard and collect samples of "the holes". Will look into getting an accurate reading on my well water?
Thanks for the direction.

 

[BudBogart]

Okay, having been assured that my ph meter will record accurate water ph, I find my well water reads 6.2-6.5, while bottled water reads 6.5-6.7. Went out to check the pond ph and the meter was unresponsive. Hmmm., lol.
Hope it works on the orchard soil.

 

[Orcaman]

Those are very nice readings on your potting soil and well water. It will be great if your pond water, and orchard soil is in the same range. I just hoping those numbers don't go any lower being too acidic. My tap water through a 10 in one filter reads 7.0 PH but works well with the soil and nutes that I'm using. My soil through the grow varies from 5.8 up to 6.5 PH varying by strain of plant. A couple of years ago I tried some Fox Farms, Lucky Dog soil that was so acidic it was dropping my PH down to 4.9 and frying the plants. I tested my outside soil around my tomato's last year and was surprised at the high reading of 8.0 and healthy plants so I don't mess with trying to lower it. It's nice to know your numbers!

 

[Orcaman]

Hey BudBogart, You had me thinking when you said that the pond water could not be read by your meter and I know why. You have a steel probe meter that can only sense soil PH. My glass probe soil PH pen can also read liquid PH as well but at a cost of right at $150.00 verses your $20.00 product. Here is a link to there site.

 

[BudBogart]

Hey BudBogart, You had me thinking when you said that the pond water could not be read by your meter and I know why. You have a steel probe meter that can only sense soil PH. My glass probe soil PH pen can also read liquid PH as well but at a cost of right at $150.00 verses your $20.00 product. Here is a link to there site.

Thank you for the suggestion. Since I am on my own well and play in the ponds I think such a pen would be a good tool to have. I will check my recently discovered hydro store for a similar pen!

 

[BudBogart]

Yesterday, checked the ph of orchard as amended as well as the super O compost straight. I checked it with well water, bottled water and pond water. This morning I rechecked the pots after having time to settle in. First, the stand alone store bought "super O" had ph of 6.5 with well water.
That works.
My orchard holes with well water yesterday was 6.2. Testing the same sample this morning it was 6.3.
Slightly higher ph using bottled water and lower ph using pond water (6.1).

I think my droop must be overwater worsened by higher temps. Going to the pot lifting method of watering these unusually deep pots.

Even the little two inch tall plants are showing 6" long roots. Wondering what it will take to see some top growth. Took all the girls out to show them the sights.

 

[BudBogart]

Forgot to add, gave top dressing of worm poo, scratched in but will not water in until plants are dryer.

 

[JWB]

Nice scenery BudBogart.

 

[BudBogart]

Under no circumstances should you google "super O". Needless to say, my local organic compost dealer is not the first hit.