Plumbers Grow Diary

PlumberSoCal · Jun 23, 2019

Chicken manure tea update

It's got algae growing and tons of mosquito larva.

Mixed up at 20% with dirty fish water.

No change with the sunflowers

No change with the tomatoes

Possibly genetic but I'll play this out a while and will add this garden leader tomato

It's in a row of 5 with the ones on each end larger then this one in the middle

The two little ones are replacements for those eaten by slugs/snails.

Since it has been shown to be safe I fed the pollinated plant today

I also moved her to the South side of the house where she'll get a lot more direct sunlight. She has a few yellowing leaves as I hadn't been feeding the past few weeks.

I even fed this girl today

She put on almost an inch a day past week even with our June gloom weather.

That's all for today for the chicken manure tea. I don't think there's a magic fertilizer that can overcome genetics. I've always had plants grow bigger faster and stronger from the same batch of seeds but showing the tea to be safe has been worth the effort.

Until next time, Happy Growing!

PlumberSoCal · Jun 23, 2019

MIMedGrower said:
What are the goldfish for? Maybe I missed something.

Dirty bacterial laden conditioned water. Great for making tea. I've got two in a half barrel and use their water all the time. I cleaned it out today as I don't have a filter on it just a solar pump to keep the water moving during the day.

I've been feeding them several hundred mosquito larva a day and they're pooping like crazy.

Kushy Tushy · Jun 23, 2019

how do you store your seeds? Like sunflower, cannabis, melon, etc?

PlumberSoCal · Jun 23, 2019

I transplanted a Morning Glory into a sink a few days ago

I've got another sink awaiting my wife's burro tails. They're rooting.

Finally got a good pic of the fish

Only had to clean it. Their dirty water is dynamite for basic watering or mixing tea.

Horse manure seedling doing well

Another seedling a few days older starting to take off

Still have this weird one growing

I still don't know what to make of it. Injured by slug or genetic deformity? I'm curious so for now it gets my care.

This is my wife's design

The pump stopped working several years ago and found out the fountain leaks. I need to fix it and add a hummingbird feeder.

I love spending the day in the garden.

PlumberSoCal · Jun 23, 2019

Kushy Tushy said:
how do you store your seeds? Like sunflower, cannabis, melon, etc?

In paper bags in the garage which is not insulated. Hot in the summer cold in the winter. My wife gave me a book years ago as a joke: the complete idiot's guide to seed saving and starting and that book has a lot of good info but I'm old and stubborn. It's how my folks kept their seeds and how I've always done it.

Kushy Tushy · Jun 23, 2019

PlumberSoCal said:
In paper bags in the garage which is not insulated. Hot in the summer cold in the winter. My wife gave me a book years ago as a joke: the complete idiot's guide to seed saving and starting and that book has a lot of good info but I'm old and stubborn. It's how my folks kept their seeds and how I've always done it.

Mine are in the closet, and I’ve been wondering if I should move them. Thanks for the info, guess I’ll just keep them in there in the dark.

PlumberSoCal · Jun 24, 2019

Kushy Tushy said:
Mine are in the closet, and I’ve been wondering if I should move them. Thanks for the info, guess I’ll just keep them in there in the dark.

Most of us keep our homes between 68 and 74, should be perfect. Some keep their seeds in the fridge. Never tried it and have good germination rates for 4-5 years.

Kushy Tushy · Jun 24, 2019

PlumberSoCal said:
Most of us keep our homes between 68 and 74, should be perfect. Some keep their seeds in the fridge. Never tried it and have good germination rates for 4-5 years.

I have some lavender in the fridge now. The seed packet said to put in fridge 30-40 days before germinating. But that’s only cuz I’m ready to plant it now. Hopefully those little seeds will think it’s spring!

PlumberSoCal · Jun 24, 2019

Kushy Tushy said:
I have some lavender in the fridge now. The seed packet said to put in fridge 30-40 days before germinating. But that’s only cuz I’m ready to plant it now. Hopefully those little seeds will think it’s spring!View attachment 877261

Yes, some varieties require a cold period but most garden seeds don't. I just re-pollinated a female and two females bottom stalks. I keep the pollen

the same way I keep seeds.

PlumberSoCal · Jun 24, 2019

Kushy Tushy said:
I have some lavender in the fridge now. The seed packet said to put in fridge 30-40 days before germinating. But that’s only cuz I’m ready to plant it now. Hopefully those little seeds will think it’s spring!View attachment 877261

I started my lavender a few months ago when it was cold without putting them in the fridge.

Kushy Tushy · Jun 24, 2019

PlumberSoCal said:
I started my lavender a few months ago when it was cold without putting them in the fridge.

I would like to be that organized! Nice.

PlumberSoCal · Jun 24, 2019

Kushy Tushy said:
I would like to be that organized! Nice.

Every year I tell myself that I'm going to start earlier in the year. This year I started putting seeds in pots in January. I built a couple of hot boxes, 2x8" with old shower doors for composting and popping seeds. Had snap peas and lettuce going within a week. I planted weed and most got eaten by slugs/snails. Every year I lose hundreds of seedling. I've found putting copper wire around the base of a plant will keep those bastards at bay. I'm also using Garden Safe bait, 1% iron phosphate. Occurs naturally in soil. With all the wet weather we had I was going through 2 lbs a month. Got them under control but still finding them here and there. Anyway the weed started flowering in May, the male in April. Took my #2 female and set her next to the male and she's got a lot of seeds but reverted back to veg with a lot of new preflowers so I pollinated her again. I'm very tempted to pollinate my #1 female. She does have a few lower branches done but I really should do the whole plant. #1 male x #1 female makes the best seeds.

Kushy Tushy · Jun 24, 2019

PlumberSoCal said:
Every year I tell myself that I'm going to start earlier in the year. This year I started putting seeds in pots in January. I built a couple of hot boxes, 2x8" with old shower doors for composting and popping seeds. Had snap peas and lettuce going within a week. I planted weed and most got eaten by slugs/snails. Every year I lose hundreds of seedling. I've found putting copper wire around the base of a plant will keep those bastards at bay. I'm also using Garden Safe bait, 1% iron phosphate. Occurs naturally in soil. With all the wet weather we had I was going through 2 lbs a month. Got them under control but still finding them here and there. Anyway the weed started flowering in May, the male in April. Took my #2 female and set her next to the male and she's got a lot of seeds but reverted back to veg with a lot of new preflowers so I pollinated her again. I'm very tempted to pollinate my #1 female. She does have a few lower branches done but I really should do the whole plant. #1 male x #1 female makes the best seeds.

I have a small greenhouse that I want to use to keep a male plant in, but I’m totally not anywhere near the experience level. Someday!

Nobody116 · Jun 24, 2019

PlumberSoCal said:
Most of us keep our homes between 68 and 74, should be perfect. Some keep their seeds in the fridge. Never tried it and have good germination rates for 4-5 years.

I keep'em in the fridge. Sprouted some 10+ year old beans this year.
But then most folks don't have as many seeds to worry about them getting old anyway ;)

Ina · Jun 24, 2019

Hey,i hope you don't mind if I show few pics of our garden here?Tell me if you do,i wont post more.I just see you like other types of gardening as well,may be you will find it interesting.The big one is "Gergana"cucumber and the small one is cornichon.I prefer the Gerganas:)I mean they are more tasteful:)And few unknown tomatoes,supose to be BG cultivar(like "big pink" or "bull's heart") but granny doesn't know which seeds are these….I also have mosquito farm haha The last pic is for you-my GMO sunflower(I don't plant and use GM crops but granny likes how big it gets and it's just one or two for fun).

PlumberSoCal · Jun 24, 2019

Ina said:
Hey,i hope you don't mind if I show few pics of our garden here?Tell me if you do,i wont post more.I just see you like other types of gardening as well,may be you will find it interesting.The big one is "Gergana"cucumber and the small one is cornichon.I prefer the Gerganas:)I mean they are more tasteful:)And few unknown tomatoes,supose to be BG cultivar(like "big pink" or "bull's heart") but granny doesn't know which seeds are these….I also have mosquito farm haha The last pic is for you-my GMO sunflower(I don't plant and use GM crops but granny likes how big it gets and it's just one or two for fun).

Mind? AWESOME! That's what this is all about, sharing. Love the size of that sunflower. Those Velvet Queens I have are 7' tall and full of flowers.

What are you doing with the mosquito larva besides getting bit?

Always feel free to share here. I love seeing what others are growing.

Ina · Jun 24, 2019

PlumberSoCal said:
What are you doing with the mosquito larva besides getting bit?

Nothing,I just...been bitten:)I called it mosquito farm after I saw how they look in your threat,didnt know these are the mosquito larvas.I use the water from time to time when I go to the guerilla garden,granny also use it when she don't want to start the pump in the well.Unfortunatelly for now I cant grow pot in that garden and I have to go to uncomfortable place outside the village:)With lot more mosquitos, thousands of them!!!!I use lavender and other oils against them,but it works just for a little.
About the sunflower:i will leave it with one really big top this time(I will take a pic),usually top them so they can have more flowers and stay shorter.
Hey I forgot!Is that the morning glory?!The one that gives you some kind of buzz?Does the color matter?because now I see I have it everywhere in my garden:)Not that I am going to use it somehow,just asking:)

PlumberSoCal · Jun 24, 2019

Ina said:
Nothing,I just...been bitten:)I called it mosquito farm after I saw how they look in your threat,didnt know these are the mosquito larvas.I use the water from time to time when I go to the guerilla garden,granny also use it when she don't want to start the pump in the well.Unfortunatelly for now I cant grow pot in that garden and I have to go to uncomfortable place outside the village:)With lot more mosquitos, thousands of them!!!!I use lavender and other oils against them,but it works just for a little.
About the sunflower:i will leave it with one really big top this time(I will take a pic),usually top them so they can have more flowers and stay shorter.
Hey I forgot!Is that the morning glory?!The one that gives you some kind of buzz?Does the color matter?because now I see I have it everywhere in my garden:)Not that I am going to use it somehow,just asking:)

I've heard about the Morning Glory seed buzz, never tried it. I find them beautiful so I had to grow. I believe all the colors produce the chemical that gives the buzz.

For years I would dump old plumbing fixtures but have seen they make interesting planters. I have two toilets that I've drilled a hold through the bottoms and will use as planters and another I want to make into a fountain.

Many gardners keep water sitting out to age. Attracts mosquitos. I've got them in my tea mixes. They love to bite me.

In the winter I usually have a fire going on the patio and will add dried sage and rosemary which mosquitos hate. It helps but I still get bit.

Time for me to go to work. I still have 7 bags of fresh horse manure in the back of the truck and have to pick up parts. Enjoy the day!

PlumberSoCal · Jun 25, 2019

Update 6-25

I planted 6 seeds on 5-20 in a greenhouse and all popped between 5-27 - 6-1 and went into the ground on 6-12.

2 showing that sativa Chemdog pheno

and 2 displaying their OG lineage.

These last 2 are what I want to work. Ideally one or both are female as I have pollen from a large fast growing male.

The other two are in pots

And the runt

The horse manure plant

A week younger but catching up. I planted 4 seeds on 5-28 and only 2 popped on 6-5 in horse manure. Transplanted into 1 gal on 6-10 and 5 gal 6-19 in horse manure. Seems to be working well. It does stay wet longer. Adding perlite next time should help.

The other one

Seems to be looking more normal except for that long first leaf. It was transplanted into 1gal of potting soil. If it continues to grow I'll let it be.

Day 49

Ordered a loop and have been playing

Not great but better than what I had.

Everybody else is doing well. Haven't had time to spend on the greenhouse but have been thinking about it. Got a sink and a 2 stage water filter. I plan on adding LED's and running them 3 hrs a day to extend the light this fall/winter then divide the back 4' with black plastic for sunlight only for flowering. It would be nice to harvest every month instead once a year.

All for now. Happy Growing!

Ina · Jun 26, 2019

PlumberSoCal said:
It does stay wet longer. Adding perlite next time should help.

I was goint to tell you that about the horse manure,which is my favorite manure of all because of its structure and bigger particles.As far as I know(but i'm not sure)it is best for flowering,compared with other manures....But never used it clean,interesting.I had that friend that was using only old cow manure and another one that was growing in old,abandoned pig farm without adding anything:)Both plants were nice and huge.....But I would dilute it a little with something and may be add zeolites or other stones along with the perlite.It is possible these abnormalities on the second plant to be caused by staying wet or because the clean manure is a little bit hot.Or both:)May be when they get bigger they will outgrow such problems.It is interesting experiment.The other one looks good.
What about the copper wire?I hear some things about it,that is good for the roots?

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