Sphnx's Norcal Outdoor Season

[bobrown14]

We have do have some rain gutters, but the house is built into the mountain so they're a foot or so off the ground. I'm sure I can figure out some sort of collection system! As it is, I'm pH balancing the res to 6.5 until the soil isn't so hot (after a few waterings).. then it'll be around 6.2. There's definitely a learning curve coming from hydro to soil/coco mix, as crazy as that sounds... The pH, trying to balance the soils pH and water to hit that perfect number, it's kind of a challenge. As far as a filtration system goes, we already have a lot on the battery bank, I don't know if it could handle another load.. that might have to happen next year.

What can I use to amend the soil to make it more acidic? Organically.. wood ash? Bone meal? I'm wondering if I should just throw something on top and water it down. Same for the fruit trees..

I'm jelly ... you live on a mountain in NorCal and off the grid!

Wood ash is about 20-25% Ca (calcium) so it's not going lower the PH but will do HUGE benefit for your orange clay soil.

Good read on wood ash - I use it ... for sure it works but not for PH. In soil, PH changes all the time. Watering in water that's Alkaline isn't the best. That said.. my outdoor gardens I never worry about it.. there's just way too much soil for water the have an affect on the PH down at the roots. You'd have to add TONS of amendments to change the PH of the soil or even make a minor change.

Good Read - notice it's from a county extension service in Maine. You have one in your county. You can call them and ask about your alkaline water and how the best way to deal with it is. They are there for us ... paid for by us! Take advantage, you'd be surprised. I get soil tests done for 10$ a pop here in the state we live in. That $10.. is golden.

Bulletin #2279, Using Wood Ash on Your Farm | Cooperative Extension Publications | University of Maine

The PH/UP down stuff tho, that's not good for the soil microbes. Something to think about.

Everything in the soil is geared towards growing plants. Water with a slightly alkaline PH I don't think will be a problem. In a container for sure.. but not outdoors, way too much soil to make a dent in the PH. Get local ... there's folks around you that have answers and should be glad to help.

The best thing I would do in a soil grow is inoculate the roots of the plants with Mycos - Mykes brand... Outdoors that's all I do and amend soil with compost. You already have that done...

Hard work is behind you... GREAT job. I'd be your water boy and trimmer if I was closer.

What about a gas powered water pump? Since I'm the new water boy!! Self promoted FTW. Call me Rain Man... wasup wasup wasup!

 

[Sphnx]

I'm jelly ... you live on a mountain in NorCal and off the grid!

Wood ash is about 20-25% Ca (calcium) so it's not going lower the PH but will do HUGE benefit for your orange clay soil.

Good read on wood ash - I use it ... for sure it works but not for PH. In soil, PH changes all the time. Watering in water that's Alkaline isn't the best. That said.. my outdoor gardens I never worry about it.. there's just way too much soil for water the have an affect on the PH down at the roots. You'd have to add TONS of amendments to change the PH of the soil or even make a minor change.

Good Read - notice it's from a county extension service in Maine. You have one in your county. You can call them and ask about your alkaline water and how the best way to deal with it is. They are there for us ... paid for by us! Take advantage, you'd be surprised. I get soil tests done for 10$ a pop here in the state we live in. That $10.. is golden.

Bulletin #2279, Using Wood Ash on Your Farm | Cooperative Extension Publications | University of Maine

The PH/UP down stuff tho, that's not good for the soil microbes. Something to think about.

Everything in the soil is geared towards growing plants. Water with a slightly alkaline PH I don't think will be a problem. In a container for sure.. but not outdoors, way too much soil to make a dent in the PH. Get local ... there's folks around you that have answers and should be glad to help.

The best thing I would do in a soil grow is inoculate the roots of the plants with Mycos - Mykes brand... Outdoors that's all I do and amend soil with compost. You already have that done...

Hard work is behind you... GREAT job. I'd be your water boy and trimmer if I was closer.

What about a gas powered water pump? Since I'm the new water boy!! Self promoted FTW. Call me Rain Man... wasup wasup wasup!

Man.. I was so stoned when I did my last update... I didn't mention the electric pump for the res. I have that and a hose and lug that around with the tractor or pickup to the different areas... some are 10 acres apart. I'll have gravity fed pvc lines of balanced water to the areas very soon so it won't be necessary to have the pump. Super stoked on that.

I have a big ole tub of Great White water soluble powder, so around June 20 I'm going to start using that in the mix. There's a place close by that sells 55lb bags of mychorrizae and 100 lb bags of fruit bat guano for a pretty decent price. Come august, I'll be amending the soil with a bunch of good shit, literally, chicken manure compost too haha. I'm going to try to use as little bottle nutrients as possible this year, so I'm piecing together the organic equivalent to my recipe. Still going to have to use 1 salt, because I wasn't able to compost enough alfalfa, but it's all good.

People around here are having water trucked up to fill reservoirs because of the waters pH. I'm using advanced nutrient's pH color, dye-less, and 55% phosphoric acid. 20mL in 55gal brings it down from 8.0 to 6.2. Which is damn near perfect for these strains and soil. The acidity of the soil brings it down to 5.9. For flower, I'll be figuring out what the acidity of the soil is and adjusting the water to hit 5.7 for the hybrids and 5.9 for the indicas.

Than you for all your information so far, I really appreciate it. I'm still trying to figure out how to do things on a big scale, so I may have more questions for you down the line 22 acres of room for activities... next year, I'm fencing off an acre in the back meadow. No fucks given.

 

[dropcroptop]

A whole acre may be hard to keep up with. Let me know if you need some help haha

 

[Sphnx]

Partial update:

I need to roll up a couple fatties, one before breakfast and one for the walk out to the other ladies. But here are the ones out in the yard

These all have been getting fed: (per gallon in 55gal res)
3ml Roots Excellerator
15ml Age Old Grow
10ml Liquid Karma


Blue Dream x Triple OG Kush

Jedi Northern Lights x Triple OG Kush

I'll walk out to the others in a few
Much love and Respect.

 

[Sphnx]

Update part 2:
1000gal reservoir is in the works. Already have some white 300gal that I'm going to paint black and stick em in the shade. 1000gal will have water balanced to 6.3ish so it'll make it easier to mix nutrients and balance at the smaller reservoirs.

Blue Dream x Triple OG Kush

Jedi Northern Lights x Triple OG Kush

Purple Kush

Area #3

Blue Dream x Triple OG Kush

LA Confidential

Purple Kush

Thanks for stopping by! I'm going to be watering for the rest of the day..

Much love and respect.
Sphnx

 

[SweetSue]

I love the way they take off under the sun. All your hard work will be so worth it. I dream of the day I can do one massive run and travel before I need to start again. Perpetual keeps you close to home.

 

[Sphnx]

I love the way they take off under the sun. All your hard work will be so worth it. I dream of the day I can do one massive run and travel before I need to start again. Perpetual keeps you close to home.

This outdoor thing is a lot of hard work. Especially having everything spaced the way it is, it'll get better once the reservoirs are set up. My back and hips kill me at the end of the day from lugging everything around. The ladies are loving it, though. Hannah and I are really wanting to travel a bit after this round. Maybe a road trip or something, who knows? Lol

 

[Sphnx]

The two biggest in the yard. The next few waterings are just going to be water balanced to 5.8 (they seem to respond best to 5.8-5.9, still trying to dial in what each strain likes.) The Blue Dream x Triple OG Kush is starting to get really stretchy, long branches. I'm thinking a multi cage, sideways scrog is going to happen for her. But I'm very happy that all of these are reverted back to veg and producing 5+ finger leaves again. Couple more months of veg to go

No reservoir yet, but it's still in the works. I'll get more pics posted tomorrow when the plants are awake.

Blue Dream x Triple OG Kush

Jedi Northern Lights x Triple OG Kush
I have some serious training ideas for her. She's going to be bent through the cage, and wrapped around the outside of those stakes. Hopefully I'll get to #3 sometime mid July so I can top her and still have time to grow the tops up nice and big.

Thanks for stopping by!
Much love.

Edit: I forgot to add this picture and I've been collecting rain water and giving them tons. Collected 150 gallons in two days.

 

[coopexquisite]

Wow those are some thick trunks! Amazing!

 

[Sphnx]

Thanks coop! Just, wait...

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Incredible girls....they look fantastic...

 

[Sphnx]

Incredible girls....they look fantastic...

Hey thank you, and thanks for stopping by! They're getting big, quickly, that's for sure

 

[coopexquisite]

Thanks coop! Just, wait...

Impatiently waiting! And no, that's not a typo

 

[Sphnx]

Hahah!! They should really take off in the next week. It's going to be 100-110f during the days and in the 80s at night starting in a day or two. I love when they stretch at night, it's a beautiful thing to come out in the morning and see your ladies have grown a foot overnight

 

[bobrown14]

Looking good brother... they are about to become trees my friend! Great job.

Sub'd for the flowers. Won't be long now.. not even one more week and the summer solstice!

 

[Sphnx]

Looking good brother... they are about to become trees my friend! Great job.

Sub'd for the flowers. Won't be long now.. not even one more week and the summer solstice!

Thanks for stopping by man! Yeah, not too much longer. But I still may not survive this waiting game lol these are all 10-12 weekers! Not only do I have to wait until August for them to flower, then I gotta wait until almost November to harvest! Too far away.. too far.

 

[JoetheChro]

Hahah!! They should really take off in the next week. It's going to be 100-110f during the days and in the 80s at night starting in a day or two. I love when they stretch at night, it's a beautiful thing to come out in the morning and see your ladies have grown a foot overnight

Couldn't stay away Sphnx, I hope you can forgive me absence

I know this is something I could google but what's the growing season in your lovely part of the world?

And if you need any labourers I'm down to help, willing to be blindfolded on route and with no communication from the outside world. I don't eat much and don't take up much overhead compartment space

You're living the dream mate, I've got a Diet Coke version of your location (minus mountain lions...I deal with squirrels here) that I'm about to stake my claim on in two weeks. Would love your take and pointers on doing an outdoor if you have the time mate

 

[Sphnx]

Couldn't stay away Sphnx, I hope you can forgive me absence

I know this is something I could google but what's the growing season in your lovely part of the world?

And if you need any labourers I'm down to help, willing to be blindfolded on route and with no communication from the outside world. I don't eat much and don't take up much overhead compartment space

You're living the dream mate, I've got a Diet Coke version of your location (minus mountain lions...I deal with squirrels here) that I'm about to stake my claim on in two weeks. Would love your take and pointers on doing an outdoor if you have the time mate

You weren't gone for very long, so it's definitely forgivable

Veg season officially starts on the 21st of June (I stuck my ladies outside second week of may) and flowering begins around the beginning of August, ending whenever the ladies are done. We ended up just firing our ranch hand, hannah and I are already so happy to be alone again.. he was a nightmare. We were getting the things he would be working on for 2 weeks done in a day without him here, he half assed everything he did and we would have to go back over the things he did so it turned into double work for us. He had never grown bud before yet he was arguing with me about everything I was doing.. he was convinced that watering them with 8.0 ph would be ok and would roll his eyes everytime I would I sat I need to balance the water. Just a fuckin nightmare. Behind schedule because we relied on him. But oh well. He's gone and we can't be happier.

Congrats on the property brotha! I can most definitely give you a hand with some info.

 

[Sphnx]

I'm off to give the ladies a nice watering. Update in a few hours

 

[JoetheChro]

You weren't gone for very long, so it's definitely forgivable

Veg season officially starts on the 21st of June (I stuck my ladies outside second week of may) and flowering begins around the beginning of August, ending whenever the ladies are done. We ended up just firing our ranch hand, hannah and I are already so happy to be alone again.. he was a nightmare. We were getting the things he would be working on for 2 weeks done in a day without him here, he half assed everything he did and we would have to go back over the things he did so it turned into double work for us. He had never grown bud before yet he was arguing with me about everything I was doing.. he was convinced that watering them with 8.0 ph would be ok and would roll his eyes everytime I would I sat I need to balance the water. Just a fuckin nightmare. Behind schedule because we relied on him. But oh well. He's gone and we can't be happier.

Congrats on the property brotha! I can most definitely give you a hand with some info.

If you want anything done properly it's better to do it yourself. Don't know if I could have kept my temper with 8.0 though. Them's fighting words where I'm from

Appreciate the offer of future advice mate. I'm in that land where tea is drunk by the gallon so think I'll be staying indoors all through summer. A butterfly landed on my outdoor experimental plant last year and squashed it flat which gives you a rough idea of how good I am at outdoor growing I've seen your indoor results and would appreciate any help you had the time to give. Thanks mate

I'll be growing outdoors but unfortunately nothing that will get me high. I'll admit I'm just as excited planning the seasonal veg plot as I am plotting to fill a tent or two with some stinky. I think I just like growing!

Good to hear from you mate and to see your garden looking well. Will keep you updated