Manitoid
Member
Hi all! I have been a lurker for a while. My plants and I are in a GH in the beautiful full sun of Colorado. I am a caregiver.
So the holes are 3 feet square by 4 feet deep. In this grow low budget is the main concern, allow the pictures to do the talking.
The holes are filled with a "lasagna" stack. This is a gardening practice i picked up in a Permaculture book. They are traditionally raised beds, filled alternately with brown and green matter. As a practice lasagna gardens are only used for annuals the first year... RIght up our alley i thought. As many layers as possible, and as varied as possible. For example, in 3-4" depths: Horse compost, straw, horse compost, leaves, horse compost grass clippings, horse compost straw, etc until they holes are over full. They should then be watered in until saturated, and left for a week or two. If planted immediately the plants will show nitrogen deficiency due to it taking nitrogen to start breaking down the straw, grass, leaves.
Notice also that horse compost is every other layer, meaning 50% of the composition of the holes. ALl holes are covered with rough mulch to conserve water and protect soil surface.
10 Large pick up truck loads horse COMPOST (meaning >12 months old) for free from local horse boarder. 2 truck loads of rotten (better) straw bales free from craigslist. leaves, grass, etc acquired from my overly large compost pile (again for free)
Since the plants were planted, ONLY WATER has been applied at the rate of total saturation once every 7-10 days, when the plants BEGIN to ask for it. Plants will be assisted through flower with aerated compost tea.
Now the proof. No one needs to purchase expensive things from the grow store. I know there will be nay sayers. This is a soil free grow that is %50 compost. By the end of this first year, the lasagna layers will be non existant, and you will have created good rich topsoil in the holes with help of your roots. Amend 2nd year holes as perceived needed for good topsoil.
KEEP IN MIND... This IS an experiment for me. I have grown annual vegetables many years in lasagna raised beds. I thought it would apply great to mmj because the plants love the fertilizer
Pictures in order are:
1) Casey Jones the day it went in, lightly LST to ground
2)Casey Jones today, 7 weeks later (only water)
3) Bubba Kush Day in ground, lightly LSTed
4)Bubba Kush 7 weeks later (only water)
5)Hawaiian today
6)Durban Posion today
7)Grand Daddy Purps Today
free materials, only water... get with the program people...
So the holes are 3 feet square by 4 feet deep. In this grow low budget is the main concern, allow the pictures to do the talking.
The holes are filled with a "lasagna" stack. This is a gardening practice i picked up in a Permaculture book. They are traditionally raised beds, filled alternately with brown and green matter. As a practice lasagna gardens are only used for annuals the first year... RIght up our alley i thought. As many layers as possible, and as varied as possible. For example, in 3-4" depths: Horse compost, straw, horse compost, leaves, horse compost grass clippings, horse compost straw, etc until they holes are over full. They should then be watered in until saturated, and left for a week or two. If planted immediately the plants will show nitrogen deficiency due to it taking nitrogen to start breaking down the straw, grass, leaves.
Notice also that horse compost is every other layer, meaning 50% of the composition of the holes. ALl holes are covered with rough mulch to conserve water and protect soil surface.
10 Large pick up truck loads horse COMPOST (meaning >12 months old) for free from local horse boarder. 2 truck loads of rotten (better) straw bales free from craigslist. leaves, grass, etc acquired from my overly large compost pile (again for free)
Since the plants were planted, ONLY WATER has been applied at the rate of total saturation once every 7-10 days, when the plants BEGIN to ask for it. Plants will be assisted through flower with aerated compost tea.
Now the proof. No one needs to purchase expensive things from the grow store. I know there will be nay sayers. This is a soil free grow that is %50 compost. By the end of this first year, the lasagna layers will be non existant, and you will have created good rich topsoil in the holes with help of your roots. Amend 2nd year holes as perceived needed for good topsoil.
KEEP IN MIND... This IS an experiment for me. I have grown annual vegetables many years in lasagna raised beds. I thought it would apply great to mmj because the plants love the fertilizer
Pictures in order are:
1) Casey Jones the day it went in, lightly LST to ground
2)Casey Jones today, 7 weeks later (only water)
3) Bubba Kush Day in ground, lightly LSTed
4)Bubba Kush 7 weeks later (only water)
5)Hawaiian today
6)Durban Posion today
7)Grand Daddy Purps Today
free materials, only water... get with the program people...
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