2016 Outdoor Garden of Eden

[FoothillFarming]

Late start Cindy being dwarfed by my AOG, which has my plumb tree in the back round which is just about ripe.

Greenhouse Cindy's

 

[FoothillFarming]

deps sky lotus. Been getting a little burn from just home depot plastic.

 

[FoothillFarming]

So here is my worm bin and compost area. The worms are in the smart pots, and the other drainage pipe is holding stems, leaves, and other green matter that will eventually be used in making compost.

Did I mention my dogs like the eat the bio live off the top of the soil? Notice the old smart pots on top of the bins, helps retain moisture.

This is my European Night Crawler bin. I find these worms are better to add to beds, as the red wigglers out compost them any day of the week. You will notice some wood pieces in the EWC, but that is about it. It has all floated to the top, and what is left is pure castings. Now that I say that, I should have taken a shovel full and taken a pic.....Soon come I guess.

Red wigglers

O yea, and you can see some straw. I covered the pile with straw in the winter, and it's all been eaten up.

 

[FoothillFarming]

So my pup is just over a year now, and I have started some training. He sits, comes and all that. I am now concentrating on teaching him to alert me to new things, and to do a perimeter check of the property.

When a box gets delivered to the house, or something gets knocked over by the wind, or any small change, he naturally alerts me. His hair on his back stands up, and he gives an alert bark. At first I just told him good boy, then I realized I could hone this, and use it to my advantage.

So I now have a few commands where I let him know I want the property checked. He instantly stops and makes eye contact.

Then I give the command.

He goes running and checks the driveway

Then does a check of the property

He is just learning but catching on very quick. I started to put out new things on his patrol path, and sure enough he alerts me. When I go and pull my tarps, I make sure to watch him carefully. He knows what has been in the garden area, and what is a threat.

For example, I know one of the neighbor cats lives in my fenced off garden area. It's safe. The dog may or may not see the cat scurry away, but every morning he sniffs out the cats bed, and which way he took off. He never alerts me to this, however the other night we had skunks/raccoon/whatever stunk and in the morning he was all ridge back and alerting. We followed the trail to the fence line, where we stopped and I told him good boy.

Just thought I would share because I am so proud of my little dude. I have only had Bulldogs in the past. Once I got ripped 20ft outside my open window with two bulldogs sleeping away on the bed.........Snoring so I couldn't hear. All though that is probably their excuse, lol.

 

[FoothillFarming]

The weather has cooled off her over the past week as well. I have kept my water consumption at the same level. Plants are getting bigger, but weather is cooler. Next week, by Thursday we will be back around 100. This is also the time the plants may begin to think about flowering, and they start to suck up water and nutes. So when the hot weather arrives, I will bump up my watering 20% and see how it goes. That means the large pots will be getting over 50 gal a day? Dam!

 

[slownickel]

50 gallons per day?

50 gallons per day?

Do you make a calculation to come to that number?

When you water, do you water until water comes out the bottom of the bag?

In Oregon, we have been establishing ETO (Evapotranspiration rates) and sure seems like everyone is overwatering by a lot.

We also did retention tests and discovered that those mediums suck up a huge amount of water.

Maybe in your place the ETO is much higher. But 50 gallons is a huge amount.

In a big mango tree, near the equator, we won't get to half that amount... I imagine you must have quite a bit coming out that bottom of that bag.

Do you water that much daily?

 

[BAKED_BEANZ]

So my pup is just over a year now, and I have started some training. He sits, comes and all that. I am now concentrating on teaching him to alert me to new things, and to do a perimeter check of the property.

When a box gets delivered to the house, or something gets knocked over by the wind, or any small change, he naturally alerts me. His hair on his back stands up, and he gives an alert bark. At first I just told him good boy, then I realized I could hone this, and use it to my advantage.

So I now have a few commands where I let him know I want the property checked. He instantly stops and makes eye contact.
View Image

Then I give the command.
View Image

He goes running and checks the driveway
View Image

Then does a check of the property
View Image

He is just learning but catching on very quick. I started to put out new things on his patrol path, and sure enough he alerts me. When I go and pull my tarps, I make sure to watch him carefully. He knows what has been in the garden area, and what is a threat.

For example, I know one of the neighbor cats lives in my fenced off garden area. It's safe. The dog may or may not see the cat scurry away, but every morning he sniffs out the cats bed, and which way he took off. He never alerts me to this, however the other night we had skunks/raccoon/whatever stunk and in the morning he was all ridge back and alerting. We followed the trail to the fence line, where we stopped and I told him good boy.

Just thought I would share because I am so proud of my little dude. I have only had Bulldogs in the past. Once I got ripped 20ft outside my open window with two bulldogs sleeping away on the bed.........Snoring so I couldn't hear. All though that is probably their excuse, lol.

well done , sounds like he,s doing real well .

don't forget night work with him . if possible if you have a trusted person ,get them to sneak in shaking bushes ( not the plants ) and reward him (your boy ) with lots of praise once he barks the intruder (decoy ) off .
you,ll need to do it several times few weeks apart .

you will find your boy naturally doing his own patrols at night , after first or second time . who ever you use for the decoy , be great if your boy has not met them , perhaps even pay a dog trainer / decoy . its just a scent thing.

you want him active at night , and know night time is time that potential threats come around . and thats the time to stay alert .

you prob know anyway,s . sounds like your training him up real nice atm .

 

[FoothillFarming]

Do you make a calculation to come to that number?

When you water, do you water until water comes out the bottom of the bag?

In Oregon, we have been establishing ETO (Evapotranspiration rates) and sure seems like everyone is overwatering by a lot.

We also did retention tests and discovered that those mediums suck up a huge amount of water.

Maybe in your place the ETO is much higher. But 50 gallons is a huge amount.

In a big mango tree, near the equator, we won't get to half that amount... I imagine you must have quite a bit coming out that bottom of that bag.

Do you water that much daily?

Been calculating my water usage, and thought others might be curious. Just strait copied and pasted from my notes, might not be self explanatory. Let me know if it doesn't make sense. This is just right now, during 95+ degree weather. I always change my watering volumes based on weather and plant size/needs.

Water usage for 2016

1000 & 800 gallon pots – (5) 23 emitter lines per pot or 92 gal per hour
400 gallon pots – (2) 23 emitter lines per pot or 36.8 gal per hour
200 gallon pots – (1) 23 emitter line per pot or 18.4 gal per hour
100 gallon pots – (1) ?


@ 15 min watering cycles 2x a day
1000 & 800’s get 46 gallons a day
400’s get 18.4 gallons a day
200’s get 9.2 gallons a day

I guess I should add that my emitters are rated at .8gal per hour with 30 psi, which is what I run my PSI at.

Edit: I water every day except one day a week. That day is my fertigation day, and I drench the heck out of the plants.

So that was my first post. This is regarding plants that are 50% peat, 25% compost, 25% lava/ricehulls/perlite. Those numbers are calculated by emitter ratings, I have not double checked that those are accurate. Doesn't really matter, cause if you check I do things by %'s, and plant response. So in reality it could be 10 gallon, or 100, it's what's working on my property. Only reason I say this isn't to come at you sideways, just to make clear to others reading it may not be 100% accurate. Many variables such as PSI, volume, distance from inputs, ext ext. However I do the best to design my systems to have the very least amount of variance possible, and I do check my main line psi's at the start and end to ensure the 1/4" lines are supplied the same psi through the garden.

When I water does water come out the bag?

I don't see the water come out the bag during the watering. However after a good hour or two, yea, the ground has a ring of water around the pots. Also, not sure if you know smart pots or not, but they don't hold water at all. In fact, you have to be careful what you place the smart pot on, cause dry dirt will leach water right out.

Tell me more about your ETO rates. How to measure and the process. I will tell you exactly what my ETO rate is. As of now, I have no idea. Sorry, .

Also, not sure what a retention rate test would be. However yes, a mix with 50% peat will act as a sponge once full wet. Did you use a wetting agent during your tests? Fresh peat/soiless mixes can be hydrophobic. However, compared to my property made soil, which is a heavy clay soil, the peat mix uses double the water. I don't have those calculations readily available, but I can figure them out and jot them down if needed. Not exactly apple to apples however, because the clay soil mix is in the greenhouse. One would think greenhouses being hotter would use up more water, however the diffused light doesn't demand as much from the plants, or the soil surface.

Yes I water that much daily. I water twice a day, even amounts. The difference between your mango tree, and my smart pot above ground are vastly different. The mango tree, has very deep roots and takes up ground water as well I assume. (not knowing your geographic's) Also, the water that is in the soil, is shaded heavily and the only surface area exposed to air is the very top of the roots at the soil surface. My smart pot is placed on dry acrid soil. As I stated above, the natural soil acts as a leach, and needs to be wet down as well to avoid this. Now picture the % of soil that is being exposed to air, wind and ambient air temps. Some of the roots do grow through the bottom, however the majority are housed in a raised bed surrounded by ambient air. Mix that with 90 degree temps with zero rain for 3 months, and you really start to use up water.

I bet your wondering then why the heck do I use those pots? The air exchange in the root zone is second to none, and the gophers on my property are the devil.

When I was in Hawaii last, the place my bro in law got married at had a humongous mango tree. I stopped and talked with the grounds keeper for a while, and he said he hadn't fed or watered that tree in 15 years. I was about 500 ft inland, and had SOOO many mango's.

 

[FoothillFarming]

well done , sounds like he,s doing real well .

don't forget night work with him . if possible if you have a trusted person ,get them to sneak in shaking bushes ( not the plants ) and reward him (your boy ) with lots of praise once he barks the intruder (decoy ) off .
you,ll need to do it several times few weeks apart .

you will find your boy naturally doing his own patrols at night , after first or second time . who ever you use for the decoy , be great if your boy has not met them , perhaps even pay a dog trainer / decoy . its just a scent thing.

you want him active at night , and know night time is time that potential threats come around . and thats the time to stay alert .

you prob know anyway,s . sounds like your training him up real nice atm .

Great Idea! Now to convince a friend to stand in the bushes and take a chance of getting bit by my dog, lol. To be honest, I bet he smells the person long before the bushes move. His nose is crazy, like Cyrano de Bergerac. I have done zero night work with him so far. Thanks for the heads up.

Sorry for the reference. Been touching up on some old classics as of late.

 

[FoothillFarming]

Dam, I gotta get out and work. The last two days have been too much time off. I needed it however, the last month or so I have been working non stop. With harvests coming in, replanting those harvests, feeding, foliars, it's been 16 hour work day after 16 hour work day. You know it's been a long day when the only breaks you have had are breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then you know it's been a long month when the only time off you have had are half days on Sunday.

Happy Farming everybody

 

[BAKED_BEANZ]

Great Idea! Now to convince a friend to stand in the bushes and take a chance of getting bit by my dog, lol. To be honest, I bet he smells the person long before the bushes move. His nose is crazy, like Cyrano de Bergerac. I have done zero night work with him so far. Thanks for the heads up.

Sorry for the reference. Been touching up on some old classics as of late.

well you want them working at night , sleeping during the day

mine know when flower times here , they are constantly checking perimeter . my inside dog actually go,s sleeps outside in flower season and when its finished , she,back in on her bed . 2 mths she go,s sleeps outside , all her own doing .
do you think your dog is natural biter ? or happy to alert ? first night time mock attack ( lol) is likely to provoke him to bark and let you know . he's young . unlikely he will go down take a chunk out . but never know i guess , start him on a lead . sit out he back chilling the time you know the decoy is due to turn up . as soon as his ears prick and you know he,s picked up a intruder / decoy , just whisper " good "to him . when he go,s off his guts , dial his praise up .
just some idea,s , i ve done a lot of work with man stoppers . i,m know pro though . just basic stuff

if you want him active for rippers , kinda sound thats what you,d like . night work is the way to go .

 

[FoothillFarming]

Still not working......About to touch up the last couple packs after my trim machine. So close to finished with this round of deps I can taste it.

I don't think he would bite anything to be honest. He is a little bitch actually. Several times in the last week he has been bitched by a 16 year old chihuahua. He is all love still.

From my experience, a dog doesn't really come into his or her own until they are a solid 2 - 3 years old. That is when they really smarten up, and know what's what. They also wont show aggression for the first year or more of their lives. That usually sets in around 18 months or so.

In the fall I set many, many trip wire alarms on my property as well. Got to train him to stay low, or walk around those spots. I can't be having 12 gauge rounds go off all the time, lol. (blanks, for alert purpose only)

 

[BAKED_BEANZ]

lol well you can,t beat a perimeter alarm like that can you , let him sleep lol

i,d like to be able to use those , 12 gauge trip wires . ain,t no one coming back after that , wouldn't rekon . be cleaning there pants out

 

[FoothillFarming]

Easy Peasy
http://www.americanspecialtyammo.com/Gadgets.html

Legal and safe. I have had these go off 6" from a plant leaf and zero damage.

Still going to get some night work in for sure. However if anybody is staking out the place, I feel like there is a good chance the dog will know. Now whether or not I pick up on what the dog is telling me is another story.

So I got camera's, 12g perimeter alarms, dogs, fencing, cross fencing, and means to protect myself and family..... Then why do I still feel exposed? This is why they say cannabis causes paranoia. Next step, use satellite real time heat signature camera's to detect any movement, and have a satellite based missile system read to deploy for any intruders.

It always feels like, somebody's watching me.

 

[Stone House]

It's a great feeling having a buddy (dog best friend) that makes sure his family and their property is safe. I have a 1/2 English Mastiff like yours and about 15 months old, I have a heavily forested property with a trail around the perimeter. Every night around dark I walk her around the trail and if I hear a noise I will stop listen and see if my dog alerts, then I ask her "what was that" she responds very well and goes in full focus mode.
I also never, never let her cross my property line (unless we go somewhere in the truck), that way she knows her territory. If I am throwing her ball and it goes past the property line I make her stop and I retrieve the ball.
Your doing a great job I thought I would share whats always worked for me.
Most of my garden is surrounded by a huge blackberry patch, if one of those 12 gauge rounds went off here I think the guy would be shitting his pants and getting shredded by the blackberrys as he made his urgent escape. I would be pissing my pants laughing.

 

[FoothillFarming]

Yea, how awesome are dogs? My English Bulldogs are second to none, but they are not dogs. They sit on couches, eat, sleep, fart, burp. What they don't do is listen, run, play with cats, explore the yard. My new Mastiff is all dog. He is by my side all day long, in the garden, watching tv, sleeping.

Is it bad I like my dogs more than 99% of the people I know?

Speaking of people getting launched into blackberry bushes, you ever watch those youtube video's of people jumping into cactus? That is what I pictured.

 

[FoothillFarming]

SlowNickel or anybody for that matter.

I want to bump up the calcium levels on some plants due to SlowNickels paradigm. (or late Albrect) In the past I have always stayed away from liming agents, due to fear of burn. I usually just add oyster shells as a top dress when my AEA gear isn't supplying enough. How would you guys go about adding calcium? I have some Microna, but I have never used this product. Bought it up when LeadSled was still advising, but ended up not using it. This Microna states it is more powerful than normal lime as well.

http://www.gardenpearls.com/products/agricultural/micronatm-calcium-carbonate/

Like I said, in the past I just keep a constant top dress of oyster shells. However I might want something a little quicker acting. Get the Ca levels up before flower sets in.

I already have a game plan, but I can always improve things with help of others.

Edit: never mind, kind of stupid question. I think I will just hit the 400's with .33 lbs and see how it goes. From my calcs, this should be on the very low side of application rates. Feel free to speak up if I am missing something. I want to get this done, then send in more soil tests.

 

[_tessarecting]

I ammended half the recommended gypsum for ca before planting then approx 6 weeks later watered in the rest last week.

 

[slownickel]

Calcium

Calcium

Foothill,

Do you have a soil analysis that you are working with?

How are you calculating your numbers?

 

[maxmurder]

My English Bulldogs are second to none, but they are not dogs. They sit on couches, eat, sleep, fart, burp. What they don't do is listen, run, play with cats, explore the yard.
Is it bad I like my dogs more than 99% of the people I know?

NAILED IT!! except you forgot puke hahahahahahah..