Diary Goji Grow

[moose eater]

2023 minus 1947 = 76

It has 6 years on me and we are both showing our age.

In the cleanup I unplugged things in the flower room so I would not have to mess with the cord in the veg room. Plugged into the GFCI above and snapped the disconnect. Damn! I'll replace the outlet after I finish cleaning. So I plugged into the pressure washer into the GFCI in the veg room and disconnected the sump pump. Wash for a while until the sump filled up; unplug washer; drain sump; plug in washer; wash for a while....

Sump pump decided it did not want to shut off after one draining. Damn! I knew lots of gunk had accumulated in the sump so it was time to go hand to hand with gobs of goo. Ran a couple cycles of clean water through the pump and the float switch was back online.

I went upstairs to trace the GFCI failure and discovered another broken GFCI in the kitchen island. Off I went to Lowe's for two replacements. Wired the two outlets and all was done...

especially me.

I have some furniture arranging to do this morning. Lots of things were moved from veg to flower for cleaning.
View attachment 18846824

On an older system like that, assuming the house wiring is original (?) (or has it been brought up to modern code?) you're running 15-amp breakers and GFCI outlets? Not 20-amp, right?

I haven't had a sump pump in a basement since I was 11 years old, in suburban Grand Rapid, Michigan.

Had our rabbits get loose from their hutch and one found its way into the sump pump hole and drowned. Remember that quite clearly.

The reason I was asking about the slab was the fissures in it. Looked like well-aged concrete. Like yourself, buzz. Weathering the years OK.

You don't have the colder ground like we do, and my basement monolithic slab isn't insulated, so it helps to provide some amount of 'heat' in the winter, and a bit of cooling in the summer, but my 4'x4'x6.5'(+/- on height as there's 4 of them and some are taller than others) plywood and firring framed primary grow boxes sit atop 2" exterior grade foam sheeting to provide a more consistent temperature on their bases, closer to air temp than slab temp.

Having a bunch of left-over materials of different sorts, to include the exterior-grade pink and blue foam 2'x8'x2" sheets, when we finished building the house going on 27 years ago helped with a number of other projects.

Plants are looking happy, buzz.

 

[buzzmobile]

The old wiring is long gone. We updated and upgraded the system early soon we bought the house. The slab on the floor was broken by hydrostatic pressure. If you look closely at the slab there are 'weep holes' drilled randomly around the slab. When the groundwater rises I can create mini geysers by stepping around the holes.

In the winter months the ground here can get uncomfortably chilly. I use pieces of styrofoam under the pots when it gets cold. I am always relieved to get the rooms cleaned up after the wet winter.

There have been a few sump pump issues over the years. The check valve got hung open and I found water to mid calf height one morning. Float valve has stuck in the down position creating a wading pool two or three times. When the water is flowing down there my ear is tuned to the sound of the pump running. I get nervous when it is quiet.

The garden is ready for more. I have to make a run up to Georgia for my potting mix soon. I'm down to the last bag.

 

[moose eater]

What potting mix are you using? Are you modifying it?

 

[buzzmobile]

What potting mix are you using? Are you modifying it?

ProMix BK 25 straight from the bag.

PRO-MIX® BK

PRO-MIX® BK is a medium-weight growing medium for cultivation in 4”+ pots. This blend of aged pine bark, peat moss, perlite ensures great drainage.

www.pthorticulture.com

I have a friend who has a commercial account with an ag supplier up the road. The supplier switched from Berger BM 7 mix to Pro Mix a few years ago. Odd thing about the switch was the number of 3 gallon pots a single bag fills. Berger is labeled larger @ 3 cubic feet than ProMix and filled 6 pots just about enough. ProMix @ 2.8 cf fills 6 pots with enough left over to half fill another pot.

 

[moose eater]

ProMix BK 25 straight from the bag.

PRO-MIX® BK

PRO-MIX® BK is a medium-weight growing medium for cultivation in 4”+ pots. This blend of aged pine bark, peat moss, perlite ensures great drainage.

www.pthorticulture.com

I have a friend who has a commercial account with an ag supplier up the road. The supplier switched from Berger BM 7 mix to Pro Mix a few years ago. Odd thing about the switch was the number of 3 gallon pots a single bag fills. Berger is labeled larger @ 3 cubic feet than ProMix and filled 6 pots just about enough. ProMix @ 2.8 cf fills 6 pots with enough left over to half fill another pot.
View attachment 18847141

Fast draining and drying for humid environments?

Never heard of it.

We only get the standard BX and HP Pro-Mix here. And ever since the days of cheap 4 cu. ft. bags of perlite (though they're not as cheap as they used to be), I stick with the BX, notwithstanding a couple of mistaken and stoned purchases when I ended up accidentally with the HP.

And now that I use a fair bit of volcanic pumice, since h.h. pointed out the aluminum punch in perlite years ago here in these forums, and the issue of the perlite breaking down fairly readily, I use a lot less of the added perlite, too.

In my soilless mixes I use 50::50 the BX Pro-Mix and 'Advanced Organic Sunshine Mix #4', which has a moisture retention additive in it, decent calcium values, and is a smaller bale than the 3.8 cu. ft. Pro-Mix, so my back also likes the Advanced Organic Sunshine Mix #4 mo' better.

 

[buzzmobile]

BK 25 is not a retail item and I suspect it was mixed specifically for the South. I found a couple places that carry it but they are very proud @ $28 - $39 per bag. It's around $13 per bag I think it was last time I bought some.

 

[moose eater]

BK 25 is not a retail item and I suspect it was mixed specifically for the South. I found a couple places that carry it but they are very proud @ $28 - $39 per bag. It's around $13 per bag I think it was last time I bought some.

Most places up here are charging about $64/3.8 cu. ft. and higher for a bag of BX Pro-mix. There had been a deal a couple of years ago down near North Wasilla, toward Big lake, at the 3 Bears Market there, for $49/3.8 cu. ft., but unlike years ago when I'd make many trips down that way, I no longer do.

I keep looking for gold nuggets in the bags, figuring there must be some other reason than a captive consumer audience that's isolated from the Lower-48 states and freight charges.

So far, no gold nuggets. Just Canadian sphagnum peat moss and a bit of perlite.

Contrary to some of the myths, not -everything- is more expensive in Alaska, but the bulky items tend to be.

We're one of the few places where FedEx and UPS 2nd day air is often cheaper than our 'Ground' shipping, due to the convoluted nature of our 3rd party carrier definition of 'ground' shipping; taken by truck to the West Coast, put aboard an aircraft into Los Anchorage, then trucked to wherever. 'Ground'.

 

[buzzmobile]

Bienvenidos, @Hombre del mont

The snakes have shed a couple of skins this spring. These two were up on the sill plate at opposite ends of the room. The bamboo stake next to the shed skins is 4' in length.

3 Bears Market there, for $49/3.8 cu. ft.

That was the Goldilocks Special. Tomorrow may be the day for some BK in GA.

 

[Hombre del mont]

Bienvenidos, @Hombre del mont

The snakes have shed a couple of skins this spring. These two were up on the sill plate at opposite ends of the room. The bamboo stake next to the shed skins is 4' in length.

View attachment 18847689

That was the Goldilocks Special. Tomorrow may be the day for some BK in GA.

Gracias amigo.

Loving the snake pictures!

Now is the time for snakes here, especially now we've just had some rain.

Sadly the Spanish better seem to hate all snakes and happily kill them, despite the fact that the venomous snakes are all in the high mountains. Down at our level all the the snakes are harmless.

 

[buzzmobile]

Anyone seen Goji lately?
Rumor has it she moved into the 15th day of flower this morning.

Here's a shot of the flower room. Goji is center foreground.

Hippy Slayer and Candy Jack are to her right.

I dug through the seed stash this morning and planted some Hawaiian Blue Dawg, Jackberry F4, an 88 G13 cross, Rosetta 78, and Killer Queen

This is StinkO #2 that smells of pine.

 

[buzzmobile]

There's another Goji in the veg room.

 

[buzzmobile]

They are waking up.

The 88 G13 is crossed with Animal Cookies. The photo above is from yesterday afternoon. I'm going to check on the gang downstairs in a moment and then finish mowing the field. Mower was called on account of rain yesterday.

 

[buzzmobile]

Sunday is moving day and harvest day. Moving day for Goji is shifting to the fourth week spot. The plant is doing well and the flowers are flowering. This is what I was looking at a few moments ago.

Harvest day is a special one. This is the first run of Northern Lights #5 x Big Sur Holy Bud and it looks like a winner. Smells like one too.

 

[Hombre del mont]

NL5 was special back in the day, as was big sur. Together they should be very special.
Yours certainly looks like it is. I bet it stinks.

Enjoy your harvest my friend.

 

[buzzmobile]

NL5 was special back in the day, as was big sur. Together they should be very special.
Yours certainly looks like it is. I bet it stinks.

Enjoy your harvest my friend.

This plant has the look and the smell of a keeper. I'm resisting the temptation to sample a quick dried bud. I think by Sunday it should be dry enough to clean up.

You would win the bet about the stink.


The weather has been wild here for the last 36 hours with more forecast through the weekend. Severe thunder storm warnings and tornado warnings has kept the phone and TV blaring. So far there is no water infiltration downstairs.

 

[Brother Nature]

Nice little stable you have here. That Goji has a very cool looking leaf structure..

 

[buzzmobile]

Nice little stable you have here. That Goji has a very cool looking leaf structure..

Thank you.

The veg room was only half as nice when I went downstairs yesterday. 4 of 8 light bars were out. It's conundrum time. The light is a Fluence SpydrX that's about 6 years old. Repair or replace?


The Goji got a sniff test the other day and sweet flower fragrance with a hint of incense flooded the narae. I'll move the Goji into the 5th week position which is centered under the light. This morning there is an Ice Cream Cake to harvest as well. I have to look to see which plant moves into flower today.

 

[buzzmobile]

And this morning all 8 light bars are lit. I ordered https://www.nehydro.com/growers-choice-led-roi-e680s-fixture-4-x-4-up-to-5-x-5-new/

I'll figure out and fiddle with the Fluence after the new light arrives.

Ice Cream Cake is hanging.

Goji at beginning of fifth week in flower.

An assortment of seedlings that are calling for attention.

 

[buzzmobile]

It's raining again/still this morning. I spent some time transplanting 2" seedlings to 4" pots yesterday. I also transplanted a few 4" pots to 3 gallon pots.

 

[buzzmobile]

It's about time for me to get up out of this chair and go downstairs. This is a day to take cuttings and stick them in some mix. I need to get some backups in place to keep the one a week train rolling.