GROW CONTEST WINNER: Chief Bigsmoke's Perpetual Groove and Nerdatorium

[ClackamasCootz]

Chief

The only thing that I use that is 'wild harvested' are $&(*)@ Stinging Nettles and Horsetail Ferns.

I grow over 40 'mints' which probably includes plants you wouldn't believe. I grow Yarrow - both native and some hybrids because I liked the color - pretty scientific isn't it? I have the sterile Comfrey cultivar (Bocking 14) and from 4 plants this year I harvested about 3 cubic yards from 3 cuttings. I also started several more Comfrey plants from cuttings. I grow the cousin to Comfrey, i.e. Borage and have it all over the raised beds - great pollinator plant.

I also grow Epazote (a Mexican culinary herb) as it's a powerful pesticide and is not a member of the Mint family. I'm probably missing something - my garden is in the English Garden Style - my wife says it's a mess so there you go!

And for sprouted seed extracts I grow Amaranth, Quinoa and Sunflowers (got a ton of different sizes and colors on this deal - some special pack of seeds at the local organic nursery) - pretty standard stuff! LOL

CC

 

[silver hawaiian]

CC

Excellent stuff on the neem seed meal. It's been on my radar again lately, and I'm having a rough time sourcing it locally.

I'm not familiar with the karanja you'd mentioned - maybe I'll modify my search..

I've found the neem seed meal online, in the form of pellets - but I'd imagine it's not quite the same..?

I'll have to keep trekkin' on the quest.

I'm glad you mentioned the glacial rock dust - I picked up a small amount a few months back, made a "note to self:" deal to pick up more for the next mix, .. And I damn near forgot.

 

[ClackamasCootz]

NeemResource.com - certified organic, fair trade neem & karanja meal and oils from India. This is the real deal and their products are less money than non-organic products out of China.

CC

 

[chief bigsmoke]

100% Neem meal

100% Neem meal

I found this stuff at our local nursery for $9. Let me know if you can't find some I can get you some.

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Nice product at a fair price......

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Well its been finalized... We've ordered two LED lights for under $500

I decided to build my own custom LED Light with my own custom color spectrum. I had it all done through a manufacturer via the Alibaba Website.


I signed up as a buyer than posted a "Buying Request" Form or RFQ. Stating the tech specs and spectrums I was seeking. Then within minutes after I finished typing I had my first "quote" and after reviewing over 2 dozen and working closely with 3 companies I decided on one and took a chance.

Now here's hoping it actually shows up, but I at this point I have to just trust it will be delivered.


Here are the Specs:

VEG LIGHT 210w
Colors: 60x 450nm, 54x 640nm, 2x 610nm, 2x 640nm and 2x UV diodes

BLOOM light 140w (for inbetween the two vertical donuts, above the soon to be giant Sweet Skunk)
Colors: 40x 660nm, 24x 640, 2x 610, 4x 450nm, 2x 470nm, 2x UV 380nm and 6x IR 730nm

Lights use CREE LED chips. New X2 Lens, 8W Cree LED chips in the center of every light-module to ensure super light efficiency.

 

[handyandy]

When installing sensitive electrical equipment (i.e. L.E.D. light, timers, anyhting with ic components) It is best to have them on a surge protected system. HID lighting and A/C units have high draw high load components that can send out surges of electric when they turn on and off and when the compressor cycles.
Everything will function when powered from the same panell but your sensitive stuff will last lots longer when protected.

The best way to protect things is with a power conditioning system. These systems cost mass $$. So if you have a 2nd electric service availble this would seperate things. Another way to help things run better and longer is to check your load on your phases in your service panell with everything on. You will need a clamp on ammeeter for this.
If you have a 200 amp panell and your overall load is 100 amps you would check each phase and it should be close to 50 amps for each leg. (this is assuming you have a 240/120 volt single phase service).

If you read say 70 amps on one leg and 30 on the other your load is unbalanced. This can be corrected by moving 20 amps of load to the other phase.

hope this helps prolong the life of your investment, if your not an electritian most will help.

 

[heady blunts]

wow chief, that is wicked smart. bravo.

I hope they show up!

imagine all the crap I can get built!

now I just need money.

are the quotes free?

 

[chief bigsmoke]

When installing sensitive electrical equipment (i.e. L.E.D. light, timers, anyhting with ic components) It is best to have them on a surge protected system.

Thank handyandy.. I have a sweet sentinel high power lighting controller plus power expansion kit and lighting trigger, that I'm using 1/8 the capacity at the mo.. Everything was installed by a licensed sparky and is up to code.

but thanks a ton. If I didn't know that I would possible mess everything up. That was good info the share

 

[chief bigsmoke]

are the quotes free?

totally free. just write some specs and maybe attach some drawing or photos etc.

I wrote what I wanted and then showed them a picture of what I kind of expected.

A really funny thing about that site is the fact that all the sales people use names like Bob, Frank, or Anna I find it amusing. figuring out how to pay was the hardest part. I had to email back and forth to find a way were I felt the most comfortable. I ended up making him send me and invoice on paypal and I payed that way. Then there is a paper trail etc... The company has a legit looking website and decent ratings... so we'll see



I was thinking about designing a super cool small cone bottom tea brewer. whether if its just the container and stand or have the air lines built in etc... so many ideas

 

[yerboyblue]

Love this thread man, you really have done a lot of work providing this journal as well as research, I am impressed. I hope the ventilation recommendations helped! I'm not sure if somebody has already stated it, there are a lot of posts on this thread, but your plants are looking like they are overfertilized, with all the curling leaves. I just wanted to point this out.

 

[yerboyblue]

I was also wondering what was the reason for planting the grass and clover again? I thought this was interesting.

And the issue with them dieing between waterings could be solved by misiting them.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

nice to hear from you again blue. thank again for the help with the vent questions before. I'm off to bed right now but I'll answer the rest of your questions in the morning.

what plants seemed over ferted? the pictures on the first page? if so, those were from my very first cycle last year. I over ferted for sure. The last 2 cycles I have been psuhing all my cultivars to thier max.. since I don't know each of their thresholds.. If not, that's cool too.. I've been a lot easier on them this cycle, mostly just teas. Aloe Vera makes the leaves curl upward for a day or two after feeding. thanks for the helpful observation. I appreciate your help in the matter

also good tip with misting the clover. my lovely nursery lady mentioned that to me as well.

 

[yerboyblue]

cool, thanks man

 

[chief bigsmoke]

for yerboyblue: I use w.clover, rye, grass and kentucky bluegrass in my mix for several reasons: I put links at the bottom for more info...

- Improved Soil Structure,
- improved porosity,
- after transplanting the added plants help use up the excess water that will be stored in the micropores - making it less damp and reduces your chances of catching a fungal disease
- there's a chance that the clover can "fix" your nitrogen
- more diverse plants, offers higher soil diversity
- more enzymes and less N into late flower
- provide decomposing matter to replenish the soil and feed the microbeasties
- works a "living" mulch, which the term doesn't make much sense because mulch is non-living.. but that's ok
- plants like clover have been known to set up communication networks throughout the soil to warn other members in their community of drought and disease etc... I'm just trying to get my plants wi'fi hehe
- and most importantly they are pretty to observe.
- once the pot are done I plant some legumes and more rye grass and I water them and feed them until they are ready for a new plant.

there are many more reasons, but when trying to recreate the effects of nature its crucial to not mono-crop

LINKS:
White Clover and the Nitrogen Cycle

My planting method with w.clover, rye grass and kentucky blue grass

All about dynamic accumulators

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Silver Fieri's

Silver Fieri's

My Silver Kushes are doing their best Guy Fieri impression...

I give them a 10 out of 10... Diners and Drive-Ins and New Buds Growth

 

[vukman]

ahahaha, I totally the resemblance!

 

[silver hawaiian]

CCootz

If you don't mind, could we hear some more about these mint teas? Mint is easy enough to do year-round (in a windowsill, even), but I'd love to learn more about their anti-critter/anti-fungus properties.. In what proportions are you bubbling them? Any specific varieties? Frequency of application?

I'm so glad that you're in a thread this cool - so's I have some common-ground access to your brain.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Cut the mint leaves and gather a cup or so of smashed, sliced, diced, whatever. Add enough water in a food processor to make a puree.

Add this puree to 1 gallon of clean water and soak it for no more than 2 days. Strain and drain and add 1 cup of this tea to 1 gallon of water with 1 tsp. of Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt and 4 tablespoons of Aloe vera (1/4 cup, i.e. 2 ounces).

Spray the plants immediately before 'lights out' - the Secondary Metabolites (compounds, volatile oils - whatever term you choose) are simply Hydrocarbon chains, i.e. Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen just like THC and light will degrade these compounds so applying at night will keep them intact to give you the biopesticide and biofungicide compounds you're wanting.

These compounds include Linalool, Camphor, Pinene, Citronel, Limeone, Boreal, etc. - terpenes, terpenoids, alkaloids, etc.

The mint family is huge with Cilantro, Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender being the stronger of this family. These are found in commercial organic products used in commercial greenhouse operations.

Products that include these at really stupid prices at Hydro Heaven include SNS 217 (snerk), MightyWash, Ladybug something or other, etc.

Do not ferment. Do not add boiling water. Do not add anything - you're simply wanting to pull these Secondary Metabolites from the plant material and apply them to another plant. Because of their molecular formula and structure they cannot accumulate. They cannot affect the flavor of your buds. They kill insects as growth inhibitors, anti-feedents, etc.

Cheap enough......

CC

there yeah go SH

 

[budman678]

yo chief, you have REALLY steppped up your game. im loving just taking this thread in and absorbing it. keep it homie. now that i am all organic, i am VERY interested in living soil, recycling and cover crops. very interesting stuff to me.