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

[heady blunts]

I would hold on seamaiden. My professor has just returned my inquiry to him in regards to whther a common grass in a container would be considered a dynamic accumulator or living mulch and he replied:

"it probably won't surprise you that i'd like to answer your question with another question, chief: what plant isn't a 'dynamic accumulator'? i imagine some are better than others at the task but, don't they all meet such criteria? i.e., i think you're onto something. thanks for sharing in the fun."

I've answered his question now I'll wait for his answer specific to container growing. I've sent pictures etc. stay tuned..

i suppose all plants could be considered dynamic accumulators, since they all need more than a single environmental input in order to survive. so they accumulate dynamically.

however, that is not a very helpful classification for the gardener, if every plant could fit in to the category.

when i used the phrase i was referring to the MOST capable accumulators---i.e. the plants that collect and store the highest levels of a variety of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, etc. which are often the plants with strong, deep tap roots.

here's another helpful resource:

Dr. Duke's
Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases

my favorite dynamic accumulators are stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), comfrey (Symphytum officinale), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). look them up in Dr. Duke's database and see for yourself their value.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Professors Response

Professors Response

:
"it probably won't surprise you that i'd like to answer your question with another question, chief: what plant isn't a 'dynamic accumulator'? i imagine some are better than others at the task but, don't they all meet such criteria? i.e., i think you're onto something. thanks for sharing in the fun."

I've answered his question now I'll wait for his answer specific to container growing. I've sent pictures etc. stay tuned..

great response HB. I totally agree and I think I'm going to stick with the D.A title on the old post rather than living mulch. just my personal opinion on the matter. I have no need to be fancy yet.. I'm just going to stay with simple terms until I understand them further. but you're right. plus nettles (see the database for nettles HERE) like you said, would be AMAZING to use and dandelions.. wow haven't thought much about those.. we certainly have a lot of them.


So he replied with his answer. So I bet this will open some more helpful discussion:

i guess a person can play with words but... i think, by definition, that mulch is not, itself, alive. so your colleagues are basically referencing "a living dead thing"!?! that doesn't sound like grass to me. i think there might be differing terms for a reason - mulch is dead, a DA isn't. that they might provide similar benefits doesn't allow for the ambiguity. just thinking out loud...

 

[heady blunts]

great response HB. I totally agree and I think I'm going to stick with the D.A title on the old post rather than living mulch. just my personal opinion on the matter. I have no need to be fancy yet.. I'm just going to stay with simple terms until I understand them further. but you're right. plus nettles like you said would be AMAZING to use and dandelions.. wow haven't thought much about those.. we certainly have a lot of them.


So he replied with his answer. So I bet this will open some more helpful discussion:

i guess a person can play with words but... i think, by definition, that mulch is not, itself, alive. so your colleagues are basically referencing "a living dead thing"!?! that doesn't sound like grass to me. i think there might be differing terms for a reason - mulch is dead, a DA isn't. that they might provide similar benefits doesn't allow for the ambiguity. just thinking out loud...

well living mulch is an awkward term. as far as i know it was coined in fukuoka's book, so there is probably something "lost in translation" (fukuoka is japanese).

i use the phrase to describe a permanent cover crop that is interplanted with your main crop.

bare soil is not as active as soil with plants/roots in it. by maintaining a cooperative balance between cover crops and your vegetable crops, you can improve soil structure, increase soil biology, retain moisture, AND you can "chop and drop" the vegetation to act as a traditional mulch.

as i mentioned in a previous post, i am currently experimenting with a mix comprised of three varieties of clover, plus rye and barley grasses.

since we all have unique climates and soil conditions, these may not be the best plants for every application. a bit of experimentation is needed before you'll find the ideal combination.

fukuoka uses both living and traditional mulches in his fields, btw.

the practice ties in nicely with no-till.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

VERY COOL HEADY! I'm glad we got to the bottom of this and left with some more understanding. highfive! to good study

BTW I was missing a helpful piece of information: the kind of ornamental grass that I use is: perennial ryegrass, kentucky bluegrass and creeping red fescue.

I had to search the msds/labels on the companies website.

 

[heady blunts]

mmm kentucky blue is my favorite grass to lay in for cloud-watching.

i've got a rye grass but it's the annual variety.

 

[silver hawaiian]

y'all should see my back yard. It's about 5 varieties of grass. Neat, but not neat to look at.

Well, neat to look at, if it's not your lawn.

 

[budman678]

i can attest, ky bluegrass is the best grass...

love dat bluegrass music. Appalachia muzak is roots

 

[shmalphy]

I pick wild grass seed and spread it around my yard

 

[chief bigsmoke]

 

[handyandy]

How would you deal with spidermites 48 days into flower. got the one plant out early, only 6 leaves speckled choped the plant. nothing one my sweet almost cherry Ak47 witch was right next to plant with mites.
sorry for off topic but your approach to things is very awsome

 

[chief bigsmoke]

How would you deal with spidermites 48 days into flower. got the one plant out early, only 6 leaves speckled choped the plant. nothing one my sweet almost cherry Ak47 witch was right next to plant with mites.
sorry for off topic but your approach to things is very awsome

Ouch. great question handyandy.

Since you are late in flower I would stray away from any harmful sprays. If you have access to Lady bugs, they will defend your garden against those critter and they will leave your buds alone. *you can order them or you can go lady bug hunting outdoors.

Or I've also heard of a mild garlic, sesame or pepper solution as a spray to slow them down this late in the game.

Insecticidal soap

Dissolve 5 ml (1 tsp) of liquid dish soap in 1 litre (4 cups) of water. Spray on plants infested with spider mites, whiteflies, aphids or thrips.

NB: Insecticidal soap is not a preventative. It acts on contact, which means that it must touch the insect pest in order to be effective.

Garlic-based insecticide

Place a clove of garlic in a blender and add 500 ml (2 cups) of water. Blend until smooth. Pour the liquid into a container, cover and let sit for 24 hours. Filter through cheese cloth or a strainer. Dilute with 4 litres (12 cups) of water and add one or two drops of dish soap/horticulture oil to make the mixture adhere to plant leaves. Spray on plants infested with spider mites, whiteflies, aphids or thrips.

NB: Garlic-based insecticide is not a preventative. It acts on contact, which means that it must touch the insect pest in order to be effective.


I've never had to deal with S.mites yet but I'm sure I will one day. I'll stay tuned to your progress so I possibly learn a thing or two...

 

[silver hawaiian]

Or some predatory mites, .. The only thing that sucks is the predatory mites are packaged usually in cornmeal or vermiculite - so in the course of distributing 'em on your plants, you're basically dusting your buds with specks of [stuff].

I had to do that at the end of a grow (probably right around day 45 or so), and it definitely did the trick to carry me through to harvey. I was able to shake a good amount of the vermiculite off of the dried buds.. Didn't get it all, and it is a bit of an eyesore (and pain) to pick off the remaining bits before I grind'er up..

After that harvest, I cleared out the room, and let off a pyrethrum bomb when all was said and done..

And a few days later, another bomb. F*ck those mites.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

deleted

 

[handyandy]

Hello everyone Thanks for all the input. Just sprayed my 3 G13, 1 OK(sweet AK), AK47, 2 different bag seeds D1, D2 with Ivory dish soap and RO water mixed 1tsp to spraybottel full. sprayed under leaves ,tops , buds, around 12:00 a.m will go back in and hose down everything, plants wals ceiling, me, dog, bed room.... just kiddin about the last few. After spraying I applied ACT made from EWC, Acient forest, Vermi compost, @2 tsp black strap mollasses, brewed in headyblunts 5 gal brewer 28 hrs. applied about 3-4 16oz cup fulls to each plant then watered in with RO water ph @7.0.
When this run is done @ 7-10 what is the best way to treat my flower room with no plants and my veg room with plants?
I do realy apprecieate (can't spell to high) your advice Chief. and everyone else. This site is so awsome!!!!!! I must admit I spend about 4-5 hours a day here.

 

[handyandy]

I forgot to get lady bugs. Got any ideas how to find them outside?

 

[shmalphy]

cilantro FPE works wonders on mites, so does dill and lavender. It doesn't look like you have em too bad, just start foliar feeding regularly, and clean your room!

 

[handyandy]

How would I make a Cilantro and Dill fermented plant extract? Should they be made seperatly? and use sepertly or together?
I just happen to have both just started a we ek ago, and lots of basil, mint, stevia, strawberrys, tomatos, and cucumbers..

pics of ok1 (sweet ak pheno my mom kept the seed from some stuff I gave her years ago, moms are awsome!!!

 

[chief bigsmoke]

greta pics handyandy.. I'm going to learn just as much as you on this project. thanks Shmalphy and SH and friends fro helping this cat out...

 

[Hundred Gram Oz]

Tagged :thumbsup:

HGO

 

[handyandy]

Tonight I find no more spidermite!! After 2 sprayings of Ivory dishsoap and RO water. I will keep spraying every other day but I should be ready to harvest seven huge plants in 1-2 weeks so I think will switch to just straight Ro water for the last three spray but wiil all this water hurt my buds or the trichs??

Got any tips how to catch ladybugs??