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dafunkyjunkie
I also plant near pine, but there is a lot of red clay that I have to deal with. I think that might be a factor in my case.
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I have a large deep bed of red mulch that grows the most ridiculously huge seeded in strawberry plants. I have a pot of it going to be sterilized soon as I get around to it.
I think it grows such good plants because its full of worms that gather up all the leaves that fall on it in fall and poop them out throughout it.. That and its super airy but holds water too.
I think it grows such good plants because its full of worms that gather up all the leaves that fall on it in fall and poop them out throughout it.. That and its super airy but holds water too.
G
Guest
Hey all,
Pine needles are very good mulch but I will just slightly disagree about acidity. Pine needles do tend to make soil acidic over time but thats not a problem. A little dose of lime here and there and everythings great. I would use them.
Ive read several reporst on the red mulch. Ill have to say Im somewhat skeptical. Years ago I was told that green light was nuetral to plants and if you wanted to work with your plan ts during the dark period it would have to be under green light. I bought a gree colored bulb and used it. Even though the light looked green, it was only in appearance. Hermie city. That green looking light was high red incandescent. I could be wrong though.
sb
Pine needles are very good mulch but I will just slightly disagree about acidity. Pine needles do tend to make soil acidic over time but thats not a problem. A little dose of lime here and there and everythings great. I would use them.
Ive read several reporst on the red mulch. Ill have to say Im somewhat skeptical. Years ago I was told that green light was nuetral to plants and if you wanted to work with your plan ts during the dark period it would have to be under green light. I bought a gree colored bulb and used it. Even though the light looked green, it was only in appearance. Hermie city. That green looking light was high red incandescent. I could be wrong though.
sb
Daemon
Member
Sounds good, I think I will try it this year. I ALWAYS use mulch in my veggie garden and it works wonders so why not cannabis?
Hey silverback, I plan on digging plastic trash bags filled with ProMix into the ground - do you think mulch will work well for this(I'm in the same weather as you)?
Hey silverback, I plan on digging plastic trash bags filled with ProMix into the ground - do you think mulch will work well for this(I'm in the same weather as you)?
G
Guest
Hi Daemon,
I think mulch works and is beneficial with any planting arrangement. I usually use a bale of straw in my garden for mulch. Its cheaper and i turn it in for conditioner in the fall. Ive started 2 early girl tomatoe plants under my lights saturday for an early start. . Im hoping for a big ripe one by July 1.
Those bags and promix are hard work. Is your soil so bad you can't fix it?
I think mulch works and is beneficial with any planting arrangement. I usually use a bale of straw in my garden for mulch. Its cheaper and i turn it in for conditioner in the fall. Ive started 2 early girl tomatoe plants under my lights saturday for an early start. . Im hoping for a big ripe one by July 1.
Those bags and promix are hard work. Is your soil so bad you can't fix it?
HookaHittaH
Member
During my very first grow a buddy and I were next to some railroad tracks that we would walk down to get to our grow spot. we got the idea to bring rocks from the track to put around the soil on the bottom of the plant where we watered. we thought it would help keep the soil from washing away. It did that and also kept the soil a lot more moist. we would go there after a week of not watering, lift up those rocks and where ever they covered the soil it would still be moist. they seem to block out the suns rays. just like any other rock you lift up is usually moist under it. take in mind temps were near 100 degrees F. and the soil stayed wet. we never tried it again because we didn't feel like hauling in rocks to our grow.
The only con i can see with using mulch is the possibility or mold or fungus starting in the bark and then transferring to your plants. that why i don't use mulch. however it could save you a few watering trips over the season.
The only con i can see with using mulch is the possibility or mold or fungus starting in the bark and then transferring to your plants. that why i don't use mulch. however it could save you a few watering trips over the season.
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dafunkyjunkie
I guess the pine needles are a little bit different in my area. I was always told to stay away from pine straw but using bark or cedar chips was good. They were talking about hydrangeas so I figured it also applies to herb. They said something about the hydrangeas change color or something. I don't quite remember exactly but they said that it changes the color from purple to pink or cream or something. I wish I could remember exactly but it was something like that. Maybe hydrangeas are sensitive or something.
G
Guest
Your'e right Deft and dafunkyjunkie. I have hydrangeas and
rododendrons and its recommended to use pine needles on both and I do. I use them on other plants as well though, I jsut add a dash of lime to prevent the acidification.
Hookahita, your'e right on target buddy. Rocks make an excellent mulch. I use baseball sized rocks first and then put a flatter rock on top. Retains moisture and prevents rodents from digging up your plant. I use rocks regularly
rododendrons and its recommended to use pine needles on both and I do. I use them on other plants as well though, I jsut add a dash of lime to prevent the acidification.
Hookahita, your'e right on target buddy. Rocks make an excellent mulch. I use baseball sized rocks first and then put a flatter rock on top. Retains moisture and prevents rodents from digging up your plant. I use rocks regularly
GroBoy2000
Member
hey guys, good little thread here, and interesting results silverback
I'm using mulch this year, mostly to cut visits, as Im in a dry area, but Ive collected about 4 bags worth of leaf material from my yard, all the dead stuff up under the garden and etc, will get more, pretty much try t use it on all spots, dont want em to dry out
I also heard about the rocks, though I was going to use them more for their at night heat retention than evaporation protection, but they certainly have their uses
I'm using mulch this year, mostly to cut visits, as Im in a dry area, but Ive collected about 4 bags worth of leaf material from my yard, all the dead stuff up under the garden and etc, will get more, pretty much try t use it on all spots, dont want em to dry out
I also heard about the rocks, though I was going to use them more for their at night heat retention than evaporation protection, but they certainly have their uses
Great thread and you all are giving some very fine info and ideas. I don't do this to be a know-it-all, but to debunk a myth that seems prevalent mostly on cannabis websites, but also on general gardening websites, and in books, magazines, etc.
Regarding pine needles breaking down acidic, do a Google search for something like "pine needles soil acidic myth" and see what folks have to say.
It's true that if you let pine needles decompose in a mason jar, they would break down acidic. But the effect they have on the pH of surrounding soil is negligible.
Hope that helps some.
Peace-
Dig
Regarding pine needles breaking down acidic, do a Google search for something like "pine needles soil acidic myth" and see what folks have to say.
It's true that if you let pine needles decompose in a mason jar, they would break down acidic. But the effect they have on the pH of surrounding soil is negligible.
Hope that helps some.
Peace-
Dig
mister_terious
Member
Nice numbers silverback. Mulching is as nature intended. Peace
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dafunkyjunkie
Damn!! So planting right next to the hydrangeas doesn't seem like a good spot anymore. That could explain why I was having ph problems. But the hydrangeas did a great job of hiding the plant. Now it seems I have one less grow spot. Dammit 
But thanks for the input. I'm still gonna stick with the cedar chips though. It is a bit more expensive than pine, but I do love the smell of cedar. Plus, once you have it, you might as well use it. Right? But this time I'm going to try your rock mulch method silverback.
I think if I use rocks around the stem and cedar chips around the rest then I can prevent the stem ever from molding at the base. I'm going to try it this time so that I don't have to worry about the stems molding later on because the mulch is molding. Plus it's hard as hell to pull the mulch out from around the stem base when you lst. The plant gets bushy as hell so it's hard to reach
But thanks for the input. I'm still gonna stick with the cedar chips though. It is a bit more expensive than pine, but I do love the smell of cedar. Plus, once you have it, you might as well use it. Right? But this time I'm going to try your rock mulch method silverback.
I think if I use rocks around the stem and cedar chips around the rest then I can prevent the stem ever from molding at the base. I'm going to try it this time so that I don't have to worry about the stems molding later on because the mulch is molding. Plus it's hard as hell to pull the mulch out from around the stem base when you lst. The plant gets bushy as hell so it's hard to reach
G
Guest
Hey dafunkyjunkie and Dignan
Interesting on the pine needles. every gardening book i have makes that claim about aciidity. Ive believed it for years. Hell, im using it thinking my Rhododendrons are being acidified.
I wouldnt hesitate to plant between the hydrangeas. If you dont use a pot to plant them in you could screw up the color on the hydrangeas but, hey lets experiment.
Interesting on the pine needles. every gardening book i have makes that claim about aciidity. Ive believed it for years. Hell, im using it thinking my Rhododendrons are being acidified.
I wouldnt hesitate to plant between the hydrangeas. If you dont use a pot to plant them in you could screw up the color on the hydrangeas but, hey lets experiment.
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RealSupreme
Member
nice thraed with good info! 
peace
peace
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dafunkyjunkie
I usually try to plant them directly in the ground after they build a good root system but I might have to try something different this year. I have to redo the siding on the house so I'll have to move them to a different spot. I'll have to plant them on the treeline this year. It's all good though. I don't have to worry about people smelling my garden this year.
funny, I'm mulching too this year, I got the idea when I decided to also grow vegetables and herbs this year and I found fukuoka and permaculture on google, both promote the use of a mulch
and after just a few months I can already see the benefits
a big part of the grass that was there before aplying the mulch has died off
and if I take some of the mulch away to plant seeds I almost always see at least 1 earthworm
and the moistretaining properties come in handy too this year, it has been dry for weeks/months now and they expect no significant rain till july, really weird weather for this time of the year here, hot sunny and dry
and after just a few months I can already see the benefits
a big part of the grass that was there before aplying the mulch has died off
and if I take some of the mulch away to plant seeds I almost always see at least 1 earthworm
and the moistretaining properties come in handy too this year, it has been dry for weeks/months now and they expect no significant rain till july, really weird weather for this time of the year here, hot sunny and dry
