MotherLode Gardens 2015

[bobblehead]

I did the comprehensive test for $70 + $20 for recommendations. Now i have a grasp on how to read the tests i'll probably skip the recommendations next time. If you want to see sample reports check out my current album. I'm sure we can help you out with recommendations so you can save some money.

 

[Backyard Farmer]

With the machine you'll be done with all your work In a day or two ...

I actually try to block out the mountain of tasks in front of me this time of year and just focus on doing one small task at a time.

 

[StanKDanK]

Why don't you have a skid steer dropped off so you can get your spots ready and truck your dirt around faster and do the work of three people from inside a machine cab? U don't even need a truck Most rental yards will drop off and pick up

yeah i agree with that one.. we got a skid steer the first year and it helped so much. we moved over 100 yards of dirt in 1 week with the skid steer. they are easy to use even if you have never operated one before. we were romping that thing up and down our hillside easy

 

[grow nerd]

Tagged.

I'm getting started a bit late, but that's almost a good thing, because it just gives me an excuse on why I couldn't quite perform this year as well!

 

[Yes4Prop215]

definately support getting a skid steer man! I've rented them so many times the rental shop guys think I'm a damn land developer or some shit lol…

when you see one lift a 200 gal smart pot right off the ground in 5 seconds, you know your money was well spent! I'm about to rent another one this week and we are gonna layout and fill 120+ 400 and 200 gal smart pots across two different properties…get to work!

sucks about the workers, hard to find good help in this game, without good help i would just quit growing on this level. sometimes you gotta just deal with subpar people if they get work done. one of our best standout workers this year is an alcoholic who's drinks IPA at 10am in the morning til sundown, but he puts in a solid 8 hrs a day and gets a ton of manual labor done with zero complaint, and works for bubble hash and end product. not easy to find people who are excited or willing to work long hours outdoors and live in the boondocks for most of the year…I've had to deal with quite a few issues with workers over the years.

 

[Hellavated]

Those are some impressively large ladies.

 

[Mr Chocolate]

I just redid all my soil samples at fruit growers. The 70 dollar comprehensive was half what I paid in grass valley and gave me all my exchangeables too.
And yeah skid steer for sure. Its amazing how much shit you can get done with a machine. It's like hiring 4 workers that don't get tired for 200 bucks a day and just makes a giant job that I've stressed over seem so much smaller.

Hey when you planning on plugging into your monster pots? Are you going right in from your 5&7's? I transplanted 15 gallons last year into my beds and found that the smaller 5 gallons I transplanted almost all passed up the bigger ones

 

[Shcrews]

Hey when you planning on plugging into your monster pots? Are you going right in from your 5&7's

probably in a month . and yes. no need to veg in 15's . I like the 5gal smarties because you can put it on top of an upside-down 5gal bucket and peel them down off the rootball for easy transplant. or even easier just cut/tear them off if you dont care about re-using

 

[Backyard Farmer]

The exchangeable matrix is key. Shows you what you can free up with biology .. The soluble matrix is easy to adjust. I've been using FGL for years and have always had good service and accurate results relative to their method of testing.

That's the key on a soil test. The method.. The results are 100% dependent on method

I don't like the reporting of Logan labs or A few others...

 

[Bona Fortuna]

Schrews, you mentioned you are on 49, correct?

 

[Shcrews]

yah why

 

[Mr Chocolate]

The bucket trick! Thanks I'm going to keep that one. It was pretty stupid trying to hold a 15 gallon upside down and peel of a smart pot.

 

[Arminius]

Last year I just used 2 and 5 gallon grow bags. Cheap, and disposable.

 

[Shcrews]

Last year I just used 2 and 5 gallon grow bags. Cheap, and disposable.

whats up Arminius hows your outdoor situation looking this year?

i dont really like vegging in plastic grow bags, its easier to peel off smart pots, plus growbags are really bad for the ecosystem. i just threw away a bunch from last year and i promised myself to avoid them from now on if possible

 

[Bona Fortuna]

I'm on 49 too.

You anywhere near the Forest hill bridge?

 

[grow nerd]

Yes4Prop215, can you list some of the issues with workers, and how you dealt with it?

 

[ApolloAK]

Last year I just used 2 and 5 gallon grow bags. Cheap, and disposable.

I'm sewing my own this year. Costs me $0.10 to make a 2 gallon bag. Only takes a day to make a hundred or so. You can also glue them, I don't think it holds as well though, and it costs more plus you gotta wait for it to dry.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

Yes4Prop215, can you list some of the issues with workers, and how you dealt with it?

main issue was alcohol, trimmers like to drink and then get into egotistical drama with their fellow trimmers. or they like to drink til 5am and not wake up til noon so we had to put a clamp on that. several fights broke out to do 2am drunkeness as well.

second issue was workers trying to boss around other workers. we had a guy who we promoted from trimmer to flex task manager, to help manage payroll and counts, take pictures, handle errands etc. he suddenly took his job as some authority to boss around the other guys. the trimmers didn't like that and we had to settle things down.

3rd issue is still related to drinking. workers think they are super necessary and that they can miss multiple days. one guy who had always been super solid, kind of relapsed and when we really needed help he was on the river fishing and drinking day after day after day, had to put him in check for that, he got the message when we brought in two fresh workers and pretty much told him to kick rocks for the week. he came back begging for work and put in long hours afterwards lol.

havent had issues with theft or anything like that but my alert is always up.

 

[Backyard Farmer]

main issue was alcohol, trimmers like to drink and then get into egotistical drama with their fellow trimmers. or they like to drink til 5am and not wake up til noon so we had to put a clamp on that. several fights broke out to do 2am drunkeness as well.

second issue was workers trying to boss around other workers. we had a guy who we promoted from trimmer to flex task manager, to help manage payroll and counts, take pictures, handle errands etc. he suddenly took his job as some authority to boss around the other guys. the trimmers didn't like that and we had to settle things down.

3rd issue is still related to drinking. workers think they are super necessary and that they can miss multiple days. one guy who had always been super solid, kind of relapsed and when we really needed help he was on the river fishing and drinking day after day after day, had to put him in check for that, he got the message when we brought in two fresh workers and pretty much told him to kick rocks for the week. he came back begging for work and put in long hours afterwards lol.

havent had issues with theft or anything like that but my alert is always up.

That's why I don't allow more than a few beers a head per nite or you're fired

 

[bobblehead]

does your partner ever do any work himself that you don't talk about ?

Making prop's partner a "he" is presumptuous don't you think?