MotherLode Gardens 2016

[FoothillFarming]

I am still trying to figure out if Uncle Tom was f-ing with us when he was talking about pistle whipping. I tried it out on several plants, and I don't see a difference from normal pruning. Have you experienced superior results with this pruning method?

 

[Shcrews]

I am still trying to figure out if Uncle Tom was f-ing with us when he was talking about pistle whipping. I tried it out on several plants, and I don't see a difference from normal pruning. Have you experienced superior results with this pruning method?

idk i dont usually compare i just do them all like that. it makes sense to me that removing the inner branches but leaving the leaf will allow the plants to focus energy on growing outward while still absorbing some energy from the inner growth. Removing the inner leaves as well would probably not make a big difference in how the plant responds but i really dont like removing healthy leaves.

i think the main goal for me is to prune the inside stuff somehow, and if i have the option to leave the healthy fan leaves intact i will

 

[dank.frank]

That's exactly what I do. I'll pinch the bud sites off the secondary growth and leave the fan leaves intact. Given that leaves fuel photosynthesis and are the bioreactors of the plant.



dank.Frank

 

[baduy]

Ganja farmers do shit for funny reasons sometimes it's true. There are control freaks with superstitions and the industry literally came out of closets. I know people how throw out 50 yd +/ year of soil. I know a guy who got paid $25/hr to drive to 8 different Walmarts to get enough wire coat hangers to dry a large commercial crop.


Where I live in the sierra foothills there is mostly just clay. If I were to do native soil I'd probably cover crop an area with a legume mix and daikon radish. Then bulldoze it all up pick all that soil up with a tractor and add it to my garden that has just clay, a little decomposed granite and some serpentine (high nickel & chromium).

It is true that soiless mixes ( what ganja farmers call soil; coots, fire , ffof whatever) provide and encourage more root mass when compared to mineral and clay soil.

The clays in California are typically "new" clay that do not have a particularly high Cation Exchange Capacity. Organic material is the easiest way to increase the CEC.

I'm not sure if decomposed granite has paramagnetic properties.

I do know redneck locals who say to always add a little native soil. They get all their amendments at the feed store. Alfalfa pellets, chicken manure, oyster shell and dicalcium phosphate (dical- I like this stuff!)

Thank Shcrews I love your thread!

Funny. In Europe I've never seen a single outdoor grower,no matter big or small,use those massive soil bags US growers fancy so much. Never heard of anybody throwing away his soil each year either.
The general way here is to work on your native soil to make it good for your grow,obviously for guerilla but for backyard gardening too.
I don't know Is it just about growing as big as possible because of legal plant count or is there some other reason I don't get like mutant ground squirrels with an acquired taste for weed?
Are there legal patented growers using their natural soil here or are raised beds the norm?
btw those plants look really good I will come back watch those girls grow and bloom, promise to be beautiful

 

[DuskrayTroubador]

idk i dont usually compare i just do them all like that. it makes sense to me that removing the inner branches but leaving the leaf will allow the plants to focus energy on growing outward while still absorbing some energy from the inner growth. Removing the inner leaves as well would probably not make a big difference in how the plant responds but i really dont like removing healthy leaves.

i think the main goal for me is to prune the inside stuff somehow, and if i have the option to leave the healthy fan leaves intact i will

Wait, now I'm confused. I thought the whole point of pruning was to clear out the insides - including leaves that aren't receiving light - in order to decrease fungi problems and wasted energy?

 

[Shcrews]

Wait, now I'm confused. I thought the whole point of pruning was to clear out the insides - including leaves that aren't receiving light - in order to decrease fungi problems and wasted energy?

yah but the inner leaves dont stop getting light until the plant is decent sized which doesnt happen until after a round or two of pruning. might depend on the strain somewhat.. narrow leaf varieties for sure.

it applies to growing outdoor monsters. other growing methods may require different pruning / plant support / training techniques

 

[Shcrews]

got up pretty early yesterday, made coffee and sat on my deck watching the sunrise and played this Sunrise Mix loud on the speakers with the bass turned up, really started the day properly and i think the plants enjoy those type of vibes:

then went down to the garden to take cuttings of my favorite plants before the sun came up over the trees:

then got some sweet morning pictures from my roof. I think all the smoke over the valley is from the Big Sur fire which is 150 miles away:

 

[Shcrews]

Ancient OG:

Dream Lotus:

lower plot:

 

[_tessarecting]

The jumping ones were epic too

 

[Shcrews]

 

[DuskrayTroubador]

Damn, Cali is beautiful. I've read some iffy things about the new laws, though...

 

[Shcrews]

Damn, Cali is beautiful. I've read some iffy things about the new laws, though...

its pretty much goin to be pay-to-play. and wont be cheap. And individual counties can still enact bans. total power play. and the voters will probably fall for it...

i hope my farm will survive the regulations, but nobody knows exactly what they have in mind especially here in the boondocks

 

[theJointedOne]

I'm hoping it doesn't pass. I remember the last initiative that was on the ballot, and failed. Everyone thought it was going to pass, but no.

Chances are better it will pass this time, but its no guarantee.

Garden looks great Shcrews. I actually had to increase my watering intervals from every other day, to daily. If I don't, they droop, especially with the heat and steady breeze that's been prevalent here for a while.

Any top dressing action going on for you right now?

 

[Shcrews]

yah i definitely have to water every day now. I waited a few extra hours yesterday and noticed some drooping immediately... sitting on top of a hill with total exposure getting blasted by 100degree sun and strong wind, might as well be growing in a convection oven

probably not goin to topdress anything but i am doing weekly root drench and foliar feeding. i dont know how to topdress anyway because of all the cover crop growing

some of the plants are starting to flower. the Ancient OG that i put in first is already getting trichomes and that nice lemony AOG smell.

 

[Shcrews]

I think you should have pics of your dog jumping

its so goddamn hard to make him do something specific for a picture. he's hella smart but stubborn. he follows me everywhere though thats why lots of pics have him in them

 

[FoothillFarming]

The garden looks great. Music is setting the tone for my day. Screws the Zen master.

 

[BadTicket]

Nice grows mang, big up yaself homie. I'm a bit jealous of the weather there

 

[Shcrews]

I don't see any dogs jumping...

check my instagram theres a video from a while back, slo-mo and everything.

 

[Sforza]

Funny. In Europe I've never seen a single outdoor grower,no matter big or small,use those massive soil bags US growers fancy so much.

Did you notice that screws is not using smart pots? This year he is using mounds with a cover crop. He also is using his soil from last year that he amended, so he is basically doing what you say folks in Europe do.

Do the outdoor growers in Europe that you have seen grow bigger plants than what the guys grow in California?

 

[DAT]

lol, your so damn cute! and so is your dog. and your so funny, have a great personality, are so talented, take amazing pictures, to top it off you have the most incredible garden. your like a ganja ninja warrior. i love you Screws! you always make me smile!