The Epic Orchard 2015

[DAT]

very very nice.
if you got time check out the Columbia River Gorge area off 84 North OR by Portland. There are some amazing hikes at Multnomah Falls and the surrounding area.
you have done a wonderful job recovering the Chem 4, looks like shes right back on track.
Stay safe epic! I hope everything goes perfect from here on out. Fingers crossed! take it easy and Have Fun!

 

[Noonin NorCal]

Agreed, Mutltnomah Falls is freaking beautiful

 

[milkyjoe]

Chances are the chickenshit just hasn't become available yet. Good call on the age old. Really nice farm

 

[epicorchard]

Chances are the chickenshit just hasn't become available yet. Good call on the age old. Really nice farm

thanks, I think thats the problem as well. I was worried about drainage so I dropped my compost down to 15%, also a mistake. I did top dress some high N guano the day before yesterday, so I'm hoping that they should al respond well.

 

[quantumjiujitsu]

No problem at all. You're garden looks great. I love the look of cedar boxes, but personally my plan is to end up in 1600 gallons of dirt instead of my 800's. Right now I'm giving my plants about 47 gallons every other day.

only 47 gallons every other day huh ive been watering my 800's almost twice that amount already. its so hot lately that by day 3 the soil is bone dry.

 

[Chunk O'Funk]

only 47 gallons every other day huh ive been watering my 800's almost twice that amount already. its so hot lately that by day 3 the soil is bone dry.

I found that with an alfalfa and hay mulch mix, i can go about 3-4 days in between watering on my 400 and 800's.@ about 40-45 gallons per plant for 800's and half that on the 400's.

 

[jd123]

I water everyday. 15-20 gals atm. I always notice 2 kinds of camps when it comes to watering. The daily guys and then others who do a heavier watering but water less frequently.

In the peak season I usually do 10% of container volume most days but break it up so as to not waste water with run-off. After about 30 gals my boxes cant hold much more so I break it up into 3 waterings of 14 gals throughout the day. This has always been really effective for me.

 

[Bradley_Danks]

I water everyday. 15-20 gals atm. I always notice 2 kinds of camps when it comes to watering. The daily guys and then others who do a heavier watering but water less frequently.

In the peak season I usually do 10% of container volume most days but break it up so as to not waste water with run-off. After about 30 gals my boxes cant hold much more so I break it up into 3 waterings of 14 gals throughout the day. This has always been really effective for me.

I'm usually in the latter camp. But have been practicing your ways at a spot this year using half moon tripod sprinklers to water at the moment. Got those suckers on everyday and the growth is unreal to say the least. I'm always hoping to god for no root rot. Mainly because I've had it before a few times from overwatering by hand in previous outdoor grows. How do you balance watering everyday and avoiding root rot?

 

[epicorchard]

only 47 gallons every other day huh ive been watering my 800's almost twice that amount already. its so hot lately that by day 3 the soil is bone dry.

Last year in california I watered each plant with 40 gallons 2x daily. I think the climate has a lot to do with it. Its not as hot and dry up here. My soil does not dry out in between waterings. BUT I'm watching things real closely, I imagine to be watering 10% daily by the end of june.

 

[jd123]

I've never had root rot before. Only stalk rot which was caused by using sprayers and sprayers fucking suck. One thing I see a lot when I go help friends with problems plants which seems like everyday this time of year lol, Is that they transplanted too low and or let too much wet soil build up repeatedly around stalk and it turns mushy. 9 times out of 10 that is the rot I see. Its hard to cause actual root rot, really hard in smart pots. That would take some serious over-watering.

IMO the most important factor to growing big plants besides big soil and sun obviously, is keeping your medium an ideal moisture level.

I've always noticed if I saturate heavy, I don't see much growth till maybe 2 days later. Where a nice even schedule seems to promote a lot more daily growth. Just what I've seen over the years, who really knows.

 

[TheSilverMullet]

I think the stem rot starts in the soil with the roots and then eventually the pathogen makes it way up to the crown.

I agree transplanting too low is a mistake, one that I see people make often.

The temperature here on the coast has been too variable to water on any real schedule but I've been giving them a good soaking just about every 2-3 days. Last week I went 4 days without watering when we had some light fog. The plants loved that weather actually it was about 80F and humid in the greenhouse and still very bright and I think the soil moisture levels stayed within good range for a long stretch.

A moisture meter probe is an invaluable tool for a tree grower.

 

[TheOutlawTree]

Epic- are you using anything for preventative measures for the insects/ bugs?

I'm going to start using the Monterey Fruit Tree spray plus. Does anybody have any experience with this stuff? I sort of like the smell of it, it smells kind of like citrus to me. Its ingredients are Pyrethrins - 0.25% and Clarified Hydrophobic Extract of Neem Oil - 70.0%

 

[Santalum]

Epic if I had to hazard to guess on your crook plants it would be too much water. If you had any laggards in the cohort given the water requirements of the best of the bunch you could see how a slower grower could soon start to fall behind the rest. Impressive setup by the way.

 

[Mountain Sprout]

I have used the Monterey fruit tree spray. talked to the rep at a customer appreciation day and he said it was new. He wouldn't give me the bottle but made take the bottle inside and pay for it. Unusual for a vender at an appreciation day. I like the clarified neem extract and the knockdown of the pyrethrins.

 

[epicorchard]

Epic- are you using anything for preventative measures for the insects/ bugs?

I'm going to start using the Monterey Fruit Tree spray plus. Does anybody have any experience with this stuff? I sort of like the smell of it, it smells kind of like citrus to me. Its ingredients are Pyrethrins - 0.25% and Clarified Hydrophobic Extract of Neem Oil - 70.0%

I prefer to use pyganic. The 1.3% pyrethrin is the highest concentration that I've found.

 

[epicorchard]

Epic if I had to hazard to guess on your crook plants it would be too much water. If you had any laggards in the cohort given the water requirements of the best of the bunch you could see how a slower grower could soon start to fall behind the rest. Impressive setup by the way.

Yea it's pretty hard to over water these 800 gallon smart pots. My soil is 75% coco, perlite, and agragite it s o it drains like a champ. Since doing the foliar and upping the feedING everything is rocking out again. I'm actually upping the water to every day now.

 

[jd123]

Mullet : I dont know about a meter that actually works, I just get down in there with my fingers.

Santalum : I think epics got a handle on his plants and no way is it too much water. Its very hard to over water smart pots, they just drain and dry out too fast.

Temps for the next few days where epic and I live

 

[quantumjiujitsu]

i remember there was some funny discussion last yr about using a finger as a moisture probe..

that weather forecast looks brutal. oregon summer is no joke. how high does the UV index get up by you guys?

i dont understsnd how ppl get bugs on their outdoors, ive never seen any. just those damn caterpillars


.

 

[HatchBrew]

UV usually hits 11 on the 12 scale here. Yesterday and today 90+ by eleven AM. maxed at 110*F yesterday.

I get mites sometimes outdoor but the caterpillars/gypsy moths are usually the worst offenders. Hate when ya got a bud hanging a caterpillar is spindling down...

QJJ welcome to the forum bud .... it's good to have great growers on here and not just wannabes.

 

[epicorchard]

i remember there was some funny discussion last yr about using a finger as a moisture probe..

that weather forecast looks brutal. oregon summer is no joke. how high does the UV index get up by you guys?

i dont understsnd how ppl get bugs on their outdoors, ive never seen any. just those damn caterpillars


.

Usually from bringing some random clone home m in winter. Then you throw them in a greenhouse in the spring and create ideal breeding conditi o non for bugs. Helps to stick with trusted clones or seeds, and a preventative organic pesticide system goes along way IMO.