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The Green Manure thread

J

JackTheGrower

Growth is excellent!

The growth has really stood up.

The growth is better than all the time spend under that pair of 40 watters already.

It's late tonight and I'll get to posting pictures tomorrow.



JTG
 
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J

JackTheGrower

As I wrote in the last post I'm happy with the growth of the alfalfa so far.

I must experiement with feeding it.


 
G

Guest

You almot sound like Dr. Frankenstein..."it's alive! I must experiment with feeding it" !
So how big you going to take them?
 
J

JackTheGrower

Old Fool said:
You almot sound like Dr. Frankenstein..."it's alive! I must experiment with feeding it" !
So how big you going to take them?
Click to expand...


:muahaha:


I guess we will see... Big enough to offer some reasonable greenage...

Since I'm doing this for all then I'll accept advice and suggestions! :spank:


No really I don't know... I'm just happy they are actually growing...

:headbange :jump: :wave: :rasta:
 
J

JackTheGrower

Pimpslapped said:
All the way baby! Try and flower the sunflower... wonder what the stretch'd be like there.
Click to expand...


Dono... it seems to like the MH tho... I'm thinking a full sized SF may need some LST ???

LOL
 
Pimpslapped

Pimpslapped

Member
JackTheGrower said:
Dono... it seems to like the MH tho... I'm thinking a full sized SF may need some LST ???

LOL
Click to expand...

Go for full on bonsai! That'd be funny to see in an indoor grow... Bonsai SF in a cab full of bud. I'll have to remember that for later...
 
G

Guest

When were you planning on using the soil? Or you going to harvest some for tea later and turn under the rest? What about the roots? How long after you turn it under, if you do, will you wait till you plant in it? I know the answers are already given but, dammit, I'm too stoned to look back.
 
J

JackTheGrower

Old Fool said:
When were you planning on using the soil? Or you going to harvest some for tea later and turn under the rest? What about the roots? How long after you turn it under, if you do, will you wait till you plant in it? I know the answers are already given but, dammit, I'm too stoned to look back.
Click to expand...


I'm learning as I go. By the look of previous plant material turned under, is a simple thing that a week or two will take care of.
I will be adding other materials at that time as well.
I would be waiting a couple weeks after adding the other materials.


Till then it's alfalfa!

Hey I found a link to the nutrient requirements of alfalfa.

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex10073#Manure
 
Suby

Suby

**AWD** Aficianado
Veteran
Heu JTG,

I'm loving this thread and kudos for keeping it current and informative.

I though I would share a trick I picked up from a mentor, if you want to use the plot and want to make sure every little bit is composted and no runners or seeds pop up during a MJ grow all you have to do is cover it with a few layers of newsprint and water it down.
The lack of air and light will kill,cook, and compost anything underneath, you can even till the paper into the soil after say about 2-3 weeks.
I've done it for planting grass over weeds and it worked very well, nothing made it through and the earth was well composted, you can even add a thick layer of compost or mulch under the paper to enrich the soil and have it ready for planting.

Carry on Dude! :rasta:

S
 
G

Guest

I have used that same newspaper mulch in new raised veggie beds. I've also noticed the earthworms loved it. On new beds, try as I can, a few weeds always want to rear their heads. The newspaper kept them down.
 
J

JackTheGrower

Thanks Suby.



Today I have updated photos. I would seem alfalfa has seed leaves then a single first true leaf then three leaves.


 
J

JackTheGrower

What I see is what I had hoped to see from the start.
It looks like I'm doing things right this time.

Have a look at the carpet of green. Most all of the thin patches have filled in and yes too much heat from a light is bad for sprouting alflafa. Not that those areas didn't sprout they just waited till the soil was wet and cool.




The Sunflower is doing well also.
 
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jaykush

jaykush

dirty black hands
ICMag Donor
Veteran
very nice jack. how long are you going to grow them for? going to mix in the soil or chop, use as a dry feed or both?
 
J

JackTheGrower

jaykush said:
very nice jack. how long are you going to grow them for? going to mix in the soil or chop, use as a dry feed or both?
Click to expand...


Hey Jay.. I trust you had a nice weekend.

As I was saying to Old Fool "I guess we will see... Big enough to offer some reasonable greenage."

In fact it's moving to that pont really fast now!

It's an interesting thing. The metal Halides are doing a fine job as best as I can tell. I sure don't know if the alfalfa is streatching LOL.

On to today's photos. There is upward growth. I assume the root systems are developing.

Here is a snippit about alfalfa and nitrogen. After all this is a green manure ( cover crop )

------

Alfalfa and the nitrogen cycle in the Corn Belt.
Peterson, T.A. and M.P. Russelle

J Soil and water Conservation 46(3):229-235. 1991



This article provides the following estimates regarding alfalfa's contribution to the cycling of nitrogen in agricultural systems.


Alfalfa forage is about 17.5 percent crude protein, 2.8 percent nitrogen.
Roughly 50 percent of the nitrogen in the herbage is derived from N2 fixation in the seeding year and 80 percent is derived from fixation in succeeding years.
Published estimates of annual N2 fixation by alfalfa range from 70 kilograms per hectare (63 lb/acre) for seedling stands to 400 kilograms per hectare (356 lb/ acre) in mature stands.
Alfalfa roots have the capacity to absorb water and nutrients at depths of 11 meters. This characteristic makes alfalfa an efficient interceptor of residual soil nitrogen.
The total nitrogen content of soil increases during alfalfa growth, possibly through excretion of symbiotically fixed nitrogen, or sloughing off of old root cells. Recent estimates agree that about 56 kilograms per hectare (50 lb/acre) are added per year.
There is little nitrate leaching loss from a stand of developing alfalfa. However, nitrate leaching losses following destruction of an alfalfa stand can be significant under certain soil, climatic, and irrigated conditions.


----
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/NEWSLTR/v5n3/sa-9.htm






 
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J

JackTheGrower

Well it's Wednsday and the alfalfa is getting high!

Seriously, I'm pleased with the growth. So much so I debating what to add when I turn it under.

I was thinking that I might get a proper soil sample test done first so I know what my soil looks like and I'll know what to add.

With that bit of news out of the way here are todays pictures.






 
G

Guest

Sprouts! Greenery! Cue the salad maker! Let's eat!
In nature, the roots would pull up nutes from deep down. Aerating the soil. But this is in a bed of your making. So no need to let them go big to pull up those nutes. So, turn them under and hand me a plate of sprouts. lol
 
SilverSurfer_OG

SilverSurfer_OG

Living Organic Soil...
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Heres how my plots coming along. None of the fenugreek seems to have made it... Growth has picked up with the alfalfa.

Reckon i will turn it over next week and plant a clone.

Good luck with yours Jack.






O yeah and it tastes real nice in a salad or stir-fry :D
 
J

JackTheGrower

That's looking great SilverSurfer_OG!

Old Fool, yeah the alfalfa gets serious on the roots aspect. I tried to explore a bit of soil around the alfalfa and the root network is tight!

Today is much the same as yesterday so no new pictures.

I'm thinking it can go under soon.



JTG
 
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