The growing large plants, outdoors, thread...

[milkyjoe]

Here is the other thing I find meself curious about. If I go with a real high organic mix in a 200 gallon pot can I , in fact, get enough minerals to carry me through the grow. Then maybe all I got to do is fertigate N Throughtout the grow. AS early on and maybe an amino late.

I find meself wondering about a lot of things

 

[z-ro]

I have a hard time with the idea of containers over 400 when you can pull 5 blue dreams off a 100. Like EO said, start with how much water you can reliably provide all the way through the year and go from there.

 

[2 Legal Co]

What a thread.

Thinking I might try for some 'small' monsters, as I don't have but 10' headroom in my carport/GH.

subb'd

 

[yortbogey]

Walipini Construction ( UNDERGROUND green house )

Walipini Construction ( UNDERGROUND green house )

$300 Underground Greenhouse Grows Produce Year-Round, Even in Severe Climates


With staggering food prices and shortages looming, there’s no better time to grow your own produce. Sadly, most greenhouses are expensive to build and impractical to heat during cold, wintery conditions. Thankfully, a solution is found with the Walipini. Developed for South American mountainous regions over twenty years ago, it allows edibles to be grown year-round – even in the most inhospitable weather. As an added bonus, it’s also outrageously inexpensive to construct.


Known as a pit or underground greenhouse, the Walipini utilizes the advantages of passive solar heating along with earth sheltering properties. The structure makes use of thermal mass energy, creating a highly efficient and cost effective method for heating the interior. Regardless of where you live, produce can be grown year round with the Walipini. According to the creators at the Benson Institute:

“The Walipini, in simplest terms, is a rectangular hole in the ground 6′ to 8′ deep covered by plastic sheeting. The longest area of the rectangle faces the winter sun — to the north in the Southern Hemisphere and to the south in the Northern Hemisphere. A thick wall of rammed earth at the back of the building and a much lower wall at the front provide the needed angle for the plastic sheet roof. This roof seals the hole, provides an insulating airspace between the two layers of plastic (a sheet on the top and another on the bottom of the roof/poles) and allows the suns rays to penetrate creating a warm, stable environment for plant growth.”

The Institute continues with an explanation of how the earth acts like a battery, storing heat during the day while releasing it during cooler nighttime temperatures:

Energy and light from the sun enter the Walipini through the plastic covered roof and are reflected and absorbed throughout the underground structure. By using translucent material, plastic instead of glass, plant growth is improved as certain rays of the light spectrum that inhibit plant growth are filtered out. The sun’s rays provide both heat and light needed by plants. Heat is not only immediately provided as the light enters and heats the air, but heat is also stored as the mass of the entire building absorbs heat from the sun’s rays.

The estimated building cost (using volunteer labor) for a 20 x 74 foot Walipini in La Paz, Peru is between $250 – $300. Taking advantage of inexpensive materials like PVC pipes and ultraviolet (UV) protective plastic sheeting add to the savings.

A detailed do-it-yourself building manual can be found here and includes crucial instructions for ventilation, waterproofing and drainage.

http://www.walipinigarden.com/

http://www.treehugger.com/green-arc...46008871281&action=collapse_widget&id=1515577



this changed my entire way of thinking / planning next year.....

 

[whatthe215]

yortbogey thanks for posting that, waaaay cool. i'm guessing it helps with climate control too.

 

[Luther Burbank]

Walipini have their place, but only for very specific climates/soil types. A neighbor built one this year and sure as shit if it didn't flood like a motherfucker in every single bad rain.

 

[SativaBreather]

what soil and climate is best for them mate?

 

[2 Legal Co]

Walipini have their place, but only for very specific climates/soil types. A neighbor built one this year and sure as shit if it didn't flood like a motherfucker in every single bad rain.

lol I expect you do have to 'pay attention'.

Wish I had a south facing slope.... or even a level place.

Prolly gonna settle for a carport, and some water barrels for mass.

 

[Luther Burbank]

what soil and climate is best for them mate?

On the soil side you want clay soil that can be hardened and work as effective walls in holding water back when it does rain. If you don't you're gonna have to plastic sheet the inside or apply clay as a sort of plaster to waterproof the walls. If you're in a climate where it rains too much, or rains in large amounts you're also going to have flooding issues. The biggest issue is the spot needs to be five or six feet above the water table. The guy I know who dug one dug during a dry season after he read about them online, and ignored all advice that when the rains came the water table was gonna rise and turn it into an ugly swimming hole. The rains came and turned it into an ugly swimming hole.

 

[2 Legal Co]

On the soil side you want clay soil that can be hardened and work as effective walls in holding water back when it does rain. If you don't you're gonna have to plastic sheet the inside or apply clay as a sort of plaster to waterproof the walls. If you're in a climate where it rains too much, or rains in large amounts you're also going to have flooding issues. The biggest issue is the spot needs to be five or six feet above the water table. The guy I know who dug one dug during a dry season after he read about them online, and ignored all advice that when the rains came the water table was gonna rise and turn it into an ugly swimming hole. The rains came and turned it into an ugly swimming hole.

Kinda like half an Earthship. Sorta. I could 'NEED' one.

Sorry for the HiJack.
Back to Big Ass Plants. This is one Monster Thread. I'm 'learning something' today.

 

[epicorchard]

oh boy.... I had half a trim crew a second ago, now all three are off to the ER.

A little note on using table top fan de leafers: DO NOT WEAR WORK GLOVES

Dude just got his thumb pulled down into the grate and it chopped off a huge chunk including some bone. Gnarly.

 

[Backyard Farmer]

Trim Pro used to come with a sticker on it that told you things to keep away from the table top...some of em were long sleeves , glove , scissors i forgot about the rest..i know they sold a chain glove for a while

 

[SativaBreather]

oh boy.... I had half a trim crew a second ago, now all three are off to the ER.

A little note on using table top fan de leafers: DO NOT WEAR WORK GLOVES

Dude just got his thumb pulled down into the grate and it chopped off a huge chunk including some bone. Gnarly.

coulda been worse, dude could have had his fly open

 

[epicorchard]

Ive only seen one trimmer get nicked and he had a branch in one hand and a cup of vodka in the other. The grate is bent from the force of the glove getting pulled down into it. Now I'm staring at a huge pile of chem branches and I'm too spooked to turn the machine on and Im down from 9 trimmers to just lil ol me. Fuck

 

[theJointedOne]

dam that sucks man

did they have a good excuse for the e.r. or are they going with big leafing accident?

workers comp?

stay safe out there

 

[epicorchard]

I told them to just go with an accident while on vacation so he can get covered california insurance.

This was the one he was working on, easy to see how he got distracted...

 

[epicorchard]

dam that sucks man

did they have a good excuse for the e.r. or are they going with big leafing accident?

workers comp?

stay safe out there

So when they get to the ER, nurse ushers them into a private room due to the overwhellming smell, doctor comes in and says something like, "Is that OG Kush? You guys smell great!" aparently ths type of ER trip is real common, and apparently even DR's love chem 4.

 

[Babbabud]

People are banned for breaking the TOU ... not for making snide or snarky remarks. Its a shame that the maturity level in here isnt higher. Its too bad that people cant just ignore or let comments go by. We arent all going to get along .... thats just life. So this thread is closed. Ruined not only by those that made the snide remarks ... but by those that cant just let things go by. So pushed out of shape by other persons remarks....We arent all going to get along ... some things you just have to let go by. Mods cant be expected to read every comment in every thread anyways ......

 

[Babbabud]

Ok I cleaned this up ... Well pretty much just threw out the last cpl pages. If your post has been deleted and you didnt really feel it had anything negative to say in it ... just know that I did a mass deletion of anything to do with the off topic banter and just tried to get this back on track. Please lets not take it all so personal and lets not make snide or snarky remarks at each other .
We are all in this together and here to help each other ... lets try to make the vibe here right . We are a site to exchange knowledge ... lets try to continue doing that without all the personal rifts and in fighting . Lets try to get a good vibe going here with each other and then keep it that way. Lets treat each other with the highest respect we can give !!
Now who's got some pics of some large plants ?

 

[bombadil.360]

some things you just have to let go by.

QFT

thanks Babbabud for taking the time to clean up the last pages of this epic thread and for re-opening it.

peace!