Growing in a really wet area? *Pics* Need your opinion on a possible grow site.

Flabos

Well-Known Member
So, here's the deal.
I've got like 50 seeds ready to be planted.
Is it possible to grow in a really wet place like these woods are?
I think the ground should be pretty fertile or what?!
Or is it tooooo wet?
It will eventually dry up a bit because it's still spring.
It's completely in middle of nowhere.
Noone has been to these woods for a long time.
Awfully owergrown by all kind of plants/trees etc...
And it's full of birches.

 

Azgrow

Well-Known Member
froim some friends....
Quote:
great method of growing,designed especially for swamp/bog growing.
This tube system was developed in the gulf islands region,basically the problem out there is that the soil is very rocky and not very fertile,as a result they needed to figure out a way to grow in swamps which they have a lot of.

They go out to a swampy area,chop the vegetation off the top of the soil,then they chop it up a little.Then they take hog wire fence(this is a special wire that is about 5 feet high with small holes at the bottom and larger holes at the top.)First cut the top 2 feet off the wire(the part with the biggest holes)Then with the remaining 3 feet of fence,make a circle(tube,hoop)about 2,2.5feet in diameter,and stick it 6 inches down into the swamp,and firmly secure it in this shape with a pair of plyers.

Then take heavy duty black polyethelene available at most hardware stores,and line the inside of the tube with it,go around the perimeter like 1.5 to 2 times folding the extra plastic over the top of the wire to keep it in place.NOTE:you are only lining the perimeter,and leaving the bottom open.

Next you fill the tube with about 2/3 of a 3.8 cubic foot bale of peat moss.This stuff has great capillary action,and holds water well.this is the base of your soil,it's really up to you what you use for nutrient value.these guys grow organic,and use blood meal,bone meal,fresh seaweed,sunflower seeds hulls,composted chicken/turky manure,bat guano,kelp meal, compost and pretty much anything else organic they can get there hands on.They water with organic teas every couple of weeks as well

Substitutions,and you can use chemilcal ferts too,just use something designed for hydroponic use ie.. not mirical grow! so the salts build up slower.you can add perlite and vermiculite as well,but not requiered.KEEP IN MIND...that this mix is quite acidic as is the swamp water/ground,so you will need to add between 5 to 10 pounds of dolimitc lime,depending on the exact soil recipe you used.make sure you mix the soil very well and your pretty much set.you should end up with a 2.5 foot diameter X2.5 foot high planter full of nutrient soil.the concept is that the small roots derive most of the nutrients from the contents of the tube,while the plant will put a tap root down into the swamp,and be supplied with unlimited water.The result is an extremly large plant,once it starts to grow you can re-attatch the top 2 feet of the hog wire around the top of the tube and stick the lower branches out the holes,this keeps the plant upright and also causes the lower branches to get lots of light,and produce same size buds as the middle of the plant.This method will produce extremely large plants,which will yield an excess of a pound per plant,making the work well worthwhile.
Quote:
Another thing people should consider is using coco coir instead of peat moss. Coco coir is SO much easier to transport. I can carry 4 coco blocks in a large hiking backpack. Once the coco expands in water, those 4 blocks will expand into about 280 litres of medium (about 70 gallons)! I just use 20 gallon plastic totes (rubbermaids) and cut out the bottom. I jam them down a few inches into the mucky swamp and then toss in the coco. I come back in a week and then mix in a little top soil, worm castings, and tropical bat guano. The results have been pretty awesome. I've also used garbage cans too and that works out just fine.
hope this helps..peace az
 

Skunk Baxter

Well-Known Member
I do a lot of growing in swamps, and I'd be pretty concerned about growing right in the ground at the spot in these pictures. It's hard for me to make out exactly what I'm seeing there, but it sure looks like there are a lot of dead trees. That's usually a sign of frequent, longterm flooding, or at the very least a very high watertable. If that were my spot, I'd be looking for humps of high ground scattered around the area. You'll usually find some if you spend enough time slogging around and looking.
 

Crontonic

Active Member
Your not supposed to grow near pine trees or ever greens because the needles that fall off make the soil very acidic, try and find a place further away from them.
 

hellraizer30

Rebel From The North
that area looks like alot of places in alaska south central and yes stay away from spuce/pine its a no go, Id find a ridge that skirts the swamp there
will be one just keep looking.
 

overfiend

HeavyMetalHippie
i grew in a spot just like this a few years ago and the plants seemed to be stunted compared to the other spots i had that year with same plants also 2 of the plants rotted in like 3 days of checking because of mold try to get a spot that stays drier if your not sure dig down to about knee deep and check soil if it is saturated find another spot.
it would be nice because you would have water available when you need it.
 

SHAMAN

Well-Known Member
Are you sure this water isn't just from the rains/snow melting..
In the early spring the soil is real wet this is to help germ the seeds from the last year. The circle of life..
You could build elevated bed for your plants. Or check out my burlap sac method.
>>Good Soil and a Burlap Sac<<
AZ's method is a great one too don't pass it up.
 

overfiend

HeavyMetalHippie
Are you sure this water isn't just from the rains/snow melting..
In the early spring the soil is real wet this is to help germ the seeds from the last year. The circle of life..
You could build elevated bed for your plants. Or check out my burlap sac method.
>>Good Soil and a Burlap Sac<<
AZ's method is a great one too don't pass it up.
i like your burlap sac method i might try this there are lots of wet areas where i am that i wouldnt put anything hhmmmmm...
 
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