Arright! here we go! : (things to study furter) 1) structure...your soil shoud be porous enough to let lots of air(O2) to the roots, yet retain water....my compost does a good job, but I'm still searching for just what's in my head, which involves getting more airflow without compromizing retention...I'm kinda' thinkin' layers of different materials. 2) nutrition...I want the sweeetest compost ever! my prev' blog goes into that some. the mycorrhiza involved in composting digests potentials into perfect food for the roots....think symbiosis...read the tao te ching, no matter your religion- you'll see why blind master po would kick your ever livin' ass! cause he's sooo in tune with nature)! anyway; back to message...if you read about biodynamics, they can explain in ar more depth than I can...and don't get freaked if it goes into strange territory! just go with it and apply it as the directions say...it seems wierd, because it is!!! but I swear on my life, it's THE best fertilizer possible(only limited by ingredients and care)....man cannot copy nature with petro-chemicals! that's like hiring someone from the 18th.century to fix your computer! nature is infinitely complex...so just get together the best nature has to offer, and let her take care of the rest. 3)water- I've heard arguements either way as to watering...all I have to say is: I've spent quite a bit of time in the southwest, and have seen how plants with more water(as long as they aren't waterlogged) get bigger...period. now if you're breeding some drought resistant strain ,you'll want to do a fair amount of water rationing,just for the seed mothers. I'm sure if you do this for 5 or 6 generations, the trait would show up. 4)critters- I do not use pesticides...I rely on healthy plants, and my security guards; for instance: sgt. kahneohe has 2 daddy long legs, and a fat banana spider, plus there's a battallion of lady bugs, and a company of mantises...also I keep my babies caged!
I live in the santa cruz mtns. one of the best places in this country to grow. the climate here:wet winters...sometimes dips to barely freezing. summers bone dry 80's 90's-except at lower altitudes by the coast which get daily fog,and average 10 degrees cooler....this is the amsterdam riviera! the cloudiest days still see a few hrs.of sun. mold is not an issue up here. my big deal is bio-dynamics. I've studied lots of other methods, but BD takes a macrocosmic approach to the infinitely complex world of soil. and IT WORKS! you're not gonna' get watsonville giant strawberries that taste more like iceberg lettuce! that's the problem with a super size-it society- quantity over quality! nope...biodynamics is all about bringing natural process(which are far beyond our ability to chemically copy) together for optimal plant health. petro chemical agriculture is a great example of man's utter arrogance and stupidity. DON'T PUSH THE RIVER! nature has it's own clock for a reason!...think of your girls as just that "your girls"...now...do you want some crack whore jacked up on chemicals, or do you want a marine with a p.h.d. in kickin'your ass, who grew up in a healthfood store owned by blind master po! chemical ferts interfere with critical natural processes. so it's your choice:jack lalane-the original'juicer', or lyle alzaido-poster child of what steriods do to you! I'm also big on pinching and twisting....makes the branches a lot stronger, you get a lot bigger vascular system, and bigger buds. also training horizontally turns all buds kona. I love it! my current soil is about 50% bd compost,1/4 black dirt,1/4 forest litter(not pine). the forest litter helps aerate the soil (critically important). the compost is : cow manure(organic),dog shit,wood ash,charcoal, weed trimmings,wood mulch(not pine),lot's of coffee & green teabags, as well as other kitchen waste, blood meal, fish&poop,seabird guano bat guano,fish bone meal, and bio dynamic innoculants. ....I've got one kahuna from soma seeds set for 1st.harvest middle of june. the second kahuna, the purp,and the mystery plant are reverting to veg'. I'll force k#2 middle of june so I'm covered for labor day. I have 4 white widow(unknown sex) from bcseedking they were started late(march) so they won't be ready til november. I have 2 bagseeds going. one is master kush. they're babies. my buckets are 5 gal-10 gal. painted grey and khaki, and caged with chicken wire for security and moving safety. the cages lend themselves to shrouding nicely. my fav' buckets though are 50gal.plastic trashcans cut down to 2' and the bottom is covered in drainage/air holes.the bottom 1/3 i put in dry brush(scotch broom)to alleviate compacting. the roots need oxygen! and your plant's health litterally rests on the health of the root system.
