Homegrowmen Thread #91

/hgn/ when?

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>>1017457
I think it is doing well in these threads really.

>>1017442
>Snips suggester here, try snipping its two heads again now, just the tips where the leaves are packed close together and not yet fully grown. It's great seeing the progress pics as the plant gets visibly stronger.
I just might, it really is interesting.

>>1017437
Hm, I've been baby'ing mine a lot more it seems, only just now I've been having them outside for whole days. Mine were sowed indoor at the very end of March (because that's when I got interested), most popped out of the ground within a week, and about 3 weeks ago I started occasionally putting them outside on cloudy days.

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>>1017450
My friends have returned!

I know how to get rid of them. But I won't.

anyone with rosemary?
when will the needles grow back?

>>1017517

Are you sure its alive?

>>1017522
yeah. it stopped shedding a while back, but no needles have grown back. half it is green, but the other half is bare. also the branches are in good health.

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>>1017522
>>1017525

>>1017527
I would lip the bare parts. More will sprout.

>>1017537
clip*

>>1017539
you mean just cut of the bare branches?

>>1017540
Yes. That plant looks like it's growing fine. Pruning off the bare branches will get the other stuff growing.

>>1017543
alright. i just did. after inspecting it i noticed the all the bare parts were from a single branch.

My tomato plants are all shriveled up but still have tiny green tomatoes what do

>>1017586

The young branches on my tomato plant are curling severely but are otherwise healthy.
I think the bi-polar weather is to blame.

>>1017610
That is exactly what mine are like where do u live im in Texas

when I dug to plant the seeds, it was like underground wild kingdom. With worms, n roots, n a bunch of onion buds. n rocks.

Any tips for determining soil quality at a glance?

>>1017545
Also, you don't necessarily need a certain morphological trait to be present for your plant to be doing fine.
Plants are very plastic phenotypically. It might be because of its current environment that it grows like that. If it'll change back to becoming its former self, only time will tell.
But if you can harvest nice branches off it, what does it matter, right?

>>1017644
certain stuff grows in certain ph, types of soil if you want to learn them.

>>1017646
it was doing well until i moved. the winter was rough for my rosemary and thai basil. i was just worried because now my thai is growing again like crazy with flowers everywhere but the rosemary plant is kind of in limbo. my bell pepper has always thrived though. even in winter leaves were growing. 3 flowers bloomed just in the last few days.

>>1017642
Sounds like nice growing ground.
Make a sieve out of half inch galvanised chicken mesh and a construction pine frame if you want to sieve the rocks out.
Works a charm and costs little.

>>1017644
Pic related is a good test: dampen some soil and roll it into a ball, then try to roll a longish sausage from that. How much the sausage can be formed gives you an idea of that your soild type is like to begin with.
Drainage, structure and aeration are important, and another anon mentioned ph which is also important. Deficiencies can be worthwhile checking, but if you have plenty of organic matter in the soil you probably won't have too many issues with that anyhow unless you have lousy soil to start with.

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>>1017527
Is it always standing there? Rosemary and many other herbs (thyme, oregano...) won't do well as room plant, it's better to put it in the ground (zone ~7b and up) or in colder areas put it in a cool (<10C/50F) room over winter

Started pic related as a tiny cutting in the autumn of 2015 and planted it a bit over a year ago, even pruned back quite a bit this January

>>1017691
i live on the 8th floor of an apartment building. also, i only put it there so get a decent pic. its next to the window seal with my other plants.

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>>1017691
>>1017693

>>1017694
>>1017693
Well that makes things difficult, especially winters will cause leggy growth and attract pests. Got a balcony to put it on?

>>1017696
>especially winters will cause leggy growth
this. moving and the awful winter took a toll on my rosemary. and no i dont have a balcony.

there is some new growth on the bottom of the plant, but i was mostly wondering how long it was gonna take all of the needles to grow back. it would be nice if there wasn't an overcast 5 out of 7 days.

I'm the sunflower anon from previous thread. I did place those sunflower under the sun for the whole day and they're dried out.. hmm.

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>>1017668
Forgot pic...

>>1017613
>>1017610
Same thing with mine after a weird 90F then 35F spring that bounce back and forth through that.

>>1017668
You only need to remove larger stones. Anything under 1/2 inch can be left in the ground. Fungi mine into them for minerals which get passed along to your plants via the mycorrhizal network. The only reason you remove stones is so they don't break/dull your tools and to keep them off the top of seedling sprouts. Otherwise, they can be left.

>>1017733
Did they die? Were they in large pots or small ones?

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Anyone here grow wild strawberries?

My f. virginiana, f. vesca, and f. alpina are all starting to send out flowers, but my f. viridis and f. moschata are not sending up flowers, even though these are 2nd/3rd year plants with lots of sun.

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>>1017754
Some of my virginias by comparison. All the developed rhizomes have lots of flowers out and some are close to fruiting.

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Anyone here keep bees?

We got 25L out of our two hives in their first year, this year we expect the little bastards to give us more. It tastes way better than the regurgitated corn syrup you buy from Walmart, and apparently you can sell unpasteurized honey for a decent amount at a farmers market.

>>1017765
How many frames are your hives

>>1017782
10 per box, the boxes might seem thick because they are homemade with built-in foam insulation.

Does anybody use the mycorrhizae plant starter such as biotones or jobes brand?

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i just got ground broken and tilled up for my garden. as anxious as i am to start planting, i was wondering if it would be worth the time to smother the garden to kill off any weeds that might sprout after being disturbed.
garden got tilled last saturday. got rain dumped on us sunday and monday. covered it tuesday. nice hot sunny days for cooking it this week.
good idea? or waste of time? how long should i smother it for before i start planting?

>>1017793
my buddy does the black plastic and cloth. works well. I'm going with shredded leaves as a mulch/covering this year. the only weed i get is purslane anyway

Looking for some pink naturally coloured cotton seeds with no luck. Anyone?

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Hey! These are my black eyed pea bushes. The yellowing pods were the first to develop. Are they getting close to harvesting? Or are they fucked?

>>1017793
Go nuclear mate. Spray.

>>1017815
Would wait until one started to opened up the pod naturally. Then theyre ready to be harvested.

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>>1017377
>>1017381
>>1017395
Awesome man. That worked out really well. A bit of wind and outdoor (in)activity helped my spindly ones to man uo too.
>>1017413
>>1017427
Thueringen guy here.
I did pretty much what you did, except the 24/7 light, turned it off at night (forgot it once and next morning it looked like my peppers started a religion based on the UV lamp). 22-26°C turned out to be enough for germinating. Some variants took a bit longer though.

Pic related, current status. Weather seems finally reliable enough, they are finally going outside on saturday. Can't wait.

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Where's the guy who can grow morels? I tried to ask you about this a few weeks back but the thread was deleted for having anime degeneracy.

Should I pee into my plants?

>>1017870
Asserting dominance is crucial to a productive garden.

>>1017870
No

>>1017871
But I mean nutrition-wise.

>>1017882
For what purpose? Ammonia is cheap and probably easier to measure.

>>1017870
I'm not a chemist or anything but I have a spot in my yard I like to piss in when I'm outside and it's killed all the grass

So I wouldn't

>>1017887
Sometimes the bathroom is occupied.
>>1017889
You probably have piss-poor urine.

>>1017870
Dilute it with water first, plenty of N in urine.

My seedlings keep dying, is it the fungus gnats or the dampening off bullshit?

Also is it okay to reuse seed starting soil if it's been left outside?

>>1017870
Pee into a watering can, fill the rest with water and add to non potted plants. I killed a bunch of plants by using urine in pots so I wouldnt reccomend it. Also dont overdo it, only do it a couple times a week max, if you do end up burning your plants rinse it with water to dilute the salts.

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>tfw getting a quart of delicious strawberries, from the garden every day now

>>1017754
>>1017755
I'm only growing non-wild varieties, though I don't remember what varieties they are. If I had wild strawberries locally, I'd probably have been growing them for some time. We only have those flavorless 'mock strawberries' (Duchesnea indica).

>>1017765
I have 5 hives right now. I've already pulled 5 pints of spring honey...only like 2 pints left.

In the photo, are they swarming and dividing or is it just really hot and the hives need more ventilation?

>>1017791
I've never bought any of that stuff. I always just bury old mushroom waste in the garden.

>>1017793
Yes, that is a good idea for weed suppression. If it is rainy during this time, use plastic sheeting. If it isn't rainy then you can probably use mulch. Slugs and isopods tend to hide in the mulch during the rainy weather then mow down your seedlings and starts.

>>1017800
>the only weed i get is purslane anyway

Delicious.

>>1017804
Try searching for cotton in online seed banks. Google "online seed banks -Cannabis" (tfw the entire 1st page of "online seed banks" is literally nothing but cannabis seed banks). It is really hard to find anything other than brown, green, and white.

>>1017815
Looks normal. Harvest and shell them when the pods are brown and dry.

>>1017870
>>1017924
You need to dilute it. 1 part urine with 10 parts water. Then only water the soil, not the leaves. Otherwise, you can pour it directly onto your compost pile without diluting it.

Some watering cans are not large enough to dilute it enough. If you save it for a week it will only be 1N instead of 11N and won't burn roots as readily.

>>1017889
That's just caused by root burn from mineral salts and too much nitrogen.

>>1017908
Let it dry out fully. Break it up. Then reuse. Keep the seedlings warm and water less perhaps. Use a humidity cover.

>>1017889
My dog can confirm this.

>>1017956
>muh pee pee poo poo reddit nonsense

Kill yourself

>>1017956
Whats the ratio of Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash in this mix /homogrown/

>>1017970
Mine usually are on the 4ph scale

88 100 95 85

>>1017956
ah i hate when the poop police force you to give them a sample of your poo so they know you havent been eating too much fruit. looks like thats a hard fail though

How hard is it to grow mushrooms in an apartment? Anything that is not a portobello costs a fortune in my town and I am thinking of gathering and cultivating wild ones throughout the year, boletus in particular (but I guess variety would be nice).

Amateur hack here.

First things first, what's the appropriate way to grow garlic? I had a few cloves in the fridge for too long and they started to sprout, so I decided to plant one and see what happened.

I potted it about 2" deep in a small uncoated ceramic pot with proper drainage, and used a general purpose potting soil. First week or two it grew like mad, shot a sprout up about 16" high. Since then it's been kind of stagnant and, well, lame. I water when the soil starts to feel dry to about 1/2" below the surface. The sprouts are weak and now lean against the window. What do?


Next thing, I know one of the problems my various plants have is not getting enough light. The way my house is oriented I don't get much line shining into any of my windows, and anywhere outside gets blasted with intense sun pretty much all day. I live in Phoenix so outside conditions in the summer are pretty brutal for most plants. All my window sills are full and most of them of still sun starved. What can I do to expand my growing area?

>>1017992
Just make an effort and wake up your plants earlier, that way they'll catch more sunlight.

>>1017938
have your dog post. i need confirmation.

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>>1017934
>I'm only growing non-wild varieties, though I don't remember what varieties they are. If I had wild strawberries locally, I'd probably have been growing them for some time. We only have those flavorless 'mock strawberries' (Duchesnea indica).

Where do you live? I assume most people here are North American or Northern European, so there should always be wild strawberries in the area.

They don't produce much, but they are tastier than the domestics.

>pic related, some of my virginias from last year

>>1017934
>I have 5 hives right now. I've already pulled 5 pints of spring honey...only like 2 pints left.

>In the photo, are they swarming and dividing or is it just really hot and the hives need more ventilation?

They aren't dividing because we have been taking their excess honey and adding empty boxes to prevent them from swarming. Chances are it is bad ventilation. We will have to find a way to improve it.

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>>1017998
This is dog.
I burn plants.

>>1018012
Just put narrow stick/board between the roof and top most frame. The roof should hang down far enough that no rain will get in and there will be enough for air flow. That's what I do with all my hives. Though, I have the typical flat top roofs that are like a cap that slips over the top super.

>>1018008
I've kept my eye out for decades and never found any.

>>1017991
For saprobic fungi varieties it is really simple. I hung my kits from the ceiling, of an unheated room, to have more floor space.

>>1017992
Plant on the south side of buildings, in a depression in the ground, and use shade cloth if you need to. Plant heat tolerant varieties. For indoor stuff, add a reflector behind the plants get get more light.

Its supposed to rain heavily for pretty much the next 30 hours.
I pray the blight doesn't take hold.

>>1018023
>I've kept my eye out for decades and never found any.

That's a bummer, they are a great seasonal treat.

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Does anyone here happen to be from Iceland or similar latitude? I'm curious which plants can be grown indoors there given there's only a couple of hours of daylight in winter and 24 hour daylight in summer.

>>1018069

Pothos (epipremnum aureum) is obscenely tolerant of light conditions and almost impossible to kill in my experience.

I'm actually planning on adding more to my house, which gets shit for interior light because of how its oriented and my surroundings.

>>1018018
good dog.

>>1017765
you lucky bastard I want to keep bees so bad

>>1017890
>piss poor urine

my guy you crack me up

>>1017793

Weeds are bros. Just get rid of the ones that are competing with your plants when they're getting established and don't let them go to seed.

I've got a soaker hose in my garden. The directions said to cover it with soil to prevent sun damage, which I did, but the soil seems to be gradually eroding away and exposing the hose.

What do? Am I expected to bury it? Could I cover it with something else like plastic?
Does it need to be covered at all, or is the sun damage not worth worrying about?

>>1018159
If you have it in a permanent flower bed you can bury it a bit deeper under mulch. If you have it in a garden and need to take it up in the off season, don't bury it in the soil. Just mulch it over. Most soaker hoses don't last very long at all, fyi. I found that the soil buried ones ended up breaking/tearing when trying to dig them out.

Birds are disturbing my mulch, flipping it up looking for worms. Is there anything I can do to stop them from doing this?

>>1018169
>don't bury it in the soil. Just mulch it over
So, bury it in mulch then? My issue right now is that the hose isn't buried at all, it's laying on the ground with soil mounded over it.
I was hoping for a solution that wouldn't involve raising the surrounding ground level or burying the hose beneath it.

>>1018159
wrap it in weed cloth

>>1018185
>I was hoping for a solution that wouldn't involve raising the surrounding ground level or burying the hose beneath it.

Use a different hose type. Like the kind you poke holes in the direction you want water after you lay it down on the surface.

>>1018129
What is stopping you? Here in glorious nation of Canuckistan it is technically not allowed, but it is enforced on the provincial level (it isn't enforced) and all you have to do is register your hives and no one will give you trouble.

Is it your living situation or laws?

>>1018298
Is there a specific type of hose intended for that, or can I just buy any hose and riddle it with holes?

>>1018304
Drip irrigation.

>>1018301
Wait, what the reason for it not being allow?

>>1018180
Make your own scarecrow.

>>1018371
The rules are that hives must be at least 30m away from property lines (which means anyone living in a suburban area is out of luck.

However, in practice, you can setup bees in a suburban area and simply register your hives with the province. As long as you prevent them from swarming onto your neighbours' property you won't get in any trouble though.

>>1018180
You could adopt a litter of stray kittens like my family did, but then you have to clean up the animal remains every few days.

>>1018180
>>1018377
cats will also disturb the mulch by shitting there
they make a hole in the soil to shit into

>>1017124
Grain spawn, or dowel spawn? Also, what species? You need to know that before you consider substrate.
Any type of wax other than unscented will work. Wax is extremely inert so you don't have to worry about one type harming anything.

>>1017186
Working on growing morels.
You wont find any methods like that because everything has been unsuccessful or unrepeatable so far. The only success we have had with morels has been with unconventional species, mostly Morchella importuna and Morchella rufobrunnea.
The two major species I am guessing you are talking about are the blondes and the black fire morels. Neither of those have been tamed yet. Experimentation will be the key IMO.

>>1017791
I make my own mycorrhizal starter. Collect Pizolithus tinctorius and till the spore powder into your soil, it can triple growth rates and impart drought resistance. Don't forget that to maintain mycorrhizae you must not till your soil.

>>1017841
Here I am.

>>1017870
Urine is very concentrated, and straight piss will burn plants.
It has to be fermented into ammonia before it can even be taken up by plants, so unless you want to have piss jugs sitting around and rotting than don't bother.

>>1017991
You won't be able to grow boletes. They are mycorrhizal. Thankfully there are many other delicious species that can be grown very easily. I explained the basics in this thread: >>2377388
You can forage for a number of woodloving species that will work indoors. Oysters, Agrocybes, Lions mane, Laetiporus...

>>1018507
Link to thread is this: >>>/an/2377388
I describe the process at the start of the thread.

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>>1018069
Just place things cold over the winter months to avoid leggy growth, like an unheated room around 10°C or so. I'm "only" on 50°N but that's how I treat my light hungry tomato starts (after they sprouted in hotter temperature). Means they're growing slowly in the beginning but stay sturdy - here a pic from February. It only got locally warmer when the sun was out, which doesn't happen too often here in those months

Anons, i want to attract more spiders and other good bugs to my garden, are there plants i should grow or structure i need to provide them?

>>1018549
>I'm "only" on 50°N
Me too, and I've found it possible to grow almost anything indoors over here, I just wonder if during winter most houseplants/tropical plants wouldn't die with only 3 hours of daylight and if during summer they wouldn't get too much sun if it never sets for months on end.

>>1018507
>It has to be fermented into ammonia before it can even be taken up by plants, so unless you want to have piss jugs sitting around and rotting than don't bother.

The urea must be put into the ground where it turns into ammonia gas which then turns into nitrogen. Tilling it in or soaking a deep compost pile with it will be sufficient to trap the resulting nitrogen. It is all about trapping the ammonia gas so it doesn't escape. It is common practice for farmers to use urea fertilizer and till it into the soil.

>>1018584
Google "insect hotels".

>>1018590
I'm having trouble with basil between November and January even on a southern window (in the kitchen though so around 15-20°C then), so that one gets some extra light then

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pDTiFkXgEE

For some reason there is shit all of wild greens in my area of NC. fucking sand and pine forests

even lambs quarter is rare

>>1018690
http://notastelikehome.org/articles/the-top-75-wild-and-feral-foods-in-western-north-carolina/

I had to travel some distance to get a source for burdock. You may need to travel too, if you want wild greens in your area. Remember, even grass is edible. Though, I find the best thing to do with it is harvest seeds and make sprouts,

https://sproutpeople.org/seeds/grass/

>>1018729
>Remember, even grass is edible
bluegrass and other popular "ornamental" lawn grasses have cyanide compounds or are simply too fibrous to be eaten.

the worst part is we have false dandelions here rather than true dandelions.

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>>1018733
As always, you need to learn how to identify the plant before eating it.

For my area, I found the best local grass is beaked panicgrass (Panicum anceps). It gives a ton of seed that is super easy to harvest, doesn't have any pests to speak of, and sprouts easily.

>too fibrous

Most plants become too fibrous as they age. Getting them at the right growth stage is important. Which is why sprouted grain is the best stage for most grass species.

>false dandelion

There are several plants with that moniker and nearly all of them are edible. I think maybe only Nothocalais isn't edible, but it's no where near NC.

http://www.eattheweeds.com/pyrrhopappus-hypochoeris-dandelion-impostors-2/comment-page-1/

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>built a little garden shed on the small second, unfenced property a couple hundred metres away from home for tool storage etc
>place a few plants there for decoration
>let a couple pots there with plants still in them stand over night too
>come back next day
>one pomegranate seedling stolen
>fuck... but they won't touch what's planted in the ground, right?
>come back 2 days later
>see this (it was an orange mint)
Someone must have actually come by, seen the plant, gone back home to grab a shovel, come again, dug it out and walked back home with it - a plant that cost less than €2. What the fuck is wrong with people these days?

I'm sure it some small animal, build a low fence around it to see if it help.

>>1018767
Impossible. Way too cleanly removed (no leaves or parts thereof left in the surroundings, no nearby plants touched).
Also for the other seedling, the emptied pot was still lying around

Not buying a camera and paying for UMTS transmission though

>>1018765

Where in Europe do you live?
Do you think i could grow pomegranate in the south of England?

>>1018765
You should bury another plant there and mix razorblades into the soil underneath it.

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>>1018771
I'm the German Upper Rhine guy.
Frost hardiness is not a problem here (zone 8a), so neither should it be in your place (8b/9a I assume)
According to second-hand knowledge (my plants are still too young to flower/fruit) they need at least average to warm autumns to fully ripen out here (my climate for reference: >>1015296 )

>>1018776
Heh, might consider that for the other stuff. Actually, that mint was ornamental only, so my dogs had already pissed several times against it, hope someone made a tea from it

>>1018778
If you go the blade route, make sure to stick something visible and unusual into the soil next to it. A plastic banana or something, I don't know.
Just something that you can see to remember that you've got blades buried there so you don't cut yourself up digging there months from now.

>>1017827
>Goll what nice weather we had all week
>time to plant outside, can't wait
>Get plants out, about to start
>sky goes black. Ragnarok.jpg
>Hail, rain, stormy gales of wind.

Fuck that, I had my plants under a ROOF and they still got fucking "bullet holes" from the hail.

>>1018771
Southeast or southwest?
Not outside would be my guess

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Day before mothers day I decide i can get the plants in finally seemed like the weather had finally notmalized. Feel good about it all

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>>1018791
Wake up Wednesday morn8my to them covered in snow so shake the snow off of them and out plastic sheeting over them
Seems like they only for kinda screwed they are doing okay right now

>>1018791
That is one shitty looking zuchini plant!

>>1018797
meh I don't complain much when it was free.

>>1018507
>Here I am.

You mentioned that you had some success in cultivating morels, and I was wondering if you could explain what exactly are the requirements/protocols for doing so?

I am just getting into mushroom growing now, and I plan on starting with some shiitakes and white button mushrooms, which seem like good beginner species. However, I also have a commercial morel growing kit that should be arriving at my home soon (it is experimental and not guaranteed to fruit), and since I will have the mycellium available to me, I would like to give growing them a shot. My relatives have a 10 acre hardwood forest backyard that they told me I could experiment with.

They also have a lot of chanterelles growing up at their cottage, so if there is a way to grow chanterelles, I would like to acquire a wild sample and see what I can do with it. Even if it doesn't work, morels and chanterelles seem like the holy grail of mushroom cultivation, and I'd love to try my hand at it.

>>1018791
Those alpine strawberries?

>>1018820
not sure, they came with the house

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How tight does trellis have to be? I made mine using bamboo and twine, no ides how to tie a knot.

>>1018839
Why did you lean it like that instead of making it point straight up?

>>1018765
This is one reason why my entire property is fenced to hell and back. 6 feet high 2"x4" welded wire fencing. Then another 4 feet high welded wire fence with electric for my garden.

Fences make good neighbors.

>>1018794
Damn. You always need to watch the weather and expect the worst. Fill up water bottles/soda bottles and place them around the plants to help maintain ambient temps under the plastic.

>>1018839
http://www.animatedknots.com/

It depends on what will be growing on it.

>>1018849
Shody workmanship.

>>1018839
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHgGK-tImY

>>1018855
Lol, thanks for that, it was fairly amusing.

>>1018839
>>1018854
Pull it out of the ground and do it again.
Push the bamboo stakes into the ground at angles so that they form an upright tepee, even without being tied together at all. Then tie the tops together.

Also swap out that one pale bamboo stick for another one if you have more, it looks pretty bad compared to the other two.

>>1018808
Nix the white button mushrooms, they are actually a fairly difficult species. They need specially hot-composted horse manure, very sterile procedures and facilities, and the whole fruiting process is a nightmare. Start with Shiitakes and Oysters, both are really nice somewhat failproof species.

The requirements for morels are complex, so complex that noone has been able to pull off growing them indoors with any repeatability. Outdoor growing on the other hand, is absolutely a possibility, and is your best option. I am in the process of experimentation with the goal being indoor growing, and have nailed some major factors down as spacial restriction, temperature changes, nutrient gradation, and light, not to mention the genetic factors that play into it.

It does depend on the species you have in your kit. If you got "blondes" or members of the yellow morel clade, you will want to do it in the hardwood forest.
If you got members of the black clade, you are going to set up a type of bed in an area you control.

Unfortunately, the season is all wrong to try and inoculate a bed right now for either type, but you can work on amending the soil. To save me some major typing, do you know which type of morel it is? Blonde or Black?

Chanterelles are difficult. They have a really low success rate when trying to establish new colonies. The best strategy is to juice up the existing patches. This is done by setting up shadecloth tube-houses over known patches (people do it with plants, I think they are called hoop houses) and meticulously zoning off an area to remove bugs and debris. Bugs eating primordia is a major cause for the failure to form a fruitbody, so just protecting them from slugs can triple the harvest in an area.You then mist the area regularly when mushroom season starts to roll around, and you can artificially induce an early and copious flush before the real season starts. Making your own patches from scratch is unfortunately not a possibility.

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All my plants/seedlings are finally in the garden. Kinda wish I lived somewhere outside of the suburbs so I could have more space, but I have to make due with what I have.

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>>1018875

>>1018863
I don't care if it look bad, is there any technical reason why I should do it again beside for look?

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>>1018877

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>>1018880

>>1018771
I've been growing it indoors in Belgium for five years or so now, it lives but it's just really spindly and looking sickly, although the small leaves are cute. It's probably in part because I've never put it in a colder room in winter, so in those five years it's never gone dormant.

>>1018878
It wont support weight leaning like that. You could chop a couple of inches of the longer legs.

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Is indoor grow accepted here?

I'm working on this thing. Gunna get one more light and work on some hydro stuff. What do you think

>>1018874
>Nix the white button mushrooms, they are actually a fairly difficult species. They need specially hot-composted horse manure, very sterile procedures and facilities, and the whole fruiting process is a nightmare. Start with Shiitakes and Oysters, both are really nice somewhat failproof species.

Oh wow, that sounds like a lot of hassle for something that is dirt cheap at the grocery store. Thanks for the warning.

>It does depend on the species you have in your kit. If you got "blondes" or members of the yellow morel clade, you will want to do it in the hardwood forest.

The species is listed as Morchella esculenta, which I believe is the blonde type.

I expected that the chanterelles would be difficult, I will try what you suggested and care for/protect existing patches this fall.

Thanks for the advice.

>>1018888
Yes. Nice little work area you have started, but with that light not totally blocked out all your neighbors now think you're growing the dope.

>>1018882
>>1018880
>>1018877
>>1018875
Nice mang, looks very tidy! What are you growing?

>>1018891
no kidding lol, Im sure the local police will bust down my door, shoot my dog, then say sorry man we thought it was weed.

Another question for everyone. These lights are literally in my room because im a 26yr manbaby. can i get any adverse health effects from the UV LEDs that are on those panels?

>>1018903
Got kale, swiss chard, collard greens, carrots, grape tomatoes, galapagos wild tomato, cucmbers, garlic, poblano peppers, bell peppers, chives, pineberries, musk strawberries, alpine strawberries, virginia strawberries, rosemary, tarragon, parsley, stevia, thyme, oregano, basil.

>>1018904
Colors will be a little off when you leave the LED room, but it readjusts quickly. Like going from a dark room to a bright one.

>>1018907
Sounds delicious!
I started with some peppers a few weeks ago, never really having grown anything before. I just planted a bunch of seeds, expecting just a few to make it. 11 sprouted and are doing great. Then I picked up some dwarf tomatos. Then my mom gave me some chives, I bought 3 strawberry plants, planted thyme, mom gave me a bunch of different succulents, picked up 4 carnivorous plants, one of which I repotted and divided up into about 10, another into 3, and one into 2.
This planting stuff got quite out of hand in just 2 months, lol. But it's so satisfying and so very zen.

>>1018911
It's an addictive hobby, and very rewarding.

The carnivorous plants sound neat, I'd love to get my hands on some.

>>1018878
If you mean the bamboo pole, by "it looks bad" I mean that it looks thin and fragile compared to the other two. Higher risk of snapping under weight.
If you mean the whole structure. it leaning like that will make it prone to falling over.

>>1018904
>adverse health effects from the UV LEDs that are on those panels?

Yes, read the warning that should have come with them. Get more mylar and block it.

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>>1018916
They are cheap, and most are not too difficult. Just the right soil (poor in nutrients), only rainwater or demineralized water, and plenty of light.

>>1018880
I really like this growing setup

Did you follow a guide or just kind of wing it?

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>>1018925
Don't forget the Sarracenia, the Venus flytrap and possibly those Pinguicula as well (just going by the size I'd guess they're temperate anyway) need dormancy in winter, but the Drosera Capensis are tropical and need to stay inside during winter. If the Pinguicula are Mexican they should stay inside as well although they do go dormant and temporarily produce succulent leaves instead of carnivorous ones.

There are lots and lots of really cool carnivorous plants that are easy to grow indoors, be sure to pick up Utricularia sandersonii (pic related, its flowers look like tiny bunnies) and Drosera regia sometime.

Here's a great site btw, just look at all the possibilities: http://www.carnivorousplants.org/howto/GrowingGuides.php

>>1018918
Make sense, thanks. I will see if I can find some other piece

>>1018937
Thanks for the info!

>>1018933
I just winged it. The first year I totally overplanted and most plants were stifled by competition. I recorded the minimum space each plant needed and just kinda threw together a basic layout that would give each crop appropriate space.

>>1018946
What's the black cloth made out of?

>>1018967
I have no idea, I got them from a family member. I assume they are meant for vertical growing, but I am not even sure I am using them for their intended purpose.

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Using more bamboo for treelis, this should look slightly better

>>1018784
The rest (currently Euonymus fortunei, laurel cherry and another mint) are perennials anyway which are supposed to be there for infinite time, so I can easily remember where I'll potentially "spice up" the soil
>>1018788
They're doing well enough outside in most parts of Germany, so the even milder England should be no problem

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Guys I was a little stoned during one of my rounds of planting this year and these are growing like crazy in one of my planters. I have absolutely no fucking idea what they are. I think it's some kind of cucumber that I bought on a whim but honestly have no idea.

Anyone recognize it?

>>1019042
>I think it's some kind of cucumber
I can confirm that much, or squash. You could thin that down to two plants with how close they are.

In a semi-related note, I had some animal bury a load of some seeds near one of my plants. When I went to pull them out then just kept coming line a magician pulling a never ending scarf.

>>1019042
>>1019049

These actually look more like the bean seedling I'm currently growing. Same height, color, same "sugar leaves" withering near the bottom of the stem, and the same leaf shape. I can provide a pic if you want, but you should look and see if you have any bean plants.

Why do growing guides never tell your how to harvest seeds? Thinking about getting some heirloom seeds of Swiss Chard but how do you get the seeds back? I haven't ever grown any greens so idk how you get seeds out of leaves.

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>>1019042
There's part of the seed covering still stuck to one. Take it off and check it.

>>1019128
Keep it in the ground until its second year. It should bolt and produce seeds. The flowers are ugly and smell like musk. Just cut the dried stems off and pick off their seeds.

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What other vegetables are like swiss chard?
And by that i mean what vegetables can you plant a small patch of and have a cut and come again vegetable from spring until early winter?

>>1019128
#1 they want you to buy more seeds
#2 you can find seed saving guides
#3 depending upon cross pollination you may get unexpected results in second generation

Also hybrid seeds are pretty much guaranteed to be unpredictable.

>>1019153
pretty much all lettuces that don't make a head.

Also turnips, radishes, beets and most leaf veggies. You're limiting your root harvest by taking the leaves, but that's the price you pay.

>>1019157

Kale is also a good cut and come again crop that last all season isnt it?

>>1019158
yes

pretty much any salad green is good for repeated cuts.

You just don't want the varieties that are designed to form a head. Those varieties are single harvest.

>>1019153
Kale and collard greens

>>1018890
>hassle
Yeah. The only reason we use them is because they are traditional, apparently an asian culture gave the technique to mormons or mennonites or something, and they just carried the practice on into modern American times where it became routine.
Once you have the designated facility, you can compost the manure in huge batches and you get pretty good yields, so they are effective economically, just not suitable for home growing.

Alright, blondes... The blondes are semi-mycorrhizal, meaning they need a tree to fruit correctly, but derive most of their nutrition from the substrate. Thankfully, most hardwood trees will suffice as far as I know. They do have a preference for cottonwoods and oaks from what I have heard of foragers. You want to find your spot, I am guessing you only have about a gallon of spawn, so that should cover a 2x5' to 3x5' area near a mixture of young and old trees. Clear the area of debris and plant life. This is a list for you:

>Hardwood sawdust or hardwood fuel pellets (HWFP)
>Alfalfa
>Wood or Potash
>Sand
>Clay soil

I don't have the means to do a calculation for you on all this, so it is sort of an ad-hoc mixture. In parts: 1pt wood, .5pt alfalfa, 6pt soil, 2pt sand. And finally, you will need to get a hold of a soil pH meter, I think you can get one on amazon. Amend the soil mixture until the pH is on basic side, try for about 8-8.5. Make enough to cover your plot 6 to 8" deep.

>>1019190
Lay all of this down now, and it will let the wood and alfalfa break down over the summer and fall. You will probably see some other fungi pop up. If they are basidiomycete (gilled mushrooms), just ignore them, but if you get ascomycetes (cup fungi, false morels, and a whole bunch of brightly colored weirdos) then it means your soil mixture is on point.
When November or December roll around, you will want to till all of the soil, make sure it is still alkaline (the rain can wash it out), and add some more hardwood. Move the soil in the plot to the side, and lay down a layer of the spawn evenly. Place the soil back how it was.
Come spring, you can cross your fingers and hope for the best.

This method is a modification of the Sichaun method used by the Chinese for black morels. I pretty much just added the "near trees" part. Outdoor cultivation, especially of morels, is finnicky. Be aware that you could do everything in your power to initiate morels, and still fail.
Also, what company did you buy it from? Some companies are notorious for sending out other species and scamming people into thinking they are morels.

>TFW asshole birds keep dropping mulberries in my yard, but I've never actually seen the tree they come from
Also our Wisteria didn't bloom at all this year. I also noticed a tree with reddish berries I hadn't noticed before, will probably take a picture when the sun comes up.

>>1019225
>mulberries in yard
>tree with red berries
...

>>1019227
If they were remotely similar I wouldn't have mentioned it. Plus, this tree isn't even ripe, most of the berries are still green, but there are a few red ones.

>>1019042
Those are beans or peanuts.

>>1019227

>all red berries are mulberries

m8 do us all a favor and go out in the woods and eat every ""mulberry""" you can find

>>1019190
>>1019192
Thanks for sharing, I'm gonna type this up and give it a shot once my kit arrives.

Also, the company is a Canadian company called Wylie Mycologicals.

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My potato has flowered

>>1019342
sleep tight tater

>>1019342
Very nice. What sort of setup do you have for it?

>>1019228
post a pic

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•UPDATE•

Last update on 05/11/17: >>1012830

Most everything is going according to plant. Leaf hoppers have started targeting the sunflowers. They are easy enough to remove. I still have a bit of space it seems. I'm installing another cattle panel today. Beds with cattle panels will be super full. Some plants will go up the cattle panels and the rest will spill out into the paths. It is going to be a jungle. I still need to make an attachment for my vacuum so I can remove squash bugs when they arrive in force.

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>>1019348
I'm literally growing it in a reusable plastic food dish. It's not even completely covered in soil.

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>>1019350
2nd pic.

There's an entire 3rd garden that's never posted ITTs.

>>1019351
Whoa, that's wild. lol They develop tubers along the stem when it pushes out of the ground. Thus, yours won't give you many tubers like that. however, that is really neat. You may need to support it when it starts getting larger, but since it has already flowered it may not get much larger before its life cycle is over. Also, open that blind for it!

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ITS HABBENING

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>>1019363
Should I cut out the tops at this time?

>>1019364
Based on the license plate in the picture, I've hacked the mainframe and determined everything about you.

>>1019365
Those are Aruban plates. My dad took it back to Holland from a Holiday.

Also, I am behind 9 firewalls faggot.

>>1019364
wait a minute are you Buggs McGhee?

>>1019371
No, don't even know what that is.

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>Take a look at the pots daily on the way out to work.
>One day, lettuce is fine and dandy.
>Literally, next day it looks like pic related.

My wife is kind of pessimist already. She don't think we will get ride of these fuckers, and even if we do, is unlikely she want to eat anything from that particular plant.

As for me, I already cut the affected leafs, squeezed every millimetre of it and throw it away. For now, it looks like the rest of the plant is fine.

Does anyone have any advice on how to prevent these bugs from eating my lettuce again?

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Does anyone recognize this bug?
Is it a friend or foe?

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I got to install the 2nd cattle panel and clip up everything on another row. Now I need to go through and remove the suckers. Some are so large I may need to leave have two trunks for the plant.

>>1019363
Nice!

>>1019364
Is there a need? They seem to be doing just fine and haven't really grown by leaps and bounds that I've seen.

>>1019376
Those are caused by a fly that lands on the plant then injects the egg into the leave. Use insect netting. It is very fine white cloth, not screen.

>>1019402
Milkweed Assassin Bug Nymph (Zelus longipes). Keep it. It is a predator of caterpillars for the most part.

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I just wanted to grow plant and watch insect have fun in my garden. Now I'm getting hive and worry about tick since I live in Maryland.

>>1019445
How can I deal with tick? I already got two on me in just a few day.

There's a plant in my yard that's become really popular among the caterpillars, they're skeletonizing the leaves. It's also become popular for assassin bugs, I assume due to the abundance of prey.

I don't care about the plant, and it's about 10 feet from my garden.
Would it be better to genocide the caterpillars, or leave them be as food for the assassin bugs?

>>1019445
>>1019459
https://www.cdc.gov/features/stopticks/

There are skin-safe repellents you can use, as well as products for clothing treatment which will kill ticks.

>>1019459
Long pants, tall socks, longsleeved shirt, and keep an eye out so you notice them before they bite into you.

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>>1017827
Impending Pepper Apocalypse, Part I

>I will plant another 45 into a bed tomorrow

My tomato seed packet says to space the plants at least three feet apart.
Is this for the benefit of the foliage, or the root systems?

Could I plant other, smaller plants between the tomatoes, or would they compete with the tomatoes for root space?

>>1019469
Probably leave it alone.

>>1019517
>Is this for the benefit of the foliage, or the root systems?

Both.

>Could I plant other, smaller plants between the tomatoes, or would they compete with the tomatoes for root space?

Google up companion planting charts and see what works well with tomatoes.

>>1019509
>I will plant another 45 into a bed tomorrow

>>1019469
Long-term, leave it alone. But if you have an outbreak on your garden, you could limit the caterpillar population in order to displace assassin bugs (or just move them manually) and help deal with the infestation.

>>1019521
Even if they are companion plants, would intersecting their root systems not still mess with the growth of the tomatoes?

Carrots are listed as a companion plant for tomatoes, but I don't know if I'm supposed to heed the tomatoes' recommended spacing in terms of where I plant the carrots.

>>1019539

Look at the mess of shit that grows in natural settings. If you plant them close together the tomato roots will probably just detour around the carrots and then the leaves will block out the sun and you'll get underdeveloped carrots which is still better than no carrots. The 3 foot spacing they state is simply to maximize tomato production, they aren't concerned with maximizing the total of tomato and non-tomato production.

>>1019563
>Look at the mess of shit that grows in natural settings
I'm not saying it'll kill the tomatoes, I'm just concerned about it reducing their yield.

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how to test soil for contaminants?
Should I transition to pots?

>>1019577
Do you have any contaminants in mind?

>>1019580
Lead, and neighbors are like 5 feet away spraying their concrete down with who knows what. But my plants have at least 5 feet of dirt between the wooden fence and them.

Why do my plants always look so shit?

They produce really well but are some ugly fuckers.

>>1019566

It probably will make a small difference since the tomato roots can't occupy the exact same space as the carrots, but I'd think the extra carrots would more than make up for that difference.

>>1019349
>>1019249
>>1019227
Actually, after getting a better look at it, it is indeed a mulberry tree. I'm not in the habit of looking up unless I notice there are birds nearby, so I'd never noticed it was near my property before. I've got another little shrubtree with reddish leaves and bright red berries that needs ID, though. No idea what it is, but it grows like a weed. Will probably take a picture if I remember my camera next time.

>>1019593
Because you've got worker bee plants, not supermodel plants. As long as they produce, who cares?

>>1019610
>>1019249
>>1019228
Lol. Eat shit you two.

I ordered some landscape staples to hold some hoses down and they came covered in grease, I assume for rust prevention. The kind of grease that gets all over your hands and turns them black if you touch it too much.

Is metal grease bad for plants/soil/things that eat the plants?

>>1019617
The berries on my tree aren't anywhere near ripe, and are still tiny and green, though. I've also never actually seen a mulberry tree, though I am willing to at least admit I made a mistake.

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Just updating with my Aquaponics system

>>1019667
That looks ghetto as heck. Good luck, anon.

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And the stars that make it all possible

>>1019539
>>1019563
>>1019566
>>1019596
When companion planting is done correctly (most of the time it isn't) the total yield actually increases. You need to know that it is rather complicated. Everything from the simple (shade, root space, nutrient uptake) to more complicated (chemical signals, mycorrhizae enhancement, trap/deter pests). The hardest part of companion planting is knowing why a chart recommends two plants together. Often times, no one making those charts has a clue and are simply copy-pasting from other charts. At which point you have the danger of someone inputting anecdotal evidence that skews it incorrectly.

Thus, if a chart or site says "carrots love tomatoes" (an actual book title) you need to find out why (probably read the book).

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=companion+planting&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C49&as_sdtp=

>>1019667
>>1019672
Comfy.

>>1019672

>that sucker fish.

I had one as a child that was always trying to escape .

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>>1019682
Pleco are bros.

>>1019618
Not in the quantities you see on the staples. Mostly it'll just get on your hands and then get washed down the drain with soap.
The little bit that does get on the plants and soil will get broken down by bacteria before too long.

have some saved seeds (fruits/vegetables) I'd like to try and grow; really not sure if they're still good or not....they were dried and stored in paper envelopes

any suggestions?

I have a bad record with plants when I'm actually trying to grow something

>>1019618
Yes. Wash the shit out of them.

>>1019714
Google the "baggie method" of seed germination.

>>1019716
I tried that last year, I think they ended up too wet and rotted/molded
I did use a paper towel though...maybe coffee filters would be better

making seed strips looked pretty neat, like this: http://growagoodlife.com/homemade-seed-mats/
although I don't know how useful that would be for starting inside
(had freeze warnings a week or two ago, not quite safe to plant outside yet)

>>1019718
Google "how to germinate ___" with the name of the plant seed. Some need scarification, stratification, acid bath, base bath, high nitrogen soil, specific temperature range, and/or light to germinate in addition to water and air.

>>1019723
>>1019718
>>1019716
>>1019714

Or you could you know just plant in potting soil and keep moist.
Ive never understood why people fuck around with germination methods other then simply planting the damn seeds.

>>1019736
Some types of seeds are stubborn and you can't simply do that.

>>1019738

Only thing ive ever grown that was stubborn was chilli seeds.

>>1019748
Stuff like stratification can take up to two months, prior to germinating the seed. Some seeds like elderberry can take a couple years to germinate, if you don't stratify them and acid scarify them. Even then that process will take about half a year before using something like the baggie method with heat on them.

Knowing the specifics of the seed cultivar is important to fast and successful germination.

>>1019723
I dunno man....back in the day when I was knee high to a sandmouse, I vaguely remember just sticking seeds right into the dirt, and they somehow grew fine

>>1019736
well, at least that way you can see if the seeds are doing anything or are doa

>>1019748
what do those need?

>>1019760
That's fine for some seeds, but not others. Especially those that are meant to be eaten, pass through a digestive tract, and shat out before germinating.

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>>1019583

Your local extension office can help for a small fee.

Here's my test results :^)

>>1019766
I think that was discussed in a recent nature episode, or in this: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5971724/

>>1019772
It is the reason you dunk some seeds into pepsi or coke for a while.

>>1019736
Sometimes seeds need something special done to them.
Not always, and not even often, but sometimes it's the case.
For example, blackberries. Blackberry seeds need to be dipped in acid for a little while to mimic going through the digestive tract of a bird or bear. Once that happens, seed germination rates go up drastically when you plant them.
Or, you could just do what I did-just trellis the wild blackberries that the local birds shit out into your garden. You'll get smaller berries, but they will be tasty.

>>1019776
I have never heard that

>>1019779
blackberries or black raspberries?

some people get those confused....they are not equal

how does one get seeds from a blackberry?

>>1019784
They are very closely related, and I may have some of each in my front yard.

Getting seeds from a blackberry is easy-just mash up the drupes. The seeds are inside each little pod of each berry.

ok so the place where I planted the pumpkin gets a lot more sun then the corn I guess. I have been spraying it. It's bone dry every morning. I didn't notice it but I planted the corn kinda in the shade and it works good. should I keep watering every morning for a while? till they come up?

>>1019812
also the corn is more clay. And the pumpkin is real dirt.

>>1019364
Don't cut them m8, broadies don't need pruning.

It is said that after the plant has finished cropping, you can cut it close to the ground and it'll regrow and get more beans, but anything short of that is a waste of time.

>>1019748
But those are relatively easy, just give them heat.
What's really difficult though are palm trees from seed (takes months to over a year) or cloudberry (needs a 9 month winter simulated)

>>1019812
>It's bone dry every morning
Make sure you're checking an inch or two down in the soil, not just looking at the surface.

I'm not sure whether it's better for seeds to be constantly moist until they germinate, but I don't believe it's absolutely necessary.

Quick question relating to growing carrots, I have several 4x8 foot garden beds. one of them was completely empty and I had several packages of carrot seeds left over from last season.

So i turned the soil nice and fluffly and racked it flat, sprinkled the seeds evenly across the surface and then did a light raking to turn the seeds into the soil evenly then watered.

Did i waste the seeds or do you think they will grow just fine?

>>1019884
Keep it moist and they should do fine. That's exactly what I do.

>>1019884
you'd be surprised how some old seeds still germinate

had an 80% germination rate with 5 year old tomato seeds, go figure

>>1019768
fucking nice. did you have to bring soil samples in zip lock bags? Cost?

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>go to "organic" stand at farmer's market
>"we buy fertilizer bags but we are still organic"
>broccoli heads and coli flour heads are big as fuck
>he didn't even know about compost tea,fish emulsion,and other organic methods

busted my nigga, they're using like a 10,15,15 on those veggies. Can't fool me

>>1019945
you can hit those numbers with bat guano, just sayin

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>>1019953
On the topic of poo. There are Swallow nests under a bridge and I'm thinking of scooping up the little mountains of crap from under them. Will that be good firt?

>>1019958
You would need to worry about parasites in that situation. I think guano and manure are heat treated.

>>1019768
>extension office
I don't know what this means.

Like, what can I google in order to find such places near me? What are they properly called?

>>1019969
*your county* offices soil and water

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>>1019945
Bunny manure tea , organic enough? :P

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I suckered the tomato plants in 1 row today. I decided to put them in a bucket of water and try planting a few dozen. I found that the good soil doesn't hold the water enough to maintain hydropressure inside the cuttings, so they wilt. However, the clay soil acts like a bucket of water and the cuttings stay up a lot longer.

I've been too busy with other things and didn't get to sucker the plants sooner. They were too large for the most part. The plants look naked now.

>>1019958
Yes, just compost it properly and it will be fine.

>>1019945
"Organic" just means the chemical source they used is considered one of the organic kinds listed by the government. There are tons of organic commercial fertilizers and pesticides.

While the term does help sort through a lot of things, you still need to investigate further, specifically with the things you mentioned, "compost tea,fish emulsion...". It should also be noted that some people call a bag of horseman, "fertilizer."

>>1019969
In the USA it is the, "ag dept;" "Agricultural Department" "USDA" "United States Department of Agriculture". There's usually a county extension office you can phone up. Depending on location and who answers the phone they may be helpful or as dumb as a box of rocks named "Cleetus."

>>1019987
Of course.

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It begins!

>>1020011
Straw.

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>>1020013
Only if it is no longer the rainy season for anon.

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>>1019940

Two cups of dirt in a ziplock per sample. For each sample I scooped up dirt from around one raised bed and mixed it together.

$40 per sample for the heavy metals test suite. Other tests cost more. My landlord even reimbursed me for the cost :^)


>>1019987
Can't you just mulch rabbit manure directly?
I went camping for four days and came back to half my tomato plants having set fruit and luffa sprouted (along side the pumpkin I planted. Tomatoes continue grow after they've set fruit right?

Cukes are doing very well, super chilis haven't grown much, but my bell pepper and serrano are doing good. The eggplant had some leaf beetles today so I spritzed it down with permethrin.

>>1020027
There is urine mix in the bedding, the amonia kill all my worm in vermicompost so I'm using it as manure tea -__-

>>1019969
In America usually every county has an "agricultural extension" office that's linked to the nearest agricultural school and the USDA. They're the guys to go see when you want to test your soil or put something new in the ground to grow commercially. Often what you want to grow has already been thoroughly researched, and they can give you specific growing information that's tailored to your soil type-what to fertilize with, spacing, and all that.
Or if you want to do some research on something, they can get you in touch with a professor who will work with you and maybe help with funding your project-as long as he can write a paper about what you are doing.

>>1020027

Only semi-related, should I roundup my gravel parking lot? Its got all those little plants growing in the gravel (see left of the truck).

I'm not sure if those will eventually cover the gravel with organic matter (mud) or loosen the pack.

>>1020039
use cooking grease. They will suffocate

>>1020041

don't do this, it takes a crane to get the grease out

>>1020027
Yes you can mulch manure directly, just be sure to not do it too richly or risk burning the plants.

The purpose of compost tea is to feed plants that are already growing without disturbing their roots. It is a liquid fertilizer.

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>>1020027
>>1020104
>Can't you just mulch rabbit manure directly?

No, it is way too "hot" and will cause root burn. Rabbit manure is similar to chicken manure in that regard. With some plants you can get away with doing that using horse manure (don't use on food crops in this manner). Using the manure tea method is a good first use of manure prior to composting. After that you can make compost tea for the same thing.

"Side-dressing" with hot manure can be done. This is a method where a bin, trench, or manure tower/worm tower(pic) is installed beside the plants. Rain will wash out manure tea into the surrounding area. This should be done early in the season well before any harvesting would ever be done. Side-dressing with commercial fertilizer is a little different and a bit closer to the plant, fyi.

>>1020031
Yeah, you need to allow it to age for a while so all the ammonia gas either escapes or turns to nitrogen. After that, you can add it to your vermicompost stuff. Basically, just keep a big pile of compost that you shovel new stuff to on one end and shovel from on the other. It has to be open to the air as much as possible.

>>1020039
Don't give money to Monsanto when you can help it. Use boiling water or vinegar instead.

>>1020042
Cooking grease wouldn't be too bad. Microbes and oxygen will break it down so long as it doesn't get too far down into the soil below where there's little to no oxygen.

I read that fennel isn't great for other plants, like something it produces inhibits the growth of nearby plants.
Is this just while they're growing, or will fennel fuck up my soil long-term in regards to growing other plants?

>>1020147
The effects shouldn't last more than a season so long as you pull out all parts of the plant.

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>>1020013
I actually have mulch around this year because they struggled with droughts previously

>>1020112
>it is way too "hot" and will cause root burn

rabbit droppings alone are not too hot to use as dressing or mulch. If combined with urine soaked bedding it can be.

The pellets break down in place and are digested well enough to not risk root burn

>>1020156
>rabbit droppings alone are not too hot to use as dressing or mulch

Only if correctly side-dressed, but not as a mulch. A mulch blocks weed growth, that is far too much.

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What kond of caterpillar is this?

>>1020257
The kind you should purge.

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>>1020259
i will i was just wondering if he was a cool moth like
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird_hawk-moth

>>1020268
Are cool moths worth allowing your plants to get eaten?

Is there a certain point at which you're supposed to snib pole beans, or do you just let them grow and climb on stuff until the end of their life?

>>1020351
maybe like a single one.

>>1020357
You'd probably be better off buying larvae for cool moths and growing them on purpose than trying to get lucky with random garden pests.

>>1020358
yeah i took care of him just now, he had probably just began eating an hour ago or less, already had eaten 1/4 a leaf.
i guess they just stay dormant during the day and eat at night because birds and such

also just cool to see how their green matches the neon green of my tomato. gardening is fun even if it's small time

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Does anyone else have been in a similar situation?

I'm about to give up on edible plants. I mean, after doing some math, I have concluded that, for the most part, is not quite efficient to keep on growing vegetables. To me at least.

I mean, I don't have the space for a large crop, so I'm limited to some pots here and there, which also implies I can't grow large plants, like avocado or walnut.

So being limited to small plants, these usually are dirty cheap in my country. A full grown lettuce is cheaper than a packet of seeds. Given time, is more efficient to buy the seeds because I could get lots more plants... except, I'm limited to grow one or two at the time, unless I want to devote the entirety of my pots to lettuces. Which takes me to my last point.

Time. Tending the plants is relatively easy: water once or twice every week, put some fertilizer now and then, check for plagues. Problem is, by the time the lettuces are big enough to be harvested, I already had to buy some more to eat. Waiting for 5 weeks before harvesting 2 lettuces means I would eat one lettuce every 3 weeks... which is a bit below what we use to eat in here. (Yeah, we eat a lot of lettuce, but the point remains for most vegetables) If we consider these tend to be smaller than the ones we get at the market, we are running even shorter, and then we have to consider potential plagues.

So, all in all, keeping care of a plant is fun and satisfactory, just not very efficient from an economical point of view.

Although I'm some guy living on a big city.

>>1020417
Solution: Move.

>>1020417
Grow some plants that aren't common in your markets, or are more expensive than you'd like to pay.
Grow special varieties of stuff. Heirloom tomatoes, romanesco broccoli, et cetera.

the pumpkin shot right up. lot quicker than the corn. about 7 out of 10 plants. still got about 15 seeds. just planted them maybe 6 days ago.

>>1020548
two are yellow and wilted though. any ideas?

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>>1020417
I grow grow/raise my own food for my health. I don't trust completely random strangers who work for a corporation to grow/raise/make food for me. They do not have my best interest or health in mind. They only want my money. That alone is a big red flag for me. My health is worth a lot more than some simple savings.

However, I live in the country side and own 40+ acres of land. I make money from my farming, thus it is very efficient and economical for me. That profit is just the icing on the cake for me. I glad I make a profit, but even if I didn't make a profit, I'd still be farming my own food.

As for your problem. There are entire families who live in city apartments who grow nearly all their own food and sell extra to their neighbors.

>>1020550
That spot may hold more water than other areas and is too wet.

>>1020554
yeah we had a big rain, but the others look great.

>>1020556
You may need to remove and replace it. If you do, check how well draining that section of soil is. Add sand if it doesn't drain properly. If it is the same as everything else then that plant may not be very good from the seed.

>>1020417
Make a little mini greenhouse devoted to raising seeds outdoors and use the excess seeds to grow the plants in soil blocks.
When they get to a couple of inches high, sell them for a buck and live like a king anon.
Gardening on a small scale is nice, choose plants that'll vine or climb and you can grow vertically instead of laterally and therefore make the most of your small space.
You'd be surprised at what can be grown vertically, even squashes and melons can be tied and trellised up and still yeild quite nicely.

>>1020560
>Add sand to increase drainage
Adding organic matter like compost is always better than adding sand.
Adding porous sand or loam to silty clay soil can net you something that ends up like concrete and sets hard after a good watering.
Always use sand as a last resort for drainage problems.

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there selling pumpkin plants in little pots for 5 clams.

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>>1020571
honestly the clams are probably worth more

>>1020571
potted vegetable plants sell for $3 here.

>>1020571
>>1020596
Goddamn that's expensive.

At my local garden shop they sell good looking kauliflower seedlings too. Honestly, I felt the urge to buy some. When I get home I saw my first seedlings come up through the ground and felt good I didn't fall for the seedling jew.

>>1020548
I thought it would be a lot more work, but they just poped right up. I mean I guess it could be a lot of work depending.

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One of my peppers drooped again, and I found out my phone has a timelapse option. Maybe you like.
Realtime is about half an hour.

>>1020670
Looks like a lack of light to me.

>>1020676
Nah, it was from the heat, they spend most of their time outside now, I just put it inside for the recording.
Today was the first hot day since the beginning of last week, so it probably got a bit dehydrated, all the others have smaller leaves and they are doing just fine.

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got my balcony container garden going, trying out the geopots made of fabric, got a tomato in a 10 gal and some bush beans and snap peas in 7 gals, anyone tried these or other air-pruning planters?


http://www.leevalley.com/en/Garden/page.aspx?p=69037&cat=2,51603&ap=1

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>>1020571
>>1020596
>>1020603
Where I live you get a flat tray of plants for $20 usd regardless of the plant type. That's 48 plants, each usually 4 inches tall, for $0.41 usd each. Later in the season, when the plants are much larger, they cost twice as much.

>>1020565
Adding sand is always needed regardless of clay or compost soil type. Both extremes have water problems. I've been farming for years now and never had the problem you are referring to and I live in an all-clay area and make my own soil from pure compost. "Loam" is already perfect and doesn't need sand (unless you are growing cactus or similar special needs plants). Loam is already the perfect mix of clay, sand, and silt. You only use compost on top of it when revitalizing the field.

>>1020670
Pretty neat. I wish my camera had a time lapse option built in. This reposted pic is the best I was able to do in 2010.

>>1020794
Better to learn how to start your own seedlings indoors.

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>>1020889
That's what I do now. I was able to start planting outside under polytunnels the 1st week of April this year. Everyone else in the area just started tilling their gardens last week.

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>>1020697
yeah home depot has them under this new stupid black magic brand i suspect is aimed at recreational growing here in california.

but anyway i got one of the big ones for a tomato plant and it's doing very well in high heat and sun, the more i water it the more it grows, i can almost water it every day if i want, though the soil loses moisture quick because the barrier is black fabric.

also the ones in your pic look alot sturdier pic related is the one i have

Alright guys, don't make fun of me.
This is the mycologist dude, and believe it or not, I am great at growing fungi, but have never pulled off plants very well. I have what you would call a black or brown thumb. It bugs me, because I like to think I have great ideas of the concepts of nutrition/uptake, and environment control.
So I have a question; I have a depressing apartment garden, and all that is available to me is about 20 sq ft of shitty landscaping mulch with soil underneath.
I have been attempting to turn it into a green space, and the small space is my biggest limiting factor paired with fences that keep direct sunlight down to a couple of hours. The area was covered in weeds, so I went ahead and mulched them in before planting anything, and I mixed what little soil was there in. It is still mostly bark mulch though.
I have a small row of radishes, some monsanto breed, and they grow very well anywhere, and have been progressing normally. However, any time they get direct sun they wilt. The soil is moist and cool, and all my other plants are fine. They stop wilting once they are back in the shade. What is up with this? Are they accustomed to the decreased sunlight they get most of the day?

>>1020940
•Inoculate the landscaping mulch with Pleurotus ostreatus to begin the bioremediation process.
•Destroy the Monsanto demons and add them to your newly started compost pile.
•Plant daikon radishes. Use shade cloth over them if they start wilting in the sun.
•Paint the fences flat white, if they are not already painted white. This is to reflect ambient light back towards the plants.
•Identify the weeds in your area. There may be some delicious ones.

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Update, day ???
I snipped all the ones I'm keeping a second time a few days ago.

>>1020954
>Already inoculated with Stropharia rugoso-annulata
>Can't paint the fences
>Weeds are bittercress, nipplewort, chickweed. All edible.

I think I'll stick with the Monsanto breed. They have done a great job so far, and I am perfectly comfortable with them most likely being GMO. I am also not a big fan of daikon.

So you do think it is just too much sunlight? I thought that most plants wouldn't thrive unless they got direct sun

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>>1020966
Checked. Looks like they're doing great!

>>1020970
Indeed they do, imma repot em somewhere this week, especially that caramel bhut desperately needs a bigger pot >>1020670
I did have some aphids on one, no idea how they get up here on the 1st floor. But it was only on the weakest, smallest plant, and just a handful, I picked em off yesterday and didn't see any today, so I'm not too worried.

>>1020967
Raddishes are a cool weather crop. If it is hot there then the sun will push them over their tolerances. You'd need a shade cloth for when they are in sun and it is hot outside, but not need it for any other time.

>>1020980
Got it. Thanks

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>>1020966
Any flowers popping up yet?
Anyway, also an update from me (>>1017413)
Top part is flipped this time, so from left to right Hungarian bell, California Wonder, Cayenne
Bottom left is advancing fruit of Cayenne, bottom right the now appearing fruit of Hungarian bell (California Wonder is still a bit behind, but tiny fruit is also visible there)
After a brief cold snap, more 25-30°C weather is on the clock for the next 10 days, which should do them good

>>1020987
That thumbnail in the cross-linked post makes your plants look so tiny.

>>1020987
No flowers yet.
Relatively high temps here too, so I hope they'll take off again after the repotting.

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NEW THREAD: >>1021006
NEW THREAD: >>1021006
NEW THREAD: >>1021006

>>1020794
>Adding sand is always needed

I've never added sand to my potting mix or ground soil.

In my experience, sand aids in soil compaction. It's too dense to help aerate or provide conduit for drainage.

It could be that I've been using the wrong kind, just big store play sand. Maybe larger aggregate sand would help the soil break apart?

The best way I've found to make soil drain well, but provide structure for roots, is to add peat moss or similar. You can offset some of the acidity with wood ash. Pearlite can help for potting mix, but I wouldn't add it to ground soil due to it's permanence. You could probably get away with a really carbon rich not-quite-done compost. Think 1/4 grass clippings 3/4 autumn leaves. Light and fluffy, does not compact well.