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I was out on a guerrilla adventure and thought I'd take my camera along to show some of the newer growers the ropes on digging and planting. Despite the rain, I managed to snap some step by steps photos as well. Thanks for Viewing and feel free to comment whether it be praise or criticism.
Materials Required/Recommended: Shovel, Chicken Wire, Plastic Sheet, Soil Conditioners/Fertilizers, Plants, Copper Foil Tape (or other copper metal/wire), Backpack, Watering Jug ............
Obviously, it starts with a seed... but we will fast forward a bit because you already have plants started or clones rooting. Get to your location, here is one of mine. Full sun since there's no aerial patrol roundabouts my way. Otherwise, if this is a concern, you will want to choose a location where the plants blend into the landscape better and have cover.
Once you have found a suitable location and selected a planting site, you will lay the plastic sheet down above the hole and begin to dig. Set each shovel full of earth onto the plastic sheet as you continue to dig.
We do this to make it easier to fill the hole back in once you have it to your specified depth and width. I prefer to dig at least two feet deep and two feet wide, although at times I will do 3 by 3 if the soil structure proves to be particularly unsuitable such as heavy clay or rock. Luckily this is all black loam, perfect for roots to spread.
Once you get your hole where you want it, you will likely choose to add some form of soil conditioner and fertilizers to feed your hungry plants so they might achieve their full potential. This area has such fine soil, I'm only using fertilizers and nothing for soil conditioner.
Here, I have added a mixture of Bone Meal, Blood Meal, Lime, Tankage, Seaweed Extracts, and various other secret ingredients. I will often time add in some time release fertilizer pellets, cheap and effective. I'm always sure to use the three monthy time release since I want to minimize the amount of nitrogen my plants will receive once they begin to flower, three months is pretty close time wise. As far as amounts go, I minimize it since I can always add more later. I grow a relatively large amount for one person and the name of the game is to keep moving fast and measuring is a time killer.
As you mix in your soil conditioners (peat moss, water retaining crystals, perlite, etc) and fertilizers, you can peel off a layer of soil from the plastic sheet and mix it by hand. Continue to do this until you have filled your hole back up. It is now ready for planting.
At this point I choose to wrap the base of each plant in a copper foil tape to keep slugs at bay. You can use copper wiring to achieve the same effect, but this copper foil tape is easily found on Ebay for quite cheap and is quick and easy. This is half inch tape so I double it up because you want at least an inch of it. ( You can also use slug killer, beer traps, diatomaceous earth and other remedies for slugs)
Materials Required/Recommended: Shovel, Chicken Wire, Plastic Sheet, Soil Conditioners/Fertilizers, Plants, Copper Foil Tape (or other copper metal/wire), Backpack, Watering Jug ............
Obviously, it starts with a seed... but we will fast forward a bit because you already have plants started or clones rooting. Get to your location, here is one of mine. Full sun since there's no aerial patrol roundabouts my way. Otherwise, if this is a concern, you will want to choose a location where the plants blend into the landscape better and have cover.
Once you have found a suitable location and selected a planting site, you will lay the plastic sheet down above the hole and begin to dig. Set each shovel full of earth onto the plastic sheet as you continue to dig.
We do this to make it easier to fill the hole back in once you have it to your specified depth and width. I prefer to dig at least two feet deep and two feet wide, although at times I will do 3 by 3 if the soil structure proves to be particularly unsuitable such as heavy clay or rock. Luckily this is all black loam, perfect for roots to spread.
Once you get your hole where you want it, you will likely choose to add some form of soil conditioner and fertilizers to feed your hungry plants so they might achieve their full potential. This area has such fine soil, I'm only using fertilizers and nothing for soil conditioner.
Here, I have added a mixture of Bone Meal, Blood Meal, Lime, Tankage, Seaweed Extracts, and various other secret ingredients. I will often time add in some time release fertilizer pellets, cheap and effective. I'm always sure to use the three monthy time release since I want to minimize the amount of nitrogen my plants will receive once they begin to flower, three months is pretty close time wise. As far as amounts go, I minimize it since I can always add more later. I grow a relatively large amount for one person and the name of the game is to keep moving fast and measuring is a time killer.
As you mix in your soil conditioners (peat moss, water retaining crystals, perlite, etc) and fertilizers, you can peel off a layer of soil from the plastic sheet and mix it by hand. Continue to do this until you have filled your hole back up. It is now ready for planting.
At this point I choose to wrap the base of each plant in a copper foil tape to keep slugs at bay. You can use copper wiring to achieve the same effect, but this copper foil tape is easily found on Ebay for quite cheap and is quick and easy. This is half inch tape so I double it up because you want at least an inch of it. ( You can also use slug killer, beer traps, diatomaceous earth and other remedies for slugs)
