Nope, no mulch. I used it last year and it seemed to retain moisture, but this year I went with a water retention polymer crystals. I only had to water a few times this summer out of necessity. The other times have been for feeding. I added some Fox Farms American Pride in the holes when I planted, but I don't think I used enough. This was the first run with it so I wanted to go easy on it. It seems to have worked well, so next year I am going to use a bit more and maybe reapply it in July. My whole watering scheme is really a back breaker.
I always try to get my holes dug and filled with promix about a week before I put the plants out. This serves several purposes. I have had problems in the past with squirrels or some other small rodent digging around the base of the plant. When the soil is in early, I feel like it gives them some time to get used to the newly overturned soil in their area and poke around ahead of time. Might just be luck or coincedence, but I haven't had any major problems with them uprooting my young plants since. It also gives some time for rain. For those of you familiar with promix or any other peat based mix, it takes A LOT of water to initially saturate it. It saves a lot of time and energy come transplant day. Simply scoop some soil back and drop the plants in. I don't even water them on transplant day anymore. With the polymer crystal and the American Pride, sufficient moisture and nutrients are already waiting there. It's the little things like that which you generally only learn through trial and error that reduce labor and make life a little easier. Anything you can do to reduce labor means, in theory, you can put out more plants. Or at the very least make the plants you do put out a bit healthier. Even a small grow like this one takes a hell of a lot of work. I put out about 6 autos early on too, so between them and the big plants, I was dead some days. I can only get so far in my vehicle, so the soil had to be humped in on foot a good ways. That was probably the worst. Not sure if I am going to use this spot again next year, but if I do, I am going to try to get a few bags out at the end of the season.
those turtles look like eastern box turtles they are pretty rare
I have been considering pro-mix for it's aeration and water retention property's but I must admit I avoid peat based soils like the plague, very eco conscious gardener and hate using peat moss because it is not a very renewable resource. But things are getting tough out here don't have a property for a legal grow anymore and watching some of the shit my old lady goes through without Cannabis.... well ecology be damned compared to seeing that shit.
Thank you very much for telling me about your plot preparation method, I appreciate it! And it does give me something to consider for the plot's that aren't going to have easy water access.
Oh and the tip on putting them out after the soil sets seems like a smart move to me, I think critter's note the fresh earth and think something is stashed down there. And it gives me more reason to pre-prepare the plot before I put anything out because when I get a plant actually out there I want as little time near it as I can. Less I see it less chance of being found with it, or it being found period.
P.s.: Even though it is more expensive how do you feel about making a coir mix on site? Considering it as dehydrated coir is tiny and very very light. Also coco coir is a renewable resource, and peat is not so much. But coir has some issues such as needing a damn good rinse. That and my PH is never stable for the first week or two with coir I gotta flush with ph'ed water typically. But if I just set up the plot 2-3 weeks before I put the plants in I am sure with local weather the coir will be well rinsed. But basically considering trucking in a few bricks of coir, perlite, advanced nutrients time release or organic blend depends on how my compost heap does this year. (Well dehydrated compost seems lighter than premade soil too.) Polymer crystal's also of course. Still undecided though.
I know the eastern box turtle is gone from a lot of areas, but it certainly isn't extinct.