TheOtherOne's 2014 OreGrow

[TheOtherOne]

I'm gonna eat a few to test them out. Most are for my back pain.
I make a tincture from hot peppers, and apply it where it hurts, I'd highly recommend it for anyone with chronic muscle related pain.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Does anyone know how well nitrogen fixing bacteria on legumes would work in the first year? I know in modern agriculture, we switch off every other year or so, and the following crops will benefit, but what about three sisters? The natives would plant their beans and corn together, the corn gaining nitrogen, and the beans gaining a nice thin post to grow up.

I'm thinking of using this method with pole beans / rustica to try and get the highest nitrogen poetential from my composted soil.

(Yeah, it was inspired by Jessica's writings on N. Rustica's need for large amounts of nitrogen.)

 

[Jpcouling]

Where can I find Jessica's writings on N. Rustica?

 

[istanbulin]

Here, http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/3521-High-yield-N-rustica-varieties?p=62009&viewfull=1#post62009

 

[Jpcouling]

Here, http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/3521-High-yield-N-rustica-varieties?p=62009&viewfull=1#post62009

Thanks Istanbulin!

 

[NRustica]

Wow, the leaves on the brasilia types were huge. I'll have to remember to request those next year.

 

[deluxestogie]

Does anyone know how well nitrogen fixing bacteria on legumes would work in the first year? I know in modern agriculture, we switch off every other year or so, and the following crops will benefit, but what about three sisters? The natives would plant their beans and corn together, the corn gaining nitrogen, and the beans gaining a nice thin post to grow up.

I'm thinking of using this method with pole beans / rustica to try and get the highest nitrogen poetential from my composted soil.

(Yeah, it was inspired by Jessica's writings on N. Rustica's need for large amounts of nitrogen.)

The three sisters approach does have an invitingly holistic feel to it. I have tried it, and found it problematic.

• The greatest soil nitrogen advantage derived from legumes seems to be in a subsequent year, after the legume roots and stems (or the entire plants) have been tilled under and rotted. The symbiotic relationship is beneficial to the growing legume, which creates some protein using free nitrogen.
• My pole beans, at least, climb prolifically, and create a wind-sail for the shallowly-anchored corn stalk. That is, the corn is more likely to blow down.
• My squash, growing beneath the shade of the corn and beans tended to suffer more from downy mildew than squash grown in the open.
• The close spacing required for planting the corn, beans and squash together seemed to provide inadequate root space for any of them.

Maybe I just did it wrong, but I now plant them separately. I suppose that such a mixed planting in mounds makes sense when the only tilling instruments are a sharp stick and an adz made from a deer scapula (ala Buffalo Bird Woman's Diary).

I have seen a study of late planting of legumes for next year's green fertilizer that seemed to indicate that the legumes preferentially extracted nitrogen from the dead roots of the previous crop, rather than using Rhizobia. The recommendation for green fertilizer for tobacco is a late crop of wheat or other grass that is tilled under by late fall.

Bob

 

[TheOtherOne]

That's kind of what I was afraid to hear. My plants did just fine in mostly horse and cow manure last year, but I could tell a distinct difference in size between my organic plants, and other members larger artificially fertilized plants.

beliefs on agriculture have changed a lot since the first Americans lived here, this I fully agree with. Problem is I don't have time for a cover crop anymore, and I'd really really like to give them a nice nitrogen bomb later in life without having to flush it from their system, or subject them to lightning strikes

So, what do you think about adding alfalfa, or alfalfa tea to the plants? do you think it would encourage mold formation, or root rot? Also, do you think cattle fed a diet high in legumes such as alfalfa and clover would produce more nitrogen rich manure?

Also, Bob... I hope there wasn't any perceived aggression toward you in my last post in relation to Mendel's theory, I obviously didn't make it clear in my first post that I was bringing attention to an out-dated theory rather than presenting it as fact.

 

[istanbulin]

Actually, nitrogen fixing bacteria can be found in soil too but the ones living in the legume (and some other families') root nodules are more effective and intensive. Yes, nitrogen also can be derived from rotted nodules but it's decomposition not nitrogen fixation. The bacteria living in nodules don't need rotted roots for free (atmospheric) nitrogen fixation, they live in them. When the plant parts rotted decomposers (ammonification) take place and then nitrifying and etc to turn the cycle. Fabaceae (beans, alfalfa etc.) contribute well for free nitrogen fixation, for example Trifolium repens (white clover) can supply 1/3 of the required nitrogen only by fixing atmospheric (free) nitrogen, so air. (approx. 78% of air is nitrogen).

 

[TheOtherOne]

Had to treat the plants with spanish water today. My Maghorka (I think I spell that name differently every time I write it..) came up today, as did my Ismir. The plants I had to treat where all tobacco except the naga also needed some. I can still hear the spam cans almost sizzling inside as the peroxide kills the spores. I didn't have to treat the Magorkha or Burley plants.

 

[istanbulin]

Not only Mahorka but also İzmir.

 

[TheOtherOne]

It's not my fault! Spell check doesn't have them

 

[TheOtherOne]

All of the mahorka I planted is now up. I'm seperating three of the 8 specimens into different planters later on this afternoon.
My rustica and Xanti outside are doing just fine despite the current 35 mph wind.
Can't say the same about other things around here >_<

 

[TheOtherOne]

So, I've created my 80 cubic foot planter for my Mahorka today. Guess I built it a little large for the number of plants I have growing. I've already got requests from local friends and family who'd like to buy or trade for a little from me. The hopi plants where a big hit, but I didn't have much to share of it except a "big hit"
I am a bit worried it might not turn out as well as the hopi rustica as far as nic. content, but it is said to be quite easy to cure. Now that I have seed bags, I'll probably start some hopi rustica, and just bag the mahorka to avoid any problems related to open pollination.

Pics of the planter soon

 

[DGBAMA]

Look forward to pics of the planter. Good to hear the starts are doing well.

 

[Boboro]

Look at Dokah pipes

 

[Boboro]

Dokha.

 

[Chicken]

if you got people requesting some of your, crop.... then thiers a market thier, to grow a lot and make a $

selling it as whole leaf is legal as hell.

id like to grow a big crop... and have a good place to store, it and see how it would sell. in my area,,,

 

[TheOtherOne]

The slugs are eating everything out there. I'll send pics when I get them under control.

 

[Knucklehead]

I'm planted out for the year too. I'm expecting the slugs to find me pretty soon. What are you doing to control them?