Dubhelix 2020 grow

[dubhelix]

This year I’m growing a patch of Little Dutch for cigar filler. I’ve got seeds on the way from NWT.

Since I gave last years garden spot to the wife for veggies, I’m reclaiming some swampy land for the tobacco patch. Last years patch on the left, this years patch on the right.


Using my trusty broad fork, I’ve mixed in a bunch of humus and compost and stuff.


It’s kinda soggy right now, but I’m working to “drain the swamp” by cutting in drainage and build the bed up a bit with additional soil. I made a path with myceliated wood chips along one side.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Looks great. Best of luck!

 

[Tutu]

Awesome! Good luck with the drainage!

 

[dubhelix]

Thanks! It’s looking better already, drainage wise. We’ll see how it goes when it quits pouring down rain every night.

 

[dubhelix]

Little Dutch seed arrived from NWT.

I am using soilblocks this year, since my wife has the mix and tools all ready to go. Here’s 40 mini-blocks, each with one (+/- 1) seed on top.


The bed is looking better.
Broadfork, Hoe, Rake, Repeat.

 

[dubhelix]

The soil-block makers are pretty cool devices. They punch out semi-compressed, nesting grow cubes.

Maker’s Mark, for those interested.

The block-making mix is coconut fiber (coir) and perlite and earthworm castings and stuff.

 

[Knucklehead]

That’s some really nice looking soil in your patch. You may need a step ladder for topping.

 

[dubhelix]

Seeds are showing some green six days in, so I better get this patch finished. I’m using my trusty broadfork instead of my tiller this year. It’s labor intensive, but if it’s a task I can do while smoking a stogie then...it can’t termed laborious.

I’ve got four wide rows (or I will when I’m done).
They’ll get turned one more time...if it ever stops raining.


The ducks waddle in after me to pick out juicy worms and bugs and stuff.

 

[dubhelix]

Today the seedlings got transplanted into the medium sized cubes. From the 40 starter cubes, I chose 28 sprouts, and snugged them into their new homes. I only had 24 cubes made, so I pressed out another set.

They’ll be as close to the fluorescents as I can get them for a couple weeks.

Now for water and waiting.

 

[Knucklehead]

Ah, now I get it.

 

[dubhelix]

Twelve days from seed. Six days in the medium blocks.

Got the rows and hills raked out. Not much to look at.

 

[dubhelix]

The beds are each 2.5 feet wide and about 15 ft long. I’m thinking five plants per row, but I might only do four every other row so they can be staggered to aid access.

 

[Knucklehead]

Bump. How is it going?

 

[dubhelix]

It’s going...slow. I think they’re going to be ok, though. It’s warming up outside, so I’ve started moving them out to “real” light. Hopefully they will take off any time now and get big and strong.


The patch is all ready to go. Four rows mounded up and seeded with clover. Really nice deep soil. This spot gets a bit of evening shade starting at about 6pm.


I trenched out the left hand side, and around the left edge in the foreground of the picture, and laid in perforated drainage pipe. Now when it rains the groundwater uphill of my patch has somewhere to go. I covered it up with the stems of my cover crop and a cubic yard of chipped Alanthus Wood myceliated with King Stropharia.

The mushrooms I planted in last years patch fruited. Made big mushrooms.

The whole lower orchard is super lush and rich. I can’t wait for the growing season to be in full swing.

 

[deluxestogie]

Most of my transplants are also behind. It's been too cool on my enclosed back porch. I'm hoping that the warmth of the next few weeks will help them catch up. Regardless, I won't transplant until the seedlings are large enough to safely transplant. I'll just wait for them.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

I’ve been envious of your soil since you turned it. Mine has too much clay but still still manages to produce some leafage. I’m looking forward to your season, mine will have to wait until next year. Thanks for posting.

 

[dubhelix]

Since today is the approximate “last frost” date, I figured I’d take a closer look at my sprouts. I broke open one of the cubes and discovered that the medium was too tightly packed to allow root penetration into the larger block.

In the hope that I could salvage the sprouts, I transplanted the 28 seedling into my usual deep cell trays and the same fluffy ProMix BX w/mycorrhizae potting medium that I used last year.

To hedge my bets, I deposited Little Dutch seeds in the other 22 cells.

I’m just going to keep the water tray topped off and leave it outside in a protected area.

We will see.

 

[Knucklehead]

Do you have heated seedling mats and lighting?

 

[dubhelix]

Do you have heated seedling mats and lighting?

I do have them, but if it’s warm enough outside I prefer nature to the lights. I think they’ll be ok on the deck. Last year I started seed in May 15 and left them outdoors the whole time, under the gazebo in part shade until they’re sturdy.

Last year my transplants went in to the ground on June 21st, so that’s my benchmark, but...I’d like to get them in earlier than that.

 

[deluxestogie]

Although that seems awfully late, by indoor starting standards, that is pretty much how it was timed prior to the use of greenhouses. Historically, outdoor starting beds were seeded a week or two before last frost date (mid May for much of Virginia), and covered, like a cold frame, then pulled for transplant as soon as they were sturdy enough (typically at least 6 weeks).

Bob