Wruk53 2021 fall/winter grow log

[wruk53]

I haven't had much trouble with blow overs. I don't use any type of recirculation. I feed them in the mornings with a very weak solution, only about 10 ounces or so of solution, it's not enough to flow out of the drainage holes at that point. In the afternoon, I give them a dose of fresh water, just enough so that the reservoir fills and trickles out through the drain holes. From tending them daily, you get a feel for how much water is needed, so there's not a lot of waste. The watering/feeding chores only takes 10-15 minutes a day, but I only grow about 50-70 plants at a time.. This system would be impractical for large grows.

I'm currently using Hydroponic Special soluble fertilizer, mfg. by Southern Ag. mixed with magnesium sulfate and calcium nitrate. 4 parts hydro special, 1 part magnesium sulfate and 1 part calcium nitrate. I mix about 2 tbs. of this mix in 5 gallons of water. This is a little on the weak side, you could mix it a little stronger if you think the plants need it, but not too much, with fertilizer, less is better than too much.

 

[deluxestogie]

Tobacco Farms in Florida, just north of Tallahassee:

First Tobacco Farms in Florida - Florida Sun Grown

For nearly 175 years, Florida had a rich and storied history of growing some of the world’s finest cigar tobacco. Florida was once the second largest producer of premium cigar tobacco in America. There were thousands of acres grown just north of Tallahassee in...

floridasungrown.com

Bob

 

[Cray Squirrel]

I haven't had much trouble with blow overs. I don't use any type of recirculation. I feed them in the mornings with a very weak solution, only about 10 ounces or so of solution, it's not enough to flow out of the drainage holes at that point. In the afternoon, I give them a dose of fresh water, just enough so that the reservoir fills and trickles out through the drain holes. From tending them daily, you get a feel for how much water is needed, so there's not a lot of waste. The watering/feeding chores only takes 10-15 minutes a day, but I only grow about 50-70 plants at a time.. This system would be impractical for large grows.

I'm currently using Hydroponic Special soluble fertilizer, mfg. by Southern Ag. mixed with magnesium sulfate and calcium nitrate. 4 parts hydro special, 1 part magnesium sulfate and 1 part calcium nitrate. I mix about 2 tbs. of this mix in 5 gallons of water. This is a little on the weak side, you could mix it a little stronger if you think the plants need it, but not too much, with fertilizer, less is better than too much.

Must have taken a bit to get that dialed in. What did you grow in hydro before bacca?.

 

[wruk53]

Must have taken a bit to get that dialed in. What did you grow in hydro before bacca?.

Tomatoes, pepper, okra, squash, etc.

 

[Cray Squirrel]

Tomatoes, pepper, okra, squash, etc.

You sure nailed it !!

Cray Squirrel, I am unable to get good results growing in the ground for the following reasons: The soil in this part of the State is what we call "sugar sand", it has just about zero nutrients in it and is infested with root knot nematodes. Farmers in this area do grow commercial crops here, but they have to fumigate the soil first, fertilize and use raised beds covered with plastic film. The fumigant is not available to purchase without a pesticide license and it takes specialized equipment to apply it. So, it would be way more work and expense than I am willing to put forth.

Yeah Even being commercial I wouldn't go to that bother either. We used ethylene bromide for years. With the sun, I would guess that solar pasteurization might work to some degree. Knew the sand was tough.
Pitb to maintain federal licenses for pesticides.

 

[wruk53]

Transplanted my winter crop outside this morning. Shirazi and Trabzon 2. If all goes well, I should be able to start priming about a week before Christmas.

The close ups of the mulch are Rustica sprouts that I seeded directly in the containers. I seeded 17 pots and have sprouts in 15 of them.

Last is a pic of my Grandson ready for the Saturday morning game.

 

[Homegrowngoodnes]

Looks good to me!

 

[deluxestogie]

After your winter grow, you might consider just dumping the contents of all the buckets into the soil where they presently stand. Instant garden bed enrichment, and less work for subsequent grows.

Bob

 

[Cray Squirrel]

Transplanted my winter crop outside this morning. Shirazi and Trabzon 2. If all goes well, I should be able to start priming about a week before Christmas.

The close ups of the mulch are Rustica sprouts that I seeded directly in the containers. I seeded 17 pots and have sprouts in 15 of them.

Last is a pic of my Grandson ready for the Saturday morning game.

Smart system of growing with the mulch. Easy to find, cheap and you avoid the root know nematodes in the soil.
Those seedlings look great. What are you feeding them with? A soluble hydro formula...

 

[wruk53]

Smart system of growing with the mulch. Easy to find, cheap and you avoid the root know nematodes in the soil.
Those seedlings look great. What are you feeding them with? A soluble hydro formula...

Yes. Hydroponic Special soluble fertilizer, mfg. by Southern Ag. mixed with magnesium sulfate and calcium nitrate. 4 parts hydro special, 1 part magnesium sulfate and 1 part calcium nitrate. I use about 2 tbs. of this mixed in 5 gallons of water. Miracle Grow for tomatoes can be used in place of the hydro special, but it's a lot more expensive.

 

[wruk53]

Just a little update on my winter crop. Most of these plants were transplanted outside 16 days ago. 19 of the white buckets are Trabzon2. The rest of the larger plants are Shirazi, mostly in dark buckets.

The photo with the small seedlings are Mohawk Rustica, which were direct seeded into the containers 3 weeks ago. I thinned them down to the 2 best looking plants and will thin down to one plant per container in a week or two.

The closeup photos show some pest damage on the Trabzon2. Not as much damage on the Shirazi. Sprayed with BT this morning.

Also, there was some doubt as to whether the Trabzon2 was petiolate or sessile, so I tried to get some definitive photos of that. They are sessile, but its a pretty thin strip of lamina that goes all the way to the stalk.

 

[JMorgan]

This has been a really cool blog to read though. Interesting to see alternative methods

You have not mentioned the chooks in a while. So did you or your boxer eat them?

 

[wruk53]

This has been a really cool blog to read though. Interesting to see alternative methods

You have not mentioned the chooks in a while. So did you or your boxer eat them?

Thank you. My neighbor finally built a coop, so they almost ceased to be an annoyance except for the crowing.

 

[wruk53]

The first photo is Mohawk Rustica, they should start showing rapid vegetative growth soon.

The next two are Trabzon2, 30 days from transplant. It's hard to tell from the pics, but they are shade darker green than the Shirazi.

Last two are Shirazi. 30 days from transplant.

If you compare these plants with the pics of the fall crop at the same age, you'll see they are much smaller, due to the shorter days and less intense sunlight. But I figure, even if they only yield half an ounce of cured leaf per plant, it was worth doing.

 

[JMorgan]

Note: I posted the wrong pic at first, I deleted it and put the correct one in its place.

This ^ made me laugh a lot, really cheered me up for some reason

and....




Is that the female Ruby Throated Hummingbird?

 

[wruk53]

This ^ made me laugh a lot, really cheered me up for some reason

and....


View attachment 39965

Is that the female Ruby Throated Hummingbird?

Yes it is a female. There are currently at least 3 hummers hanging around here. I usually see them almost year round, except for several weeks in the Spring. I believe they go North during that time to nest and come back when the chicks have fledged. Sometimes they will go South for the winter also, but not usually.

 

[wruk53]

Sometimes the photos rearrange themselves after I post them, so if my commentary doesn't match the order of the pics, that's why.

The first 2 pics are Mohawk Rustica that were direct seeded into the buckets on 10/06/21.

The next 2 pics are mostly Trabzon2 with a few Shirazi mixed in.

Next 2 are mostly Shirazi.

One pic shows a brown spot on a Trabzon leaf. The Trabzon seems a little more susceptible to pest and disease damage than Shirazi.

Last is a close up of the Trabzon showing the leaf attachment to the stalk.

The Shirazi are several inches taller than the Trabzon2, but the T2 has closer internode spacing, so I believe they will yield about the same amount.

Yesterday was the 6 week date from transplanting the Shirazi and Trabzon2.

 

[wruk53]

The Rustica is starting to take off. I don't plan on topping or suckering them.

Today is 8 weeks for the Shirazi and trabzon2. I took some before topping and after topping photos. I bagged one T2 plant that had the least amount of pest/disease damage.

 

[wruk53]

A few random pictures. I maintain a Hummingbird feeder in December, January and February. Normally my firebushes will not flower much during that time, but this December has been very warm and we've had more rain than usual, so they are still blooming. In fact, I'm still having to mow the lawn. In a normal year, the mowing would be over by late October and would resume about May.
I have a nice crop of snow flowers this year. The honeybees are crazy about them. I've learned the hard way that I shouldn't walk barefoot through them.
One pic of a gardenia blossom.
A few pics of my tobacco plants. I'll need to start priming in about a week or so.

 

[wruk53]

Today is 10 weeks from transplant for the Shirazi and Trabzon 2 and 2 weeks from topping. I feel the impatience bug starting to bite, but I'm going to hold off at least another week before priming.
The Rustica was started in early October, so they have a ways to go yet.