Swamp tubes

[Molson]

Interesting concept... I may have to experiment with it this year with a few plants.

One of the main advantages I see here is having the plants in the swamp. As far as I'm concerned, not many people like trekking through stinky muddy ground. In addition, at least around here, the cat tails grow thick and are at least 6ft tall. (in the case that your plant gets to 12ft, I guess that wouldn't help)

So at the very least its invisible from the ground (unless you're in the middle of the god damn swamp) and probably hard to spot form helos, if the tubes are camo'ed and the plants are spread out.

 

[basilfarmer]

the thing about high quality coco is it likes slightly acidic water 5.8 compared to peat which you have to load with dolomite lime (you may still have to use lime, just not as much)

The problem is i dont think it wicks as good as peat. you might try a peat coco blend or add well rinsed new cotton string for wicks, i had bought some mop head replacements for that years ago and just never got around to trying it

 

[bob dole]

Sorry guys I left the thread, but you know how it is get busy and forget about things, and my short tem memory these days!!! lol hahaha

So ya the tubes should last 3 seasons, If you use slow release and the soil stays damp, use it more frequently but way less, the excess moisture seems to speed up how fast it releases.

On the second go smell the soil before you plant if it smells like ammonia then change the soil, if not give'r!

I think I average 1lb per container

I don't think they were bait at all, they blended very well and the shark goes really yellow,orange,red at the end so it blends with fall.

Think corn field...... now that's bait!

 

[Hindu Killer]

Pics Bob?? Harvest action??

 

[Swamp Thang]

Down in the swamps lived a man named Bob Dole
Who was as hard to see as a mole

He grew buds for which I would sell my soul
Whose high the folks all extoll

Bobbbbbb Dole !

 

[BlackBart]

I thought of using this type of builder tube myself . Thanks for this thread Bob .. looks like it will be a go for me to try this next year.

 

[Mr Apricot]

thunder bunny i've heard mendocino madness is very fast growing but 12ft monster in 6 weeks veg? You must have a green thumb

 

[santasapimp]

i cant use tubes my swamp is very shallow and im hoping water levels are consistent (never seen them deep)

im thinking of using buckets with bottoms cut off and mesh stapled on for the roots to grow threw (and so my soil doesnt fall out lmao), placed into crevices with 2-3 inchs of water id like to start my girls inside and put early flowering girls out in may, and have my nov finishing girls out in june but im unsure if my mix is very good

im using lcs mix #1 5peat/3perl/2ewc lime

should i ammend with

2tbs kelp
2tbs p bat guano
2tbs 10.10.2 peruvian seabird guano pelletized
1tbs greensand

per gallon

and wat are the best ways other then spray paint to camo? and im worried about deer eating my plants lol i wanna use mesh but my biggest worry is from above (planes or satelites) and they would prolly see the mesh

 

[microgram]

I'm sure Mr.Dole wont mind if I make some.. possibly faulty assertions. Someone could correct me if I'm wrong, but, here goes:

The cardboard tubes are used as a wick system, so using one that's WAX COATED would be a BAD idea, as the water would repel the water.

It's OKAY if the tubes degrade, I believe that's part of the point, it'll break down over time. WITHOUT sacrificing the wick-water-drawing capability.

It would contain the roots, thus possibly stunting it's growth, but it shouldn't by much. Over time the roots will be able to penetrate the wall of the tubes, don't expect this to happen for a while though, it'll take the cardboard a while until it's that broken down for roots to break the walls.

If your soil is unbalanced, you'd need to use more dolimite, especially the outter soil. If It Is... The Run Off from the surrounding area will be acidic/basic, thus unbalancing your soil's PH and potentially killing your plants.

To avoid the mold issue, bury the visible cardboard, try to cut it a few inches below the soil line, that way the mold will be greatly reduced. (The extruding cardboard is a magnet, and doesn't let the topsoil dry out which in-turn is a magnet for diseaseand fungi)

I'm glad you brought back this thread, it's sparking the intrigue in my brain!

 

[hardraade]

So..if the marsh ure planting this wicktubes out in, are acidic because of the high level of decomp.
Can I dig a good 5 cm on each side and fill the gap with limestone? I havnt used limestone in soil before(Used epsom salt in my res.)
Or will the ph just climb to insane hights? Will limestone allow the water to reach dangerous levels of oh-ions\PH too high? Or will it regulate itself following the surroundings?

 

[hardraade]

I think this was a very good idea indeed.
The "wicked" touch can drasticly reduce the need of visit with lots of water,trailing up the place for the THIEVING ASSHOLES!! makin it easy to steal and rob u blind.

 

[microgram]

Use powdered dolomite along with the crushed limestone to add more aeration around the cardboard tubes. The dolomite should act as the buffer and correct the acidity of the water.

In horticulture, dolomite and dolomitic limestone are added to soils and soilless potting mixes to lower their acidity ("sweeten" them) and as a magnesium source.

- wikipedia
The amount you'd need, I couldn't tell you. Good Soil Prep. Resource

Cheers!

 

[wisco61]

I'm sure Mr.Dole wont mind if I make some.. possibly faulty assertions. Someone could correct me if I'm wrong, but, here goes:

The cardboard tubes are used as a wick system, so using one that's WAX COATED would be a BAD idea, as the water would repel the water.

It's OKAY if the tubes degrade, I believe that's part of the point, it'll break down over time. WITHOUT sacrificing the wick-water-drawing capability.

It would contain the roots, thus possibly stunting it's growth, but it shouldn't by much. Over time the roots will be able to penetrate the wall of the tubes, don't expect this to happen for a while though, it'll take the cardboard a while until it's that broken down for roots to break the walls.

If your soil is unbalanced, you'd need to use more dolimite, especially the outter soil. If It Is... The Run Off from the surrounding area will be acidic/basic, thus unbalancing your soil's PH and potentially killing your plants.

To avoid the mold issue, bury the visible cardboard, try to cut it a few inches below the soil line, that way the mold will be greatly reduced. (The extruding cardboard is a magnet, and doesn't let the topsoil dry out which in-turn is a magnet for diseaseand fungi)

I'm glad you brought back this thread, it's sparking the intrigue in my brain!

Nope, the media in the tube wicks up the water. Thats why we use peat and or coco. Also, the roots grow down the tube into the soil below, through the open bottom not through the cardboard.

 

[Swamp Thang]

After a long hiatus from growing, during which my entire stash ran out and I wound up toking some of the most vile tasting dirt weed imaginable, I finally decided to take to the flooded forest swamps once more in my dugout canoe, and with my trusty machette in hand, to reclaim one or two of my long abandoned swamp tube sites. Aharr ! Shiver me timbers !

Got some beans inbound as I speak, and this year the line up will be the legendary Hawaiian Snow and Super Lemon Haze from Greenhouse Seeds, along with a couple of low-budget side attractions of Mama Thai from Seedsman, and Landrace Thai from Kulu seeds. All in all a Sativa smorgasborg in the making, and if all goes well I will start a grow journal when things kick off.

Remember boys and girls, the only thing worse than growing in a swamp is NOT growing in a swamp.

 

[.clunk]

I'm going to be planting a "few" in a new swamp spot this year, stay tuned!

 

[microgram]

Nope, the media in the tube wicks up the water. Thats why we use peat and or coco. Also, the roots grow down the tube into the soil below, through the open bottom not through the cardboard.

I believe you misinterpreted what I meant. Of course the roots will grow down until the cardboard has deteriorated enough for penetration. Unless the tubes he's using are waxed, cardboard will also act as a wick to help draw the water up from the soil below. This would be much more beneficial if the tubes were much longer, say 4ft and over, more surface area and the deeper the tubes get, the more water that they will uptake because you're closer to the water table (but since he's growing in a swamp, the water table is fairly close to begin with). Since cardboard is a desiccant (it's a hygroscopic material), meaning that it encourages the uptake of water. ie: making it available to the plants. It also helps centralize the water when you water your girls. It focuses the water directly downward, as opposed to just down.

 

[wisco61]

Thats great, but those concrete forms are wax coated so I am not sure where this theory is headed. Probably towards some poor bastards filling a cardboard box with peat moss and sticking it in the middle of a swamp.

As far as "centralizing the water" the point of swamp tubes is not having to water... so ya.

 

[microgram]

Apparently I haven't done enough concrete work in my lifetime... I'm pretty sure the forms I've seen around aren't (not that i particularily shop for them). Just plain old cardboard. Again though, I could be wrong, like I posted above. Either way, (assuming you're bang on) It'd be interesting to see this idea without wax coating) I may actually have to do that for this upcomming outdoor grow. One thing I don't understand is how he was having mold issues with the carboard tube, the only thing that would make sense in my opinion is if the cardboard wasn't waxed, thus the cardboard would be consistantly damp, and any spores that would come in contact with it would germinate and start causing an infestation.

I'll grab some flicks next time im at the hardware store.

I checked today, They do offer some just plain cardboard concrete forms, not many though. The majority of the ones I was snooping around had a wax coating on the inside, which would make sense. (It would make sense why he was having mold issues on his tubes)
No pictures, but next time you guys are in a hardware store, check it out.

 

[argoagro]

You are the shit & I fuckin' love you. Best things I've seen all year were the bagseed plants that are filling 1 of 6 of these bad mamajamma's. I threw some ungermed seeds in 1 while carrying supplies & setting up some, hadn't been out there in a month or so and was impressed, truly.

I think the height you have them at is perfect as well. I only set up two, and half set up one, out of those 3 I only threw seeds in one that trip. The one with plants already is maybe a tad low, but maybe not. The other 2 were maybe to high, one had partially tipped over since they weren't supported good yet, which stopped rain water from falling in it. This allowed me to gauge the moisture level after sticking my hand in there, it was perfect when my armpit was hitting the top (Basically all the way in ) which was maybe 4" above the waterline. I might drop those ones down to the height of yours, I think it's perfect there. 12" x 48", maybe actually 14" can't remember it was awhile ago, but I think 12", the biggest I could get basically, but they were 48" long (4') I remember that.

Anyways thanks again, I'm getting more of these out this year, filling the rest, and also going to do alot over the winter when the ice is frozen

 

[deepcover]

trusts tha pros boys there giving us pure money info.............