no fertilizer grows

[csharper]

Does anyone know of decent yielding, photo documented outdoor grows where no fertilizer or amendments were used? Or is this impossible?

Mulching, cover cropping and other soil care/work/tending I do not consider amendments, but I find it hard to believe that the plants require human intervention to yield no matter what.

What about the plants used in hash producing regions - these are wild plants right?

What I really want, is to see a photo-documented, high yielding female grown naturally through each of its life stages - this would help me immensely both indoor and out.

I am not saying I want to grow with no fertilizer - different situations (hydro, stripped clay backyard) require it - but I want to know what the drug (not fiber) plants are supposed to look like if there is little to no human input.

 

[nomaad]

The only kind of actual farming I can think of that doesn't involve some kind of soil-building is forest farming... I can't remember many specifics, but there is a practise of going to a new, very fertile place in the forest and growing things, but each season you move on. I guess you could find very good soil somewhere... like the stuff that is getting pushed under our fence from the bottom of a 10 years buildup of horse shit... and farm it once, but then the soil would be depleted and you would have to build it (at l;east by cover cropping and usually by amending with organics like the above-mentioned dung.

It could be done, but I can't see it being sustainable.

I'd be interested in an example too... if it exists.

 

[Lazyman]

Yeah, though MJ is well known for improving soil with its huge root structure (adds aeration, humus and nutrients when it breaks down) I think the idea is that we all strive for higher yields than mother nature gets herself. Adding more of what the plant wants makes bigger buds, more light, more water, more nutes.

I heard of a dude who alternated his outdoor grows with soybeans, and when they were 6' tall he'd till em all back under and rot em, then plant MJ. He did this for years and had 4' thick humus in his fields as a result.

 

[csharper]

I agree that agriculture is needed to turn crappy land into productive land -

But are there wild drug caliber plants that yield high in their native enviroment?

 

[nomaad]

I agree that agriculture is needed to turn crappy land into productive land -

But are there wild drug caliber plants that yield high in their native enviroment?

like a ditch? cuz anything but ditch weed is cultivated in some way.

 

[nomaad]

Yeah, though MJ is well known for improving soil with its huge root structure (adds aeration, humus and nutrients when it breaks down) I think the idea is that we all strive for higher yields than mother nature gets herself. Adding more of what the plant wants makes bigger buds, more light, more water, more nutes.

I heard of a dude who alternated his outdoor grows with soybeans, and when they were 6' tall he'd till em all back under and rot em, then plant MJ. He did this for years and had 4' thick humus in his fields as a result.

sounds awesome. soybeans are legumes... amazing N-fixers. even an overwinter cover crop of a good legume will kick ass.

 

[Ripshot]

there are lots of very fertile native soils out there. Fertilizing is just one way growers imporve the sucess rate of their plants.

 

[nomaad]

there are lots of very fertile native soils out there. Fertilizing is just one way growers imporve the sucess rate of their plants.

right, but a fertile soil that will remain perpetually fertile if you crop and yield something on it? the OP is talking about zero soil building which i think implies re-building. Except in a totally localized way... like, you cut off the buds and the stem and remaining leave decompose in situ and sufficiently rebuild the soil. seems like an equation that doesn't work. enter what we know as agriculture. it came right after hunting and gathering got boring.

 

[nomaad]

unless we're talking about the natural habitat being a ditch that controls run-off from an underground river that passes thru a cave filled with layers of bat guano and seabird guano such that in the early summer a layer of bat guano is being washed off and in later summer its seabird. oh... and some of the bats or birds come from peru and some come from elsewhere. show me this ditch and i will grow you TREES.

 

[hamstring]

csharper

I guarantee you can grow in my native soil with no ferts. I grow in lowlands and the soil is very rich. The problem is your competing with native vegetation and that’s tough. If you were to clear the plot completely so you don’t have to contend with it you could easily grow good plants. No security though.

I did it on one of my first grows. I came home from college and threw some bag seed plants (mexi brick) into native soil and came back for harvest and a couple of the males were 7ft tall. It just depends on the soil and available water. You will also have to contend with pests too.

I am not saying it’s a walk in the park but its possible. Not sure why you wouldnt throw a little bit of care into them it would pay off for you.
PEACE

 

[antimatter]

in the large scale of things amending your plot is a very small part, harvest is where the work is at. If you spend 1 hour digging a massive hole and amending it and you get 1lb, think of how long it will take you to trim that 1lb plant and how much $ that 1lb is worth, is it worth 1 hour of work? I think so. Id say that 1 hour could easily be done in mins if you do minimal amount of amending though.

 

[TLoft13]

The answer is flood plains. Even if you have only some micro-river which barely carries water in summer there is a good chance in winter season it's a 2 metres wide river. If you can plant directly in this soil you're set.
Edit: Of course you still need a decent site with sun and low people exposure, but still, there are SOOOO many of this trickling waterways...

 

[XIII]

I think it is possible in an indirect way. If your soil is somewhat fertile already you can concentrate it at your plot off-season with the use of cover crops.

Legumes, properly innoculated, literally make surplus nitrogen. Not too useful for flower, but great for veg.

Aside from these soil additions, you would have to increase your plant count by 4X or more. It would be interesting to see a side-by-side. I would rather throw out 5 clones than water and nute 1.

 

[PermaBuzz]

I threw out a few unwanted mom plants
into a nearby weedlot/junkyard.
No prep or amendments whatsoever.
Half the rootball was above the ground
cuz I didnt dig the hole deep enough.
I didnt expect much or care but they did
great with zero care. Sorry no pics though.

The best locations for this grow style are riverbottoms.
Look at the edge of the flood plain where the dark moist flat
ground meets surrounding land. That first foot or two of rising elevation
is ideal. The dirt should still be almost as dark as pure riverbottom but with
some of the texture of the surrounding soiltype. The riverbottom water should be more neutral ph than most groundwaters, but this can vary widely and should be checked.