Uh-oh, Norcal rain next week, advice please?

[Lazyman]

Hey gang, we are already workin on trimming our earlier outdoor strains, but as many as 100 full season girls will not be down before the rains next week (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.) I was wondering how to keep the rain off this many large plants without having to buy 100 EZ ups (yeah right!) This is my first big outdoor and I didnt have the budget I wanted this year.

I was wondering if anyone makes a thin long plastic bag that i could slide over each branch? They would have to be cheap since I'd need thousands of em.

Any advice welcomed!

 

[trichrider]

condolences.

 

[guest4098]

"Extended discussion (sunday through wednesday)


An enhanced Pacific jetstream will carve out a deep and cold trough
over northern California Wednesday. The jet...enhanced from energy
over the western tropical Pacific...pulls a piece of the siberian
upper low out toward the Gulf of Alaska Sunday. The first piece of
energy will push a cold front through the area Monday. This system
loses some of its upper support as it moves into a pretty strong
ridge to the east. However...it will spread showers across the area
with cooler temperatures and breezy winds. Very preliminary rainfall
estimates range from about one-quarter to one-half-inch. Snow levels
may drop to 8500 feet or so Monday...meaning a dusting of snow is
possible on Sonora pass and the Road leading up to Montana. Lassen
(highway 89).


The upper low reloads with a new burst of energy...possibly
enhanced once again from energy out over the west Pacific. A deep
moisture plume is driven into northern California Tuesday night
and Wednesday. There are some timing differences with this among the
major computer models. The GFS brings a consolidated...very
dynamic trough across the area Tuesday night. The European model (ecmwf) keeps the
system offshore a bit longer...and is slower to slide the cold
front across from north to south. In either case there will be
ingredients in place for a windy and wet day or two. The GFS has
very strong divergence aloft in the exit region of a 140kt jet
offshore Tuesday night. The surface low bombs out to 979mb off the Pacific
northwest coast Tuesday...and 925mb winds are forecast to be 40-45kts
over our region ahead of the front. The GFS BUFKIT has over an
inch of rain at Sacramento by early Wednesday morning.


In the mountains...the flow from 850mb to 700mb is west-southwest 35-40
kts...perfect for orographic enhancement in the Sierra. The GFS
point precipitation is over 3 inches at Blue Canyon...this can
sometimes be doubled in the event of favorable orographics.
Snow levels are a forecast issue. The GFS keeps them at or above
Donner Pass until late Wednesday morning...when the brunt of the
precipitation is over. The European model (ecmwf) would have lower snow levels and
more precipitation Wednesday. The precipitable water plume is 3
Standard deviations above the normal...over 1.5 inches...as it
moves inland.


Because of model uncertainty with the specifics...we issued a
Special Weather Statement highlighting cooler...windy and wet
weather next week. We mentioned the possibility of winter traveling
conditions in the Sierra Tuesday night and Wednesday...and will monitor future
model runs to see if we are indeed looking at a heavy snow event
for the Sierra. It is too soon to be sure. Wednesday looks showery
in either event with the possibility of thunderstorms in the
foothills and valleys. A dry northwest flow may develop behind the
front later in the week."

Not looking too good. I am lucky enough to be pulling now and hope to have the majority harvested by early next week.

Last year we built a very cheap/quick shelter over a particularly late Sour D with 4 t-posts, couple pieces of bamboo, and some hard laminate greenhouse panels. Sides were open but it kept the plant fairly dry.

 

[Widow Maker]

have you considered waiting an extra week until after the weather passes and the plants have dried themselves out?

 

[memphis man]

Hey gang, we are already workin on trimming our earlier outdoor strains, but as many as 100 full season girls will not be down before the rains next week (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.) I was wondering how to keep the rain off this many large plants without having to buy 100 EZ ups (yeah right!) This is my first big outdoor and I didnt have the budget I wanted this year.

I was wondering if anyone makes a thin long plastic bag that i could slide over each branch? They would have to be cheap since I'd need thousands of em.

Any advice welcomed!

umbrella bags maybe?

 

[gcgreen]

same boat here in 530...not sure what to do. ladies are still a few weeks out.

only have 18 though might just pack em in a few ezups.

best of luck.

 

[imnotkrazy]

go down to the train tracks and convince the folks hanging out under the bridges to come over and hold umbrellas over them

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

If you want inexpensive bags to fit individual branches. And you want them installed before this coming Wednesday. Your best bet might be to check out the trash bag selection at your nearby merchants. I think a restaurant supply store might be good, like Smart and Final. Here's some sizes they carry;

45 gal. green 40" wide x 48" long
33 gal blue 33" wide x 40" long
33 gal clear 33" wide x 41" long
16 gal clear 24" wide x 33" long "Long Kitchen Liners"

If you have access to a big discount outdoor supply store, you might be able to pick up some tube tents for six bucks each. This is an 8' visqueen tube, big enough around to string a rope through the thing and use as a one person tent.

 

[nomaad]

shake shake shake, bro.

long thin bags on branches would probably create the perfect conditions for mold. best and cheapest would be creating PVC hoops over your plants... keeping enough airflow in the mix (open sides?) is important... Not really feasible with My garden layout and plant size.

My ladies are either early birds, or coming down as soon as we HAVE to. or mold resistant. My trellising is strong. I'm ready for anything this year.

I'm just going to shake shake shake and hope for the best. I'll probably have the leaf blowers out too.

 

[nomaad]

that weather report is great. nice detail, focuses on what could happen rather than presumes to declare how something is going to happen. Compares models, etc...

Pay service?

 

[THC123]

I'm just going to shake shake shake and hope for the best. I'll probably have the leaf blowers out too.

hahahaha welcome to northern europe outdoor growing

shake and hope for the best!!!

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

that weather report is great. nice detail, focuses on what could happen rather than presumes to declare how something is going to happen. Compares models, etc...

Pay service?

That looks like the "forecaster's discussion" which I believe is distributed by NOAA or the National Weather Service. I check my local weather using the Weather Underground site. Google wunderground. This gives you the national page. Type in your zip code or the name of the nearest town and it will bring up a nice local forecast for your area. About halfway down the page will be a line of blue text saying, "forecaster's discussion". Click on that and it will bring up the analysis for your forecasting area.

For those who are in Cali, a great site is is the California Regional Weather server run by the meteorology Dept at San Francisco State. You can find it by googling squall. Come winter time it's good to keep an eye on their jet stream map for the Pacific. When the jet stream digs down way south over Hawaii it means rain in a week. Check out the trough out over the Pacific now that is bringing next week's first winter storm.

http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/jetstream_pac_init_00.gif

 

[Yes4Prop215]

yea we are chopping everything possible thats finished but im for sure gonna have a few plants still out there...plus we are only taking tops so most plants still have the lowers out. we have at least 10lbs chopped and trimmed so at least we have our costs somewhat covered...but still at least another 10 still on the branch that we are gambling with...cant really do much...

 

[Lazyman]

Yeah we are only taking tops right now too, only 2 of the 13 strains are done right now so it's gonna be rough. After 5 days we have 12 plants down and completely trimmed, and started topping the other 42 that are ready. The other 80, well I guess we're shakin, maybe try some Greencure if I can get a coat of it on before the rains hit.

Next year I'll do cages and see about some clear EZ ups, hehe.

Thanks kindly to all who contributed! I wish I knew 50 more trimmers, lol

 

[sweetypie]

530 here and ya the forecast is depressing. I'm gonna take my tops which have been ready over a week and let the rest ride it out. If I start seeing mold I'm chopping it all. Yes4 your backyard would be so easy to do a rain shelt bro. 2x2s and cheap plastic, nail gun and stapler all ya need. Not an enclosed, just a roof on top. Good luck everybody.

 

[SeaMaiden]

Stake and trellis, then make sure you have OxiDate on hand, can be used just prior and post-harvest. Stake and trellis, stake and trellis, stake and trellis. Support them, they can handle a little rain and you can help them fight off mold if you handle things properly.

 

[Tactical Farmer]

SeaMaiden - Whats your method of using OxiDate post-harvest ?

Does it oxidize mold if given a bath in it ?

Im guessing standard store hydrogen peroxide would give a similar affect ?

Im on the East Coast & the forecast has me major bummed.

Whats the best methods for situations of a week strait of rain ?

THIS LATE SEASON RAIN IS KILLING ME.............

 

[NPK]

Jesus, don't even THINK about putting plastic bags over each branch unless you want to lose ALL of it to mold!

 

[SeaMaiden]

SeaMaiden - Whats your method of using OxiDate post-harvest ?

Does it oxidize mold if given a bath in it ?

Im guessing standard store hydrogen peroxide would give a similar affect ?

Im on the East Coast & the forecast has me major bummed.

Whats the best methods for situations of a week strait of rain ?

THIS LATE SEASON RAIN IS KILLING ME.............

My method depends on a few factors, and they all have to do with my physical size and abilities. First, how big are the plants in question? If they're trees, I'll go with spraying. If they're sog ladies, I dip the whole plant.

The standard H2O2 probably can offer similar effects, but its percentage/strength is far, far less than that of a product like OxiDate. The OxiDate that I have is 27% H2O2 + 2% PAA (paracetic acid, it bursts cell walls). The 'off-the-shelf' product that's now being offered may not be the same formulation, but I'm sure it can be used in much the same manner.

I have found that Greencure definitely leaves a soapy taste that I can detect. Not all will detect it, just like not everyone gets stinky pee from eating asparagus (I do get stinky pee, and I can taste the GC).

 

[Tactical Farmer]

hey thanks, i nearly ordered some Oxidate, etc but decided to try making it myself with local products. it worked great on PM but didn't seem to work at all on Botrytis.

whats your opinion on Oxidate vs Botrytis ?

it makes me wonder if oxidization / cell bursting would damage trichs.

tough year it is...