[Shcrews]

hello everyone, happy new year! We are here getting ready for another outdoor grow season. Last year was a great success and 2016 has potential to be our best yet.

Motherlode Gardens is in central california just outside Yosemite Valley, in the southern sierras. 3000ft elevation.



plans for this year:

-5 yard mounds of soil

-plants from seed

-drip irrigation

-cover crops / living mulch

-soil and plant testing and analysis at every stage

-balanced organic soil , plus an organic foliar regimen


some pictures from last season:

[Shcrews]

last year we used 800gal pots, but this season i will split open the pots and add new soil to make 5-yard mounds.


the old dirt still needs to be sent in for analysis. I also want to plant a cover crop to help revitalize the soil. Still haven't decided whether to plant a cover crop first, or get my new dirt soon and make the mounds, then plant a cover crop.... Either way the new soil will also be analyzed after delivery

[Shcrews]

one improvement i want to make is to start monitoring brix levels, sap pH, etc..

would also like to try some new products and techniques . Up until now i have only used water. I have a couple good organic tea recipes to try for foliar sprays, and have read good things about calcium foliars. other things too, like PPD, AEA, Tainio...

[bronsolino]

Can't wait to see the big things you do this season!

Your grows are amazing and I hope you continue to improve and learn with each season.

[MR_Falcon]

good luck & good growin' in 2016. on w/ the show...

how hard the native soil underneath the 800gal ? is it worth getting a machine in to turn the native top soil ( loosen it right up) next to the pot and then push the soil from the 800 over the turned native soil . in turn all the soil in the 800 gets turned also ? guess it also depends on the quality of the native soil .

or are you thinking the roots won't travel deep enough to reach the native soil ? you are going to be playing with a lot of soil though 5 yards is lot .

going to be big girls this year .

[Lester Beans]

Oh snap its time already??? You Californians make me sick haha! We are under snow here for another 3-4 months. It was 4 outside yesterday.

Love your grows man and wish you the best for 2016 and Motherlode gardens!

Nice, monitoring brix is an important part of growing healthy plants. I am almost scared of the potential this year as you have crushed it in the past.

Best vibes Schrews!!

[Robrites]

Pullin' up a chair.

Man, I learned SO much from last years thread. Made my plants mo' bigger. Thanks Shcrews.

[NewAgeGenetics]

triple planting again?

[Shcrews]

thanks for stopping by everyone, should be a good show. Not much action here yet but its nice to have a place to talk and plan the upcoming season

Originally Posted by NewAgeGenetics

triple planting again?

ideally we would just single plant this year , it really depends how big my seedlings are when they go in the ground. i will be vegging in a greenhouse this spring so hopefully will have some big healthy starts by june

Originally Posted by pittymick

how hard the native soil underneath the 800gal ? is it worth getting a machine in to turn the native top soil ( loosen it right up) next to the pot and then push the soil from the 800 over the turned native soil . in turn all the soil in the 800 gets turned also ? guess it also depends on the quality of the native soil .

or are you thinking the roots won't travel deep enough to reach the native soil ? you are going to be playing with a lot of soil though 5 yards is lot .

going to be big girls this year .

the dirt here is mostly rocks/boulders and red clay. I would like to develop the native soil in the future though.

the hillside where my original plot is located has a lot of new vegetation growing so I think i am improving the dirt already..