New Caledonia Standard, Outdoor grow!

[Montuno]

Thanks
40degsouth, i appreciate your kind words. Generally our Autumn weather is good, but it does get very windy. We live in a valley and when it blows, it really blows. We might get storms at the end of September but after that it should stay good until December.
So, yesterday morning before it got stupidly hot, i was out in the garden with the girls doing a bit of maintenance, ie cutting out straggly weak branches and repositioning tops, to keep things nice and equal. TBH, there wasn't a lot of work required on the NC.



It's 17.30hrs currently and it's hot. everything in the garden is showing signs of heat stress. Once it cools down a bit, I'll be out with the watering can. I'm still watering every 2nd day and feeding with 3/4 strength food every 4th. Today is a water only day for all the girls. I should add, that on the wter only days i'm adding 1g of powdered Neem per Lt of water; it seems to be working well as i have black fly on nearby orange trees and grasshoppers are everywhere but so far all my Marias of insect free and growing nicely, ( Thank you Monturno for your good advice). Tonight i'm intending to up the amount of water she gets. She's been drinking 20lt every 2 days but due to the excessive heat she struggles to go 48hrs without water.


On a different note.
Today is friday, so as usual for us at this time of year, Mrs Del Monte and i got up early and headed down to the beach. We like to be on the beach for about 10am, before it gets too busy.




This beach is about 35minutes drive from our place in the mountains, and despite being just outside of a holiday town, is completely deserted. 2 km down the coast the umbrellas are almost touching each other! There are no bars, no toilets, showers etc, and we have to walk a little way carrying our provisions. Sometimes we see Dolphins but not for a couple of years. We do this twice a week during the good weather and have done since moving to this Wonderful country 8yrs ago.
¡Viva España!

And well, Señor del Monte; being so close...: have you already taken Señora del Monte on a romantic dream visit to the Alhambra?

"Dicen que es verdad,
que se oye hablar,
en las noches cuando hay luna en las murallas...
...Alguien habla...

Nadie quiere ir,
en la oscuridad:
Todos dicen que de noche está la Alhambra...
...embrujada...
Por el moro de Granada...

Dicen que es verdad,
que su alma está
encantada por perder un día a Granada...
..Y que lloraba...

Cuando el sol se va,
se le escucha hablar,
paseando su amargura por la Alhambra...
...Recordando...Y llorando por Granada...

Dicen que es verdad,
que nunca se fué:
Condenado está a vivir siempre en la Alhambra...
...y a llorarla...

Al atardecer,
cuentan que se ve,
entre sombras la figura de aquel moro...
...hechizada...
...Por perder un día Granada...

Dicen que es verdad,
que su alma está
encantada por perder un día a Granada...
...Y que lloraba...

Cuando el sol se va,
se le escucha hablar,
paseando su amargura por la Alhambra...
...Recordando...
...Y llorando por Granada...
...Y llorando por Granada..."


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PNLJdEruceU

 

[Hombre del mont]

Hi
Montuno

Indeed I have, on several occasions! It truly is one of the wonders of the world. We haven't yet been at night but we were talking about it a few weeks. Granada is an awesome city but far too hot in the summer. Once it gets above 35 or so i'm wipped out. Walking around site seeing in 44c, no way Jose.

Intrestingl,y this morning the weather app on the PC tells me it's currently raining!, I wish! Nada, Nothing. Occasionally at night we can see lightening flashes in the distance but no rain. Good job i was out early this morning with the hose pipe and gave all my garden plants a drink. We are very lucky were we live that we are on the Acequia system, so irrigation water isn't an issue for us.

Later in the day i will have some more photos of all my girls and hopefully a few of one of the friends grow.

 

[Hombre del mont]

HappySunday to all,

I hopeyou've all had an awesome week.
Today the weather has been good to us and it's only been about 30c. Nice. although the weather has been cooler i've not done much at all!, it is Sunday after all. I wasn't able to get up to my friends house this weekend and get pictures as they came to us today.

First up the NC. She is really thriving now. I reckon the tops are now about 50cm the soil. I'm still feeding every 2nd watering with a weak grow food. All's looking good!

This evening I've been

doing a bit more tidying up of her, ie. removing stragley growth and also pinching out as many growing sites as i can find that are well below the net.

 

[Hombre del mont]

I've also been doing the same with the Panama

 

[Hombre del mont]

Goldern Tiger

 

[Hombre del mont]

Zamaldelicia, she's really going for it now!

 

[Hombre del mont]

Last, but certainly not least, SMH! This plant is drinking more than the others, but i'm thinking that it could be the orange tree taking a lot of the water. She's also taking double the amount of food of anything else.

The last picture is not Maria, it's Martin and she's an awesome cat. She's like a little dog in so much as she follows my everywhere and is very vocal.

 

[Hombre del mont]

So, late this afternoon i found this guy.

I'm not sure of the Spanish for it, but in English it is a "Mother Fucker!" This is the largest i've seen on the girl's (this one is Panama) this year so far.

So, shortly after dinner, i made up a solution of Neem, a little BT (butterflies are about) and some insecticidal soap. Hopefully that will deter the little mother fuckers.

This is only my second year of growing in the earth and i'm learning as i go, so please, any of you experienced outdoor growers, i'm open to suggestions.

If any of you are members of UK site UK420 ( i'm no longer) and want to see what i used to get up to indoors, check out Drfill.

Edit

Whoops, seems my post has been moderated. Apologies, i didn't realise i wasn't supposed to mention the Uk site that happens at a 1/3 past the hour of 4; I didn't really like them too much, they did get up their own arse a bit, imho.

 

[TexasTea]

Man, they all look great. Thanks for reminding me to feed my outdoor girls tomorrow.

I guess I've been lucky so far but I have not had too much bug pressure where I am, other than a few leaf rollers and one or two bud borers a couple of years ago.

 

[buzzmobile]

I'm not sure of the Spanish for it, but in English it is a "Mother Fucker!" This is the largest i've seen on the girl's (this one is Panama) this year so far.

That looks like a partner in a game called Zap It! It's your serve.

Carpenter bees love to play Zap It! over here.

Nice work in the garden.

 

[Montuno]

En español es un "saltamontes"... Los hay mucho mayores, con los ojos rojos...y luego esta la langosta tipo africana...
Son los adultos de aquella " nube de diminutos" saltamontes que, tanto tu como yo, comentábamos ver en nuestro exterior tiempo atrás: han crecido a costa de las otras plantas de alrededor que no riegas con harina de neem; por que si se hubieran alimentado de tus "marias", tus plantas tendrían muchos brotes comidos.
Observa si ves daños serios o nada más que algún mordisco sin importancia.

Sigue regando con neem, y mejor pulveriza solo el BT con el jabón(yo ya he visto un par de huevos de mariposa bajo alguna hoja), y riega con neem por otro lado. La harina de neem disuelta en el riego actúa igual de bien que en espray, o que el aceite/extracto de neem pulverizado: ya te comente que el riego con harina puede tardar más días en actuar e incorporarse a los tejidos de la planta; pero su efecto es más durarero e intenso con el tiempo.

Si fuese necesario, creo podrías aumentar la dosis en disolución, pero la etiqueta de tu bote de neem es la mejor referencia.
En mi hilo sobre la Green OldTimers Haze #19 x A5 Haze , donde también me preguntas por el tema, te comentare más sobre el neem...

Mucha Salud!


In Spanish it is a "grasshopper".... There are much larger ones, with red eyes... and then there is the African locust....
They are the adults of that "cloud of tiny" grasshoppers that both you and I mentioned seeing outside some time ago: they have grown at the expense of the other plants around you that you don't water with neem meal; because if they had fed on your "marias", your plants would have had a lot of shoots eaten.
See if you see any serious damage or nothing more than some unimportant nibbles.

Keep watering with neem, and spray only the BT with the soap (I have already seen a couple of butterfly eggs under some leaves), and water with neem on the other side. Neem meal dissolved in the watering acts just as well as neem spray, or sprayed neem oil/extract: I already told you that watering with neem meal can take more days to act and incorporate into the plant tissues; but its effect is longer lasting and more intense over time.

If necessary, I think you could increase the dose in solution, but the label on your neem bottle is the best reference.
In my thread about Green OldTimers Haze #19 x A5 Haze , where you also ask me about it, I'll tell you more about neem...

Cheers!

​

 

[Montuno]

Mira, Hombre del mont : esto ya deja de ser un saltamontes (divertido el nombre en español: "el saltador de montes", je...), para ya ser una " señora langosta", o una autentica "mother f...", como tu calificabas al saltamontes, je...
Y esta aun puede crecer... Y no veas como vuelan... Una de estas si que hace daño en un solo dia; imaginate si ademas viene en grupo...
Ahora mismo junto a mi exterior:

Look, Hombre del mont : this is no longer a grasshopper (funny name in Spanish: "el saltador de montes", heh...), but a "lobster lady", or a real "mother f...", as you described the grasshopper, heh...
And this one can still grow... And don't you see how they fly... One of these really does damage in a single day; imagine if it also comes in a group...
Right now in my garden:

Pd : Lo de la visita nocturna a la Alhambra si que tiene que ser magico, y mas tras las ultimas restauraciones y limpiezas...
Foto del Patio de los Leones, difundida por una visitante de las ultimas visotas nocturnas.

La inscripcion de su taza, dice:
"¡Bendito quien dio al sultán Muhammad
estas moradas que por su belleza son gala de las mansiones!
Ejemplo es este jardín en que hay tantas maravillas
que el mismo Dios prohibió otro semejante;
y estas figuradas perlas de transparente claridad
que adornan los bordes con orla de aljófar;
la líquida plata que se desliza entre joyas,
también pura y blanca belleza;
la vista se confunde ante lo quieto y lo fluyente
y no se sabe si es el mármol o el agua lo que fluye.
¿Acaso no ves que el agua corre por los bordes
y luego se oculta por los sumideros?
Se asemeja al amante con los párpados rebosantes de lágrimas
que oculta por temor que le delaten.
¿No es agua de las nubes, en verdad,
que acequias traen sobre leones?
Es igual a los favores de la mano del Califa
que dispensa a los leones de la guerra.
Tú que estás mirando, verás que los leones están al acecho
y si no saltan es por respeto tuyo,
¡oh heredero de los que ayudaron al Profeta,
legado de grandeza que aligera las cargas,
sobre ti la paz y sean numerosos los días fastos
y sean amargos para tus enemigos!"

Pd : The night visit to the Alhambra has to be magical, especially after the last restorations and cleaning...
Picture of the Patio de los Leones, spread by a visitor of the last night visits.

The inscription on its fountain, reads:
"Blessed is he who gave to Sultan Muhammad
these dwellings which by their beauty are the pride of mansions!
An example is this garden in which there are so many marvels
that God Himself forbade another like it;
And these pearls of transparent clarity, which adorn the borders
that adorn the edges with a border of alchemar;
the liquid silver that glides between jewels,
also pure and white beauty;
the eye is confused before the still and the flowing
and one does not know whether it is the marble or the water that flows.
Can't you see that the water runs along the edges
and then hides in the drains?
It resembles the lover with eyelids overflowing with tears
which she hides for fear of being betrayed.
Is it not water from the clouds, indeed?
That ditches bring upon lions?
It is equal to the favours of the Caliph's hand
Who dispenses to the lions of war.
You who are watching, you will see that the lions are on the prowl
and if they do not leap it is out of respect for you,
O heir of those who helped the Prophet,
legacy of greatness that lightens the burdens,
upon thee be peace, and may the days be many, and may the days be many, and may they be bitter for thy enemies
and may they be bitter for your enemies!"

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[Tangwena]

We used to get them like that in Zambia it was great fun shooting them with our air rifles from the varranda they were so big it was good sport from 25mtrs away ha ha.

 

[Hombre del mont]

Hi
Montuno, I've seen a few that size already this year, but thankfully not on my girls. Thankfully no further damage; the Neem seems to be doing it's job.

Tangwena, at 25m with an air riffle, that would be good sport, although now as an older man i would struggle to kill them for sport, as i'm sure you would too.

So it's Sunday again and time for the update pictures.

First the NC. She's not stretching as much as the Panama but, as you can hopefully see, preflowering has begun.

I'm no longer doing much trainig of her, just letting her go upwards. Tomorrow i'll be getting in underneath her and again attempting to remove the spindly growth and any bud sites that'll not make it.

 

[Hombre del mont]

Next up is the Goldern Tiger.

This morning she's really struggling with the heat. I think i need to be thinking about putting some mulch around the base of her to help. That'll be another job for tomorrow morning.

 

[Hombre del mont]

Panama.

This girl is really stretching now. This morning i did a lot of work once again removing the straggly bits and as many of the low down and hidden bud sites as i could find. I also reintsalled the pretty flowers as they had become completely hidden.

This is what was removed

Still more work to be done to clear this out completely, but it's getting there.

 

[Hombre del mont]

Zamaldelicia.

looking really lovely and growing quite evenly, without to much intervention from me. Maybe tomorrow i'll get in underneath her and do a little tidying.

 

[Hombre del mont]

Super Malawi Haze

 

[Hombre del mont]

This is my one of my friend's NC. She's had no food at all. Just being grown where the horse shit has been dumped for the last 4 years. She's much greener than mine, but i'm wondering if a little too green?

 

[TexasTea]

Gotta have the mulch! Made a big difference for me this year especially in my vegetable gardens.