Cape Mountainside Bay Garden: Transkei Sativa Soil Grow

Morning Carmen, for a new start hole, I would use 1/4 cup (~125ml) of alfalfa meal mixed in per litre. If you have made or can make LABs (lactobacillus) I would soak the meal in it first and speed up the cooking process. If you intend to use the same holes next year, in the fall add another 1 to 1 1/2c of meal mixed in. It will break down over the winter (off season) and be even better 2nd time around :)
 
The Celt said:
When I am making soiless mix from peat, I put 25kg of alfala meal for every 2 bales of peat, approximately 30% by volume.
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Thanks very much. Do you think it is still necessary to feed with an alfalfa sprout tea? I was also advised to grow sprouts and juice them into a liquid fertilizer. I like that idea but it I'm wondering if it is necessary if you have already added the alfalfa meal to the soil in prep stage. I'm busy trying to source bulk seed.
I will be making the LABS in the kitchen... a fraction of the cost of the commercially available ones.
 
8 days since they went into the baggy
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Off to a good start!
 
Bye bye pretty nails.... Today I dug holes for the transplant in a few weeks time. I dug till I got blisters. I didn't have the physical strength or stamina to go deeper than about 25cm, even though I read that it should be 18 inches. As you can see, it is rocky. I mixed half vermicompost (nice one from Jamie's with traces of worms so hopefully some eggs), with two handfuls of lucerne (alfalfa) meal and the rest soil from the ground and a myccorhizae inoculation from local flora. I bought a great soil conditioner, called Elemental Blend (also Jamie's) which I will use to top dress. That contains the following:

ALFALFA/LUCERNE MEAL
  • A slow releasing natural fertilizer
  • Contains a natural growth hormone – Triacontanol, which stimulates development
BIOCHAR
  • Increased number of beneficial soil microbes especially mycorrhizae
  • Increased water retention
  • Increased cation-exchange capacity resulting in improved soil fertility
  • Moderating of soil acidity
  • Reduced leaching of nutrients
CRUSHED MALTED BARLEY
  • Abundant source of enzymes
  • Great sugar source for microbes
  • High in amino acids
  • Various nutrients
  • Good source of silicon
ZEOLITE
  • Increased cation-exchange capacity
  • Improves the efficiency and value of fertiliser
  • Improves water infiltration and retention
  • Improves yield
  • Retains nutrients for use by plants
  • Improves long term soil quality
  • Reduces loss of nutrients in soil
GROWKASHI
  • Similar to bokashi but with added fish meal
  • Used to inoculate with EM (Effective microbes)
  • Great inoculation and nutritional product in one
BASALT ROCK DUST
  • Rock dust containing 72 minerals and trace elements
  • Stimulates soil micro-organism activity
  • Contributes to building of humus complexes
  • Increases yields
  • Buffers PH levels
SOFT ROCK PHOSPHATE
  • Slow releasing organic fertilizer
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
  • Naturally occurring silica sediment.
  • Used for its natural insect repelling properties
KELP MEAL
  • Retains water and fertiliser and then feeds it back to the plant/soil as the soil dries out
  • Contains auxins and cytokinins
  • Slowly releases nutrients beneficial to plant growth
SEABIRD GUANO
  • Natural slow releasing fertilizer, with nutrients and trace elements
GYPSUM
  • Natural raw source of sulfur and calcium
DOLOMITE LIME
  • Natural soil buffer
  • Natural raw source of magnesium and calcium
CALCITIC LIME
  • Natural raw calcium source
My little planties are so cute. They are growing at a good pace. I hope that I have done the right things with the holes (five in total.... I still have more to dig but hell, that can wait until the next batch of seedlings are on the go.)

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Aww!! No pictures of those pretty nails getting dirty!! I feel ripped off! :laughtwo:

you off to a great start and ahead of the game!:high-five:
 
Yesterday I potted the seedlings. They were too spindly for the cups. I couldn't leave them another day though. They are now out in the full sun too, so hopefully that will calm them down. The potting doesn't appear to have stressed them in the slightest. So far so good. It has been 11 days since the roots popped.
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gallito said:
I'm sitting in for this one. You have a beautiful garden area! I have been toying with soil mixes, but have not taken it to the next level yet as far as a completely organic soil (that is, no need for periodic feeding). Can't wait to watch you garden grow!
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Welcome and thank you for your interest and support :passitleft: I hope you are going to do a journal of your grow too. There is so much to learn about organic soil and I am only beginning. I actually think for me, in limited space, it is more cost effective to buy a living organic soil than to figure out amendments and make it all at home. I am testing out the local mountain soil this season, with a little bit of amendment. I didn't realize it could get so complex and technical. Much easier to buy a bag of ready mix if necessary imo (drums fingers and taps foot, waiting for @Lerugged homey to add his insights :adore:)
 
Hi folks. It will soon be time to start feeding my plants and I want to get my juices and teas ready in advance. I need to work out how much of it I will need. In order to do that, I will have to know how often I must give each juice / tea. I have the rich soil and I wanted to feed them a diet of healthy liquids too. I am in process of making my LABs and I don't want to make too much of this. Molasses is quite expensive here so it would be a waste of money to go overboard. The guy recommends using 100ml LABs juice to 9 litres of water. I just don't know how often I should be dosing the plants with them. The other tea I am going to make is the SST using lucerne / alfalfa seeds. How often should I be feeding them this? I also have a kelp concentrate and it gives the solution on the bottle, but not the recommended feeding regimen. I might get a chicken manure tea from someone, which I could also use, but when?

On another note, I was given a lovely bud by a friend today. It is Flower Bomb Kush. I had never heard of it before. I think I prefer it to Blue Dream for pain. It's given me a nice, focused head space too. Honestly, my pain has melted away. I'm loving it and so pleased to have been introduced to this strain.
 
One day, in the not too distant future (I hope) when COVID settles down and I can get back to making money, I will be taking a month off and visiting SA with my Sis-in-Law who was born and raised there. She and I have discussed being there long enough that she and I can travel to Mozambique. :)
 
The Celt said:
One day, in the not too distant future (I hope) when COVID settles down and I can get back to making money, I will be taking a month off and visiting SA with my Sis-in-Law who was born and raised there. She and I have discussed being there long enough that she and I can travel to Mozambique. :)
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As far as I understand it, our borders are now open. People entering the country from abroad will have to produce a medical certificate showing a negative test result within the 24 hours before the time of entry. The quarantining might happen in the country of origin. What is the story with Canada and travel? My son and daughter-in-law haven't been home this year because there is a quarantine upon entry at their end.
I can't recommend our country more highly if you love nature. We have such a diverse and beautiful land. It might be nice to find some super travel specials while everything is quiet. I can highly recommend our wilderness safaris. Animal sightings have been remarkable during this quiet time. We are going into summer of course, so it is a good time to be here :) Each of our provinces has its own attractions. There is so much to recommend. Do a proper thorough investigation and make the most of your month. I have never actually crossed the border in Mozambique, and one day I would love to do quite a big trip there to see the ruins and historical sights. Afterwards I want to lie on a beach smoking joints and drinking virgin cocktails :hippy:
 
Thanks for the input Carmen :) My Sis-in-Law is an ER Doctor, I don’t think she is allowed to leave the province, let alone the country, until they have a vaccine and get the spread under control. Outbreaks have popped up a couple of times in her home province. The virus is still being spread about the country by interprovincial and international travel.
 
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