Waiting for the Greenhouse Window grow:
Finally seeds to soil. Even though this is indoors I'm documenting it here, window will be the nursery for the greenhouse transplants, and it's just easier for me to put all of 2017 in one thread.
Soil:
There is no soil, as a gardener would know it at my cabin site, 66.5 N latitude. Site is on transition of tundra to boreal riparian woods. Permafrost 2-3' under foot. I've been at this site almost 7yrs. First summer was building a cabin. Second summer I began to build soil. After breakup(ice go) in spring went down to the overflow channel and hauled silt up to garden site. This silt is very finely ground up mountain. 1oo% ground rock, zero organic matter. So the long process of growing compost to add to silt began. Main components of compost......humanure, leaves, grass, fish waste from fish rack(dry salmon for dog food, guts to compost).
Because grow season is so short and cool thermophilic composting will not take place. So, it's a long slow moldering process, 2 seasons in pile before humanure is broken down. Silt must be loaded with trace minerals but needs biological activity to become plant nutes. Takes time.
Base soil is getting decent, still needs organics to increase humus content and help drainage. This season I'm adding pearlite when I make potting soil. And, I'm using biochar for the first time.
Going lite on ferts, I think I have plenty in base soil to grow big plants. Over the last 2 seasons there have been 3 or 4 plants showing too much nitrogen. And, most of my plants after big fans removed, keep throwing green. If left long enough flowers will start growing on top of buds!
For the window grow I brought up a 5 gal from the greenhouse, thawed it out, and dumped into a large rubbermaid tote. To this I added worm castings and pearlite to make approximately 10 gals of potting soil, enough for window grow and to fill the solo insta,
@912GreenSkell , pots for the greenhouse transplants. I added 1/4 cup high nitro bat guano and 1/4 cup high P guano. I couldn't stop myself, lol, told myself it was OK, the soil organisms needed a little wakeup. Everything mixed up good, spread the recommended amount of biochar, waited a few days and worked it in. Curious thing about the biochar; as it lay there on the surface it must have absorbed nitro because it smelled strongly of ammonia. I dug out a handful of soil and it smelled like soil. Seems the biochar was sequestering nutes from the get go.
Seeds:
The center piece for the window grow will be Mephisto sour blues, in a 3 gal smart pot, complements of dear friend
@archie gemmill , my first Mephisto! She will be flanked by 2 portal freebies in 1/2 gal fabric pots, rainbow moonstone and moonstone tango. These little sisters are from the inspiration I got from the current solo comp! Following
@Ripper , seed in root riot with a plastic cup for a cap.
lighting:
To start, just the sun. After they are up and growing will be using cob which was ordered Jan 3 and still not here. Friend to the rescue
@Dmrides220 has sent me a cob to use, probably in the post office by now. I have a 25w led I've used successfully in the window grow, I may run this at first then go to cob. I'm going to have plenty of light! I've got reflective film on the 90% shade cloth I use as a shade. Photon shield, protects our eyes and concentrates an enormous amount of light.
Environment:
Intense snow reflected sun streaming in through thin high latitude atmosphere. In the cabin wth wood heat environment very dry this time of year. RH 16-30%, temps be swinging 55f to 85f. Lots of light and more stress than your typical indoor setup.
I'll be back soon to talk why I'm so excited about this year's greenhouse. It felt so good to get my hands in soil again, and seed in! Joyful.
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