100% Organic Compost Extra Large Homemade "SmartPot" Outdoor Grow

Hi folks.

Havent been around in a bit, but of course still plugging away at growing up here in Maine. I am not doing many outdoor plants this year, but am working on simply making the few that I did make the big effort on extra large compared to prior years.

I am keeping this very simple. I came up with an extra large roll of the same cloth/fiber material that "Smart Pots" are made from. (Thanks for the idea "Maina"!) I cut the fabric and sewed my own containers. I made 4 of them at approximately 120 gallons, and one at 200 gallons. They are filled with my own 100% organic compost, mostly from our horse, with lots of vegetables, leaves, etc. allowed to compost for over a year, and then screened and mixed with some coco from the indoor grow containers after the indoor plants were finished. All was run thru a "hardware cloth" screen (1/2"x 1/2" holes), making the grow medium a nice fluffy consistency. The 4 - 120 gallon containers have my 6 Week "Early Girl" strains in them, and the 200 gallon pot has a "Yumboldt" strain in it.

These are only being fed organic nutes - seaweed, BioAg's "CytoPlus" (Humic/Fulvic Acids w/ Seaweed and Micronutrients, some mycorrhizae, earthworm castings, etc. pretty basic. Oh - and some molasses to feed the mycorrhizae. I'm really not trying to add "nutrients" on this grow - I'm trying more or less to let the plant make the best use of the goodness thats in the organics already in the soil.

The 6 Week "Early Girl" pic isnt the best. The plant blends in too much w/ surrounding vegetation. When the pic was taken it was around 4-5' tall, but is now around 6' and much fuller.

The "Yumboldt" was also around 4' tall when pic was taken, and has probably grown a foot since, but is filling in considerably since. This one is a real bush. I dont think 3 people could reach around it, and still has several months to go.

I only have a couple of pictures, and unfortunately these are from almost 2 weeks ago. They have actually grown considerably since these were taken. I will get some more pics in another week or so, after we get back from a little road trip this week to see some shows (Further,Levon Helm Band, etc.) 3 shows in 3 days in 3 states - pretty excited>>>*lol*

Anyhow, heres just a couple of pics and I will update them when we get back. They're starting to get pretty impressive. Will be interesting to see what these end up finishing like in 120 & 200 gallon containers.

Have a good day peoples.

jerry.

 

One more thing...

Just for reference, the bushier "Yumboldt" container is 5' across. The 6 Week containers are 4' across. Both are approximately 2' deep.

Thanks.

jerry.

 

Thanks man.

Like I said, the pics are almost 2 weeks old by now. They have filled in a bunch since then.

I actually did spread them out quite a bit yesterday to let light into the middles.

Have a great day.

(In these pics they are 4 weeks out of 16oz cups. They are now 6 weeks out of cups. I'll get some pics of what they are looking like up-to-date as soon as we get back from our shows.)
jerry.

 

Thanks guys.

This is actually my first time doing the "extra large" containers - and my first time using the 'breathable" SmartPot material. I got the idea from "Maina" (kudos to you, Maina!), and figured that I would try it this year.

Usually I just dig approximately 10 gallon size holes and fill them with good dirt, feed them throughout the summer (God, lots of lugging water! *lol*), and let nature take its course, and usually do just fine. Of course, by using the approx. 10 Gal size holes, I have always had to plant around 20 plants to get a decent outdoor crop. I'd love to get (even if its close) around the same amount by planting just the 5 in the gigantic containers, but of course time will tell. My thinking on this is that by doing it this way, with 120 & 200 gallon size containers is that I am in no way inhibiting the root mass, and bigger below soil level equals bigger above soil level!

I guess no matter what its just a fun experiment for me! Its always fun growing big pot plants *lol*

I swear I'll get some good pics up when we get back. Tomorrow afternoon we leave (my daughter and I) to see Further (Grateful Dead minus Jerry - well, kinda) on Thursday in Mansfield,MA, then we go to Gathering of the Vibes down in Connecticut to see Further, The Levon Helm Band (If you remember, Levon was the drummer for The Band) with Larry Cambell (Larry was Bob Dylans lead guitarist for awhile, plus for many others - Larry is great, also Derek Trucks, plus some other bands. On Saturday morning we leave Connecticut and go to the Catskills in upstate New York to Levon Helms house! to see a nice, intimate (100 or so people) in Levons Barn/Studio. We are very psyched to go see some good guitarwork!

Anyhow, enuff about me - I'll get some pics up as soon as we get back. Will be interesting to see how they are filling in since I tied them all down to let the light into the middle of the ladies.

Have a good day people. Happy Growing!

jerry.

 

Well, I had to go out and water last night after work before I left for our shows today. A couple of the pics are a little funky, just because theladies were tied down hard, and will still be another week before they fill in properly - but needless, here are several more pics. Btw - the pics were taken about 8pm, so the ladies are not in full sun just due to time of day. I'd say that they are getting about 85% full sun.

Stay cool people. Its pretty hot out! I'll be back in 5 days and will get some pics when they have filled in better after tieing them down and given them a chance to have filled in after tie-ing them down - if that made sense...*lol*

jerry.

 

Hi Kali King.

They went into the bags on Memorial day weekend, so they've been out for 7 weeks now. They were clones in 16 oz cups.

I'll be honest, I really dont know what to expect for finish weight. Should be interesting, though. Just got back from my trip late last night so I havent seen them since last Tuesday - cant wait to go check on them when I get home from work later. had to have a buddy water/feed while I was gone.

Since its been almost a week since the last pics, I'll get some more up over the next day or so, and will use my real camera this time.

Have a good one.

jerry.

 

So I took a walk with my daughter last night/evening/late afternoon, I guess...*lol*

I'm pretty pleased. We are filling in nicely here, with still more veg time to go!

Heres a couple of updated pictures from yesterday.

One of them must be almost 8' tall already. That one os going to have 3 or so massive (several feet long) colas. The Yumboldt is the shorter, probably 5'-6' tall, but just as wide bush, with many,many,many tops. This is really the only one that I worry about, simply due to the fact that it is at least an 8 week strain, and Maine frost comes earlier than some other places. Im sure if I can get to second week of October I'll be fine, I probably worry too much.

In the meantime its fun anyhow!

jerry.

 

So - things are plugging along - growth is still steadily increasing. First sign of white hairs yesterday - at least on the early 6Wk strain - budding season is here! This is where it starts to get exciting, as the flowers over the next few weeks start to form, and then really start snowballing in size, and then the oils start to really show, and the flowers start to smell sweeter and sweeter...*lol*

I guess we shall see what we shall see. I know that they are going to do well - just how well, I guess again, time will tell. At some point during the week I will get some newer updated pics up.

Have a good one peoples. Damn Mondays...the weekend is never long enuff, is it....

jerry.

 

Tryin' like hell and havin' fun doin it.

All got 15 gallons each last night of thier first flowering mix. Hit 'em hard... Boy were they dry - at least on top.

The pots are now completely filled with roots - right up to the tops. You could stand on the soil now and not sink in, theres so many roots.

First little flowers are out now! Took a couple of pics yesterday late afternoon - and here they are.

Have a great day potheads!

jerry.

 

One more.

jerry.