Started working in the melon and tomato fields in Dillard when I was 13. Made my spending money and when I turned 16 it helped buy and pay for gas for my hot rod '53 Ford :-) When I turned 16 it paid better to work on the hay crews (also got me into shape for sports)... I grew cannabis indoors as a medical grower for 12 years here in Oregon. Figured out a way to grow hydroponic and organic. It took a lot of air and water pumps but after much experimentation found a way to do it. I am curious why melons and tomatos can't be drip irrigated out doors? Is anyone doing it in your area, or is that just a pipe dream? :)
John Enders, according to master gardener Max Cain, years ago, if you have decent topsoil at least 36” deep, the only need you’ll have for established plants (grapes) would be for frost control.
I can’t verify that, as my topsoil is very shallow. I can say I never irrigate my grapevines, because, only being one row, they get all the water they need from underground runoff from my veggie garden, 6-7 feet uphill from the grapes.
Also, being at 1400’ on a steepish mountainside, I almost never get frost, and have never had damage to my vineyard from frost, after 10-15 years. Good microclimate. My land along jumpoff Joe Creek, 200’ lower, is generally about 10° colder on calm, clear, winter mornings, and have major frost.
All the large/medium pot growers I know are using marginal land, where no other crops are viable. This is good, except for one thing. For eons, these lands were fallow, and there was no need for water. But now, they are COVERED with huge pot plants.
True, pot uses less water than many other crops; however, when they use water where none was used before, they are almost certainly reducing the water in aquifers used by other farmers, homeowners, and whoever else relied on this water.
Bad idea. If more pot growers would obey water rights laws, most would haul water from the seemingly inexhaustible supply of rogue river water, where the water withdrawals can be obtained legally, and not affect area aquifers.
The City of Medford had a line item in their budget for marijuana tax money. It was a significant number, something around a million dollars, as I recall. I have some concern that the tax level is bordering on a level that is higher than the situation will accept. The use may go underground again, not because it is illegal, but because it is cheaper to buy stuff illegally underground.
Started working in the melon and tomato fields in Dillard when I was 13. Made my spending money and when I turned 16 it helped buy and pay for gas for my hot rod '53 Ford :-) When I turned 16 it paid better to work on the hay crews (also got me into shape for sports)... I grew cannabis indoors as a medical grower for 12 years here in Oregon. Figured out a way to grow hydroponic and organic. It took a lot of air and water pumps but after much experimentation found a way to do it. I am curious why melons and tomatos can't be drip irrigated out doors? Is anyone doing it in your area, or is that just a pipe dream? :)
PS: Enjoy your blog and perspective on things....
John Enders, according to master gardener Max Cain, years ago, if you have decent topsoil at least 36” deep, the only need you’ll have for established plants (grapes) would be for frost control.
I can’t verify that, as my topsoil is very shallow. I can say I never irrigate my grapevines, because, only being one row, they get all the water they need from underground runoff from my veggie garden, 6-7 feet uphill from the grapes.
Also, being at 1400’ on a steepish mountainside, I almost never get frost, and have never had damage to my vineyard from frost, after 10-15 years. Good microclimate. My land along jumpoff Joe Creek, 200’ lower, is generally about 10° colder on calm, clear, winter mornings, and have major frost.
Good luck!
All the large/medium pot growers I know are using marginal land, where no other crops are viable. This is good, except for one thing. For eons, these lands were fallow, and there was no need for water. But now, they are COVERED with huge pot plants.
True, pot uses less water than many other crops; however, when they use water where none was used before, they are almost certainly reducing the water in aquifers used by other farmers, homeowners, and whoever else relied on this water.
Bad idea. If more pot growers would obey water rights laws, most would haul water from the seemingly inexhaustible supply of rogue river water, where the water withdrawals can be obtained legally, and not affect area aquifers.
Thank you for your posts these 7 years I've lived in Oregon. How to track where the big cannabis tax windfall is going?
The City of Medford had a line item in their budget for marijuana tax money. It was a significant number, something around a million dollars, as I recall. I have some concern that the tax level is bordering on a level that is higher than the situation will accept. The use may go underground again, not because it is illegal, but because it is cheaper to buy stuff illegally underground.
Hello Peter, Would you comment on whether grape vines require more or less watering during a drought? Tnx. JE