O
Oceana1
- 2
- 3
Hey all,
I've been using the forums on this site for a wealth of info, so thank you everyone who contributes, first of all, you have all been really helpful to me already!
Also, you deserve an icecream if you make it all the way to the bottom of this post ;)
Hopefully I can get some insight, or at least opinions and ideas that aren't just 'run for the hills!'
My partner and I took over the growing show at a very large place just over a month ago. I have gardened my whole life, my partner not so much. Both of us first time doing this. So, super newbies.
What we walked into:
Fl room - Extremely large space with little to no environment control (one air intake/exhaust plus about 15-20 oscillating fans hung high on walls for air circ, and daily temps well over 85 f in the fl room). Tail end of a mite problem that had been sprayed with all sorts of bad stuff from moment of birth all the way to getting put into fl room (unfortunately, we do not have the info what sprays were used, schedule or recipe). Over watered with ph 2-3 H20 and over fed. Neglected, sick looking girls that went into fl at over 6 ft tall. 70 X 1000 watt lights, all girls on the floor! :O
Veg room - large space, but more ease to control environment perhaps. Cooler temps (not dramatically lower, and sorry no exact info) compared to fl. Higher humidity. Only air circulation is one intake windwhipping many girls, and 8 fans hung on walls hidden behind plants (fans hung blowing directly into canopy, and close enough to chew on limbs). Also unknown sprays done for minimal mite problem in this side, and also over watered with acidic h20 and too much nutrient. Overcrowding is a BIG problem in this room (last caretaker neglected from birth, and even in here i came in with girls 4 ft tall or bigger). Set up is 10 x 600 watt bulbs over 4 large tables (all tables having at least one edge against a wall).
What has happened over the past 6 weeks with us trying to salvage both of our sanity and the show -
Fl: 4 big chillers, fans lowered to floor aiming up at girls. Spider mites have taken over our lives, our dreams and our souls. Laugh at anything we throw at them. Have tried to be as organic as possible, although some shots we unfortunately do not get to make the calls on. Daily temps range from 75-85, humidity always around 60-65%. Got a trimeter and realized we were probably slowly killing these things with love - ppm of nuts have been cut back by half (current 800 ppm). Only h2o when dried out. Co2 added past few weeks during light hours. Made many efforts to seal room, which is still not yet airtight.
Veg: Spider mites not nearly as bad as fl, but will turn into a big problem at flip. Suspecting fungus gnats. Fans moved higher to lightly kiss canopy with movement. Air intake directed away from girls. Culled a disgusting number of really sick or dying girls. 2 extra 600 bulbs and some girls set up on the floor (have little feet under them to keep off floor directly). Sealed room better to keep mite transfer down, and areas more cut off (there are now a zipper door, 10 foot open space and doors that close between rooms). Overcrowding still an issue. No topping done except when they grow to burn and touch lamps, or really horribly mite covered parts. Unfortunately, no instruction or direction was given in this area - ' taller is better' is the boss' mentality.
Now that we are starting to get the environments under control (i know there is still a lot of work to be done in this aspect of things), what would be some suggestions as to how to make this more smooth functioning? What to tackle first? I still think there will be a lot of problems for at least 8 more weeks..
My biggest priority is the spider mite problem - i don't want to send anyone new into fl with a single mite or egg on them. Once we have chopped current fl, I want to dr. doom the fl room, and bleach absolutely everything in there. During that time I'm wanting to spray the hell out of the veg girls for a final clean before going in. Once they are out of veg, same process in that room - dr doom and bleach before doing some set up changes (tearing down most, if not all, of the tables) and training changes (top or pinch from babies plus undecided training method)
Is there a different priority i should have, or a better way to deal with clean up?
Despite all of the running around putting fires out, we do love this and find it very rewarding. Just very disheartening having to run around putting fires out haha..
I have say in small-ish things, but big ideas i have to run past the boss. Classic case of biting off more than I can chew, or trying to put lipstick on a pig? So it seems to me right now, but i'm ever the optimist who sees so much potential..
Thanks in advance for any and all help or sympathy ;)
I've been using the forums on this site for a wealth of info, so thank you everyone who contributes, first of all, you have all been really helpful to me already!
Also, you deserve an icecream if you make it all the way to the bottom of this post ;)
Hopefully I can get some insight, or at least opinions and ideas that aren't just 'run for the hills!'
My partner and I took over the growing show at a very large place just over a month ago. I have gardened my whole life, my partner not so much. Both of us first time doing this. So, super newbies.
What we walked into:
Fl room - Extremely large space with little to no environment control (one air intake/exhaust plus about 15-20 oscillating fans hung high on walls for air circ, and daily temps well over 85 f in the fl room). Tail end of a mite problem that had been sprayed with all sorts of bad stuff from moment of birth all the way to getting put into fl room (unfortunately, we do not have the info what sprays were used, schedule or recipe). Over watered with ph 2-3 H20 and over fed. Neglected, sick looking girls that went into fl at over 6 ft tall. 70 X 1000 watt lights, all girls on the floor! :O
Veg room - large space, but more ease to control environment perhaps. Cooler temps (not dramatically lower, and sorry no exact info) compared to fl. Higher humidity. Only air circulation is one intake windwhipping many girls, and 8 fans hung on walls hidden behind plants (fans hung blowing directly into canopy, and close enough to chew on limbs). Also unknown sprays done for minimal mite problem in this side, and also over watered with acidic h20 and too much nutrient. Overcrowding is a BIG problem in this room (last caretaker neglected from birth, and even in here i came in with girls 4 ft tall or bigger). Set up is 10 x 600 watt bulbs over 4 large tables (all tables having at least one edge against a wall).
What has happened over the past 6 weeks with us trying to salvage both of our sanity and the show -
Fl: 4 big chillers, fans lowered to floor aiming up at girls. Spider mites have taken over our lives, our dreams and our souls. Laugh at anything we throw at them. Have tried to be as organic as possible, although some shots we unfortunately do not get to make the calls on. Daily temps range from 75-85, humidity always around 60-65%. Got a trimeter and realized we were probably slowly killing these things with love - ppm of nuts have been cut back by half (current 800 ppm). Only h2o when dried out. Co2 added past few weeks during light hours. Made many efforts to seal room, which is still not yet airtight.
Veg: Spider mites not nearly as bad as fl, but will turn into a big problem at flip. Suspecting fungus gnats. Fans moved higher to lightly kiss canopy with movement. Air intake directed away from girls. Culled a disgusting number of really sick or dying girls. 2 extra 600 bulbs and some girls set up on the floor (have little feet under them to keep off floor directly). Sealed room better to keep mite transfer down, and areas more cut off (there are now a zipper door, 10 foot open space and doors that close between rooms). Overcrowding still an issue. No topping done except when they grow to burn and touch lamps, or really horribly mite covered parts. Unfortunately, no instruction or direction was given in this area - ' taller is better' is the boss' mentality.
Now that we are starting to get the environments under control (i know there is still a lot of work to be done in this aspect of things), what would be some suggestions as to how to make this more smooth functioning? What to tackle first? I still think there will be a lot of problems for at least 8 more weeks..
My biggest priority is the spider mite problem - i don't want to send anyone new into fl with a single mite or egg on them. Once we have chopped current fl, I want to dr. doom the fl room, and bleach absolutely everything in there. During that time I'm wanting to spray the hell out of the veg girls for a final clean before going in. Once they are out of veg, same process in that room - dr doom and bleach before doing some set up changes (tearing down most, if not all, of the tables) and training changes (top or pinch from babies plus undecided training method)
Is there a different priority i should have, or a better way to deal with clean up?
Despite all of the running around putting fires out, we do love this and find it very rewarding. Just very disheartening having to run around putting fires out haha..
I have say in small-ish things, but big ideas i have to run past the boss. Classic case of biting off more than I can chew, or trying to put lipstick on a pig? So it seems to me right now, but i'm ever the optimist who sees so much potential..
Thanks in advance for any and all help or sympathy ;)
