My first grow

[kolah]

Interesting point Bud! Humidity in my greenhouse is about 15-20%.

 

[Seamaiden]

Would using misters be an option for any of you? We just had two days of rain out here, everything is still covered in dew. That's the thing that blew me away about this area because the only other mountains I've been to are all in SoCal and are DRY, in that 10%-20% range. It's sometimes referred to as the Banana Belt of the Sierra. But, temps are temps.

It's been almost like fall the past two days, everything but the tomatoes that haven't been staked seems to be loving it, even my beans and peppers.

Hehheh, my dad used to take the 4' shop light fluoros and shuffle his feet on the carpet when it got really dry, then touch the lamp to the nearest person's ass. ZZAAAPP!! People get pissed, but they're also amazed because it lights up!

 

[kolah]

Misting is a great idea. I live off grid tough and have only enough solar panels to run my laptop, two lights and a radio/CD player.

I have been thinking about gravity drip irrigation. I guess I could do something similar to mist my plants.

I wonder if wetting down my stone walkway 2-3x a day would help.

 

[Seamaiden]

How about going the old school 70s method and make a humidity tray to set them on? Tray that won't leak water, deep enough to place about an inch of gravel and fill almost to the top with water. Temperatures aside, that RH alone is enough to drive evaporation. If you use dark rocks and/or dark/black plastic to line it that could further serve as a heat sink, too.

***Edit*** Oh yeah, you might want to follow the storm track on the one that just passed through our area. Gave us just over 1/2" of rain by my measure (a few buckets left in different areas outside).

 

[kolah]

super idea! danka shane'

How about going the old school 70s method and make a humidity tray to set them on? Tray that won't leak water, deep enough to place about an inch of gravel and fill almost to the top with water. Temperatures aside, that RH alone is enough to drive evaporation. If you use dark rocks and/or dark/black plastic to line it that could further serve as a heat sink, too.

***Edit*** Oh yeah, you might want to follow the storm track on the one that just passed through our area. Gave us just over 1/2" of rain by my measure (a few buckets left in different areas outside).

 

[kolah]

Well heres the good news, the Skunk 1 and DJ BB look sweet.

 

[kolah]

now the bad news, one sick looking Jillybeaner:

 

[kolah]

all the gooduns'...young and old

 

[kolah]

Being up here in CO@9300 ft when do you think my skunk 1 and DJ will start to flower?

I know a 12/12 light cycle kicks the mmj into flowering but approx what month does that happen here? Right now the Sun is up at 6 am and sets around 9pm (15 hrs of light) or will he flower cycle kick in earlier?

I am unsure how big my new sprouts will get being that I just got them started.

I have to admit its a real gas to go out and see the new growth everyday. They grow like weeds! (pun)

I guess I am a 100% rookie farmer. :)

 

[Seamaiden]

Kolah, I don't know how higher elevations may affect photoperiod, but in my area (our days are shorter already @ approximately 38*) I don't see budding really kick in until August. I've seen plants continue to flower out in conditions that mimic deep shade (as in not fully dark 'night' on an indoor grow), so if you're in a valley that loses sunlight, or under or near a deeply shaded canopy, that might speed up flowering.

However, your girls all appear to be potted and that's one of the things that can really speed up onset and finish, IME. The smaller the shoes the more quickly the girl needs to get out of them, in a way of looking at it.

That Jillybean, WTF? She looks like hell while all the others are kicking ass and taking names. What have you tried with her?

If you just started seedlings, you should get a finish, they just won't produce as much since they won't have had the veg time. Make sense? It's difficult for me to quantify because I don't track production very closely.

 

[kolah]

The sick Jillybean? It was funky looking when I bought it...just like the NL I bought which I just recently shitcanned. (bought them both from same MMC)

I first tried flushing the JB thinking the new soil was too hot. I waited 4-5 days with no real change. I then tried adding just a touch of fish emulsion fertilizer. No change. Just yesterday I pulled it from the pot and put it in a soiless mix and lightly watered it. I checked her this morning and she looks a bit better. I didn't try your suggestion about using dolemetric because it was 20 bucks a bag and I didn't have the dough for it. I ain't giving up on her yet and as long as she doesn't exhibit contagious infestation I will try to nurse her back.

My greenhouse gets the sunrise sun at 6am and gets full sun until about 8 pm. Nice huh? :) I do have to watch things do not get too hot!

My plans are to put those big girls in the ground inside the GH. Dig 3 foot holes for the larger clones and let them go crazy. I will wait to see the sexing on the others in the smaller pots for now. Many of them will be spread out "in the wild" in different places as I am curious to see how they will grow in different places. I got some nice strains though and would like to see how the ECSD/G13 goes.

I also bought a very nice bagged clone yesterday, Elephant Bud in case my Jillybean needs to be put down. (this was from a new MMC op). I was a bit picky on purchasing one and I have learned a few lessons on buying clones. I also bought a gram of EB to try and loved it. I am a indica man and love sedation and heavy stoneage. :)

Almost all of them are planted in Happy Froggie soil so it won't be too long before I will have to start adding fertilizer. Right now I just using my well water and checking pH every 3-4 days. It's steady at 6.4 to 6.5. I have read about fertilizers and I am blown away by all the recommendations (liquid stuff, batshit, other aged poop, spray foliage, top dress etc). Since this is my first grow I am trying to keep things simple. I am trying to stay "organic" as possible.... even thought the term organic has been bastardized...same as "all natural".

I try to remember this is just a weed and they should grow fairly well as long as I stay out of the way, go easy on fert and check them 2-3 times a day. It does become a bit addictive but in a good way as I enjoy watching them grow. It must be a bitch to loose some big plants when they are in the bud stage. I felt like shit having to destroy that NL clone.

I use this site as my grow bible and will keep reading about the different "natural" fertilizers. I am open to suggestions.

 

[ROIDRAGER]

General Organics from GH is fool proof.

Got a buddy running 400ppm out of the tap and his first grow is going of perfectly.

 

[Seamaiden]

So far urine, used at a ratio of between 1:5-1:10, is working GREAT. Doesn't get any cheaper than that, now does it? If your diet is good, then so should the pee. Outside of that, or barring that, top-dressings work very well, as do teas.

There are a couple of products I personally feel I can't do without, one of the more significant being seaweed/kelp extracts. I prefer the dry fish hydrolysate to any liquid fish, that can be purchased from Peaceful Valley, but you may have a closer source that makes more sense for it. For an all-in-one, in my opinion Dr. Earth's line of Organics just can't be beaten, not even with a stick.

Linkage for you: http://www.drearth.com/
I have used Organic 4, 5, and would like to try 8. Right now what I have on hand is their original 4-4-4 blend. I use it for EVERYTHING, and use it as a top-dressing, mixed into the soil, or as a tea.

 

[kolah]

Thanks!

I use my "sweet pee" for my vegetable garden. :)

I plucked my Jillybean and burnt the little girl in my firepit. I dumped the soil far off my land too.

My little ones are zoaring, holy shit. G13/ Paki Kush and G13/ECSD leaves are huge..big, wide and meaty. They look extremely vigorous and healthy.

Yesterday I transplanted the new clone Elephant Bud from the bag they had it in. I made another rookie mistake as the dirt all fell apart when I tipped her upside down. DOH! I carefully laid her in and softly packed her and gave her a drink. She looks great today. Whew!

Appreciate the help folks!

 

[kolah]

Using nothing but Happy Frog soil and all my plants are kicking major ass. The bean spouts have been put into 5 gallon buckets along side the clones and all is well in the greenhouse. I am just a bit concerned about the seed plantes ones as I am going to have to keep a close eye out for males or hermies..but I think I got some more veg growth time.

For my first grow and I'm feeling pretty fucking dandy.

I have 3 nice 2 foot high very bushy clones: DJ Blueberry, Skunk 1 and Elephant Bud.

from seed:
4 short bushy fatass leaves, thick stemmed of Pakistani-G13
4 short thicked stemmed ECSD/G-13 aka Bulllfrog?
4 deep dark green bushy ECSD and Deep Hash

I had some leftovers and experiemented with them and planted thenm outside in various locations. Pics to come.

Met a gal at the grow supply house and she said all she uses in Happy Frog through the entire grow cycle. She showed me pics of her buds and had some super nice nugs. She told me once they start to flower the overall growth will double. Happy Frog here is 20 bucks a bag..which fills three 5 gallon buckets. I may choose to find a place to buy it in bulk for a cheaper price.

Keepin it simple..fer now.

all beans are now about 8 inches tall and were root bound. They should now kick into high gear when they overcome the shocky transplant.

 

[kolah]

anyone ever try using mirrors on the ground/floor to catch more sunlight to the lower part of plants? My plants are in a greenhouse in 5 gal buckets and I have thought about laying some mirrors around the bottom of the buckets.

 

[rockymtnbuds]

Hi kolah looks like you're getting the hang of gardening. I'd avoid the mirrors. A friend had several 8' tall mirrors from his old dojo and tried putting them in his flower room. They created "hot spots" and burned the crap out of several plants.
I'm looking forward to seeing how those seed plants do, they are some of Lorans better crosses.

 

[kolah]

I''l take some new pics today, RMB, and post em here.

extremely thicked stemmed and vigorous...in comparison to my store bought clones.

a few I planted outside just to see how they do but most of them are in the GH. (fucking hail is bad up here)

 

[rockymtnbuds]

I hear ya, the hails been bad down here the past 2 weeks. I have a plant out back and the big fan leaves are full of holes.

 

[Seamaiden]

anyone ever try using mirrors on the ground/floor to catch more sunlight to the lower part of plants? My plants are in a greenhouse in 5 gal buckets and I have thought about laying some mirrors around the bottom of the buckets.

I would use something white, not mirrors. Like the stuff we used to floor my flowering room... I can't remember what it's called but it's only about a quarter inch thick and was fairly inexpensive, washes clean fairly easily.

Hold on, querying Dave... melamine? I think that's what it was.

Or, you could try OSB either painted white, or get the stuff with Mylar backing already on it. Or! The Styrofoam insulation! Light-weight, VERY reflective (the non-printed side), and it also comes with a Mylar side now, too.