[juliando]

In response to some sustained, crazy winds and an actual tornado not far away - I got my twine suspension bridge bracing in place today. The constant tension in every direction means in cant move in any direction (except being blown off the table, which has happened)

Also keeps everyone in the perfect posture, stops them crowding and tangling.

 

[Galgrows]

It has been very breezy here in my neck of Oregon. Every day i check the plants for cracks from blowing around. I've got them tied to the bamboo poles in there pots which helps. I've had them in the past get too tall and blow over in the wind.

 

[juliando]

It has been very breezy here in my neck of Oregon. Every day i check the plants for cracks from blowing around. I've got them tied to the bamboo poles in there pots which helps. I've had them in the past get too tall and blow over in the wind.

I like this tension system for keeping them together, but makes them rigid and basically a big sail that catches the wind and slides the pots around. Luckily theyre drinking about a gallon a day, so most of time theyre soaked and heavy and more stable.

 

[Galgrows]

I like this tension system for keeping them together, but makes them rigid and basically a big sail that catches the wind and slides the pots around. Luckily theyre drinking about a gallon a day, so most of time theyre soaked and heavy and more stable.

That helps with the watering.

 

[Like2Grow]

In response to some sustained, crazy winds and an actual tornado not far away - I got my twine suspension bridge bracing in place today. The constant tension in every direction means in cant move in any direction (except being blown off the table, which has happened)

Also keeps everyone in the perfect posture, stops them crowding and tangling.

They look quite healthy. Somethings working right !!!

 

[orggrwr]

We had a storm come through last night and my Cretan landrace took a beating. Drove a piece of metal pipe into the ground for support. She should be fine. Most of my plants are in the greenhouse so no worries there.

 

[juliando]

Had a last minute pot space open up after the very bold porch squirrel ate my gfs cucumbers.

Its definitely late to be starting anything, but I figured it was an opportunity to get back into my breeding plans - finish my 4th gen. by running 1 of the 2 old clones I had from "Daughter of Slippery Dan". Both still doing well living in the 4" pots since mid April, 18hrs low light and routine topping.

She doesn't need to get big, 12-18" is fine as long as she flowers, I can use the pollen I collected this spring from her brother "Son of Bummer Dan"

Our Journey so far -

X (Auto)/GGH = Gen 1
Gen 1 (Auto)/Agent Orange = Gen 2
Gen 2/Gen 1 (Auto) Father = Gen 3
Gen 3/Gen 3 (brother/sister) = Gen 4

Im thinking the 5th Gen will be pretty consistent, but I have plenty of pollen and seems to keep pretty well in the fridge or the freezer - last batch lasted 1 year. So I can run the same brother again next gen and really close the loop on this strain if I need to, or just for fun.


(This gen. both male/female were labeled Big Dan - couldn't think of any good names)

 

[juliando]

So, Green Crack update, 14 days later - and almost a month from first seeing the initial (pre?) flower signs...And the bud sites that I've been watching look about the same. She's continued to grow another foot and is all spread out, crowding everybody until I tied her in place to the railing.

I guess if there was a re-veg it happened awhile back? She does look super thick, I don't have another intact plant to compare but the growth at the top looks like its doubled up. The lower branches structure looks normal...But Anyway

Same branches and locations from the last pictures
Major Lower Branch

Major middle Branch

Top
hard to get a good picture.

 

[juliando]

Absolute jungle now, very crowded at the center. There are definitely some spots that get better, more consistent sun throughout the day - so I try to rotate them every few days (except the giant pot) to give everyone a shot at the prime locations.
At the end of a dry, windy day...most days this summer, they're drinking more than a gallon (closer to 2) each before Ill see anything running out - more for the 13g pot, Ive actually never seen it run through before, even when adding like 3-4 gallons.

I think Ive been bit behind on feeds though. Catching some yellow lower leaves in the days leading up to feed - I guess the chicken manure pellets are officially used up. They've been busy, workin hard, so I think I can safely do another half dose or something mid week...

They're all easily twice (or more) the size of my last (or any) seasons plants, using the same pots and locations.
So far, some have handled the early move to natural light better than others. The topped clones (moved out just a few weeks later at most) all have normal growth. But the 2 Intact, largest plants have early re-veged.

Seems like the topping could be key to keeping the plant in veg mode, even with the longer dark period of early spring?

But maybe those 2 will have the time to recover somewhat - add some new growth large enough to produce some decent buds later? We'll see...

 

[juliando]

All monsters, all too big for their pots already (Tough keeping everybody watered and fed) Ive started my mid week 1/2 strength feeds - been using a 20-20-20, Ill have to pick up something different for flowering when the time comes but seems to working well enough for now.

The really early start has had mixed results so far. By far the biggest plants Ive been able to grow in this location, we'll see if that translates into a large or high quality yield...
But, I also had the 2 intact plants re-veg. They've all filled their pots already, its tough to keep them watered and there's still many weeks left to harvest - putting out 10 gallons a day when its 90 degrees and windy, which has been most days this summer.
And they're all so big, its crowded out there and Im sure its low light in the center - could be trouble when trying to flower.

We'll see if it was worth the trouble.

But...In the meantime.
The intact Green Crack's got a big ole tree trunk and she's at probably 9 foot now so its hard to get a good look at her very top.

cat not helpful for scale.

thumb helpful for scale


But...the lower branches look pretty good for now, albeit thick. If it keeps this up it may produce some decent buds, we'll see how they develop I guess
this is the tip of a middle branch.

And the rest...5-6 feet tall each, the strawberry cough still stinks, the green cracks do not (yet) but that seems to be normal from the others Ive grown.

Id say Ill be able to fill all my jars up, as for the quality...TBD.

 

[juliando]

Meanwhile...

Getting back to that 4th gen. clone from April that I was finally to grow out - I won't go into the genealogy now, if your curious you can scroll up a bit.
She had a late start and a less than ideal location but...She's at 16 inches and developed enough pistils to get started.
A little funky lookin but she's had a hard life. Living on low light in a tiny pot, cut back a bunch of times...

So, I brought her inside and used a bit of my 4th gen pollen from this plants brother.

Note to self (and other indoor breeders if they want) - This was a great way to safely flower a male, starting him indoors at the end of the winter. Once he was in flower I moved him outside during the day and brought him in at night. This male (maybe all males?) was very hardy - tolerant of some pretty low temps and once he started to flower there was no stopping him, not even a crazy light cycle. And, I figured no one else had any plants outside in March, so little stray pollen was no big deal...

I am super pumped about this next gen, high hopes...Ill get to try a few in the tents soon enough, but next season Ill go for some bigger numbers outdoors.

 

[juliando]

And 2 weeks later - seeing a number of swollen calyces, so seems like the pollination was successful (not that there's any trick to it)
I don't think she'll produce much bud but the seeds should be fine. Actually, the largest and best looking seeds I made last year came from the smallest plant, about this size.

Although she is growing out over the edge of the porch, so Ill have to keep an out as the seeds mature - try not to lose too many to the flower pots below.

 

[juliando]

(Wo)man Down!!

Lost the biggest of the topped clones, the green crack. Probably best case scenario as far that goes - I still have 2 others of the same strain going out there. But still sad...

Strong winds took the largest branch - which was braced to the other branches - so they all ended up breaking. Bummer.

But, on the bright side...Ive got a bit more room, but still not enough, still a jungle...but better.

The intact Green Crack is big bushy monster, probably 10 feet tall...Ass too fat, smoke too tough
So thick I can't really see what going on in most of it, could be squirrel in there for all I know, so that could be trouble.
When I can be sure shes fully flowering, Ill probably start removing a good portion of the leaf that I can reach, kinda pre-trim.

The Stunted Northern Lights has found a way, growing out through the railing - so far it seems to take after the other lanky plant from this same batch of seeds. No signs of flowering yet. Not a great picture, but proof of life.

 

[juliando]

Ran out of my normal flower feed - trying something a little different, maybe a little risky...

I got some bags of potash(0-0-60) and triple phosphate(0-45-0)
Before you panic...Im doing very small doses (1/6th tsp per gallon) and adjusting my ph before feeding it out. I know there's other stuff in the pellets but it all seems to dissolve.
My water comes out at 7.2 and is pretty hard, so the 1/8th tsp doses for 2 gallons and 8-9 drops of ph down bring it to 6.5 after sitting for a day. Probably should've always been adjusting my water down but I never have before, 4 years now - seems to be working fine. Always the same soil, pots, location and nutrients until trying this.

I made a batch and fed it out to one plant yesterday before giving it to everyone and its still alive. It does feel risky though, I may just get another bottle of organic bloom this weekend.