2nd Desert Indoor-Outdoor Grow

[mojavemama]

Germinated in Paper Towels 9-06-09:

4 Purple Kush
4 White Frost
4 Purple Bud
4 Hawaiian
4 Wizard
4 White Widow F2

Two of the 4 Purple Kush beans germinated, and all the others germinated.

Planted in 16 oz. Plastic cups on 9-09-09 in organic soil with mixture of perlite and vermiculite 1 inch deep in top and bottom of cups. 1 Wizard is stunted, strange leaves (see picture). Others doing well. For first week, I had them in clear cups so I could watch the humidity carefully. At 7 days, I placed the clear cups in opaque cups to keep roots from getting light.

Currently under 8 6500K fluoros and 4 CFL's.

Will begin augmenting with natural sunlight in about 2 weeks.
I have to do this as I don't have a MH or HPS (and with our economy now, I don't see my getting good lights in 2010 either, so sunlight is my best friend for now).

9-18-09 update: Roots showing on sides of cups now, so will be repotting all except the weird, stunted WIZARD into gallon containers this weekend.

 

[420benny]

Good morning MM! Here's some benny GREEN MOJO for them all.

 

[tcbud]

You getting some Green Mojo from me too.

Why cant you keep your girls under CFL's for the whole grow? It is a proven fact, that you can bud under CFL. Ask......Ozziodude, he proved it.....I did it too last winter, had T5's tho. Sometimes easier is better. You could monitor their light schedual real easy that way.

Glad to see the journal start.

 

[pcduck]

Looks like you got some nice choices going. I am pulling up the nest and :watchplant:


Will you be moving these from outdoors to indoors to get more lighting until ready for budding?

 

[mojavemama]

Benny and TC, thanks for the Green Mojo--I can use ALL I can get!!!
TC, I know I can grow under T-5's pretty successfully, and CFL's can work, I realize this too...but just not with as much bud as I'd like. I still don't know how you can beat natural sunlight--especially our intense sun with no marine layer to filter it.

Even in winter, the light is fantastic here. Summer is a killer, and nothing could grow out there then, but I made sure to have nothing growing during summer. Good sunlight consistently is both the agony and ecstasy of living here--in the spring and fall, things grow like crazy. And many, many Christmas days we have enjoyed a brunch outside on the patio in 70 degree weather, sunny and bright.

I still may get a couple of t-5 fixtures, though they get pretty pricey. But for augmenting, they are not so bad. Between the 6500K T-8's, the CFL's and with 4 2 foot T-5's, I should be set enough to get some decent bud. Not ideal, perhaps, but for my guerilla grow--good 'nuff!

PC, you asked if I'd be bringing them inside to get better lighting--nope, just the opposite. I start them inside, then move them outside gradually, increasing sun time by 15 minutes per day. They do MUCH better outside, but only when it's cool enough to not burn them into crispies. TO make this work, I have to time everything just right and bring them in and out in a very careful way.

By budding time, it may or may not be warm enough/sunny enough to keep them outside for 8-12 hours a day. I keep them out for as long as possible, but if it gets too hot or too cold--in they come and under the lights.

I dream of a good grow room, though! Imagine not having to spend several hours a day tending plants, just to see them through!

Thanks so much for stopping by, PC, TC and Benny! I've learned so much from you all.

 

[tcbud]

:watchplant: :bong: :watchplant:

OKiedoke then...:watchplant: :ciao: :fly: looking good.

 

[4u2sm0ke]

:ciao: Mojo for the Desert :bong:

 

[mojavemama]

Transplanted half the seedlings into gallon pots last week, and those are doing much better than the seedlings still in the plastic cups. Plan to transplant the last 9 seedlings today.

I'm still taking them outside each morning, and bringing them in under the lights at night. The weather has been kind--it won't be going over 90 degrees this coming week!

I have not fed any of the plants yet--they are still in OMRI rated Organic Soil and that's it. Tomorrow, I plan to feed those I transplanted last week with a weak solution of Bio-Grow.

Note: the plant in the picture in the white wrapper is my "Monster Can" grow, only the can has to be covered up because it's black and outside in the sun, it sucks up the heat.

 

[pcduck]

Looking real nice mm :aok:

 

[dekgib]

i am in on this one

 

[2Dog]

they are looking good and must be strong in the 90 degree weather..u must br proud mamma! I am loving my PK..

 

[MeNtAlPaTiEnT]

Looking beautiful over there. awsome young ones.

 

[tcbud]

:watchplant: :ciao: :fly: Looking mighty fine there.

 

[4u2sm0ke]

oh yeah..:lama: sometimes the heated pot promotes root growth..but maybe not the desert heat:giggle: looking great girl..How are the dogs? and is Hubby ready for another desert grow? hes Awesome..

 

[the chef]

Holy Shmoly, i wanna go visit the desert! Lookin great mojavemama, i'm in. Green thoughts be with ya and the purps. You don't have a problem with hermies moving them inside to outside do ya? Just wondering. Eastcoast green mojo for ya!:watchplant: :beatnik:

 

[mojavemama]

Chef, I don't know if moving them will make them hermie or not. I've heard yes, I've heard no. This is only my second grow, and the first went hermie--BUT, I don't think it was from moving them inside and out, but from my taking a week vacation and hubby drowning them.

I guess we shall see what happens! I am soooo careful transferring them, so if they turn out hermie this time, then hubby better find a way to finance some decent switchable ballasts for me so I won't have to go through this a third time.

I'm smoking last season's hermies now, and they aren't too bad. They aren't great, but at least they cost me nothing but time. I was buying commercial schwag here at $960 oz or $120 per 8th. So my hermies are at least as good as what I was buying.

I'd like to see if the whole desert indoor-outdoor experiment can work, though. Not that I want to do this much work, but there are so many folks here who need it medicinally, can't get it because we have no dispensaries in our state (Nevada) and if they could grow indoors-outdoors and not have to buy lights (people with heavy disabilities who need it the most are those who most often have just NO disposable income. Food comes before lights.).
If I can make this work, then I could pass that info on to others who need it so desperately.

I'm taking that east coast mojo you're sending, Chef, and hoping it will work to keep these girls as GIRLS!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!

Here are some of the "hopeful girls" today--they are so big I suspect they may be boys, though....

 

[4u2sm0ke]

:ciao: Desert Grower...Looking good..and IMO..your girls Last season didnt herm cause what ypu did or Hubby..I believe it was the beans...from what I read at start ya gots ya some good genetics for your second grow...I too want you to succeed ..you have the right state of mind..by this i meen...you want to master the desert indoor/outdoor..to help others...:aok: and with your medical condition..I Envy you for even trying.. so with that said Im sending some MOJO for the Desert :lama: take care and be safe

 

[2Dog]

they are looking great! u r so kind to consider all those people I wish u the best grow karma there is!!!

 

[Colorado Lady 1]

Good Morning MaMa

Just sitting here wondering what I'm going to do now that outside grow is cured and jarred. So much time for other things now. Think I'll just watch your beautiful grow. Your plants are already so big and healthy. Here's green mojo coming to you from Colorado also. Really looking forward to watching your plants mature. And respecting all the work you have to put into them.

 

[Locked]

Lookin good MM...