Oregon Rec. Grow

[WV: Jetson]

Hello all. Lets hope this doesn't turn into a wreck... Last year I grew two plants from bag seed, this year I'm stepping it up a bit: I have seeds of Donkey Kong, Cindy's Blue Cheese & Swiss Hybrid (Eirdbei) - all from Oregon Green Seed. I had some rot last year so I'm lookin' for a quicker finish. They were planted on March 16th

a couple week later - from the left: bag, Swiss, DK and CBC

and transplanted into 4" pots last Sunday

My plan is to raise them under lights until mid-May, when they'll go out for the summer. Two plants will go into a raised bed, and two will go into 15g squat pots. The pots are going to be filled with a locally produced potting soil: http://www.betterurbandirt.com/ I'm not looking for pounders, just something to get us through the long wet winters!

I'll be posting the major steps and answering any questions along the way. Anyone else who would like to add their backyard grow, please do. I know that this isn't going to be terribly exciting for a while, so the more the merrier!

 

[Humanrob]

Looks like you are off to a great start! You found the good seed company before I did, by the time I discovered them they were out of all of the ones I was interested in. I ended out getting mine from local dispensaries. I'm going mostly seed this summer, that's new to me. Are you planning on using hoop-houses or any other kind of late season cover/protection with yours?

I have similar goals, smaller plants and an early finish would be nice. I just got into SIP growing (subterranean irrigation pots), so I'm going to use those inside and out. A couple will go in the ground around the garden, a pair will be in 15 gallon pots I've dropped into the ground (to keep the plant height low and the roots cool), and the rest will be various sized experimental DIY SIPs. My wife is OMMP and I am a regular resident, so we're going to stretch the 6+4 count for a while, but probably once the boys are culled out we'll end with around 6.

My intention is to buy a pair of 600w HPS lights, and be prepared to finish a few of them in the garage if necessary. It would be nice if we had a warm dry fall, but I'm not going to bet on it, and I really want as many plants as possible to finish this year.

I haven't popped my seeds yet, but I'll get to that soon. The current plan is to put them outside in 1 gallon pots around May 14th, and then in there final pots (or in the ground) on June 1st. Should be an adventure!

 

[WV: Jetson]

The raised beds are cinder block affairs, and I was able to hoop the individual plants last year. What happen though, was my hoops were too small. They were just above the tops of the girls and would collect the overnight evaporation from the ground. So every morning I was peeling back wet plastic with dew on the outside and evaporation on the in.

I really wish I could plant in the ground. I'm in an older neighborhood, with a 4' chain link fence on one side, as do the next three lots down the line. It's nice 'cause is has a park-like feel. It's not nice because it is not very private. The couple next door are pretty straight - she was horrified when the laws changed. They are getting pretty old though... snowbirds to boot. And my wife would like nothing more than a 6' fence on that side. We'll see.

Did you ever find your Most Wind Resistant cross, HR? Keeping the size down should help; and I am going to do some caging/staking of some sort this year. Wind usually isn't an issue for me, but it seems to be an easy way to bump quantity.

Exciting times: cheers to the new year!

 

[Humanrob]

No, the seed banks don't seem to be testing for wind. I need to trick a breeder into moving to my neighborhood, then they'll understand and make it a priority! LOL

I only intend to put a hoop house over the pair that are in the sunken 15 gallon pots. I'll put it together mid-September when I see how big they've gotten. The rest will tough it out or finish in the garage.

So your cinder block "raised beds" have a bottom/barrier? We've been doing raised beds in the garden, but they are just walls on top of the ground. The girls I put in the ground as well as the ones in 100 gallon pots last year got too big, we just don't have room for plants that big and they become harder to manage. We also don't need that much medicine. My wife will put some out among our partially edible landscape, and she'll "prune" them to fit in like she did last year, it worked very well.

I had a similar issue with covers, although mine wasn't touching the plants about 70% of it was not removable, only side flaps on the lower 2/3 of the ends would come off. So the remaining bubble of plastic trapped enough moisture to create bud rot (Alien OG, but after the initial harvest) and PM (WiFi OG, GSC). I was very naive last year, and chose the outdoor strains the same way I chose my indoor. After getting huge in the mid-summer sun, the WiFi and GSC didn't get enough later summer sun to fully mature and never finished -- but even indoors they would have needed 9-10+ weeks to flower. Cut up and stacked, they filled up the better part of a compost bin section.

Last year one of the plants that we did not protect at all finished best of all. The frustrating part of that is that it was from a "mystery" seed someone gave us, and I have no idea what it was. The Chemdawg 91 that was right next to the Alien OG had no issues. This year I ended out with Dr. Who and LSD seeds, and I have a few other wild cards that amount to long stories... a couple of seeds from a hermied plant, and a couple of girls that got kicked out of the tent and have been outside since February. It's a scrappy bunch, but we'll see what happens.

 

[WV: Jetson]

I live in the land of RV parking. I would say 50% of the homes in the neighborhood have an RV pad of some design; mostly gravel - some concrete or asphalt. The guy that had this home (10+ yrs ago) previously took out a small side yard and a goodly chunk of the back and graveled over it to park his rig on. Now to answer your question: the raised beds are open on the bottom, but are sitting on a base of overgrown packed gravel. I'm not into mass spraying nor do I want a gravel backyard, so we've let the grass grow on it. And now I'm expanding on that statement

By getting OGS seeds, I'm hoping to avoid having to cover the plants. I've also read a lot of seed catalogs over the years and now to take what I read w/ a grain of salt... plus the weather variable - we'll see.

It's going to be warm here today: I'm putting the kids outside for some fresh air and diffused sunshine.

 

[Humanrob]

That makes sense. It's good to get the kids used to "the big light" slowly. Today's warm weather is thanks to the east side, so we're getting it with 20mph winds with gusts to 30. The two I have out there now have seen worse, they'll toughen up.

Every location has its compromises. We have a "double lot", and my wife and I have made the garden a priority. Our house is in a noisy spot, between the traffic and the airport we often can't hear each other talk at more then 10 feet away without seriously shouting. Sometimes a piece of the dream is all you get.

Here's the two kids that have been outside since February. The bigger one is a Sour Diesel, put out on the 6th, the smaller is a Chemdawg 91 that spent a few weeks on the kitchen table with other house plants in a one gallon pot, and that somehow really stunted her. So she went out late February, but never caught up to the Sour D. They've both started budding to various degrees, I'm hoping they go back into veg. They are in 10 gallon cloth pots inside the bins, the bins just make it easier to move them around (we put them under shelter when heavy rains came).

 

[WV: Jetson]

Getting the vitamin D on!


And starting to smell.

Last year, I put the gals out too early, but it worked out ok. And I was very lucky with the timing. They 'flowered enough that I could sex 'em, I pinched the tops, and by than the days were long enough and they re-vegged & ran all summer long. I didn't keep notes last year, and didn't find this site until later in the summer. If I could recreate that and not have to clone 'em; that would be my first choice. But I also get it's hard on the girls.

Your gardens look really nice, HR. And your right: sometimes we do only get a slice of pie. And, a double lot up there is becoming a rarity!

 

[Humanrob]

@WV: Jetson - how are the babies coming along?

I'm going to soak my seeds tomorrow, and put them into cubes on Saturday. I'm also going to take some clones from the teens I'm running indoors at the moment. And I just picked up a clone at a dispensary...

We've been going back and forth about seeds or clones. I mentioned before that I thought I would run mostly from seeds this year because they are heartier and more resilient. But... I'm starting to wonder about the loss when culling the boys. We won't exceed 10 at any time (6 med / 4 rec), and we're doing so many experiments this year. If we put all that time into setting up a trial situation and then come August we're pulling and tossing a bunch, it could be a waste of time and lost information. So it looks like we're settling in on about half from seed and half from clones.

In the end we really can't go wrong. I've got plans, and contingency plans, so I will harvest something this fall for sure.

 

[WV: Jetson]

They are at their third nodes. I'll get pics up this weekend - the weather is returning to favorable!

The lure of the clone is attractive for just the reasons you give, HR. Even though I have more than enough now, in the back of my mind I keep saying just one clone won't hurt. My casual plan at the moment is to plant out the sassiest looking plant of each strain; and either clone and flip when they put on more growth and/or clone & flip a few of the non selected plants. But, I'm sure I have 12 gals right now A couple of friends have asked for plants too - maybe I'll get into the propagation biz...

Quoting from Deb at OGS (and following her advice):
"I would also add that higher temps (in early veg) will increase the MALE to female ratio - more males.
When working with regular seed stock and going for max number of FEMALES, you will increase your female percentage by:
1. Keeping the light period down to 16.5 hours - absolutely no more than 18 hours. (I usually do a 17/7 light schedule in veg till preflowers show)
2. Keeping temps in the plant's immediate area around 65-68 degrees. Definitely keep below 70 degrees."

I've been at 17/7 this whole time and the seedlings were started, and are still kept in an unheated, attached garage. The evening temps had been well below 60 some nights, 'specially early on. The cooler temps haven't seemed to have a negative impact - growth wise - at all. The only time they have been above 70 was when I was setting them out in the sun, and only then for an hour or two at the most.

 

[Humanrob]

Thanks for that information! Definitely new data in there for me. I was planning on sprouting my seeds and propagating some clones in the same tray, but I find my clones like it warmer to root (76º+/-), so I guess I'll rethink starting them together.

 

[ky man]

Donkey kong I have grew it befor.That year I grew it it was the last plants to finish.I don't like it for that reason it takes to long to finish it went to the first week in November that's just to long for ky.

 

[WV: Jetson]

First week in November is too long for Oregon as well...

 

[DG1959]

I too am in Oregon....I am getting ready for outdoor also. Earliest we should go outdoor is May 23rd. Think I will buy a temporary carport frame and put plastic over it.... lucky enough to live in the country with few neighbors and the closest one grows also.
Growing 2 sativa and 2 hybrids..... good luck to you.

 

[Humanrob]

I too am in Oregon....I am getting ready for outdoor also. Earliest we should go outdoor is May 23rd. Think I will buy a temporary carport frame and put plastic over it.... lucky enough to live in the country with few neighbors and the closest one grows also.
Growing 2 sativa and 2 hybrids..... good luck to you.

I've seen people have great success with those temporary carports. There are also pop-up canopies, like the ones vendors use at outdoor fairs or shows where they have "booth" spaces, that have no sides and just a top. I wish I could go that route, but with the wind we have here it would be two towns over before it landed.

 

[WV: Jetson]

^^^ There has to be a YouTube video somewhere... ^^^

@DG1959 are you gonna run under the carport all season or just extend the beginning and the end?

 

[WV: Jetson]

From this morning


from left to right: Donkey Kong, Cindy's Blue Cheese, Swiss X and bag.

and a very happy Ladybug

 

[Humanrob]

From this morning
View attachment 3658638 View attachment 3658639

and a very happy Ladybug
View attachment 3658640

Looking good!!! Looks like it will be a strong healthy grow for you this summer.

So far my summer stock looks like this...

The seeds were just dropped into the Rapid Rooters yesterday, so in a couple of days I'll know how many have popped. The clones are from an indoor I'm running, but I'll try them outside.

There are two Bruce Banner #3's, and two Chemdawg OG x Rub Burn OG. I've had nearly 100% success rate with clones, but I don't know if I've ever cut ones with this many leaves on them. I'll be interested to see if I need to trim them down or how they'll do on their own.

The last one going outside is circled in this pic -- a J1 clone I picked up and had nowhere to put, so I put it with the two I have vegging. I think she's actually getting about the right amount of light for her age.

 

[WV: Jetson]

Hubba hubba Bubba - that's a lot of young 'uns! Spring is in the air

 

[DG1959]

^^^ There has to be a YouTube video somewhere... ^^^

@DG1959 are you gonna run under the carport all season or just extend the beginning and the end?

I will run under the cover if rain is in the forecast. Also I am growing some Sativa's that might be longer flowering.

 

[WV: Jetson]

Fu-u-u-ck, anyone else have stink bugs?



They are all over my lights and on the plants every night after I bring them in. Over a dozen tonight (so far) and 10+ on Sunday. They are in the garage, they aren't coming in from outside. They are a sucking bastards. Once I dispatch the first flush or two, that seems to be it for the night.

And the girls are growing like crazy! Averaging 9" tall, I'm thinking I'm going to need to transplant into gallons shortly. And pinch. I don't have a light set-up for 12, gallon pots. All in all though - I could have worse problems. Take a hit and chill, dude... F'in stink bugs.