First Time Grow! 4 FEM Berry Ryders OUTDOOR

What's up guys??!?! (and Gals! please post pics )

Let's get right to it. I intend for this thread to be an all inclusive, highly detailed, interaction-oriented thread. Please excuse the lengthy intro, i'm just pumped and want to set the stage because I also enjoy writing with flare!

This is my first grow and after months of research, a little cash savings and to be honest, the guts, i'm really excited. I intend to make this thread a thread where people can go, copy EXACTLY what I do/did (or real close), and have similar results (if any?!), or hopefully better after learning from my first go. I'm just jumping in. So, here's my list of crap so far. It's not long...yet.

PICS WILL COME AS SOON AS SOMEONE PM's ME AND TELLS ME HOW TO POST PICS FROM MY CELL PHONE WITHOUT LOCATION

Please give me ANY, and I mean ANY, input, criticisms, suggestions, whatever. Just be nice to me and each other! It's all good!!!! Links to other threads, your grow, whatever, totally acceptable, as long as it goes with what we're doing in THIS thread.

Please bear in mind that I am aware of what I would call the "common" understandings of Auto's grow habits via these boards and general research though, but I am simply doing this grow the way I think I can get it done. May not be the BEST way, but it's my way!!!

So, that being said, let's get right to it!

Just Yesterday, I started germing these seeds via the paper towel method. I simply took paper towels, got them wet via water straight out of my kitchen faucet (tried to make it room temp), folded them in layers and folded the seeds in gently in the middle of the layers. Stuck them in ziplock bags and stuck them in a dark kitchen drawer. 36 hours later, all had tap roots and I put them in the 50/50 mix as gently as possible tap root down.

DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS

SEEDS- Attitude- ~ $30 with the rest of my order

MEDIUM- FFOF/Perlite 50/50 Mix- http://www.wormsway.com/kentucky.aspx Bought in store. 1.5 CU FT for $20.50 for the FFOF, perlite was $4.25. I bought one bag for now. Everyone in the store was very nice.

My plan is to to do 3 Gal smart pots when the time comes. They are in Solo Cups for now and yes i'm aware of the transplant thing with Auto's. I'm buying the smart pots today and once they pop the surface and get a couple leaves, i'll transplant them before the roots get too big and can be hurt.

What I did to make the mix was simply take a little scoop of perlite in one solo, a half scoop of FFOF in another, kinda just go back and forth between the cups and make sure the perlite was all mixed in. Added water and put the seeds in.

LIGHTS- HELP! I'm thinking i'm going to put them under some CFL's for a few weeks with the combo of the sun. The way the house is, it's possible for me. After a little Veg, they are going outside! I just don't want to shock them too bad with the outdoor transplant so to speak so if anyone has any insight on this, let me know. Most of the BR threads i've seen have been indoors.

NUTES- I won't be adding nutes for a little while because the impression i've gotten is that FFOF is good for a couple weeks. Input here is welcome as well. I will be doing a Veg/Flower combo after a bit and pick those up when the time comes.

THANKS GUYS OUGHTA BE FUN!

Here they are in my closet with just an initial setup for now to get them popped and sprouted. I apologize for the crappy pics. Cell phone is all i have.

The screws in the wall are just to keep the bulb off the wall and hovering directly over. I can screw them in and out as needed for adjustments.

when you move them outside you will have to harden them off first. To do that set them outside for several hours and then take them back in the house, as you go increase the amount of time they are outside. Or you could get them outside during the day from sprout and take them inside at night until they are big enough to say outside.

So one more little update for the weekend. At the same time as the BR's, I also started germ'ing 10 mystery seeds. Absolutely no clue if they were viable or not. Turns out, 4 popped! So i put them under the light. I'll be adding another light or two tomorrow as well. They will also go outside. So we've got 4 BR's and 4 Mystery seeds!

I also pulled a little macgyver move on the light. Because of how the light was sitting, it needed to be adjusted for better coverage for now until I add the others. So, I hooked the lights using a hanger, then put a screw in the wall and the hanger is hooked on that. (excuse the laundry basket). Check it out, lemme know what cha think.

Light is 150W/6500K

I like the mcguyver technique for the lights nice coat hanger rigging...at the beginning before you place them outside, you'll probably want to have that light a bit closer to the plants, and definitely follow technical dan's instructions if you plan on putting them outside...have you already scouted the place you're going to put them? And are you putting them into the ground or leaving them in pots? Remember, Autos don't like transplanting so much! I look forward to watching your grow!

Hey FanofPanic! Thanks for stopping in! Hit this while you're here!

I will be sure to adjust my lights a bit closer tomorrow when I buy the extra bulbs and fixtures. Thanks for that tip. I will DEFINITELY be following Dan's instructions for the hardening technique.

As far as scouting the place i'm going to put them goes, Yes, I have! There is a home that is foreclosed on right next to me and the backyard is highly overgrown (see pic). I plan on just putting them over there in pots amongst the wild growth for camo. Being that BR's stay pretty short, should blend right in and if anyone finds them (which they won't, i've not seen 1 person over there for over a years time thus far, I live in the bottom of a valley in the hills), i'll be safe because I have plausible deniability. We'll see what happens with the mystery seeds...i'll keep an eye on their height.

I will be careful about the transplant with the auto's. I've heard that too and I know they don't like it very much! Thank you sir!

Grow Site:

hey man

i am growing these now....indoor that are great if u have in a camo pot bag u can place them almost anywhere ........only get 2 feet tall

have about 2 feet of bush wall up then flatten a 3 foot circle for each plant ( make sure u have several paths in and out (using same one all the time wears it down makes it easier to find and animals will start using it)

where u put it place out aminal replent and incest ( since u have them in pot's bags u are just doing the ground around them it is all good )............this is the best advice i can offer if u do not have dogs and this is your area dog repellent the hell out of the yard and that area ..........even if they do smell it the chemical will mess them up and keep them from getting close (all nature and safe so u are not going to be charged with assult on K9/attempted poisong/murder

yeah that place looks pretty overgrown. I wouldn't be surprised if you find some plants already there! Just make sure you don't place them near some plant that might choke them out or block the light too much.

1 Seedling popped the surface last night and the other 3 should probably break the surface today! pics later on

Should I continue with 24 hours of light at this time?

I have never tried with 24 hours of continuous light due to various economic and heat issues, but i have heard that with cfls this is the best way to go. the only reserve I have is that you're going to be putting them outside, where, unless you live at the north pole, there won't be 24 hours continuous light. For this reason, I was thinking maybe 20/4? But, as you know, auto flowering doesn't depend on light because it's genetic. I would just be worried about stressing them when you move them outdoors. Stress and autos often lead to a smaller lower-yielding plant.

I agree with you and here's what i was thinking.

Much like technical dan said above where It sort of a graduation thing from indoor to outdoor and to harden them, I was thinking the same with the lights. I'm thinking for now, as sprouts, they can use all they can get, I.E. 24/0, for maybe the first week. Then the 2nd week, as i begin to harden them, i'll taper it down to 20/4 and then let nature take its course after that when they are strong enough to be outside all the time.

Thoughts?

You're probably right on that one. Give 'em as much light as possible to start them off, then taper that down to a bit. When are you planning to put them outside? You might want to check the sunrise/sunset times to get an idea of how much light they'll get when they're out permanently.
Of course, we're probably or most likely over thinking this...

Man that's a freaking good idea. I'm trying to go full nerd on this and maximize everything.

I used my google machine and came up with this.... http://www.sunrisesunset.com/

Edit: The other thing I am hoping for with the timing of all this towards the end, which is why I waited until june to start, was hopefully to spike just a couple 55-65* nights in august and give it that purple hue

If I understand correctly, you want to have the plants peaking in the middle of August, which would be nice with all that sun and that purple is all so cool. If everything worked out, I could envision some big buds. However, another thing you might encounter is the heat factor. Obviously, you would want to have the plants well hydrated during the day if where you are doesn't get much rain in the summer. Otherwise, the heat could ruin all your plans...remember autos are cousins of ruderalis which is normally found in colder climates, like russia.

I have definitely thought about the heat issue. it shouldnt get TOO hot as its pretty temperate and i'm thinking that the spot im going to use is going to provide some cover via shade over parts of the plant as the sun moves. Time will tell! Thanks for the input man, seriously. got me thinking...

Update Day 2 in soil:

All 4 BR's have popped the surface. One still has it's seed shell on and i'm going to let it try to work itself out. The rest are doing what they do. Growing, I guess. Based on my extremely amateur eye, i'm thinking all looks well. You tell me.

The mystery seeds are yet to pop but i checked em out and it looks like probably overnight we should see some action.

ON TO THE PICS! These are BR's only, no one wants to look at dirt I think.

This girl has been a standout from the beginning and it shows:



And the others:








And the one with the shell still on...




Quick Edit: I also turned the lights off for two hours while i mowed my lawn tonight. no clue if that did anything at all.

buddy

do not keep them on a 24 hour light

i got much better grow at 18/6 on berry ryder .............try a 20/4 and see i do measurements once a week

I don't know if turning the lights off while you mowed the lawn did anything to the plants but you might want to look at the mow job you did, seeing as how you did it in the dark!

justugh said:

buddy

do not keep them on a 24 hour light

i got much better grow at 18/6 on berry ryder .............try a 20/4 and see i do measurements once a week

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well i'm going to take pics today, but I think this early, maximization of lights seems to be working. The strong girl has really grown and the rest are right behind, looking healthy. I'm not saying you are wrong, and I think i'll get to 18/6 or even less once they go outside, but for now i'm sticking with the plan until I see a reason to change. Keep posting with suggestions though please

fanofpanic said:

I don't know if turning the lights off while you mowed the lawn did anything to the plants but you might want to look at the mow job you did, seeing as how you did it in the dark!

Click to expand...

Hahaha! If i mowed my lawn in the dark around here, i'd draw gun fire.

You can hear a squirrel fart where i live!