[wisco61]

I'm growing some plants for my first time outdoors this summer, and things are looking darn good. I'm at 45 N lat, in 2'x2'x2' holes of sand, peat, perlite, and water crystals. The native soil is 99% sand it seems, and will not support a plant placed directly in the ground. I tried it, it failed.
I've been feeding them 15-30-15 and 40-2-2, 1 heaping teaspoon per gallon. I watered about 5 times in June, feeding each time. So far in July, I have watered once and fed 3 times.

I started them as clones in March, all of them White Lady girls, 2 phenos. 4 plants of pheno 1, and 1 plant of pheno 2

I've grown them both out indoors, they both produce a ton of trichs and finish in about 60 days. Pheno 2 being quicker and producing more trichs.

bud shot of an indoor one grown



Here is the main plot before planting on April 20th



I planted them all on May 24th. Forgot my camera that trip, but here is a shot of plant 2, the one plant of pheno 2 i planted from May 27.


I put chicken wire cages around them, 2 feet tall and a foot across. I ended up guiding the branches through the wire to give the stems support. I also added a second 4' high, 2' across cage in June as seen in the next pictures.

June 15th & 18th, WL#2


From June 25th, a group shot of the main plot, 4 plants. From left to right, 1,3,4 are pheno 1, 2 is P2.


Closeup of #2, June 25th


The 5th plant is off on its own, here it is June 15th and then the 25th.


So far, it is going amazingly well. Too well I imagine, but we shall see. Some of the leaves have been damaged by some type of leaf eating insect, but the damage is minimal when looking at the overall plant. Weather has been amazing, good solid rains when its cloudy, otherwise the sun has been just a-shining. Over 4" rain in June, and already over 5" for July. Hopefully it dries up come fall. It normally does anyways around here.

Regardless, this has been a great experience and I am already prepping at least another 10 holes for next year, and doing selections for some strains. I've also come to some realizations about the area I am in, and have big plans for next year!

[wisco61]

Alright, some more current pics.

Here is a group shot from July 8th.


And here is a group shot from July 23rd.


Here are plants 1-4 in order, from July 23rd.



Here is plant #5 on July 4th and the 23rd.

[Family]

Nice bushes you got! Best of luck to ya

[wisco61]

Thanks Family, they are quite the bushes.

Gonna start hitting them with the flower nutes next week, they will hopefully stretch a bit more, but mostly fill out from here on out. I have the 15-30-15 I will use, plus a bottle of Earth Juice Bloom I need to use up. A bit of mollasses and I should be rocking I think.

I wish the bugs weren't so bad so I could spend more time getting next years plots going, but beyond marking them its just too brutal out in the woods for anything else atm.

[little j]

really good bushes. its so easy sometimes eh? little j

[wisco61]

Thanks for stopping by littlej.

Got out to the plot this morning, more bug damage, but they are still moving right along. Not flowering, but lots of preflowers, I think she is preparing.

Found a guard at my plants. I have named him Rex. I assume he eats other bugs.



Main plot, 7/28



Stalk of plant #5, 7/28

[CC Rider]

nice robust plants buddy!! great job....cant wait to see em in flower!

[oohcow]

you guys think its too late to go from seed to bud in the midwest now? even for some real minis?

[wisco61]

I wouldn't chance it with any seeds I payed money for, but with bag seed, what the hell. If this winter is like last, it probably won't happen, but if we don't have snow until mid-late November like some previous years, than you might make it.

Ppl grow indoors at 12/12 from seed so it should work in theory. But, I wouldn't chance it on a $50 pack of seeds.

[wisco61]

Got out to the plants yesterday and their is good news and bad news.

For the good news, the main plot looks great. I sprayed an insecticidal soap last week and its seems to have done the trick. There isn't any new bug damage and there were less bugs around it seemed. Plant 2 is still growing good and the other plants are starting to throw more hairs too. I don't think they are really into flower yet, but soon I think. I cleared a more branches and brush out, and marked 4 trees that are gonna get the ole Paul Bunyan treatment come fall.

Main Plot, August 6th


Plant #2, August 6th


The bad news occurred at plant 5. It appears a deer attacked the plant. Apparently the deer pushed the entire chicken wire cage and plant to the south and then raked back down on the north facing side of the plant breaking a few branches. A jihad upon the deer. I straightened her up as well as I could, cut off a bunch of broken and weakened branches and added support to some weakened ones. It looked like hell at first, and crap after I fixed her up.


But I came back about 6 hours later with more supports and wire, and she looked pretty decent at that point. She won't yield what she would have originally, but I think she will survive.


While it sucks, its ok cause its a lesson learned. Also, its gotten me even more excited about opening of deer archery season in about a month. I figure the main plot should make a fine blind. Oh yes, he will get his comeuppance. They all will get their comeuppance.

Oh and I gave them their first shot of Greencure. So mold has been put on notice. Hopefully thats as far as it goes, I don't want to have too many Jihads at once.