The growing large plants, outdoors, thread...

[Tom Hill]

Really good time at the fair, one must act a fool from time to time, hehe, now back to biz. Yeah, I mean pull tarp, starting tomorrow. A good 2 weeks late+ from when I originally planned it. You know well how it is, be flexible, slave to the plant not the other way around and with this horrendous weather they just weren't ready till now.

No provisions have been made for venting, but with this late start, the good news is that for the last 3 weeks of budding or so, no need to pull tarp so no condensation through the finish line.

 

[nomaad]

oh really. i had not thought about that. no confusion? that's totally awesome. wish somebody had mentioned that last year!!!

 

[Tom Hill]

I'll stop blacking-out late in the last week of July. We call it the August stretch, but really, by about Aug 10 or so, most of the type of plants we (at least I think you are too) are running in the blackbox would be about 2 weeks in already, about pinky sized buds (under natural light). Safe to stop pulling a bit early, the added hours of light makes for a really dense and frosty finish ime.

 

[nomaad]

by about Aug 10 or so, most of the type of plants we (at least I think you are too) are running in the blackbox would be about 2 weeks in already, about pinky sized buds (under natural light). Safe to stop pulling a bit early, the added hours of light makes for a really dense and frosty finish ime.

sounds to good to be true. not doubting you, though... that's when the humidity and temps really started fucking with me last year, so this would really be cool.

you meant to say about 8 weeks, yeah?

 

[Tom Hill]

No, I meant 2 weeks. I mean that by August 10th, under natural daylight hours (no blackbox), most of what we have in there would have been budding for two weeks already. So, subtract two weeks from Aug 10th and stop pulling at that time. 13-14 hours of light makes for an awesome finish - (ie: Hawaiian-style) -T

 

[Dr. Purpur]

Does that help indoors as well? Putting the lights to 13-14 hours the last couple weeks of bud? I always ran 12/12

 

[nomaad]

Oh... I got that, but was confused by the syntax... yeah... very cool. I think I like late black boxes. Last year, I started pulling tarp on the 19th... Harvest was perfect timing. This year, By the 15th. One week away.

 

[nomaad]

Does that help indoors as well? Putting the lights to 13-14 hours the last couple weeks of bud? I always ran 12/12

what did i just hear about weird light cycles for indoors?... maybe it was the use of 18 hour days to make things go faster?

 

[Tom Hill]

Bump it up to 13 for the last couple weeks Doc P and see what happens. Expect tighter, more resinous nugs, may take a couple/few more days to finish but also weigh a bit more too. A reasonable trade-off even indoors imo, outside in a blackbox, it's a no-brainer. -T

 

[Dr. Purpur]

Ill try that. Thanks!

 

[localhero]

Bump it up to 13 for the last couple weeks Doc P and see what happens. Expect tighter, more resinous nugs, may take a couple/few more days to finish but also weigh a bit more too. A reasonable trade-off even indoors imo, outside in a blackbox, it's a no-brainer. -T

holy crap thats kinda mind blowing, awesome!

 

[Aeroguerilla]

i may have to try that indoor to. side by side see what happens.

 

[ianSF]

Hi Everyone-

I came into town for a few days to post a quick update from the hills of the 707. Things are going very well so far for my first outdoor. I couldn't have done it without the advice and info I received here.

The 180 gallon pots are done and the earliest plants are already nice and thick at the stalk base. I'm almost ready to transplant the rest to full sun. I soaked and turned the pots a month ago.

For irrigation (this week's project), I'll be using a loop of 1/2" poly line in each pot with five adjustable bubblers for a good even soak. Water comes from a 2500 gallon tank on a ridge about 80' above the garden. Gang valves upstream allow for irrigating individual rows based on need.

I'm using Butte's caging method he described earlier in this thread and I'm very impressed with the results. We had several other local growers over for dinner a few nights ago and they were impressed too. Thanks Butte!

Here's a few pics:

 

[Nicoli]

Just a quick check-in folks. Still recovering from the fair HL, lol.

Summer is here, soil is warming, plants are greening-up now. I see brother Nomaad is plugged and looking good.

Vroom vroom...

I got one of the blackboxes ready to yank kivvers today.

Here is the terrace garden in a couple of shots, still looking for a decent place to capture a better image in one shot. 44 plants, 16ft on center, 8x8x1+ft holes mostly w/a few containers too. All from scratch this year. Good sun, it'll blow-up toute suite. Far left of this first pic is an area I call Butte's Bowl (11) in honor of our friend Butte and the plants I plugged-in there

Got the last garden plugged a few days ago, pics soon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0yMziB_2BA

Awesome.

What are those cfl bulbs for?

 

[humboldtlocal]

New garden is looking good Tom. Nice hanging with you last weekend. Hope your recovery was swift. Sometimes the partying is harder on the body than the working.

 

[ianSF]

Nice garden Tom!

 

[ElRubio]

that garden is awesome...good luck Tom, Nomaad and all!!
Positive vibes!

 

[Guest423]

one must act a fool from time to time,

Live life taste death!! lol


Lookin good so far compadre!

 

[crossouttheiis]

Hey Tom!
You mentioned earlier....
"I recommend a pH meter, an ERGS (energy released per gram of soil) meter, and an Na (sodium) meter at the very least. The other two meters in my arsenal are an ORP (Oxygen reduction potential) meter and a refractometer (reads degrees Brix/%sucrose),"

I guess this is just planning ahead for next year... but I am curious about a few things. I was trying to go back through the thread and pick out important information. One thing that I could not find is the book you suggested? the other question I have for you tom is... I am lucky that my plants are loving the soil I purchased by chance... I am curious what levels do you want your soil to be reading throughout veg and then bloom for each of those meters? ERGS? NA? ORP? and the refractometer?
Thanks again Tom and by the way your garden is looking awesome... once the rain lets up ill get some fresh pictures of my garden.

 

[fisher15]

The growing large plants, outdoors, thread...

Tom, thanks for the update. You're looking super great. Can see the engines are warmed. Shine on you crazy diamond!!