LOL, that means you could have as many windowsill plants, ala Conradina, as you want!! 
2 Girls & 1 Kit: Major PITA Takes High Brix Outdoors, Summer 2015
- Thread starter Major PITA
- Start date
See? THAT's what I'm talking about. So cool!!
Conradino23
Well-Known Member
Yeah bonsaing is fun, it's stealthy and can be easily used to produce high quality force-flowered buds from early spring to early fall without having to grow autos. I think I should open a thread or something 
- Thread starter
- #324
LOL, that means you could have as many windowsill plants, ala Conradina, as you want!!
That would be Sweeeeet!
Unfortunately there is one other requirement in Oregon for a plant be considered a seedling or immature. No buds or flowers are allowed. Once it flowers, the plant does count against the legal maximum number. A plant has to meet ALL three requirements: Less than 12" tall. Less than 12" wide. No flowers/buds.
Asshole politicians......imagine some costumed government functionary coming out to a garden with a tape measure;
"You're 1/4 inch away from going to jail. If I wait here another two hours you ARE going to jail."
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- #326
OK - so my last update was full of poo. It may also go down in history as the shortest-lived feeding schedule in 420 history.
It turns out, I'm pretty sure the plants want even more water than I thought. My two gallons every other day isn't going to cut it - they are thirsty sooner.
The HB plants go from looking perfect, to just a little sleepy at the very tips, to very wilted all in the course of a few hours. I can't reliably be in the garden several times per day, so I'm returning to the previous 4 gallons per plant per drench. I think that will hold them for three days. That also means a return to my previous 150% concentrations of G.E. Trans and Tea. They all got their 4 gallons this morning with PB getting drench #2 and AoS getting #3.
I believe this lack of water is why I thought their growth had slowed down. This morning the AoS has added about 2" since the weekend (and was thirsty).
We are getting ready for another heatwave. Predictions are for 105 F - 108 F before this weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to DeStress them in preparation. Watering will be even more critical.
If you have it....give them a light feeding of the OG drench. The extra potassium will help in the extreme heat.
I think you're wise to give them more water. I'll be the roots have crept out 4 or 5 feet at least by now, so get the whole area pretty moist.
flowerfarmer
Well-Known Member
When I had to walk miles through the deep woods to get to my patch I wanted to make as few trips as possible. I had 5 gallon buckets stashed near a creek and with plants your size I would put up to 10 gallons slowly over a half hour. It's hard to over water an outside in ground plant in the hottest part of the summer. I'd be back there half the night sometimes watering but it would last 4 or 5 days through severe heat. The high humidity helped a little though. Is the air moist in your area? I wonder if a little more trimming might keep them from drying out as fast. Less leaves for transportation..?
Awesome job Major, keep it up!
Awesome job Major, keep it up!
- Thread starter
- #329
Thanks for the ideas.
No OG drench available.
They are outdoors, but in pots - in the ground. So far everyone has said roots go right through a smartpot. That seems almost impossible to me, but since the other members have experience and I don't, I assume they are correct. The corn gets watered so the soil around them does get additional watering.
Humidity varies a lot throughout the day. But it is dry here right now. Early morning RH can get up to 70% briefly. During the majority of the daylight we are typically in the mid-20% to mid-30%. RH will get down into the teens during the heat of the afternoon. What will be crazy (but should help as long as there are no buds) is later this week. Over 100 degrees and thunderstorms likely.
I'll be keeping an eye on them and am going now to water the surrounding soil well. Even if the roots are still contained, it should help keep the pots moist and cool longer.
No OG drench available.
They are outdoors, but in pots - in the ground. So far everyone has said roots go right through a smartpot. That seems almost impossible to me, but since the other members have experience and I don't, I assume they are correct. The corn gets watered so the soil around them does get additional watering.
Humidity varies a lot throughout the day. But it is dry here right now. Early morning RH can get up to 70% briefly. During the majority of the daylight we are typically in the mid-20% to mid-30%. RH will get down into the teens during the heat of the afternoon. What will be crazy (but should help as long as there are no buds) is later this week. Over 100 degrees and thunderstorms likely.
I'll be keeping an eye on them and am going now to water the surrounding soil well. Even if the roots are still contained, it should help keep the pots moist and cool longer.
Governmentchz
Well-Known Member
If they're in smart pots, you'll be fine as they will (probably already have) infiltrate the sides and bottoms of those pots. It sounds like you're in front of potential issues too. Hang tough man... your plants will too. They look good.
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- #331
Testing: One, Two, Three. (New toy time)
My refractometer arrived today. That was way quick! I ordered it on Sunday. I went down and cut eight fan leaves - more to learn how to use it than anything else. I won't lie. I was disappointed with my numbers, but I am not drawing ANY conclusions from this first test.
I took 2 leaves - each from the lower third my 4 plants = 8 total. I took 2 from each because I wanted to see if washing the leaves made a difference in the brix reading. My hunch was the washed leaves would read lower because there is some surface contamination from foliars, bugs, birds, dust, etc., that would artificially boost the reading of those tiny drops of juice as they make their way through the balled-up leaf mass. Of course it could just be that leaves act like sponges can soak up water, diluting the juice inside. Dunno - either is possible.
I used my welding clamp (Mod disclaimer: this is an official cannabis hi brix testing tool
) to squeeze and crush the leaves. It worked a treat!
Onward to the results! First the two Pitbulls:
... WASHED / NOT WASHED
HB .. 6 ....... 9
OG .. 8 ....... 8
Now the Ace of Spades:
... WASHED / NOT WASHED
HB . 7.5 ...... 9
OG .. 7 ...... 10
HB = Hi brix kit soil / OG = Organic soil mix (not HB)
I calibrated the refractometer before beginning and checked it again when I was finished. Somewhere during my testing it drifted 1% low so any or all of these readings could actually be one higher than what I list above.
Again, I'm not drawing any conclusions from a single measurement. I'll take more from different parts of the plants and at different times of day / feeding and foliar cycles. The plants are still full of water and in veg. I doubt I'll see pistils for another month - maybe more.
If you want to try to read anything into this, it might be that washing does lower the brix reading. Leaves were taken at the same time, right next to each other. The "wash" was a brief rinse under cool tap water (maybe 10 seconds), blot dry, then allowed to sit for a couple minutes while I measured the unwashed leaves. They were all dry to the touch.
NematodeNate
Well-Known Member
Very interesting.......I got my meter but haven't calibrated it yet.......I had the vise clamps thought as well
Testing: One, Two, Three. (New toy time)
My refractometer arrived today. That was way quick! I ordered it on Sunday. I went down and cut eight fan leaves - more to learn how to use it than anything else. I won't lie. I was disappointed with my numbers, but I am not drawing ANY conclusions from this first test.
I took 2 leaves - each from the lower third my 4 plants = 8 total. I took 2 from each because I wanted to see if washing the leaves made a difference in the brix reading. My hunch was the washed leaves would read lower because there is some surface contamination from foliars, bugs, birds, dust, etc., that would artificially boost the reading of those tiny drops of juice as they make their way through the balled-up leaf mass. Of course it could just be that leaves act like sponges can soak up water, diluting the juice inside. Dunno - either is possible.
I used my welding clamp (Mod disclaimer: this is an official cannabis hi brix testing tool
Onward to the results! First the two Pitbulls:
... WASHED / NOT WASHED
HB .. 6 ....... 9
OG .. 8 ....... 8
Now the Ace of Spades:
... WASHED / NOT WASHED
HB . 7.5 ...... 9
OG .. 7 ...... 10
HB = Hi brix kit soil / OG = Organic soil mix (not HB)
I calibrated the refractometer before beginning and checked it again when I was finished. Somewhere during my testing it drifted 1% low so any or all of these readings could actually be one higher than what I list above.
Again, I'm not drawing any conclusions from a single measurement. I'll take more from different parts of the plants and at different times of day / feeding and foliar cycles. The plants are still full of water and in veg. I doubt I'll see pistils for another month - maybe more.
If you want to try to read anything into this, it might be that washing does lower the brix reading. Leaves were taken at the same time, right next to each other. The "wash" was a brief rinse under cool tap water (maybe 10 seconds), blot dry, then allowed to sit for a couple minutes while I measured the unwashed leaves. They were all dry to the touch.
Let the meter sit in the environment you'll be testing in for about an hour. That helps standardize things.
I always take a growing top with fan leaf and petiole for testing. Crush up the whole mess together.
Take another reading in a day or two, then foliar feed and do the same. A good veg # is 10....above 12 for bloom.
- Thread starter
- #334
The meter was sitting for an hour or more. I did NOT use the petioles - just the leaf mass. TY.
Hey Major...have ya thought of digging down at one spot to see if the roots have indeed come thru. You'de get a better feel for them if ya found out .I'm like you ....how could the roots bust thru? but like you too ,i've never done it so....dunno. I do know that i'de prolly dig up a spot to have a look.
flowerfarmer
Well-Known Member
The roots will go through a fabric pot. Its the air that stops them. In the ground they would just wedge their way through the fabric and follow the moisture.
I've taught several people how to do it over the last couple years. In most cases the problem was not PULVERIZING the cell wall. Sqeezing out a drop of leaf juice isn't the same is crushing the cells walls and THEN pressing out juices.
Next time you do a reading use the back of a spoon or better yet a mortar and pestle and crush the material really well, then press it in your vice grips.
I usually press mine 3 times. Readings on the second and third press are pretty much the same, but the first press is erratic.
Mortar and pestle works every time.
Conradino23
Well-Known Member
Yes, get a wax paper and put it at the table. Put a leaf there with a petiole and then mash it with a spoon. Then take it and squeeze it on the refractometer. I was getting 9-10 readings in veg with my first two HB plants, and then it moved to 11-12 with the next ones. And they're all outdoor.
- Thread starter
- #339
I've thought about it. Dunno if I'll actually do it. I'm keeping the surrounding soil watered now, but that area does not get any of the drenches - just water. I figure I'll find out eventually how far the roots have traveled. Still, it would be interesting... It's a definite maybe!Hey Major...have ya thought of digging down at one spot to see if the roots have indeed come thru. You'de get a better feel for them if ya found out .I'm like you ....how could the roots bust thru? but like you too ,i've never done it so....dunno. I do know that i'de prolly dig up a spot to have a look.
Thanks for that FF. I have a hard time with this, but I absolutely believe you. So maybe my plants are only partly HB since the surrounding soil isn't.The roots will go through a fabric pot. Its the air that stops them. In the ground they would just wedge their way through the fabric and follow the moisture.
Cool! I have a couple of mortar and pestles, as well as a suribachi (I loves my kitchen toys). Will try it this way next time around.
Thanks c23! I'm looking forward to another test. Regardless of the results, the girls are all beautiful and healthy. That's what really matters to me at this point. I think if I take different leaves (not lower, interior shade leaves) and follow these instructions, I'll get different numbers.
They received some DeStress this morning in preparation for the heatwave that hits tomorrow. Possibility of 107 high and 75 low.
AoS continues to grow. I'm 6'-1" and it is now chest high.
I really appreciate all the replies, directions and ideas!
there are/were couple HB growers that had pics roots through the soft pots..Curso perhaps?