Space Grow 2022: Skywalker OG, Romulan, Jack The Ripper & DV

[Krissi Carbone]

The monarch caterpillars can only eat milkweed. It's one of the reasons they're endangered. There were a lot of gardeners destroying milkweed across North America. You can guess what they thought of it from its name. Now there's a push to get gardeners to plant it, and for more pollinator gardens which benefit a lot of other species as well, like bees.
There are some areas having problems with complaints about those gardens, especially since the bylaws in most municipalities seem to expect all yards to look like the suburbia depicted in Edward Scissorhands.

Save the butterflies

Edward Scissorhands...oh Johnny

 

[Melville Hobbes]

My swallowtails stay on the fennel or curly parsley the mother lays her eggs on. I keep mine outside, away from my plants but both species are very particular about what they eat-I doubt that monarch was doing anything bad to Mel's lady. The Monarchs though, I guess as he eluded, may give off some toxins because of the milkweed they feed on.

Swallowtails are not endangered as of yet but the monarch population depleted so fast over the last 2 years, I wouldn't be surprised to see others follow.

I do raise them. I keep curly parsley out for the mothers to drop eggs and then I keep the caterpillars until they become butterflies and I set them free.

Yep. The caterpillars absorb toxins from the milkweed cardiac glycosides I think, that make them unpalatable to predators.

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Yep. The caterpillars absorb toxins from the milkweed cardiac glycosides I think, that make them unpalatable to predators.

Too bad that's not enough to protect them.....thanks for the science on our pillas

 

[HashGirl]

Everything looks great, Mel! Glad you're enjoying the Gelato.

 

[Carmen Ray]

I love to hear that you are raising them @Krissi Carbone


Mel your plants are gorgeous. Six footers +, full of girth and in peak condition!

 

[Krissi Carbone]

I love to hear that you are raising them @Krissi Carbone

It's the small things that are really the big things Carmen

Mel your plants are gorgeous. Six footers +, full of girth and in peak condition!

Aren't they though?! I can't wait to grow outside and attempt to do what Mel does

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Sooo, I meant to post an update yesterday. Took pics and everything. But then I started experimenting with infused maltodextrin, and making elevated Koolaid. It worked, for the most part, but I found out maltodextrin doesn't dissolve well in cold water, lol. Next, I'm planning on adding some to coffee!
The caterpillar has now formed it's chrysalis, and in 10 days it should be popping out and flying off.
Lucille is now showing her first signs of bud sites, a bit later than I would have liked, but she should have enough indica genetics to stand a light frost or two.
Everything else is pretty much the same. The ones in pots are moving along nicely, we're starting to get cool mornings, and it's not as humid. Nice to go out there with a coffee in the morning.

Lucille Skywalker - day 129

Jacinda the Ripper - day 127

Commander Donatra - day 116

Ebony - day 106

Too bad that's not enough to protect them.....thanks for the science on our pillas

Hopefully we get things turned around.

Everything looks great, Mel! Glad you're enjoying the Gelato.

Thanks HG!
I really am, and I'm looking forward to growing some myself!

I love to hear that you are raising them @Krissi Carbone


Mel your plants are gorgeous. Six footers +, full of girth and in peak condition!

Thanks Carmen!
Growing indoors is nice, but it's outdoors that I really love!

It's the small things that are really the big things Carmen

Aren't they though?! I can't wait to grow outside and attempt to do what Mel does

Hopefully you'll be able to grow outdoors soon! Can't wait to see it!

Have a great day everyone!

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Ebony's not-so-unusual shoots!

 

[InTheShed]

Unusual or not there are nice stacks on all of them!

 

[Danishoes21]

Ebony - day 106

That’s the money shot right there

That looks awesome Mel

 

[CaptainLucky]

Yep. The caterpillars absorb toxins from the milkweed cardiac glycosides I think, that make them unpalatable to predators.

That’s why Monarch butterflies are poisonous to birds,etc.

 

[CaptainLucky]

I planted milkweed but it will be next year for flowers.

 

[CaptainLucky]

Ebony's not-so-unusual shoots!

Looking good

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Still on the same feed schedule. Watering 3 times a day since the soil doesn't want to hold as much water as I'm used to.
Starting to get a little whiff of something when I go into the backyard. Won't be too long before there's some real smells from them.

Lucille Skywalker - day 131

Jacinda the Ripper - day 129

Commander Donatra - day 118

Ebony - day 108

The unusual buds are now the tallest by a cm or so, and seem to be progressing a little faster than the rest of the plant.

And that's pretty much it for today.

Unusual or not there are nice stacks on all of them!

Thanks Shed!

That’s the money shot right there

That looks awesome Mel

Thanks D!

That’s why Monarch butterflies are poisonous to birds,etc.

I planted milkweed but it will be next year for flowers.

Looking good

Thanks Cap!
Glad you planted some! Some gardeners are planting the swamp milkweed as an ornamental now. It has narrower leaves, and a wider range of colours in the flowers, but all of them are good for the caterpillars.

Thanks for coming by, and have a great day!

 

[InTheShed]

You can hide behind the fence all you like but the scent will always give you away!

 

[CaptainLucky]

You can hide behind the fence all you like but the scent will always give you away!

As beautiful as all your ladies are how do you keep them pest free growing outdoors? Mine are nowhere big as yours and I already had leaf miners and thrips.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

You can hide behind the fence all you like but the scent will always give you away!

Lol, true but with all the other growers around here I'll have plenty of camouflage!

As beautiful as all your ladies are how do you keep them pest free growing outdoors? Mine are nowhere big as yours and I already had leaf miners and thrips.

Thanks Cap!
I gave them one spray of neem with a couple drops of Safer's before my brother decided to overdose Ebony, but I usually don't need to do much. I've had aphids a couple of times, and once before this grow I had a caterpillar that managed to evade the hornets, but for the most part the natural predators take care of things.
There were a few spider mites earlier in the season but the predatory mites wiped them out. I actually saw them in action.
Other than that we have lots of more tempting plants around. The leaf miners prefer the butterfly bush, the slugs prefer the marigolds, whiteflies prefer the tomatoes. Things like that.
There have been fewer ladybugs this year because there are almost no aphids. They haven't done well with the weather. Lots of little jumping spiders though.
Trying to maintain a healthy ecosystem around them really helps.

 

[CaptainLucky]

Lol, true but with all the other growers around here I'll have plenty of camouflage!

Thanks Cap!
I gave them one spray of neem with a couple drops of Safer's before my brother decided to overdose Ebony, but I usually don't need to do much. I've had aphids a couple of times, and once before this grow I had a caterpillar that managed to evade the hornets, but for the most part the natural predators take care of things.
There were a few spider mites earlier in the season but the predatory mites wiped them out. I actually saw them in action.
Other than that we have lots of more tempting plants around. The leaf miners prefer the butterfly bush, the slugs prefer the marigolds, whiteflies prefer the tomatoes. Things like that.
There have been fewer ladybugs this year because there are almost no aphids. They haven't done well with the weather. Lots of little jumping spiders though.
Trying to maintain a healthy ecosystem around them really helps.

Thanks for the tips

 

[Bill284]

Still on the same feed schedule. Watering 3 times a day since the soil doesn't want to hold as much water as I'm used to.
Starting to get a little whiff of something when I go into the backyard. Won't be too long before there's some real smells from them.

Lucille Skywalker - day 131

Jacinda the Ripper - day 129

Commander Donatra - day 118

Ebony - day 108

The unusual buds are now the tallest by a cm or so, and seem to be progressing a little faster than the rest of the plant.

And that's pretty much it for today.


Thanks Shed!

Thanks D!



Thanks Cap!
Glad you planted some! Some gardeners are planting the swamp milkweed as an ornamental now. It has narrower leaves, and a wider range of colours in the flowers, but all of them are good for the caterpillars.

Thanks for coming by, and have a great day!

Hey Melville hope your enjoying your weekend.
Sounds like you have your hands full though.
3x a day yeiks.
Have you got a wet towel wrapped around your pots yet?
It will keep them moist and give the roots more time to absorb the nutrients before they evaporate out of the pot.
Wrap an old towel around each one and just duct tape it.
Spray with the hose when your feeding.
Might get you back to twice a day until full flowers erupt.
Which should be spectacular on those beautiful Ladies.
Great work on your girls, it really shows.
Take care.




Stay safe
Bill284

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Hey Melville hope your enjoying your weekend.
Sounds like you have your hands full though.
3x a day yeiks.
Have you got a wet towel wrapped around your pots yet?
It will keep them moist and give the roots more time to absorb the nutrients before they evaporate out of the pot.
Wrap an old towel around each one and just duct tape it.
Spray with the hose when your feeding.
Might get you back to twice a day until full flowers erupt.
Which should be spectacular on those beautiful Ladies.
Great work on your girls, it really shows.
Take care.




Stay safe
Bill284

Thanks Bill!
I'll try that, but the issue is more about the water retention of the soil. They're in 26 litre pots, but the soil won't hold more than 1.5 litres of water (7 gallon pots, 1.5 quarts of water). Any more than that and it just runs out the bottom. I think they screwed up at the factory or something, because last time I used this soil it could easily hold more than 2 litres per watering.
I've reached out to Premier tech about it, we'll see what they have to say.