Thank you Deeve. Happy New Year to you and yours too!
Thanks Emeraldo, it'll probably be a few weeks before I can show bristling pistles. But nah not any protection other than the balcony glass, they can get whipped around a bit but generally always survive, except last year's Mulanje which did get whipped around the most (it was probably over dressing, maybe over watering, or over. 'whipped around by wind'? These plants are at least lower and hopefully less susceptible to as much damage but still 4-5 months to go.
They look so beautiful out in the sun.Update
Greetings 420 enthusiasts! The weather is turning here tonight, you can hear the wind in the trees and the sound of the sea outside, and tomorrow the winds are forecast up to 90kph with a solid pissdown ahead. So I may not get the opportunity to do another update if it doesn't fine up for a while. The balcony doors open onto carpet, and I can't open if rain is beating against them.
The plants are now at the point where very soon I will need to carry out another round of supercropping. It will be ideal if I can keep their height from stretching any further for the next 6-7 weeks. If I can do that, then I potentially I will have about a foot/30cm to play with before stealth bylaws are broken. I really have to try to keep the buds low.
Soon I want to begin some pest deterrent treatment to the plants, as soon with the summer heat is on the balcony, and water stresses and whatnot, there is often some good environments for pests to quickly multiply. I will give them all a Neem meal top dressing soon, and will spray some mite deterrent too as I don't want those little buggers getting a hold either. Growing in the same location each year affords a familiarity on the little differences noted between grows, so this time I want to try a couple of pre pest sprays and maybe some compost sprays too, altho I have to probably get some sort of bubbler to brew it and of course filter it so I don't otherwise block the sprayer. Anyway that is ahead, soon.
Here a couple of pics taken today, not much different from the last recent post, but I think they are revving their engines under their skirts, threatening to motor. One in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Morning
Afternoon
The bulk of their canopies are a little higher than I would have preferred, the topping and training out horizontally is very helpful for lowness (if you don't let them get away from you). Last year I bent their mainstems in a LST manner but at the same time I gave them too much leeway, and they got too tall and ragged. So there'll be further training ahead, and some pest deterrence also.
Thanks for swinging by, I hope you are blissfully enjoying the moment as it flows with you, all the very best.
Thanks Bill! Currently they're still like Howie (behaving themselves for now!)They look so beautiful out in the sun.
You can see the leaves following it in the 2 pics.
Great garden Amigo.
Hope your having a wonderful day.
Cheers Azi! I will have to use some sort filtration as last year when I used a onion/garlic blend it clogged my sprayer and I had to empty and re-filter it. I might use a coffee filter next time.Looking good @Stunger !
I use a metal mesh kitchen strainer with a fine weave which seems to work fine. @Bode I think uses something a bit different as a filter when spraying his JMS (Jadam Microbe Solution) mix.
Thanks DV8!
Thanks Otter! Haha I hope so.
Cheers Tra! They certainly do, and Queen is hard to beat.
Thanks Shed! Apparently it is now gusting up to 110kph in exposed part. Thankfully on the balcony, the angle that they're getting it is still ok.Love the balcony beauties! I hope they're not too troubled by the wind.
Can't wait for the after pics.
There's big waves rolling in and not even kite surfers out at the moment, maybe they're having their lunchThat's 68mph!
[I just did the math in my head...not!]
.
Thanks Azi! And thanks again for being the one who woke me up to the suspected air gap benefits.
Did ya read about @Azimuth post about trimming to keep height low. CLThank you Deeve. Happy New Year to you and yours too!
You're right the plants are loving life, I am pleased with how they look, but the early stage is always easiest before the buds and bugs come out. To be honest, since I am crap at finding the willpower to prune off the weaker growth I think 2 plants is probably the most ideal for the available balcony space, and to maintain an approved stealthy height I will probably have to keep up the supercropping for the next couple of months.
Hi CL, no not specifically, but my training now is a combo of supercropping and LST, of which I have to give them another round soon!Did ya read about @Azimuth post about trimming to keep height low. CL
