Greek Outdoor Grow - Femes & Auto Fems - 2014

[Teddy Edwards]

Hello all. Thank you for looking in. This little journal is for educational purposes. Mine. I know nothing and any and all advice will be most gratefully received. The Wife and I moved to Greece some 9 months ago from England where for over 50 years I had not even grown a houseplant. Here I've planted a mixed border, established a vegetable raised bed - now happily full of tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, melons, cucumbers, courgettes - a rose garden (Lordy, roses are difficult: name a critter and it will attack them) and a fig and cherry tree. But made a schoolboy error. What about something to accompany a few cold drinks? Camels don't quite cut it.

Having done a fair bit of web research, 420 was by far the most useful source of intelligent information. So I joined to say THANK YOU to all staff and members who have given me such (unknowingly) terrific advice; and in such a friendly fashion. Tamir suggested that I start a journal as a great way to get expert input. This journal is not to show my work: it is an unashamed plea to learn from all your experience. So here we go.....Please forgive my ignorance.

Location: Greek mainland, about 300km north of Athens. 400m elevation. South-West facing.
Climate: Plenty of winter snow (will be asking advice about grow-rooms, lights etc later) but May-October pretty much guaranteed sun, currently about 12 hours a day and 30-35 degrees. Too hot for an Englishman.
Seeds: From a reputable Dutch supplier. Had little idea, so thought I'd try a bunch and see what does best. Fems - Passion No.1 and Frisian Dew. Autofems - AutoXtreme, AutoMazar, Star Ryder, Polar Light, AutoBlueberry, Think Different. err...I think that's it. Oldest is about 3 weeks. Six seeds are still in the fridge.
Soil: Well, I messed up the first attempt. Not so much a grow as a germinate-wilt-die. I managed to make every mistake simultaneously. Wrong soil, planted too early, over-watered, fed too early. (I just loved them tooo much). Burning the money I spent on them would have been more fun. Now I've had initial success using a 50/50 mix of a ph neutral vegetable soil and humus from the surrounding forest, with plenty of added perlite. There's not much available here, ditto when it comes to...
Nutrients: None used so far. Only thing available is a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer. Planning to use (diluted) when I pot on - but when to do this and will this fertilizer do?
Watering: Bottled. Keep holding back on the bigger babies, but with the heat they get very light very quickly, so currently watering every morning. Every other day with the very little 'uns.

So here's the visual evidence from today m'lord...

L to R - Passion no.1, StarRyder, AutoXtereme:

Star Ryder - doing best at 21 days:

Passion No.1 28 days. The eldest and slowest. I assume it's because it's not an auto (?):

AutoXtreme - also 21 days. Smaller/slower sideshoots at the joints - nodes(?) (gawd, sorry for the lack of correct terminology but this is a bloke who thought ph was at the end of a letter until a month ago) than Star Ryder:

And finally, another Star Ryder and a Think Different, both at 11 days today.

Errr...sorry for the sideways photos. I'll just take landscape format in future.

So, 420's, any comments are (auto)extremely welcome. Mr Teddy needs you. Thanks. Happy Daze.

 

[Lester Freeman]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Subscribed!

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Thanks, Relaxed. (Can I call you Relaxed?). You're a bit quick on the uptake. Cheers for following.

 

[JadeLotus]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Subbed! They look nice! You should put your autos in their final pots soon. They don't like transplants because it slows them down. You can keep the fems in small pots and upgrade gradually. I'm in my first grow as well and have learned a LOT from the 420mag community. I keep this around for a quick reference.

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Good morning, JadeLotus. Thanks for looking in and cheers for the chart. (I've got a similar one for my roses, but funnily enough The Royal Horticultural Society don't do one for cannabis). OK, so I'll pot on these 2 autos into their final pots. I'd appreciate any thoughts on my plan, which is...

7 litre pots (big enough?)
Soil: basically the same as they're in now - 50% light seedling/veg soil, 50% local forest humus plus plenty of perlite - but I was thinking of adding a handful of my own compost and a handful of sterilized chicken manure. My veg all do splendidly in this mix - but will the babies like it? And no, I'm afraid I don't have a ph meter.
And water them in with the 20-20-20 balanced fertilizer, much diluted.

Waddya think?

(I'd put a smiley icon in for *nervous* if there was one)

 

[Lester Freeman]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

You typically want a fertilizer that is nitrogen dominated for vegetation, and phosphorous dominated for flower.

For instance, for vegetation I like to use a bat guano tea which has an NPK ratio of 10-3-1.

For the transition to flower I like to use a meal based organic fertilizer with 4-5-4. The bacterial component to our organic fertilizers, as well as fungus, is what makes the organic medium thrive. And then for late flower, something like 0-8-1 bat guano.

So in essence, the cannabis plant needs much of the same minerals through its life, but in much different quantities and proportions depending on its stage of life. You can feed the fertilizer you want and see how your plant reacts, but if its not equally as organic than it won't really help the soil life.

I would also say to get the plants in the red cups transplanted into their final pots as soon as possible.

PS Not sure how vigorous plants grow in your area but you might want to put them in larger than 7L pots (only 1.8 gallons...) I'd shoot for a ~10-11 liter pot. I'll be following along

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Right. Thanks, Relaxed. You really know your stuff. Plants grow BIG round here - everything in my mixed border is already larger than my gardening bible says - and I've never done this before! So 10-11 litre pots it is.

Fertilizer's a little problem. I understand exactly what you say, and having researched this previously went looking at all the Greek garden centres for nitrogen dominated / phosphorous dominated. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. "Crazy English - everything grows good here - why you want this?" Johnny Greek's a friendly fellow. His oil-based food is delightful and his country a thing of beauty. But anything other than a standard 20-20-20 fert seems unavailable.

Just have to wing it I guess. I'l go make some soil and pot 'em on now. Update later. Pip pip!

 

[Lester Freeman]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

You should be fine, just wing it and see how it goes buddy

Good Day

 

[JadeLotus]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Your on the right start! If you can't find ferts, you can always order something online. Good luck! I'll be watching to see how they turn out!

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Sunday Update. Well, I've potted on the Passion no1, and the two older autos, Star Ryder and AutoXtreme. Thanks to JadeLotus and Relaxed Lester for urging me to do so. They were pretty full of roots when I transplanted them. As I was potting, dry thunder rolled over the mountain, but my sense of doom seems unfounded and I think they're looking OK. Here they are:

Star Ryder:

AutoXreme:

And the fem, Passion No.1

I've popped Passion into a smaller pot intending to pot it on as it - hopefully - grows over the summer.

Now Passion's almost 4 weeks old, and the autos 3 weeks, could I leave them out yet overnight if the weather's sure to be dry? At the moment we're all huddling inside as a storm sweeps over.

I'm also delighted to announce two new members of the family - another Star Ryder and a Think Different popped their heads up today:

And waiting for germination of a couple of Frisian Dews, which are fems apparently specifically for outdoors.

Yes, JadeLotus - I'll see what ferts I can get online. Just got to watch the import tax - The Wife got $110 worth of fabric for quilting from the States a couple of weeks ago and we had to pay €140 import tax. The Greek government want - and need - every penny they can get!

That's it for now. Thanks again to those keeping a more experienced eye on proceedings. It is most reassuring. Happy Sunday to all. Pip Pip!

 

[Tamir]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Looks like I'm late for the party. Happy you decided to start a journal Teddy. I'm more of a Hydro grower but I will definitely be here to observe and give any help that u can. Ladies lookin great.

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Hey, Tamir. Thank you for popping in. You've got to be here. This was YOUR idea

 

[Tamir]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

And i'll be along for the ride.... Wish I could buy that many seeds. I would have a nice little assortment of meds. One day.

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Hi all. Little update on ferts, Frisian and fings coming out of my plants.


First, ferts.
This is wierd. Trying to get hold of some fertilizer online, since only 20-20-20 available here. Now the Fox Farm site is RESTRICTED! "Your country has been blacklisted" it says! Well, firstly, it's not my country. I just live here. Secondly, so I can buy booze and broads online, but something for the garden is off-limits. Hmmm. Anyway, anything from the USA is sadly out of the question - the import tax here is higher than I hope to be in a few months. And UK suppliers either can't or won't send to Greece. Maybe it's airline regs or anti-terror laws...Certainly back in Blighty when someone was arrested with a lock-up full of fertilizer, it wasn't because he had a lovely garden. So after a lot of faffing around, I've found a way to get a 3 pack of BioBizz sent - Bio Bloom, Bio Grow and Top Max. Hope they will do. Should be here in 3 days. HaHaHa. Apostolis the postman only works 3 days a week. And then only if he can afford petrol for his van.

Next, Frisian Dew.
A new member of the little gang said hello yesterday. The first Frisian Dew. (Another seed germinating, but don't know if she'll show since she's been in the damp paper for a week now). Hooray and Huzzah.

And finally, today spotted some white pistules on the 2 oldest auotfems (both 22 days since germination). Are these the pre-flowers I read of? Does that mean we're on-track? Or am I just being an idiot? (It's been known).

That's it for now from the bankrupt land of moussaka and honey. Very best to anyone bothering to read. Thank you. Pip Pip! Mr Teddy.

 

[Tamir]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Looks like preflowers to me. I may be wrong tho. I'm waitin for some auto seeds now. But I did hear that the tend to show preflowers around week 3.

Good luck in gettin the Nutes. If you are able to get them, I would recommend a hydro grow since certain soil is hard to get your hands on.

 

[JadeLotus]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Yes indeed, those are preflowers! Great job! Keep up the good work!

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Thanks folks. So now the sad sight of a 55 year old man going...

 

[Tamir]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Lol.. It's ok to get excited. I did the same thing when my plants started to frost up..

 

[goofyfoot]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

Hello Mr. T and nice start. Popped over from RL`s site and the moth balls will keep them and a lot of others way, just don't get them in the soil. The naphtha is petroleum based and will harm or kill young plants. My sister use`s them to keep her indoor cats from marking around her house. She has them around a sliding glass door that they see the neighbors cats through. A good trick for puppies chewing furniture legs and corners, is to smear with a lite coat of Vaseline. Then sprinkle on cayenne or white pepper, it does not harm them BUT THEY WONT GO BACK!!
And it is better then locking them in a car transporter while your gone all day. Good luck to your with plants and a lot of good info and people available here. Remember "When in dought... do nothing!! You cant go wrong when you are sure your not right!!" It took me 20 years to figure that one out...Welcome Aboard...Peace.....

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Re: Greek outdoor grow - femes and auto fems - 2014

goofyfoot and to my little first grow.

You are so right about being conservative if in doubt...I completely messed up my first batch of seeds earlier this year. I read somewhere that a newbie never UNDERdoes anything. Bullseye. So over here in this little Eden and my only light being large and yellow I'm feeling my way. The last 2 days we've had some heavy showers so the little 'uns have been in and out the front door more often than a dog with diarrhea. (Do you have a solution for that too? You seem very up on pet admin! ) On the up side, my biceps are coming on nicely.

You're right too about 420. The source of all wisdom. An Alexandrian library of information. And all expressed so intelligently and supportively.

Now I'm off to look up the Greek for 'mothballs'.

Update with pics this weekend. Pip Pip!