This blog is to record the results of 2 experiments I am conducting.
E1 – Can one induce and maintain flowering outside, during the end of the Winter/Beginning of Spring, when daylight hours are less than 12 hours per day?
E2 – What are the results when inducing flowering inside, starting from seedling straight to flowering without a vegetative stage?
I’m using a reducing 12 hour down to 8 hour light cycle over 9 weeks, to induce flowering in E2 and a 12-1 light cycle inside, to maintain a veg status in E1. When conditions outside are optimal, I’ll transfer E1 to soil inside a plastic 2m x 2m x 4m polytunnel, using bubble wrap to maintain temperatures around the plants, until it warms up inside the grow area. If, after 8 weeks of veg, it’s still nasty outside I’ll start an 8 hour light, 16 hour dark cycle to induce flowering inside, then transfer outside to see if the flowering status is maintained.
E1 is an unknown Northern Light gifted to me by London Seed Centre. Nice if it’s a regular fem, but there’s a chance it’s a male &/or an Auto. But as a freebie, it comes without any financial attachment. If it’s an auto I may get a false result, but I’m assuming no one gives away an auto unless it’s a label/brand (so that you buy more if you like it).
E2 contains a fem Malawi Gold and another freebie from LSC, this time a femmed Jack Herrer/Herer(?).
E1 was started w/commencing 14/Jan and E2 started w/c 21/Jan. Originally E1 also contained a fem Durban Poison, but it was a very weak performer and died.
Whilst investigating/researching the idea that the plants would react to long(er) nights in Spring, as they do later in the year I.e. you could grow a seedling in the winter and then plant it outside while daylight hours were less than 12 hours (E1), I came across both the 12-1 methodology and the straight to flower idea. Hence why I diverted additional resources into E2.
I’m growing E2 in an Aerogarden Sprout LED with an additional 2 x 16w LEDs. I moved the NL from the AS, it's original home and am now trying E1 in a Sprout watertank, without it’s normal lamp, but under 2 x 16w LEDs. If they are insufficient, I’ll add more lumens. I’ll add more lumens to assist any surviving cuttings anyway. Hey! maybe I'll just get some more Bcos!
Why investigate & experiment?
E1. At what time of year do Local Law Enforcement start looking for outdoor grows? September – October yeah? No-one is looking around May/June are they? I’m a small-scale consumer, so I don’t want a huge annual harvest anyway. If this were to be a viable grow method, it would increase overall security from both LLE and any raiders, which in my urban location are more of a threat than Plod.
E2. The Sprout doesn’t produce much. Only 3 (shortened)plants. But if you add the AS multi-sprout thingy (15 plants for E3) and can cut the growing cycle to only 9/10 weeks, then it might start to make sense. 52 weeks a year is 6 maybe 7 harvests a year. This “straight to flower” technique will have lower individual yields, but more of them per year. E3 (using the multiple sprout places) will see if the outcomes of E2 can be scaled upwards. This method we should assume, will cut down on final plant height, which from my Sprout viewpoint is a good thing. Instead of just using the Sprout to keep bonsai Mothers or germinated Autos, I might be able to utilise it year round, really working the Fixed Assets hard!
When I harvest I use a staggered technique anyway, only cutting the top half of the main cola initially and putting it to cure, a week or so prior to harvesting the rest, which I find ripens after the top half. Look for that on this blog, if/when we get to harvest time.
I plan to grow E1 until it’s comfortably tall enuff to clone and then add the clone(s) to the Sprout tank and add more light. Security dictates only 2 plants in the poly, so I’ll use the best 2, transferring them into soil & foliage feeding until they get over the shock of transplantation.
Where are the photos?
I've taken photos, but they are very pink. <blushes> I'll keep trying until they provide information rather than hilarity or ridicule Then I'll try uploading.
E2 – Week 1. “Oh! I’ve germinated in late August!” Currently 12 hours On, 12 hours Off.
E1 – Week 2. “Spring Flower”. 12 hours on. 5.5 hours off. 1 hr on. 5.5 off.
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E1 – Can one induce and maintain flowering outside, during the end of the Winter/Beginning of Spring, when daylight hours are less than 12 hours per day?
E2 – What are the results when inducing flowering inside, starting from seedling straight to flowering without a vegetative stage?
I’m using a reducing 12 hour down to 8 hour light cycle over 9 weeks, to induce flowering in E2 and a 12-1 light cycle inside, to maintain a veg status in E1. When conditions outside are optimal, I’ll transfer E1 to soil inside a plastic 2m x 2m x 4m polytunnel, using bubble wrap to maintain temperatures around the plants, until it warms up inside the grow area. If, after 8 weeks of veg, it’s still nasty outside I’ll start an 8 hour light, 16 hour dark cycle to induce flowering inside, then transfer outside to see if the flowering status is maintained.
E1 is an unknown Northern Light gifted to me by London Seed Centre. Nice if it’s a regular fem, but there’s a chance it’s a male &/or an Auto. But as a freebie, it comes without any financial attachment. If it’s an auto I may get a false result, but I’m assuming no one gives away an auto unless it’s a label/brand (so that you buy more if you like it).
E2 contains a fem Malawi Gold and another freebie from LSC, this time a femmed Jack Herrer/Herer(?).
E1 was started w/commencing 14/Jan and E2 started w/c 21/Jan. Originally E1 also contained a fem Durban Poison, but it was a very weak performer and died.
Whilst investigating/researching the idea that the plants would react to long(er) nights in Spring, as they do later in the year I.e. you could grow a seedling in the winter and then plant it outside while daylight hours were less than 12 hours (E1), I came across both the 12-1 methodology and the straight to flower idea. Hence why I diverted additional resources into E2.
I’m growing E2 in an Aerogarden Sprout LED with an additional 2 x 16w LEDs. I moved the NL from the AS, it's original home and am now trying E1 in a Sprout watertank, without it’s normal lamp, but under 2 x 16w LEDs. If they are insufficient, I’ll add more lumens. I’ll add more lumens to assist any surviving cuttings anyway. Hey! maybe I'll just get some more Bcos!
Why investigate & experiment?
E1. At what time of year do Local Law Enforcement start looking for outdoor grows? September – October yeah? No-one is looking around May/June are they? I’m a small-scale consumer, so I don’t want a huge annual harvest anyway. If this were to be a viable grow method, it would increase overall security from both LLE and any raiders, which in my urban location are more of a threat than Plod.
E2. The Sprout doesn’t produce much. Only 3 (shortened)plants. But if you add the AS multi-sprout thingy (15 plants for E3) and can cut the growing cycle to only 9/10 weeks, then it might start to make sense. 52 weeks a year is 6 maybe 7 harvests a year. This “straight to flower” technique will have lower individual yields, but more of them per year. E3 (using the multiple sprout places) will see if the outcomes of E2 can be scaled upwards. This method we should assume, will cut down on final plant height, which from my Sprout viewpoint is a good thing. Instead of just using the Sprout to keep bonsai Mothers or germinated Autos, I might be able to utilise it year round, really working the Fixed Assets hard!
When I harvest I use a staggered technique anyway, only cutting the top half of the main cola initially and putting it to cure, a week or so prior to harvesting the rest, which I find ripens after the top half. Look for that on this blog, if/when we get to harvest time.
I plan to grow E1 until it’s comfortably tall enuff to clone and then add the clone(s) to the Sprout tank and add more light. Security dictates only 2 plants in the poly, so I’ll use the best 2, transferring them into soil & foliage feeding until they get over the shock of transplantation.
Where are the photos?
I've taken photos, but they are very pink. <blushes> I'll keep trying until they provide information rather than hilarity or ridicule Then I'll try uploading.
E2 – Week 1. “Oh! I’ve germinated in late August!” Currently 12 hours On, 12 hours Off.
E1 – Week 2. “Spring Flower”. 12 hours on. 5.5 hours off. 1 hr on. 5.5 off.
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