First Attempts At Outdoor, Greenhouse, & Indoor, Cheap Light, Grow In UK Climate

[Tonioo]

Started growing autoflower strains for the first time...

My first plant was started with naivety and I used multi purpose compost. She has had limited time outside due to the weather but I have started feeding her the smallest amount of biogrow, mixed in during watering.

Second attempt I mixed perlite and biobizz light mix into a fabric pot and the weather has started to change... she has taken only 36 hours to sprout and things are looking good...

I am thinking about getting some peppermint spray to keep bugs away, any tips would be great!

 

[Tonioo]

Another shot in the greenhouse...

 

[013]

Hi Tonioo,

Welcome to 420

Nice greenhouse you have there! First, get those new baby plants up off of the tile floor. The concrete under the tile is called a heat sink - the cold floor temp can cause them to stall out. Remember heat rises, cool air sinks and the floor is the lowest temp inside a structure, depending on if there’s a basement or crawl space. Lay your hygrometer on the floor for 5 minutes and take a reading, then compare that to ceiling height - there is about 6 degrees difference which is huge to a plant. For now get them a couple of feet above the floor. Weed does not like cold feet... nor does it like wet feet. Edit to add: You can alway use spacers of different dimensions thru season changes to fit your goals & create airflow at roots. Use low rise spacers like a block of wood for the heat of summer, use taller shelves or small table for cooler seasons or to help sprouts & seedlings etc. Once it’s a mature plant in the heat of summer the tile floor may help but it’s not meant for babies.

More folks will hopefully drop by soon.

 

[Listersmeghead]

Hi Tonioo.
Great start with the plants, liking your grow space.
I'm also in UK and using the sun.
I'll tag along if you don't mind.

 

[Tonioo]

Thanks for such a warm welcome and great advice...

I have rearranged my greenhouse since, so you would use blocks of wood rather than these shelves as it gets older?

Another question if you don't mind 013, i have is regarding prevention of aphids and spider mites. I have just ordered some peppermint oil to spray on them, do you think this would help?

 

[Sativa1970]

Mint is supposed to repel everything from moles and mice to mites and mosquito.I have at least 80 square feet of the stuff growing.It smells good when you walk by but it is full of bugs, moles and field mice.They don't have internet to tell them they hate it. I have had good results with rosemary oil when spider mites got into my plants a few years back before I went full hydro.Keep the top of the soil dry is the best defense.water in and allow it to dry out before watering again.

 

[013]

Goood morning Tonioo!

Ok don’t know your climate but having greenhouse is way cool. A big healthy plant might do well in the heat of summer right on tile floor but I suspect a spacer might be the best of both worlds. Noticed in pic you were barefoot in greenhouse, and yes weather is warmer now and you can walk barefoot but if it was winter / cold season you would have shoes or slippers on. Think of spacers as slippers for the plants. In summer shelves are good for a big established plant but at the peak of the summer heat wave yes a wood block on the tile floor might be the ticket.

Point is many people forget how cool concrete is. Inside a house where sunlight can’t penetrate a concrete slab will stay around 55 to 58 degrees all year long, it’s the moisture and cool earth. We’ve seen tons of growers have problems because their tent and plants are right on the slab. Oh no my floor is vinyl or tile, ya it is but 1/4 inch below that is big chunk of concrete soaking up cool earth temps.

Yes peppermint oil is good as are other insecticide soaps

 

[Tonioo]

Thanks again 013 for your help.

There is an issue with one of the leaves and I'm not sure what could be the cause...

The fan leaves and secondary leaves it grew have never been great but as you can see it seems to be healthy with the main cluster...

One leaf has partly changed colour and curling slightly downwards do you have any idea why this could be?

I have added a picture of the start leaves just in case they link

 

[013]

Some nutrients are mobile meaning they move between leaves so if the top of plant is not getting what it needs it will steal from lower leaves. She needs some nutrients stay on the weaker side 1/2 strength or so.

Not familiar with biogrow & whether or not you need to add cal mag. There are so many products lines & new offerings. Hopefully someone will know more than I & I don’t know much!!!

 

[Tonioo]

Is it a nitrogen deficiency I think. I have given her some nutrients and hope she will be ok in a week.

 

[Eddie the Eskimo]

Love you green house dude. I've got somthing similar in my current grow journal. I'm growing in a colder climate to you as I'm across the Irish sea. If you raise them off the floor it's better for air circulation and the pots wont be affected by the temps.

Best of luck with your grow.

 

[013]

I ain’t gonna lie I’m jealous over the greenhouse.