Post-Pandemic Garden: sativa, indica, blends.

So I have a strong suspicion that my homemade compost is too rich for the sprouts. Since I have a lot of very healthy looking “Purps” seeds, I decided to plop some more beans in, but using straight out of the bag organic commercial compost.

This is more for experimenting purposes than anything else, but they are indicas so if they do pop they won’t mind a short grow season. Ideally they could help with my breeding program as well.

My favorite strain ever was a sativa/indica hybrid called Jedi. I wouldn’t mind breeding a new cross strain.

 

So entering week 7 for my 3 big plants. No pre-sex flowers yet, but this is good as the males seem to show first.
Since we are still getting longer days for another month, I won’t be surprised if pre-flowering takes longer for me this year compared to last year.

I’m also getting less direct light as the sun is higher in the sky now. Also lots of fog.
I turned the plants around about 4 days ago.

 

The runt being runty.

 

So hopefully at the end of this week I’ll see some Purps sprouting from my round 4 of bean dropping. If so, it will help me a lot in understanding the dynamics of my compost building efforts and creating an even better garden next year

 

I keep forgetting to mention;
My plants have been smelling sweet for the past 5-7 days now. Always a nice experience there!

 

So about 7 weeks old now. First the indica. This beauty is 10 and 1/2 inches tall.

 

The two sativas. 25 inches in height.

 

So I’m finally tossing out the compost for the runt and the Round Three of beans. That goes back into my small compost tumbler

The Round Four beans, The Purps, are in their 2nd day of potential popping but no results as of yet.

 

As suspected (or did someone tell me a very long time ago?), the sweet smell of flowers seems to indicate pre-flowering.

So then:

The indica seems to be growing pollen sacs. I’ll wait a few more days to be certain, then take pictures.

The sativas appear to be Ladies. Again, I’ll wait until the flowers can be photographed and then I’ll post them of course.

Been getting a bit more sun than fog lately and the plants are responding nicely. Still no sprouts in round 4.

 

Pollen sacks on the indica.

 

Next two shots are of the sativas. No pollen sacks, but, seemingly, no female flowers yet either.
I take that back. That may be a tiny pollen sack in the first picture.

If worse comes to worse I may need to go buy a female cutting somewhere.

 

So the indica lad was put outdoors today. One less bushy mass to contend with. But he will get good care in hopes that he can father the next stunning line of hybrids!

The two sativas are still not showing female flowers, but neither is there any sign of pollen sacks so my fingers (eyes, toes) are crossed. I’m going to review my photos from last years grow for a comparison and tonight I’ll get a couple of 3 gallon pots ready for transplanting.
Just in case.

 

So yea.
Checking out my last years diary, I am very encouraged and hopeful about my two sativas being girls. So tonight I’ll make up the 3 gallon pots and wet then to activate the soil eco system.

Three things I feel are noteworthy;

1) Keeping a diary with pictures is super duper helpful! Especially as I am growing the same strains.
2) Keeping things simple and low stress is really working well for me. I feel like I’m learning a lot and processing what I am learning nicely.
3) South facing windows rock!

 

Thank you ! As noted earlier in my journal, this is a south facing window grow. So yes, indoors but with sunlight. No fans, no lights, no power bill issues.
There are ways to overcome growing different strains together. If you are using lights the main issue is to maintain an even canopy.

I have another journal, from the previous year grow, using the same techniques.

 

BIG TRANSPLANT DAY & TRELLIS REORIENTATION

So today I took the two sativas (the one indica is male and now living elsewhere) and transplanted them from 3/4 gallon buckets to 3 gallon buckets. This is the last transplant for this season.

Additionally, the trellis is moved closer to the window/curtain, with the plants now behind the screen.

So first the old look. Seen is the trellis, the foam-core barriers and south facing window beyond that.

 

The two sativas, pre-transplant;

 

Trellis moved closer to the window;

 

Good root structure!

 

The sativas in their 3 gallon pots, with initial training through the trellis underway.
At this stage it looks ugly. As they grow into their new space they will start looking far more appealing.