Bugeye's 2014 Organic Greenhouse Grow

KTM420

Member
Great thread I've never seen Colorado outdoor although I've heard stories...I'm filing this one away. already loaded with lots of great advice from the wizards of RIU and even some spiritual energy shared here...namaste amigos
 

sk12

Well-Known Member
Looks good Im interested in learning about growing in a greenhouse eventually. Im guessing you built it yourself?
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Hey KTM, great to have you!

SK12, yes, this is a do it yourself job. I have no flat land on my property so it just sort of took shape where I could get footings drilled into the large granite rocks I couldn't move. Here's a pic of early construction. I was digging for about a month to get my footings established. No real plan, just a free flowing seat of my pants build.

gh foundation.jpg
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Week 7 - 5 weeks veg

week 7.jpg

I continue to see an over-fed look on most of the plants but new growth seems to be coming in better so hopefully they are getting used to the soil. I will do less soil amendment next year as I can only guess that I had my nitrogen too high this year. Maybe I'll get a soil test done at end of season and see exactly what is needed.

Just watered 5 of the 9 before this pic was taken, first watering in 8 days. I have one plant that has one leaf that is completely taco'd. I can't imagine it is heat stress given canopy temps in low 70s. RH has been running 40-50% so I don't think it is humidity. PH is fine. I will give a bit more cal/mag on next watering and see if that does anything. Otherwise I'm gong to pull out the scissors and just make that one leaf disappear!

I'd sure like to get them to the greenhouse as soon as possible, but need my nighttime temps to come up a bit first, still in low 40s here at night. I may spread them out a bit and add a second light if weather doesn't improve soon. Topped the Green Crack for second time to slow down her vertical growth a bit (front right - tallest plant).

Harvested my first batch of fresh worm castings (black gold) from the vermi-composter last night. My wife did not find it as exciting as I did.
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Hey Jamie, good to have ya!

hardening off.jpg

Just a quick update, I was seeing classic signs of nitrogen toxicity last night, things like dark green puckered leaves with downward clawed tips. Yikes! Also some purple striping on the Kosher Kush which I'm thinking could be a potassium lock out from too much nitrogen.

So thought it best to flush them out a little bit with about 1 gallon of run off per 3 gallon pot. Hoping this will take the edge off the nitrogen levels and get everything balanced out. Also began to harden them off today. Not sure if this should be done with fully saturated pots, but what better way to dry them out? Two hours in the morning sun while I watched carefully and then into the shade until sundown. Then back to the growroom for more light. Shooting for a Saturday move to greenhouse.

Not sure why my nitrogen levels are so high. Am assuming I did not wet the soil enough for composting and blood meal is probably to blame. Last year I thought I had it too wet. Live and learn. Anyway, now planning to cut my supersoil with 50% seedling soil at next transplant. Wish I had sprung for a soil test!

My foster parent for the Acapulco Gold backed out so I will flip her to 12/12 and finish indoors before the others go to flower. Got to keep it legal around here!
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Day 2 of hardening and I was able to produce a wilt on about half the plants after just 1 hour 15 minutes in direct sunlight with steady breeze and low humidity. Thought they would go longer but at least I know I pushed them hard enough for today. Light splash of water and all revived in less than 10 minutes.
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Week 8 - 6 weeks veg

week 8.jpg

Week 8 and out of the basement! Did not get great growth this week due to nitrogen toxicity and flush, but they are looking better today than they did a few days ago. The Blood Red Moon girls in the small pots will go to their final home tomorrow at friends greenhouse. They are VERY ready for a transplant. The Acapulco Gold (second from front right) will go back to the basement and get flipped to 12/12. Everyone else will move to greenhouse by Sunday.

I will buying a cheap soil test kit to confirm that my nitrogen levels are fucked up. Will likely not use the soil this year and bring in some bagged stuff. A little frustrating, but so it goes.

Began LST last night and already turned up by morning.

week 8 LST.jpg
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
June 1 - moving day! Will move my 6 best girls up the hill today and look to have everyone planted in final positions by end of week. I will set up a 100w bulb to come on for an hour in the night to prevent any early flowering as I'll be reducing by about 3 hours of light with move from indoor lights to sunshine.

Tested my soil yesterday and confirmed my recycled supersoil is way too hot on nitrogen. Simply hubris and ego that stopped me from testing it a month ago. 15 years of growing and I'M still the biggest problem my plants have! A good life lesson learned. So I will put a tea down on my nitrogen rich dirt and let it cook for the summer. Assuming I grow again next year, I should not have to lug any soil around between seasons (woohoo!). Bought 6 bags of Roots Organic to use in transplanting this year. Soil in the greenhouse tested well but I'd still like to have a some different soil zones for the roots to move through.

Alright, time to get lugging. Pics to follow later if I still have the energy.
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
June 3 - 4 plants in final pots, shade cloth up, scrub oak showing fresh leaves

June 3 CK KK.jpg June 3 GC.jpg June 3 MH.jpg June 3 shade cloth.jpg june 3 woods.jpg

Pic 1 - Chocolope Kush front left, Kosher Kush back right
Pic 2 - Green Crack
Pic 3 - Mekong High
Pic 4 - Shade cloth on deck
Pic 5 - Woods coming alive

Had high temps, low humidity and high winds yesterday. Temps in the GH reached 105 with 5% humidity with all fans going. Could not open front windows due to high winds so gave the mist fan a real test. Added 1/4 cup of 29% H2O2 to 5 gallon reservoir and ran mist fan for 3 hours straight. I was pretty sure I had the mix ratio correct but took my shirt off and let the fan blast me to make sure it wouldn't burn the plants. Temps came down 10 degrees and I was unable to measure any increase in humidity, which seemed a little strange. Overall, I was extremely pleased with the performance of the mist fan. Will continue to use it with hydrogen peroxide to prevent mold.

Two more to transplant today and then I'm done with heavy lifting for a bit!
 
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