Maine Outdoor 2020 (first timer)

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
Took a long lunch break today and gave each plant a nice 6-7 gallon drink of brook water with Fish hydrolosate mixed in. That oughta green 'em up. Nice little snack of nitrogen plus calcium and other micronutrients.

I'll hang back for a week and see how they respond. Will post pics. tomorrow. Supposed to be hot as blazes.
 

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
Well, not seeing a huge color difference today but overall they seem happy from what I can tell:
garden-7-9-20.jpg

For what it's worth, they look a bit deeper green to the eye than in the image above. This close-up of one of the leaves looks a little more accurate:
leaf.jpg

I've got a pH meter on the way, I'll check the brook water when it shows up. For now going to just let them be, I've intervened a bunch over the past week and a half--kelp topdressing, plant food topdressing, compost/kelp tea foliar spray, and yesterday the fish hydrolosate. Don't want to overdo it.

I did notice for the first time today some wilting just below the new growth on a couple stems on just the Tomahawk, haven't seen this before. Not showing anywhere else on the Tomahawk or any other plants. Any ideas what could be causing it? Roots soggy? She got 6 gallons of fishy water yesterday afternoon then it rained an inch last night...
wilt1.jpg
wilt2.jpg
wilt3.jpg

One other issue I noticed on the Copper Chem--it looks like one of the stems right above where I topped it the week before last is damaged. The leaf above looks OK but it's not growing much compared to the stem on the other side of where I topped it. Sorry for the unfocused picture, I couldn't get my phone to lock in on it. Should I just remove this stem altogether or will it heal?
stem-damage.jpg
 
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Seawood

Well-Known Member
Not sure on the drooping...doesn’t look great. Looks like a root issue but possibly more than just being soggy. Not much you can do other than keep an eye on it. This is the problem when you start throwing a bunch of things at your plants. It’s hard to pinpoint what caused the problem.

Looks like you got a little overzealous with the trimmer when you topped. No big deal, it should heal up fine and carry on.
 

thumper60

Well-Known Member
Well, not seeing a huge color difference today but overall they seem happy from what I can tell:
View attachment 4619151

For what it's worth, they look a bit deeper green to the eye than in the image above. This close-up of one of the leaves looks a little more accurate:
View attachment 4619152

I've got a pH meter on the way, I'll check the brook water when it shows up. For now going to just let them be, I've intervened a bunch over the past week and a half--kelp topdressing, plant food topdressing, compost/kelp tea foliar spray, and yesterday the fish hydrolosate. Don't want to overdo it.

I did notice for the first time today some wilting just below the new growth on a couple stems on just the Tomahawk, haven't seen this before. Not showing anywhere else on the Tomahawk or any other plants. Any ideas what could be causing it? Roots soggy? She got 6 gallons of fishy water yesterday afternoon then it rained an inch last night...
View attachment 4619154
View attachment 4619155
View attachment 4619156

One other issue I noticed on the Copper Chem--it looks like one of the stems right above where I topped it the week before last is damaged. The leaf above looks OK but it's not growing much compared to the stem on the other side of where I topped it. Sorry for the unfocused picture, I couldn't get my phone to lock in on it. Should I just remove this stem altogether or will it heal?
View attachment 4619167
Sitting here those look a whole lot greener today.
 

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
Not sure on the drooping...doesn’t look great. Looks like a root issue but possibly more than just being soggy. Not much you can do other than keep an eye on it. This is the problem when you start throwing a bunch of things at your plants. It’s hard to pinpoint what caused the problem.
Yeah, I may have gotten a little carried away there. But these organic fertilizers like kelp meal and the Stonington plant food are slow-release and pretty gentle compared to a lot of synthetics and my impression is it's hard to overdo it. And it's only the Tomahawk showing that wilt--hopefully it resolves on its own. But I take your point, best to take it slow and easy with this stuff.

Looks like you got a little overzealous with the trimmer when you topped. No big deal, it should heal up fine and carry on.
I tried to be pretty careful but I suppose I have have nicked the adjacent shoot when I removed that new growth when topping. I'll keep an eye on it--just wasn't sure if it would heal on its own or whether it presented an entry path for disease and should be removed.
 

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
Sitting here those look a whole lot greener today.
That's reassuring, thanks. Guessing the roots drank up that fish water right quick. I'll stay hands-off for the next week or two, then maybe do a little very light pruning. Plus need to get some support up--that storm last night could've wreaked havoc if it had hit us dead on.

Can't wait for flowering, although I'm nervous about the bud rot problem. Do you give them a little phosphorus snack as they transition? From my research that seems to help with the flower development.

How are your plants looking after last night's deluge?
 

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
End of Week 12--the girls are closing in on 5 feet now. Saw 8 inches of growth from most of them. Overall looking good:
garden-week12.jpg

Been very wet the past ten days, a couple good rainstorms plus a lot of drizzle and fog. But some hot, humid sunny breaks in between. Had a bit of wind this morning and found my first broken branch--on the Copper Chem. I was going to try and tie it back in place but it was hanging by a thread and I just decided to snip that and take it off. Should I do anything to protect the wound or just let it heal? I started building some supports this afternoon (closing the barn door after the horse gets out, I know, but maybe I can prevent further damage and was planning on doing this soon anyway).
broken-branch.jpg
wound.jpg

The wilting I saw on a couple new growth tips on the Tomahawk a few days ago doesn't seem to be getting any worse or spreading elsewhere--am hoping it recovers. My best guess is the root zone is a bit too saturated and not enough oxygen, it's pretty wet and that compost retains a lot of water. I removed the mulch yesterday to help it dry out some.
wilt.jpg

wilt2.jpg


Overall the Tomahawk looks OK though:

tomahawk.jpg

Hope everyone's safe and well and your gardens are growing great.
 

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mattypacks

Well-Known Member
Was having a similar issue on one of my plants, the very top growth and stem were perfectly fine but 2-3 lower nodes on the same branch were wilting like that but the issue seemed to have worked itself out for me.
Was watching a canadian grower on youtube and he was experiencing a similar thing but it was the entire branch - some people in the comments mentioned it could be caused by dry pockets in the soil or something relating to that.. very strange!
 

RetiredGuerilla

Well-Known Member
Going to take my first crack at growing and would love to ask questions and share my progress and experience (seeds from GPS are on their way).

This will be in Maine, a few miles in from the coast, nice sheltered spot with great southern exposure and decent wind protection.

First question: should I use containers or plant in the ground? Like the idea of being able to bring plants inside the shed if weather gets dicey, but seems like letting them root deeply into the ground would make for a bigger more productive plant. Thinking of using Coast of Maine Stonington Soil Mix , which was created just for cannabis. If I go in the ground I will probably dig a hole and fill it with this mix since native soil is pretty acidic and I don't have time to properly amend the soil this season.

Will start seeds indoors (still snow on the ground!) and probably move them outdoors sometime after Mothers Day.

Thoughts?
Keep using the same spot and bringing in more good dirt every year. Use organic teas to feed and water. In a few years the whole area will be fertile.
 

DCcan

Well-Known Member
Got 3 males ready for breeding, hitting up the CrticalJack+ for more autoflower seeds

IMG_0057.JPG

Last of the CriticalJack+ fem seeds that I had. The white residue is just last dose of biotics for caterpillars.
Stumble Cheez is early finisher but getting tossed, no aroma.
Mimosa Haze and Super Skunk Chemmando should be a good matches but later finishers, got 2 different mimosa males, one skunky orange, one orange grove aroma.
Can't even tell where the last plant starts and ends, 4 ft across . I just supercropped it and topped it, should make some nice bubble hash

CriticalJack+
IMG_0058.JPG

Wizzard Punch x Ghostex
IMG_0060.JPG
 

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
Looking good DCan.

So I decided that rather than leaving a gaping wound in my main stalk where the branch broke I would cut the broken branch down to a stub (it was all wilted) and put it back. First I made up some aloe vera and silica water, sprayed the wound with that, and dipped the broken branch. Then replaced it and tied a thick string around it and the stalk to hold it in place. Hopefully it heals up.

New issue: during lunch break I checked the garden and found what seemed like some exposed roots off the main stalk right below the wound--just a very small area right around the stalk. Maybe I accidentally removed some dirt around there last night, but I don't think so. I covered them back up.

Then under the Tomahawk I discovered what looks like a chipmunk hole beneath the drip line. That definitely wasn't there last night. Not sure it's a chipmunk but it's about that size--maybe 2 -3 inches in diameter. Didn't seem like it went very deep. I replaced the dirt and put a rock over it but that probably won't stop him from returning. Will set a live trap this afternoon and hopefully relocate the little bastard.

I take it this type of digging is bad news for the roots, correct? As in it's mission critical to get rid of this guy ASAP. Unfortunately I'm scheduled to be away for 5 days starting Wednesday so not great timing. Any advice appreciated.
 

ganga gurl420

Well-Known Member
End of Week 12--the girls are closing in on 5 feet now. Saw 8 inches of growth from most of them. Overall looking good:
View attachment 4622320

Been very wet the past ten days, a couple good rainstorms plus a lot of drizzle and fog. But some hot, humid sunny breaks in between. Had a bit of wind this morning and found my first broken branch--on the Copper Chem. I was going to try and tie it back in place but it was hanging by a thread and I just decided to snip that and take it off. Should I do anything to protect the wound or just let it heal? I started building some supports this afternoon (closing the barn door after the horse gets out, I know, but maybe I can prevent further damage and was planning on doing this soon anyway).
View attachment 4622328
View attachment 4622329

The wilting I saw on a couple new growth tips on the Tomahawk a few days ago doesn't seem to be getting any worse or spreading elsewhere--am hoping it recovers. My best guess is the root zone is a bit too saturated and not enough oxygen, it's pretty wet and that compost retains a lot of water. I removed the mulch yesterday to help it dry out some.
View attachment 4622335

View attachment 4622337


Overall the Tomahawk looks OK though:

View attachment 4622331

Hope everyone's safe and well and your gardens are growing great.
They are looking good! Is that tamahawk from greenpoint? If so watch out for male sacs on it since it has the gorilla glue in the genetics. Gg is from a hermi plant so it tends to get sacs.
Keep up the good work and looking great
 

DCcan

Well-Known Member
First I made up some aloe vera and silica water, sprayed the wound with that, and dipped the broken branch. Then replaced it and tied a thick string around it and the stalk to hold it in place. Hopefully it heals up.
Get some grafting tape, works great for super cropping, LST.
A stretchy parafin based tape, like duct tape for plants.
 

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
They are looking good! Is that tamahawk from greenpoint? If so watch out for male sacs on it since it has the gorilla glue in the genetics. Gg is from a hermi plant so it tends to get sacs.
Keep up the good work and looking great
Everything is Greenpoint. Thanks for the warning--I'll keep a close eye on it. If I'd known about the hermi lineage I probably wouldn't have bought it--was going by their recommendations since I know squat about genetics at this point. One of the Cherry Wine F2s was a hermi, I spotted it in week 8 and composted it.

Thanks for the encouragement. I feel like I have so many pitfalls and hurdles to clear before a successful harvest--most especially the fall weather!

Right now this animal hole in the Tomahawk's root zone has me worried, especially since I'm going to be away for a few days soon. Just set a Havahart and hopefully will nab the pest in the next day or two. If not I may have to get cold and set a rat trap right before I leave...would rather not do that.
 

NewEnglandFarmer

Well-Known Member
Nabbed the little sonofabitch today--he's been relocated to some nice woods about 5 miles away. Problem solved! Hopefully another one doesn't get similar ideas.

chipmunk.jpg

Here's my broken branch first aid treatment:
branch-repair.jpg

Boy, it's getting downright soggy around these parts. Seems like the past two weeks have been like living in a rainforest--thunderstorm, rain, fog, drizzle, rinse and repeat. Sounds like some sun on the way tomorrow and getting hot and sticky over the weekend with more showers. Been an odd summer so far weather-wise.

Ordered some string trellis netting and will start getting that up next week. I installed stakes and some crude strings to help brace the girls from extreme wind until I get the netting up.

Probably ought to take some time over the next two weeks to thin things out (maybe a bit of lollipop?), get set for maximum airflow before flowering begins in August and I put away the pruning shears for the year.

Suppose I'm about halfway through this adventure, huh? Hopefully come Columbus Day I'll be harvesting some fine buds...but will have to navigate some potentially tricky fall weather on the way. Hoping to rig up some sort of tarp covering overhead around Labor Day after I get a sense for how tall these gals are going to get.
 
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