Weed it and reap: My first Dinafem garden grow

[Dinafem-Mark]

11 hours ago, PermanentWaves said:

@Dinafem-Mark - do you know what the flowering length is like like for the Grapefruit outdoors? I’ve heard it can be quite quick in the right conditions? 

 

Last batch of SDG I did outdoor was in 2013 mate and going of my little black grow book we had 3 harvests. 

 

Harvest 1 was on September 26th

Harvest 2 was on October 3rd

And the longest went to 

October 17th

 

The later could have come down 5 day's prior but we lost access to a plot for a week due to roadworks 

 

She's quite a fast bloomer buddy 

 

All the best

 

Mark..

Edited September 2, 2019 by Dinafem-Mark

[Guest]

Looking good! My two biggies are at this sort of stage too so will be interesting to keep an eye on your progress 

[PermanentWaves]

Wow, that is fast. I was thinking end of Oct/early Nov. Hope it is that quick - we need an Indian summer!

[PermanentWaves]

4 minutes ago, GrandaddyJabba said:

Looking good! My two biggies are at this sort of stage too so will be interesting to keep an eye on your progress 

 

‘Thanks, @GrandaddyJabba - will soon be squeaky bum time!

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, PermanentWaves said:

 

‘Thanks, @GrandaddyJabba - will soon be squeaky bum time!

At least it’s not just me bricking it a little 

Had a few bud rot problems so far as it’s first time  in a greenhouse, last year I was outdoor and the weather held out for some monster autos, this year I’m trying to dial in the environment and gain some experience for a full summer next year in the new space, before going back indoor for the winter. 

 

 

[PermanentWaves]

Evening, everyone - hope you’re all well. Another quick update from me.

 

The Sweet Deep Grapefruit is one resilient lady. I don’t know how many times she has blown over; she lost one of her main branches; is bloody hungry, but she’s standing tall (too tall) and throwing out some lovely flowers. I can’t believe how quickly her buds have developed compared to the Ocean Grown Cookie, who was originally ahead of the her in the bud race. I’ve upped the bloom this week to see if it will help with the yellow leaf problem. So here she is - she must be 9-10ft now. I’ve since added a big stake next to the pot and I’ve tied her to it. She is lopsided after losing her big branch, and the flowers developing now are starting to tip her over even more. She definitely needs some support! I took a photo of one of her buds as well. Her leaves have definitely taken on a sweet citrus odour when you rub them.

 

 

The greenhouse-bound Ocean Grown Cookie is flowering away. I think she’ll be a week or two behind the Grapefruit, which will be handy for staggering the harvest. You can see the difference in flower size between her and the Grapefruit.

 

 

As you can see from above, she’s now touching the ceiling, which is a pain. I don’t really want the flowers touching the glass, especially when the weather gets damper. I’m going to have to put the greenhouse on stilts next year!

 

Anyway, with the remnants of the hurricane over the next few days, I hope everyone’s girls stay standing. That’s the big downside of big plants - they snap easier. Have a good week everyone xx

Edited September 9, 2019 by PermanentWaves
Spelling

[Guest]

Having the same problem with touching the roof, I’d get them tied down a bit mate, once they’re more into flower that condensation will cause the dreaded ‘B’ word potentially, they’re looking nice and healthy 

[PermanentWaves]

Hi @GrandaddyJabba - yes, I was thinking about tying, but I’ve no idea how I would do it. Have you tied yours down? If so, what did you do?

 

cheers

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, PermanentWaves said:

Hi @GrandaddyJabba - yes, I was thinking about tying, but I’ve no idea how I would do it. Have you tied yours down? If so, what did you do?

 

cheers

^ only the one on the right is actually bending the plant down from the roof, the other two were support.  Photo was from last week before much of the work had taken place but gives you an idea. 

 

 

Ratchet straps from lights at an angle on screw in hooks on the frame, gunna add more hooks to walls tommorow and use gardeners string cause she won’t stop bloody stretching in every direction. 

 

Had a few indoor that I bent stems on till they snapped then let them grow big knuckles to support themselves horizontally but didn’t wanna cause too much stress at this stage and am anticipating the growth to stop soon so will just carry on tying them for now.   

 

Edited September 9, 2019 by GrandaddyJabba

[PermanentWaves]

Ahh, that’s cool - thanks. Will think about how I can do something similar. I don’t have the wooden slats, which makes yours easier. Might have to get the drill out!

[Dinafem-Mark]

12 minutes ago, PermanentWaves said:

Hi @GrandaddyJabba - yes, I was thinking about tying, but I’ve no idea how I would do it. Have you tied yours down? If so, what did you do?

 

cheers

 

Your over thinking thing's mate

 

Get a few bamboo canes for support and bend that girl over

 

Get those side branches supported and the main cola bent just do it slowly so you don't snap her and you'll be fine my friend 

 

@GrandaddyJabba Thanks for the advice mate 

 

Much appreciated 

 

All the best 

 

Mark..

[PermanentWaves]

Don’t come over all Captain Sensible on us, @Dinafem-Mark  ! 

 

[Dinafem-Mark]

11 minutes ago, PermanentWaves said:

Don’t come over all Captain Sensible on us, @Dinafem-Mark  ! 

 

 

I think that the first time I've been called sensible

 

Get on that bongage buddy

 

All the best 

 

Mark..

[PermanentWaves]

Hi, everyone - hope you’re all having a good weekend. The weather’s been fantastic here in East Anglia - long may it continue. Looks like another dryish week coming up - just what we all need as our girls hit the last stretch of flowering.

 

My Sweet Deep Grapefruit is about four weeks into flower and we hit a milestone this week - it’s starting to look frosty! I love it when those trichomes appear - you know you’re nearing the end. Unfortunately this is the start of mould-watch - more stressful this year as I’ve got a flowering plant outdoors rather than in the greenhouse. I can’t see the top of the colas at all as it’s so tall. It’s going to be difficult seeing what’s going on on the top of her branches. I’ve got her supported with a stake now as she’s tipping over due to that lost side branch.

 

 

The Ocean Grown Cookie is chilling out in the greenhouse. I managed to find some greenhouse clips to tie up some string between the frames. I’ve gently pulled away the top of her branches from the roof glass. I hope she stops growing now so I won’t have to bend them any more. She’s at about four weeks into flower as well but a bit behind the Grapefruit - no visible trichomes just yet, but her flowers are starting to fatten up so would expect that frostiness to start appearing next week. We have a Passion flower growing next the greenhouse and it’s branches were starting to grow over the greenhouse roof (as you can see in the photo). This was quite handy as it helped to hide my plant’s silhouette. Unfortunately it’s got a bit out of hand and will end up covering the whole roof soon so I’ve had to cut it back to let the light in.

 

 

So hopefully I’m at the half way mark in the flowering period and counting those weeks off. Another dry warmest week will really help push things along.

 

Hope you all have a good week xx

 

[Dinafem-Mark]

On 15/09/2019 at 6:52 PM, PermanentWaves said:

So hopefully I’m at the half way mark in the flowering period and counting those weeks off. Another dry warmest week will really help push things along.

 

You look about 4 week's into bloom with the SDG buddy with OGC looking closer to 3 week's 

 

I'm going to say 5 more weeks for SDG and 6 for OGC mate

 

Mid October finish for Sweet Deep Grapefruit with Ocean Grown Cookies going until the end of October 

 

Getting fat and frosty, just what we want to see

 

Looking good in here 

 

All the best 

 

Mark..