Winter windowsill insanity

[Crow River]

Winter is often a time for mulling over what to grow next. I mean, there's not that much to do of an evening sometimes, and sure there might be some tent growing action going on, but the sunshine growing is a bit special.

 

Anyone who was around this site in the spring of 2021 will know that I started a windowsill grow in March, lunatic that I am. However the results worked out quite well, and the weed wasn't bad.

 

Since then, summer grows at the window have continued, though this year's was a bit crazy in a different way.

 

Anyway, to the point. I got this insane notion to start a grow at the windowsill in winter. Maybe I'm just itching to grow, or bored. But anyway I am going to give it a bash!

 

Obviously given how little daylight we have just now, supplementary lighting will be required. Also, I am going to have to try and keep the plant(s) cosy somehow. Especially when it's dark outside. Heat mats, insulation, etc. Maybe a cloche when the plant(s) is still small.

 

I have a bunch of freebie seeds that I'll sift through to see if I can find a suitable strain that might tolerate less than ideal temperatures.

 

I know, I know, it's sheer madness. But that's the way I am.  I'll post again here once I've decided on a strain.

[Personunknown]

Have fun, Atb

[Amarillo slim]

8 hours ago, Crow River said:

I am going to have to try and keep the plant(s) cosy somehow. Especially when it's dark outside. Heat mats, insulation, etc. Maybe a cloche when the plant(s) is still small.

Unless you actually mean window sill and the plants are outside, then you will be fine.  For some reason people think of canna as some tropical plant, its not.  

 

It gets fucking cold in a lot of the places it grows and most can handle a little frost / low minus temps just fine (if they haven't been previously pampered indoors). 

 

Is this an extra early start to plant out somewhere in spring? Or will you remove artificial light to trigger flower in march?  

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Amarillo slim

[AnonyMice]

Following along. Assuming they’ll spend the majority of their lives under lights. You getting much sun up there if any at all? 98% cloud for weeks here 

Edited December 22, 2022 by AnonyMice

[Crow River]

@Personunknown, thanks dude! 

 

@Amarillo slim, appreciate your interest. I won't be chucking the poor plant(s) outside. The recent cold snap managed to kill off my Swiss chard and turnips, first time that's happened.   Cabbage and black radishes were okay. I've managed to overwinter lettuce in the past as winters are often mild here. Currently though there is still a lump of ice in the water butt at my allotment, about a foot thick!

 

Even though I have managed to kill a few seedlings, my overall impression of cannabis is that it's pretty tough. It's literally a weed in many parts of Europe and Asia, growing by roadsides and on building sites. So I agree with you that there will be strains that will probably do okay by a wintry window.

 

I will be starting off a bunch of seeds by the window next year, before planting outside. But that's not the purpose of this particular grow. Or at least it wasn't - you've got me thinking now!  The intention was more to find out what happens if, say, an autoflower starts off around now, how long will it take to flower, how big will it get, and so on.

 

I hadn't even considered trying a photoperiod strain, was going for an autoflower. Something with Ruderalis in it anyway, as I imagine that might help not only with variable lighting conditions, but also maybe more resistant to cool temperatures.

 

Had a look through my collection of freebies. Mostly photoperiod strains, not as many autoflowers, partly because I've grown a fair few over the past year or more. 

I've got a couple of Kush strains which might be well suited. Only thing is, they might be a bit too smelly for a window sill grow. Among seeds I've actually paid for, I have Northern Lights Auto, Quick One and Easy Bud which are all reputed to be tolerant of cooler temperatures and lower on odour. I can vouch for Quick One as I grew it last year and it only really started to smell last few weeks of flower. 

 

I also have a bunch of outdoor strains, autos, semi-autos, earlies. But I will probably just wait and start those a bit later, ready for going outside in the spring.

 

The most convenient strains would be Critical Kush Auto (Barney's Farm) and Northern Lights Auto (Nirvana). The first is in single seed packs, and the second has already been opened. So I don't need to open a multipack of beans just to sprout one or two. I'm edging towards Critical Kush Auto, even though it will probably stink to high heaven in flower. 

 

I won't be able to open the window much at this time of year, but I do have a small tent grow in the same room (Seedstockers Pot Noodle Comp) so there might be some odour eating benefit from the carbon filter there.

 

Will now take some time to mull options and will upload pics once I've started...

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Crow River

[Crow River]

30 minutes ago, AnonyMice said:

Following along. Assuming they’ll spend the majority of their lives under lights. You getting much sun up there if any at all? 98% cloud for weeks here 

 

We've had quite a lot of sunshine lately, the window is south facing too. That's what made me think it could be achievable. But yeah, extra lighting will be required...

 

E2A: I bought a couple of small tea bushes this autumn. One is overwintering at the allotment, alive but looking a bit sorry for itself just now. The other is in a pot by the window, and has been in flower for several weeks - in December!  

 

Also had to rescue my sundews from the polytunnel greenhouse as it was getting very cold. Meanwhile the one that stayed at home on the windowsill is still flowering...

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Crow River

[Amarillo slim]

1 hour ago, Crow River said:

how long will it take to flower, how big will it get, and so on.

 

This one was started around the end of September (pic from today).  Spent a bit of time on a window board in the recent cold spell but been back out for a while now. 

 

 

 

 

If you wanted any kind of yield though, Id be tempted to use some of the early or semi-auto outdoor gear, keep it from flowering by interrupting the night cycle till some point in early spring when the ambient light / temps are more favourable, then remove the supplementary lighting to initiate flower.  Day length should remain short enough to limit re-veg with the right genetics.  

Edited December 22, 2022 by Amarillo slim

[catweazle1]

@Amarillo slimIs it better to use semis in the UK outside, rather than full photos to assure flowering is triggered in the UK climate? I can't quite figure the difference with full autos. Is Serious Seeds Biddy Early (Early Skunk x Warlock) a semi, as apparently it is almost impossible to maintain a mother... I've got fems and reg seeds of it. Bought them because they were bred for the Dutch outside climate. I'm interested in knocking up seeds for indoors, selecting those that are comfortable flowering  at the lower indoor temp range 15-20c.

Edited December 22, 2022 by catweazle1

[Amarillo slim]

1 hour ago, catweazle1 said:

@Amarillo slimIs it better to use semis in the UK outside, rather than full photos to assure flowering is triggered in the UK climate? I can't quite figure the difference with full autos. Is Serious Seeds Biddy Early (Early Skunk x Warlock) a semi, as apparently it is almost impossible to maintain a mother... I've got fems and reg seeds of it. Bought them because they were bred for the Dutch outside climate. I'm interested in knocking up seeds for indoors, selecting those that are comfortable flowering  at the lower indoor temp range 15-20c.

 

Don't want to clutter @Crow River thread going off on loosely related tangents, so i'l keep it brief.  Not all semi-autos are auto flower hybrids and not all autoflower hybrids are semi-autos.  The idea that semi (half) means its a 50/50 hybrid of the two is a misunderstanding IMO.  I covered this in the guerrilla section not long ago but can't recall in which thread.  

 

Biddy early used to have more variation with some early / semi auto types in the mix. Then Serious stabilised it, but more to the late side.  So there is outdated information about it.  

Edited December 22, 2022 by Amarillo slim

[catweazle1]

1 hour ago, Amarillo slim said:

 

 I covered this in the guerrilla section not long ago but can't recall in which thread.  

 

Biddy early used to have more variation with some early / semi auto types in the mix. Then Serious stabilised it, but more to the late side.  So there is outdated information about it.  

Thanks. I'll look into the distinctions more.

[Crow River]

@Amarillo slim, good to see the reality!  

 

Maybe I'll run an auto and an outdoor semi-auto side by side, see what happens...

[Crow River]

Had a search through my seeds to check what semi-autos, fast versions, etc. I have.

 

Many of these seeds are regs, for this test run at the window I don't really want to be germinating regs as they most likely won't show sex for some time. I have a few fems with estimated flowering times of 8 weeks or less. However most of these are only packs of 3, and a whole bunch are currently stuck in the post somewhere (according to tracking info).

 

So I've limited my choices to where I have a larger number of seeds from the same strain. This makes the decision a bit easier...  

 

A couple of strains from Phoenix Seeds, Super Kush and Quick Flowering THC. From Serious Seeds, Serious 7. From Biogenetic, Serious 6 x Passion. From our very own @brock1, one from Orange Hazeberry Gum, Joshua or BSM. From looking at @RUFUS HOUND's diary, Joshua seems to be a light sensitive (or maybe semi-) auto, and the Orange Hazeberry Gum might or might not be an auto, though it clearly has autoflowering genetics in the mix.

 

I'm leaning towards the Phoenix strains just now, mainly because it's a test run with uncertain outcome. The beans are inexpensive are easily replaced, and I have loads of the Super Kush in particular. Both strains claim 7 weeks flowering time. The Biogenetic strains are also inexpensive, but the post from Poland is really slow and the flowering time of this cross is more like 8 weeks. 

As for Serious 7 and Brock's strains, I think I might prefer to give them a more traditional spring planting given they're somewhat trickier to get hold of if I mess things up.  

 

The more I think about it, the more it looks like  Critical Kush Auto might be joined by Super Kush alongside...

[brock1]

On 22/12/2022 at 9:16 PM, Crow River said:

Had a search through my seeds to check what semi-autos, fast versions, etc. I have.

 

Many of these seeds are regs, for this test run at the window I don't really want to be germinating regs as they most likely won't show sex for some time. I have a few fems with estimated flowering times of 8 weeks or less. However most of these are only packs of 3, and a whole bunch are currently stuck in the post somewhere (according to tracking info).

 

So I've limited my choices to where I have a larger number of seeds from the same strain. This makes the decision a bit easier...  

 

A couple of strains from Phoenix Seeds, Super Kush and Quick Flowering THC. From Serious Seeds, Serious 7. From Biogenetic, Serious 6 x Passion. From our very own @brock1, one from Orange Hazeberry Gum, Joshua or BSM. From looking at @RUFUS HOUND's diary, Joshua seems to be a light sensitive (or maybe semi-) auto, and the Orange Hazeberry Gum might or might not be an auto, though it clearly has autoflowering genetics in the mix.

 

I'm leaning towards the Phoenix strains just now, mainly because it's a test run with uncertain outcome. The beans are inexpensive are easily replaced, and I have loads of the Super Kush in particular. Both strains claim 7 weeks flowering time. The Biogenetic strains are also inexpensive, but the post from Poland is really slow and the flowering time of this cross is more like 8 weeks. 

As for Serious 7 and Brock's strains, I think I might prefer to give them a more traditional spring planting given they're somewhat trickier to get hold of if I mess things up.  

 

The more I think about it, the more it looks like  Critical Kush Auto might be joined by Super Kush alongside...

You are correct the Joshua seems to be a slow version/semi auto strange because both parents are full auto. From what I understand this can only be a reactivation of cell devision because of hybrid vigour from the Guerilla Exodus side of the parents. Strange because it almost never happens when 2 full auto parents are used of F3 stock. This typically means you can start them anytime as they will reveg early and use them as outdoor mothers. The other 2 crosses have not shown this and seems to be full auto. Best to not set the BSM or Orange Hazeberry Gum off before April outdoor to get a good vegative size as they are full auto. The Joshua should start flowering early outdoor but will have a longer flowering time than a fast version making them possibly the closest thing available to a true sativa hardy high that can flower in the UK. I am talking more like a 10-12 week haze or Mexican outdoor high instead of a early Durban type high. I hope this help your decision and you have had a good Christmas. 

[Crow River]

@brock1, thank you so much for taking the time to explain this in such a detailed way. I'm intrigued by the idea of keeping an outdoor mother, possibly I will try this but I don't think I'll start Joshua this early. Maybe in March, to get a head start on the other strains. 

 

I'm grateful to you and @Amarillo slim for engaging with my wee thread in such an informative and helpful manner. Merry Christmas to you both!  And of course to everybody who's bothered to read or post here.

 

Edited December 26, 2022 by Crow River

[Crow River]

Well I suppose this is the start of a diary now.

 

I took seeds out of the fridge yesterday, to bring them up to room temperature. These have now been planted in moist potting mix in a couple of fibre pots. They're in the heated propagator, set back slightly from the window, not on the sill itself.

 

Here goes...