Thoughts for next year

[Crow River]

As my outdoor season draws to a close, thoughts have already started to turn to next year. Just putting down a few bits and bobs here, before I forget...

 

Even without the plants I still have outside, I already have enough harvested to last for quite a long time. So, effectively I don't need to grow anything for probably a year or more.

 

Even given that, I want to grow, because I enjoy it. But I might need to consider a different approach, maybe scale down a bit, do things I didn't try this year, and so on.

 

I plan on actually taking a summer holiday next year if all's well. You know, getting on a plane to somewhere a bit sunnier than this island. So any grow activity will need to work around that.

 

My GG plots need a bit of improving. Some were found and prepped in a hurry this summer due to losing one of my original plots. It all worked out fine, but I can do better.

 

If I'm going to stay at the current plots, might need to consider ways to be a bit stealthier. Now that winter is on the way, and ground cover is dying back, the paths to two plots are looking more obvious than before. So I am going to attempt to prepare alternative routes for getting to these plots, that will be a bit more stealthy, and allow this year's paths to get overgrown.

 

I'm making seeds indoors, and will continue to do so over the winter. It makes sense to try and integrate that activity with the outdoor grows in some way. Maybe test grows of seeds, even some outdoor open pollination.

 

Maybe do at least some outdoor germination, where possible. Also try to find ways to reduce the number of visits required to the plots. That will mean thinking about plot prep carefully, slow release fertilisers, mulches, etc.

 

Resist the temptation to take part in grow competitions!

 

That's about it for now.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Crow River

[Crow River]

One notion that came to me a few weeks ago, is to set up a small separate plot somewhere well hidden (e.g. in a thicket of brambles) and grow a couple of absolute monsters. As in the biggest, most out of control plants I have ever attempted. This year, most girls were relatively modestly sized due to later plant outs. But if young plants hit the ground fairly early, and conditions are favourable, then they might become absolute beasts.

 

Obviously they'll need decent soil, a sunny spot, shelter from strong winds, possibly extra support, and be a suitable strain. Could be fun though...  

 

[Crow River]

Another idea is to really go for the Ducksfoot and mutant strains. I have a few exotic beans that I haven't tried yet, plus some recent ducksfoot crosses to test out. I can probably grow a few in the polytunnel, and others in the plots I grew Auto Duck this year. Because they don't look like typical cannabis plants, they can be grown in less stealthy locations.

[Crow River]

Then we have variations on the "plant and leave" idea. Over winter I'll be preparing crosses for the Wild At Heart project, the aim being to leave them to their own devices for a few years, and let natural selection take its course. The main question once seeds have been made really is how to plant out? Pre-germinate and veg like a normal grow? Or sow seeds outside and see what happens?

[bfehillbilly]

Have you ever tried water crystals I put some in each hole of my cornfield plots this year with as little rain as they got I honestly believe they would have wilted down and died without them won't put a plant in the ground without them again 

[Crow River]

@bfehillbilly haven't tried them so far. TBH lack of water not usually a problem here, quite the reverse in fact! But maybe could be useful at the bramble plot, where the soil is very sandy and free draining. Makes it hard to retain water and nutrients. I was thinking to add more organic material, plus coco coir, to help water retention there. Different issues at the embankment, the soil is heavy clay but full of stones and grit too. Probably needs more organic material too, to improve soil and make it a bit lighter.

[DutchFox]

1 hour ago, bfehillbilly said:

Have you ever tried water crystals I put some in each hole of my cornfield plots this year with as little rain as they got I honestly believe they would have wilted down and died without them won't put a plant in the ground without them again 

 

i think...if the corn died...and your plants lived....it can be because of the watercrystals....  but it has to rain for the crystals to absorb water.....

 

to know for sure with every choice you have.....you could have done 50% with watercrystal and 50% without.....

 

so how much water a plant/tree uses per day?

 

 

to give an estimate...i found a formula for above 25 degrees c...in summer.

 

high of the plant in cm   x  wide of the plant in cm   :  1000 = number  of liters water per day

 

for example plant of 110 cm high and 80 cm wide.....needs 8800:1000 = aprox 8.8 liters per day

 

and 10 cm high x 10 cm wide...needs 0.1 liter per day....approx

 

i dont see how watercrystals can do this...  what weight of crystals did you use per plant...and how much water can it contain ? 

 

if we give water in dry hot summer....we give normally a few liter per plant.....and that keeps the capilary system in the soil going....and so it happens that our plant survives....and few meters further...nettles are dying....

 

my 2 cents...

 

ps im more fan of a   Post drill / auger ...i make a hole in the plant hole of 1 meter....fill it with a mix of spot soil and coco and or sand or organics....just to make sure that the pen root can go down easy...to all the water she needs....in heavyier soils.....

i saw diffences in plants with and without the post drill holes...

Edited November 2, 2023 by DutchFox

[murphyblue]

I plan to try and germinate all them seeds i got from the auto plot disaster this season chuck em out in an isolated spot about 20 mile away from my 2 other plots just in case.

I also plan on trying more subbies next season so what ever boyos i get from them will pick one and plant it right in the middle of em.

I still can't say for defo if it was the moby dick that hermied but it defo had the most seeds.

Was a pity as the seed free moby dick i harvested was bloody lovely.

 

 

 

[bfehillbilly]

I had some rain just not a lot of it made a believer out of me will be using them again next year nothing to lose and everything to gain 

[blerie420]

My plans involved booby traps and not much else

 

I'm not bitter.. honest!

 

[Crow River]

@blerie420, yeah mate I feel that. Are you going to maybe look for a new plot?

[Crow River]

Probably going to go further into growing regs than this year (just two strains). Wondering now if I should try and start a dedicated breeding/hacks plot for open pollinations. Problem is, it would need to be far enough away from other plots that any pollen is not carried by the breeze to my other plots. Either the embankment or the bramble plot would work, but there's good potential for another plot near the bramble plot, so much space round there. Bramble area is also the only place I could get away with really tall plants, due to tree cover. Embankment plot would need to be widened to serve as a breeding plot I think. 

[Pepe Ramon]

I want to do 8 photos and I'm looking at 1:1 strains, but I'll probably do some Seedstockers as well and maybe a pure sativa as I've killed the Malawi I had this year, I overfed her and she browned up and died, I'm not worried as it's all part of the learning curve and there's always next year. 

 

I have Cream Caramel CBD from Sweet Seeds which I'm definitely running, I also have their San Fernando Lemon Kush so I'll also being doing that, I'm tempted to run Panty Punch again from Seedstockers but I may pick up a few more 1:1 seeds to grow in comparison to the Cream Caramel CBD, after trying the Beldia Kif, I believe the broad spectrum strains are where my future grows will come from.

 

However I have some Sweet Seeds Dark Devil autos, so I'll also be running those, but I'm thinking I may put 4/5 into a single 150L fabric pot and just let them do their thing.

 

My plot needs to be tidied and I'm also changing and moving pots for next year, I'll be increasing my pot size to allow for less waterings. I'll never use the no-till bed again, so the soil from there will be moved to a better position and will form the basis of a compost heap, just somewhere to dump old compost and bokashi basically. 

 

 

 

[Clean Green]

I'm thinking of better weather, growing for flavours and not being shy to put plenty out to cover losses and not having to bring in the lowers if I can't be arsed. Oh and trying to stagger both the autos plant out and photos strains for a nice steady harvest from early August on

[blerie420]

@Crow River already on it. My mucka is privy to my movements but it's a total closed loop from now on. Won't even let anyone know I'm thinking of going again in real life.

 

Have two potential ones that have, well, potential