Deans grow log 2013

[Dean]

27/11/13

Some great people sent me some seed over the past few weeks and I'd like to thank them. I lost a lot of vars when my trays dried out earlier this year. I was a bit devastated. Licked my wounds and am now able to start some more. 2 envelopes arrived in the post today and I have sown them already. Haven't taken any pics as they are just seeds in a pot so a bit boring, I'm sure you guys have seen plenty of empty pot piccies.

it is fairly late in the season to start some but I have not had a choice. I still have 150 good growing days ahead of me.

So plantings for my second crop are as follows:

Kelly burley
Orinoco
MA 609
Pens Red
FL sumatra
TN Red Leaf
B21
Zimmer spanish
RSE? Rose?? Help with this one would be apreciated
Black Mammoth really looking forward to seeing this one.
Little Dutch also looking forward to see growth style of this
Bursa
Bafra
Havana
Aztec
VG gold

plus the silk leaf, TN90 Samsun and shirey I already have in.

there are singles of VG hybrid ?
And VG 509.

wow that is quite a list I have just realised.

i am looking to average 10 pf each, some like little Dutch more and less mammoths etc.

cheers guys

 

[Rickey60]

Quite the collection. 150 days should get you good results. Good luck this time around.

 

[DGBAMA]

Quite a list. Look forward to following your progress.

 

[Dean]

Measured out a few of the beds last week, the corn crop will be well and truly done by plant out so gives me 120sq' the chilli bed I didn't use gives me another 290sq' plus a few other spot plantings between already sown stuff, another 100-150' I'll be keeping these out of the pots and probably planting close to things like beets and celery as their seasons are nearly over, in and around the beans and tomatoes etc.

there are a couple of fallow beds needing a clean up that could be used at a pinch but as I had no seed till today I have been tardy in cleaning them up.

still need to grab a few loads of hoarse to sweeten it up and a bit of chook too. Plenty of lucern in the shed so mulch is easy, better get that on this week too.

cheers

 

[jekylnz]

Yeah mate nows the time to prep your beds..full em up
.cause your baccy sure gonna take it back out..you've still got a good month for stuff (fresh crap) to break down. .just don't let them dry out this time...have you got an idea in place to prevent it yet.? Pond pump in a reservoir on a timer would be your cheapest best option if you're not there to mind them all the time.

 

[bonehead]

i wish i was planting or growing. i have a long cold wait to get back to the hobbies that keep me busy and break up the monotiny of life. good luck and take every day as a gift to learn and teach. there are to many skills and traditions being lost and forgotten forever because of the i need it now attitude.

 

[Chicken]

that is a lot of plants your gonna be growing,

but it sounds like you got the space for them,

i dont know how the pests are where your at , [ i dont know where your at??]

but be on top of the bug's.

 

[Dean]

Jekylnz, sorted out a pump and timer to flood under the trays 4 times a day. Seems to work ok.

 

[Knucklehead]

Be careful. Over watering can be as bad as under watering.

 

[jekylnz]

Jekylnz, sorted out a pump and timer to flood under the trays 4 times a day. Seems to work ok.

Thats all good then. .at least while they're young. .nut like knucks also said be careful of over watering. .in saying that I know how hot and dry it van get wheree you are. .and heat evaporation will be the biggest issue as seedlings. .especially after last time. .even over here at the moment..If I miss watering one night. .I usually will have casualties be the next day.

 

[BarG]

From a Southern man to another in a great southern land Welcome to FTT. A great seed stock you have going. I saw several I will try in the future.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Don't fear the over watering, I will have them set up in self draining float trays of sorts. The max they can hold is about 1/2 inch of water under a 4" high cell. The pump will be on for 1 minuite enough to pump 1gallon of water into the sump. If more is pumped in it simply drains away.

at the moment I have started them in individual pots per strain like I always do and will pick out to 8 cell trays once the leaves are 1/4". I have found this the best way to get the largest most robust plants and keep like sized seedlings together

2 are planted in each cell and the smallest is culled once leaves reach dime size. Sometimes sooner if I get to them. Until this stage they are kept in controlled conditions indoors under lights.

cheers

 

[Dean]

1/12/13

seed split no more than 80%

there is a small white root tip poking out from the seed. Hum 60-80% bottom heat provided.

i am wondering on this forum if I need to bang this out to the nth degree? I assume by graduating here and learning what is available you don't need a play by play.

so on the spirit of normalcy, root tips showing. No leaves yet.


i find this type of germination diary taxing being a hort bloke, but if it helps someone then by all means I will post all info.

BA Horticrultural science
PHD 2 years of Hort extended.

how do you want it broken down, simple or explain everything, I have no problems with doing the hard yards but hoarses for coarses and what works here will be something different of the US.

cheers guys.

 

[deluxestogie]

Although many FTT members, with varying degrees of degrees, read all the grow logs, explicit descriptions are the most valuable to new growers. So--bored experts be damned, I would encourage you to aim your log at a general audience. Pics are always welcome.

Bob

 

[chillardbee]

With grow blogs, I think it can be just as much for you as for others. I like to think of it as a diary that I can look back on to see what I did and when. I usually jot down everything I do concerning tobacco whether directly or indirectly related to it.

 

[DGBAMA]

With grow blogs, I think it can be just as much for you as for others. I like to think of it as a diary that I can look back on to see what I did and when. I usually jot down everything I do concerning tobacco whether directly or indirectly related to it.

Agree completely. I plan on completely re-reading my 2013 log as the new season comes in. Much of my log wasdone so i could remember what idid this year.

 

[jekylnz]

Dean why no pictures? Its easier to put them on here than the "other" site...just tap on the little icon with the tree in the pic. Frame..and select easy uploader then just choose pictures from your gallery. .

 

[Dean]

Haven't had a lot of time to get any. Will get some tomorow. Been buisy weeding and opening up new beds and working.
Not much has changed there are a few more come up each day.

Cheers

 

[Dean]

6/12/13

Leaves showing on some, all have now germinated or are in the stages of germination.

I have taken them off the bottom heat and got them outside in trays. The trays get 4-5 hours of morning sun and are protected from our killer afternoon heat. I have several layers of screening over them, not only to protect from bugs but provide additional shading. each layer is removable. less for overcast days. Plastic is laid on at night and in bad weather to protect from rain. At this stage in their growth they do not have a root down so can easily be washed out by heavy drops.

I would usually have them under lights indoors but at this time of year I don't think I will need to. I actually think the sun will be better having a full spectrum of UV.

No feeding yet. Feeding will commence once all have leaves showing.

Trays have holes punched through 1/4" from the bottom so they can hold a set volume of water, about a gallon. These same trays will be used to hold the seedlings once pricked out to individual pots. They hold 10x8 cell seedling pots for a total of 80 plants.



couldn't get the phone to take close ups. I was hoping to take piccies of all the stages of germination from seed split to root growth and finally seed leaves but it seems not to want to shoot macro.

 

[jekylnz]

How's your ethylene trials going?