Fisherman's grow blog; Port Lavaca Texas ,Gulf coast

[Fisherman]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

3-17-13:

Happy Month Old !!

Well the rascals are really growing their tails off!!! I got roots growing out the bottom of the first 2 flats already. I am drying them out a little but watered them first time last nite from bottom and they were pretty dry. The first 2 flats were the Jiffy potting mix and I had used the MiracleGro transplant shock and the reg miracle at less then 1/4 each..... The next 2 flats are starting their growth spurt now and these were planted in regular MiracleGro Potting Mix for Redwood seedlings. which actually worked out well AFTER totally wetting it before trying to use it.

I still dont see any leggy plants but what appears to be just a carpet of.................. well .............. spinach!

Will post more pics in a few hours... Gotta run to work a while. At which time I will water all and add 3rd lite as I am outa room for another and final flat. How 2 flats "worth" fit into table area without bottom tray which in itself is experiment . I soaked them all dawn at planting time and theses will have had no extra bottom water.

I couldnt wait so i posted a few now. Weird tho at first glance tho flat number 2 is out growing in root area ???? I will research after a while. I am on way to work for a while.

ORIGINAL GERMINATION FLATS CONSOLIDATED AND ALMOST SPENT<


ROOTS IN TRAY 2 AND SIZE OF #1 AND #2 ARE ASTOUNDING !












WONDER IF I SHOULD RE-POT AGAIN???? HAVE NO SET DAY TO PLANT YET. FARMERS HERE ALREADY HAVE CORN UP AND 6" TALL..

 

[leverhead]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

Lookin' good! I've had mine outside for a week, they've got a blanket of pollen on them. If the Farmers plant late, they'll miss the rain.

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

You could try clipping the leaves like deluxestogie did in his 2012 grow blog. Don't clip the growth bud. Looking good. It's strange how those two flats have outdistanced their brothers. Have you tried swapping positions with other flats? Very nice looking tobacco.

 

[Fisherman]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

You could try clipping the leaves like deluxestogie did in his 2012 grow blog. Don't clip the growth bud. Looking good. It's strange how those two flats have outdistanced their brothers. Have you tried swapping positions with other flats? Very nice looking tobacco.

I did use a little dif mix when making flat 3-8. First 2 were Jiffy potting mix which was finer texture and small size vermiculite peices. I also added slightly more root booster to them due to miracle potting mix for redwoods containing fertilizer already.

Flat 1 this morning had no roots showing thru bottom. Now there are 1/2" roots in a few. I added plain water to all today as they were dry even the ones with roots. No harm to roots it seems.

I also noticed in flat 3 a few yellow plants in middle of flat. I added water thinking was fertilizer burns and them seemed to green during the day. Man these would be wild in hydro system if you knew what you were doing I bet.

Flat 5 and 6 were huige compared to 1 and 2 and most had large clumps of roots when I moved them... It seems that you can expect 3-5 days of dormancy when transplanting bare root then the growing begins. I cann see today #3 taking off as well. #4 is one with yellow middles. I remember once growing another plant .................... that it could handle ungodly amounts of fresh pony and chicken manure. straight outa tha azz to speak.... UNTIL you withheld the water. Then you could see a burn fixing to happen. Until then it was all fine and water quinched the burn before it did to much damage also.

I wanted to put boat in the water this week but first things first. these babys gotta get in the ground...

Still dont know if shutting the lights will help retard them... growing I mean??????

I tryed a small leaf in microwave and it woulda been better if it was spinach ...............

I still have seeds sprouting as I disturb original germination flats while transplanting the largest ones All in all. tobacco is a pretty tuff plant SO FAR>

 

[Seanz]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

Mate they are looking nice and healthy. as for the lights I wouldnt know But If your gonna put them outside in a week or so you could raise the level of the lamps

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

Have you read up on hardening off the plants before you put them in the ground? BigBonner (the commercial grower) cuts the water to them about a week, then starts slowly introducing them to outside, over the course of a week, slowly let them get more outside sun until they can stand pretty much a whole day. Cutting the water helps build drought tolerance, and if you put them outside without slowly introducing them to the sun, they may die. A little breeze also helps toughen the stalk.

I think I would clip the leaves rather than cut the lights to retard growth. Here's a link to deluxestogie's grow blog. Post # 31 shows the clipped leaves. They caught right up with the plants that were repotted into larger pots in no time. http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthread.php?481-deluxestogie-Grow-Log-2012
BigBonner has a special mower he uses in his greenhouse. It helps keep the plants even and the bigger ones from shading the smaller ones. It also helps to keep them in check till time to go outside.

When is your last frost date?

 

[rainmax]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

This plants grow in one month? I can hardly believe. There must be something wrong with mine.

 

[Fisherman]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

Flat #1 grew over 1" of roots overnitght with lights shut off.

Am putting flats 1 and 2 outside to harden a little this afternoon... Hoping for 8 hours of sunlite and lowering temps then will bring back inside I think.

INSTANT UPDATE:
Within 5 minutes in direct sunlite and 75 deg F heat... INSTANT WILT!!!!!!!!!!

Left outside but put in shade.

15 minutes in shade and they perked back up

 

[jekylnz]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

Oscillating fans are a good way to harden them up,long as its not going to blow them away with it being to strong 1st off

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

Flat #1 grew over 1" of roots overnitght with lights shut off.

Am putting flats 1 and 2 outside to harden a little this afternoon... Hoping for 8 hours of sunlite and lowering temps then will bring back inside I think.

INSTANT UPDATE:
Within 5 minutes in direct sunlite and 75 deg F heat... INSTANT WILT!!!!!!!!!!

Left outside but put in shade.

15 minutes in shade and they perked back up

Yeah, they have to slowly be introduced to sun.

 

[BarG]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

I'm germinating and growing seeds in greenhouse this year with glass sides and top and the direct sun doesn't phase them a bit. It seems to toughen them up being in a lot of sun and higher heat during day. I can pull a flat out and work on transplanting in full sun with no problems.

 

[johnlee1933]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

I'm germinating and growing seeds in greenhouse this year with glass sides and top and the direct sun doesn't phase them a bit. It seems to toughen them up being in a lot of sun and higher heat during day. I can pull a flat out and work on transplanting in full sun with no problems.

I think you're right but glass does reduce the UV. You might be a bit cautious with the first tray or pick a cloudy day.

 

[BarG]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

I have a few clumps of extra vuelta abajo that I stuck in a pot after transplanting what I needed 3 days ago outside in sun and weather and they are thriving even after a good rain one night. The uv is cut down though because 2 of the for sides and end panels are slightly tinted. Some flats are in full sun all day [upper tiers].

John, I'll be cautious and make positive they are hardened off before setting out.

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

That's a great grenhouse you built. I'm glad it's paying off for you.

 

[Fisherman]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

3-22-13: Am composing this post over next few hours hence date shown being in the future

Plants outside are still doing fine. The subject of lighting time really makes sence now. They were used to lights on 24/7 and now are getting 12-14 I am guessing. And that is indirect also. I have been giving them a little direct light and they survived today rather well but it was over cast to partly cloudy. At any rate they would not have done that good first day.

Inside i am seeing yellow clorisis spots on some leave in 3 flats.

I added 1/4 strength to one tray and 1/4 strength transplant shock treatment to another and a mix of both to 3rd tray.

This was done on 3-20-13 or yesterday.

Results as of today are that greening is happening but Im now thinkinking it could be an iron defeciency maybe as it seems more splotchy than nitrogen defecienct seems. It almost could be a magnesium toxicity as I have been using stuff with that in it. OR it could be just me...

As i set up my plant trays I progressively lowered my MG fertilizer usage/application as the older flats seemed to dictate thru their growth that I may be fertilizing a little much so I am going to sorta over ride the descision that I had over fertilized thus making problem diagnosis lean more to iron deficiency.. ALso over watering can cause these type leaf patterns as well. My original germination trays are being neglected and thus not watered and the plants still look nice...

OK...... I think i need to cut water a little bit and will try iron folaige spray for kicks and grins.

It was sorta wierd that most of the problem yellowing happened in the middle of the trays affected. Which could also be the fact I used 2 different kinda bulbs in the 2 fixtures i set up. 3 of the 4 are GE T8 Starcoat ECO F32TS SP65 ECO and 1 PLANT & AQUARIUM Ecolux F40PL/AQ-ECO WIDE SPECTRUM , which is a whiter briter bulb with more natural looking light than the others which seem to be grow lites. The problem flats are under 2 of the same kind of bulbs.. Flats under the mixed fixture are younger and showing no sign but are just starting their growth spurt after transplanting so are not a good control group for light causing problems.

Im really thinking lights are not cause but wanted to throw that out there for the groups input.

 

[Fisherman]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

I got a question??????

What texture should the transplants leave's be??? Mine are soft and floppy more than they are crisp and upright.......

Sorta like they are a little wilted but the erect ones are same texture....... and tear easy as hell too!

I was thinking they should be like collard greens and harder and crispier???

Please advise!

I transplanted one flat into solo cups for a few days to kill time. Used miraclegro potting mix for redwoods and gave a shot of transplant juice and some iron chelate on leaves.

Mike

 

[Fisherman]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

3-22-13:

Flat 6 i added miracle grow tomato food to to see if i cold get rid of yellowing on some leaves:





LOOKS LIKE THE ONES WITH BOTH FERTILIZERS DID BEST.... I THEN GAVE THEM A SHOT OF FOLIAR IRON TO SEE IF THAT WOULD DO MORE.

WILL SEE RESULTS SOON

 

[Fisherman]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

RAIN GUTTER SYSTEM:

My girlfreind and I built up a real quick rain gutter system for auto watering and hopefully administrating fertilizer when needed. A fella named Larry on YouTube seems to have been one who designed it and it sure looks like it works. He also raises tobacco.

Each unit is 24' long and 4 1/2 wide to accomadate the rain gutter. At the ends I will add small low pressure float vavle and hopefully will be able to use a 55 gallon drop as feeder for water lines.

The buckets were easy to make and whole system so far [ 50 buckets and 3 gutter units ] probably didnt take 6 hours for us to do total. Will make similar system on ground using black plastic sheet in 2x4 frame for the 5 gallon grow bags.

View attachment 4045View attachment 4046
View attachment 4047View attachment 4048

WE WERE FIDDLING WITH WARPED NEW BOARDS AND I THINK THEY WILL STRAIGHTEN OUT ONCE BUCKETS ARE ADDED ON THEM



ANYONE IN THE AREA NEED SOME PLANTS?????????? IM GOING BY THE LOCAL GARDEN SPOT CLUB LEASING PLACE TOMMOROW AND SEE IF I CAN MAKE A DEAL FOR A SPOT!

HERE IS SHOT OF OUTSIDE PLANTS I HAVE QUESTION ABOUT LEAF TEXTURE IN ABOVE POST AND PLEA FOR HELP



THEY DO LOOK A LOT MORE YELLOW THAN THEY ARE IN THE FLAT THEY CAME FROM MOMENT EARLIER. ALSO JUST SPRAYED WITH IRON FOLIAR SPRAY THUS THE WET SPOTS ON LEAVES. I THINK I DIDNT GET SOME OF THEM DEEP ENUFF BUT WILL BURY DEEPER WHEN FINAL TRANSPLANT TIME COMES... STEMS ARE VERY WEEK NOW EVEN THO OUTSIDE FOR 4 DAYS NOW. TOTAL PLANT AGE IS 36 DAYS.

 

[leverhead]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

I just checked mine, the leaves are flexible but not what I would call floppy. The sun is setting, so the leaves are stating to lift up for the night.

 

[Boboro]

Re: Fisherman's grow blog

They look good. Spredin them out mite help them get a little tuffer.