BlueCollarBob- Bumbling Through My First Grow

[BlueCollarBob]

Just a quick update. Back to the grind and plenty to keep me busy, this week. I have a lot of posts to catch up on from you guys, too. Hopefully, I can catch up on that everyone's reports tonight.

Two outdoor plants (white widow and orange widow) are showing signs of septoria. I took this photo after work on Monday:


The other white widow that I believed to be a hermie was already stripped down and looks okay, but I'm watching closely. I removed every spotty leaf and all the wispy little bud sites that won't make it to the canopy from the second white widow and the orange widow. I also watered in some BushDoctor Boomerang that I found at the local nursery. I've never used it before. I just took a chance on the description saying it was good for recently stressed plants. The Lemon Sour Diesel will get a less aggressive defoliation this evening. She looks not-so-bad, but needs a good thinning. I gave everyone a spray with neem oil, last night. I plan to hit them with a copper fungicide, this evening. If I had used that preemptively, I might have avoided all of this. I've seen a few of the little green bastard moths are still around and I hope to get a spray of Monterrey BT in before they start flowering.



Lemon Sour Diesel, yesterday evening:



Stripped yesterday were orange widow (back left) and white widow (front center). On the right is the wierd one-leaf widow I stripped down last week. I'm more curious than concerned. I didn't do this much defoliating, last year. I'm interested in seeing how they respond to that much plucking and trimming. I can afford to be pretty cavalier about it, as I planted much more than I need and will jump right in to a two plant grow indoors when these finish. Frees me up to do experiments and learn.


Veggie photos. Getting loads of cucumbers and a few squash and bell peppers. I started late and no tomatoes are ripe and my chickens got a few of the low hanging tomatoes when I wasn't keeping an eye on them. The foul fowl are on lockdown, now. I really like the tomatoe trellis, but have some adjustments to make for next year and will separate the cucumbers from the tomatoes.




Weed barrier:


I support our female troops:

View attachment IMG_8953.mov

Shishkaberry x Sour Lime OG started day 19 of flower this morning. They're recovering from their struggles with humidity, light failures and calcium deficiency. If they keep heading in the right direction, maybe I get to do my first indoor harvest in September . Since flipping to flower they've had two rounds each of Terp Tea Bloom and Uprising Bloom, both from Roots Organics. I need to research tips on taking photos under HPS bulbs. To me, they look a little better in person.



I took a quick stab at adjusting the white balance for this one. It helps show the striations that, as Grump pointed out, will not go away. So, I'm sorta focussing on new leaf growth to determine If things are going okay:


Happy growing, everyone!

 

[Bandit420]

Outstanding work you've put in there Bob!
I love that tunnel. I'd spend hours hanging out in your garden spaces.
I really like how you've trellised and pruned your squash plants. Another idea I'm stealing from you!

My little garden is winding down as August creeps in. Too many hot days, they stop producing, get weak, then bugs and drought trying to keep them alive while really doing nothing other than wasting water trying to keep them going.
May try to get more going for a little Fall harvest but I learned a lot and have set the stage for next year to do better and grow more.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Outstanding work you've put in there Bob!

Thanks Bandit

I love that tunnel. I'd spend hours hanging out in your garden spaces.

That cattle panel really has worked out well for the cucumbers. I think they'll climb anything, lol. The cattle panel is quick and easy. I'm moving it away from tomatoes, next year. It all proved to be too crowded. The 16ft X 50in panels were $33ea at Tractor Supply, here. They'r heavy gauge and should last a long time .

I really like how you've trellised and pruned your squash plants. Another idea I'm stealing from you!

First time trying that. I was a little late staring them up the t-post, but I'm impressed. It's clearly a benefit getting them off the ground away from the borers. I will probably go to the conduit method in the tree squash video. Pretty sure these will outgrow 6' t- posts.

My little garden is winding down as August creeps in. Too many hot days, they stop producing, get weak, then bugs and drought trying to keep them alive while really doing nothing other than wasting water trying to keep them going.

May try to get more going for a little Fall harvest but I learned a lot and have set the stage for next year to do better and grow more.

Same here. I have some plants started that I'm going to take a stab at getting a Fall harvest out of, but it will take a mild September and early October for some.

I'm really gearing up for next year, too. Hoping to get things situated and prepped to where the hard work is done. Then focus on more timely planting and care. I really dropped the ball on preventive care. I was better at it on my first effort last year, lol.

I have plenty of goals to shoot for, next year. I've been looking at these DIY row covers and low tunnels made by bending EMT conduit. I'm going to try making some row covers for fall broccoli, cabbage, radishes, bok choy, etc. If I learn anything there, this might be my answer for protecting weed from rain in late flower. Maybe even bug protection next year. Just swap between rain, frost, bug protection as necessary. We'll see....