Open Show and Tell 2020
- Thread starter FresnoFarmer
- Start date
TerrapinBlazin
Well-Known Member
I haven’t fed my outdoor plants once this year. I don’t know if I even should since I’m growing in the ground. I haven’t gotten nearly as deep into organics as @NewEnglandFarmer and GG. You two are blowing me away with this back and forth and I’m taking notes. The soil where I live is apparently really good because every plant thrives in it whether I want it to or not. Last year I got some nice big buds but the strain sucked, but this year I have much better gear.
I’ve always had a minimalist, hands off approach to any sort of outdoor gardening. I don’t yet know if this is a good approach to cannabis but so far it’s been a really fun and completely different experience from my more controlled indoor grows. I know if I keep growing in the same spot the soil will get depleted and I’ll have to move to a new spot, crop rotation style, but I’m really enjoying the whole concept of growing it as naturally as possible.
This is causing me a little bit of stress and cognitive dissonance though, because I know this approach might not be the best for yield and smoke quality.
I’ve always had a minimalist, hands off approach to any sort of outdoor gardening. I don’t yet know if this is a good approach to cannabis but so far it’s been a really fun and completely different experience from my more controlled indoor grows. I know if I keep growing in the same spot the soil will get depleted and I’ll have to move to a new spot, crop rotation style, but I’m really enjoying the whole concept of growing it as naturally as possible.
This is causing me a little bit of stress and cognitive dissonance though, because I know this approach might not be the best for yield and smoke quality.
TerrapinBlazin
Well-Known Member
I’ve used a couple different liquid potassium silicate products for my indoor grows. I also mix some DE into my soil. I use it to mitigate heat stress. Pro-tekt and silica gold by true plant science are the two I’ve used. Pro-tekt more for clones and the gold for rooted plants. They don’t seem to affect my ph very much but my tap water is already pretty alkaline and it surely doesn’t lower it. I have to add a fair amount of acid to every indoor watering. I don’t have a pen to test the actual soil but my runoff tests at 6.5. I use RO water in the aero cloner and 5ml of pro-tekt per gallon does not noticeably alter ph when testing with the green stuff. No idea what a more precise measurement would tell me.
Sorry for the long tangent. IME it won’t throw your ph off too much, but I’m interested in what more experienced growers have to say. Try this for the botrytis. Way too dry where I live for fungal issues but I use it in my cloner and it can be sprayed on anything at 1tsp per gallon.
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NewEnglandFarmer
Well-Known Member
Very interested to hear what GG says about this.
Did find some horticultural research online that suggests it does:
Effects of Silicon in the Nutrient Solution for Three Horticultural Plant Families on the Vegetative Growth, Cuticle, and Protection Against Botrytis cinerea
The silicon (Si) percentage in the dry matter of plants is between 0.1% and 10%, and even though its role in the metabolism of plants is not absolutely clear, Si’s positive effects on plant nutrition and plant protection against both biotic and abiotic stress are well documented. However, Si is...
SOLUBLE SILICON-BASED DISEASE MANAGEMENT OF FLORICULTURAL CROPS By SOPHIA KAMENIDOU | Semantic Scholar
Silicon (Si) supplementation benefits soilless production of floricultural crops by improving horticultural traits and enhancing resistance to biotic stresses, such as diseases. One of the most prevalent and important diseases in greenhouse floriculture is powdery mildew, caused by the fungus...
pdfs.semanticscholar.org
And there seems to be plenty of anecdotal evidence expressed on forums...but take that for what it's worth.
The product I use (https://www.kisorganics.com/products/agsil-16-h-potassium-silicate) calls for 1/2 teaspoon/gallon.
ganga gurl420
Well-Known Member
I think any product that raises the ph of the leaf surface will help prevent fungal issues...but spraying silica during flower is not recommended by most.
Seawood
Well-Known Member
Makes sense. I was thinking more from an internal biological process kind of thing by using as a soil drench. I’m no botanist or fungicidal Einstein but I just can’t see how anything fed or sprayed on the plant will make it impervious to mold. It’s the bane of outdoor growing and nothing kicks you in the guts like finding a bunch of rotted buds after 5+ months of nothing but love and attention. Such a horrible feeling!
What exactly makes some strains more resistant?
ganga gurl420
Well-Known Member
I messaged you
emerson61
Well-Known Member
Here’s some pics from my outdoor grow here in DoCal. Doing 2 Cannatonic in 15g pots, a Maui Waui, Purple Punch and Koshur Kush in 10g. I popped seeds in mid April, Canna and Maui well into flower. All doing well. Water daily in this heat. Topping paid off. About 20 huge colas each. Now, just providing good bloom nutes and spraying Monterey BT weekly to minimize loss due to moths/caterpillars later. Very key here in SoCal.
Buds closeup is Maui Waui. Others Cannatonic. Hoping for a huge haul of Canna to make a ton of killer rubs and tinctures. Seems flowering further along this year than last few summers. My two Indicas are the slowest to develop, but well into pre-flower. Surprised to see a Sativa so far along on Aug 1.
Buds closeup is Maui Waui. Others Cannatonic. Hoping for a huge haul of Canna to make a ton of killer rubs and tinctures. Seems flowering further along this year than last few summers. My two Indicas are the slowest to develop, but well into pre-flower. Surprised to see a Sativa so far along on Aug 1.
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ganga gurl420
Well-Known Member
Awesome work!
Sevenleaves
Well-Known Member
Just fed and watered the girls, looking happy. The orange diesels in the back ground are well over 7' and still stretching.lol The MOBs are stacking up nicely, hoping for good late summer, early fall weather.
Sevenleaves
Well-Known Member
Forgot to add the photo
NewEnglandFarmer
Well-Known Member
Right on, brother. Givin' me hope...
ganga gurl420
Well-Known Member
The spiders are doing their job! 
