Outdoor Growing in the UK desert.

[Anglo Automatics]

Check out this ssssseerpent...

I have also seen a lot of European Hornet activity this summer/autumn...

And now onto the Quick Critical which is roughly 4 weeks into flower...

Bit of a problem... we have a massive storm rolling in tonight, with winds of 50-60mph forecast. Our record wind speed for September is 48mph, so tonight may be a record breaker for wind speed. We're going to get at least 50mph, which is quite concerning. When you consider that 25mph was enough to snap my Quick Kush back in August, then I definitely have reason for concern. Especially if it does reach 60mph winds, with 55mph forecast for 1-2am according to BBC weather.

Fingers crossed it survives, but I am worried for her. On my recent visit, I attempted to stabilise the plant better by tying it to support stakes, and using string to anchor it down. I'm not convinced this will hold though, as the plant was still blowing like crazy, all over the shop, and the wind was only around 20mph at that time. Can't imagine what 50-60mph would do to it! I have already lost one side branch and the worst is still to come. It's getting very windy here now, around 30mph. The rain is starting to fall too. All the chillies and potted plants have come inside. Here we go.

Wish me luck... and I will see you on the other side.

 

[Anglo Automatics]

The Quick Critical survived the storm! A lot of damage in the garden, but on the whole it wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting.

But I have been hit with another problem now. Early frost. Last night I was hit with a radiation frost under the clear skies, allowing the heat to radiate up into the atmosphere. There was frost on everything this morning at 7am. That is by far the earliest frost I have ever seen and the earliest frost in about 60 years I think. Usually the first frost is around last week of October, not last week of September! It has come a month early. A sign of things to come this winter?

The temperature is back up to 20C today, with 23C forecast tomorrow, but with the clear nights it means that the heat just radiates up into the atmosphere and it get's close to freezing. Despite the 23C forecast for tomorrow, it's going to drop to around 2-3C tonight. Possibly lower. I don't think it will be as cold as last night, and no frost hopefully, but it won't be far off freezing again. Bloody weather. This time 2 years ago, daytime temps were 25-30C and overnight lows around 15C, with the first frost in November. This year couldn't be more different. It seems our summer came early... and consequently finished early...

 

[Sensi Jay]

The Quick Critical survived the storm! A lot of damage in the garden, but on the whole it wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting.

But I have been hit with another problem now. Early frost. Last night I was hit with a radiation frost under the clear skies, allowing the heat to radiate up into the atmosphere. There was frost on everything this morning at 7am. That is by far the earliest frost I have ever seen and the earliest frost in about 60 years I think. Usually the first frost is around last week of October, not last week of September! It has come a month early. A sign of things to come this winter?

The temperature is back up to 20C today, with 23C forecast tomorrow, but with the clear nights it means that the heat just radiates up into the atmosphere and it get's close to freezing. Despite the 23C forecast for tomorrow, it's going to drop to around 2-3C tonight. Possibly lower. I don't think it will be as cold as last night, and no frost hopefully, but it won't be far off freezing again. Bloody weather. This time 2 years ago, daytime temps were 25-30C and overnight lows around 15C, with the first frost in November. This year couldn't be more different. It seems our summer came early... and consequently finished early...

Hi Sheriff...i mean anglo been following u on uk420.

I too am concerned re the frost however it has not lasted long and now looks like we will not get a repeat into october. I thought they're fairly resilient and could take frosts so long as there is heat during the day!?

 

[Anglo Automatics]

Hi Sheriff...i mean anglo been following u on uk420.

I too am concerned re the frost however it has not lasted long and now looks like we will not get a repeat into october. I thought they're fairly resilient and could take frosts so long as there is heat during the day!?

Hello mate, yeah the plants can absorb a couple of frosts no problem, but the problem is it will shock the plant and slow down the bud maturation, adding another week or two onto the finishing time. A frost won't kill it, but it will certainly slow it down for a few days. In my case, 2-3 nights of frost in a row, will slow things down big time. I definitely reckon it has added a week onto my finishing time. And I wanted to get this Quick Critical chopped by 10th October, which I doubt I will now.

I may or may not see some damage from these frosts. Anything below -2C, or 3-4 nights of 0C, is enough to stop all growth and potentially kill the plant. I have seen Sativa plants stop all growth/bud production after -2C in late October... before withering away and dying. Likewise I have seen 3 consecutive nights of -1C kill off a Blue Dream photoperiod in mid October a few years back. So as long as it doesn't get down to -2C or involve multiple back to back frosts, it should be fine. But the bud maturation will slow down still.

I'm more worried about the frosts due to my tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers and other plants...

 

[Anglo Automatics]

Last images of the Quick Critical, taken about 10 days ago now... in week 4 of flower here...

Terrific weather as of late, for flowering... crystal clear skies and highs of around 24C, dropping to 15C at night.... ideal for bud development.

But these pics were taken over a week ago, something has happened since then...

 

[Ribbzzy]

The rippers have paid me a visit. My 7ft Killer Kush FV has been stripped completely of all buds, everything taken (about 8-10 ounces), and the two other plants have had their main coala's taken as well (another 3-4 ounces). So I have had about 10-15 ounces in total taken, which is about 70% of my photoperiod haul. The fuckers have helped themselves to all 3 of the remaining plants, but only one has been stripped completely.

And these fuckers have the tenacity to leave me a ransom note, threatening to take the rest of my crop, unless I make a payment to them within 48 hours. Sorry, I don't negotiate with rippers. I hunt them down and send out a message. Somebody is going to get their comeuppance for this. Not only have they stolen the majority of my crop, but they have tried to extort money out of me, via a ransom note, claiming they know who I am and that they would come to my house if I did not pay. A proper threatening note. Demanding payment so that they leave my plants alone. They must think I am stupid.

Plus they have forced me to harvest the remaining stuff early, jeopardising it's potency. Those tools cut down bits that were barely 4 weeks into flower. Absolute morons. And they cut down buds for a medical patient with MS, who I am growing for. I am staking out at the plot, eagerly awaiting their return for the rest of my crop... and I am going to catch these assholes...

Got the 175lb red dot scope on standby...
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These arrows will shoot through a car door...
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Got a clear shot of the plot entrance, from behind cover, if they decide to come back...
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Got more back up as well, once the crossbow has been fired.

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I can get all 5 arrows off in the space of 20 seconds. Plenty of time to down multiple rippers. I challenge 3 or 4 of them to show up... it'll be an arrow in each of their knee caps, or genitals. Nothing lethal, of course, but some lessons seriously need to be learnt about respect and not stealing. Some people have no morals...

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I'm sorry, but I don't like thieves. And I especially don't like thieves who attempt to blackmail and extort their victims into paying money. If it wasn't me that was victim to this, it would be some other poor fucker who has spent all season growing and nurturing their medicine, only to have it stollen at the final hurdle and the culprits trying to force money out of them.

They have fucked everything up for me. I had to harvest what was left early and I have been left paranoid and on edge about it all. Especially with the threats of coming to my house, in the ransom note. As well as them demanding money. And to top it all off, the plant they stripped was medicine for a family friend with MS and spinal issues. I myself have back issues as well, so that is my medicine taken too. I am fucking fuming!

Nobody fucks with me, or my grow, and can expect to get away with it. Big mistake! If you are the ripper and you are reading this, I dare you to come back to the plot. I fucking dare you. Bet you wouldn't in a million years. If you do, you are naive as fuck. And you're gona get it.
Aghhhhhhh

Scumbag slags, I hope you catch 'em. It'd be worth getting ripped, just to catch the fuckers that did it. I understand how you feel, it's very easy to turn into a dark, evil, twisted SOB when something like this happens. Good luck fella, happy hunting!

 

[Banjacked]

Find another grow spot, well away from the one you have, or the wankers will be back next year.

And be aware that Plod can be sneaky bastards, and are taunting you into doing something rash. They show up, you loose an arrow, then you ain't growing for a LONG time and the catering in your new "rest home" won't be up to much.

Just be careful, that's all I'm saying.

 

[Anglo Automatics]

@Banjacked It ain't plod mate, otherwise they would have cut down the lot. They initially only cut down one big plant, and took the best bits off the other photoperiods, before leaving the ransom note. When I found out what had happened, I cropped as much of the remaining stuff as I could possibly take, but the fuckers struck again during the next night and took a load more. Almost everything. I still have another plant sat out in the open, which I am keeping an eye on.

If they take it, they take it. But I am hoping I can catch them in the act and run a crossbow bolt through them. That would serve as a painful reminder and I doubt they'd think twice about ripping again. Heck, they wouldn't be able to walk again after getting one of those things through their knee caps. I have found people's grows several times before and never even dared to rip them. Only a low life scum bag would do that. And you've got to be pretty low to leave a note demanding payment to leave the rest of it alone. Someone is going to get their comeuppance. I'm dying for them to pay me another visit...

Definitely need another plot for next season as well though...

 

[the green bandit]

Sorry to hear about the rippers man. It sucks some dumbass has stolen your meds, but remember you cant grow herb in the big house! Stay safe bud!!

Sent from my SM-J320ZN using Tapatalk

 

[Banjacked]

@Banjacked It ain't plod mate, otherwise they would have cut down the lot. They initially only cut down one big plant, and took the best bits off the other photoperiods, before leaving the ransom note. When I found out what had happened, I cropped as much of the remaining stuff as I could possibly take, but the fuckers struck again during the next night and took a load more. Almost everything. I still have another plant sat out in the open, which I am keeping an eye on.

If they take it, they take it. But I am hoping I can catch them in the act and run a crossbow bolt through them. That would serve as a painful reminder and I doubt they'd think twice about ripping again. Heck, they wouldn't be able to walk again after getting one of those things through their knee caps. I have found people's grows several times before and never even dared to rip them. Only a low life scum bag would do that. And you've got to be pretty low to leave a note demanding payment to leave the rest of it alone. Someone is going to get their comeuppance. I'm dying for them to pay me another visit...

Definitely need another plot for next season as well though...

You never can tell with plod, some of them can be REAL idiots, so just make sure your sight is clear before loosing "just to be safe", that's all I'm saying.