Outdoor Tropical Winter Guerilla Grow Ideas!

[Exotic Flower]

Oh, at some point before they go outside, I'll take off the very first set of true leaves and lateral branches.
I really just want to take off the branches, but they are small, and clearing the leaves will keep the bottom of the plant cleaner.

 

[trailanimal]

busy busy. Toes and fingers crossed your plants take off after transplanting!

 

[Exotic Flower]

busy busy. Toes and fingers crossed your plants take off after transplanting!

I'm thinking they'll be just fine. They are outside for life.
Just giving them a little blast with the COB light to send them on their way.
Can already see a nice response after ... less than 1 day under COBs.

 

[TheMongol]

Maria is a Bond girl
Born as female canna agent

 

[Exotic Flower]

Maria is a Bond girl
Born as female canna agent

Licensed to ill
...

 

[Exotic Flower]

We have some pistils on one of the larger, topped plants.
They have all put on a bit of good health and growth in the last few days.

As of today, they'll be under the COB for 16/8 or close to it.
Meanwhile, the weather outside is forecast for sunny, mostly sunny, a little cloud only, for next 10 days.
By +/- 7 days under the COB, they should be vegging nicely, and ready to plant out.

 

[islandgrower]

We have some pistils on one of the larger, topped plants.
They have all put on a bit of good health and growth in the last few days.

As of today, they'll be under the COB for 16/8 or close to it.
Meanwhile, the weather outside is forecast for sunny, mostly sunny, a little cloud only, for next 10 days.
By +/- 7 days under the COB, they should be vegging nicely, and ready to plant out.

Sweet . Hope the weather continues to cooperate.

Sent from my SM-J710F using Tapatalk

 

[Exotic Flower]

Housemate is out for the week. So the canna goes straight under the COBs.
I'm going to put them very close for a bit, keep an eye on them, see how they go.
Will move them down to the lower shelf if it's too much for them.

Here's the Safari lady showing her pearly whites:

She's the first to show sex, glad it's female.
Probably a sign that the others would be showing sex soon too.
Not sure if moving back indoors under 16/8 for a while will revert to veg, or what.
Or maybe just that half veg half flower state.
I would like them to put on some more size, grow a bit taller / longer, before full flower mode.
Put out a few 5-pointers at least, hopefully get to 7-pointers, for better size.

Some tiny roots are just showing at bottom of the pots.
Far from root bound yet. I figure a week in this situation will be enough in these small 1L pots.

Then... outside. Meanwhile, the sun is shining nicely.

Love and hugs,
MJS

 

[Exotic Flower]

This burst of light is doing them so much good.
Reminds me why I love growing indoors so much.
The older four topped Safaris responding very well.
The younger un-topped Safaris starting to take off a bit, too.
The autos... still there, but tiny, tiny little things.
Still have four or five more days under these lights.
Then outside.
I have noticed, that while the big ones have low bent stems,
they are really quite tough and strong.
The time outside the window in the wind and cold has made them quite tough.
I'm not at all worried about weather conditions they'll face outside.
Good.

 

[Exotic Flower]

Update time!

The family:

Pot 1

Top one is an auto (either C4matic or Cream Mandarine XL), which has gone mutant,
and naturally split itself into two heads on the 3rd node.
Larger one is a Safari F2.
(F2 - because while it's only my first cross, the Safaris are already hybrids from Mandala F1.)

Pot 2

Both responding nicely to the top with 4 main branches strengthening.

Pot 3

The Safari F2 on the left has heavy branching showing through, have to leaf tuck.
The one on the right is the least branched, weakest lateral growth.

Pot 4

Hints of red / pink inside the growing tip of the one on the right from two younger Safari F2.
The mother of these Safaris had pink pistils when first flowering.
Let us see if there is any color that will come out in the F2 generation.

As of today, 3 out of 4 of the older topped Safaris have shown pistils, so 75-100% female is great!
And the other one hasn't shown anything, though I'm guessing also female due to her shape.

And one of the autos (C4 or Cream Mandarine) has also shown pistils at the 4th node, very tiny!

They are also doing nicely in color, so despite the weather, the soil is just fine.
All four pots are showing root tips coming out the bottom.
I watered from the tray below them for a day or two, which helped that.

I will lollipop the bottom 1st node, and maybe 2nd node on some of them,
for the four older topped Safaris, and maybe the younger un-topped ones too.

Meanwhile, outdoor weather is very nice and sunny.
There will be rain for a while after I transplant out though.
But can't be as wet as last spring on the mountainside!

Love and hugs,
MJS