Blackhouse for All-Summer Flowering!

[NPK]

That might work Jeff, but it also might suck moisture out of the coco. I'm thinking improved airflow would likely be the ticket if I run into humidity problems. Gonna get thermostat with a humidity monitor and stick it in there--see what the levels are like during the black period.

Snapped a couple of shots when I put the ladies to bed yesterday evening:

Good times!!

 

[pumpkin2006]

NPK humidity is a big deal towards the end, I almost guarantee you to get mold if your humidity rises to 100% at night (happened to me). It seems that this is close to a house, go out, buy a dehumidifier, run an extension cord and set it to 45% RH. Drill a hole in the res of the dehumidifier, Run a hose line out of it the outside (so you don't have to empty it everyday). Trust me, you need to do this and you'll thank me later.

 

[NPK]

I know man, humidity is my number-one concern in there. You're right about a dehumidifier. I'm going to get one in there within the next few days--have to go to Sears over the weekend anyway. The girls are entering the home stretch and I would be very seriously bummed if they became infested with mold so close to the end.

Appreciate the nudge.

 

[LORD BENIS]

This is an inspirational thread. I think there's still a lot of confusion with photoperiod manipulation when it comes to us outdoor growers.

 

[NPK]

Lord Benis, thank you! Speaking of inspiration, I've returned to your outdoor hydro time and time again. I'm going to model my next structure on yours. It's so brilliantly simple.

I also took the good advice I received here and got a dehumidifier, only $30 second-hand on craigslist. Now I rest easy, knowing the situation's under control in there. Here's how the blackhouse looked when I put the ladies to bed yesterday:

I thought the dehumidifier would take up precious space, but it's actually no problem because there's headroom for a plant on top of the appliance.

I can honestly say this is one of the most pleasurable grows I've ever done. Good times!!

 

[Sad247summer]

Hey there all
Man those girls are fantastic looking I wish backyard growing was posible for me, but that will come @ a later date.
As far as the humidity a 12v fan a deepcycle battery and a vehicle 12v solar cell but that is more of a remote greenhouse tech.
The water from the dehimidifier is almost as good as RO water as long as the filter isnt moldy. Good find
DJ yeah I am mostly a lurker ne-more.
I still am having problems with my axle system to close/open the cover. I am ordering a
go cart sprocket hub(well 2 of em 1 formy go cart) It will be the beast way to get everything centered and working correctly.

 

[Butte]

WOW, don't know how I missed this one. Great looking early season! I guess the only thing that's kept me from doing depro is the need to be there every day, twice a day to open and close the tent. I keep hearing stories of people digging long deep trenches and covering these for depro, but have yet to come across one.

Cruising around HGTV the other day as my wife recovered from foot surgery, I saw a great retractable awning that opened and closed really elegantly. I thought the mechanism could be adapted for either a depro situation or for a retractable greenhouse covering for late rains.

Check out the mechanism from the third video:



Forgive the bit of cheesecake in the video, it’s worth watching. Check the screen captures above to see where in each video the mechanism is shown.

Here’s a link to the page where a java window will pop up the video: http://www.jardindeville.com/furniture_sun_shades.html

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I wondered If anyone wanted to talk about the pivot part. It looks like there is some sort of offset pattern to the bolt mounts. I’m thinking this may just be an arc, but I’m not sure. Any thoughts?

- Butte

 

[NPK]

Butte, I actually have been wanting one of those retractable awnings ever since a crazy windstorm tore up the metal ones I had in front of my house last winter. When the fundage allows, I'm going to get one. My in-laws have one and it looks and works great. I can see how something like that might be adapted to a DIY depro structure--but I think they cost like two grand.

You're right about the need to be around: I'm lucky that I'm able to telecommute for my job. It doesn't take much time at all to move the plants in and out. What really sucks is all the stooping I have to do...my back doesn't like it. Luckily the plants are in coco, which doesn't weigh as much as soil, so it's not too bad in that respect. Still, I can definitely see the attraction in automating!

My Shits have put on some weight but they aren't quite there yet:

 

[justjay]

wow looking great...i am currently doing somthing similar with my girl, wish i had a camera. but sense i planted my baby into the dirt i had to build a structure around her. it still works pretty well though i just have to tarp it up every night and wake up at 6 am to take it off, im only 2 weeks into it and hairs just started showing up everywhere its great.
keep up the good work npk

 

[mr.gt]

Nice one...keep it up!!

 

[LORD BENIS]

I just have to give you more props man. +++
Coco outdoors sounds/looks to be where it's at.
BTW, what is your opinion on the cheese? I'm particularly intereted in that strain. Is she at all SKUNKY?

 

[NPK]

Hey man, many thanks!

I have to be honest, this outdoor coco grow has been a ton of work. I have plants in all stages of growth, from seedling to almost-ready-to-chop, and so I'm always having to mix up multiple nutrient types and strengths. Watering takes at least an hour. On the plus side, I do like being able to move the plants around. It's nice that they aren't stuck in any one position, the way they would be in soil. And the bud looks nice and tight, with minimal leafage, not what we usually expect outdoors. :wink: I think that's the result of being effectively hydro, the strength of the summer sun, and the strictly controlled photoperiod.

Actually, the variety I'm flowering is Mr. Nice's Shit:

The Mr Nice Shit is basically an original skunk line Nev and Sam were working on before they went their own ways. Some of the best skunks had a lighter green colouring and went to 60 days, but their effects were always far more interesting than the faster finishers. Since I have been working on this line for the last 10 years from seed coming from where I told you I expect I put into it the things I prefer about the strain. Basically the genetics are a pure skunk father to an afghani/skunk mum.

Yep, it's skunky. Mine have been outside since April 18, when the days were still short, and I started force-flowering 'em in earnest in my structure on May 5. They're riiight about at day 60. I'm going to start cutting tomorrow.

Here's one of the lankier ones, probably about four feet from base to top:



I like this one's shorter, chunkier structure:



The view in the blackhouse a few nights ago:

 

[Guest]

looking great! What size pots are you using for the coco outdoors? I would love to run it in a 3 or 5 gallon pot, but in my cab i'd only be able to fit one of those

 

[ReeferDan]

very nice setup NPK!!! this is what i plan to do when i get my own spot to grow. I'll make a "soma style" bed with wheels on it and be able to roll it in and out of the black house every night. 3+ outdoor harvests a year sounds good to me!!! Free light baby! I just gotta move out of SF and stop growing in this damn FOG!!!!!

Man, i just dont see why more people dont grow like this, I was explaining it to my friend and he just didnt really get the point. Controlling the photoperiod in an outdoor grow is a beautiful thing. Growing legal MMJ in california is another beautiful thing, i remember a talk show i was listening to with Ed Rosenthal and he was telling people to do this, its perfectly legal (if you are a Cali MMJ patient) and you can harvest 3+ times a year!! Why wait for your plants to finish up in sept/oct when you can have em finish when you want? Man i love this idea, i cant wait to start my own!!!

Good luck with your grows NPK!

 

[NPK]

Supernuck, the plants are in 3.5 gallon pots. That's pretty big for coco but still a managable size and not too heavy to pick up easily. Coco's lighter than soil. Love the stuff!

ReeferDan, thanks man. :smile: I have no idea why more people don't force their buds outdoors--exact same concept as inside, just under the free halide in the sky! I got very excited when I realized how much more bud you can grow outside with the help of a light-proof structure. If you're gonna work your ass off, might as well quadruple your yield, right?

This is actually my second outdoor harvest this year. I had some Strawberry Coughs that I put outside in early March because I thought they were going to be too stretchy for my indoors space. The mild winter and still-short days did the job great. I documented that grow here:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=52998

My third outdoor crop is going into the blackhouse as soon as I'm done chopping the Shits. And I'll flower my fourth '07 outdoor crop the way most outdoor growers do, without the help of a blackhouse.

Have a good weekend in your gardens, y'all!

 

[Grandad]

Good idea NPK- and fair play for the dedication. I've often put plants into wardrobes etc, here, cos our weather gets really bad in autumn.

Any idea what effect it has on the plants if you leave them alone for a couple of days (i.e. don't bring them inside at 12 hours). I know messed up light cycles can stress them but if you did it now (15hours light) for a weekend do you think it could affect them? Do you ever miss a night with yours?

 

[LORD BENIS]

I also plan on doing this once I get my own place. What about just tearing the roof off an old shed and replacing with clear polycarbonate. And maybe paint the walls white. Then you could either cover it to force flower OR run a small light in there to prevent flowers for planting monsters early? I believe GarlicCityGrow and Butte have a similar setup.

 

[NPK]

Grandad, there were three evenings when I wasn't able to schlep the ladies into the blackhouse, but no problems. Guess they can handle a little photoperiod confusion with no ill effects--though I have to admit, I did find one seed when I harvested. Not too bad!

I'm gonna put up a pic of the harvest but am out of town right now, so will do it when I get home.

 

[NPK]

That was fun...let's do it again!

That was fun...let's do it again!

So, I thought I'd put up a pic of the harvest I pulled out of my blackhouse a couple of weeks ago. Bear in mind, each box is threaded three deep. There's much more here than meets the eye.

My seven MNS Shit plants yielded generously indeed! Each branch was topped with a fat cola, and because of my early trimming efforts there was virtually no flarf. Haven't weighed the take, but would guesstimate it at around one and a quarter pounds. Rather satisfying for early July.

Now I've got another seven plants about ten days into flowering: five Critical Masses and two Bogglegums. This is a shitty pic, but it's all there is for now:

We'll see what they put out come September!

 

[flexo]

dude I love the stacked cardboard boxes with the bud drying!!!

do you just let them sit in the boxes to dry or do you have a fan on them?

great job!!!