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N00b nerves - UK aerial surveillance question/moving grow indoors

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    N00b nerves - UK aerial surveillance question/moving grow indoors

    Hi there! I've been meaning to post an ongoing grow journal to ask for tips and tricks for my first grow (roof, 7 plants, bagseed, in 30L felt pots soil/coco/perlite) but I'm guessing you all know how much energy it takes up, especially mentally. A more pressing concern has arisen and I need some specific knowledge, if it's available.

    There have been some helicopter and small plane flyovers in my area (country town, central UK) which have knocked my paranoia up from a 3 to a 7 really rapidly, I guess because we weren't dealing with them at all for the first 3 months of the pandemic. I wanted to know if anyone has an idea if they tend to use straight up visuals in their sweeps, or if they tend to rely on thermals since it's bloody cold here and outdoor grows can't be that common? Or maybe it's both? Can't imagine they have the funding for that but the war on durgs is sooper persuasive to the dicks down south O.o Have you been factoring the lockdown into your grows at all? I may have relied on the quiet a bit too much.

    I'm strongly considering moving my plants indoors for at least a month anyway, with thoughts of returning one or two to the roof in September if they last and it's safe, because I started kinda early (beginning of April... heh) and have been really successful in the long run, I reckon - they are huge (okay, 2 feet tall might not be that big... but they're so bushy and strong, and this is a very cold climate) and have been growing like crazy for at least 2 weeks now (I'd say at least 5 inches of upward growth, including some LST so more than that). I'm pretty sure it's bad practice to bring them in, but if they keep getting the amount of sun they've been getting, they're going to be visible from the street by the time they're flowering (which I've been guessing at being around the autumn equinox/sept 22nd but we all know where I got that from and how unreliable it is, based on location and conditions). Another reason I have to move them indoors, besides size and security, is that it's nesting season for the seagulls and a couple have set up on a nearby roof in the last few days. They are vicious buggers about their young, understandably, but it means I can't potter about without keeping an eye on the sky and definitely can't hang out with the cannababies without getting divebombed.

    I kind of like the idea of my plants being indoors (I have a chronic joint condition so clambering through windows and up around the roof isn't ideal, if super fun, pre-seagulls) since I grew up with a constant grow room at my play cousin's house. But they'll definitely be dropping down on their light exposure, since I have no indoor set up and don't plan on one this year. The room they'd be going in gets light, and some direct (mornings), but the windows look out to an old high street, so the height of the buildings cuts off a lot of light exposure (security hopefully no worse than a roof). They haven't started flowering yet, so I hope they won't be subject to some kind of revegging. It seems like a great opportunity to force flowering, since they're quite big and fragrant and have many lovely stems, but enough light is the problem (since I can cobble together water and ventilation without too much issue, hopefully). Perhaps I should just resign myself to some airy buds and not the harvest I was hoping for, relying on window light?

    This got wide real fast, ey? Basically, I'm wondering what any readers think about this situation (happy to answer any questions for useful details, my brain's just a bit overloaded right now) I'm clearly a first timer, making it all up as I go along because fuck it, we're all stuck inside and away from each other with little to no medical treatment for pre-existing conditions, why not cut out a bunch of middle men and grow my own medicine? I have been planning, if the sad squad show up, to call social distancing and not open the door. My immune system isn't great so it's no lie. Try that for as long as I can, hopefully get at least a day to figure something out. And if all else fails, it's under 9 plants, very DIY, non-commercial set up and I have a documented chronic pain condition so I'd hopefully get community service at most (but babies would die... which I know is a price that has to be paid sometimes but I'm the kind of girl who'd want to try and harvest the flowers and leave the plants to die off naturally if it was doable, so the thought of them being taken and trashed before they can even flower for themselves is just miserable!)

    If possible, I'd like to avoid that and get some kind of harvest in so they can live up to as much potential as I can allow them.... bastarding choppers. So yeah, thanks for reading and please forgive/let me know of any posting etiquette I have messed up. As you can see, I don't even know how to find my profile yet

    Happy to try and add images, I've been a proud mama taking photos of them as they have grown on the roof. Just figured I'd go for text on my first post and see if I get that right.


    #2
    No idea
    Smoke Ganja create Peace Respect Nature don't trash the Planet

    Soil grower with coco/perlite mixed in
    indoor/outdoor grower
    1 36"x36"x66" tent- Viparspectra P2500
    1 3x3x6 tent- used in late spring for seedlings both veggies & weed. I have 2 viparspectar 450r for that tent.
    I use a t-5 & 54watt CFL for seedlings
    Sometimes i use plastic sometimes i use fabric grow containers
    Currently using fish/guano during veg growth & FF Grow Big 6-4-4 teens to bloom. Once i see pre-flower i switch to
    Age Old Organics Bloom 5-10-5

    Comment


    • sleepyfish
      sleepyfish commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks though! I appreciate the read, I know it wasn't as organised as it could be.

    #3
    Move your plants indoors. More control, less chance of detection if you do it right. You will still get enough yield. Check out growing auto flowers.
    If you bend you will be less likely to break.

    Comment


    • sleepyfish
      sleepyfish commented
      Editing a comment
      I love how your signature is reflected in your comment. Thanks very much for the advice, I appreciate it

    #4
    ok mate i live in uk cant believe u got to grow them that big shit weather we have i wouldnt worry about helicopters they wont see them plus they look for heat u dont have lights if u have under 7 plants that includes cuttings or anything pokeing above soil its just possesion u could go to bandq get one them plastic greenhouse put plants that no one would see or order a hps light off line about 60quid and bring them inside i buy my stuff of internet growshops in uk are few and far between good luck

    Comment


    • sleepyfish
      sleepyfish commented
      Editing a comment
      Hey mate, nice to chat with a local! I was pretty impressed with them myself, especially them all seeming to come up female too (cross fingers I've not missed any hermies) My local herbalist said the same, not to worry about overheads, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to bring them in, at least to slow down growth... which again, I'm kinda shocked by at this latitude. If I just knew when they're likely to flower, I might just hang ten on moving them to limit size, but since we're not naturally going down to 12/12 for another 50 days... inside they may have to go. Thanks so much for the advice, you're a champ!

    #5
    Put em in tomato cages and hang Christmas ornaments that are spray painted flat red, on them. They'll think they're tomato plants. I intersperse real tomato plants in cages amongst my outdoor plants. Police, fire and rescue choppers regularly fly overhead and super low, as I live near the top of a hill but on the side. I can almost see the pilots.
    Tie Your Mother Down! (Queen)

    Comment


    • sleepyfish
      sleepyfish commented
      Editing a comment
      HA! Stealthy Yes, this has been on my mind for a while - I totally should have stocked up on cages earlier in the season. I used to live in a really similar position to you, side of a hill/all the choppers going overhead regularly. That must be a stress fest when you're growing. Can I ask if you're northern or southern hemisphere? It just occurred to me that I wouldn't have to hang many, at least not many red ones, since it's so cold here, they might barely believe tomatoes ripened outdoors! I did find a rogue plant growing fruit outside last autumn, but they hadn't ripened yet. Hm. Thanks so much for the advice, I really appreciate it.

    • Mazzariman
      Mazzariman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks, I live in the northern hemisphere. The PRC (People's Republic of California!) I've never hung the ornaments though, my tomato plants produce all through fall. I even had one make it through the winter! My roof gets the best sun but putting them there would be a total bust. I have many oaks on our hill so it's mostly filtered sun all day. Full sun from 7am till around 1 pm. Come September I get almost all filtered sun. I've been breeding out the sativa from my plants so with them being indica dominant they are just about done by that time, once the sun falls further back in the tree line. Every year I just about lose my mind from the stress once they really start stacking buds. For me it's the side view that really scares me, not from directly overhead. I just figure I'll plead insanity if ever caught! First offense, etc. Good luck with your situation. You're brave to have them exposed like that. But if they're not looking for them, they're probably just busy flying the bird. I do think mixing other green bushy plants to help break up the look of a grow, wouldn't hurt. That depends on your available space. Cheers!

    #6
    Long story short, satellite images can see just about anything they want to see, if "they" wanted to bust you, youd already be busted.

    Comment


    • sleepyfish
      sleepyfish commented
      Editing a comment
      I straight up love this. The whole thing gets so confusing, like going from a microscope to a telescope. I mean, it's just a plant, a known medicine, it being illegal is immoral and stupid and most people, including cops know that.... but courts can be bastards. I swing from having my eventualities planned for and being chill to absolutely freaking out, a la exactly how society has conditioned people to behave around the subjects of illegal activity in general or "drugs" specifically (I quote because the fact that coffee, sugar and alcohol don't actually get counted in the same way annoys my sense of reality). Thanks for the headcheck. Is that coming from a UK perspective or just law enforcement in general?

    #7
    My 1st thought is that if you're tryin to be stealthy the rooftop would be my LAST choice. They're gonna stick out like an onion in a turnip patch.

    Comment


    • sleepyfish
      sleepyfish commented
      Editing a comment
      Teehee, that's a fair point. My little spot has some things to recommend it, though. I'm on the second storey with only one window above with access to see my roof which you have to climb out of and lean over some guttering, which is how I met my chill neighbours - I took a chance and let them in on the grow once we were mates and on the same page. Not ideal security, obviously, but hopefully will work out as well as it has for the past 2 months they've been out there. The patch of roof is also at the bottom of a higher bit of flat roof which gives most of the area a little over a metres height privacy from the only direction that's open. It's kind of like a little roof bucket, with shingles reflecting light and heat onto the plants from three directions (and the wind, cough).
      You're completely right, if they grow higher than that other bit of roof, their tops will pop up and be visible. Plus side is that they won't be viewable from the ground until they're at least a metre tall and the closest building with windows in my direction is around half a kilometre away. Theoretically, I wouldn't come up with this scenario in a country where it's not legal but Madame 'Rona kinda made me stir crazy and want to use the resources that I do happen to be blessed with to give it a go (ugh, those first few weeks of lockdown were intense). Now I have to deal with my surprising success so far - the phrase 'too blessed to be stressed' feels like it should apply, but definitely not to my anxious brain. Those shots of rooftop grows from bike races or car chases give me the fear, hey. I would never if it wasn't the countryside, indoor all the way.
      Love the onion in the turnip patch saying - that fully described the potatoes that pop up in all sorts of beds we didn't intend at our allotment. I mean, a well established strawberry patch... honestly lol

    • JDU
      JDU commented
      Editing a comment
      Ah gotcha. I was picturing a traditional houses rooftop.

    #8
    no worries mate if u bring them in u can make them flower by either getting a light or just giving them 12 hours sun then putting it in the airing cuboard or some were dark for 12 hours happy hunting mate

    Comment


      #9
      Sleepyfish. Here are a few of my gals, some on the deck, some on the top of the wall on the hillside. Most of these are now 6 footers. Luckily so are the tomato plants!

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      Tie Your Mother Down! (Queen)

      Comment


      • SoOrbudgal
        SoOrbudgal commented
        Editing a comment
        Dig it

      • Mazzariman
        Mazzariman commented
        Editing a comment
        Thanks! It's an absolute jungle now. They're busting out their buds!

      #10
      Are they looking at you, IDK, not likely I think they have better things to do right now, though they can. There are 2 plants that stand out like a light bulb in the dark, thats opium poppies and MJ, all it takes is a heat sensitive camera (thermal photography), But that same camera can take a picture of your home and tell where the hot water tank is and your grow room. The electric co can watch you bill for an increase. Back in the day we used Plexiglas to line the grow room as heat does not transfer through it, and the electric meter with the spinning wheel in it could be stalled with a huge magnet (not legal), the new digital meters are not affected this way.

      Comment

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