If I HAD to choose...

[ProfessorX]

Hi all,

First time grower here. I am using white widow autoflower seeds and growing outdoors. I live in a very hot, humid part of the American south -- beginning in June days routinely hit 95 or better. I have been using the GWE tutorials, and everything is coming along. I am around Day 50 of my grow - the plant is about a foot tall and is definitely beginning to flower. I am guessing that I will be able to harvest around the end of June.

Here's my question:

GWE says that as the plant ends the vegetative stage and enters the flowering stage, it is much less tolerant of heat, but it still likes lots of sunlight. This means that it will be too hot for my plant outdoors during the midst of the flowering. So, just take it inside, right? Well, sure, but I have young children so I am unwilling to set up a grow light, etc. So I am left with a choice: EITHER leave it outside and risk the damage from the heat (but ensure lots of sunlight) OR take it inside where it is a constant 75 degrees (but severely limit the sunlight -- my windows have UV coating too).

If I had to pick one, what should I do? Or is there a compromise that I am not seeing? Any help is much appreciated.

Also, just as an aside, does my plant look underdeveloped for 50 days?

[Weed Pharma]

Good point on the window glazing/reflectivity/insulated etc.. I'm fortunate I have 30 year old plain windows which allows more sunlight in.


What are your usual night time temps? Root average temperature is also a factor, which can be influenced by the container.

Outside- use a tarp to provide some shade- be mindful that the temps may be 95f , but a healthy plant may only be around 80f. Or it coudl eb teh other way around where the plant is warmer than the ambient temps.

[ProfessorX]

At night it gets down to 80. I definitely have spots in the yard with plenty of shade. But if it is sitting in the shade all day, it might as well be in the house where it is cool, right? I am totally new at this, so I have no idea.

[OzBud]

I have mates that grow outside in full sun with temps up to 118F with no problems. Indicas and sativas

[D.A.A.S.69]

Hello ProfessorX. I to live in the super hot, humid ,sticky, mosquito infested delta region of the deep south. Have always grown outdoors and never had any problems except for a few deer, and the rare poacher, but he don't come around anymore!!! It ain't even got hot yet where I live. Good Luck

[Canuck147]

Underdeveloped - yes, I have to agree.
That being said, it still has buds on it. It looks good, you've brought it this far keep going.
I would try and put a fan of some kind to just give it some wind. Doesn't have to be on all day, put it on a timer for like 15 minutes out of every hour.
My $ .02

[St.buds]

You could move it to a spot in your yard tht dosent always get hit with direct sunlight. Also I would suggest switching to photo period plants because autos do not do well in high temperature it will take longer but I think you will be happier with the outcome.

[Canuck147]

Sorry St.buds I have to disagree with the high temp thing - my tent runs around 70-85F with humidity 60ish-sometimes those numbers are higher and the plants love the tropicalness about it - exhaust the air 15 mins out of every 60

[St.buds]

That's not even high temperature but anyways I dnt grow autos thts just what I've read on gwe

[9fingerleafs]

its going to be happier outside, transplant to the biggest pot you can or a raised bed, cover the top of the soil with straw (what horses eat) or something to reflect the light, also you could cover the pot with white plastic of any material you have access to so it absorbs the less light possible, the roots are the problem, they can cook under the sun, once the plant is big enough it will shade its own pot. another thing you could try is making a little "greenhouse" with a couple of steel rods making an upside down "U" witch you can cover with shade cloth or, again, what ever you can get on the hottest hours of the day. good luck, your plant is looking really happy and healthy

[9fingerleafs]

thats called a hoop greenhouse i think

[Tika]

Well said 9fingers

[alltatup]

ProfessorX welcome to the forum, and here's to all of us DIRTY SOUTH growers!!!

You probably have another 4 weeks of growth to go--I just looked up Dinafem Auto White Widow, and that one harvests at 75-80 days. So she has time to fatten up those buds.

What are you feeding her?

[D.A.A.S.69]

Love it alltatup,, DIRTY SOUTH ,my kind of place.

[alltatup]

What you growers know about the Dirty South...

[oldjarhead100]

hey professorx you could also keep that pot moist and the evaporation would cool the roots which in turn will cool the plant. when I was in the desert we would hang canvas bags full of water with the outside wet the water inside was always cool compared to water in out canteens it was like ice water

[Green75]

Defo the inside of the plant...and a little on outside..heat will be fine...you just want air to be able to move inside of the plant...that will stop the humidity sweats... Hotter days with cool nights...just what you want...leave her outside she will be fine...taking her in and out isn't the best option... She's been outside this long..she can handle it..
weed plants are tough...we are the week ones..

[Tika]

Greenie too well said

[LuckyAcres]

What you growers know about the Dirty South...

One year in New Orléans was plenty for me!!!

[alltatup]

You just a brother from another continent...

[ProfessorX]

Thanks, everyone for your help. To answer AllTatUp, I am not feeding it anything right now, except water. What should I feed this thing?

Also, I like the idea about something white/reflective on top of the soil to abate some of the heat. What if I just added an inch or two of perlite on top of the soil? Is that a dumb idea? Seems like it would be at least a bit reflective, it's white, and it allows for aeration...

[9fingerleafs]

if thats what you have id say go for it, but its not the best, it floats very easily and becomes a mess, big holes where you pour the water and the plant will try to make roots in there, you can always make a cicrcle out of something, make hole in the middle and cut from the center to the edge to lock around the stem, like plastic or even cardboard, make a cillinder around the pot and you got yourself a reflective pot case...

[alltatup]

Prof, I'm a hydro grower, so I know less than squat about outdoors growing, but she may be small cuz she needs some nutrients to help her maximize her bloom. So let's hear from the other experts what he should feed it...

[LuckyAcres]

You just a brother from another continent...

If we go back a few gens we're probably all degenerated cousins!!!

[alltatup]

Speak for yourself, cuz: I ain't no degenerate!!!