SOIL Winter Growbox

[Sudsnbuds]

The picture of the tray is a week ago. The box pic under the T5 is today. Theres a G13 Blue Venom, Freedom of Seeds Dieselicious, Garden of Green Seeds Phantom Cookies Domina, and HSO Bubba Cheese Auto (I grew one of these plants outside this last season (60 days to flower) this plant will be done about the time I throw the others into flower. My only issue this time of year using the T5 in my garage is if the temps drop too far. Shouldnt be a big problem, it rarely gets in the teens here, if it does I will add more lights. Fox Farms Ocean Floor soil in 5 gallon fabric pots, I prefer to grow indoors with fresh soil.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Looking good so far i grew a photo domina did not get a big harvest off her but smoke was good. Is your tent in the garage also or do you do it all in that box they are in now?

 

[Sudsnbuds]

I only grow in the box, I had a tent, but I needed something that would stay warmer in the dead of winter with the lights out. The box is 6x4ft and 4ft high. I set the top up so I can easily change out pieces, if I need to us my high intensity bulbs I can mount them higher than the 4ft.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Awesome great thinking out the grow. I got a tent on the back porch i could use it if i run 24-7 autos but not this winter. I'm keeping indoor tent going. Running 3 GSC now photos in there 5th week of flower. May do another run after Feb with somemore photos.

 

[MagicMike66]

What did you use to make your ‘box’? I’m also a garage grower but it’s too cold here to grow in winter so I’ve been looking into ways of trying to get around it

 

[Sudsnbuds]

There is a pic, wood and metal rails to square the top up. It’s been down to 27f at night here. I actually had to raise the light a few inches because it was staying too warm.

 

[Xena]

MagicMike66 if you’re looking into building your own box/tent you might check out a product named Reflectix Lowe’s sells it plus I’m sure other home stores do to. It’s R-21 it’s sort of a foil covered bubble wrap, it’d be good for lining the inside for the reflection and also a decent R value.

 

[RagWeedDWC]

I have used the reflectix product in the past, really nice, but if you use it, use contact cement to glue it all down. Mine started peeling off around the doors first and then I finially just pulled it all down and painted the walls of my home built white I keep the temp decent by using aquarium heaters in my DWC (I know your growing in dirt so does not apply).
Nice thing about the refletix is its shiny side along with helping insulate your box.

 

[MagicMike66]

Thanks Xena. I’m thinking of building it with some proper insulation as my garage will drop below 0 over winter. Might be too much hassle so I may just wait until next year

 

[Sudsnbuds]

I actually cut up the tent I had, then I stapled it to the inside of my box. After that I stapled white plastic over it. Holds temp while allowing fresh air to seep in.

 

[Sudsnbuds]

The first seed to sprout and go in the box was closest (G13 Blue Venom), I had the light too close and early leaves got burned a bit. Seems to be fine now. The plant at the end was the last seed to sprout, it needed a little support to stay up, should be fully upright in a couple days. Overall seems to be a good start, the auto hso bubba chz looks like the plant I grew outside, that’s good because I should be able to manage it to produce well in this short space.

 

[Sudsnbuds]

Single pic is the bubba cheese auto. I will be topping this plant in a day or two. My first auto topping, I think it is a good time. The other photos need more time, they will be ready to top in a week or two.

 

[Sudsnbuds]

I topped the auto, the pic is 4 hours later. I am interested to see how the plant responds.

 

[Sudsnbuds]

We are 4 weeks from seed on the auto. It responded well to topping( it just kept growing), you can see in the pic that I used wire to tie it down today, there are 6 long branches growing and this plant will finish right after new year. All the photo plants are doing well, will top them after the next watering. I am topping them back to the 4th node, and will manifold in a sense with the 3rd and 4th branch sets.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Looking good very healthy

 

[Sudsnbuds]

All 4 plants have been topped. The auto is growing like crazy, as expected, just need to train it to stay flat. Temps aren’t as high as preferred, hi temp is 71, outside low wind chills are finished for the time being so that should help. Just need a little warmer and higher humidity for preferred conditions.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Battling low heat also upstairs knowing this i figure it's just a tad slow with seedlings being in a larger area but once enclosed in tent temps hopefully will be upper 70s-low80s. We got rain helped temps a little i always have low humidity.

 

[Sudsnbuds]

Down to the 3 photos, I cut down the auto for compost. It had the nitrogen claw, so I flushed heavily, and that was working. But it was causing my wife to have allergy problems (I’m guessing due to the speed of flower, as she is usually ok with other plants until they are drying). Anyways, it is fine as there wasn’t enough room in the box and I can start 12/12 sooner with the 3 autos. They have all experienced calcium shortage and I have just been sprinkling oyster shell on the soil before watering and it has helped significantly.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

That's excellent using the oyster shell is it powdered? I have a gardening gal friend on the coast who uses crushed oyster shells in her raised bed gardens she like it for drainage also. Those are looking great

 

[Sudsnbuds]

On 12/21 I switched over to 12/12 light schedule. Right before this pic I trimmed all leaves that were growing into each other. Also gave all the plants the 1st feeding of this grow. I only use organic fert, went with high nitrogen as some of the lower leaves on the oldest plant ( G13 Blue Venom) we’re getting yellow. 2 of the plants are showing a ton of purple on the stems.