Cali Dream- winter grow?

Well, my crop suffered from budrot. I salvaged what I could, dried/ cured. Pretty good but too early really.
Where I live is lots of rain, high humidity, and really hot during flowering.
Sooo, I’ve decided to go a different route.
I got some lights and have this under them for nearly 6 weeks now. I’ve been moving her out into the natural light during the day then back under the outdoor room.
My plan is to grow until middle of November then put it outside for flowering. Temps will be above 50 and below 85 with little rain and low humidity. Should harvest end of January.
Any thoughts to this process?

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Great idea! We did the same here since we did have some freezing temps. Tow harvested and one getting the chop tomorrow.

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Could you potentially have an issue with daylight hours getting longer and plants going back into veg?

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I checked the sunlight calendar and it shows more darkness than daylight through January.
We’ll see!

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7-1/2 weeks later and she’s 4 ft tall not including the 15gal pot.
I put her outside a week ago as she was growing so tall under the lights really fast.
In 1 week she’s beginning to flower. I’m expecting 10 weeks more which would put me middle to end of January. It’s very rare that we get freezing temps down here in these next few months but, we have.
I don’t need to worry about much of anything for another month.
I bought another quick shade for when the flowers get thick and we have rain.
I can also drape plastic sheeting around it and throw a little heater inside if it does get below freezing

I germinated this seed and planted it into a solo cup with Happy Frog. Then under the lights 24/7.
After two weeks she had roots coming out of the holes I made in the bottom. Transplanted into a 1 gallon pot.
After 2 weeks roots again showing at bottom. Transplanted into 15 gallon fabric pot after another week in 1 gallon pot.
Soil mix is 75/25 ocean forest/ happy frog. Then added 25% perlite to that.
That’s it.
I am on well water and feed her about a gallon each day. Once a week I add a tablespoon of fish emulsion

Today is 10 weeks.
Last night I ordered another pop up canopy, but this time with sides. It also has windows. I’ll put my clear tarp on instead of the canopy cover that comes with it. I have visqueen for the bottom and have a pallet for the pot to rest on. A little de- humidifier and BAM! I think I’ll have a good environment to combat bud rot



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Check out the size of that fan leaf!

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She’s just under 5 ft tall from the soil up

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Hmm? So I put the enclosed tent up and lined the ground with plastic. Stuck a little de-humidifier inside and a fan. Next morning everything outside was wet from morning dew like usual. Inside my tent everything dry.
HOWEVER, the humidity detectors showed it was the same inside/outside-99%
I’m super worried about budrot. The big difference this time of year is the humidity goes down to around 50-60% during the day. In the Fall it stays hot and is super steamy(99% humidity) after a rain.
I’m really hoping the lower humidity during the day allows any excess moisture to escape my buds.

Darn it! The top cola had rot! How is this possible?
So I Google. Don’t seem to get much feedback here. I guess I’m sharing my experiences in hopes it helps someone and maybe someone teaches me a better way.
Turns out I’ve had it wrong. The mold does better in cooler temps. The biggest cause outdoors is bugs, moisture, and airflow.

I inspect several times a day for caterpillars and spiders. I’ve been able to keep the direct moisture down through the above posts.
A fan would have helped prevent this most of all and I didn’t think to use it.
Hopefully I’ve gotten it under control. It’s got another month to go!
Happy growing!

Also, this time the buds have no smell. Very strange

I need a different strain. :frowning:
A sativa would work best. Don’t see them in the seed section. My plan is quickly falling apart. LOL Having to remove rot each day now. Little sections here and there. Makes me skeptical of the rest of it and at least 3 more weeks before I can harvest.

Just saw your post…

I do not have any experience with CD. Ironic because I live in Cali. South of SF to be exact.
HowdyBud Rot is a mutha. I had a lot last fall. It happens to many of us.
Devils advocate in me is curious about what’s going on beneath the surface also.
I tried a winter grow last year but was too late. I am curious about sneaking in a plant post harvest in California. But considering I am locked into no till- it’s just a dream. My winters are for cover crop and compost building and turning.
Thanks for the detailed posts and log. :+1:

SL out

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It doesn’t have to freeze, Cannibis tissue suffers damage below 40.

Hardly ever gets that low down here.
Here’s some additional thoughts… I have giant oak trees here and there is much evidence of black sooty mold on the ones around where I’m growing. Also the area I’m growing might be a mold haven due to the privacy screening. It has significantly reduced airflow. I am moving her out of that and to a different spot on my property. I’ve had to remove at least a half ounce already in one week!!!

That’s why winter grows outside are challenging to say the least. Humidity is often high and the sun is low. Not ideal for Marijuana.

I assume we are talking small plants in pots of some type that are mobile. You could put up a piece of camo tarp to stick them under before dark to keep the morning dew off the buds but I still think your first 40 degree night or two will be the end.

Now if you can move them indoors on those nights your in business.

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Going to try sour diesel for next year.
This test was a bust.
Here’s a pic from right now. I drag it out from under cover to the most lit place all day on the property.
Been pruning off any rot and she’s looking rough. In the end I’ll be lucky to get a joint out of the experiment. LOL


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Just starting to get a smell and hardly any hairs.

You can try spraying it with diluted H2O2 to help slow the rot, especially after trimming rot out.

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