Aug 6: the unforced plant in the field is getting huge and maybe just about to start flowering. Will leave it unforced to see how it flowers at this latitude.
Aug 11: the field plant is awesomely huge (almost square at 1.5 m tall and 1.5 m wide) because it was not forced unlike the other photoperiods in the grow area. So I knew it would get bigger, but now I’ve decided to ‘phyto-force’ these plants by shining a 730 nm far red light on them for a few seconds at dusk. This shifts the plant to ‘dark’ mode immediately rather than after two hours. So instead of 9 h of darkness it’s as if they are getting 11 h, or the day has 26 h. This will get the plant blooming earlier so the buds will ripen under stronger sun before bad weather arrives. Mainly doing this for the big Bubble OG manifold that was too big to cover but I’ll also do it to these domestic four plants. Using far red light like this is briefly mentioned in Ed Rosethal’s Grower’s Handbook.
@Rangaku, best hobby ever. I haven’t liked most of my crosses so far but these were good and particularly the field plant. Have a few good possibilities for next year (if I can do this again next year…tough way to make a buck within the rules). Tough outdoor conditions here in spring and fall but sunny with 17 h daylight near the solstice means it can work great if things are timed properly with the right plants.
