A Fruity Freak Adventure

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to grow Fruity Freak by Hi-Elevation Genetics (https://www.hielevationgenetics.com/). After several home grows, I searched for unique strains that are known to perform the best outdoors. That’s when I came across the Freakshow Strain and my mind was blown. Shapeshifter (the genius behind these strains) has been able to isolate rare phenotypes that make many of his plants look entirely unlike any other cannabis plant. His incredibly disciplined work to stabilize these strains, including his work outdoors, gives me confidence these plants will thrive. And, the description of the Fruity Freak strain is too much to resist: “Fruity Freak is a masterpiece hunted and selected out of 60+ different phenotypes of Supafreak, which is the Pineapple Express backcross. Aptly named for its irresistible, ripe berry aroma, Fruity Freak stands out with its formidable structure and notably denser buds compared to the original Freakshow and Supafreak.” (It also certainly does not hurt they threw in two free OG Fun feminized seeds with my order. They are a cross of Tahoe OG and Good Clean Fun, and a strain I have never seen before!) I am an outdoor organic subsistence grower–therefore, I am highly focused on cost and yield. The method I have come to most reliably use is an indoor pre-grow (allowing the plants to increase in size for larger yield and greater pest resistance), then finish growing outdoors. Indoor Phase (January - April) Soil/nutrients 1) Germination - Ziplock bag - damp paper towel 2) Seedling - Covered paint pail liner - native soil blend (⅓ from the area they will be planted with lower quality soil, ⅔ from forest boundary that is high-quality soil, and Dr. Earth’s Alfalfa Meal 2-1-2 organic fertilizer and Vermibloom 3-10-5 based on my soil test results) 3) Indoor vegetative - 10 gal fabric pot - same ratio as above Lighting 1) HLG Rspec 100 18 hours per day 2) Grow will occur near a window 3) Supplement with an off-brand 65w light as necessary Other 1) Water will be given by hand (monitored by water meter) 2) Pest control - Neem oil or other organic solutions as needed Transition Phase (April/May) Soil/nutrients 1) Plants remain in 10 gal fabric pots Lighting 1) Plants will transition to 14 hours of sunlight 2) Grow lights will be reduced from 18 to 0 hours Other 1) Water will be given by hand (monitored by water meter) 2) Pest control - Slugs may pose a medium threat; I will use Sluggo if absolutely necessary. Other issues will be handled with neem oil or other organic solutions. Outdoor Phase (June-October) Soil/nutrients 1) Plants will be planted into the ground 2) Soil test recommendations were 200 N, 150 P, and 190 K lbs./acre, therefore I am applying Dr. Earth’s 2-1-2 alfalfa meal, composted cow manure from a local dairy, and Vermibloom 3-10-5 Lighting 1) 8+ hours of direct sunlight daily Other 1) Water will be on a Wifi timer 2) Pest control - Botrytis will be the greatest concern in Sept/Oct and may necessitate building a basic plastic sheet tent to protect buds from getting too wet. Other pests will be controlled with neem or other organic solutions. Harvest- Hang whole plants hang in the garage with a dehumidifier Cure- Mason jars in a dark closet