SAS, hempy bucket windowsill grow

[bikesnweed]

Here's a plant i've been growing on my windowsill. It's about 7 weeks old. Strain is Super Automatic Sativa from Big Buddha.

I don't have a garden or anywhere for a grow room/tent so have been experimenting growing on my south facing windowsill. This is my third season but the first time growing SAS. It's looking a bit lanky but there are plenty of buds starting to form. The weather has been terrible here so I'm suprised at how big it's getting. Too big for the windowsill! My major problem is that the window faces out onto the street. I've hung some netting over the window to disguise it but it must stop some of the light getting in which may explain the lankiness.

This is also my first time using the hempy bucket hydroponic technique (with 3 parts perlite and 1 part vermiculite). I like it a lot, was using a soilless mix before and it was too messy for a windowsill. The plant is bigger than previous grows, but hard to judge if it is the medium, the strain or the nutes that is making the difference - probably all three. I’m using Grow, Micro, Bloom 3 part hydroponic nutrient from Advanced Nutrients.

Here are the pictures so far.

Thanks for checking them out. Would love to hear any tips or answer any questions. Cheers.

[Dust]

hi man thanks for sharing your lady, it's a little stretchy but it's often the case on window grow and still looks very happy

Have a good grow keep us updated on her

[bikesnweed]

One week later, probably not much change. Seems to have stopped stretching as the buds start to grow more. Photos were shot on my iPhone 4S using Camera+, with no lens but a bit of post processing using Snapseed.

She's about 80cms tall. Too big for the windowsill so sits by the window and under a skylight. When I'm not at work I get to shift her around as the sun moves.

Here's the view from the top.

And here's one from below with the sunny skylight.

A close up of the crown.

Trichomes forming on flowers and sugar leaves. x6 digital zoom (the max).

Should get a good few grams out of this. Not bad for the cost of a seed.

[Stinky Pete]

Ahoy brother.

Your plant is looking good. I'm just waiting for spring to arrive, then I'm gonna try my hand at hempy grow.

I've got 2 Santa x Chaze Auto's that I'm using o make some fem beans.

What type of nutes are you using???

I read everywhere that hydro nutes is used, but I'm not a chemical guy. Or atleast I try not to be. I did some research on worm farming and came across a read that said that if you added 1 handfull of worm compost to warmish water, 5L, and chuck some molasses in your good to use in hydro setups. Well, after you strain it properly of course. So I wanna give that a go cause I have my own worm farm going already.

Your thoughts on that ???

[Dust]

not a lot of chnge but still going nicely thank for the news man have a good grow!

[Organicz]

Hey bikesnweed looking cool man, I just got my 10 pack of SAS from bigbuddah to go in a small hydro setup

You have to let me know how she smokes !!

[bikesnweed]

Ahoy brother.

Your plant is looking good. I'm just waiting for spring to arrive, then I'm gonna try my hand at hempy grow.

I've got 2 Santa x Chaze Auto's that I'm using o make some fem beans.

What type of nutes are you using???

I read everywhere that hydro nutes is used, but I'm not a chemical guy. Or atleast I try not to be. I did some research on worm farming and came across a read that said that if you added 1 handfull of worm compost to warmish water, 5L, and chuck some molasses in your good to use in hydro setups. Well, after you strain it properly of course. So I wanna give that a go cause I have my own worm farm going already.

Your thoughts on that ???

Hey Stinky Pete, thanks man Thanks to Dust too for the encouragement!

I’m using Grow, Micro, Bloom 3 part hydroponic nutrient from Advanced Nutrients. To be honest I was lazy and asked the guys in the local grow store what they recommended for a hydro grow and that is what they recommended. He said I'd have issues with algue if I went bio. I'm pretty busy at the moment so wanted to keep things simple.

Would love to hear how things go with your hempy bucket and especially if a good bio alternative would work with it. My previous experience is with a soilless mix based on a recipe I found on HighTimes.com. I was using bio nutes for that, but had issues with bugs, smell and dirty drain off water. Wife not too happy with that in the house! Terrific smoke though How I wish I had a greenhouse.

I'm happy with the growth I'm getting from the hempy but the leaves feel a bit papery to me, felt a lot more healthy with the soilless mix. I know where you are coming from about chemicals. I should research more but now I have loads of chems to use up.

I guess life is all about comprimises... cheers

[bikesnweed]

Hey bikesnweed looking cool man, I just got my 10 pack of SAS from bigbuddah to go in a small hydro setup

You have to let me know how she smokes !!

Will do Organicz. Smelling very nice right now, I just hope the Belgian sun is strong enough to make the most of the flowers that are starting. If you're growing indoors then I'm sure you'll getter better results than my windowsill, you may be finished before me Would love to see the grow pics as a comparison. Cheers

[Organicz]

That's good to hear that she has some nice smells and no mine won't be indoor, it will be the South-African hydro Equivalent (windowsill and all) I'll definatly set up a small 250W CFL just for a bit of help

Please keep us updated Bikes, I'm really interested to see how this strain somes out :D

[bikesnweed]

Will do, glad to find a fellow windoswill grower! This has citrus lime smell to it. Which I hope will translate to a nice taste. The only other sativa like strain I grew in the windowsill was GWS auto, I couldn't find them again this year online so maybe just a fly by night pollen chucker Had a pretty good yield given the grow setup. The high was not so strong but pleasant enough. I'm hoping this one will pack a little more punch, seeing as though it's won a cup an all. Best results in the windowsill so far have been with AutoMazar, if you are into indica's I recommend it.

I like the idea of throwing a light into the mix. I wonder if it would be possible to hook up a light meter to let it kick in when the light levels are low?

[bikesnweed]

It's been a while. The plant is still happy. I've mixed feelings with this hempy bucket. On the one hand it's super easy and clean. I left the plant for 10 days and it was in great shape when I returned. I took these pics the day I got back. However, having to use non organic nutes is a bit of an issue for me, as I'm growing for myself I want the nicest taste and to know that what went in was all natural. That said, it's been a fun experiment. If anyone knows an organic option for a hempy bucket I'd love to hear it.

These were taken about 2 weeks ago. Now the buds are filling up nicely and I've been flushing for about 10 days, no sign of yellowing leaves yet. I may have started the flush a bit prematurely, things seem to happen in slow motion on the windowsill

Will follow up with more pix just before I harvest. The buds are getting heavy so the plant is now supported by bamboo canes. I imagine I will harvest in two phases. The top flowers are much more advanced than those at the bottom.

[Dust]

thanks for the little news man good to see that lady is still running and doing you good

it seems like she has a very nice carpet of trichomes on the buds and i hope it will smoke good, for your organic concern about the taste, really i haven't notice that much of a big diference between mineral and organic, if you give a good flush to your plant and stop feeding minimum 14 days before harvest you usually have a very clean taste