HBWR First time Indoor Grow-log *Canada

[caktalfraktal]

Hey everybody my name's Chris and its my first post on the Corroboree, I've been trying to post for a little while now but haven't been able to

I've been wanting to order some Rivea seeds or hbwr for a long time, but was fearful of my Canadian climate for growing such tropical plants, so I decided to grow them indoors predominantly... About a month ago I purchased 10 hbwr seeds in Toronto and started knicking and soaking one after the other until one worked (i had been scoring it to deep)

Anyhow, I've got very little idea of how these are to grow, other than as much information as I could get my hands on, online (which surprisingly wasn't much)-- but enough to get by thus far.

I started it indoors under Fluorescent light, "Cool White" to begin, and then switched to 6500k colour temperature (cool blue?--Good for growth)

****Does anyone know any more about specifically growing hbwr Indoors under an electric sun?****

I'm just doing it the same way I've been growing other things like I start all my pumpkins and squashes indoors in May because where I live specifically has a short growing season... All through the winter I had practice growing Morning Glory to put outside in the spring, so I've got a good idea of this type of plant.

Here is when it first sprouted

and another

Ok so that's when they were just wee, Now a few weeks later its looking very healthy and well. I'm using lots of bat guano in the soil aswel as kelp and other nutrient rich bits in a Soilless mix called Pro-mix, which mainly has coconut fluff and perlite and vermiculite. I also feed it Mother Earth organic super tea blend--Which isnt a full part nute mix its just kind of a rich healthy blend (I dont want to over do it)

Heres what she looks like now:

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It seems to have some yellowing happening in the middle of the leaf... perhaps pH to high? Nutrient OD? anyone know?? or have any other input.. I'm thinking about snipping the tip after it's got 4 good leaves on it.. so that it starts developing bushy, I dont have a very good light so a bushy plant would be better-- It's also already got growth nodes at each branch

Edited October 10, 2009 by caktalfraktal

[kadakuda]

good start. you will need to repot it though. there are a few things to always keep in mind.

they are LARGE vines!

they have LARGE root systems

they like LOTS of sun & space.

i grew these in canada, and well, not possible outdoors in the winter (especially in toronto) but you can move them out in summer.

to be honest, its harder to keep these happy all confined, and fluorescent bulbs wont work long term unless you got lots. i grew mine indoors by a large sliding glass door, and it was -ok- but not great. i also had it in one of those huge black oil drums, and it still got root bound fast and took over the house if not pruned.

honestly, if you want to be able to grow them indoors, a smaller morning glory like turbina would probably be best.....but im sure you can figure out a way to get hbwr through the winters

[caktalfraktal]

Thanks very much for the advice :D For now though, I have transplanted it into a slightly larger pot (what i had at the time) and expect to transplant it next month again.

Next time im in Toronto I'll pick up some corymbosa seeds. ---You say it's a smaller vine? easier for indoor propagation?

Heres what I've got thus far.

Edited August 19, 2009 by caktalfraktal

[kadakuda]

smaller....maybe not, but the leaves are smaller and make it easier to move around and manipulate indoors. the stems are also more flexible (thinner). HBWR are BEAUTIFUL plants!!! just not the easiest indoors...

[caktalfraktal]

cool I'll definitely give them a shot--- Do you know how long the Turbina takes to bloom?? As long as the Baby Woodrose??

[kadakuda]

my turbina 2 years hbwr 2.5-3. all outdoors year round in the ground (tropical). my plants never bloomed in canada, and probably never would have cause they were never that great when larger.

[sethomopod]

As stated above... HBWR need lots of space... no good in a pot...

You could try growing Ipomoea violacea... aka Heavenly blue... They can flower and set seed in a relatively small pot.. much better for your needs maybe?

[caktalfraktal]

Indeed I'm growing some heavenly blue right now in my garden =) in about May I started growing them inside then moved them outside in July.

My main problem with the ipomoeas is the low concentration of the good stuff I'm going for minimal side effects, but they're definitely good to grow in the meantime while the other plants are growing =)

[mutant]

Nice! [and welcome to the forums] - I think you are going to be a hero in the ethno community if you manage to flower argyreia or turbina in canada.... but I doubt it... From my experience turbina is WAY less sensitive to cold, but that doesn't mean it's gonna be easy to get it to flower....

My first argyreia flowered at 15 months from seed and my turbinas are 2years+ now and still haven't flowered... I am hoping I will get seed pods from the argyreia!!! [but I live in a very warm country]

[tenacioustornado]

As stated above... HBWR need lots of space... no good in a pot...

You could try growing Ipomoea violacea... aka Heavenly blue... They can flower and set seed in a relatively small pot.. much better for your needs maybe?

Nice how big of a pot is that 5 gallon?

[caktalfraktal]

As stated above... HBWR need lots of space... no good in a pot...

You could try growing Ipomoea violacea... aka Heavenly blue... They can flower and set seed in a relatively small pot.. much better for your needs maybe?

For your indoor morning glories, did you need to pollinate with a Q-tip or did it do it itself??

[mutant]

Hmmmm I think bees did it for me... but it's a possibility they self pollinate.... I also think my argyreias are going to produce seeds [!!!!]

Edited September 11, 2009 by mutant

[caktalfraktal]

Hmmmm I think bees did it for me... but it's a possibility they self pollinate.... I also think my argyreias are going to produce seeds [!!!!]

Nice! congratulations! nothing like a first harvest :D

[Garbage]

They are large vines,in the tropics.

[tripsis]

Nice plant! I've seen one growing in northern Thailand, but was only flowering at the time, not seeding.

[ratwick]

Looks great .. Hopefully mine will germinate soon.

[sethomopod]

Nice how big of a pot is that 5 gallon?

Cheers.. It's a 12cm pot... 12cm high as well ............tiny.....

[sethomopod]

For your indoor morning glories, did you need to pollinate with a Q-tip or did it do it itself??

I had no hand in the pollination.. just lucky! in the tropics, there are critters of all sorts, so it could have been anything!

sorry about the double post.. havent quite worked out how to reply to multiple posts in one post...

[elbhar1]

I like those blue flowers it puts off

[caktalfraktal]

Hey everybody, I've gotten a new lighting system and I think its paying off! I got myself a standard 400w MH 4000k. Here are some new pictures of my grow area in general, and specifically my Hawaiian Baby Woodrose from the earlier posts.

I've also included photos of my new plant. I think it's a different strain of baby woodrose because the leaves are much much smaller than the other plant, I think the seed looked different too.

P.S. Each plant in my room is legal. The plants I've currently got growing aside from my baby woodrose are morning glory heavenly blue, hot Chilli peppers, and a small tomatoe plant. Soon I'm planting some indoor string beans **edit I've planted the string beans and the sprouts are doing great ^.^** and some indoor green peas! I had some nice indoor green peas last winter.

P.S.S. || I found a pic of the hbwr in a state between the newer pics and the old pics in the post earlier, so I've included that one ontop ||

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Current photos

HBWR #2

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P.S.S.S. Here is a closeup of the pepper plant--its actually a collection of 12 small sprouts. Its growing SO fast its crazy!!

And thats about it!

Edited October 12, 2009 by caktalfraktal

[elbhar1]

hey that looks great

they gonna boom under that 400 watter now.

edit

now they will need more water,nutrients and fresh air too

Edited October 10, 2009 by elbhar1

[mutant]

Great job mate! Keep us updated! I am curious how will argyreia [+others] act in that set up you made... especially during automn/winter.

[elbhar1]

this one I had to put outside cos it got too big

[caktalfraktal]

this one I had to put outside cos it got too big

beauty

Edited October 22, 2009 by caktalfraktal

[mutant]

Great!!!!

I found an argyreia seedpod that had fallen and rotted! I searched the plant and did not find any other. this must have been some early flower I hadn't seen. I am eager to see if the pods manage to mature till cold whether settles in

Edited October 22, 2009 by mutant