# Tricking KBG to Spread - Indoor Winter Grow



## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

All-

I just finished my indoor grass plot for winter fun and plugs.

I took plugs from the yard and spread out across a 4x4 plot.

Since, I can 100% control the lights, I'm wondering if anyone knows how I can trick it to spread and fill in.

My initial game plan is to let it grow with 18 hours, 6 off for a couple of weeks to get reestablished in its new home.
Then was thinking about shortening to 15 12 then 10 hours respectively. 
My theory is that shortening days increase rhizome production.

Anyone have anything to support or debunk?

Hard to find internet sources because typically the sun cant be controlled lol


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## jcs43920 (Jun 3, 2019)

I'm not exactly sure how to encourage it to spread other than maybe clipping it with scissors nice and low so that it will spread laterally instead of trying to grow straight up. Also maybe give it light on the sides instead of directly overhead. Most plants grow towards the light. If it's directly overhead it might not want to grow anywhere but up. It will probably take some time for it to spread.


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## fusebox7 (Jul 27, 2017)

This is the most thorough article on this topic that I've often referenced: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/Bluegrass.html
There's actually two phases of "spreading". There's 1): rhizome production and 2): rhizome shoot development. In order for KBG to effectively spread, it has to have rhizomes, and the rhizomes need to turn upwards (becoming a new plant).

As you'll read in the article, rhizome activity actually increases during summer as leaf growth slows (IIRC this is due to length of daylight, but also influenced by temperature). So, I'm not sure if your experiment works with just daylight adjustment... but I'll be following to see what happens. I really think the biggest influencer in rhizome production is carb accumulation (this is why we feed heavily in fall). Then because of lengthened daylight, those existing rhizomes turn up forming new plants. ie. the more you feed it, the more it spreads... not directly but because of good health and genetics


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

@fusebox7 
So I cant really influence temperature. I might be able to put in a tent and get it to go up but by how much? I really don't know. Im not really ready for that level of commitment.

Maybe I just do the equivalent of .25# lb/k N per week? IMO i can push because 70* in house. So maybe more?

I notice a ton of rhizomes outside when the whether things cooled and days got shorter. I wish it was as simple of starting at 18 hours then decreasing an hour every day until 8 hours of daylight. Im def going to try eventually...


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

... I need a timelapse camera... anyone know of a cheap one? 
Does a gopro have this feature?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Wyze cams have that feature for ~$20.


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## Dkrem (Mar 16, 2019)

cool experiment for sure.


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## FuzzeWuzze (Aug 25, 2017)

FWIW: I already have a somewhat similar experiment going testing getting Mazama to spread.

You can make timelapse with any camera that you can set to take images every X minutes.

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=13526

I havent posted it yet and will here shortly but i have my first rhizome plants popping out of 2 plants already only 4 weeks in.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

@FuzzeWuzze right on !

I guess mine is less scientific but more committed...
Havent dialed in lighting yet. Spectrum seems to work but needs to be closer to plants. Bought The 9$ Harbor freight Bike pulley kit to allow for quickly raise and lower lights.

4x4 with sub-irrigation roughly 12 Cu feet of soil.
Plants are developed.
White stuff is shredded paper, wanted to make sure the worms had enough to eat. 
Not in image but there are 4 of those grow lights in total.

Plants aren't looking great right now, I doubt they like the cold and shortened days just to come inside, get replanted, and get hit with 18 hours of light.
Worries about lime and magnesium as well as macros as all this dirt was bought specifically for this project.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

I'll get some pictures tomorrow but I put down a heavy dose of Milorganite on Sunday. The very next day the herd was aggressively going to town on the paper I put down... covered in black stuff that looked like mold. Is this pythium? (I didnt see any web looking things and dont expect to consistent temp and no dew)

It was pretty impressive to see.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

So, ran into my first problem... the introduction of milorganite created a bad smell. I dont think its actually the smell of it but rather the breakdown from it... plus the mold growing on the paper.

I freaked out and put a layer of clay based kiter litter... seemed to help the smell so far... any other suggestions?

Nitrogen and sugar? 
Perhaps serenade?

I want the milo to breakdown as fast as possible... 
help is appreciated.

Fyi, avoid organics in doors....


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## vettetrm (Apr 7, 2018)

Lol. What were you thinking? That stuff smells up my yard, wouldn't dare unleash it inside.


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## mbaisley (Apr 8, 2019)

I couldn't help but laugh at this... not at your mistake, but because I feel your pain (to a lesser degree).

I used milorganite for the first time ever (probably due to joining this website!) back in May. Put down about 250 lbs of it around our house and it rained immediately after it went down --- which I think activated and enhanced the odor. The smell was seeping into the house from every angle and my wife threatened to take the kids and go check into a hotel until the smell was gone.

I wish I knew what to tell you but I think it will just take time to burn off. As in 5 to 7 days, possibly more if it is decaying slower than it would outdoors.

I have no idea what it might do to your experiment, chemically speaking, but a couple of thoughts off the top of my head are baking soda and/or cornstarch (or maybe cornmeal... I can't remember which one is supposed to have odor absorbing properties). A bunch of crushed lime would also be ideal work but you would definitely mess up your pH.

Another idea is to get on Amazon and buy some of those "activated charcoal" packets that are supposed to absorb odors. I tried them a few years ago and was not blown away by the results, but thousands of people have attested to their effectiveness.

Depending on how the room and your house are configured, I suppose you might also be able to create a temporary vent hood out of a big cardboard box (or 2 or 3) suspended above the grow light, with an exhaust fan of some sort to pull the air out of the house.

Best of luck to you. Hopefully you live alone or your spouse is more understanding than mine.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

@mbaisley 
Thanks for the empathy...

I couldnt take it and literally stunk up the whole house... I ended up shop vacuuming the top layer soil including the milo, and smell almost completely gone...

Its interesting though because I never really had a problem with milo when spread out side... maybe I didnt use enough? 

Anyway, crisis avoided, remeber kids, when in doubt, vacumn it out. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Also, a particular section of my lawn is very happy right now.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

A little update on my setup.
I wanted a way to lower and raise lights for access and general adjustment. I priced out some pulleys and found that HF has a cheap bike pulley kit which as worked pretty good.

The mounting is barely passing but gets the job done.


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