AliceD Returns - Blimburn GG#4 Auto freebies

[AliceDAnon]

I don't know what sources you have access to for testing soils/soilless mixes, but here we send off through a known soil and water outlet, and they, in turn, process the samples, & send them out to a well-respected testing lab. I ioften do Mehlich III and plain water extraction; they tend to make a deal with me and not charge full price for both when I do that simultaneously.

If your lighting is right, your ph is good (I test ph with both in-going liquid ph and out-going drainage ph, as that will tell you what kind of affect your mix is having on your liquid, and that alone is functional information worthy of knowing), and you find your nutrients in your mix are good (via soil testing), then you can asssume either some other environmental factor is causing stress, or questionable genetics.

It can become a rabbit hole for sure.

Recall Willem Dafoe's comment in the bunker in the movie 'Platoon', when he says, "Feeling good is good enough." It can apply to a LOT of circumstances.

Also, there are bagged soil mixes that can kill, stress, or screw up your plants. The companies selling such potting mixes often don't care. They already got your money. I could waste more of your time and relate anecdotal stories re. this, but let it set there as sometimes-fact; not all amendments or soils/mixes purchased in the commerical gardening markets are good for plants. I've bought total shit from a hardware in South Central Alaska that killed stuff. Literally.

You always have wisdom and answers for everything. How long have you been doing this? If you don't mind me asking?

Always apprecaite your help.

 

[moose eater]

You always have wisdom and answers for everything. How long have you been doing this? If you don't mind me asking?

Always apprecaite your help.

I'm flattered.

I'm not the best agronomist or horticulturalist.

I began working on farms when I was 9 y.o.

I began growing dope without knowing much in the 1970s and 1980s, as a defiant hobby as an expression of high risk behavior and anti-social hippie-dom, but didn't get serious about it until the early mid-1990s.

Then, after my being blacklisted from my former licensed profession for a variety of reasons, including not playing well with others, & actively confronting the State re. their incessant violations of the 1975 Ravin v State (Alaska) ruling that governed rights of privacy pertaining to adult possession of cannabis, I was either going to exit the planet as the only viable means by which to feed and otherwise support my family (life insurance pays in Alaska even if cause of death is suicide, if the policy has been owned for at least 2 years, and at that time I was worth $225,000 dead, and not too much value alive), or I was going to grow the best fucking pot I could, and make ends meet, trying to give my/our kids and my wife what they needed in life...

I'm still here.

There's a lot of stories, tears, adventures, failures and successes in the middle of all of that.

There are many people here who know much more than I do. But thank you for your kind words.

*I tend to answer people in more than mere 'completeness', sometimes to the point of causing some amount of discomfort, but trying to remain honest in all ways, when ever possible. You asked.

 

[AliceDAnon]

I'm flattered.

I'm not the best agronomist or horticulturalist.

I began working on farms when I was 9 y.o.

I began growing dope without knowing much in the 1970s and 1980s, as a defiant hobby as an expression of high risk behavior and anti-social hippie-dom, but didn't get serious about it until the early mid-1990s.

Then, after my being blacklisted from my former licensed profession for a variety of reasons, including not playing well with others, & actively confronting the State re. their incessant violations of the 1975 Ravin v State (Alaska) ruling that governed rights of privacy pertaining to adult possession of cannabis, I was either going to exit the planet as the only viable means by which to feed abnd otherwise support my family (life insurance pays in Alaska even if cause of death is suicide, if the policy has been owned for at least 2 years, and at that time I was worth $225,000 dead, and not too much value alive), or I was going to grow the best fucking pot I could, and make ends meet, trying to give my/our kids and my wife what they needed in life...

I'm still here.

There's a lot of stories, tears, adventures, failures and successes in the middle of all of that.

There are many people here who know much more than I do. But thank you for your kind words.

*I tend to answer people in more than mere 'completeness', sometimes to the point of causing some amount of discomfort, but trying to remain honest in all ways, when ever possible. You asked.

What an answer. Cooler answer than most, including me. Wow the stories to tell.

 

[AliceDAnon]

 

[AliceDAnon]

I've been away for a while getting my OpSec in order.

Here are some photos from last week. I may be posting less photos until I get a digital camera as I don't like using my smart phone.

The GG#4 Autos continue to progress. Plant 1 seems to be maturing faster than Plant 2, which is weird as they were germinated at the same time. I guess it's just a phenotype thing.

 

[AliceDAnon]

Day 102.

Getting really close now. I'll take out the microscope and check thrichomes tomorrow.

Plant 1 looks more finished than plant 2 to me.

 

[AliceDAnon]

Plant 1

Plant 2

 

[AliceDAnon]

Does it look ready to harvest to ya'll?

 

[moose eater]

Does it look ready to harvest to ya'll?

It was stressed a bit for a while. Otherwise, not really being able to see your trichomes too well in the pics (likely my eyes as much as your pics), and seeing the leaves remaining on the buds getting yellowed, despite there being lots of fresh pistils (which can occur with some feed issues), I would cut them down befoer the trimming of yellowed leaves in the flowers gets too pervasive. Otherwise the trimming becomes a bit tedious.

If your trichomes are amber, then she's at the finish line. If they're nearly there, and you want to avoid having to dig too many yellowed leaves out of flowers, then still good to go.

Any more issues with the seeds under the lower flowers?

Have you sampled any of her yet? (Tell the truth. ) (Joking).

 

[AliceDAnon]

It was stressed a bit for a while. Otherwise, not really being able to see your trichomes too well in the pics (likely my eyes as much as your pics), and seeing the leaves remaining on the buds getting yellowed, despite there being lots of fresh pistils (which can occur with some feed issues), I would cut them down befoer the trimming of yellowed leaves in the flowers gets too pervasive. Otherwise the trimming becomes a bit tedious.

If your trichomes are amber, then she's at the finish line. If they're nearly there, and you want to avoid having to dig too many yellowed leaves out of flowers, then still good to go.

Any more issues with the seeds under the lower flowers?

Have you sampled any of her yet? (Tell the truth. ) (Joking).

Seems to be all cloudy, not many amber and not many clear. I am going to try and take some photos shortly with the microscope but it is really hard holding it with you hand and taking a non-blurry photo.

I'm not very good at reading trichomes but I don't see many amber. Maybe they're there though.

The leaves are starting to brown and crumble in the flower, so I may chop tonight or tomorrow night.

No issues with seeds, worried for nothing. Just like you thought

I took a tiny nug off about a month ago, was very early. I tried to cut it up and put it in my Volcano wet. Don't think it really worked...

 

[moose eater]

Seems to be all cloudy, not many amber and not many clear. I am going to try and take some photos shortly with the microscope but it is really hard holding it with you hand and taking a non-blurry photo.

I'm not very good at reading trichomes but I don't see many amber. Maybe they're there though.

The leaves are starting to brown and crumble in the flower, so I may chop tonight or tomorrow night.

No issues with seeds, worried for nothing. Just like you thought

I took a tiny nug off about a month ago, was very early. I tried to cut it up and put it in my Volcano wet. Don't think it really worked...

Cloudy or amber; not clear is a good sign. Maybe a bit over-ripe, even.

Yes, by all means, save yourself the precision, pain-staking, frustrating surgical scissor work of removing nasty-tasting yellowed and brown crumblies from the buds. Sometimes necessary, but if avoidable, do so..

I suspected you'd sampled a bud or three. Like tasting cookie dough from the bowl. No need to wait for the oven timer to go off. They taste better raw anyway, as long as you don't get sick from raw eggs. Pardon the excess metaphors.

Chop them as soon as you can. You'll thank yourself soon enough.

 

[AliceDAnon]

Cloudy or amber; not clear is a good sign. Maybe a bit over-ripe, even.

Yes, by all means, save youerself the precision, pain-staking, frustrating surgical scissor work of removing nasty-tasting yellowed and brown crumblies from the buds. Sometimes necessary, but if avoidable, do so..

I suspected you'd sampled a bud or three. Like tasting cookie dough from the bowl. No need to wait for the oven timer to go off. They taste better raw anyway, as long as you don't get sick from raw eggs. Pardon the excess metaphors.

Chop them as soon as you can. You'll thank yourself soon enough.

Chopping tonight. I plan to hang the plants whole and dry trim.

Do you recommend leaving the leaves on or pulling the leaves off before hanging?

 

[moose eater]

Oh.. Oh.. Oh... !!!(My Vinnie Barbarino impersonation)

If you're willing and able, get a soil sample done on your mix(es), as mentioned before. Do a Mehlich III (acid extraction, to tell you what's in your soil), and a water extraction test/analysis (to tell you what yor plants are actually able to get at and feed on).

Then some watching of the plants (assuming you've adjusted per what ever information your testing results showed, and some logic re. how fast specific nutes dwindle, and feeding accordingly later in growth.

Remember, too much love, and too little love, can have the same or similar results.

 

[moose eater]

Chopping tonight. I plan to hang the plants whole and dry trim.

Do you recommend leaving the leaves on or pulling the leaves off before hanging?

Lots of folks swear by dry trimming, but I've always found it to be a pain in the ass. Just don't let them get too dry!!!

There's a supeficial dry phase that the flowers FEEL dry, but they're not. Check the stem for whether or not it cracks. If it cracks/snaps, they're ready/done, or even overly dry.

But restrict air flow and heat to slow the drying. A slow dry is better, but not so slow that molds might appear. That also is based in part on your ambient or relative humidity in your drying place.

Good luck!!

 

[AliceDAnon]

h

Lots of folks swear by dry trimming, but I've always found it to be a pain in the ass. Just don't let them get too dry!!!

There's a supeficial dry phase that the flowers FEEL dry, but they're not. Check the stem for whether or not it cracks. It is cracks, they're ready/done, or even overly dry.

But restrict air flow and heat to slow the drying. A slow dry is better, but not so slow that molds might appear. That also is based in part on your ambient or relative humidity in your drying place.

Good luck!!

First grow I dried until the stem almost cracked but not quite to cracking. Seemed good. Definitely dried too fast last time though.

I am aiming for 60RH and 60-65F for a slow dry. What do you think?

 

[moose eater]

65 degrees f., slight air movement through a semi-closed area/box, and I would suggest maybe 60-70% humidity.

Embarassing admission.. I have a collection of about 30-some good, plain white pizza boxes, sizes are extra large.

I've been doing my crops this way for a long time now; 28 years with the pizza trays?

I get about a 1/4-lb. in an extra-large pizza box (+/-, depeding). Make sure if the boxes are treated (inside), it's with nothing other than wax, or perferrably just plain cardboard.

I load them up packed pretty tightly to slow the initial drying process, slightly propping the lids up by the 'wings' on the side of the box against the edges of the bottom of the tray (NOT WIDE OPEN; barely open).

Check daily, depending on your humidity levels. You don't want to inspire or sponsor molds.

After about 4-5 days, depending on resin/oil content, I may, if they feel like they're on their way to drying out (the feel of the flowers themselves), drop the lid down to the closed position. and continue checking daily.

Continue feeling for moisture. Especially in the dryness of the stems to see if the stems crack or snap..

Don't let any of it get bone dry.

I've dried countless lbs. in the boxes. Even bought a bakers rack (7 shelves of stainless steel on casters), to lay out the boxes, and to allow them to be stacked on the shelves when the volume required that..

If stacking boxes on each other, I rarely go higher than 2-3 high, and alternate the openings facing front, then the one on top of that facing rear, etc.. You can even shuffle the order of the stacks if they seem to be retaining too much moisture in the lower trays.

Again, packing what ever size pizza tray you're using tightly, dictated or determined by volume of cannabis, will initially help to slow the drying down.

IOW, you can use the size boxes that best accomodate the amount of flower you have.

Easy peasy.

Again, good luck.

 

[moose eater]

Also, rather than inverting plants up-side-down and doing a hanging whole plant drying method, with dry clipping, I trim longer colas and smaller buds in such a way as to leave stems attached to preserve moisture in the flowers by that means, as well. Think 'on-the-vine' tomatoes at the grocery or market. The stems retain some moisture as well as nutrients.

Old and stuck in my ways..

 

[AliceDAnon]

Excuse the dog hair. He sheds like crazy. I will remove it during the trim.

Plant 1:

Plant 2:

 

[moose eater]

Dog hair is the matter that drives life (don't tell anyone). Dogs are supreme beings in their own right. No excuses needed.

I see lots of clear-ish trichomes, verging on darker, but not yet.

At this point, however, I'd cut them due to the time they've been in bloom, and the browning of the leaves on the buds.

Good job.

Were these done at 12:12, or strictly reliant on their being 'autos' and not cutting light, per se'?

As I stated before, and part of my stubbornness re. being stuck in my ways, I typically only do natural selection plants ('regular' seeds). The exceptions to that have included the seeds produced by self-pollination resulting from male stress pods on a true female flower (NOT a technically defined 'hermie' or hermaphrodite, despite many people misusing/abusing that term), or the odd chance that someone gave or sent me feminized seed or seeds..

I'm biased toward femmed seeds and autos, as a rule, though some of the equatorial plants (land races and their decendants) are naturally 'autos' to some degree. I can give them a pass.

Edit: I believe ruderalis was also an 'auto'.

 

[AliceDAnon]

Dog hair is the matter that drives life (don't tell anyone). Dogs are supreme beings in their own right. No excuses needed.

I see lots of clear-ish trichomes, verging on darker, but not yet.

At this point, however, I'd cut them due to the time they've been in bloom, and the browning of the leaves on the buds.

Good job.

Were these done at 12:12, or strictly reliant on their being 'autos' and not cutting light, per se'?

As I stated before, and part of my stubbornness re. being stuck in my ways, I typically only do natural selection plants ('regular' seeds). The exceptions to that have included the seeds produced by self-pollination resulting from male stress pods on a true female flower (NOT a technically defined 'hermie' or hermaphrodite, despite many people misusing/abusing that term), or the odd chance that someone gave or sent me feminized seed or seeds..

I'm biased femmed seeds and autos, as a rule, though some of the equatorial plants (land races and their decendants) are naturally 'autos' to some degree. I can give them a pass.

Cutting now is best for my schedule so if it will be decent I think I'll do that.

I did 18:6 the whole time pretty much.

I feel autos are best for my scenario with smaller size and quicker harvest, but I would love to try true regular photos one day.