Another Crappy Day in Paradise..... Do it Again.

[oldhaole]

Just Like Riding a Bycycle.....

Just Like Riding a Bycycle.....

So, we give this another shot. It's probably gonna sound clunky, after all it has been awhile since I last did this growlog shit.... that said, at very least the short days have lengthen into something we can work with. This hasn't been a particularly bad Winter. It started off sunny and dry, but the short days just killed the yield, no matter how sunny the individual days were. Then just into Febuary we got the Winter rains. Still, Spring is here,

Last year about this time, after watching Casper totally enclose his trip, I finally got on board. We needed to keep things dry. Outside, here, you're gonna lose about 20% to bad weather. It is possible, to most of the time, work around whatever weather is coming down the pike. That said, sometimes, inevitably, the rain and clouds are gonna bite you.

No more.

So, I got my toothpicks (to illustrate scale) out, made a list of available connections, then I designed and built a mock-up of what it was suppose to look like. I put it all over the spot I wanted to cover.

Then I got to work. Put the frame together, then dug holes and poured concrete footings so the frame was solid. The I ordered the clear tarp from the Mainland. Shipping the tarp to Maui was the most expensive part. The first greenhouse was designed to be full enclosed. Putting it together was easy. Everything fit right into place. Didn't expect that to happen.

When it was done it was too damn hot. So I removed two of the walls..... and it worked! Shortly after I built it we had the usual Kona Storm come through. I didn't know if it would be there in the morning. When the sun rose, sure enough, it was still there and all the plants in it were unmolested too.

Once the heat issue was fixed it all came together. The only thing left to do would be to tarp the gulch. Unlike the front garden, which has a nice compact layout, the gulch is one long row. The front garden is sheltered from the Kona winds, the gulch takes the wind head on. Frankly, the gulch is too long and steep for a single cover. So we're gonna build two identical covers, each one covering half the gulch. Since the top half gets better sun we did that first.

Just finished that last week.

So, the cover is now up. There is no reason to lose stuff to the weather anymore. Guess we're gonna need some new flavors.

Some of the shit we're gonna keep. Skunkdog, GG4, Chem D and Valley. This will all stay. Absofuckinlutely no reason to dump these.

Then the guys at Radio Ridge Nursery sent a good chunk of their inventory over here for us to try. It was parted out, and I got a third. We have Mother's Milk, Sherbert, Orange Wookie, Dragon's Breath, Nine Lb Hammer, Tres Fighter, and some shit called Prisim. I know... don't ask me where they get these names from....all of these just got put into flower..... soon we'll see it they are worthy.

Then from Maui, I have a Blood clone and a Champagne Blood clone. We also have an Elephant/Headband cross my partner made long ago. Add that to a local GSC cut and we have Scientist Diesel. Curious about this... heard good things.

Then we had the refugees. One of our mutual friends had a small problem. Not a big deal, just being safe, but he needed a friendly coast for his huddled masses yearning to breathe free to shelter in. "No problem, what are friends for?" I said. Soon I was taking care of quite the impressive nest of genetics. When the time came for the refugees to go back from where they came from.... let's call it Greyland, some of the hoard had decided to stay here. In the spirit of refugees I welcomed Firepie-13 and the Licorice Dog to their new home.

So what's that? Four keepers and thirteen question marks. Sounds like a full plate to me.

 

[Dirtboy808]

Nice to see you back on the bike. And a nice tarp set up, better then some houses.
I do like your logs. Have a great year. Aloha DB

 

[Chunkypigs]

the tarp set up is looking sweet OH! get yourself a cut of the Sour Dubb next time you visit Greyland, it's a keeper for sure.

will you set up lights on those frames so you can extend veg?

it looks like the frame is made from EMT and connectors, no?
could you post a picture of the framing in the peaks?

 

[oldhaole]

One Hell of a Way to Run a Railroad....

One Hell of a Way to Run a Railroad....

Sooner or later it was bound to happen.... just had to give it enough time. Maybe it was Mother Nature pointing out to me that if she wants to get something wet, me and my dreams won't be able to stop her. I put a roof on the gulch, so she just sent the water down the gulch. I bought this house and land 20 years ago. Before that I lived in a beat up old rental right in front. Three years before we moved up here, the gulch flowed. So, it's been dry for 23 years. One week after I covered it, the gulch flowed.

It took a shitload of rain to do. On Saturday it rained all day. Over the course of the day we got well over three inches. Sunday was overcast, but dry 'til noon. Then the sky opened up. Over the next three hours six inches if rain fell. About two hours into it I looked out the front deck and the road I live on was a river. When I stepped outside, a brand new river was flooding my garage. The door was closed so I could have been worse. It could have been like my growroom that had 6 inches of standing water. I left the door open..... OH Well.

By this point had had not given the gulch a thought. It's covered. As I walked around the house I heard the running water. Oh shit! The water flowed for about an hour. There were three small plants that I should have harvested at the beginning of the storm. They were still there, but the bottoms were trashed. As the water hit the terraces it fanned out and slowed down. Then it would cascade down to the next terrace. All of my walls held, except a new planter that kinda got swept away. Luckily it was empty. Most of the new plants were up on a higher level, they didn't even get wet. I had six just dug holes that were totally refilled.

My back hurts. Today it was finally sunny. So I started early and fixed everything. Redug the holes that Mother Nature decided to refill. Went to town, got all my dirt. Luckily I have all the replacements waiting in the wings. Got done about sunset. But it's all done. I can go fishing, there's nothing on my plate for three weeks. Everything is in and covered. That storm is over. Hopefully that'll be the last one and the gulch won't run for another 23 years.

Moving on...

Thanks DB. The tarps aren't pretty but they do the trick. We had some decent winds during the last Kona. Some 40 MPH gusts. Everything held.... pay no attention to the stream. I figure if they last a year they will have payed for themselves. I've already seen what happens when everything doesn't have to sit out in the dew every night.

Chunky.... that Sour Dubb cutt comes and goes. I don't think Grey has it in stock, but I'm sure one of his minions does. One of the reasons I don't run it much is the weather can knock it around. But I don't have that problem any more.....

Right now I am not using lights. I built the tarp over growing plants. It would be next to impossible to do a single plant without the light leaking over onto flowering plants. The last half of the gulch is uncovered and empty. There are three big beds that could accommodate three big trees. That job shouldn't be that hard because all it'll take is a copy of the set up in the top part of the gulch. I'll do that before the year is done... maybe sooner. Don't ask me about it when my back hurts.

I don't know if big plants are worth it. But I don't see any reason why I shouldn't give it a shot in some dirt that otherwise would sit unplanted. My partner does a few every year, this year here are his three projects.

We got two Skunkdog clones in front, and a GG4/Valley cross in back. When I asked how long they have been growing it's been so long he forgot when he planted them. Notice the hand sticking up to provide scale.

The peak is a joke. There is a shot in my albums. I won't post it here for all to see. The frame is 1 inch EMTs. The connectors were whatever they had leftover after a half year of people picking through them. It ain't pretty but it seems to work.

Other than the flood.... it's all good. Just Another Crappy Day in Paradise....

 

[Lester Beans]

Wow that's a lot of rain. I've never experienced that much rain.

Glad it didn't totally wipe you out!

Plants look good and healthy, nice piece of paradise right there!

Good luck fishing!

 

[Dirtboy808]

The weeds will love that rain.lol Come on do a big one for show. I'll do one if you do.

 

[Duggy Dinsdale]

I like how you benched the gultch.....good idea. If it continues it's past track record, and only flows once every twenty odd years, it's a minor issue... At your latitude I gather your getting around fourteen hours of light a day during the peak of summer..

 

[Greyskull]

Good friends are so hard to come by.
I’m glad you got pics of the water rushing thru - unbelievable!!!!
That FirePiexHP13.... Man it’s a killer flower! Has that HP13 annoying reek but it’s tamed by the FirePie’s gas tones. I think you’ll really like that one. Potent!
Looking forward to seeing some huge ones in the gulch coming up.

Super excited about the Scientist Diesel!!!!
That one I’ve heard about since I moved here. Scientist this and Scientist that. Apparently he was a badass! And all the cuts he ran are highly sought after. And not easy to get. When you said ‘Scientist Diesel’ that day my ears perked way the hell up and my tail wagged. That Diesel is different than the Diesels we’ve had before. Action!!!!

Looking forward to coming up and checking out the gulch. Firing as always my friend!

We need to bring up a Sour Dubb for you....

 

[Duggy Dinsdale]

What ever happened to Maui Wowie, it seems to be gone like the snows of yesteryear. Never smoked it, only heard the name.

 

[oldhaole]

What ever happened to Maui Wowie, it seems to be gone like the snows of yesteryear. Never smoked it, only heard the name.

Well here's the thing.... it never existed to begin with, so it really never left. There is no single strain called Maui Wowie. And while I'm busy crushing illusions, nor is there a Kona Gold, or a Puna Butter, or a Kauai Electric, either. They're like Santa, or the Easter Bunny.... an illusion. But keep in mind, some fools will gladly pay for an illusion.

Back in the days where I cut my teeth, the '80's, Hawaiian weed was head and shoulders above anything that could be found on the Mainland.... and it still is. Tourists would come over looking, and what they found was light years ahead of anything they had ever tried at home. You know what that's like. Remember the first time you got high? Not merely buzzed, I'm talking fully baked? Deep fried to a crackling crunch? I'm sure that experience has not been forgotten in the big scheme that is your life. I'd put money on the fact that your friends and loved ones have heard the story. That's how this shit works.

It's kind of a location thing too. Here, we grow some of the same strains you do. But due to our differences in climate, from place to place, the same strain grown in different areas will turn out differently. These differences become more pronounced with time. Yes, these plants evolve, and this can happen a lot faster than you'd think.

This is what happened. Haole Joe came over here and got high. Higher than he has ever been. The weed came from Maui. He doesn't know, and frankly doesn't care that what he smoked was an Elephant strain grown in Hana. Or a Blood strain grown in Haiku. It wasn't advertised to him as that. He defaults to the lowest common denominator. To all his friends it's Maui Wowie.... and the legend was born.

In fairness, we do the same thing. Anything from the Mainland is lumped together, they don't care where it's from, or what it's called, just so long as it's cheap.... we call it CaliCrap. Tell you this much. I've been here since 1967. I have never grown, bought, sold, gifted, or was ever gifted a strain called Maui Wowie. It just isn't done that way here.

Maui Wowie, Kona Gold, Hawaiian, all of those names are sexy. They are all designed to tickle your brain. When you hear them, you probably think beaches, sun, cute chicks, and plants that look like this;

Not Maui Wowie....Black Thai grown in Kula. Not sexy.

There is nothing wrong with that, but when your able to mentally identify two short words with really good thoughts you can make a pretty sure bet that someone is gonna try to squeeze a buck out of that deal. So be careful...

Changing gears....

Do this for awhile, there is not much that is left to surprise you. You see the same things, about the same time each year. That last storm surprised me. It stuck around in this area for almost three weeks and touched each island. A couple of days before I got flooded, and saw a new river that I never knew existed, the East side of Oahu had some bad floods. Then, a few days later the Big Island had 4,000 lightning strikes. But the big one was yet to hit. That got Kauai, big time. One rain gauge got 50 inches in a day, that set a new record for the U.S. Think about that. Look around, every surface you see will have four feet of water on it by tomorrow. And all that water has to go someplace.... scary.

That said, the last couple of days have been great. Sunny, warm, everything you want. Another storm is on our doorstep tonight, but behind that? Not much.

Finally. Things get nice. We should get a couple of dry months in here before hurricane season starts. See what we can do.

Now for the housekeeping part....for those of you playing along at home....

Discontinued.... Mother of Berry, because it is but a one trick pony. I just wish I could totally get rid of it but wifey will make my life miserable if I do. She can waste her time with it.

Discontinued.... Nine lb hammer. Dumped on general principal.... a stupid name. Also didn't appreciate the fact she had BALLS!!! Was told they were infertile, but I've heard that before....

Discontinued.... Elephant/headband cross.... almost.... but not quite....

Potential.... Orange Wookie. This actually smells like oranges! Who wodda thought. Nice plant, big sweeping branches.

The rest of the Radio Ridge stuff is unremarkable... so far. Early in the game.

Potential.... Firepie-13. Grows real big, clones easy, and stinks.

We've seen this before.... the Scientist Diesel. Two years ago Casper unearthed this and shared it. Then he called it Corn Dog. Smells like Skunkdog, bigger brachs, elongated tight buds. This one kinda made it worthwhile. I lost the strain when the cops came searching. Glad it's back and I'll try to keep this one for the future.

Lastly... Sure DB, I was thinking of getting a few big project plants going this year. If your waiting on me to drop the gauntlet.... why not? As for a contest.... eh no. I have a dream of a giant GG#4. Maybe two. I'll have enough problems with that strain as is. Don't need you kicking my ass in public.

Give me a few weeks to get my cards all in order for the rest of the year.... Feel free to start whenever your ready. I already have....

 

[Goldslug]

Omfg look awesome man , great jobbb

 

[Dirtboy808]

No contest sounds good to me. I'm thinking for me I'll grow a big sative that I'll have to make into rosin because no one likes to smoke those over here. lol
I'm hoping this will be last storm for awhile. That plant looks crazy.
I still think you should wright down your growing adventures before you forget them. lol You jugged my memory about Kona Gold, etc. Ya we us to name by area not strain some times and make shit up all the time. Looking forward to our exchange. Aloha DB

 

[Arthritis_sucks]

Good to see the log going again OH.

 

[Dirtboy808]

Back in the day I grew right where Pele came out. This is unreal.

 

[kalopatchkid]

My friends Dad lives on Makamae where the new eruptions broke out this morning. He seems like the kinda guy that would stay put until the end. Shit is crazy...all that lava that disappeared from Pu'u O'o has to come out somewhere. Hope she spares Pohoiki.

 

[Lester Beans]

Volcano, floods, and earthquakes. Damn.

Everything ok with you and yours?

 

[Duggy Dinsdale]

Volcano, floods, and earthquakes. Damn.

Everything ok with you and yours?

I saw the lava flow on the news, amazing how the ground cracked open and all that hot lava flowed out, like blood out of an open wound.


Take care Oldhaole...

 

[oldhaole]

Relax, Don't do it. When you want to go to it.

Relax, Don't do it. When you want to go to it.

Volcano, floods, and earthquakes. Damn.

Everything ok with you and yours?

Lester, Sweet Leaf.... All good here. There have been no floods. At least not recently. Pele is not playing in my backyard. All that's happening on a different island, far enough away so that I'm watching it unfold on the news just like you. DB and Kalo both live on the BI, how close to the event I do not know. I was in my car when the earthquake happened, so I missed that too

The weather has been a week of high clouds. Suppose to rain but it really hasn't. Since today was cloudy, it was also nice and cool. Last year they lifted the number of plants we can have from seven to ten. We have three cards, so were allowed thirty plants. I seldom run more that twenty, but this year I got all this new shit to try. Yesterday I had eleven in front and fourteen in the gulch, and since today was nice, it was time to recover the lower part of the gulch... you know, where the river flowed last month.

It seems to work like everybody wants in on a good thing. The gulch is no different. The False Olive plants I planted decades ago, as cover, have gotten big. The river exposed roots, roots that I tracked back to the cover. First order of business was to trash my chainsaw cutting roots and rocks.... then removing the roots and rocks. Since this area hadn't been planted in a couple of years it was nasty. Then I dug three big holes, brought in power and set up my lights.

Into the holes went a couple of GG#4's and a Mothers Milk. I purposely chose the GG's because they don't always work out here. Failure is an option. And unlike DB, who is gonna have to blast his big plant, I'd rather mine be worth smoking,or have it die trying. Later on I'll build a roof over these but for now while they are veging it's not necessary. So come back in November and see how big we got these things.

So now there's 28 plants in my garden. That's enough.

All of the plants are young, in fact I won't start harvesting anything until the end of the month. Everything has been watered. Everything has been sprayed. Fertilized today too. I'm gonna have to think of a way to burn some time while my garden works.....

So I went fishing.

I was a really nice sunset.

Caught a Barracuda. We ate good.

One little problem. My car keys are down in his mouth here. My hands are full. You wanna be a nice guy and grab them for me?

 

[Dirtboy808]

I'm far enough from it that it's not effecting me. That GG is going to be huge and fucken yield like crazy, should be dry when you need it. I'm still working on mine.
Nice fish and looks like a better fishing trip.

 

[Duggy Dinsdale]

Good to hear all is well. Bye the way, good catch. Done some fishing my self of recent, but it's all been pretty quiet. Not to be off topic, but do you guys have any coral around the islands.