@dubi
After reading a bit more i guess i finally got it.
Its quite logical. The increased psychedelic effects you reported are dependend on the cannabinoid profile inluding all cannabinoids.
Because a pure sativa naturally produces psychedelic effects as well as some more complex side effects depending on the different cannabinoids, its just logical that in a later harvest such effects would increase. So you were right
@C21H30O2
I tested already some bud (Cream Caramel) that has been cured for two years. I did not like it, still quite relaxing but very short effect and almost zero potency. The cannabinoid profile of fresh harvested plants is much better in my opinion.
Here's my Congo at 28 days under 12/12. What can I say? She's magnificent. Bud sites EVERYWHERE kind of spiraling up the main cola. Already, the stems are covered pretty solidly up and down the plant - although it's somewhat hard to see from the photo. I'll try to get some better shots.
Really looking forward to watching her fill in. I'm growing her under a 1K light with several other plants (including three Bangi Hazes and a Tashkenti). I'm using Perlite/Vermiculite and 10 liter buckets...PureBlendPro and Liquid Karma.
There was some pH turbulence this grow. I've been keeping the nutes at 5.8 through 6.0 but something happened to cause the tips of some of the leaves to become quite golden (see thumb). Doesn't seem to be affecting growth or blossoming at this point, however. My thinking is that I may have overdone the cal/mag causing some sort of lock-out. I don't think it's nute burn though as I see very little crisiping on the tips. Whatever...this plant is a beauty to behold and the color seems to be improving as I cut way back on the cal/mag.
The last picture is The Future. A lovely clone of one of two Congos that I grew from seed.
It's great to see more flowered congos posted here! You are right, i think you have a ph problem or deficiency, are you growing only with perlite/vermiculite or mixed with soil ?
Hi dubi...the plant in the above photos is in perlite and vermiculite (no soil)...last few grows, I've been able to pull out some beautiful plants using this method. Pain free. I have a feeling that I have been using too much Cal/Mag and maybe not enough of the base nutes. I keep 'em at 5.8-6.0 - I think that the color may be returning leading me to wonder if it's not a form of nitrogen deficiency. Hopefully things are balancing out now.
My new grows are in coco. I have a Congo clone from a different plant that got put under 12/12 on 4/28. Her color is better than my photo skills and camera light setting. Absolutely beautiful plant. She has now been bent over, however and is spreading new limbs to the sky.
Honestly, im not a fan of this kind of artificial methods, they are quite sterile without much benefitial bacteria, hormones, nutrients, etc ... it's very easy to have nutrient deficiencies growing in that way.
I think you have a macro nutrient deficiency (N probably) and Ca/Mg problem. I like to grow in fertile soil organically, it's easier to identify and correct the problems and the finished product is healthier and tastier.
Hi all...here's some shots of the Congo (on the RIGHT) and a Bangi Haze.
This here is a Congo grown from a clone I took from a different plant.
She was placed under 12/12 on 4/28. She's currently in Coco Hempy.
Her flower development, at this point, is wondrous.
dubi -> I totally understand your position. And agree - however, given my circumstances, I'm reluctant to grow in soil for a variety of reasons. Strangely enough, my last several grows with Perlite/Vermiculite were trouble free. Not this time. I think it is a nitrogen deficiency and some weird cal/mag lock-up perhaps. The other thing is, I'm using urban tap water and who knows what crap is in it.
I have shifted to coco and I'm interested to see how it turns out. Hopefully, I can get it dialed in. The growth and development of the Congo clone (in the coco) has been remarkable. Of course, the first Congo is also an incredibly beautiful plant and -as I see it- there's several more weeks to go.
Here's a random shot of a lower-most bud of the Congo - taken under the CFL sidelighting in the flower room. Damn! She's a good looking plant. Lots o' glands! Still aways to go but she's a temptress. Will try to get some better shots. She's magnificent.
Happy? I'm in awe! Here's some pics of the full plant at about 58 days under 12/12. She's starting to foxtail like crazy. The delicate stalks look exquisite. She smells like evil jungle fruit that's a little over ripe. The merest brush of a hand causes an unrush of scent.
Here's a close-up of a foxtail...
As you can see, the inner buds are absolutely glazed with trichomes.
I have a question regarding Congos and perhaps sativas. My Congo is about at day 70 under 12/12. After foxtailing, it's starting to shoot out long, thin shoots with sparse buds and larger single leaves. Some of the shoots have new buds forming. My question(s) is whether this is revegging and whether it would be a good juncture to pull. I only have one flower room (with several other plants accompanying the Congo) and do not have the capacity to place the plant -individually- under 10/14. The trichs are not quite where I want 'em - I'm not a big amber man - the majority are cloudy but there are still some trichomes that are clear or at the beginning stages of clouding up. I'd prefer less of those and more cloudy.
If I leave it in much longer, OTOH, I'm afraid I'm just going to get more and more of these strange, sparse off-shoots with lamb-ear leaves. OTOH, maybe it's just showing some kind of second stage flowering and these things will fatten up as well. I just started flushing - figuring I'd take it in a couple of weeks- but I'm wondering whether now's the time given the funky growth.
So what do you think? Any thoughts or suggestions to help clarify a course of action would be appreciated. Thanks!!!!
This kind of reflowering is a classic trait in most tropical sativas, our Congo hybrid was bred looking for early flowering, dense flowers and indoor adaptability but she is still a mostly sativa hybrid and the tropical origins are, depending on the plant, more or less evident.
If you dont have the chance to change photoperiod to 10/14 then remove any N feeding. Not sure if you want to feed her more but a flushing would help the plant to mature and to stop reflowerings.
Thanks for the response, Dubi!! Since I don't have the resources to give her a separate photoperiod from other flowering plants in different stages of development - would it make sense to put her into full 24 hour darkness for a few days prior to harvest in order to help her get the message? She's at about 73 days now - and I'm happy to let her run through a full flush (just started flushing a couple of days ago). I figure she'd go beyond 11 weeks (maybe) but I don't want her to go way beyond - It's summer here and she's so fat at the main cola that I don't want mold to be an issue for her. I'm also pretty sure that some of her secondary branches are ready to go and I don't want them to start reflowering -or get too mature.
I took the Congo down at 77 days. It probably could have gone longer but I didn't want to run the risk of mold with such a massive and dense cola. I sampled a bit a while ago and it was amazing so...chop!
Im very impressed with your congolese indoor harvest... the red pistils, ovaries, resin production and slight purple colors are VERY congolese, hope you saved clones cos if you like the smoke then you have a great individual there, very interesting traits.
I grew out a giant Congo from Ace about 3 summers ago, she looked just like the plant above.She vegged for a long time and the top was about the size of 3 footballs, I should have topped her but I had forgotten.These Congos can grow real big and fast at that!! ^^^ The plant looks great, she's a nice variety to screw around with, you can imagine the long deep african history and how long people have been using jungle buds like these...This is absolutely not "Dutch" marijuana.