orient express

[dubi]

Hey everyone, this is my first attempt at Orient Express and something odd is happening; I have two questions:

I grow under LED (120 true watts) indoors scrog style in 10.5 liter buckets in a cabinet in soil-less mix and feed *very* lightly with Maxibloom.

First Question:
Is it possible under certain conditions for an Orient Express to finish *earlier* than 8 weeks?

I ask because mine has trichomes turning from clear to cloudy right now and it's at day 36 from flip to 12/12 (5 weeks approximately) and actually surprisingly dense frosty buds for how early this is and some big fan leaves turning colour as other plants normally do when nearing completion.

Going by my past experience with other strains this plant looks like it's about a week or two away from harvest (all cloudy trichomes, maybe very few amber ones here and there no more than 1%) which would put it just barely at 6 or 7 weeks which seems peculiar.

I'm wondering if high growing temps have caused it to finish earlier than normal as my average temp has been 26c throughout the flowering period sometimes peaking at 27c near the end of the day, never lower than 24c when the lights are on.

I know plants in general tend to grow faster under higher temps but I've never been able to determine for certain if this affects the days of flowering required or just the size of the plant.

I also note that the ACE site recommends 25c for Orient Express and backing off to 20c for the last month, unfortunately I was not able to do that due to circumstances beyond my immediate control though I will try to do that next time around.

Second Question:

I'd also like to know the reason behind the recommendation for dropping the temps for the last month, is this to induce "fall" like conditions to trigger finishing or for superior taste and scent or some other reason?

Hello de145,

Yes, there are very fast flowering Orient Express phenos (more chinese influenced) that finish in 45-50 days but usually the average is 8-9 weeks of flowering for the fastest phenos. Im working to inbred the best from the fast finisher expressions.

The reason to drop the temps in the second half of flowering is cos Orient Express and Chinese genetics likes it. It's my experience that very high temps makes this genetics to produce very voluminous flowers but not dense ... the quality is better dropping the temps to 20ºC in the second half of flowering, flowers are much denser, more resinous and quality and they dont reflower.

Hope it helps!

 

[dubi]

Has anyone had an issue with flowers becoming too bulky and snapping the branches on this strain?

I have a truly beautiful OE in flower at the moment that has an elegant, slender branched Christmas tree shaped structure. It is flowering quite profusely and even though it's only week 4 I've noticed it has some serious top heavy sway already. (The thin stem may be my fault. It sits in a spot completely sheltered from the fan.)

Has anybody had to stake up and support their OE plants during late flower?

Sounds like you got the short flowering and compact Orient Express sativa pheno Wait cos this pheno produces most of the yield between 5th and 7th week of flowering, so the better is still to come, keep feeding them strongly for best yield, she is a hungry one but final yield is real high.

The better high yielding phenos are so heavy that support is recommended, especially for the lateral branches.

 

[dubi]

Going to be smoking and deciding which of my Orient Express I shall be keeping in the next few days. I took a bag of one OE and another China Yunnan and they both are very nice. I think the OE has a more up high with what I presume to be a diluted China Yunnan taste. The China Yunnan has a much more intense taste, but is a bit of a mongy stone at the moment. I will post up some pictures in the next few days too.

Im glad you like both Orient Express and China Yunnan. You are right, Orient Express (Vietnam Black x China) effect is more clean, motivating while pure chinese is usually more dense and sedative, chinese is usually sweeter tasting, orient express more kind of organic composted aroma from the Vietnam Black mum.

Enjoy it

 

[The Hatter]

Good to know. I'll try and get the temps down a bit since they are on the high side. My OE has an absolutely massive cola on it, longer and thicker than my forearm but not very dense or resinous. (Week 5 of flower)

 

[dubi]

Then is time to drop temps and be careful with heat peaks when the lights are on, consider to separate a bit more the plant from the lamp to avoid this kind of heat peaks that makes the plant reflower but not in a dense way.

If you already have the weight then work to mature her and get the desired best quality of the strain, just drop the temps to 20C or even less in the night time (17-18ºC).

 

[The Hatter]

Actually now that I think about it, the only part of her where the buds aren't frosting up is the main cola which is directly under the light. She's placed dead center underneath it so I think I'll turn up the fan and move her into a cooler spot next to the air intake with a bit less light intensity. She also seems to have a nitrogen deficiency because she is dropping her large lower fan leaves which are in the shade. (I have a Destroyer that hates nitrogen so I tend to use very little in my grow teas but I think I'll start making a special nitrogen rich tea for the OE which seems to like it much more.)

My Nep Jam constantly reaches for the light so I imagine she won't mind switching places to be dead center underneath it.

 

[dubi]

You are right Hatter,

Orient Express usually needs more nitrogen in the first 2/3 of flowering than most other strains. She will produce more resin in a fresh place despite the light is not so close or intense.

 

[Prest1]

Some of my Orient Express (and quite a few of the other ACE Seeds) had very big colas, I wasn't expecting that. Some of the Bangi Haze had dried colas that are the length of my arm from fingertip to elbow. I have not seen plants grow such colas.

 

[LowFalutin]

I'm flowering out my one bonsai Vb-leaning mum now (6 wks.), and gave her pollen from a haze-leaning Johnny Blaze, a Thai-leaning VbxThai, and a mixed NepJam. Looking forward to those seeds.

 

[The Hatter]

I'm flowering out my one bonsai Vb-leaning mum now (6 wks.), and gave her pollen from a haze-leaning Johnny Blaze, a Thai-leaning VbxThai, and a mixed NepJam. Looking forward to those seeds.

Sounds like their will be some very nice babies. Best of luck with the crosses.

I should thank those who advised me to stake my OE up. It was excellent advice. That girl has become ridiculously top heavy in flower. She's truly a sight to behold for the shear size of her main cola although I have give the Nep Jam best of show for the intense frostiness of its beautiful chunky buds.

I am seriously debating holding my entire next grow up for a month just to reveg that beautiful Nep Jam. The moral of the story is if at all feasible, take some clones of every plant. You never know which one might turn into the goose that lays the golden egg.

 

[dubi]

Some of my Orient Express (and quite a few of the other ACE Seeds) had very big colas, I wasn't expecting that. Some of the Bangi Haze had dried colas that are the length of my arm from fingertip to elbow. I have not seen plants grow such colas.

Hello Prest1

Orient Express is usually our highest yielding strain/m2. It's normal she yields huge colas Especially if you provide them the correct high amount of nutrients they need in flowering. Im glad they are working good for you!

 

[Prest1]

Hello Prest1

Orient Express is usually our highest yielding strain/m2. It's normal she yields huge colas Especially if you provide them the correct high amount of nutrients they need in flowering. Im glad they are working good for you!

I am all about the Panama at the moment. Thinking of doing another grow of just Panama to try and find a really good plant. But I still have Vietnam Black x Thai, Zamaldelica, Malawi and Guatemalan Sativa to grow too!

One thing I have noticed about ACE Seeds is the highs from the buds. Normally I smoke just for taste, but some of these highs are simply fantastic. Some have a really nice social/active buzz, perfect for actually doing things instead of monging out on the sofa. The Panama is great for daytime smoking when I have things that I need to do. I also have a Nepalese dominant Nepalese Jam that is very strong, but doesn't have any mongy feeling to it. I am thinking of doing some breeding with these ACE females... Good work!

 

[Rinse]

Last OE buds..they are 9 months old, really tasty and they smell so good something like honey and fruits
View Image

Those buds are lookin sweet!
Chinese and Vietnamese, what a unique cross, the high and taste sounds my sort of thing too. She's prob a bit late for u.k though.

 

[Prest1]

The Vietnam Black makes the China Yunnan nice and sweet. I think I prefer the Orient Express over the China Yunnan.

I am going to get some Orient Express, Panama and Pakistani Chitral Kush and find some mothers from a few packs of each. I got some good ones from the single pack of each that I did, but I need to do a larger selection to find the amazing ones(Pink Panama and Purple Pakistani Chitral Kush).

 

[The Hatter]

The Vietnam Black makes the China Yunnan nice and sweet. I think I prefer the Orient Express over the China Yunnan.

The OE from my last grow has an amazing sharp berry aroma. It dominated the entire grow room. I describe it as a berry scent for a lack of a better word. It's more complex than that with undercurrents of fuel and forest earth.

If I wasn't so damn paranoid about the ever changing political environment and the permanency of the internet I would post some photos. The main cola was well over 2 feet long and about 3" to 4" thick. It has a nice sort of icy blueish tint to it although much less so than the Nep Jam which has some crazy color to it.

 

[dubi]

I am all about the Panama at the moment. Thinking of doing another grow of just Panama to try and find a really good plant. But I still have Vietnam Black x Thai, Zamaldelica, Malawi and Guatemalan Sativa to grow too!

One thing I have noticed about ACE Seeds is the highs from the buds. Normally I smoke just for taste, but some of these highs are simply fantastic. Some have a really nice social/active buzz, perfect for actually doing things instead of monging out on the sofa. The Panama is great for daytime smoking when I have things that I need to do. I also have a Nepalese dominant Nepalese Jam that is very strong, but doesn't have any mongy feeling to it. I am thinking of doing some breeding with these ACE females... Good work!

Thanks Prest1,

Im glad you are enjoying the effects of the ACE strains you have tried so far They are quite different to the dutch/north american skunk afghani genetics available for the past 30 years, that's for sure. Wish you all feel and enjoy the difference.

Best regards. dubi - ACE Seeds -

 

[Prest1]

I am enjoying them loads. Can't wait to do more. I have some of your longer hazes on the go indoors at the moment, very interesting plants. Very sativa like leaves, so thin and narrow!

I have decided to do a Pakistani Chitral Kush grow again, in search of those purple ones that evaded me last time. My room is upgraded now too, so I should have more control over the temperature. Should allow for me to get some purple plants.

Thanks again

 

[The Hatter]

There have been pages of nothing but text in this thread for a while which is partly my doing so here's a photo to help break up the wall of words.

This is the dried and trimmed main cola off of a very productive Orient Express. Thanks for the great genetics.

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[dubi]

Beautiful The Hatter,

You are right the thread needs more pics, thanks for share your great Orient Express harvest, congrats for such great results

I also would like to share one fatty Orient Express mum (chinese indica dominant pheno from the F1 fem line), selected for her high yield in only 45-50 days of flowering, dense flowers, classic organic OE aroma and clear effect ...

 

[dubi]

Here's a nice Orient Express individual i selected lately from the standard line.

It's the massive yielding compact sativa pheno, it takes a bit more to mature (60-65 days) than other more indica chinese dominant phenos but final yield is real huge. The other taller very dominant Vietnam Black phenos also yield a lot but they grow quite tall and can easily go to 12 weeks of flowering.

This compact sativa pheno has a great balance of sativa and indica traits, stays short and has a moderate flowering time. I also love her organic hashy vietnam black taste and motivating effect

Of couse, always organics