Soulshine moves into the closet

[HeadyPete]

Oh yeah, did you check your flowering room for light leaks? Even a tiny one will mess your plants. I actually crawled into my flower room and closed the door so I could see if there were leaks from my CFLS on the mom/veg side. There were many and after some hard work I got em all.

Get in there in the dark and let your eyes adjust for awhile, then check every square inch for light leaks.

Good luck bro! Glad to see my help and effort was put to very good use!

 

[SoulShine]

The answer is, "I will be...." /

You got that exactly right, Pete! Ha! I think I'm done for awhile, but will keep that 600 in mind. The reason I got the 400 in the first place was from looking at those pre-made cabs and they almost all had 400w hps in them. So I looked at the cab I had and figured it about the same space, but I guess they have those dialed in better. I find with my cool tube that I can keep it pretty close to the plants, (about a foot) but the light does not spread as evenly with the airflow as it does from side to side. Wish I could turn it sideways in my closet. I usually end up with one side higher than the other so it fills the length of the growing space better. Make sense? I might try to make a better reflector for it between crops.

6 Oz per plant sounds AWESOME! I'll be very happy if I get 1 oz per this time. That sounds like a great yeild for a small grow! Are you LST'ing or what? Did you top them? I've been trying to top real early ever since reading the Lazy thread. (I think thats the one)
Why wouldn't that OB1 be able to clone? Have you seen that happen before? You could always try to reveg it after flowering. If it works - great, if not - you were planning to lose it anyway, right?
I'm having great results with the bubble cloner so far. I've not lost a one yet. Had a couple older branches I thought were not going to make it. Turned pretty yellow in the cloner but then grew roots, new green on top, put in soil and off it goes. I've read others swear by the wick one too, though. Hope the OB1 comes around.

Northern Lights......... always wanted to try it.... not yet had the chance. Never heard a complaint about it!

Thanks again for all your help early on and with the PH problems. I'd have killed them all without you! BTW, that meter is the bomb!

 

[HeadyPete]

I have a cool tube and know exactly what you are talking about. I wanted my light to be perpendicular to the length of the room so the natural throw of the bulb goes lengthwise, but I too did not have enough room to turn it that way. I think only a custom hood would work, believe me I looked all over. I don't buying anything gro over the net or on a credit card, so if it's (kinda) local, I pay cash. Perhaps one day I will make one at the proper size and orientation with 6" hookups aligned the right way. Can't be any worse than the cruel tube. I got my 6" tube with extra wing reflector $125 no tax cash, so I couldn't refuse it. It was an opened demo, but in new condition.

You may find that the light that close burns the leaves, it looks like yellow scalding on the leaf. I got some with my 600 at about a foot, your 400 might be fine.

I imagine around 6 oz, my buddy grew this LUI SCROG in recycling bins and got around 105 grams per bin, This is comparable and 30 days in I have some big colas growing, plus a secondary harvest below of nice 6"+ colas. There is probably a dozen or more tops poking through. He used a 400, my 600 will make all the difference.

I LST'd this one and vegged it for about 20 days under 6 X 27 w cool CFL. LST is fancy talk for bend the plant over and stake it. LST is the shit. I don't like topping, it slows growth. LST does the same thing, gets the main branches down even growing with the side branches, with no trauma or slowdown of growth. I used bare copper electrical wire and bent it into a "U" about 10" long and used them to stake down the plant. When the tip grew I moved the furthest stake to the front until the tip reached the side of the bin, then let it grow up from there and all the branches are pretty even and growing on a horizontal frame. You can stake each main branch to fill a void and maximise your growing area. You can LST any plant, any size and get more and better buds. The scraggly bottom branches that get little light now poke through and get the same light as the rest down the line. Do your bending before watering when plant is most thirsty and bendy, this way you won't snap any. 2 weeks into flowering I will trim out small and thin branches that are not keeping up with the main ones, you will see em, to concentrate all the growing power into your many primo budsights.

My 2nd LUI is Lst'd the same and it shares a larger bin with a 3rd LUI, but this one had it's tip damaged when she was young so it grew as a Y. I staked down the main tip one way and the branch closest to the soil the other way, so the Y provides support for many primo budsights. All 3 LUIs are from different seeds, with 2 Ortega phenos, more hashy/musky, and 1 Sweet Tooth pheno, all sugary sweet. I am determining who stays and who is out. The best stone first, then flavour and smell, but potency is most important. I have smoked the SWT pheno and it was delish, but this is gonna be a head to head to head smokefest/test.

As for the OB1 not cloning, apparently the Oregon 90 in her is notorious for difficulty of cloning. It does clone as my mom was a rooted cut, but the other 3 with her never rooted and died. She will clone, but she is slowwwwww. I have one cut in a peat pellet and it's been almost 3 weeks now and still no roots. It's not dead either.....Hopefully the wick cloner will do the job. It gets great reviews by serious growers. Good point about the reveg! If the smoke is special, I may reveg. I would really like to be able to clone because this girl is special and no one anywhere near these parts has her, including the person I got her from. He got seeds from Sugabear II, who bred this strain (by accident) and gifted it around. I want to do Suga proud, for sure. You can read up about the OB1 here: http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=57712&page=1&pp=15 Mmmmm pineapple heaven!

I have heard great things about the Atomic NL, powerful couch stone, and the wife requested a nice Northern Lights back when I went to buy seeds, so it is for her. Once I am through all these I want Kali Mist.

I put 10 Mountain Jam seeds into peat pellets tonight and put them on the heating pad. It begins......more mouths to feed. I will veg these out for 4 months or so before I clone and hopefully by then they will have all shown sex and I can thin em out. My LUI will be done, and hopefully I will finished an OB1 by then as well. This should leave my flower room empty and waiting for a whole bunch of mountain jam. I will grow out all girls regular style and quick to get a crop finished for testing....then I will cull the rest of the moms and have 1 or 2 keepers. This should keep us in smoke for a long time and I shouldn't have to do any flowering through next summer. I should also have plenty to do gift bags for some of our lucky friends.

I love my meter as well. it really clarifies what is happening with the mechanics of ph in the soil environment. It is easier for troubleshooting plant issues when you know your ph is good. I felt like I was blind, but now I can see......

I have an excellent source for carbon, if your paying too much at a pet store. $87 delivered, 27 lbs in a sealed bucket. This is high grade carbon for water purification and a bucket for you is probably 4 refills. My scrubber is 6" and 2' long so the bucket will do about 3 refills. Ebay purchased from a guy selling just this, not a gro store, so it is safe. When you are not flowering, and if your moms don't stink, disconnect the scrubber to save the carbon for next crop. I was thrilled to get this deal on carbon, it was stressing me out. I just got my DIY scrubber installed the other day, after 25 days of flowering. The ladies were starting to stink and I could procrastinate no longer.

You are very welcome, glad I could help you get going, and avert disaster. It is very satisfying to watch someone learn and advance and hopefully master this hobby. You obviously have plenty of raw talent and ambition, so some of the finer tips will help you a long way.


Have a good night and take care. I am looking forward to your next update.

 

[SoulShine]

Yeah, That OB1 thread I had read through before and just went back and browsed it again. Suga's got it dialed in for sure. The early pictures of the one pheno with main branch and few leaves reminds me of my afghan. I am greatly encouraged again! I hope it turns out as well for you as it did for Suga. Feel free to PM pics!

What is the Mt. Jam? Indica, Sativa or a cross? I'm starting to notice the difference in my own plants. The SQ is much more Indica, more squat, & dense. A very sturdy plant. I'd say excellent for a beginner. The clones root easily with larger, shorter roots. The female pistols were easy to see with the naked eye. They were longer and had large diameter to them.

The Afghan on the other hand, is a more delicate plant. Less leaves spaced further apart, the female pistols only visable with magnification (10x lupe) and were thread thin and shorter than the SQ. The clones are producing much longer, say 3-4 inch, slim and delicate roots.

I am going to LST next round for sure, unless I go SOG, because my SQ mom is kicking @ss producing, and I can't make myself throw them away. I got way too many coming on.

I needed to lower my shelf to get a few more inches from the light so took some pictures without the HPS. So, here's a photo update:

SpeedQueen Day 34













Afghan Day 28 - I think, notebooks in closet - lights out.









Buds are looking frosty. I hope they get a bit bigger, but if not, I'm still happy for a first grow. Gettin dialed in, improving, learning from all of you.
I gotta go catch a buzz, later,
SS

 

[sugabear_II]

hey soulshine,

very nice thread. I'm looking forward to watching things continue. I think I have some SQ's that I may have my friend pop some of - how do you think they'd do outdoor around 42 North.

Both the SQ and the ghani are looking really nicre for how far along - you know you're loving that 400 now instead of just the CFLs - all my biggest plants were under a 400 (the ob1s and some big burmese and trainwrecks) - I love the 150 but never got those 8-12" colas you get with the 400.

I see some really big colas in the future for you with that ghani

heady - the OB1 was an intentional cross of oregon90 and burmese pure - the trainwreck x burmese was the accident (only 14 or so of them exist and BG's got half).

 

[chubbynugs]

OH man i am waiting on my speed queens and was thinkin of scroggin them just like you did. I will be watching this thread for sure. Btw do you have room in your closet for a fat pothead to sit and sleep in all day? Great set up you got goin on man.

 

[AlaskaGrows]

definetly looking good for 28days, congrats for your first grow. those are some large nugs

 

[SoulShine]

Hey thanks guys,

Sugabear, Glad you stopped by the closet! I'd have rolled out the red carpet, but didn't know you were coming! Next time for sure. Yeah, I picked the SQ after reading some threads here at IC. It's supposed to be real hearty, and I find that to be true. After all, I have not been able to kill any of them yet, unless you count the males. LOL! I't supposed to do well outside but I don't know about at 42 North. I'd only be speculating. Glad you popped in and I'll keep an eye out on those OB1's. Looking good!

Chubbynugs, How are you at watering, mixing nutes, cloning and such? Maybe we can work something out. Hope you get your seeds soon and they work as well for you. I lost bunch to males due to the stress of all the moves and building, but am real happy with the two ladies that made it through. I'm going to keep one mom of each pheno.

AlaskaGrows. thanks for stopping by. I'm gonna check out your thread in a few! Stop back by!

SS

 

[d4.]

Their looking great man, looks like they have a little while left I'd hope . Those Colas are dense!

 

[budvapor]

looking fantastic dude!

 

[PHANTOM]

Hectic looking grow,

I`m gonna subscribe to this one for sure!!!!!!!!!!

PEACE

PHANTOM

 

[HeadyPete]

My bad Suga! I will help persuade BG to pop those TWxB as soon as he can!

SS, best get over chucking out clones. Your moms will overgrow your room if you don't trim them and you would never be able to plant and finish all those plants. SOG is a ton of work for the same effect as SCROG or even LST. Lotsa little plants just seems like so much more trouble than one nice big trained plant, ya know?

The Mountain Jam is a cross of DJ Short True Blueberry and Soulshine. Here is the description:

We are very proud to offer you the initial release in the joint projects between Chimera Seeds and DJ Short.

The Mountain Jam is a hybrid of the Soulshine and DJ's prized blueberry, blending two colourful and sweet flavored elites for an oustanding performer. The SoulShine has become our flagship sensimilla flower for overall odor, taste, beauty, ease of growth, quality of high and of course yield. It has a multi-angled branching pattern that seems to balance the arms so that the massive tops and tips can almost support their plumpness without assistance. Once turned to a flowering cycle, these beauties will double in size and the arm tops will be ready for a colorful harvest at 53-58 days. With proper techniques, two more harvests 3-5 days apart and you will be amazed at how much ripening will happen on the middles and bottoms, turning the calyxes into little purple candy canes. Pollinated with DJ Shorts selected Blueberry male, should bring a reminiscent smell of grapefruits, overripe mango and wild blueberries when they are ready for harvest.

 

[SoulShine]

Hey guys! Glad you stopped by for a look. This bubble cloner is making things too easy. I have still not lost a one. Some of these were pretty big branches trimmed back from the mother plant. Didn't know if they were too big to clone or not so figured I'd try.


And into the dirt.


I can probably keep 3 scrogged like the other one, or maybe 2 LST'd correctly. I want to keep one of the afghans as a mom. Have my eye one one of them already. Nice plant, shape and all. They are a slower grow at the start than the SQ. The (d) pheno of the SQ, as I call it, or the smaller, shorter one, is also a slow grower. The regular SQ pheno that I had the most of is a very fast grower. Jumps right up there and, with the clones, I can tell them apart just by looking at them and their growth.

Pete, Yeah, I remember you telling me about the Soulshine now. Crossed with the Blueberry, that sounds sweet! Mountain Jam. Even like the sound of it! Can't wait to hear about it!

Yeah, you are right about the SOG vrs scrog or LST especially in different pots. Might as well weed out the weak and train the best. Just not used to having a "supply" of plants available for growing. I think it's something I can get used to.

Anything new on the OB1? Did you get the cloner ready yet? Any roots showing?

SS

 

[HeadyPete]

Nice job on those roots!

So I checked the OB1s in the wick cloner, 8 days or so and not a root, but the 5 cutz are all nice and green and perky, so on they go.

My first OB1 cut that I did in a peat pellet, 36 days ago, finally is showing roots out the side of the peat pellet!! yes!

36 days, can you believe it? Already the yellowing top is starting to green up again. I topped up the pot with soil, as the pellet was sitting on a little bit of soil till I could see roots. So now they feed on the nutes premixed in the cocosoil, and get water with calmax and ph adjusted with fulvic acid. This should be good for 2 weeks or so, then I will start feeding gro nutes with the water. At one point couple weeks ago, I took the cut out of the pellet to check and there was a tiny root bud, but I broke it putting the cut back in, and I thought for sure that was it. Apparently not....so this girl can be cloned, and now I can see if the wick cloner works faster, or if I can improve the peat method.....once rooted they grow well.

So definitely not for commercial purposes, but that don't affect me. Now I am stoked to smoke this plant. I'm gonna veg and LST till she is pretty big, then flower a nice little monster all winter long. I hope the 600hps cuts the finish time down. I think some of the other guys were talking 120 days. If this smoke is dynamite then it is worth it. A possible connoisseur strain right here in my garden.

The mountain jam have popped 9/10. 1 dead seed. Not bad for 2 years in the fridge. Nice work Chimera. They are so cute.

I want to flower all winter and take next summer off, and enjoy the jars of different bud for awhile before flowering again. That could change, as I have the NL seeds and I'm eyeing the kali mist beans, wanna get these in my fridge asap....I had no probs with temps even in the hottest part of the summer so we'll see. It does kinda tie you down though....

 

[SoulShine]

Roots & 9 for 10 !!

Well thats good news all around! 36 days is a really long time. I bet when you get the cloner dialed in it won't take as long.

My clones had so many roots I thought about just adding nutes and calling it DWC grow. I hadn't checked them in a couple days and was surprised at 48 hours difference.

I have to trim back the moms again, so will probably just have to pitch the cuttings. Have plenty going. Just have to wait now. Noticing some of the white hairs starting to darken on the tops of the buds. Just slightly, so far. Trichs are still all very clear. Got a couple weeks left on the SQ and probably 3 on the AF. After all this time, it getting closer. Told Mrs Soulshine, it'd probably be around Halloween, and thats gonna be pretty close. Then to make myself wait to cure. That's gonna be the hard part, I think. LOL!

SS

 

[HeadyPete]

Ya, wait for the cure.....the hardest part!

Thanks for the jumpy guys, I am very happy that things are rolling along.

All the mjam seedlings are in 4" round pots now in homemade coco soil, with some organic fert in it, and they are getting water ph adjusted down with fulvic acid. 2 weeks or so then I will start feeding liquid ferts.

I think a rooting gel would help bring down the time on those, but I have my goal accomplished, one clone ready to veg up nice and big for budding. Funny the timing is great. I have about 7 weeks till I have room under the hps, and that's about what I want to veg for. My one lui is into week 6 now, with prolly 6 more weeks, for complete and really stony harvest. She has 3 main colas that are getting thick and close to 12" tall, with like 15 or more respectable buds under that. 3 different smells as well.

1 smells kinda off and funky, but sweet undertone, one is lemony skunky with faint fruity and a nice eucalyptus smell to her, and the 3rd is sweet berry, almost grape. Can't wait till those are done and cured!

To keep my moms from growing like crazy I have them under 6 x 15 watt cool cfls, and feed 1/2 strength gro with a plain water flush every third or fourth watering.. They are also on 18/6 cycle. They are great, small and compact, and ready to give one or a dozen clones whenever I need.

Yup all Mrs Heady really cares about is, "When will it be ready?", and "It'd better get me high!" She's a bear when I get a weak bag from the dealer.....

 

[GrassRoots]

Hey Soulshine, your garden looks pretty sweet man. I really like how clean your whole setup is. I'll be following along, I really want to hear about that speed queen. That was one of my picks when I ordered my 3 mandala strains but it was out of stock at the time of my order so I went with white satin instead but I still plan on growing SQ out at some point. Great looking roots from those clones too! Anyway, keep up the great work and I'll be following along.

 

[SoulShine]

Update:
This was yesterday but couldn't post pics because of problems with the site. Anyway, we are at day 50 with the speed queen and about day 43 with the afghan. The afghan colas are like a foot long, and have a huge skunk smell!
Click for larger view:




And the Afghan:

 

[Dr Dog]

Both those strains look great, I would have to give hats off to that Afghan, huge plant, very nice

 

[HeadyPete]

Top job, SS!