New Grower 1st Grow, Nirvana NL Auto, CFL, Soil

[TheGroShmo]

Here we are, day 72 from seed for Shimano, day 68 for SRAM. Since last checking in I decided to take some chances. I've been afraid of overwatering, but hadn't really found out where the line was. Both plants look good to me and seem far enough along to have a robust root system, so I really upped the water amount.

I first did 60 oz of plain water to both, then about 48 hours later gave 1/2 gallon (64 oz.) of plain water to both. And nothing bad happened! I never got run-off, but the bottoms of the pots were damp and cool to the touch. And neither seemed as dry after the usual 48 hour interval. Subsequent to that, they both got 64 oz. of Bloom feed on Tuesday. Today they'll both get the plain 64 oz. each.

Also, chopped a lower branch from Shimano on Tuesday. I'm going to take branches once a week or so from now on to work on my drying process and test potency. I did get the loupe to check the trichs (a few days late, thanks LASERSHIP. WTF IS LASERSHIP?!), and I'd say neither plant is done. SRAM (taller, younger) is not close, probably another month is my guess. Not sugary at all, but getting some brown pistils, maybe 10%. Shimano is thickening up, getting sugary. Pistils are 50% or more brown and almost everything is curling in. Nugs not huge but feeling dense and solid. Trichs are mostly clear, maybe some cloud. My loupe is 30x power and I'd actually recommend going stronger. What I got is fine, and I wouldn't replace it unless I had to, but a higher power and larger lens (25mm) would make the job easier.

Spent some time yesterday reconfiguring the closet. My temps got up to 90 deg last Sunday (outside temps were about 80, no AC on in the house.) Monday in my area was similarly warm, and with summer coming I figured I should take another stab at better temps. I got more ducting and moved my exhaust from trying to spit out the top to going under the bottom of the door. Now I can actually feel a breeze exiting the closet. The Phresh and fan are still at the top of the closet, with a long tail of ugly ducting running along the door frame.

The top of the branch I took for testing on 4/15.


After trimming the fat.

 

[TheGroShmo]

Sampled the branch from 4/15 yesterday, 4/20. It's not done. I did 3 days at the top of the grow closet near the filter, then a day in a small jar with a medium, 62% Boveda pack. Got maybe medium high, was a harsh smoke in the throat. I'm usually always conscious of being high when I am, and with this it was like I'd forget and be reminded every few mins with a slight wave of euphoria.
This branch was the LEAST developed of those that looked like maybe they were worth something, so maybe the main 3-4 colas are better?

I'll post some pics tomorrow to help describe what they look like. Think I've found an overwatering symptom after the multiple half-gallon waterings. I'll put pics of that too.

 

[TheGroShmo]

A couple sets.

Shimano day 77:



SRAM day 73



Snipped another branch from Shimano yesterday eve. Maybe do 4 days hanging this time, we'll see.

SRAM is now much taller and lankier than Shimano, probably 6 inch diff. I have Shimano on a wood block and next to the lower, supplemental light. I think it's safe to conclude the 125W fluorescent hood I have would really be better with just one plant. It's hard to position the plants so that everything's getting light.

I'm glad I have two growing so I can compare, but I won't have two in the same stage going at once again.

 

[TheGroShmo]

Shimano Day 81: Tips and edges look burned. Gave 50 oz. plain water today. Thinking about plain water the rest of the way. Nine weeks of flower would be 63 days, and if I assume 4 wks (28 days) of veg I'm looking at 91 days total. So, 10 days out to start flush seems about right. Three more waterings maybe?

On another note, Shimano trichomes are cloudy and clear, no amber yet. I'm glad I have the second, younger plant to compare with. It's a bit tricky to tell if what I'm seeing is cloudy or not. If you look down the "straw" of a trich from the top it can appear cloudy, but looking at it from the side shows it's still clear.

SRAM is chuggin' along, day 77. I'd say at this point it's at least ten days behind in development. It looks like the pics of Shimano from 4/15. It's a brighter green and the pistils are still mostly and very white. Some crystal now too, but everything is totally clear. I'd bet this one needs longer overall to finish, maybe 3 more weeks.

 

[pop22]

Looking good! :Sharing One:

 

[TheGroShmo]

Shimano Day 89: Looks like about 50/50 cloudy/clear on the trichomes. Took out leaves that were shading bud sites. She's pretty lean now. Buds are getting nice and dense, probably 80% of pistils are orange and have curled in to some degree.



Shape is lopsided now. The buds I've taken off have all petty much been from one side, sort of mid height. Thought that would give me an idea of how the smoke would change with age, but also leaving the top buds to fully mature. Basically, so it always gets better AND you don't sacrifice what in theory are the best buds of the plant.

Shimano Day 87: What I trimmed off. The top of this bud was just about level with the bottom of highest buds.



SRAM Day 85: Fattening up noticeably every day. Pruned a few leaves that were blocking bud sites. Shape is pretty much nice and even all the way around.



The whole space.



Feeding: Today was the third straight plain 50 oz. to Shimano. Probably do one more cutting of lower level stuff, and then a last one of everything. I want to get it out so I can remove the second hanging bulb. It seems to add
2-3 degrees to the room, believe it or not. I think both plants have heat stress, curled leaves that look burned.

SRAM got 48 oz. of 1/4 tsp/gal water. The buds are getting denser and pistils are near 50/50 white/orange, but I bet it will be much better with another 2 weeks.

 

[TheGroShmo]

All right peeps, Shimano has gotten the chop! Took her down on the 9th, day 94 from seed. No orange trichomes, but at least a 50/50 cloudy to clear. 75% of pistils all curled in, nice and dense. You'll see from the pics, the plant was about the same size as a typical box fan.

SRAM got a 48 oz plain feed yesterday, and I'm going to let that one go as long as it takes to get orange trichs. Nice and roomy in the closet now, also just have the one light.

Also, have my next seed germinating in a coco cube. Pure AK, it's a photo seed, so I'll be in a different forum next time.

Pics: sorry about the sideways, can't figure out why that's happening.

 

[TheGroShmo]

Day 101 for SRAM. Think I'm done with any nutrients. Still no orange trichs. Has seemed to fatten a little the last two or three days. I'm hoping it will pack on some more weight and planning to go at least 110 days unless something comes up.







Got two AK seedlings going now. The first one I started in a coco cube. The root got longer but never grew down into the cube, so the whole thing just pushed out over one night. I tucked the root back into the hole of the cube and started a second seed directly in soil, mostly cause I thought the first one was dead. Now I have two I guess.