Photoperiod Death's Ceaseless Cycle

[Death The Cultivator]

Haven't updated for these in awhile due to spider mites. I've had them isolated without light for a few weeks while I made a plan to eradicate them. Work and COVID got in the way but I finally figured out a plan of action - I made it snow in that motherfucker.

Diatomaceous earth everywhere! The plan being to kill off the current generation before more nymphs emerge and ultimately interrupting the cycle. Not the easiest to get on the underside but they always form their webs above so I'll leave the DE on indefinitely. I'm sure there are eggs but I really wanted these plants to grow so the entire tent has a nice layer with the fans and exhaust off.

I hit everything to prevent a spread but in particular the Panama Haze above due to an infestation of root aphids. I also covered the root ball and interior of the pot though the plant needs to dry some more. I saw a few mites on some of the plants but ultimately it was the speckled damage that led to me hitting everything. This works out better than getting a foliar product as I am done spraying my plants for the most part. I will incorporate micronized sulfur but overall I see very little benefit to foliar feeding after several years.

 

[Corum59]

That looks drastic, like a bomb exploded... hope it works out.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

That looks drastic, like a bomb exploded... hope it works out.

Thanks!

I doubt it will for the chocolate cheese but it was preventative for everything else.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

Went over a whole mess of options to combat the spider mites and ultimately settled on Bonide Concentrated Neem Oil and Castile soap. Plants were actually growing fine covered in the DE though I wasn't around to observe mites when they would be most active. Bought an electric sprayer, emulsified the Neem with; warm water, silica, and Castile at a 1:1 against the Neem.

The sprayer works amazingly well compared to my Walmart pump sprayer, came pre charged with me having really no complaints. Hit above and below the leaves and later made a drench for the Panama Haze with root aphids.

Currently the plants are separated as the four seed plants are too large to be in the 5x5 with everything else. Not quite in a position yet to have veg plants packed together. I'm looking at around 12-18 cuttings per large plant and maybe one per small but it is enough that I can start my SOG. Once the cuts are taken, the seed plants can veg a bit more and I'll begin flowering them a few weeks later. Clone tray is prepped with 1.0 EC 6.3ph waiting patiently.

Pic below; Panama Haze to the front left, Copacabana Haze to the back left, and Diesel Deluxe to the right. I believe at the this I will be flowering these four plants in 5 gallon fabric pots so they can afford to become larger. They will go under the two 315cmh lights instead of the bridgelux fixture. I don't have enough height with the SOG table to feel comfortable running them under such hot lights.

I will fumigate the house in a few days as I clean the room and continue spraying Neem every 3 days. Slowly but sure I'm getting closer to being ready so I'll have to use Mega Crop with Sweet Candy due to cost. Hopefully by the time the clones have rooted I will have 70ish gallons of Coco prepped along with 15+ 5gal fabric pots.

That rack will be moved outside the tent with all the new mother plants but I'm not sure where I'm going to put it quite yet lol. I'll throw the 185w bridgelux over it to veg. Unfortunately, COVID fucked my budget so side lighting will more than likely not happen but whatever. Disgruntled that I probably won't finish these before the end of the year but shit happens.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

A day later and I have completely green leaves on everything with a bit of leftover DE stuck on but it is minor. There is a nice citrus smell permeating the room that smells clean. The real victory, I knew the Neem would kill the spider mites, was that the root drench seems to have subdued all the root aphids on the Panama Haze seed mother. Now I can transplant her to a 5 gallon with no fear of further infestation. Once I buy more coco I'll begin a regimen of nematodes monthly to help prevent any further issues

By the end of the week I will begin taking cuttings from these mothers and anyone else that I think can give me a few - ultimate goal of around 50-60 babies. I also will begin pruning back these mothers to shape them for flower then I'll let them veg until about the end of the month to flower. In the meantime, I will keep a rotation of Neem>Castile foliar for a bit.

Fuck spider mites and aphids they're all my bitches now.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

It's weird being so fucking busy all the time with work but it is relaxing to be around cannabis 24/7 lol. Today I did the first weekly foliar of Neem/Castile/Silica on every plant, did some pruning, and finished with clones. Special post for you @PlatinumGrows showing how I shape my plants. Please excuse the mess as I am remodeling and the grow room looks like shit and let me know if something wasn't clear.

Pruned back all the seed plants and a Panama Haze clone as the mother plant died on me but it s all good I had more. I was able to get 9-12 cuts per strain though I don't see a SOG happening with the CMH lights. They are pushing temps to 96f or higher in the 4x4 so I'll need some of those sexy 404 SSK panels from CutterAU. I thankfully have enough mothers that I have no fear of losing anything but this next round of clones will replace them as I will more than likely flower them a month after the first batch starts.

I observed one web on a Diesel Deluxe but I believe it was an old one that did not get blasted by the sprayer. Hoping the spider mites are gone for good now but I will continue to spray. I will eventually transplant everything to 5 gallon fabric pots before I begin flowering and set up 3x mothers in them as well.

Really not much else I can think of, I've been growing these for over four months while I worked out my problems and the only plant I'm not excited to flower is the Diesel Deluxe pheno that doesn't branch much. Clones came out very nice despite some flagging they recuperated and should give nice results within a week and a half.

I have Mega Crop and Sweet Candy on the way, speaking the Horticulturalist at work he mentioned that MC and most other cannabis specific formulas are so close it comes down to cost more than anything else. He approves of MC and made mention it shouldn't be particularly inferior to what a commercial op would formulate. It sucks I won't be able to flood and drain quite yet but that is still the ultimate goal - wish I could change the thread name.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

70 days, fucking ridiculous but we are almost there. I have about 7 cuts of each strain but I'm getting a bad case of botrytis in the clone dome so I've pulled back my overall RH to 50-55% for the whole room. Worst case scenario I'll grab more cuts at week three, I really only need three cuts of each. My mother earth Coco arrived and I have been able to do my transplants finally.

I've done four transplants minus the Diesel Deluxe #2 that was extra, mostly to make better use of my space. DD2 is short like the Panama Haze but compared to the Diesel Deluxe/Copacabana Haze they are manageable. I won't be doing anymore pruning until week three of flower but I fear the stretch immensely. Running 5 gallon fabric pots and I think everything is going to be very successful, much love to @La Buena Hierba

Coco was flushed heavily at a 6.0ph/1.9EC of Mega Crop and Sweet Candy with a dose of Growpito Beneficials. I have continued to spray Neem and Castile as my friend advised me that enough time hasn't passed to eradicate their cycle. Funny thing, I asked the Horticulturalist at work about the efficacy of foliar feeding - basically a waste of time aside from when there is an issue that needs to be combated - I won't even spend the time anymore to do so.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

It's finally happening! Tied everything back because I have 9-12+ weeks on everything. Left is Diesel Deluxe, front right Panama Haze, and back right Copacabana Haze. Flushed the Coco down to a 6.0ph and 1.5ec of Mega Crop/Sweet Candy/Silica Growpito Beneficials. I hope to have some triple threat nematodes to water in, then some Budswel and Pure Blend Tea.

Had more shit to say but I got high...

 

[Death The Cultivator]

Fuck yeah man... Fuck yeah! Nothing beats a good grow coming together. Work is still pretty long but I surprisingly love it, eyeing that cultivation supervisor position bruh. I learn a lot here and something I've come to understand, ime, is that foliars are usually unnecessary unless there is a persistent issue - they are last ditch efforts to save the plant. I hated doing foliars, got my tent all dirty and shit, I just don't fuck with them like that and the Horticulturalist at work confirmed this for me. Lots of unnecessary shit happens in the garden like excessive defoliation(for airflow and mold mitigation) or flushing(for fuck ups).

We are now at the end of week 1, I'm so happy! I've fertigtated once so far with MC and Sweet Candy at a 1.9ec and 6.0 pH but I pretty much stopped the Neem oil and Castile at day 0. I haven't seen anything to indicate spider mites. I missed Coco, it's easy and I believe it's going to aid me in a high yield 1.5lbs+ maybe(?).

I have my next set of plants picked out to flower in about four more weeks, everything is 10-12 weeks to finish, so I will eventually transplant three more plants to 5 gallon pots. Overall, this grow did not turn out the way I intended but it will work nonetheless. I didn't get to flood and drain, do a SOG or even side lighting lmao!

So in the 5x5 we have the Diesel Deluxe phenos to the left, Copacabana Haze to the back right and Panama Haze to the front right. CH has really proven herself, the growth is beautiful and fairly even but I take credit for the pruning lol. The Panama Haze, meh but that Diesel Deluxe pheno in the front is a stretcher. DD in the front has been super cropped, tied back and pruned hard but keeps going up.

Lastly, I have all my plants in veg with a few Copacabana Haze, Panama Haze, and a Diesel Deluxe. On the rack is a Diesel Deluxe.

I'll add pictures later

 

[Death The Cultivator]

Slowly approaching the end of week 2 and I am overall very satisfied with the way everything is turning out. Next cycle will begin around week 5 with two Panama Haze and two Copacabana Haze in the 4x4 under the 315 or 630 of CMH depending on the heat. Pruning was just about perfect no qualms as the CH and DD#2 came out beautifully.

Diesel Deluxe pheno #1

I'll transplant the plants that I have to 5 gallons soon then veg for another two weeks so that I can cut an excessive amount of clones. Diesel Deluxe pheno #1 is just ugly and refuses to branch much unless pruned or trimmed.

Copacabana Haze

Beautiful turn out on this woman! She's still stretching but I have high hopes for her. Fun Fact, a dried out pH probe can be restored by letting it sit in 7.0 calibration solution overnight.

Panama Haze

Another that is still stretching but I want her nice and big as her predecessors died suddenly. I need to top them at better place in the future because one side came out short but otherwise nice. Some lower branches may need to be pruned but we'll see around week 5

Diesel Deluxe #2

I really like this plant, the next plant to flower grew very well so if the smoke is where I need it to be then I may have some keepers. First harvest is coming up soon at work, going to be working longer shifts but I am being considered for Director of Cultivation.

Thanks for following @PlatinumGrows @Cooterjuice @Mizzo81 @Corum59