This is our very first grow! The purpose of this grow journal is to serve as a reference for future grows by providing consistent data in a community science sort of way (since I won't be tightly controlling the conditions and making them replicable in order to produce the reliable data needed for stringent analysis). This will serve as our baseline for how a grow cycle goes and what it looks like throughout; no strain-specific information will be collected this run. Because we went with autos over photos, I'm aiming to read ahead of each step and do my best to keep up with the plants' needs while learning as I go.
Appendix A: Shopping!
Grow guides: Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Growers' Handbook: Your Complete Guide for Medical and Personal Marijuana Cultivation, growweedeasy.com.
Equipment:
- Mars Hydro 4'x2'x6': adequate space, but man, working in a 4'x4'x6' would be so much easier
- Mars Hydro TSL 2000 lamp
- Mars Hydro 4" carbon filter/fan w/environmental controller
- Tripp Lite 12 outlet surge protector (TLP1208TELTV)
- AcuRite digital hygrometer (01083M)
- Autopot two springpot irrigation system
- Apera waterproof pH meter (model PH20) + calibration and storage buffers
- SunSun powerhead (JVP101A, 800 gph) to keep reservoir circulating (necessary if you're feeding nutrients!)
Consumables:
- FoxFarm Ocean Forest (FFOF) potting soil (1.5 cu ft)
- FoxFarm liquid nutrients: Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom
- Botanicare Cal-Mag Plus
- Harris horticultural perlite, 8 qt.
- Harris diatomaceous earth (DE), 8 oz. bottle
- Espoma organic garden lime, 6.75 lb.
- Earth Science fast acting sulfur
- Seachem Safe or Seachem Prime (dechlorinator)
- General Hydroponics pH control kit (pH down, pH up, indicator solution)
- Plastic transfer pipettes, 5 ml
- 3 oz paper cups (good for holding distilled water, soil samples, etc.)
- Plant labels
Accessories:
- Trellis net (scrog net)
- Bypass pruner
- Trim Bin
- Brinks 24-hr outlet timer
- Method Seven grow glasses (Cultivator FX and FX clip-on)
- 30 ml syringes with luer lock + 10" long, blunt-tip needles for dosing nutrients
- Plastic squeeze wash bottles (medical grade)
- Velcro cable ties
- Roll of twist tie
- Low stress training (LST)/plant training clips
Appendix B: Grow Plan
I. Set up tent and equipment
II. Germinate seeds: wet paper towel for up to two weeks
III. Plant seeds: soil is FFOF + more perlite, topped with DE. Water soil until pots begin to drain, poke shallow hole in dirt (0.5"/~1 cm), lay seed in hole and cover lightly. Do not compress
IV. Pruning: prune after third set of true leaves develops (expected during week 2-3). Prune again after every 3-4 sets of leaves develop (until late veg) to keep plant bushy. Plant training clips can be used for momentary sectioning/organizing but are not recommended for training growth (since they will snap overgrown branches).
V. Training: use trellis net, twist ties, binder clips, and velcro cable ties for support
V. Sex plants as seedlings (expected during weeks 3 and 4), cull males and hermaphrodites
VI. Defoliation: remove leaves showing > 50% damage, shaded leaves beneath canopy, terminal leaves beneath canopy, branches that will not reach full size before plant starts flowering. Expose bud sites to maximize access to air and light, giving buds more even maturation.
VII. Maturation: monitor buds for trichrome development, filling, and color. Resin glands will fill with clear resin and expand, starting to shine like crystals under light. From there, they'll proceed to "ripen" to a milky white or amber, depending on the conversion of THC to another molecule.
VIII. Harvest: harvest over time, allowing buds of different maturity time to ripen all over the plant. Clear leaves from around ripe buds shortly before the chop to reduce the work needed afterwards. Following the initial chop, trim off leaves surrounding buds while everything is still wet to preserve the trichromes as best as possible.
IX. Processing/manicuring: manicuring should be completed over the Trim Bin to maximize kief collection. Clip stem off plant > bud off stem > remove fan leaves > remove bud leaves
X. Curing: curing is the process by which buds continue their metabolic processes for the few days they continue to live after being harvested and before they dry out. It allows the buds to break down some of their chlorophyll which results in a smoother smoke. It's a balancing act: drying too quickly (RH too low) means a rougher smoke and leaving the space too moist (RH too high) increases the viability of mold present (and of said mold finding its way to your flower).
XI. Drying
Appendix C: Germination and tent layout
Seeds were started in damp paper towel in a plastic bag on 9/8/21. (This will be considered day 0 because at worst, I'll have a couple days heads up on what to expect next. The plants may look like they're a couple days behind, is all. I was high and forgot to bag 'em separately, so I have no idea which one is the freebie cross (3BOG x Samsquanch OG) and which one is the Forum Stomper. Seed 1 (right pot) germinated within 24 hours; Seed 2 (left pot) within 48. Both seeds were moved to their final pots on 9/10/21, planted in FFOF with additional perlite added for drainage, and topped with DE.
Appendix D: Weekly updates
Start
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5, low view
Week 5, high view
Week 6
Week 7
Appendix A: Shopping!
Grow guides: Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Growers' Handbook: Your Complete Guide for Medical and Personal Marijuana Cultivation, growweedeasy.com.
Equipment:
- Mars Hydro 4'x2'x6': adequate space, but man, working in a 4'x4'x6' would be so much easier
- Mars Hydro TSL 2000 lamp
- Mars Hydro 4" carbon filter/fan w/environmental controller
- Tripp Lite 12 outlet surge protector (TLP1208TELTV)
- AcuRite digital hygrometer (01083M)
- Autopot two springpot irrigation system
- Apera waterproof pH meter (model PH20) + calibration and storage buffers
- SunSun powerhead (JVP101A, 800 gph) to keep reservoir circulating (necessary if you're feeding nutrients!)
Consumables:
- FoxFarm Ocean Forest (FFOF) potting soil (1.5 cu ft)
- FoxFarm liquid nutrients: Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom
- Botanicare Cal-Mag Plus
- Harris horticultural perlite, 8 qt.
- Harris diatomaceous earth (DE), 8 oz. bottle
- Espoma organic garden lime, 6.75 lb.
- Earth Science fast acting sulfur
- Seachem Safe or Seachem Prime (dechlorinator)
- General Hydroponics pH control kit (pH down, pH up, indicator solution)
- Plastic transfer pipettes, 5 ml
- 3 oz paper cups (good for holding distilled water, soil samples, etc.)
- Plant labels
Accessories:
- Trellis net (scrog net)
- Bypass pruner
- Trim Bin
- Brinks 24-hr outlet timer
- Method Seven grow glasses (Cultivator FX and FX clip-on)
- 30 ml syringes with luer lock + 10" long, blunt-tip needles for dosing nutrients
- Plastic squeeze wash bottles (medical grade)
- Velcro cable ties
- Roll of twist tie
- Low stress training (LST)/plant training clips
Appendix B: Grow Plan
I. Set up tent and equipment
II. Germinate seeds: wet paper towel for up to two weeks
III. Plant seeds: soil is FFOF + more perlite, topped with DE. Water soil until pots begin to drain, poke shallow hole in dirt (0.5"/~1 cm), lay seed in hole and cover lightly. Do not compress
IV. Pruning: prune after third set of true leaves develops (expected during week 2-3). Prune again after every 3-4 sets of leaves develop (until late veg) to keep plant bushy. Plant training clips can be used for momentary sectioning/organizing but are not recommended for training growth (since they will snap overgrown branches).
V. Training: use trellis net, twist ties, binder clips, and velcro cable ties for support
V. Sex plants as seedlings (expected during weeks 3 and 4), cull males and hermaphrodites
VI. Defoliation: remove leaves showing > 50% damage, shaded leaves beneath canopy, terminal leaves beneath canopy, branches that will not reach full size before plant starts flowering. Expose bud sites to maximize access to air and light, giving buds more even maturation.
VII. Maturation: monitor buds for trichrome development, filling, and color. Resin glands will fill with clear resin and expand, starting to shine like crystals under light. From there, they'll proceed to "ripen" to a milky white or amber, depending on the conversion of THC to another molecule.
VIII. Harvest: harvest over time, allowing buds of different maturity time to ripen all over the plant. Clear leaves from around ripe buds shortly before the chop to reduce the work needed afterwards. Following the initial chop, trim off leaves surrounding buds while everything is still wet to preserve the trichromes as best as possible.
IX. Processing/manicuring: manicuring should be completed over the Trim Bin to maximize kief collection. Clip stem off plant > bud off stem > remove fan leaves > remove bud leaves
X. Curing: curing is the process by which buds continue their metabolic processes for the few days they continue to live after being harvested and before they dry out. It allows the buds to break down some of their chlorophyll which results in a smoother smoke. It's a balancing act: drying too quickly (RH too low) means a rougher smoke and leaving the space too moist (RH too high) increases the viability of mold present (and of said mold finding its way to your flower).
XI. Drying
Appendix C: Germination and tent layout
Seeds were started in damp paper towel in a plastic bag on 9/8/21. (This will be considered day 0 because at worst, I'll have a couple days heads up on what to expect next. The plants may look like they're a couple days behind, is all. I was high and forgot to bag 'em separately, so I have no idea which one is the freebie cross (3BOG x Samsquanch OG) and which one is the Forum Stomper. Seed 1 (right pot) germinated within 24 hours; Seed 2 (left pot) within 48. Both seeds were moved to their final pots on 9/10/21, planted in FFOF with additional perlite added for drainage, and topped with DE.
Appendix D: Weekly updates
Start
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5, low view
Week 5, high view
Week 6
Week 7