H.A.F. growing stink-flowers in dirt with QB's

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
Just so I can keep getting my paycheck from RIU.org ;) here's a bit about me LOL

I have lived here one year, got it after divorce finalized (30 yr marriage, 3 kids, 2 grandkids, cheating whore while I was deployed...) and my main focus has been on clearing the undergrowth. I had a 3' diameter oak only 30'-40' left, and 3 poison ivy stalks as thick as your thigh holding up the whole mess. I had briars, honeysuckle, and grapevines growing up most of the trees and killing the lower branches up to 20-30'. Also had a few old pine trees that are now gone, either from my doing or nature.

So I have 90% of my little paradise hardwood, mainly red and white oak and hickory, with lots of dogwoods for the second canopy. I have the odd maple, and a cool Elm with trunks twisting all around and growing into each other. I have one white oak with a 12' circumference that the internet tells me sprouted when George Washington was President. I have wild blackberry, and (I think muscadine or 'fox' ) grapes growing wild, and got a few gallons of each last fall. I have been clearing out around them to keep the original wild "patches" for the blackberries, but I may do vineyard style arbors for the wild grapes - using the techniques I have learned growing weed :)

Today after mowing my half-ass-grass front yard I chilled in the hammock with a fatty and a brew.
IMG_9273.JPG
I have the little greenhouse, and the only good 'sun' spot I have for a garden has a ginormous oak trunk in the way, so I will have a raised bed garden here eventually.

Behind the tomatoes I have a steel target set up for plinking with the freedom sticks, but plan on a better gun range that's about 25yds.

And lastly, the reason I started growing weed is because I loved it in high school, couldn't touch it for 20+ years, and by the time I retired I was living in jelllo with a VA approved opioid scrip - refill as needed - that ain't life. I started smoking and 'attempted' growing after I retired and found a few seeds. The rest is history... and now the I just take a multi vitamin with no scrips. I grow for me. I don't need larf because of that.

So here are my weed growing facts of life so far:

  • Prune shoots you don't want early, leave fan leaves as long as you can - BUT - in veg, prune the shit out of them if they are shading something. If you don't like how that leaf pruning turned out, let t veg for another 3 days...

  • If you prune every shoot that has a second node right when they show pistils, you will have no larf.

  • Decide early what shoots you want to be flowers, and prune the shit out of anything that shades them - this includes main-stem fan leaves that shade promising undergrowth.

  • As long as you keep it 18/6, every shoot you decide to keep will produce more fan leaves. I prefer these fan leaves to the ones off the main stem, but only after I have tried tucking the main stem ones several times. Not applicable for manifolds, but on a regular Christmas tree plant I leave the main-stem ones until they get big and in the way. If they raise and lower easily with feeding (as they get wet/dry, fed/hungry) I leave them.

  • I have had more deficiencies than abundances. Feed at 50% 1st feed. If the plant likes it, 75% minimum after that. Shoot for 100%, and raise your lights before anything else if you see issues.

  • I personally like RO water. I like control. I have damaged plants by not effectively supplementing what I have removed from the water. If I use Botanicare Cal-Mag + it returns my pure water to "safe" tap water.

  • Adding the minimum dose of Botanicare "silica blast" with the calmag makes fatter stems and fatter buds.

  • Damn. Based on the last two bullets, why haven't I tried their nute lines? hashtag- on the list ;)

  • Keep the exhaust going 24/7 and make sure it gives you good consistent airflow - a fan blowing over the tops is a separate entity. I have mine on the timer unless I have a gnat problem.

  • And having a hobby like this, which requires attention to detail, counteracts some of the effects of the product ;) IMHO, this in and of itself is a hedge against Alzheimer's in us old people "stay focused or you'll fuck up your medicine!" LOL

The Ardent Nova decarb machine is worth it. I'll get it replaced if still under warranty - or buy a new one if it is one day past...

And lastly, I'm H.a.F. right now off my newly cured GDP - which is why you get this little peek. Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me :)
 
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morugawelder

Well-Known Member
Just so I can keep getting my paycheck from RIU.org ;) here's a bit about me LOL

I have lived here one year, got it after divorce finalized (30 yr marriage, 3 kids, 2 grandkids, cheating whore while I was deployed...) and my main focus has been on clearing the undergrowth. I had a 3' diameter oak only 30'-40' left, and 3 poison ivy stalks as thick as your thigh holding up the whole mess. I had briars, honeysuckle, and grapevines growing up most of the trees and killing the lower branches up to 20-30'. Also had a few old pine trees that are now gone, either from my doing or nature.

So I have 90% of my little paradise hardwood, mainly red and white oak and hickory, with lots of dogwoods for the second canopy. I have the odd maple, and a cool Elm with trunks twisting all around and growing into each other. I have one white oak with a 12' circumference that the internet tells me sprouted when George Washington was President. I have wild blackberry, and (I think muscadine or 'fox' ) grapes growing wild, and got a few gallons of each last fall. I have been clearing out around them to keep the original wild "patches" for the blackberries, but I may do vineyard style arbors for the wild grapes - using the techniques I have learned growing weed :)

Today after mowing my half-ass-grass front yard I chilled in the hammock with a fatty and a brew.
View attachment 4333829
I have the little greenhouse, and the only good 'sun' spot I have for a garden has a ginormous oak trunk in the way, so I will have a raised bed garden here eventually.

Behind the tomatoes I have a steel target set up for plinking with the freedom sticks, but plan on a better gun range that's about 25yds.

And lastly, the reason I started growing weed is because I loved it in high school, couldn't touch it for 20+ years, and by the time I retired I was living in jelllo with a VA approved opioid scrip - refill as needed - that ain't life. I started smoking and 'attempted' growing after I retired and found a few seeds. The rest is history... and now the I just take a multi vitamin with no scrips. I grow for me. I don't need larf because of that.

So here are my weed growing facts of life so far:

  • Prune shoots you don't want early, leave fan leaves as long as you can - BUT - in veg, prune the shit out of them if they are shading something. If you don't like how that leaf pruning turned out, let t veg for another 3 days...

  • If you prune every shoot that has a second node right when they show pistils, you will have no larf.

  • Decide early what shoots you want to be flowers, and prune the shit out of anything that shades them - this includes main-stem fan leaves that shade promising undergrowth.

  • As long as you keep it 18/6, every shoot you decide to keep will produce more fan leaves. I prefer these fan leaves to the ones off the main stem, but only after I have tried tucking the main stem ones several times. Not applicable for manifolds, but on a regular Christmas tree plant I leave the main-stem ones until they get big and in the way. If they raise and lower easily with feeding (as they get wet/dry, fed/hungry) I leave them.

  • I have had more deficiencies than abundances. Feed at 50% 1st feed. If the plant likes it, 75% minimum after that. Shoot for 100%, and raise your lights before anything else if you see issues.

  • I personally like RO water. I like control. I have damaged plants by not effectively supplementing what I have removed from the water. If I use Botanicare Cal-Mag + it returns my pure water to "safe" tap water.

  • Adding the minimum dose of Botanicare "silica blast" with the calmag makes fatter stems and fatter buds.

  • Damn. Based on the last two bullets, why haven't I tried their nute lines? hashtag- on the list ;)

  • Keep the exhaust going 24/7 and make sure it gives you good consistent airflow - a fan blowing over the tops is a separate entity. I have mine on the timer unless I have a gnat problem.

  • And having a hobby like this, which requires attention to detail, counteracts some of the effects of the product ;) IMHO, this in and of itself is a hedge against Alzheimer's in us old people "stay focused or you'll fuck up your medicine!" LOL

The Ardent Nova decarb machine is worth it. I'll get it replaced if still under warranty - or buy a new one if it is one day past...

And lastly, I'm H.a.F. right now off my newly cured GDP - which is why you get this little peek. Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me :)
Thanks for your service ! and like you I had 19 yrs. 3 children etc. etc. She had a affair with a body builder , my cousin caught her at the gym in the next town , she worked at the prison that way . But hey its been a GLORIUS 15 YRS. with her bi -polar ass gone ! I got the house and the kids . Their all grown up and gone , and I now have a wonderful wife of 13 yrs. now . and like you blessed !
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
Thanks for your service ! and like you I had 19 yrs. 3 children etc. etc. She had a affair with a body builder , my cousin caught her at the gym in the next town , she worked at the prison that way . But hey its been a GLORIUS 15 YRS. with her bi -polar ass gone ! I got the house and the kids . Their all grown up and gone , and I now have a wonderful wife of 13 yrs. now . and like you blessed !
Took 30 years to clear THAT undergrowth ;) but she's in a double-wide with sagging floors and I'm... not.

The kids were grown when it finalized, so that made it easier.
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
It is all manicured lightly, and if you didn't believe I actually did the h2o2 thing, here is a gallon pitcher with 1/8c of peroxide. All I do is dunk it, then gently churn it up and down until the bubbles stop coming up - not like peroxide fighting disease bubbles, just air bubbles coming out of the flower until its soaked. Because I am not bowl trimming these, it is a preventive measure against mold developing between the nugs.

After that, I hang it to dry in front of an oscillating fan. The reason for the above pic is so I can check the weight when it feels dry again. I want all the water, and then some to come out. Probably 2-3 hours. Each nug will get water drops collecting on the tip, so every half hour or so I just hold a paper towel to the tips and let it absorb the excess.
IMG_9291.JPG
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
The biggest and the smallest - most were in the 60g range and should dry to half ounce per limb. 2 little ones in the middle, 2 biggest ones on the end.IMG_9283.JPG IMG_9287.JPG IMG_9288.JPG
 
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H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
IMG_9295.JPG
The final tally was:
111 days from snip (monster clone, mother 3-weeks into flower when taken)
51 days 12/12
Amber trich's were about 5-10%

28g sugar-trim (I removes the fan leaves last yesterday before lights out) should get 3-5g of keif from it. You saw the pics, they were loaded. The smallest of the nugs is the size of a ping-pong ball wet. Because it was a clone, they aren't symmetrical, but because I pruned each limb basically the same at flip they all have 4-5 nugs and a top

And my guestimate for dry weight is as follows:

The 500g was after pruning the big handles I left on for manicuring, so there's probably 5g of stem to go (max, the stuff's light when it dries) times 10 limbs, or 50g.

450g/16oz of wet primo.
25% retained weight = 4oz,
20% retained weight = 3.2oz

I'm a proud papa, this is my healthiest grow yet.
 
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diggs99

Well-Known Member
Been a minute bro, thought id pop in and see how your doing. From what ive seen, i think your doing good lol

Hope all is well
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
Good thing about being retired, I took a nap yesterday because I knew it would be a long night. It's finally dry enough to put in my drying closet. 4:30 am here and I'm going to bed!
IMG_9297.JPG
@diggs99 yeah man, living the dream. You picked a helluva random time to check in LOL
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
Been a minute bro, thought id pop in and see how your doing. From what ive seen, i think your doing good lol

Hope all is well
These flowers were still pumping out foxtails and pistils, but the body of the flowers started turning. No telling what it would have looked like in a few weeks. I flowered those contest plants early so I can give them all time to get crazy like these before the end date (mid July)

You still updating your page or did you get arrested ;)
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
These flowers were still pumping out foxtails and pistils, but the body of the flowers started turning. No telling what it would have looked like in a few weeks. I flowered those contest plants early so I can give them all time to get crazy like these before the end date (mid July)

You still updating your page or did you get arrested ;)
Haha not arrested, just been in work jail lately.

I'm always swamped this time of the year, so everything else takes a back seat.

Both grows are doing ok. I had rust fungus show up on a gelat.og and it had to be destroyed, so far the other 4 in the same tent aren't showing any symptoms.

The space cookies are almost done, I flushed this crop, they looking like shit right now but are just about finished lol

I actually began the process of changing over rooms , got a pile of led strips and drivers on the way, so that's another project I'll be taking care of soon too. As I said, busy times lol

Glad to see your doing well.
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
I may end up having to flip both closets 12/12 again, but for now this will get the NL started. If she stretches too much I'll have to move her back and flip the others.IMG_9307.JPG
And for now I get to keep these in veg. They just weren't ready. Got their first light feeding a few days ago
IMG_9306.JPG
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
Day 2 of drying, shrinking a little but not separating. In a day or two I may manually pull the nugs out a little for airflow if they don't do it on their own. I put a hook on all of them and snipped all of the stem away.
IMG_9319.JPG I added a dehumidifier to the closet since it's humid here.
IMG_9321.JPG The leaves are almost dry enough, probably sifting some keif today.
IMG_9323.JPG
 

Tiflis

Well-Known Member
Day 2 of drying, shrinking a little but not separating. In a day or two I may manually pull the nugs out a little for airflow if they don't do it on their own. I put a hook on all of them and snipped all of the stem away.
View attachment 4334707 I added a dehumidifier to the closet since it's humid here.
View attachment 4334708 The leaves are almost dry enough, probably sifting some keif today.
View attachment 4334709
How long do you figure before they end up in what are you using, glass jars or cvaults?
I remember you saying you wanted more terps, have you tried drying the whole plant intact to prolong the whole process?
Since you're getting to have enough to try things, I also recently learned about paper bag method, maybe give that a try as well.
 

H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
How long do you figure before they end up in what are you using, glass jars or cvaults?
I remember you saying you wanted more terps, have you tried drying the whole plant intact to prolong the whole process?
Since you're getting to have enough to try things, I also recently learned about paper bag method, maybe give that a try as well.
That's kind of what I am doing this time. If it works well I'll keep doing it. I have enough cured or almost cured weed to play with now and satisfy those urges ;)

Previously, desperately wanting to have a comfortable stash to build on, I have been waiting until just after the 1st ambers show well then chopping. I have also been snipping everything apart so it dries quicker, using the vacuum sealer (which does work, don't know what it does to the terps) etc.

I snipped every stem as close as I could, I even left several fully coated sugar leaves whole, and I am leaving them here for 6-7 days with the vent fan running. I had an oscillating fan on the floor the first day just because I added water (washing). I replaced that with the dehumidifier the next day, and I think tomorrow I'll turn that off.

Oh, and I have that wardrobe in my grow closets room. So it gets filtered twice before exiting the house. I keep that bedroom door shut with the a/c vent open to keep it from getting out into the house.
 
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H.A.F.

Well-Known Member
Oh, and I have an assortment of C-vaults for curing. They're great, but too $$$. I've been looking for some generic stainless containers without the fancy boveda-holder. you can just throw one in with the stuff, or make something like the holder on the $$$ ones.
 

Tiflis

Well-Known Member
They're great, but too $$$.
I know, I bought one recently, second smallest size that Amazon offers, but only have one for that reason. Currently using it without boveda packs, buds are in thinner paper bag. So far I'm liking the results.
 
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