MrHowardMarks' experienced grower journal.

[MrHowardMarks]

BigDaddy- No I wouldn't suggest sending seeds to your grow house, I have never ordered seeds from the internet. Matbe someone else can field that question better.

Homegrown- It takes a real man to actually admit a mistake... +rep, I wasn't trying to piss you off in your thread, just trying to suggest that there are better ways, and yes a wick system works (I used one outdoors several years ago) but there are better ways and better yields... As a grower you have to stay open minded to new ideas and try them out if there are good reports of them doing well.

Having a larger grow allows me to test out new things in greater numbers, so I guess I've tried a bunch of stuff. I've always used advanced nutrients, so this time around I'm trying something a little more affordable, and a different fertilizer company alltogether.

I've set my mind on using the Fox Farm products, and for the Advanced line, I'm going to shorten up the nutrient list.(So Fox Farm has a fighting chance) jk

I'll post up on what my actual nutrient list is, and costs per regiment after I do the research... Have to go the the store, and write everything down.

But as for now I'm thinking... (Next post)

 

[MrHowardMarks]

Advanced Nutrients;
*Barricade
*Carboload
*BudBlood
*2part SensiBloom
*BigBud
*Overdrive
*Sensizym
*B52

Fox Farm;
Not sure what the regiments are...

Grow Big
Big Bloom (or?) Tiger Bloom
Open Sesame
Beastie Buds
Cha Ching

I also use Superthrive, and pH ppm meters.

Anyone know where I can get feeding charts for fox farm?

 

[MrHowardMarks]

And congrats on the 40 pager. I keep up with the posts every day or two and find myself sad and wanting more posts.

My Question: You obviously grow copious amount of ganja .. how do you store it? Freezer, mason jars .. or do you just smoke it all in 2oz spliffs?

Hahaha, I do smoke a ton of joints

But not 2 gram ones, they always have .7 grams, I'll make a "How to roll a joint like me" section... I was thinking about doing it

But, to answer your question. I store what's for distribution in one gallon Ziplock freezer bags... I also use them for the sweat and cure. I put a little more than a qp in a bag, and zip it up and unzip it to let the moisture sweat out, then I set it all out and let it airate, and repeat until it's cured... About three weeks from harvest.

For my personal storage, and my friends, I use the large mouth one quart mason jars. They hold an ounce each. I use 12 oz wide mouth mason jelly jars for travel jars, they are the size of a pop can.

Nothing I smoke is ever in a plastic bag, mason jars all the way, and it's totally acceptable to go to Walmart and buy 6 dozen mason jars. When you're canning shit, other than weed, usually you're doing it in bulk...

 

[SlikWiLL13]

how often do you use the Superthrive? i only use it with my clones(having way better luck with them btw), and when i flush between veg and flower.

 

[theloadeddragon]

Im glad I am finally able to start to catch up with your grow.... I think about it often... hope all is well... be more in touch soon...

 

[MrHowardMarks]

Right on dragon, been awhile, about to check your journal...

I use one drop per gallon of Superthrive... For everything.

 

[theloadeddragon]

I have found that giving them a good two week break on the superthrive in the middle of a long veg period to be very productive, especially on those slow growing indica's..... yeah... just need to get my internet back up.... ..... then I could post a whole slew of pictures

 

[tbknova]

i am looking at your pictures and i see the floor is painted white. I read in the mj bible by jorge cervantes not to paint the floor white as it reflects light onto the undersides of the leaves. Have you noticed if this is an issue?

 

[jonnyk]

subscribed !

 

[theloadeddragon]

the white floor is a mute point. won't do any Damage. Naturally all kinds of different light is reflected at the bottom of the leaves, think about it.

 

[monkeyflappy]

Just read all 41 pages! Great thread!

 

[yoyoyojoe]

Hey Mr. Howard,
Just took some clones and they are looking a bit droopy. It has not even been 24 hours yet though. The Temp is at 82 F and the humidity goes between 90-99%.

I have them in a clone dome with a heat blanket running on low. The water collects around the some and I wipe it off 1 or 2 times a day.

After one night they seem to be perking up a little. But I am Concerned about the droop and wonder if this is normal. Any suggestions?

 

[MrHowardMarks]

Painting the floor whit does reflect light onto the undersides of the leaves, but it also bounces it back off the walls and ceilings, and eventually onto something that absorbs it, like the top of the leaves again persay? Either way, the more reflective the room, the better, and a dark brown floor definately absorbs a lot of light.

As for the drooping clones, I usually don't see good results when they droop in the first few days, it means they aren't taking up water... or something... Quickness is key when cutting trays of clones, and a sharp blade and a sure cut.

I made up the "how to roll a joint like me"

 

[MrHowardMarks]

Necessary materials;

Then grind the herb, and I put a fold into one end of the paper to make a boat.

then fill the boat, and roll it up

scrape a little herb out to add a filter to the end, and finish the roll.

push the filter all the way in

Voila!

this picture shows the filter better, the rice paper is so thin you can notice the dark green showing through.

 

[SlikWiLL13]

well done! is that a "space case" grinder?

 

[MrHowardMarks]

Sure is, it works the best out of all the ones I've tried.


I just finished transplanting some clones, I'll load pics tomorrow of the progress... It won't be long before flowering starts.

On a side note, it was taking a long time for my clones to root, and I realized it was only 67 degrees in the closet where they were. So, after 12 days with no roots popping, and they all still looked healthy, I put a clear 100W incadescent in there not on the plants but for heat... Sure enough the temps rose up to around 77-80, and roots all popped out today, 24 hrs after adding some heat.


So clones are on the way. I'll be taking another tray in the morning, the mothers are getting huge, one of the silver mangoes is EXTREMELY bushy, I haven't been able to cut any clones from her yet because she's so stocky. Mango is a really stretchy strain, so I'm excited about the results of the Silver Pearl x Somango cross.

 

[manofmando]

MHM, can you please explain to me your sweat and cure process. I'm on the cusp of my first harvest and want to make the best of this batch. I've read that the sugars are still processing in the plant days or weeks after it's been cut and hung to dry. And all this affects flavor.

So, can you describe to me the steps you take to make the sticky-icky, from cut to bowl pack.

 

[MrHowardMarks]

It's fairly simple to explain.

The sugars in the weed have to change through the process of fermentation. This can take up to a month.

First, from harvest, immediately remove all the large fan leaves, and hang to dry upside down, with plenty of fans/air movement. This will take a week before they are crispy.

The buds will be crispy on the outside, and the stems will be bendy. Time to trim off the little leaves and collect for hash.

After they are trimmed, I jar them up in airtight containers for 12 hours.

Then they are all moist again, so I sit them out to dry for an hour or two, then jar them up.

Another 12 hours and they are wet again, so sit them out.

If they are still really wet, repeat this process until they stay pretty dry after 12 hours in a jar.

Then they will have lost most of their moisture, and you will need to keep them in the jars, and let them breathe, (stay in the jar open for a hour once a day)

From harvest, with a week hanging, a week to sweat out most of the moisture, and a week of breathing the jars, you'll have some acceptable smoke... But after 4 weeks in a jar all of the sugars will have converted and it will be completely cured.

I smoke it at the three week mark anyway, while I wait for the rest to cure.

 

[monkeyflappy]

What is a stealthy way to sneak in all the supplies/equipment, (especially the dirt required for 54 plants) so that the neighbors don't see?

Great thread, btw

 

[VictorVIcious]

What is a stealthy way to sneak in all the supplies/equipment, (especially the dirt required for 54 plants) so that the neighbors don't see?

Great thread, btw

Park in the garage and hit the button to close the door, open trunk remove dirt??
Buy it at the grocery store and carry it in with the groceries.
Leave two bags on the front porch with a couple of pots, 'Had a sale so I'm getting ready for spring'. If you have something to hide, don't act like it. VV