Hawaii Growers

[Highhawyn!]

incidentally, i am a soak seeds in a cup of water kind of germer rather than your put seeds in between damp paper towels in a ziplock kind of pot starter. plus, with the fact that i don't have to worry about sprouting 10 seeds that i just paid an arm and a leg for, i just throw in a bunch and pick out the ones that show tail first. i don't think i will buy another seed again unless i really want it. and there's nothing out there that i really want to buy right now, so i am happy to have what i have, which is more than enough.

i'm not sure how long i am going to be on this site as i am like i said a little paranoid about the ganj and growing so if there is a question you would like to ask, just ask and i will try to answer. i am not a know it all, but i have been doing this for a little while, and in HI no doubt, which is waaaaaay different than other places in the world. if can, can, if no can, no can. but most times, can

if you guys want to see one of the big boys in 808 do their thing outdo, type in OldHaole at ic(m)ag.com he does it right.

indo is a whole different story don't believe the hype, it can be done in HI, just a little more expensive on the electric. took me a while to figure that shit out. alright, aloha. btw, i am also known as the flyinhawyn! on aforementioned site.

im not sure why i am on this site and this thread except it caught my eye one time while i was searching out to see who in the world is still running the moloka`i frost that i put out years and years ago. hopefully i can help a few people with my experience, but if not then fuck the bullshit

other than that, not sure when i will go back into hiding, but with the increased publicity because of that cop bust, who knows what's going to happen in HI. aloha mau loa.

 

[Trichy Bastard]

Hey Highhawyn... I really appreciate your story and hope we can exchange some knowledge while you're around... I really want to kick up my soil skills as I am in the completely high tech aero mode right now, but can really appreciate some old skool organics- my veggie garden is nothing less. I know I can do better than I do however in soil- and so that's my hope man... One thing I am curious about- is what is the ultimate soil mix to start with? I see all these supersoils n stuff- but I dont like the idea of slow release ferts cuz they dont address todays issues and in aero I am so used to having instant control...

 

[SpliffAndMyLady]

Hey Highhawyn... I really appreciate your story and hope we can exchange some knowledge while you're around... I really want to kick up my soil skills as I am in the completely high tech aero mode right now, but can really appreciate some old skool organics- my veggie garden is nothing less. I know I can do better than I do however in soil- and so that's my hope man... One thing I am curious about- is what is the ultimate soil mix to start with? I see all these supersoils n stuff- but I dont like the idea of slow release ferts cuz they dont address todays issues and in aero I am so used to having instant control...

If I may, by the sounds of it..Pro-Mix or FF Light Warrior would be what your looking for, then if you want you can add your own KMag,Guano,Castings,ect..I've done this in the past with great results. Just gotta find a good recipe that works for ya, good luck.

 

[Trichy Bastard]

If I may, by the sounds of it..Pro-Mix or FF Light Warrior would be what your looking for, then if you want you can add your own KMag,Guano,Castings,ect..I've done this in the past with great results. Just gotta find a good recipe that works for ya, good luck.

Thanks spliff, I will start playing around with it and see what happens.. Surely I will make some mistakes and have some questions. I am a huge fan of guano and wormcastings... I figure I will retrofit my organic compost pile to be worm-powered soon

 

[SpliffAndMyLady]

Thanks spliff, I will start playing around with it and see what happens.. Surely I will make some mistakes and have some questions. I am a huge fan of guano and wormcastings... I figure I will retrofit my organic compost pile to be worm-powered soon

No problem bra, heres some recipes from an old Ed Rosenthal book I have lying around..
1. One part each: Perlite, Vermiculite, Worm Castings, and humus.
2.One part each: Perlite, Vermiculite, Peat moss, Compost or humus;and worm castings.
3.One part each: compost or humus,aquarium gravel;peat moss;perlite;vermiculite;worm castings.
4.Two parts each: Vermiculite and perlite; one part compost,humus,or worm castings.
5.Two parts worm castings; one part each compost or humus, vermiculite,and perlite.
6.Two parts potting soil;one part vermiculite, one part perlite.
If any of these sound good I can give you a more detailed description of the mix and how to prep it. I use to have a worm compost also, but everytime I added my casting to my mix it made my pH go acidic so make sure its pH balanced before you use it although you already know this just reminding ya. Instead now I just buy WonderWorm, it works great.
PS Think of those mixes more as recommendations, not directions..feel free to play around with the recipes, I did

 

[Trichy Bastard]

No problem bra, heres some recipes from an old Ed Rosenthal book I have lying around..
1. One part each: Perlite, Vermiculite, Worm Castings, and humus.
2.One part each: Perlite, Vermiculite, Peat moss, Compost or humus;and worm castings.
3.One part each: compost or humus,aquarium gravel;peat moss;perlite;vermiculite;worm castings.
4.Two parts each: Vermiculite and perlite; one part compost,humus,or worm castings.
5.Two parts worm castings; one part each compost or humus, vermiculite,and perlite.
6.Two parts potting soil;one part vermiculite, one part perlite.
If any of these sound good I can give you a more detailed description of the mix and how to prep it. I use to have a worm compost also, but everytime I added my casting to my mix it made my pH go acidic so make sure its pH balanced before you use it although you already know this just reminding ya. Instead now I just buy WonderWorm, it works great.
PS Think of those mixes more as recommendations, not directions..feel free to play around with the recipes, I did

Thanks man, the first one sounds good to me... I am sure adding some dolomite and some other goodies will be good. I still need to understand exactly how these things work, and the interactions. I have had it simple all my life with using chemical nutes that are already available to the plants. Problems? Just 6 drop of bleach per gallon sort them out- lol... Oddly enough, chlorine is an essential element used by plants from what I have read- most people do not know this. Of course I have always been of the idea that "the more man fools with something- the less I want it" so it's funny how I have gone to the other side when growing. Like I said though- I really prefer my food crops to be completely natural and organic, so why stop there?

 

[SpliffAndMyLady]

Thanks man, the first one sounds good to me... I am sure adding some dolomite and some other goodies will be good. I still need to understand exactly how these things work, and the interactions. I have had it simple all my life with using chemical nutes that are already available to the plants. Problems? Just 6 drop of bleach per gallon sort them out- lol... Oddly enough, chlorine is an essential element used by plants from what I have read- most people do not know this. Of course I have always been of the idea that "the more man fools with something- the less I want it" so it's funny how I have gone to the other side when growing. Like I said though- I really prefer my food crops to be completely natural and organic, so why stop there?

I like to prep my soil so that I don't have to water or feed my plant. I use polymer crystals that expand from small flakes to 100 times their volume when they come in contact with water. Dont need much of them in your dirt because we get plenty of rain outside here. I do use bottled nutes when I see a deficient plant, or if I think it could use a little extra boost. I reefer to this guide when my plants have problems or ask fellow RIU mems https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/488004-guide-nutrient-deficiency-toxicity.html. Yes dolomite is one of my good friends The 1st mix is Lightweight, and has good drainage from my experience it's pretty hard to overwater with that mix. Not only that but its got plenty of nutrients and is filled with microbial life. Good for vegging but I would transplant into different mix for flowering. You can use compost instead of humus also.

 

[Trichy Bastard]

I like to prep my soil so that I don't have to water or feed my plant. I use polymer crystals that expand from small flakes to 100 times their volume when they come in contact with water. Dont need much of them in your dirt because we get plenty of rain outside here. I do use bottled nutes when I see a deficient plant, or if I think it could use a little extra boost. I reefer to this guide when my plants have problems or ask fellow RIU mems https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/488004-guide-nutrient-deficiency-toxicity.html. Yes dolomite is one of my good friends The 1st mix is Lightweight, and has good drainage from my experience it's pretty hard to overwater with that mix. Not only that but its got plenty of nutrients and is filled with microbial life. Good for vegging but I would transplant into different mix for flowering. You can use compost instead of humus also.

Excellent, thanks again for the info. I would probably not want to have transplant into different soils if I can help it- so in your opinion, what would be the ultimate soil mix to use? I understand there is always room for improvement, and you likely want to get even better than where you are because it's a non-stop adventure to keep bettering ourselves and our skills, but I figure if I start out at someone else's "best" then it's a good place to begin from. I am kinda bummed because I have some seeds from a bank that I have kept safe for around a year, and now they are not germinating like they used to when I first got them. They have been in a cool dry place the whole time, and I usually soak them in water a few hours or overnight before placing in paper towels, but the 6 I last tried all were duds. Hopefully the next few I try will give me a few viable plants. I had to leave them for a couple days and may have just kept them too wet before I left them. Who knows how long they sat around at the bank before they shipped them to me...

 

[SpliffAndMyLady]

Excellent, thanks again for the info. I would probably not want to have transplant into different soils if I can help it- so in your opinion, what would be the ultimate soil mix to use? I understand there is always room for improvement, and you likely want to get even better than where you are because it's a non-stop adventure to keep bettering ourselves and our skills, but I figure if I start out at someone else's "best" then it's a good place to begin from. I am kinda bummed because I have some seeds from a bank that I have kept safe for around a year, and now they are not germinating like they used to when I first got them. They have been in a cool dry place the whole time, and I usually soak them in water a few hours or overnight before placing in paper towels, but the 6 I last tried all were duds. Hopefully the next few I try will give me a few viable plants. I had to leave them for a couple days and may have just kept them too wet before I left them. Who knows how long they sat around at the bank before they shipped them to me...

Well with my method I don't use the same soil from start to finish, I got one tub with my veg dirt. Another for my bloom. What you want to do is kinda tricky Trichy. Most the stuff in my bloom mix would be too much for my starters and would just give them problems in the future. Vice versa my veg mix isn't good for bloom because it has high N which is a nice snack for mold to munch on. A transplant or two is good for growth but less stress on the plant if you just put them into a big pot and let its main tap root find its way straight down to the bottom. As for your seed problem, I'm in the same boat except mine are around 15 years old I only got two out of many to pop so far. They weren't stored properly at all, As for storing seeds put them in a clean air tight jar, throw em in the fridge or freezer. I put mine in the fridge, but thats just because I don't want to put them in freezing temps. I have heard the freezer is the best for long-term storage. Something about how in nature if cannabis was growing in the wild that the plants would die filled with seeds in their pods then winter comes and they stay in seed form, germinate in spring and start growing into the season. Which kinda makes sense but I still don't like the idear of putting my seeds in a freezer.

 

[SurfdOut]

As far as germing seeds, Mandala seeds has some interesting ideas on thier website....they say do not soak the seeds in water......food for thought...

For soil mixes, I do like spliff's with the different mixes for veggy and flowa and do much the same my self...

Trichy, why you going from aero to soil? Just wondering as that aero has to work pretty well...

 

[Trichy Bastard]

Well with my method I don't use the same soil from start to finish, I got one tub with my veg dirt. Another for my bloom. What you want to do is kinda tricky Trichy. Most the stuff in my bloom mix would be too much for my starters and would just give them problems in the future. Vice versa my veg mix isn't good for bloom because it has high N which is a nice snack for mold to munch on. A transplant or two is good for growth but less stress on the plant if you just put them into a big pot and let its main tap root find its way straight down to the bottom. As for your seed problem, I'm in the same boat except mine are around 15 years old I only got two out of many to pop so far. They weren't stored properly at all, As for storing seeds put them in a clean air tight jar, throw em in the fridge or freezer. I put mine in the fridge, but thats just because I don't want to put them in freezing temps. I have heard the freezer is the best for long-term storage. Something about how in nature if cannabis was growing in the wild that the plants would die filled with seeds in their pods then winter comes and they stay in seed form, germinate in spring and start growing into the season. Which kinda makes sense but I still don't like the idear of putting my seeds in a freezer.

Understood- perhaps the better idea is to have the flower mix lower down so the roots start getting into it around the right time of growth... I keep forgetting that I can't just add the right stuff in liquid form at the right time in the same way as with aero/hydro- lol... I figure seeds can last a long time in the right conditions- to be honest when I grew strawberries from seed, the only to get them to germ is if they had been in the freezer for a couple weeks first... I assume once frozen, they cannot really sense time and nothing changes within them as long as they don't get dried out or freezer burnt- so they can likely last a long time that way... I have a foodsaver with jar attachement, and can keep all my favorite strain nugs for literally years in a vacuum sealed jar in the freezer without any noticeable degradation. I bet I can try the same with seeds. I will get some unimportant seeds and try a test sometime- but it will probably not give any meaningful results until I wait a few years and try- lol... Someone told me I could try putting the seeds in a matchbox with a inch square of sadpaper and shake them around to scratch the surface- it's supposed to make them germ easier, but it sounds a little far fetched to me.

 

[Trichy Bastard]

It's just so easy to put some sunshine 4 mix in a 5 gallon bucket and water with a dyna-gro regimen. I honestly can't think of an easier way to grow- and so far everyone that swears they can tell the difference between chemical nutes and organic always choose the flavor of that one over the real organic sample I got from a friend upcountry. It's only been 3 people, but 3 out of 3 "conoisseurs" tells me I am not doing too bad either way... My aero system is definitely my favorite however... I fill the 10 gallon res once per week, ppm around 600 (.7 scale) (. and PH 5.8. Don't even have to look at it for the week, and since the pump only comes on once per day for 2 minutes to fill the pressure tank to 120psi and it's all running off a 12v battery hooked to a trickle charger- power outages don't phase me. I run drain to waste and never have to check my nutes or ph except for res refill day. It's sickly simple and easy to operate. The hard part was building it, but after that it's been the best thing I ever did. I am having some heat issues, because I run it outdoors in the sun, so that is my only hangup right now. It uses somewhere around 90% less water and nutes than hydro, grows even faster, and can all be run off a 20 watt solar panel if I want to. I think it's the most energy efficient way to grow after plain ol fashioned soil n sunlight...

 

[Highhawyn!]

As far as germing seeds, Mandala seeds has some interesting ideas on thier website....they say do not soak the seeds in water......food for thought...QUOTE]

i checked out mandala bro, and i think they are talking about their strains specifically, they just don't want to be blamed if a few of the 10 don't sprout, very prudent of them but they have probably gotten inundated with people soaking their seeds and not getting good germ rates. i like to follow KISS method myself, and do kind of what works for me. i have tried all kinds of germing methods, but putting them in water has got to be the easiest for me. what Mandala doesn't know is that in america, people have to heat their germination pads and seedlings because it is dry and cold there. in HI, it stays warm, and the water used to germ the seeds doesn't get too cold, so the seeds don't die, but actually thrive for a little while in the water.


in the pix, i dropped these MF seeds i made in 2006 this past tuesday, and i have been too busy to put them in promix, so the tails are getting long already my bad, but too much longer and the seed covers fall off and you have yellow cotelydons showing, then you know you really have to plant the seeds

as for soil mixes, again, i am probably not the largest yielder but it comes out tasty. i use promix/sunshine #4 depending on what's cheaper. i have friends that do DWC, but i am too lazy to do the hydro method, although that shit rocks. at one time, i tried the lightwarrior/oceanforest/FF bags altogether to try and reduce having to fert later, but i was too shitty at that, and it was finicky on plants to say the least (some plants need more than others of nutrients) so i just feed as i go along. the more neutral/fert free the soilless medium i use, the better for me. i would rather have more control over what is going in as ferts. soil/lless is way more forgiving, which is why i like it for my lazy ass, but i still like to control what goes in

alright, i am mostly just showing kind of what works for me, and if it works for you, fine, if not, then there are a million other methods to geat great tasting buds that all work it's pretty easy actually. aloha

 

[SpliffAndMyLady]

Understood- perhaps the better idea is to have the flower mix lower down so the roots start getting into it around the right time of growth... I keep forgetting that I can't just add the right stuff in liquid form at the right time in the same way as with aero/hydro- lol... I figure seeds can last a long time in the right conditions- to be honest when I grew strawberries from seed, the only to get them to germ is if they had been in the freezer for a couple weeks first... I assume once frozen, they cannot really sense time and nothing changes within them as long as they don't get dried out or freezer burnt- so they can likely last a long time that way... I have a foodsaver with jar attachement, and can keep all my favorite strain nugs for literally years in a vacuum sealed jar in the freezer without any noticeable degradation. I bet I can try the same with seeds. I will get some unimportant seeds and try a test sometime- but it will probably not give any meaningful results until I wait a few years and try- lol... Someone told me I could try putting the seeds in a matchbox with a inch square of sadpaper and shake them around to scratch the surface- it's supposed to make them germ easier, but it sounds a little far fetched to me.

I think I posted about that matchbox method on this thread..but it got deleted. Its works for me, makes your seeds turn a light brown because it scrapes the soft layer off them. Yeah I seal the jar with the food saver bags around the jar, works great. Your also right about putting your bloom mix in the bottom of the pot, add some extra black gravel or something for good drainage. Before I sold my boat, I would use aku and ahi heads That was when I grew in ground, tossed a couple down in the bottom of the hole, the girls love it bra

 

[Trichy Bastard]

As far as germing seeds, Mandala seeds has some interesting ideas on thier website....they say do not soak the seeds in water......food for thought...

For soil mixes, I do like spliff's with the different mixes for veggy and flowa and do much the same my self...

Trichy, why you going from aero to soil? Just wondering as that aero has to work pretty well...

Thanks man, I will head over there now... I only started soaking seeds recently on someone else's advice and they did sprout faster than the one's I didn't soak- so I took it as my new way. Perhaps it was just dumb luck tho and it's not as good. Hell, I never had any problems before. In NY in the heart of winter I put some seeds in a paper towel and wrapped in saran wrap. Wrapped the whole lot around the exit pipe of the hot water heater and every damn one sprouted lol...

Noooo- I will never switch back to soil from aero- I just wouldn't mind a little variety. I'd like a 15 foot sativa in my garden to be honest- that's what I am really getting at hehe... Well, and I want to prove once and for all to myself if soil really has any taste advantage- so many people say it I am still wondering. I use very low ppms and I think that's what the difference is- flushing? No need!

Also I am always looking for ways to improve my organic garden, my last batch of tomatoes looked beautiful but just didn't have that sweet taste they have in the past. My lame gardener sprayed roundup all in my garden to kill the weeds and I made him replace all the soil, I think the new batch doesn't have the same sweetness as the old soil did. I originally bought expensive compost organic soil brought in from upcountry, and he said he used the same, but I hink he diluted it with a bunch of sand to save money. It's around 12x20 feet and replaced the soil 3feet down, so I am sure it wasn't cheap an he tried to save money...

 

[Trichy Bastard]

I think I posted about that matchbox method on this thread..but it got deleted. Its works for me, makes your seeds turn a light brown because it scrapes the soft layer off them. Yeah I seal the jar with the food saver bags around the jar, works great. Your also right about putting your bloom mix in the bottom of the pot, add some extra black gravel or something for good drainage. Before I sold my boat, I would use aku and ahi heads That was when I grew in ground, tossed a couple down in the bottom of the hole, the girls love it bra

Yeah, that was you I think- but it might have been in Lime's thread... What was it called "scratchifying" lol...
Anyway, I'll try the "fish heads, fish heads, bloody, bloody fish heads"

 

[cirE]

Well guys I have had a few snags right now that makes it so I cannot grow anymore... unfortunately I wont know how it feels to have my own bud right now, but I will still stop by and take notes and try to learn for next time.

 

[Trichy Bastard]

Well guys I have had a few snags right now that makes it so I cannot grow anymore... unfortunately I wont know how it feels to have my own bud right now, but I will still stop by and take notes and try to learn for next time.

Sorry to hear than man... Well, keep learning and when you are in a position to do it again, you'll be all the better off. See you around and good luck with everything...

 

[808Ridaz]

Alright so i dont post much on here. But set up my grow last month and was starting out cherry until the fucking pigs impounded my bike ,And to water my plants i had to hike atleast 20 miles this morning to water that shit fucking pisses me off.
FUK DA POLICE

 

[Trichy Bastard]

Alright so i dont post much on here. But set up my grow last month and was starting out cherry until the fucking pigs impounded my bike ,And to water my plants i had to hike atleast 20 miles this morning to water that shit fucking pisses me off.
FUK DA POLICE

I can just see the cops who read this thread seeing this and saying "sheesh- some guys never learn" lol... Sorry bro- at least it was only your bike impounded rather than your grow... Hope you get your bike back soon, I ride an r-6 myself...