420's Hydro Soil-less Indiana Bubblegum x Darkstar Kush Grow Journal, 2021

[Jon]

Foxtails. Light is too close. Imo.

 

[Diatomacious]

So far so good on new ones... no burnt hairs yet. A couple are showing a little curl which means they aren't happy but they are still alive

 

[Diatomacious]

So far loving the color on the new ones and the hairs have seemed to improve slightly since yesterday. I won't bore anyone with shots of my bald buds unless someone wants to see them. I'll include some pics at harvest so you can have a good laugh.

Hoping these will fatten up right... I'll just have to check in to rehab if not and no one wants that.

 

[Diatomacious]

Foxtails. Light is too close. Imo.

I don't think it was the lights fault, though I'm no expert so maybe I'm wrong. The grow was sideways from the go and I just think the plants never fully recovered. We'll see what the new ones have to say.

 

[Jon]

I don't think it was the lights fault, though I'm no expert so maybe I'm wrong. The grow was sideways from the go and I just think the plants never fully recovered. We'll see what the new ones have to say.

I'm no expert either, and I could easily be wrong. Thus, the "imo." Lol. Do you think foxtails are that big of a deal? Some strains actually grow that way every bud. As long as they aren't bleached out foxtails, which I'm *pretty* sure means too much light, but just foxtails that are like patches of white making the bud grow funny, to me it's not a big deal. Only thing it really hurts is bag appeal. I *think.* Again, I'm no expert. But in my first grow when I saw one of those starting a couple places and my lights were already pegged to the ceiling, I tied those branches down a few inches from below by pulling them over. All I can tell you is when I did that the foxtails stopped. That's why I first go to light.

 

[Diatomacious]

Do you think foxtails are that big of a deal?

I think the foxtails on my buds are the healthy part of the bud still growing (so no not a big deal actually a good thing) they just look like foxtails because the rest of the bud with the red hairs is dead and not growing. Sorry Charlie Brown.

That's why I took clones right?

At least that's what it looks like to me.

 

[Diatomacious]

Lots of opaque... not much amber I expect to harvest in about 8 days

 

[Jon]

I think the foxtails on my buds are the healthy part of the bud still growing (so no not a big deal actually a good thing) they just look like foxtails because the rest of the bud with the red hairs is dead and not growing. Sorry Charlie Brown.

That's why I took clones right?

At least that's what it looks like to me.

I see what you mean. I wasn't being critical or anything, I really was asking to know.

 

[Diatomacious]

No problems... I would rather you say what you think anyway.

That's just my opinion of what is happening in the bud... take it with a grain of salt I suppose.

 

[Jon]

No problems... I would rather you say what you think anyway.

That's just my opinion of what is happening in the bud... take it with a grain of salt I suppose.

Funny we're talking about this. I just looked at the auto tent, which is now two whole days into having the new quantum board with the blurples on full spectrum. Before I had to have the blurples on reds only cuz if I added the whites/blues, it got way too hot. So I solved the problem and now it's been 48 hours with TONS of light. Literally as much as my current technology will allow me to throw at them, everything maxed. Like par numbers as high as 1550 in the middle under the quantum board. 1050-1250 on my two outer rows, even the corners. And since I did that, the plants who are well into budding, ie, the Gorilla Zkittlez and the three Cinderella Jacks, have begun to shoot out white hairs and increase in size at a visible, dramatic rate. All the budding plants are, but it's more dramatic on the four oldest plants. It blows my mind. Anyway, the Gorilla Zkittlez in particular, who started budding first on day 26 and has BIG buds on her now (well, fat buds, not tall buds, lol) grows very indica-like. It's short. Very bushy. The buds are big and fat and dense as hell and stinky. It's all good. But the point as it relates to foxtails (see, I got to it eventually, lol) is, this Gorilla, when she's shooting out her white hairs, shoots them out all over the bud but in patches. It almost looks like little foxtails the way she does that. It's been like that since the beginning, and I've seen pictures of buds that form like that. Foxtail-y in the way they build and grow. I hadn't really noticed it before but the Gorilla appears to be just such a plant. I'll post a picture tomorrow. You can see the difference clearly between how the buds form and grow on the Cinderellas, who grow very sativa-like, and the Gorilla, the indica-esque girl. Very cool to see.

And yeah my friend, don't worry, I'll always tell you what I think if I think it might have even a 10-20% chance of being helpful. Even when I'm wrong or way off, I learn a ton when you guys slap me back and educate me. Lol.

 

[Diatomacious]

And since I did that, the plants who are well into budding, ie, the Gorilla Zkittlez and the three Cinderella Jacks, have begun to shoot out white hairs and increase in size at a visible, dramatic rate.

Plants love some light... outdoors they get full sunshine all day (the lucky ones anyway). Give them as much as you can til it hurts (when you start to see burn). The more light they get the bigger they grow IMO. Only thing I will mention is 1500 is a little high from what I've read so keep a close eye on them just in case.

Foxtail-y in the way they build and grow.

I'm growing a supposedly Afghan that is exhibiting this same characteristic. Probably somewhere back in it's lineage it was crossed with an inferior wild strain. Her sister looks more promising with a little tighter nugget but she looks kind of wild and stringy. Good marijuana genetics will always produce good tight buds from my experience.

The better genetics are what I consider "keepers" and add to my collection... maybe even replacing all together one I'm already keeping. Sometimes you come across seeds that are pure genetic monsters. The buds will throw out resin balls and end up a sticky gooey mess these are the types of plants I'm currently hunting. My bubblegum is pretty sticky with trichomes but she has yet to satisfy me in the potency department or throw a resin ball (it's the best I got though, what are you gonna do). Nunyabiz grew some blue gelato from Barney's Farm in his journal that threw a couple resin balls so I'll probably give some of that a try next. I'm really looking for a plant that has resin balls on every trichome creating a resin coated bud effect that will absolutely reak havoc on any plastic bag you try to stick it in.

I learn a ton when you guys slap me back and educate me

I get this feeling from life a lot myself. School of hard knocks is the best educator... you won't soon forget.

 

[Jon]

Plants love some light... outdoors they get full sunshine all day (the lucky ones anyway). Give them as much as you can til it hurts (when you start to see burn). The more light they get the bigger they grow IMO. Only thing I will mention is 1500 is a little high from what I've read so keep a close eye on them just in case.

I'm growing a supposedly Afghan that is exhibiting this same characteristic. Probably somewhere back in it's lineage it was crossed with an inferior wild strain. Her sister looks more promising with a little tighter nugget but she looks kind of wild and stringy. Good marijuana genetics will always produce good tight buds from my experience.

The better genetics are what I consider "keepers" and add to my collection... maybe even replacing all together one I'm already keeping. Sometimes you come across seeds that are pure genetic monsters. The buds will throw out resin balls and end up a sticky gooey mess these are the types of plants I'm currently hunting. My bubblegum is pretty sticky with trichomes but she has yet to satisfy me in the potency department or throw a resin ball (it's the best I got though, what are you gonna do). Nunyabiz grew some blue gelato from Barney's Farm in his journal that threw a couple resin balls so I'll probably give some of that a try next. I'm really looking for a plant that has resin balls on every trichome creating a resin coated bud effect that will absolutely reak havoc on any plastic bag you try to stick it in.

I get this feeling from life a lot myself. School of hard knocks is the best educator... you won't soon forget.

I agree with you on the light. 1500 is high and I'm prepared to pare the quantum board back if necessary. It dims every 10% so I can dial it in if I need to. I'd probably just raise it a bit before I dimmed it though, I like to run on 100%. My professional grower buddy in Oregon tells me that too much light is a myth as long as temperature, humidity, and not overwatering is all in play correctly. He says what you allude to - that they sprout and grow in direct sunlight all over the world. I use my Korona app and it has one free setting you don't have to pay $5 to unlock - the direct real sunlight one. So I tested it and even in the dim early morning sun the par meter immediately pegs to this: >3000. So there's your natural sun - it's so high in terms of par that my app can't even measure it. So in theory, why should 1500 or 2000 be too high? I have read some science on this and there is a point of diminishing return, especially without CO2. It's pretty much anything over 1500 according to what I've read without CO2. I didn't plan where I am, I just hung the lights where I approximated it would work and went with it. I'm watch them like hawks and it's been two and a half days and so far, the plants are not showing me the least sign that it's too much or they can't take it. So I don't know. The whole auto tent is an experiment anyway, so we'll see what happens. They're fun as hell, but honestly my heart and soul are in my photo tent. Those are the plants and the grow I'm big time emotionally invested in, lol.

Totally agree on the genetics and I got two keeper strains out of four this time. The Pineapple Express from 420 Fast Buds is a keeper for sure, and I'll definitely grow the Cinderella Jack again too from Dutch Passion. Both are very consistent and out of three of each plant, I have two that are spot on identical of each, and one that may be a different pheno of each. But even the different one of each of them is real close so I don't know. I love the Gorilla and she's beautiful but she stays real short. I can't wait to see what she packs on to the buds. Wish I had a field of her though, she's Barney's Farm. The Lemons can go f-ck themselves. Lol. I wouldn't grow them again. Not much side branching and more sensitive to everything than all three other strains. They will be my lowest yielders of the bunch I think.

And yeah, I've taken a class or two at that school you mentioned. We all have.

 

[Diatomacious]

3000. So there's your natural sun

That's in the morning. Imagine how many ppf at high noon.

it's been two and a half days and so far, the plants are not showing me the least sign that it's too much or they can't take it.

Should be alright then... I've just heard stories and wanted to give the heads up. Burn is probably more to do with the heat coming off the light... but that's just my theory. I keep a good breeze moving right across the tops to cool the bulbs anyway.

They're fun as hell, but honestly my heart and soul are in my photo tent.

Preaching to the choir lol... I've never even tried autos myself. They just don't interest me. I like to clone a lot though and autos would probably not pair very well.

I love the Gorilla and she's beautiful but she stays real short.

Sounds perfect for indoor growing... short and bushy that's how I like em

Maybe you can get some trich shots for me of your keepers... the more weed I can examine... the closer I come to finding my true love

 

[Jon]

That's in the morning. Imagine how many ppf at high noon.

Should be alright then... I've just heard stories and wanted to give the heads up. Burn is probably more to do with the heat coming off the light... but that's just my theory. I keep a good breeze moving right across the tops to cool the bulbs anyway.

Preaching to the choir lol... I've never even tried autos myself. They just don't interest me. I like to clone a lot though and autos would probably not pair very well.

Sounds perfect for indoor growing... short and bushy that's how I like em

Maybe you can get some trich shots for me of your keepers... the more weed I can examine... the closer I come to finding my true love

I've heard the stories too and seen and it and even made the mistake before. I have so much moving air in there it's criminal, and the temperature never goes over 82 now that I got the other AC unit. So I *think* I'm good, but until all my new growth turns the same green as everything else I'm watching like a hawk.

I felt the same as you about autos. I'm very surprised with everything about them. I'll be the first to admit that my preconceptions and anti-auto biases were inaccurate and unfounded. But here's something I didn't know and now that I see it for myself I realize they're exactly right - I have several autoflower specialists I have been speaking with in another forum for autos, and several of them, having seen my pictures, are telling me I'm going to get 3 ounces per plant. I was hoping for two. But looking at my plants I already can see it would be just about impossible to not get more than two ounces a plant. There's too many bud sites that I've created and trained to be prime and they're already big enough with more than a month or six weeks to just grow that I KNOW they're at least 2 ounces a plant. And dude, it was like 5 trillion times easier than a photo grow, way different, way fun, and keeps you on your toes. It's making me a better grower by working them because the LST you have to do to achieve your goals is extensive and daily, and it's my first real attempt at LST on anything as I did none of that in my first grow. If I get two oz./plant it's an 18 ounce harvest. 3 oz/per is a 27 ounce harvest. For nine plants that are all done in three months from seed? And easy as hell to LST, manipulate, and generate an UNBELIEVEABLE number of bud sites? Yeah, I'm on the train now. You'll see what I mean in my auto update in a while. I decided to try them because all I had was the blurples for the one tent, (the quantum board didn't yet exist) and I knew they are really inadequate to grow the kind of supreme bud I want and expect to grow. So I didn't want to "waste" a photoperiod grow in that blurple tent, and figured what the hell I'll give the autos a shot. So I picked all high yielding, high THC auto strains (with the exception of the two Lemons, which were freebies) and went to town. It's also interesting doing both at the same time because of the huge difference in just the "thing" of each one. Like, with the autos, they move FAST. I mean blindingly so. You have to watch them every single day if you want to max your yield with LST. I transplanted from Dixie's to three gallon pots, which is one thing they tell you not to do with autos that's complete crap, and I have LST'ed the hell out of them and stuffed them full of nutes since they were seedlings. I'm hammering them with light. And they just take it and take it. You'll read to relax on the nutes with autos cuz their lives are short and if you have good soil it'll feed them for pretty much the whole first half of their lives before you gently nute. That's also crap. You STUFF them. As much as they can take. You'll also read to use 18/6 or 20/4 for light. Again, nope. I use 22/2. Many use 24/0. Point is that you can pretty much do whatever you want to them, although I did not try topping. And they are unpredictable enough (like you don't know when they will start to flower) that you have to get over the whole "control" thing that works and is so necessary for photos. Meanwhile in Phototown you are carefully controlling every factor, you know exactly what is going to happen (or pretty much), you're almost guaranteed a bigger yield than autos (although many tell me not so fast on that assertion and that often autos will surprise the crap out of you with their yields), and you spend a lot more time tending to them in veg. It's a stark difference and really it's testing me and improving my skills.

I'm doing an auto and photo update in a bit. I'll get some trich shots for you and either include them in the update or tag you in a separate post if I have more than 10 pictures for the update before trich shots. There's six plants budding, four of which are REALLY budding, and the three Pineapple Express are still in veg. (yay!). But there should be some decent trichome pictures on the four. I know there is on the Gorilla Zkittlez. The Cinderella Jacks are very sativa and take a long time for an auto to finish, like 12-13 weeks, so they're not nearly as big yet as the Gorilla buds, as she actually finishes in the time Barney's Farm claims, around 65 days. So yeah, I got you.

 

[Diatomacious]

I have so much moving air in there it's criminal

That's what is letting you push your ppf so high I do believe.

I'll be the first to admit that my preconceptions and anti-auto biases were inaccurate and unfounded.

I'm just scared of a plant that will suddenly start to bud like it has a mind of it's own. I don't think they would clone very well which means you must always start from seed making it a game of chance as to whether you get something that pleases you or not. You seem to be enjoying the experience though and really that's all that counts when raising plants.

 

[Michael Hunt]

Hey @Diatomacious lookin good in there man do you use a scope for checking the trichomes or just the camera?

 

[Diatomacious]

Just a camera... 25 MP with 18-135 mm lens. Just priced a 100 mm Macro lens the other day $1200. I'd love to have one for some nicer trichome pics but wow.

 

[Michael Hunt]

Just a camera... 25 MP with 18-135 mm lens. Just priced a 100 mm Macro lens the other day $1200. I'd love to have one for some nicer trichome pics but wow.

Yeah thats just crazy. I’ve wanted one for the misses’ camera but not if thats what they run. Do you mind me asking what kind of camera it is?

 

[Diatomacious]

Yeah thats just crazy. I’ve wanted one for the misses’ camera but not if thats what they run. Do you mind me asking what kind of camera it is?

It's a Canon Rebel. The macro lenses were a lot less... Covid 19 pricing. Must be what happened to Nazi Germany when you needed a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread. So much for socialism.

 

[Michael Hunt]

It's a Canon Rebel. The macro lenses were a lot less... Covid 19 pricing. Must be what happened to Nazi Germany when you needed a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread. So much for socialism.

Yeah i saw that looking at cameras the other day. We bought one 3 years ago that has literally doubled in price since. Makes sense if your “into” power. Hungry people are pretty easy to control, just dangle the food where you want them to go.