AKGramma's Perpetual Grow

TorturedSoul said:
AKGramma, I ran into some crazy old hillbilly last evening. I think he was looking for you... ;) .



I've been wondering, if a person had two containers of roughly the same volume - but of differing heights - and they planted the same strain of auto-flowering seed in each (perhaps S₁ generation siblings, since clones are not a thing), and they were able to somehow judge when the (tap?)root of the one growing in the shorter container was just on the cusp of contacting the bottom of its container... If the grower then watered it well with a good dose of nutrients - but most especially nitrogen and some nitrogen - would that plant remain in the vegetative growth phase.

Some complaints I've read over time about the posters' auto-flowering plants having delayed transitioning to the flowering phase that turned out to share "too much nitrogen" as a common denominator would appear to support this theory. But... I don't know. I suppose it would - like so many other things - depend on a number of factors.

I'm just thinking out lou-- err... in print. You can tell the difference between that and a ramble, because a ramble wouldn't stop... now.
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Good point. Possible experiment? You could build a square pot and put a glass or plastic sheet on one side of it plant the seed basically against the glass (obviously make sure the glass is covered by something until the time you want to check it, bit of cardboard or something maybe?) Then you can keep tabs on where the tap root is. Obviously this would mean the plant is growing at the edge of the pot but you could just train the branches back to the middle of the pot, plus its just for an experiment anyway. Cant make much comment on the nutes though cos I really dont know enough about autos
 
I learned from experience, and research articles agree: when the taproot of an Auto hits bottom, it switches hormones and goes to flower. So, if you want a 7" plant, leave it in the solo cup till it hits bottom. If you want a 48" plant with buds all the way down the stem, plant it into a tall kitchen trash bin. 3 - 5 gallons will do.
 
The two lady AK47 X DPs are showing pistils! If the male was as tall as the strongest female, I would put them together in the same paper bag to do their thing "in private" ! :rofl:
 
I was watching random Youtube videos one day and saw one about the Anchorage Market's Arts and Crafts Emporium, you know? And, at the end, it mentioned that they were hiring about 20 "happy helpers" for weekend setup/breakdown. It stated that the prospective employees were subject to drug testing at the time of employment.

I realize they weren't just hiring kids to sling birdseed, you know? But it still seemed like a sad thing. I used to think stuff like that was half the reason folk went to Alaska in the first place. Are they afraid they'll get a bunch of layabouts, won't do nuthin but steal old farts' hearing aids when they aren't watchin' their ears an stuff?

Guess it happens all over.

I'm just ramblin. No crows to shoot this late at night. I ought to go plant my corn now. . . .
 
Lots of peoplle still drug test here... seems dumb to me. But who knows!

That little breeding project of yours sounds cool! If you could get the ruderalis gene you'd be set! And I love grapefruit the strain. Had some a few times that was amazing. I can only imagine the taste when crossed with the blueberry
 
I can get the Ruderalis gene from a couple of strains, but the Autoberry will have the simplest ancestry. The trick is going to acquire a male with as simple ancestry as I can manage, and have him make pollen close to when the female comes into flower. How long can pollen be stored, and what is the best way to store it?

And all this in a very small grow.
 
At least a year, if you keep it cool, dark, and DRY. I've read it can be stored even longer, but that's the longest I ever did (and then used same).

Heat up some flour, a tablespoon or two, to ensure that it is "super dry." Use it to cut your pollen up to 1:10. After it has cooled, of course. Place in a small container - the smaller, the better, as in "whatever your pollen mixture can completely fill." Make sure everything is sterile, and the same for any artist's brush / et cetera that you use to later dip out of the container with. And, again, completely dry.

The flour isn't really necessary, of course. But each one of those tiny pollen grains can, in theory, produce one seed. I've never tried counting the little buggers, lol, but I'd guess that just the amount that could cover your little fingernail in a layer one grain thick would be capable of producing a thousand seeds, if not (many) more. IF that amount doesn't all land in one spot on a female plant. So cutting it always seemed like a really good deal to me.

A little dab will do ya. I used to keep pollen from interesting males around for when I felt like producing something a little different from a prized female or two. Shame I don't have any these days ;) .
 
TorturedSoul said:
At least a year, if you keep it cool, dark, and DRY. I've read it can be stored even longer, but that's the longest I ever did (and then used same).

Heat up some flour, a tablespoon or two, to ensure that it is "super dry." Use it to cut your pollen up to 1:10. After it has cooled, of course. Place in a small container - the smaller, the better, as in "whatever your pollen mixture can completely fill." Make sure everything is sterile, and the same for any artist's brush / et cetera that you use to later dip out of the container with. And, again, completely dry.

The flour isn't really necessary, of course. But each one of those tiny pollen grains can, in theory, produce one seed. I've never tried counting the little buggers, lol, but I'd guess that just the amount that could cover your little fingernail in a layer one grain thick would be capable of producing a thousand seeds, if not (many) more. IF that amount doesn't all land in one spot on a female plant. So cutting it always seemed like a really good deal to me.

A little dab will do ya. I used to keep pollen from interesting males around for when I felt like producing something a little different from a prized female or two. Shame I don't have any these days ;) .
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TY!
 
AKgramma said:
My seed stock includes not only gifts, but purchases, and home-grown (males gone wild)
HOMEGROWN:
Bubblelicious
Mystery Sativa crosses (from unnamed bonus seeds from Nirvana)
(AK 47 x DP) x White Castle
AK 48 x mystery Sativa
AK 49 x (AKxDP)
Polar Express Auto x White Castle

GIFTED PHOTOS :
ATF
Harlequin
Afghani

AUTO from MJSeeds:
Jock Horror Fem (turned out to be a very popular smoke)
Autoberry Fem

I don't have many Autos, so I might fertilize one branch of each with pollen I have handy (AK47xDP) and see if the Ruderalis genes express themselves in the offspring.

***I think I will pop the Autoberry next and use some of the fresh pollen from the current seeding project on one of the ladies. I have just enough tall trash bins to accommodate the Autoberries. The last Autoberry I grew harvested at 48 inches and was covered with buds from top to bottom. No cropping, no training.

Autoberry is a cross between blueberry and grapefruit and Ruderalis. It was a very popular smoke among friends and family.
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A typo here. AK 49 should be AK 48 in the list above.
 
I started reading through my journal from the beginning, refreshing my knowledge of the methods that work or do not work for me. Only about 1/4 the way through so far. It was enlightening so see that I have fallen into a few of my old, unproductive habits, most notably using used soil to clone with. It's no wonder I've failed at cloning the past year and a half! I need to start with new, preferably sterilized soil that is high in sand and add NEW or sterilized perlite for even more drainage.

I read I can sterilize soil with peroxide or heat. Just a little labor sifting my used soil of large clumps and organics should save me a few bucks. I have plenty of peroxide, or I can bake it in the oven. It is debatable whether to try and sterilize it in the microwave.

What do you all think?
 
AKgramma said:
I read I can sterilize soil with peroxide or heat. Just a little labor sifting my used soil of large clumps and organics should save me a few bucks. I have plenty of peroxide, or I can bake it in the oven. It is debatable whether to try and sterilize it in the microwave.
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Save the H₂O₂ for an O₂ boost (/ first-aid) when the plants need it. Save the microwave for warming foods... that you don't mind heating tiny individual bits to extreme temperatures as a means to heating the overall lump. That leaves dampening the old soil and spreading a relatively thin layer across some kind of dish/container and sticking it into the oven.

That's what I did before I realized I had a handy yard, where I occasionally try to grow something to eat and which is comprised mainly of heavy clay and rocks, to send used soil to.

Just my opinion. That and five bucks won't even buy a pin-joint around here any more.

Treating Old Soil
 
I wasn't that crazy Redneck? Or Was I????????????? Drive-by
Keepem Green
 
A farmer I know always bakes her soil in the oven before using it to start seedlings. I will see her tomorrow and could ask her what temps she uses. She knows her shit.
I suspect that, despite our inclination to believe in magic and grow-angels/demons, probably the cloning issues mostly come down to boring old science, and can be blamed more on variations in temperature than sorcery. Even though I find sorcery to be a more convenient reason to explain why my clones rooted, or didn't.
I never had much (any) luck with peroxide- at least not to sterilize soil, coco, or peat moss.
But now that I have the bubble cloner going, I find that I'm having good luck if I clean and sterilize the entire thing every round, and change the water. If I don't- I dont get roots and I eventually get slime and rot. If I do- I get roots.
With my other cloning methods I wasn't able to make a clean slate like this. Now I can. I think.
Whew. Tempting fate here...
I'm off to sacrifice a goat now.
 
Sacrifice a cow, instead. More meat for the after-sacrifice barbecue ;) .
 
If only I had a cow!

I know what I do have though. This f&@king rabbit!!! This incredibly cute little baby bunny which is in my bedroom right now.
She's in quarantine from the other bunnies at the moment, till she can get vaccinated for something, and upstairs is the only place that is sterile- where no other bunny has been - or at least for a long time.
So I have to keep her upstairs in the cabin tonight. She's a real sweetheart. But every once in a while she goes thump on the floor and then leaps up on my bed and starts licking my face.
Agh!!! It's 1:30 am and I haven't slept the last two nights cause of this.

Her name is Isis by the way. And she drops bombs on my bed. If only all terrorists were so cute.
I'm building a wall, setting up a sheet partition next to my bed. Pretty sure it's not going to work though. She's already trying to burrow underneath. Bunny sacrifice may be in order.
 
I don't do alot of reading... But seen ya'll talk about autos and the story about tap roots. I don't think pot size does much about autos size if feed proper and allowed a reason space.... If I read right? Auto flowers got that way for 100's of years growing in the wild... Now if I put foot in mouth,,, I'll bow out... Me I can't read,,, I like pic's.. JK there AK... Alot of peoples sterilize their soils.. Catch 22,, kill everything and bring back whats good? Or work with what you have and boast it's living shit. Now IF you have dealt with mites or molds,,, killing off the soil can be a good thing. I'm talking out my ass..... After reading 1 or 2 posts.............. Good liquor...

Keepem Green
 
In the case of the farmer I mentioned, it occurs to me that she sterilizes it because she has a lot of weeds. Always good to know what's sprouting. And then I suppose the sprouts get planted into living soil soon enough. I'll ask her about this. I suppose we're talking a similar thing- just having a sterilized place for clones, and after that they can be planted in whatever and fend for themselves against all the beasties.
Just talking out my ass too. Sorry I don't have a pic of that you'll have to visualize...

Jk. I take it back.

Don't visualize that. :passitleft:
 
IMO, the only reason I need sterilized soil is for clones. I USED to be able to clone, according to the early pages in my Journal. I dont know WTF happened along the way, and soil is the only thing I can blame it on.
 
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