Alafornia's 1st Time Multistrain Medical Grow

Is it really Sunday night already?! Bull!

So I wanted to point out that you don't see much talk at all here in the way of nutrients or feedings or foliar sprays or teas. That simplicity is quite by design. The entire reason I chose to grow in soil in general was simplicity. The super soil I have provided our plants is designed to provide all the nutrients our growing girls need from veg right on through flower.

This was the recipe I used (it was a half batch of the old subcool recipe):

4 large bags of a high-quality organic potting soil with coco fiber and mycorrhizae (i.e., your base soil)
12.5 to 25 lbs of organic worm castings
2.5lbs steamed bone meal
2.5lbs bloom bat guano
2.5lbs blood meal
1.5lbs rock phosphate
3/8 cup or 6 tablespoons Epsom Salts
1/4 cup or 4 tablespoon sweet lime (dolomite)
1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons azomite (trace elements)
1 tablespoon powdered humic acid

I did have some problems late in the seedling stage with over watering and I'm uncertain if all the problem then were from that or there just weren't enough nutrients in the base soil. Another member has used her super soil (Either Amy or Emilya and I'm ashamed that I can't remember for sure) in the bottom 1/3 of her dixie/solo cup. I am considering that next grow though I do plan to pick up some cal-mag just in case. With the super soil I don't see much need for it but you never know.

So back to simplicity: I like it that way. It's a feature, not a bug. I don't really even measure out exactly how much water I'm giving. I do believe that scientific approach is valid and valuable, like sheet music - sure, I can do it but I'm an improvise and play by ear/feel kind of guy once we get the basics out of the way (mainly saxophone and guitar, I was in a band or two - should have known we'd never get far, oh but when I look back then, that summer seemed to last fore...oh, where was I? Haven't played much in years). I don't want to measure out nutes and water and make stinky teas and all the rest. Not saying I wouldn't - I just don't want to so I discovered that someone else had a method that is mostly mix up your soil, let it compost a couple of months, plants your seeds, and water. That's it!

And I love it that way. Put in the work ahead of time (prepare) and then get in tune with your plants and then let the magic happen. That's my style. So far it's mostly working. We'll know more about that later on.

I hope that this and future grows can be an example for others that although you can get all into the minute details or nutrients and water and control every complex aspect of growing cannabis, you don't have to if you put the work in up front. Growing cannabis can be relatively simple. Good light, good soil, good air. Don't even pH your water! :D

It also has helped greatly having such good and knowledgeable people giving tips, advice, support, encouragement - this is the 420 Magazine way and I am so appreciative of all of you!

Finally, a buttload of pics (did you know a buttload is 48 bushels or 384 gallons?):





























They have grown quite a bit in the last two days.

I did measure light distances from walls and adjust for better and more even coverage. I also raised the lights back up to 24 inches from 18 since the bigger plants were growing so much and raised the wattage to 315 watts x2 CMH lights. I do tend to obsess over those kind of technical details.

Had to change the filter on the humidifier. It was causing some struggle due to poor absorption of water onto the filter. Going to try to clean the other one and I'll need to buy some more.

Did I ever mention cannabis is a miracle plant?! Yes, I did. It is still working well for my son.

I think I finally convinced Mrs. Alafornia that the techniques I've learned about here, like bud washing and maybe the low and slow dry and cure, along with my growing methods should produce a flower that is an easy smooth smoke without so much harshness and terrible coughing. I hope one day she'll join up and chime in. Who wants Mrs. Alafornia? I do, but I said that once already long ago. :)

Well, that was a lot of info and a buttload (and now we know precisely what that means) of pics.

Thank you all for stopping in. You're great company.
You planning on doing any training? I would bend nikkita, northern light and orange sherbert over so you can get the angle to have a flatter canopy with more bud zones. Yes i said bud zones.
 
I will take that under advisement BR. Good suggestion.
 
Looking good Al! I’m on the side of yes! Bring her on! Would love to have her on as well!

Was also going to say, your plants are getting pretty big, if your going to top a couple, might want to get it before they have too many internodes, as the more internodes, the bushier of a plant, making it more top heavy, which there’s ways to help battle that problem, but just making conversation I guess lol :popcorn:
 
Looking good Al, those happy girls are getting tall already!
 
It's just Another Manic Monday.

Busy busy day. Pretty much nonstop. Typical Monday.

Mrs. Alafornia and I were staring in wonder and amazement at the plants tonight. Who would have thought that I, of all people, would be growing these plants?!

I actually have seen with my own eyes a number of people that probably never thought they'd see the day - like the elderly lady at the dispensary who said her doctor told her to get some CBD for her arthritis. How about the mother of the teenage kid with the skateboard at the same dispensary (she was with him). I did wonder just what path would lead them here (as in there). Was it a similar situation to our own?

But here we are, growing these plants. And admiring their beauty. And thinking "Six or seven months ago I didn't know anything about growing cannabis. Hell, I didn't know much about growing anything!"

I often miss the greenery of Alabama (even if prohibition of this healing plant might prevent me from considering living there just now). I admired the green in the tent tonight and felt at home growing a plant I thought I'd never grow.

I felt proud of the work, the countless hours over many months learning about how to do this thing we do. Temps, humidity, medium, light (so many choices!), ventilation, circulation, pests, diseases, deficiencies, and on and on.

And then so many strains! These look the same in measured content and yet have completely different effects? WTF?! How am I supposed to pick one? Research, research, and more research.

I didn't plan on joining 420 Mag until I joined, if that makes sense, but after reading the bud washing thread and deciding to join I realized that several threads I had already read in my research. And everyone made me feel so welcomed right off the bat.

But still, sometimes I'm still amazed - in a good way, I think - that I'm growing cannabis. More amazed that despite some early trouble (knock on wood) I haven't screwed it up too badly yet and these plants look so good to me.

Last night Mrs. Alafornia said she smelled pot. I couldn't smell it. Well, tonight she said it again. Later I brought Northern Lights out for a closer look and when we got closer we both smelled that tell-tale smell. I even checked her for flowers. None. I haven't tested all of them. lol

Anyway, here are a few group pics for your trouble. Singles to follow.







 
Still trying to get Mrs A to come on and say "hi". She's shy and knows nothing about growing cannabis except through osmosis from me and that means not much. lol Please give @Tangled a 420 Magazine welcome.

But first, pics!














 
Speaking of shy:

I grew up in the South so church was a big thing. When I was 16 I started going to a bigger church down the road a piece and eventually found a new "home" church, but about the first five times I went I couldn't even bring myself to get past the sanctuary entrance doors. Eventually I was on "stage" playing music and all the rest. And here I am. lol Not as shy anymore, but I get it.
 
Welcome @Tangled ,to the 420 family!:welcome:
 
Plants are looking fantastic Al they have really grown since the last time I was by. Some of those fan leaves look like the size of my hand

Thank you! Not quite the size of mine, but I have very large hands. A few may be getting close.
 
So @Tangled...How are you liking the growing so far?
Your husband is a natural at it, I think it's so cool that you support what he's doing-not everyone
has that ...
So,are you planning on growing some of your own chosen strains?
 
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