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Amy Gardner’s High Brix Dreams
- Thread starter Amy Gardner
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Update 
Week 13
I don’t think Early Miss is a photo or mistakenly labelled like Dutchman’s.
Which leaves the question of perhaps slow growth for this fast Auto (60-70 days). I’m guessing that if it is slow, then it’s likely the gnats.
She looks a pretty miss nonetheless. And I know autos do a great deal of growing during flower. So I have no doubt that if I keep the herd happy she will bloom into a petite beauty for me to be enjoying over Christmas.
Yesterday we had a ripping thunderstorm, a couple actually and hail was predicted, plus low temps into today. I moved Early Miss into the laundry under a 4000k CFL till it blows over.
I just went in to check this morning and there are not one, not two, but three sentinels guarding it. I think!!
I wonder what they are? They look predatory to me so I’m assuming they’re helpers. If @Pterostychus sees this, he might be able to tell us right off the bat, or maybe someone else can. Good looking bugs whatever they are!
DDA (d4) #1 is officially stalled I think
Here is day 4 afew day’s ago, looking exactly the same as day 3 when I didn’t photograph it
Then 26 hours later...
Then 30 hours after that ...
There is very slight development btw day 5-6, but if the root is compromised the way the other one was then I’m not hopeful for a vigorous grow. My temptation here is to learn the lesson of moving on, cull it, treat the soil for the gnats and maybe even mix some pumice through it to help the drying out and start again.
What I haven’t mentioned so far is that all pots got their first BTi treatment and will get another. None were completely dry but as things were still escalating I decided that treatment was more important. So this coincided with a Growth Ionic Drench for Blue Dream (3L h20, 6ml GI, .75ml Tea and 11/2 tsp Bti powder - she wouldn’t take all 3L).
Walleye shared over in Docs thread that gnats can live deeper down too so even tho my top soil has been dry a lot of the time they could well be still deeper down. There has been a little escalation of the damage on Blue Dream.
However, from many angles it still looks superb. And it started showing pistils out the tops a few days ago so officially 6th day of flowering.
New growth does still seem a little stunted tho to be honest and now I know what fungus gnats can cause I feel more confident about my ability to read the grow. I have been thinking it seemed that growth has often been stunted or retarded. Nothing I could put my finger on, but something. It’s almost like parts of it are growing bonsai.
I also think that the soil in the Blue Dream pot may be compressed in places and that’s why it’s not drying out deep down - and that is providing a home for gnatty gnat gnats.
When I transplanted, it’s possible the soil under the root ball was compressed down too hard.
I find this medium so very strange. It’s like a cushiony sponge! I wasn’t sure how much or how little to pat it down into the pot and don’t think I did that too hard, but maybe I did(?). I don’t know why else it’s not drying out in the middle, apart from the gnats inhibiting root activity.
When I drenched it - it was super dry at the top and sides but still pretty damp down low and didn’t take up water from the bottom very well at all.
There’s little I can do about it now. It’s into flower so I can’t likely transplant it.
Hopefully the Bti treatments will work for the gnatty gnats and things will get better back on track for the rest of flower.
Later today I’m aim to put a layer of pumice stone on the top to keep it a dry zone (and do similar to Dopy’s suggestion of removing a dry layer to water and then replacing it).
I bought the pumice for the outside raised bed. But I think I’ can mix some through this peat moss kit blend I have going and still have enough leftover. And I do think it might help this soil a bit.
A convoluted update
If it sounds like I’m having a bad time I’m not. Quite the contrary. There’s just some trouble shooting going on and that always leads to better practices and a better garden. I do get super pooped by garden troubleshooting though! Much better when things just go smoothly and I get to rest while it grows 
Wake n bake Sunday - this morning I had several tokes on my vape packed with the NL x GT cross. Just wonderful - followed by my blissfully pain relieving oil made from the Afghani x Critical mass in a nice cup of tea. Now that it’s starting to work, I think I’ll have a nap. Today is a pretty bad pain day after a haircut outing yesterday - so , more meds please!!!
Week 13I don’t think Early Miss is a photo or mistakenly labelled like Dutchman’s.
Which leaves the question of perhaps slow growth for this fast Auto (60-70 days). I’m guessing that if it is slow, then it’s likely the gnats.
She looks a pretty miss nonetheless. And I know autos do a great deal of growing during flower. So I have no doubt that if I keep the herd happy she will bloom into a petite beauty for me to be enjoying over Christmas.
Yesterday we had a ripping thunderstorm, a couple actually and hail was predicted, plus low temps into today. I moved Early Miss into the laundry under a 4000k CFL till it blows over.
I just went in to check this morning and there are not one, not two, but three sentinels guarding it. I think!!
I wonder what they are? They look predatory to me so I’m assuming they’re helpers. If @Pterostychus sees this, he might be able to tell us right off the bat, or maybe someone else can. Good looking bugs whatever they are!
DDA (d4) #1 is officially stalled I think
Here is day 4 afew day’s ago, looking exactly the same as day 3 when I didn’t photograph it
Then 30 hours after that ...
There is very slight development btw day 5-6, but if the root is compromised the way the other one was then I’m not hopeful for a vigorous grow. My temptation here is to learn the lesson of moving on, cull it, treat the soil for the gnats and maybe even mix some pumice through it to help the drying out and start again.
What I haven’t mentioned so far is that all pots got their first BTi treatment and will get another. None were completely dry but as things were still escalating I decided that treatment was more important. So this coincided with a Growth Ionic Drench for Blue Dream (3L h20, 6ml GI, .75ml Tea and 11/2 tsp Bti powder - she wouldn’t take all 3L).
Walleye shared over in Docs thread that gnats can live deeper down too so even tho my top soil has been dry a lot of the time they could well be still deeper down. There has been a little escalation of the damage on Blue Dream.
However, from many angles it still looks superb. And it started showing pistils out the tops a few days ago so officially 6th day of flowering.
New growth does still seem a little stunted tho to be honest and now I know what fungus gnats can cause I feel more confident about my ability to read the grow. I have been thinking it seemed that growth has often been stunted or retarded. Nothing I could put my finger on, but something. It’s almost like parts of it are growing bonsai.
I also think that the soil in the Blue Dream pot may be compressed in places and that’s why it’s not drying out deep down - and that is providing a home for gnatty gnat gnats.
When I transplanted, it’s possible the soil under the root ball was compressed down too hard.
I find this medium so very strange. It’s like a cushiony sponge! I wasn’t sure how much or how little to pat it down into the pot and don’t think I did that too hard, but maybe I did(?). I don’t know why else it’s not drying out in the middle, apart from the gnats inhibiting root activity.
When I drenched it - it was super dry at the top and sides but still pretty damp down low and didn’t take up water from the bottom very well at all.
There’s little I can do about it now. It’s into flower so I can’t likely transplant it.
Hopefully the Bti treatments will work for the gnatty gnats and things will get better back on track for the rest of flower.
Later today I’m aim to put a layer of pumice stone on the top to keep it a dry zone (and do similar to Dopy’s suggestion of removing a dry layer to water and then replacing it).
I bought the pumice for the outside raised bed. But I think I’ can mix some through this peat moss kit blend I have going and still have enough leftover. And I do think it might help this soil a bit.
A convoluted update
If it sounds like I’m having a bad time I’m not. Quite the contrary. There’s just some trouble shooting going on and that always leads to better practices and a better garden. I do get super pooped by garden troubleshooting though! Much better when things just go smoothly and I get to rest while it grows Wake n bake Sunday - this morning I had several tokes on my vape packed with the NL x GT cross. Just wonderful - followed by my blissfully pain relieving oil made from the Afghani x Critical mass in a nice cup of tea. Now that it’s starting to work, I think I’ll have a nap. Today is a pretty bad pain day after a haircut outing yesterday - so , more meds please!!!
Damn on the gnats and damn on the Early Miss-takenly labeled. I've never seen gnat damage like that on the BD leaves though. Glad you're taking it all well 
.
[edit: @bobrown14 really swears by the fan method. Keep a fan blowing and the gnats can't make their way back to their families!]
.[edit: @bobrown14 really swears by the fan method. Keep a fan blowing and the gnats can't make their way back to their families!]
Smeegol
Well-Known Member
Good morning ms.Amy things are looking amazing as all ways in your journal apart from the gnats... I don't know much about docs soil so I wouldn't know much about it but can't you do a light watering with h202/hydrogen peroxide because apart from a fan that's what I know works and as you not using a living soil mix as such ( I may be mistaken ) it shouldn't harm/slow your girls down at all...
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Hey Smeegs ... nah, this is very much a living soil! It relies on a thriving micro community So I won’t be putting any H202 into the soil. It’s ok. I’m treating with Bti which is supposed to work. I will also get a dry layer on top. And then if that doesn’t work I’ve had another tip about Yukka extract 
so, we’ll knock em out.
And hey Shed - I have had a fan on the whole time. I’m sure they’re hatching out of the soil mix so I’ve just got to knock out the cycles with regular treatment and the sticky traps and keeping things dry at the surface.
Newty urged me not to ditch the Dark Devil, but I really wanted to treat that soul and dry it out a bit and treat it again. So, I transplanted it into a 3gal container with another soak of Bti water and put it outside. It’s going to fend for itself a bit and see how it goes! It was a challenging transplant but I think I managed - time will tell. I’ll get 2 more going in a little while. I have to go away this week for about 5 days so will drop more seeds after I get back.
When I put Early Miss back outside I saw 2 fungus gnats crawl out from under the surface and fly off. Only one made it, I squished the other. So another treatment there tomorrow I think. And then a dry top layer.
Oh and Shed - my Early Miss isn’t mislabeled
. We think Dutchman’s was because he got one that isn’t an auto and had to flip it to get it to flower... wonder how it’s going actually... Anyway, I chose mine as an auto, and I’m pretty sure it is. So it’s all good so far. Well, showing sex so that’s a start!
So I won’t be putting any H202 into the soil. It’s ok. I’m treating with Bti which is supposed to work. I will also get a dry layer on top. And then if that doesn’t work I’ve had another tip about Yukka extract so, we’ll knock em out. And hey Shed - I have had a fan on the whole time. I’m sure they’re hatching out of the soil mix so I’ve just got to knock out the cycles with regular treatment and the sticky traps and keeping things dry at the surface.
Newty urged me not to ditch the Dark Devil, but I really wanted to treat that soul and dry it out a bit and treat it again. So, I transplanted it into a 3gal container with another soak of Bti water and put it outside. It’s going to fend for itself a bit and see how it goes! It was a challenging transplant but I think I managed - time will tell. I’ll get 2 more going in a little while. I have to go away this week for about 5 days so will drop more seeds after I get back.
When I put Early Miss back outside I saw 2 fungus gnats crawl out from under the surface and fly off. Only one made it, I squished the other. So another treatment there tomorrow I think. And then a dry top layer.
Oh and Shed - my Early Miss isn’t mislabeled
. We think Dutchman’s was because he got one that isn’t an auto and had to flip it to get it to flower... wonder how it’s going actually... Anyway, I chose mine as an auto, and I’m pretty sure it is. So it’s all good so far. Well, showing sex so that’s a start!
Phenoman
Well-Known Member
I use BTI in the same product and have had great success.
Bought some crap coco and it came so full of eggs my plants were stalled nearly a couple weeks before I could figure it out as the adults were not all over. I saw one or two but when adding water they all seemed to come alive and fly outta the soil.
I used my Misquito bits and the plants responded but they are not gone. I need to reapply as this is the first time the bits didn't kill them all outright.
Bought some crap coco and it came so full of eggs my plants were stalled nearly a couple weeks before I could figure it out as the adults were not all over. I saw one or two but when adding water they all seemed to come alive and fly outta the soil.
I used my Misquito bits and the plants responded but they are not gone. I need to reapply as this is the first time the bits didn't kill them all outright.
Phenoman
Well-Known Member
Anyway, jumped in to learn more about how to best increase the brix in my system or if possible.
I'm a bit of a germaphobe so making the move from pure hydro to the hybrid system I use now was hard enough. My first grow I used FF soil and it had springtails like mad week 9 on a 10 week strain I thought it was over, bugs ruined it all!!
I guess they are a sign of a healthy living soil...
Not for me at that time, I switched to coco the next run and now the gnats but at least they have been easy to beat until now.
Anyway, i'm thrifty so I don't follow the adage "you get what you pay for". That statement is for people that either don't have the interest, time or motivation to research themselves so they pay for others R&D... usually with a great deal of water too unfortunately.
I'm hoping to get the information I need to build a living soil on the cheap that is every bit as good as those kits from build a soil etc.
I am not held by any principle or ideal of one over the other system either, I just want to try different methods.
I'm a bit of a germaphobe so making the move from pure hydro to the hybrid system I use now was hard enough. My first grow I used FF soil and it had springtails like mad week 9 on a 10 week strain I thought it was over, bugs ruined it all!!
I guess they are a sign of a healthy living soil...
Not for me at that time, I switched to coco the next run and now the gnats but at least they have been easy to beat until now.
Anyway, i'm thrifty so I don't follow the adage "you get what you pay for". That statement is for people that either don't have the interest, time or motivation to research themselves so they pay for others R&D... usually with a great deal of water too unfortunately.
I'm hoping to get the information I need to build a living soil on the cheap that is every bit as good as those kits from build a soil etc.
I am not held by any principle or ideal of one over the other system either, I just want to try different methods.
Hi Amy 
Gnats sucks, but you are doing a great job.
The slow growers will go boom soon. No worries!
Gnats sucks, but you are doing a great job.
The slow growers will go boom soon. No worries!
Hey Amy! I agree with Angry, give that DDA a chance but I know nothing about autos so maybe I am way off. My Crinkle Puss has a rough start but now she's kicking butt and taking names! Everything is looking great! 
Hey Smeegs ... nah, this is very much a living soil! It relies on a thriving micro community
And hey Shed - I have had a fan on the whole time. I’m sure they’re hatching out of the soil mix so I’ve just got to knock out the cycles with regular treatment and the sticky traps and keeping things dry at the surface.
Newty urged me not to ditch the Dark Devil, but I really wanted to treat that soul and dry it out a bit and treat it again. So, I transplanted it into a 3gal container with another soak of Bti water and put it outside. It’s going to fend for itself a bit and see how it goes! It was a challenging transplant but I think I managed - time will tell. I’ll get 2 more going in a little while. I have to go away this week for about 5 days so will drop more seeds after I get back.
When I put Early Miss back outside I saw 2 fungus gnats crawl out from under the surface and fly off. Only one made it, I squished the other. So another treatment there tomorrow I think. And then a dry top layer.
Oh and Shed - my Early Miss isn’t mislabeled
It is mine that was mislabeled ! Today is the first day of 12/12 after a 16hr dark period last night! So we will see these ladies start pushing out some pistils in the next week hopefully now that she’s been switched over!
Hope all is well amy! Get them gnatty buggars!
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Yah! This is good to hear. Not good that you had gnats of course, but good to hear of a similar experience (yes eggs in the mix - either came in the peat moss or the worm castings I guess). And good to hear that the bti was effective. I plan to give a few rounds of treatment every new pot as I use up this soil. By the second run I should be all good ... maybe I’ll source my castings from somewhere else next time.
Anyway - welcome phenoman!
Glad you stopped by I built my own basic living soil last outdoor season and it went really well. It is totally possible to do it fairly cheaply but that depends what you have access to locally. I will say a magic ingredient is a good lacto bascillus starter for keeping the microherd well populated. There’s some tutorials on it in my prev journal - I can seek out the links if you’re interested.
This journal I’m using doc buds high Brix kit. And will be for the foreseeable future.
Last year with my DIY soil, I aimed for raising the Brix levels by using a 6/5/3 ratio calcium blend (6 parts carbonated calcium [powdered limestone]; 5 parts soft rock phosphate; and 3 parts gypsum). You need other stuff as well of course but that will give a basic mineralised soil and I can’t recommend it more highly. I read an immense amount about living soil and high Brix and then kind of did my own semi half-assed thing based on the many recipes out there and it turned out great! It didn’t have half the stuff some folks add. High Brix farming uses way less organic matter in the soil and that influenced me a lot, and was part of the quick success I think. As was stinging nettle tea and seaweed.
Both LaquerHead and Urban achiever are doing their own thing with diy soil mixes. Plus Van Stank who is totally rocking it with his soil (close to water only I think). Conradino also does his own living soil high brix thing. And bobrown is a wealth of knowledge and experience about living soils. Only Conrad out of that lot is doing a specific high brix living soil though.
If you run a journal for it, drop me. a link here. I would love to follow.
Hi Amy
Gnats sucks, but you are doing a great job.
The slow growers will go boom soon. No worries!
Sounds good ween!
DDA ‘lonesome’ will have to fend for itself for a bit so if it survives that it’ll be a ripper for sure
Yep!
Gno more gnatty gnat gnats!
I think even after these first treatments I may add small amounts of the bti powder to the drenches regular like. Keep the hatchlings at bay
DrDoob
Well-Known Member
Have you been using leaf wash as well as your soil treatment?
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Yeah Doob. I did leafwash twice during veg. Ironically it was after the first leafwash that the worst damage to the leaves started to appear. I can’t use it any more now though as flower has started. But I did a round of ‘weaponised’ foliar sprays too. (1/4 strength Brix or Destress sprayed every 4 days for 3 rounds). Just did the last one of those yesterday. That and the leafeash are mostly for pests and bugs on the actual plant though. These little fookers are coming out of the soil medium. Not for long tho we hope
DrDoob
Well-Known Member
The reason I asked is I had very similar looking damage appear only on a couple leaves two days after spraying leaf wash.
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Exactly! This is what I thought it was at first so I took a minute to realise what was happening. I thot the leaf wash had just hung around where the leaves touched one another and burnt things a bit. Then I noticed more, and was wondering about the gnats and then Gazoo helped me put things together by linking me to the GWE page on fungus gnats - and since then others have said they’ve seen this kind of damage from gnats too.
Yesterday I took it out for the last weaponised foliar and it’s looking way better than it was. The good looking parts are very good looking
I’m sure it’s on the right track now.
Yesterday I took it out for the last weaponised foliar and it’s looking way better than it was. The good looking parts are very good looking
I’m sure it’s on the right track now.
TripleBeam
Well-Known Member
I'm a little late to the hardening discussion but my opinion is to continue the hardening routine. There is a lot of UV C now that isn't supposed to be. It could cook any plant not used to the sun.
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Thanks Beamer I did continue easing it in.
I’ve been blessed this week with some nice semi overcast days too which really helps I think.
I did continue easing it in. I’ve been blessed this week with some nice semi overcast days too which really helps I think.
DrDoob
Well-Known Member
I was the opposite, the leaf damage didn’t really show up until two days later so I instantly thought; insects. After I saw the posts from Gazoo and thought for sure insects. But then it happened again two days after a leaf wash and no sign of insects (except my usual mess of whiteflies and ladybugs).Exactly! This is what I thought it was at first so I took a minute to realise what was happening. I thot the leaf wash had just hung around where the leaves touched one another and burnt things a bit. Then I noticed more, and was wondering about the gnats and then Gazoo helped me put things together by linking me to the GWE page on fungus gnats - and since then others have said they’ve seen this kind of damage from gnats too.
Yesterday I took it out for the last weaponised foliar and it’s looking way better than it was. The good looking parts are very good looking
I’m sure it’s on the right track now.
Anyways glad you got it all under control. I’m so lazy and neglectful I’m very scared of insects cause I don't know that I wouldn’t just end up living with them like I’ve succumbed to with the whiteflies.
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Well - I think pests are always about. It’s just whether they’re saying damage or not I guess.
It odd because I’ve seen gardens with higher numbers of gnats and with far less obvious damage to plants. But I’m pretty sure they’re responsible for the first DDA collapse and probably the slow growth on the other DDA, and maybe the slower early growth on the Early Miss too. Maybe they have even slowed down the Blue Dream.
There’s so many bugs of all kinds out in our veggie garden - pests and predators alike. It’s amazing to sit there quietly for awhile. Such intense life and death going on all around all the time.
It odd because I’ve seen gardens with higher numbers of gnats and with far less obvious damage to plants. But I’m pretty sure they’re responsible for the first DDA collapse and probably the slow growth on the other DDA, and maybe the slower early growth on the Early Miss too. Maybe they have even slowed down the Blue Dream.
There’s so many bugs of all kinds out in our veggie garden - pests and predators alike. It’s amazing to sit there quietly for awhile. Such intense life and death going on all around all the time.
Those dang gnats! They do look healthy and happy keep at it girl! Your the boss in there, poison those Ma Faukers 
Her development looks fine to me!
keep at it girl! Your the boss in there, poison those Ma Faukers Her development looks fine to me!