Emmie's Organic Garden Using Advanced Lighting Techniques

[DankWolf907]

You forgot to tell us why..
So far this is what ive come up with..

malted barley grain contains 2 forms of amylase and elevated levels of chitinase.

And it seems chitin are good for pathogen resistance.

 

[Emilya Green]

I promised pictures... honestly I forgot to put the batteries on charge before I went to bed last night, but tonight right before lights on I took a few, and took a few more as the lights were coming up. Things are looking good, I think.

Here is the whole garden just so you can see the relative heights and length of the bud clusters:

Here are some flash pictures right before the lights came on of a couple of our stars.... first AK-47:

And then Tangerine Dream:

Then to finish out today's tour, let's do some bud closeups:

Not bad for day 28... I am getting excited!

 

[McCdive]

Very nice, Emmie! Love those pistils!

 

[SweetSue]

You forgot to tell us why..
So far this is what ive come up with..


And it seems chitin are good for pathogen resistance.

A copy and paste of a conversation between Coot and another party:


I've just started trying to learn how to maintain a healthy living soil, and many things still confuse me. Enzyme teas being one of them. Is barley going to be better than corn or alpha alpha? How often to you feed this to the soil?

case22

Good questions and hopefully I can answer at least a few of them for you - or not! LOL

Enzymes are catalysts the effect specific biological functions in humans, animals and plants. You can toss in fungi, bacteria, et al. in this discussion. For example vermicompost is a function of the enzymes in composting worms. The bacterial slime that worms ingest are converted to worm castings in the worm's digestive tract. Worms also exude specific enzymes into the food stock to trigger specific responses from microbes. A partnership if you will.

Almost every seed contains a range of shared enzymes - Amylase, Urease, Phosphatase, Chitinase, Protease, et al. Seed germination is 100% a function of enzymes having absolutely nothing to do with NPK or any other element. Seeds are encoded with these enzymes from the mother plant.

When we germinate a seed these enzymes are activated and other enzymes are altered by the seed itself from germination-inhibitors to ones that will insure the viability of the seedlings.

Where the differences come are the levels of specific enzymes and I'll use barley seeds as an example because there is a plethora of information from beer brewers, distillers (barley is what makes Scotch whiskey for example). Barley seeds contain a-amylase and b-amalyse which are enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of starch into sugars.

Enzymes are specific to a given function, in other words Urease has no effect on Chitin, Protein or Phosphorus which need Chitinase, Protease and Phosphatase for that function.

Corn is a good example as well because what you get from this grass seed are cytokinins. See if this helps answer your question about corn specifically...

Nature of Cytokinins

Cytokinins are compounds with a structure resembling adenine which promote cell division and have other similar functions to kinetin. Kinetin was the first cytokinin discovered and so named because of the compounds ability to promote cytokinesis (cell division). Though it is a natural compound, It is not made in plants, and is therefore usually considered a "synthetic" cytokinin (meaning that the hormone is synthesized somewhere other than in a plant). The most common form of naturally occurring cytokinin in plants today is called zeatin which was isolated from corn (Zea mays).

Cytokinins have been found in almost all higher plants as well as mosses, fungi, bacteria, and also in tRNA of many prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Today there are more than 200 natural and synthetic cytokinins combined. Cytokinin concentrations are highest in meristematic regions and areas of continuous growth potential such as roots, young leaves, developing fruits, and seeds (Arteca, 1996; Mauseth, 1991; Raven, 1992; Salisbury and Ross, 1992).

History of Cytokinins

In 1913, Gottlieb Haberlandt discovered that a compound found in phloem had the ability to stimulate cell division (Haberlandt, 1913). In 1941, Johannes van Overbeek discovered that the milky endosperm from coconut also had this ability. He also showed that various other plant species had compounds which stimulated cell division (van Overbeek, 1941). In 1954, Jablonski and Skoog extended the work of Haberlandt showing that vascular tissues contained compounds which promote cell division (Jablonski and Skoog, 1954).

The first cytokinin was isolated from herring sperm in 1955 by Miller and his associates (Miller et al., 1955). This compound was named kinetin because of its ability to promote cytokinesis. Hall and deRopp reported that kinetin could be formed from DNA degradation products in 1955 (Hall and deRopp, 1955). The first naturally occurring cytokinin was isolated from corn in 1961 by Miller (Miller, 1961). It was later called zeatin. Almost simultaneous with Miller Letham published a report on zeatin as a factor inducing cell division and later described its chemical properties (Letham, 1963). It is Miller and Letham that are credited with the simultaneous discovery of zeatin. Since that time, many more naturally occurring cytokinins have been isolated and the compound is ubiquitous to all plant species in one form or another (Arteca, 1996; Salisbury and Ross, 1992).

Biosynthesis and Metabolism of Cytokinins

Cytokinin is generally found in higher concentrations in meristematic regions and growing tissues. They are believed to be synthesized in the roots and translocated via the xylem to shoots. Cytokinin biosynthesis happens through the biochemical modification of adenine. The process by which they are synthesized is as follows (McGaw, 1995; Salisbury and Ross, 1992):
A product of the mevalonate pathway called isopentyl pyrophosphate is isomerized.

This isomer can then react with adenosine monophosphate with the aid of an enzyme called isopentenyl AMP synthase.

The result is isopentenyl adenosine-5'-phosphate (isopentenyl AMP).

This product can then be converted to isopentenyl adenosine by removal of the phosphate by a phosphatase and further converted to isopentenyl adenine by removal of the ribose group.

Isopentenyl adenine can be converted to the three major forms of naturally occurring cytokinins.
Other pathways or slight alterations of this one probably lead to the other forms.

Degradation of cytokinins occurs largely due to the enzyme cytokinin oxidase. This enzyme removes the side chain and releases adenine. Derivitives can also be made but the pathways are more complex and poorly understood.

Cytokinin Functions

A list of some of the known physiological effects caused by cytokinins are listed below. The response will vary depending on the type of cytokinin and plant species (Davies, 1995; Mauseth, 1991; Raven, 1992; Salisbury and Ross, 1992).
Stimulates cell division.
Stimulates morphogenesis (shoot initiation/bud formation) in tissue culture.
Stimulates the growth of lateral buds-release of apical dominance.
Stimulates leaf expansion resulting from cell enlargement.
May enhance stomatal opening in some species.
Promotes the conversion of etioplasts into chloroplasts via stimulation of chlorophyll synthesis.
That's a start anyway...at least now you can understand that a bottle of 'enzymes' from Hydro-Heaven is absolutely and completely useless without knowing what enzymes are used - if any.

CC
Edited by Clackamas Coot, 28 July 2014 - 10:35 PM.

 

[DankWolf907]

I thought so.. Coolios too, im ahead of the game.

Using coconut water for cytokinins and attempting to sprout some corn cernals, once sprouted and a taproots a good inch long, all get ground up and fed to the MJs.

Have you heard of barely being a better source then corn?
Again..go read my den, its in there..
..speaking of, ill snap another comparative photo as subject A continues her growth, while B twiddles her thumbs..

 

[Major PITA]

Beautiful buds for just 4 weeks in!

 

[Emilya Green]

(bloom, day 31) Lights at 10:15/13:45

I believe that this lighting pattern is responsible for these buds at this point. With nighttime approaching 14 hours now, these girls have a clear message that winter is coming and that there is no time to lollygag around. I have never seen bud development like this halfway through a grow... this is remarkable. These buds are tight too, this is clearly going to be one of the best grows I have ever had.

Yesterday at their daybreak they got watered to 20% run off again with plain distilled water. A lot of the salts and synthetics have to have been flushed by this point. Tonight they get another dose of tea, this time brewed for 24 hours with just earthworm castings, and then another 24 hours with ancient forest compost thrown in. This basic tea should give us a big dose of microlife now being brewed with my new big air pump and hopefully will get the microherd going big time.

Today, since I am starting to feel pretty good again after 2 weeks of this nasty flu and cough, and since I am used to waking up at 5am to go to work, you find me here at my computer. Everyone else in the house is still asleep, even the cat, and here I sit, wide awake, working on my stuff. So today I wanted to see what the buds look like, halfway to the finish line, under good light.

This is my first good look at these buds for at least a week, and I am sitting here right now totally amazed. This organic thing is starting to show its power, and already, even slightly crippled, the plants are starting to really respond to it well. Let's see what you think... Here is the garden, first the tall AK47 in the back:

Then the lower garden, back to front, left to right, Green Crack, Tangerine Dream, AK47 (short version)

And then some pretty bud shots:

 

[Kriaze]

I don't know how those buds compare to other organic grows as I'm only just doing my first myself Emilya but compared to my chemical grow, which has admittedly had the odd hiccough along the way your buds are where mine are at if not further advanced, mine are due for the chop anytime soon. Your buds are looking beautiful and all the plants seem happy, All the best and if I don't see you before, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 

[SlowToke]

Emilya, this is a remarkable journal! Just chock full of good information and amazing plants to back it up! This, along with the linked articles and referenced threads will be a huge help when I start my first grow in a few weeks.

A little late, but subbing up to see what happens over the next month. Thanks so much for all the work with this grow and tutorial!

 

[growchick]

Those plants look positively radiant - clearly happy and thriving in your care!

 

[Wreckedsummer]

Hey Em, sorry a little late, but all caught up.
Just gunna grab a seat and continue to soak up the invaluable information going on in this thread.

Your ladies are beautiful, and very well documented. Thanks for all the time you're putting in.

Wrecked

 

[veinz]

and hope you get better
and good job on the seeds

 

[MagicJim]

Whoo Woo! Beautiful Emmie.

 

[SweetSue]

Pretty, pretty bud shots. Enjoying the organic journey are we? My LOS no-tills are the easiest things in the world to maintain. Are you considering going no-till by any chance? Snip it off at the soil line, top dress with some EWC and basic amendments and plant off to the side of the harvested stalk. How easy is that?

 

[Emilya Green]

Pretty, pretty bud shots. Enjoying the organic journey are we? My LOS no-tills are the easiest things in the world to maintain. Are you considering going no-till by any chance? Snip it off at the soil line, top dress with some EWC and basic amendments and plant off to the side of the harvested stalk. How easy is that?

Sounds almost too easy

 

[SweetSue]

It may sound too easy, but it's the way BB (bobrown14) does his too, and it works like a dream. My main no-till is entering its fifth cycle and it just gets stronger with each cycle.

 

[SlowToke]

See the results with those great looking girls has me rethinking the high Brix aproach! Great job!

 

[ShiggityFlip]

I am loving the high Brix so far in veg. Almost too easy. No pH adjustment, just mix and drench and mix and foliar feed. Em you should get a kit to cook. It's fun!

 

[Emilya Green]

(flower, day 39) (lights 10/14)

Today finds the garden doing well, looking reasonably happy, and with lessons for me to learn. I begin in the veg tent, where the clones have been working and a few new seeds have been popped. I have added to the regular group 3 more first timer's... LSD, Royal Queen Critical and Cookies Kush.

The lesson to be learned today has to do with the 12-1 (Gas Lantern Routine) lighting. Although this lighting scheme works very well to keep vegging plants happy and stress free, it is not the greatest thing for clones and new seedlings. 12-1 inhibits fast growth, and I have found that there is a much better response on young plants at 18/6 or 24/0. I will be using the 12-1 later on when I want to delay the vegging plants a bit, waiting on the bloom tent to finish, but when I want to see robust growth in veg, I have locked on 21/3 as my timing of choice... a little bit of rest period for the plants, and conveniently, a little reduction on the power load during the 3 hours of NOON in my big tent.

So veg is doing fine, and I am working on 7 plants to take to bloom on the next round. The big news is what is happening in the bloom tent. The lights adjusted down 15 minutes again on the 26th, and right now we are running 10/14. We experienced that mid flower lull this last week, where I didn't think that I saw much bud growth, and after two distilled water waterings I started to notice more dramatic yellowing on several of the plants. I have adjusted 2 things in response to that, first thing is I am now adding molasses to my distilled water to feed the herd, and second, last night when I watered I gave a good top dressing of high P bat guano, ancient compost, phosphate, and bone and blood meal... the biggest additive being the guano. This was soaked in with molasses flavored distilled water and it was noted that the plants again took a record amount of this water before runoff occurred. These plants are all getting more thirsty all the time.

Things look good here, but I know that without my previous mistakes with the soil, they could have been better. I get the feeling that I am just limping along here with the organic side of things, but that to a point, there is a herd and it is trying to feed my plants. Next round is going to be much much better, since none of those plants will have ever seen a chlorine molecule or a synthetic nute of any kind.

Enough of me and my pontifications... let's see some pictures!

First, my hopefully prize winning plant... sure to show up in the January BOTM competition:

Here she is from the top:

And then to finish out... lets look at some 38 day buds:

 

[SlowToke]

Beautiful plants, Emmie! Those buds look incredible!

Interesting notes on the vegging light cycles. I'm getting ready to germinate my first patch of seeds, so very timely for me. Thanks!


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