Flying High With Hawk - 2024 Grow Journal

[Hawk518]

7/5/24
Once again, temps are skyrocketing in the tent. Was up to 88 F today. Cooled it down below 85, but don’t like this at all. Really need to figure out how to regulate the temps!!

Once the Autos are harvested and dried, I might need to move the grow tent into the basement. Much cooler for summer months and easier to warm during the winter.

 

[InTheShed]

I'm not seeing much in the way of amber in those pics, how about in person?

 

[Hawk518]

did the sugar leaves turn brown starting at the tips or starting from the buds

was able to check this today - starts at the tips.

 

[Hawk518]

7/6/24
Turned the air conditioner way colder. Also put a few frozen bottles w. a fan going over them in the grow tent. Turned the LED lights from 100% to 65%. Hopefully, this will get the temp down a bit.

Seeing some amber trichomes, but not very many yet.

 

[InTheShed]

Might want to tie up that flopper so it doesn't break off before it's done!

 

[Hawk518]

7/9/24

 

[JiggiLotus]

If you want to go by trichome color you would really do well to have some sort of scope, whether it's a hand loupe, a macro attachment for a phone camera, or one of those wifi scopes they sell for $30 on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-S...martphone/dp/B07DVFBVPF/?tag=420magazine0f-20


You could bake a lot of chocolate chip cookies!

Mmmm
Those are good little scopes, takes a minute to acclimate too but once you get the rhythm it's somewhat smooth. It reminds me of a transducer on the ultrasound machine. You get better scope if you roll it when moving around than to pick n place over n over again. Just keep a digit on the -/+ so you can quickly adjust the sights. I also found since my phone has moon-zoom for fucksakes that it's not too hard to get a big 40-50x magnifying glass for reading and place that over your budsite and zoom in w the camera...you'll figure it out. Lol.

 

[Scottay]

And I spilled a little kerosene or petroleum too my kosher kush smells very strong at the end!
Picture a family of skunks doused in fuel running around in your house and you’ll have a good idea what my place smells like.

Love that description. My pops.... The last time he smelled anything I'd grown he said sonofabitch... Smells like a skunk pissed on a pine tree! Then he's like you and your wacky tobacky I said my friends like it too!!

 

[Hawk518]

7/12/24
Watered the Autos in the grow tent. Pruned off a lot of the dead leaves. Finally got some decent pictures of the trichomes. I’d say that most are now cloudy w. very few that are amber colored. Thinking of chopping either this Monday or next. I’ll decide on Monday.

The Photos got rain today. The 4Kingdoms is getting quite tall.

 

[PlainOldGuy]

7/12/24
Watered the Autos in the grow tent. Pruned off a lot of the dead leaves. Finally got some decent pictures of the trichomes. I’d say that most are now cloudy w. very few that are amber colored. Thinking of chopping either this Monday or next. I’ll decide on Monday.

The Photos got rain today. The 4Kingdoms is getting quite tall.

7/12/24
Watered the Autos in the grow tent. Pruned off a lot of the dead leaves. Finally got some decent pictures of the trichomes. I’d say that most are now cloudy w. very few that are amber colored. Thinking of chopping either this Monday or next. I’ll decide on Monday.

The Photos got rain today. The 4Kingdoms is getting quite tall.

If you wait and cut on Wednesday, you'll have harvested with the right sign. As the full moon is on Sunday.

 

[Hawk518]

If you wait and cut on Wednesday, you'll have harvested with the right sign. As the full moon is on Sunday.

@PlainOldGuy - thank you! I haven't heard about harvesting close to a full moon before. What are the benefits? Not sure if I can wait til Wednesday since there are quite a few amber trichomes already (should have probably harvested by now) and too many upcoming doctor appointments that day / this week.

 

[Hawk518]

7/18/24
Watered the Autos in the tent. Turned the lights back up to 100%. Used the new digital microscope to get pictures of the trichomes. Much easier to see than the jeweler’s loop. Looks like most of the trichomes are now cloudy with some amber. SO, I’m thinking of turning the lights off for Sat & Sun and then chopping on Monday. Really hope I can get the temps down for drying!

 

[PlainOldGuy]

@PlainOldGuy - thank you! I haven't heard about harvesting close to a full moon before. What are the benefits? Not sure if I can wait til Wednesday since there are quite a few amber trichomes already (should have probably harvested by now) and too many upcoming doctor appointments that day / this week.

You seem to get a better cure. Go up sticky, dry sticky. There's a time for everything under the sun, so I always try to follow it.

 

[Tokin Roll]

Looking good @Hawk518

You are doing a great job.
Won't be much longer now, maybe a week to 10 days.

Stay safe and grow well my friend,
Tok..

 

[InTheShed]

I'm with Tok on the timing, and those are some seriously fat colas! I'd be more concerned about controlling the RH for drying than the temps to keep them in good condition.

 

[Hawk518]

7/19/24 (Friday)
Trichomes on my two Autos are looking cloudy w. some amber. Plan on chopping on Monday (7/22). Thinking of turning off the lights for Sat & Sun. Or is turning off the lights before harvest just bro-science?

 

[InTheShed]

is turning off the lights before harvest just bro-science?

Great pics!

I wonder what is the plant supposed to be doing in that extra 12+ dark hours, magically speeding up the process of converting remaining CBG to THC? Swelling the buds without the benefit of photosynthesis? Suddenly popping out new trichomes? There are stressors that create responses that make plants do things we want (extended drought for example), but they take more than a couple of days to execute, as well as being something that occurs in nature.

I've never seen or smelled any difference when I left my plants in the dark before harvest. And I've never seen anyone test their plants to determine the advantage of extended dark periods, so I'd at least call it "anecdotal" anyway!

 

[Melville Hobbes]

As I understand it a dark period before drying is supposed to prevent terpenes from being degraded or "burnt off" by the light so there's a higher level in the buds as and after they dry.
Like Shed, I haven't seen any evidence. A couple of people said their plants were stinker as they chopped after the dark period, but even if it's true that means the terpenes were in the air, not the buds.
That hypothetical terp increase replaced the idea that it increased trich production, and therefore potency. Someone pointed out that it takes more than two days for trichs to mature to the point of increasing potency, and even longer for them to fully mature, so that idea was debunked.

 

[Hawk518]

Great pics!

Thanks! Grabbed a digital microscope on Prime Day sale. Still getting the hang of it, but much better pics than with the loupe.

 

[Hawk518]

Thanks for all the info about turning off the lights right before the Chop.
I really need to start posting on the actual dates.
Ended up turning off lights before I saw any of your advice.
But great to know that it's more bro-science than actual science!