Weekend Update (beginning week #19)
88 days since flip to 12/12
This update is a mixed bag with some good news and some bad news. First let's head indoors as I near the end of the shower grow for this season.
I'll be winding this journal down in the next week or two. The GT(+) keep throwing out new pistils and foxtailing, but most of the trichomes are cloudy now. They will get a GE drench tomorrow. They drink every 4 days so I could possibly go one more round of water > Trans/Tea > water > GE/Tea. The problem is with spider mites AGAIN. I've come to the conclusion I will have this problem with every grow. I try to keep everything clean and sanitize between grows. I also try to remain vigilant with sprays 4 days apart and rotate with: SNS (didn't seem to do much), Capt. Jack's Dead Bug Brew (meh, but definitely better), pyrethrin/neem (now we're cooking), and Azatrol (most effective for me). I think I've bred SuperMites. Also, my wife has plants all over the house and garden that have 'em. Realistically, I'm not going to change clothes and shower every time I work on my girls. Even if I did, they get exposed whenever they are outside. Oh well.
The mites came on like gangbusters in the past one to two weeks. I'm not sure how much of a problem they are for the plants at this stage, but fan leaves are dropping like flies. I hate to continue to spray with ANYTHING miticide-related this close to harvest. I'll be washing all produce, but still...
I can't say the resin production looks strong, but the smell is awesome still: bright, clean, with citrus/lime notes. The buds are monsters so it will be interesting to see how the plants yield and how they smoke. The buds are not rock hard, but they aren't as fluffy as they appear in pictures. Honestly, between the size of the colas and all the mites, it is impossible for me to tell exactly what is going on with them. Good or bad / right or wrong, we'll see soon enough.
Now onward to the great outdoors!
I'm taking a gamble on weather. I'm am tired of lugging big(ish) pots around and no longer have room for them inside. It was killing me getting them in and out, up and down steps. Our last day of frost averages mid-April. These girls went outside permanently the last day of March. Because I don't want them to "flip" yet, I set up a makeshift GLR thingie for them (don't laugh). It is nothing more than a pair of ancient 24" T-12s hanging by yo-yo's from an old coat rack made of galvanized pipe. I think I'll need it for about a month. By then I hope days will be long enough to keep them in veg. Of course we have thunderstorms forecast for tonight, but I think I have a solution. We have a couple of large shade umbrellas. As long as the winds don't get too crazy, I'll cover them. The cover isn't for the plants so much as it is to keep the electrical dry. Note to duggan: Don't look. Definitely not up to code, but at least it is on a GFI circuit.
Everything is in the new sawdust/pumice soil mix. Trial by fire. Testing: one, two, three.
Pitbull is in the odd pot and Ace of Spades is the other bigger girl in front. I will likely leave them right about where they are by the pool. I'll be able to enjoy them over the summer and keep a close eye on them. The three in back are GT(+), Liberty Haze and GASS. They all go down the hill into the BIG in-ground pots.
The three on the lower step are the other gals heading down below for summer fun. The tall one is GG#4. The other two are both Zamaldelica(+). One will make the cut. One wont'. It took for freekin' ever for them to start vegging again after I was able to sex them. They finally look to be back on track but they are way behind everyone else. The other three are more AoS and LH just hanging around to get a tan.
The Pitbull and Ace of Spades have been getting some tough love. They were so root bound for so long, the roots are like a luffa. I scored them aggressively but it took a solid week before they began to hook up with the new soil. The soil was very moist, but the plants continued to wilt every day just like they were still in 1 gal pots. My solution was to water the soil around the old root ball - in a donut shape. The roots got enough to keep them from completely wilting, but they also started to get with the program and send out new roots to take advantage of the more distant moisture. Today is day three and they are doing OK w/o more water. Growth above ground stalled but I think they are putting energy into root development.
This is Pitbull just before its "donut watering". I'm glad that's over.
That's it gang. I hope you finish your weekend strong and have a great week ahead of you.
) lately 
the "soil" is mixed, amended, and has plants in it. The pictures I've been posting of the Summer Girls are all in it. The Ace of Spades and Pitbull moms I kept are also in it.
... just about the perfect size for a 15 gallon tote ... 
Cheers pal!
