Last Minute Summer Grow - Wish Me Luck - Sativas

[glimmergrass]

Wow, man. That whole last page is total bud porn and is making me drool. Like, hard core. The Chemdawg alone is soooooo juicy!

 

[Danishoes21]

Wow, man. That whole last page is total bud porn and is making me drool. Like, hard core. The Chemdawg alone is soooooo juicy!

Thanks sometimes I end up feeling guilty for posting so many pictures, but I can't deny I'm hook on taking pics. Specially when they flower and start showing some character.

 

[Nicholas Flamel]

Wow, man. That whole last page is total bud porn and is making me drool. Like, hard core. The Chemdawg alone is soooooo juicy!

i second the bud porn. Wow, your tent is awesome. The jamaican girl is especially attractive! I think the way you cure the bud is pretty cool too.

 

[Danishoes21]

i second the bud porn. Wow, your tent is awesome. The jamaican girl is especially attractive! I think the way you cure the bud is pretty cool too.

I appreciate the feedback Nicholas, it's reassuring to see the plants give out a beautiful product after having spent all this time and effort trying to keep them nice and healthy.

On the curing, there is something about it that I find really appealing. This is last years result.

I kinda adapted a way of drying to me needs, when I visited Jamaica and saw how the Cannabis is dried, they don't cure the weed, there is no such thing as jared buds, they smoke it straight from the stem, and very compact buds (some with seeds). So I narrowed down what is the effect of curing = decarboxylation of the cannabinoid content, and then I learned exposure to heat can decarboxylate the cannabis as well and faster than curing a bud for weeks. Im still experimenting with this, but I can assure that if I see trichomes, Im drying the plant and smoking it no matter what she ends up looking like. I don't aim for the quantity of my highs its about the quality of them.

thanks again for comments.

 

[Nicholas Flamel]

I totally agree with quality over quantity. Once i get the quality figured out then i will worry about quantity. How did you like Jamaica mon? I went there when i was 15 years old. Best vacation i ever had, and was first introduced to weed by a Jamaican taxi driver taking us to Negril. He just fired up a fat doobie and started passing it around the car. I was in total shock. i was also very hung over from the night before, i drank way too much Overproof at the bar. Jamaica is a cool place! Anyway, great growing!

 

[Danishoes21]

I totally agree with quality over quantity. Once i get the quality figured out then i will worry about quantity. How did you like Jamaica mon? I went there when i was 15 years old. Best vacation i ever had, and was first introduced to weed by a Jamaican taxi driver taking us to Negril. He just fired up a fat doobie and started passing it around the car. I was in total shock. i was also very hung over from the night before, i drank way too much Overproof at the bar. Jamaica is a cool place! Anyway, great growing!

I loved it, I made it my retiree spot for the future. I was all over the place Negril, Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, Ocho rios, St Anns bay... Smoked joints every where, funny story I saw a pasta at the beach and started talking to him about local weed, he started rolling a no filter, pulled out a black bag with oz's of weed on the stick he carries around to smoke all day, I rolled one as well and then we just started a one on one passing joint and sharing stories. I wasn't afraid to approach the locals they are not there to do harm. Also ate a lot... secondary affects of smoking lol. They say Orange Hill has one of the best climates to grow Cannabis and they praise to be the best weed in Jamaica. I was also offered finger hash like it was nothing but to risky to buy, you will not smoke it all before taking a plane back home... so I had to pass. I got like a half Oz for 50 bucks of the best freaking sativa I have ever smoked (my second favorite has to be Brainstorm). So the girls I grow are living memory from that trip, thats why I love them so much.

 

[G00ch]

well i believe curing has alot more to due then just decarb, it is a process of slowly removing the moisture in the bud, the bud is 70%water and if you remove the water to fast it will ruin the taste or change the taste, or change the potency, you should do a side by side and see which one has best effect

 

[Danishoes21]

well i believe curing has a lot more to due then just decarb, it is a process of slowly removing the moisture in the bud, the bud is 70%water and if you remove the water to fast it will ruin the taste or change the taste, or change the potency, you should do a side by side and see which one has best effect

Interesting read

"Moisture Content

Moisture is essential for the curing process, it is both your friend and enemy. If too much moisture is left in the buds, with out the regular mixing, venting and turning of buds involved with curing, molds and bacteria can quickly form and ruin the taste and potency of your stash. On the other hand, without the necessary moisture metabolic processes essential to curing do not take place.

Fresh cannabis plants are around 80% water (all %'s by weight); curing generally begins after the cannabis has lost half of it's initial mass, and contains approximately 33% of it's initial water.

Once curing is complete and the pot is "dry", it should still contain 10-15% moisture, approximately 2-4% of its' initial water. This is an ideal because most bacteria and molds can not grow below 15% water content, and below 10% cannabis buds tend to powder.

Cannabinoid Conversion

Naturally, as the metabolic processes continue during curing, the conversion of cannabergerol to tetrahydrocannabinol will continue and the potency of the pot will increase. This is because cannabergerol (CBG) is the non-psychoactive precursor for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Of course, the exact change in THC content will necessarily be dependant upon the concentration of CBG in the fresh material at harvest. Of course any remaining precursors necessary to form additional cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids will also be consumed and converted.

Be aware though if curing is excessively prolonged (most connoisseurs would agree after 6 months no more benefit could be had from curing), the conversion of THC to non-psychoactive cannabinol (CBN) will occur. The exact rate of decomposition can vary widely depending on handling and storage conditions, but can be less than 10% to greater than 40% decomposition per year.

Storage tips:

Potency during curing and storage can be maintained by observing some basic precautions:
The buds need to be kept in the dark, protected from light, which will quickly decompose the THC.
Moderated temperatures should be observed during curing, 50-75F being ideal.
Excessively hot temperatures will promote oxidation and the growth of mold and bacteria, and very cold temperatures can prolong curing and drying for up to several months.
During storage, buds should be stored as cold as possible, if temperatures of 0C or less are to be used, make sure the bud is dried to a very low moisture content before storage (to insure that cell walls are not burst by the freezing water).
Also, if prolonged storage is planned evacuating the oxygen and replacing it with carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, nitrous oxide, or any other inert gas will help slow oxidation, as well as the addition of antioxidants such as ascorbic acid packets or vitamin C tablets.

The most stable way to store cannabis is as whole unbroken buds or unpressed trichomes. Excessive rough handling or pressing can easily damage the protective cell walls and plant waxes that help protect cannabinoids from oxidation.

Continued Metabolism

Also as these metabolic process take place, the plant needs energy which leads it to consume the sugars, starches, nitrates, and minerals. Many of these compounds are metabolized and released as water and carbon dioxide, therefore removing what is essentially inert material from the pot increasing the concentration of cannabinoids therefore making it more potent.

Much of these positive metabolic processes can be most effectively begun with thourough flushing and stripping of the plant before harvest. This will help reduce the amount of time necessary for a good cure.

Curing will not only improve potency, but the color and look of most cannabis buds because as the chlorophyll is broken down purple, gold, and white coloration can emerge and the trichomes will appear more pronounced.

Decarboxylation

Some decarboxylization will take place during curing as well. This happens when the carboxyl group (COOH) located at C-2, C-4, or the end of the hydrocarbon chain at C-3 is destroyed leaving a hydrogen attached and liberating CO2.

Decarboxylization is necessary to convert cannabinoids to usable psychoactive forms; the plants (and your body) carboxylize cannabinoids to make them more soluble in water (for metabolic reactions and excretion).

Research indicates that this effect is fairly minimal during the curing process though. Decarboxylization will take place naturally very rapidly at temperatures of over 100C. So smoking and most any cooking will decarboxylize the cannabinoids. As decarboxylization occurs, the loss of CO2 will liberate a small amount of inert material making the pot more potent via concentration of the cannabinoids.

Taste & Odor

Terpenoids are the highly volatile compounds that give marijuana much of its' characteristic odors, and therefore tastes.

The most current research also suggests terpenoids lend to the high, sometimes very significantly. Cannabinoids are phenolated terepenes so it's not surprising that many hundreds of different terpenoids are synthesized as well.

As pot ages, some of the terpenoids go through polycyclic aromatization in the process of decomposition. This agglomeration of terpenoids will change the flavor; hence the ability of cured pot to show flavors that didn't seem present in the original fresh material. Much of the very volatile terpenoids will also evaporate and or decompose, especially with prolonged curing or storage. This action will remove some matter from the pot increasing the cannabinoid concentration and therefore potency.

It must be noted that excessively long curing or storage, higher temperatures, or extremely low moisture content will cause such through evaporation of the terpenoids that the cannabis will generally loose almost all of it's natural flavours."



On curing


"CURING METHODS

AIR CURING
After the harvest, the plants are hung upside down with only the large fan leaves removed. This method is suited for a cool and dry attic and it only safe to use during fall-winter as in spring-summer it can get too warm and the aroma will evaporate quickly. After 2-3 months, the plants will still be moist with the stem barely snapping. The subtending leaves allow for moisture regulation in the buds. This method is very nice for retaining the initial aromas and it is easy all-round.

FREEZER CURING
The branches are dried until the stem inside the bud snaps. Drying time depends on strains and conditions. The branches need to be manicured and afterwards the buds are immediately stored in Mylar bags in the freezer. Lots of trial and error is required to get this one down. Once stored, the original aromas are retained. This method is most suitable when the intent is to vaporize the Cannabis, because it retains all the fresh (mono-)terpenes.

JAR CURING
This is a well-known method that is used worldwide. However, if you just open and close your jars without knowing what you are doing you can really ruin the quality of your herb. That is why we advise you to use Caliber® Hygrometers to measure to humidity inside the jar. The reading will tell you exactly when to open your jar and when to keep it closed. Always make sure the relative humidity of the room in which you open the jar is the same (or slightly below) the relative humidity inside the curing jar. With this method, microorganisms are allowed to break down the mono-terpenes into sesquiterpenes. The scent of your Cannabis will evolve into a more complex aroma. However, with some strains, this can be detrimental and can eliminate their original aroma.

MYLAR FOOD BAG CURING
For this method you need to dry your harvest for a certain amount of time (depending on strain and drying conditions). After manicuring, the buds are left to 'sweat' in a jar for 24 hours so the humidity can stabilize. A day later the jar is opened and stays open for a few more days to bring the harvest to a specific moisture level before final storage (60-65%). The harvest is put into Mylar foodbags. Sealing of the foodbags is best done by ironing. This will prevent oxygen from accessing the content so the anaerobic microorganisms can do their job. Curing this way will be slower and requires more time than the glass jar method."

 

[G00ch]

 

[Danishoes21]

I gotta admit drying is one more step in the process but curing is an art form. Like aging wine you gotta know what is the product you want before you start the curing.

Maybe conditions in Jamaica don't need a "jar" curing process, natural conditions allow the slow process of breaking down chlorophyl, maybe adapting a sun drying technique like they use for coffee beans... its all about trying.

I've gone as far as to naturally fermenting cannabis plants. I might just do a try again in this journal.

 

[Danishoes21]

Today I watered the plants, used bone meal, DE, molasses and gave them a big drench. Also misted a little bit just to give the leaves some humidity since they also absorb some water from the leaf. Took the time to do a cleanup inside the tent, I think my pepper plant is attracting fruit flies since I found some directly on the pot of the pepper plant I hope it doesn't escalate to something crazy.
For the ladies side they seem to be gaining mass, a lot of trichome development, although not a lot of pistils, Im not in shock but it is something peculiar I noticed today. Brings me the question if its the light schedule that is causing this...? Instead they seem to have a very nice coating so it compensates. The training steels where taken off, I let them stretch do a little finger cracking but them I get them back in training steels, and the Brainstorm seems to react very well to it she keeps getting fat all over, you can see the difference in mass between the Chem and her. Jamaican Sativas also not lots of hairs but lot of compress calyx even the lower buds are starting to pack some weight sideways rather than upwards.
I can't really predict what they will end up looking like, they have changed a lot, can't wait to see what they look like by the end of the month. Im not even thinking about the weights but for the sizes of the plants plus the training they look very generous at this moment so things can only get heavier, Im already pleased with the results everything beyond this point is just a blessing.

I also decided to change what I said about not going below 11 hours of light. I want to give them a little shock so I took 15 mins of day light leaving them at 10hrs 45 mins of day light consequently 13 hrs 15 mins of darkness. I want to see if they speed up and show more distinctive traits.
Temperatures and RH% remain same, lucky they did not suffer from heat this weekend. Some photos I put my hand to give a better perspective of the size of the little bonsai trees.

Chemdawg

Brainstorm

Jamaican Sativa (reg pheno)

Jamaican Sativa (fem phenos)

Took popcorn bottoms for samples.

Then I also defoliated my pepper plant and Im preparing my infusion for Thursdays big watering.

 

[golfer420]

Those buds are starting to thicken up

 

[ClosedCircuit]

If you are interested in fermenting you should join the conversation here

Landrace Genetics 101

 

[MrMiracleGro]

Those are beautiful, man..

Those gals are as frosty as my tips back in middle school..

 

[Danishoes21]

Those buds are starting to thicken up

Yeah they are definitely getting fat, makes my very glad to see them get fat.

If you are interested in fermenting you should join the conversation here

Landrace Genetics 101 - Page 11

Thanks for the link CC, I will take a look

Those are beautiful, man..

Those gals are as frosty as my tips back in middle school..

 

[Danishoes21]

Follow up of the week once again before I travel for the weekend, hopefully my last weekend out for the rest of the grow. After watering Monday they seem to like it a lot, they seem beefier. Im very happy with they way things are turning out. Another thing the fox tailing seems to be starting, I wasn't waiting for them all to fox tail, then again I guess the light schedule seems to bring out these unique traits. I did a check on the trichomes and they are not there yet and the plants seem to be in the middle of their ripening session.

 

[golfer420]

Those trichomes are looking fantastic

 

[Danishoes21]

Those trichomes are looking fantastic

 

[G00ch]

everything is looking amazing those colas are fat as fcuk

 

[ClosedCircuit]

Awesome. You'll be cutting soon me thinks!