Mother of Berries, M.O.B. Maine Strain

WeedMonkey · Jul 27, 2018

Skunk Kush Week 7 Day 2. Trucking right along. Average temp today (so far) 81’

My next grow I’ll be cutting clones and the grow may need to change up my grow to some extent, idk yet) but in an effort to prepare for that transition I’ll be practicing clone cutting and all of that. (My pursuit of COB lighting hasn’t and won’t changed)

Considering a move to hydro once I have achieved the experience of cloning. I think I have the knowledge but need to put into practice and find my groove.

Do you recommend cutting the bottoms at an angle or a slice in the middle of the bottom of the clone for more efficient root growth?

I planned on buying clonex as a Horomone booster as well.

Any advice you have for anything would be super helpful.

TheGreenYeti · Jul 27, 2018

So when I take clones I cut lower branches as close to the stalk/branch that you are taking them from. I usually put them in a cup with water while I work through the process. Label the cup(s) if you are taking clones of more than one plant. I use rapid rooter plugs and have a tray and dome with an insert that holds the plugs. I mix up a liter of water and some clonex clone nutes. The bottle tells you at what strength to mix. I soak my plugs in this mixture and once they are soaked I will take them out one by one as I put cuttings in them. As i pull my cuttings out of their cups I strip all nodes but the top. The top leaves I cut the blades in half. I will then make a fresh cut at the bottom at an angle, dip them in clonex gel (NOT the nute/water solution) and then push them into the plugs. I push them in to the side of the main hole. I will then place them in my tray in a row labeled with what strain it came from. Once I am done putting cuts in plugs I then fill the bottom of the tray with the water/nute solution. I think it takes about 2.5 liters to fill mine. Then put the plug holder insert in and then the dome on. Leave the vents closed for the first couple of days and then crack them open after that. I have roots any where from 5-21 days after I take cuts.

Please note that I do not take cuts in flower. I typically take them when I prune just prior to flip, though you can do it any time during veg and some people will take clones in early flower.

WeedMonkey · Jul 28, 2018

Skunk Kush Week 7, Day 3 Flowering
Hurried pics with lights off

WeedMonkey · Jul 28, 2018

TheGreenYeti said:
So when I take clones I cut lower branches as close to the stalk/branch that you are taking them from. I usually put them in a cup with water while I work through the process. Label the cup(s) if you are taking clones of more than one plant. I use rapid rooter plugs and have a tray and dome with an insert that holds the plugs. I mix up a liter of water and some clonex clone nutes. The bottle tells you at what strength to mix. I soak my plugs in this mixture and once they are soaked I will take them out one by one as I put cuttings in them. As i pull my cuttings out of their cups I strip all nodes but the top. The top leaves I cut the blades in half. I will then make a fresh cut at the bottom at an angle, dip them in clonex gel (NOT the nute/water solution) and then push them into the plugs. I push them in to the side of the main hole. I will then place them in my tray in a row labeled with what strain it came from. Once I am done putting cuts in plugs I then fill the bottom of the tray with the water/nute solution. I think it takes about 2.5 liters to fill mine. Then put the plug holder insert in and then the dome on. Leave the vents closed for the first couple of days and then crack them open after that. I have roots any where from 5-21 days after I take cuts.

Please note that I do not take cuts in flower. I typically take them when I prune just prior to flip, though you can do it any time during veg and some people will take clones in early flower.

Thanks for all of the great info! As it relates to the rapid rooters, do those need to be removed before planting/settling in final medium?

WeedMonkey · Jul 29, 2018

Skunk Kush Week 7 Day 4 Average Temp 79’ F

TheGreenYeti · Jul 29, 2018

WeedMonkey said:
Thanks for all of the great info! As it relates to the rapid rooters, do those need to be removed before planting/settling in final medium?

No sir, just plant in your soil and go. If you use mycos dust the whole before you drop it in and you should be good.

WeedMonkey · Jul 31, 2018

Skunk Kush Week 7 Day 4 plant (front right)
This one seems to be ambering up hair wise faster than the others. Did my best to take a pic with my phone through my loupe.

WeedMonkey · Aug 1, 2018

Skunk Kush Week 7 Day 7 Avg temps 82’F plants seem to still be drinking quite a bit. Tried to get some trich pics from the top down (easiest way without putting loupe on plant and keeping it alighned with phone camera.)

TheGreenYeti · Aug 2, 2018

They are getting nice and chunky bud! They still look to be about 2 to 3 weeks out.

Skybound · Aug 2, 2018

What's good WeedMonkey? When did you change your screen name? Your grow is looking great! I've been running with OG Kush, but they don't fatten up like yours, great smoke though, that's for sure. So, you're looking to get some COBs? I made the switch about 2 months ago in both of my blooms and they replaced my 600w HPS. I gotta say, these COBs are smashing the bullshit out of my HIDs and are vastly out performing the sodiums. I recreated this VERO29 fixture. I built my own frame with locally sourced aluminum angles, but got the COBs, heat sinks, drivers and potentiometers from the site linked. FYI, I opted for the larger 480w drivers. I am still learning the science of it all myself, but figured the higher powered driver would afford me the luxury of pushing the chips harder while still using less juice than the HID ballasts. I get as much light penetration, but get full spectrum light which is imposible with HIDs, especially 600w lamps. In my experience, 600w HPS only come in 2000k - 2200k. With COBs, you can get exactly 2700k, but it seems everyone else is using the 3000k chips, so that's what I got. I generally keep the lights between 60-75%, but from time to time I raise it all the way up to the max. From what I can see, the closer I am tho the max, the more light damage I see. A bit of wilting and foxtails when previously this strain didn't grow those when under HPS. Also, in my safe range of 60-75%, I noticed daytime temps raise not more than 5º, and my ventilation is basic (minor negative pressure).

When cloning, I vary between lower main branches that I know won't amount to much if left on to bloom, and also any tops that I'll be snipping off anyways. My only rule is nothing with too thin of a stem as those wilt during the first night, but then they don't die, they root, and leave you with a crippled plant to start with. Also, I try to take my cuts about 1/3 of the way into the light cycle, ie 6 hours into the 18 hours of lights on. I've done close to lights out, but then they generally wilted. Me thinks taking them with some good daylight left, allows for some photosynthesis and energy collection/storage, but that's just an untrained opinion. I also, don't use clonex anymore. I just mix equal parts of GH Flora Bloom nutes and GH Flora Blend (a fermented vegan supplement) in RO to 250-300 ppm and adjust ph. I soak a rock wool starter cube and also pour some of that into the cup that I will first drop the cutting into. It's important to cut, than get the cutting right into some water to prevent the severed stem from uptaking air. I also find it helpful to snip the leaves as needed prior to taking the cutting from the plant. Once it's all snipped, cut it where I want it, drop that in the cup of nute water and pull the soaked cube and shake off (not wring out) the water from the cube so that the cube is still very wet, but no longer drenched. Once done, push the cutting into the cube, tear off a piece of the corner to fill the remainder of the hole, and put it in a dim and humid dome.

WeedMonkey · Aug 5, 2018

(Account is going through changes - more info later)

Skunk Kush pics taken late yesterday. Week 8 Day 3. I’m hoping they put on a little more weight.

WeedMonkey · Aug 5, 2018

Skybound said:
What's good WeedMonkey? When did you change your screen name? Your grow is looking great! I've been running with OG Kush, but they don't fatten up like yours, great smoke though, that's for sure. So, you're looking to get some COBs? I made the switch about 2 months ago in both of my blooms and they replaced my 600w HPS. I gotta say, these COBs are smashing the bullshit out of my HIDs and are vastly out performing the sodiums. I recreated this VERO29 fixture. I built my own frame with locally sourced aluminum angles, but got the COBs, heat sinks, drivers and potentiometers from the site linked. FYI, I opted for the larger 480w drivers. I am still learning the science of it all myself, but figured the higher powered driver would afford me the luxury of pushing the chips harder while still using less juice than the HID ballasts. I get as much light penetration, but get full spectrum light which is imposible with HIDs, especially 600w lamps. In my experience, 600w HPS only come in 2000k - 2200k. With COBs, you can get exactly 2700k, but it seems everyone else is using the 3000k chips, so that's what I got. I generally keep the lights between 60-75%, but from time to time I raise it all the way up to the max. From what I can see, the closer I am tho the max, the more light damage I see. A bit of wilting and foxtails when previously this strain didn't grow those when under HPS. Also, in my safe range of 60-75%, I noticed daytime temps raise not more than 5º, and my ventilation is basic (minor negative pressure).

When cloning, I vary between lower main branches that I know won't amount to much if left on to bloom, and also any tops that I'll be snipping off anyways. My only rule is nothing with too thin of a stem as those wilt during the first night, but then they don't die, they root, and leave you with a crippled plant to start with. Also, I try to take my cuts about 1/3 of the way into the light cycle, ie 6 hours into the 18 hours of lights on. I've done close to lights out, but then they generally wilted. Me thinks taking them with some good daylight left, allows for some photosynthesis and energy collection/storage, but that's just an untrained opinion. I also, don't use clonex anymore. I just mix equal parts of GH Flora Bloom nutes and GH Flora Blend (a fermented vegan supplement) in RO to 250-300 ppm and adjust ph. I soak a rock wool starter cube and also pour some of that into the cup that I will first drop the cutting into. It's important to cut, than get the cutting right into some water to prevent the severed stem from uptaking air. I also find it helpful to snip the leaves as needed prior to taking the cutting from the plant. Once it's all snipped, cut it where I want it, drop that in the cup of nute water and pull the soaked cube and shake off (not wring out) the water from the cube so that the cube is still very wet, but no longer drenched. Once done, push the cutting into the cube, tear off a piece of the corner to fill the remainder of the hole, and put it in a dim and humid dome.

Thanks skybound, I’ll explain the screen name bit when i have more info but has to do with some stuff outside of 420 as to why I changed it. The name wasn’t up to me I messaged the 420 mag staff and this is what I got.

Thanks for all the advice I really appreciate it. I have lots of clone info to work with now. You should look into cobbing looks like fascinating stuff and plan to do it with this batch when I’m done. Very nice to hear from you!

WeedMonkey · Aug 5, 2018

Skunk Kush Week 8 Day 4

Flowers are getting heavy enough they are falling over requiring reinforcement.

After more closely inspecting I decided to reinforce the plants all together via the main stem using hemp rope to connect to the bars of the tent. (Not to tight or flimsy it’s just taught enough to hold plants straight up)

WeedMonkey · Aug 5, 2018

If you guys look at the mess of plants. The plant in “good” shape was given half of the nutes recommended by the manufacturer is as I’ve read to do on most forums. Now, if we look at all the other ones where they were pushed to the brink with nutes are also larger and heavier while the less aggressive formula has the smallest and least impressive buds. I’ve always grown this way. It stresses the plants out but the difference imo is clear. Brutal feedback is welcome. (Let’s not forget that in veg I only could use Chinese LEDs)

TheGreenYeti · Aug 5, 2018

The next couple of weeks things should bulk up plenty. I do see you have some burnt leaves and such, which typically correlates with too much nutrient usage. This seems to be reinforced by your own observation that the healthiest looking one is the one that was given the least. I always tried to stay at half the amounts listed on the bottles or less. With so little time left though everything should make it to the finish without any major issues. I do not know if you can get it locally but I follow Mass Medical strains on IG and he was saying he uses Michigan Mix for a soil and all he has to do is water. I am pretty sure he even uses it as a no till soil. He said it is like $40 per bag but if you can take a plant all the way to harvest with it it may be a good thing to look into.

WeedMonkey · Aug 5, 2018

TheGreenYeti said:
The next couple of weeks things should bulk up plenty. I do see you have some burnt leaves and such, which typically correlates with too much nutrient usage. This seems to be reinforced by your own observation that the healthiest looking one is the one that was given the least. I always tried to stay at half the amounts listed on the bottles or less. With so little time left though everything should make it to the finish without any major issues. I do not know if you can get it locally but I follow Mass Medical strains on IG and he was saying he uses Michigan Mix for a soil and all he has to do is water. I am pretty sure he even uses it as a no till soil. He said it is like $40 per bag but if you can take a plant all the way to harvest with it it may be a good thing to look into.

I’ve heard of Michigan Mix I’m using Coast of Maine Stonington blend designed for cannabis plants. Costs $40 + shipping luckily I was able to find a large online retailer that shipped for free and supposed to take to end of flower but probably not as well as with some help along the way.

Plants should turn out ok. Haven’t had anything gnarly impacting plants after harvest. No funny taste or smell, not harsh, etc.

I’ll probably dial it back on the next grow or maybe push one plant and play by the half feeding rule and see if there is a consistent theme of nute pushing results in bigger crops. I don’t contest that feeding less is better, healthier, etc. plain common sense. However, I’ve been curious to see how far I can push a plant w/o killing it (understanding that at some point I’m going to kill one eventually hence, use on fewer plants)

When this grow wraps up it’s going into a cob and go from there.

Do you know a credible place to get seeds for Roadkill Skunk? (PM if necessary)

Next grow will be smaller in size but not fewer in plants. I’ll be running clones, topping, etc. trying all the stuff I’ve been wanting to do. I am about to have a LOT going on so to give myself a break from it all I can experiment and see how far I can take things.

Skybound · Aug 5, 2018

I'm a hydro guy, and experience has shown me that it's not so much about driving them generally, but more so about pinpointing the needs at the right times. Similar to the common knowledge that we push nitrogen throughout Veg and gradually decrease till mid way into bloom, and also throttle the P and to a lesser degree K towards the end of bloom. Pin pointing those stages in growth and increasing levels as needed will go a lot farther/further than driving more nutes. I grow in rockwool and never exceed 900 PPM towards the end. Supplementing in soil, you'd want roughly 25%-33% of that, and then only every 2nd or 3rd watering, just to nudge along what you already have in your soil. I am also finding that different strains or phenos have slightly different needs so it's wise to research your strain to the fullest degree and adjust your feed accordingly.

FWIW, I use GH, and they suggest to not use the dry KoolBloom until the final "ripening" week, just before flush, but for my Kush, I've been starting that a few weeks prior beginning at 10% strength, just to gradually increase the P and K, more so than then recipe calls for. Research already informed me that Kush is a Calmag whore, so I've also increased that in my augmented feed schedule. I'll be switching strains beginning with new seeds today, so I'll have to rinse and repeat all of the above. :eek:

TheGreenYeti · Aug 5, 2018

Nasta Kala said:
I’ve heard of Michigan Mix I’m using Coast of Maine Stonington blend designed for cannabis plants. Costs $40 + shipping luckily I was able to find a large online retailer that shipped for free and supposed to take to end of flower but probably not as well as with some help along the way.

Plants should turn out ok. Haven’t had anything gnarly impacting plants after harvest. No funny taste or smell, not harsh, etc.

I’ll probably dial it back on the next grow or maybe push one plant and play by the half feeding rule and see if there is a consistent theme of nute pushing results in bigger crops. I don’t contest that feeding less is better, healthier, etc. plain common sense. However, I’ve been curious to see how far I can push a plant w/o killing it (understanding that at some point I’m going to kill one eventually hence, use on fewer plants)

When this grow wraps up it’s going into a cob and go from there.

Do you know a credible place to get seeds for Roadkill Skunk? (PM if necessary)

Next grow will be smaller in size but not fewer in plants. I’ll be running clones, topping, etc. trying all the stuff I’ve been wanting to do. I am about to have a LOT going on so to give myself a break from it all I can experiment and see how far I can take things.

Road Kill Skunk is hard to come by. PotChimp has been on the search for an actual RKS pheno for a while. He keeps getting fruity phenos and no skunks ass phenos. I did see someone on IG mention growing something that through some legit RKS phenos but cannot recall who it was. I have heard good things about Dominion Seed Company. They have a few skunk varieties that are supposed to be top notch. And if I recall correctly Duke Diamond is the breeder for Dominion (it is his brand) and I believe he used to be one of the main breeders for Brothers Grimm before they disbanded the first time. He has a strain called Local Skunk for sale and a couple of others that have been winning people over lately.