Off-Grid Spring-Fed Hillbilly CBD Greenhouse

[andIhalped]

The big question I now have is about harvest. Could I get useful buds if I was to harvest some of these colas or must I wait longer? I don't think the risk of mold is extreme but perhaps I could begin an incremental harvest? Keep in mind that our needs are very small -- I'm obviously going to have far more than we can use.

Yes, you can harvest early, get very high quality weed, and reduce the hassle of fighting rot under current conditions. See:

Intentional Premature Harvest?

I have a couple of OG Kush autos that are both at 94 days old, 56 days in flower. I'm thinking about harvesting one of them early (like, today) for the more racy, cerebral high. Then letting the other one mature to about 30% amber trichs. Here's the first one (the one I'm thinking of...

www.420magazine.com

Folks that preach the "x% amber trichomes" mantra are usually just repeating what they've heard & have little experience with harvesting at different stages.

A good way to find out yourself is to harvest the largest ripest buds* now and let the rest go longer. You can then do a comparison & learn what you prefer 1st hand instead of relying on say-so.

*Harvesting the largest & ripest also helps alleviate mold problems, because those are the buds with conditions that are most prone to rot. Sadly...

Grow on!

 

[Simon Limon]

Yes, you can harvest early, get very high quality weed, and reduce the hassle of fighting rot under current conditions. See:

Intentional Premature Harvest?

I have a couple of OG Kush autos that are both at 94 days old, 56 days in flower. I'm thinking about harvesting one of them early (like, today) for the more racy, cerebral high. Then letting the other one mature to about 30% amber trichs. Here's the first one (the one I'm thinking of...

www.420magazine.com

Folks that preach the "x% amber trichomes" mantra are usually just repeating what they've heard & have little experience with harvesting at different stages.

A good way to find out yourself is to harvest the largest ripest buds* now and let the rest go longer. You can then do a comparison & learn what you prefer 1st hand instead of relying on say-so.

*Harvesting the largest & ripest also helps alleviate mold problems, because those are the buds with conditions that are most prone to rot. Sadly...

Grow on!

I've been inspecting the buds twice a day, which takes quite a while as there are so many. Last evening I noticed that handling the buds left my fingers very sticky -- with a very noticeable spicy smell. I presume this is another indication of ripening?

I'm going to cut and dry a few colas and prepare them in oil. It was 35ºF this morning so we have our woodstove going 24/7. It makes an excellent "express" dehydrator.

 

[Simon Limon]

Today the sun came out strong following our first frost, the surgeon told me I don't need a shoulder replacement and I harvested our first buds. All in all, a banner day!

A couple of sunny days seems to have dried out the greenhouse and pretty much stopped the bud mold (fingers crossed). I cut just one of the better colas as it will provide enough buds for a small batch of oil.

Drying over the hot water tank, beside the kitchen woodstove.

 

[One Of These Days]

Whew thats great news on the shoulder

Can not say enough on the topical oil, ive shared it with 3 people now and have gotten great reviews on its effectiveness to relieve multiple pains.

Ohh yeah that first taste of your own, again, your own herb. You are doing a and would like to congratulate you on the starting harvest, soakem in buddy they are beautiful.

got these fingers crossed for you too.

 

[greenjeans]

Hey Si - Congrats on the harvest plus shoulder!! Here's hoping that some Weed Salve will fix it right up!!

 

[Simon Limon]

Things are moving along, both in and outside the greenhouse. Had a large black bear raid a bucket of apples I'd placed next to the open greenhouse but it thankfully didn't enter.

Our weather continues to be wetter and cooler than usual, low 40's at night. I examine the clones carefully at least once a day, trimming off any moldy leaves or buds. If a stem repeatedly shows mold I'll cut the whole thing and bring it in to dry. Which brings me to a question:

Since we don't smoke our cannabis and only use it for oil, do I need to slow dry the buds or can I do an "express" drying? Our kitchen woodstove is going 24/7 these days so a tray of buds on the stove's warming shelf will be quite dry within two days. Does this have any adverse effect on the bud/CBD quality for an oil?

I am amazed that the two outside clones have shown no signs of mold after many days and nights of rain. Here's a bud and cola from the Critical Mass outside.

A CM inside the greenhouse. I wonder if these colas will continue to develop even though the weather has cooled off so much? Or should I go ahead and do a major chop?

The difference in cola development between the Critical Mass and Dutch Hawaiin is quite dramatic. The CM buds are beginning to crowd each other but the DH still has a very open look. The DH buds are large and healthy but don't have abundant tricomes.

DH outside and DH inside.

The buds have become quite sticky on the Critical Mass, which I assume means that they are close to mature. But... how long can I let them go before risking a major mold epidemic?

 

[One Of These Days]

Heck with it I'm thinkin you chop the ones indoors to save your crop from the dampness. How do your tricomes look? Did they turn cloudy? . Are you going to let the outside girls go longer?
If cloudy I would go ahead and harvest your inside girls
I watch my tricomes, just how ive always done it and by no means preaching to anybody how they doit. Just shootin the breeze as we say it around here.

Hows that sample you took?
That should tell you a good idea of where you are at.

 

[Simon Limon]

Heck with it I'm thinkin you chop the ones indoors to save your crop from the dampness. How do your tricomes look? Did they turn cloudy? . Are you going to let the outside girls go longer?
If cloudy I would go ahead and harvest your inside girls
I watch my tricomes, just how ive always done it and by no means preaching to anybody how they doit. Just shootin the breeze as we say it around here.

Hows that sample you took?
That should tell you a good idea of where you are at.

I need to take a better look at the tricomes but this morning they appeared to be clear. But... it was cold and my loupe fogged up quickly.

I just made a test batch of oil and took my usual under-the-tongue dose. Compared to the oil I'd previously made from buds given to me by a friend (mystery strain) this is very weak.

 

[greenjeans]

Does this have any adverse effect on the bud/CBD quality for an oil?

Hey Si - you have many of the same questions that I have - I have questionable snippets from each one of the gals - they seem to vape well - not that I would know any difference but if the oil would be fine I would use it for that - if that's the best thing.
Hey you knowledgeable guys - inquiring minds need to know !!!

 

[One Of These Days]

Can you drag them outside without f-n your shoulder up, only thinking that the girls outside are taking the moisture better maybe they are getting better air circulation and direct sunlight is evaporating it faster?

 

[Simon Limon]

Can you drag them outside without f-n your shoulder up, only thinking that the girls outside are taking the moisture better maybe they are getting better air circulation and direct sunlight is evaporating it faster?

That is an interesting idea but I need to wait a bit to do anything drastic as we had a hard frost last night, 26º. The outside plants were covered in heavy frost but haven't yet shown any signs of damage. Inside the greenhouse it was a balmy 28º and a few plants, especially the Dutch Hawaiian, are showing some curled leaves. From the cold?

Only found 3 moldy buds today so that is good. We have a few more dry days ahead and I gave the greenhouse a good airing today.

 

[Simon Limon]

27ºF inside the greenhouse, probably 25º outside. Next year I think I'll be looking for a cannabis strain that flowers earlier than these!

First it was an unusually cool and wet September, now it's an unusual cold snap.

 

[One Of These Days]

 

[Joe Brewster]

27ºF inside the greenhouse, probably 25º outside. Next year I think I'll be looking for a cannabis strain that flowers earlier than these!

First it was an unusually cool and wet September, now it's an unusual cold snap.

Looking Frosty!! but the wrong kind
Try a super auto next year I started mine end of April ,put it in the ground end of May & was done by end of Aug, early Sept.
Just managed to harvest as the wet weather started, lost only about a 1/4 oz to bud rot. got over 20 oz .
Or maybe a Fast Photo plant as they are calling them now

 

[One Of These Days]

Get you a decent led and put it next to your water heater

 

[greenjeans]

Holy Crap - they look chilly!! That's a darn shame - are you gonna harvest those outdoor gals just to see what happens??

 

[One Of These Days]

We must be getting your cold snap down here my truck said 95° today and they say 50 tomorrow night. It actually snowed last year. It hasn't snowed here in 40 years. I dont know how you northerners doit. 32° and untuh nope noway nienta, im cold thinking about it now.

 

[Simon Limon]

OK, here I am again, "better late than never", about to start my second grow.

To recap quite briefly: I had a real problem with mold last fall and the weather made it impossible to stay ahead of the mold, especially on the Critical Mass plants. I ended up with an extended harvest, trying to avoid harvesting buds until the last possible minute. When all was finally said and done I had more bud than I needed but it varied so much in size and quality that it was a real hassle to groom.

So... this year we really need the greenhouse for our tomato crop (which basically failed last year in a grow tunnel) and I'm too busy planting vegetables to spend hours and hours training and fiddling with the cannabis. I have rich garden soil, good amendments and unlimited spring water so if the weather cooperates......

BTW, how to I close this journal before starting another?

Stay healthy!

Simon

 

[One Of These Days]

back @Simon Limon
Looking forward to watch your garden grow again. You had the best looking girls around.
Bummer about that weather you had I felt your pain.

Onwards to tomorrow buddy

Make sure you link up your new journal. I think you just start a new one and a moderator will close this one. Not sure yet

 

[Simon Limon]

This is hopefully the correct link to Year 2 of this journal: Year 2