Off-Grid Spring-Fed Hillbilly CBD Greenhouse

[irie lion]

Sound the trumpets!

Let the games begin!
Congrats on your first pistils Simon. How exciting! Within the next 2-3 weeks we should see some flowers starting to develop

I have just one question: now what????

Just as Bush Doc said - it's time to transition from high nitrogen containing nutrients to something with a higher ration in potassium and phosphorous to maximize your plants bloom potential.
However if you'd like to save a buck and finish off this grow with what you've got - i have no doubt you will get to harvest.

 

[Simon Limon]

After a long drink of water this morning I gave the plants a light dose of Fox Bloom with an extra slosh of liquid kelp.

One of the Critical Mass girls is showing some small irregular areas of yellow-brown on the leaves, nothing dramatic but I want to deal with it before it gets worse. I've been reading many posts about deficiencies and suspect a lack of calcium. All of my plants get exactly the same soil, water and nutrients so it puzzles me why this condition is contained to just one of them?

It is cloudy today and pleasantly warm so I spent half an hour in the greenhouse, staring at my plants. Since stopping LST about a week ago each of them shows a few dominant stems. I had meant to leave them alone while they begin to flower but the temptation to resume LST was just too much -- so I'm back to using the soft heavy wire and anchors and everyone is again on the same plane and the universe is back in balance.

 

[One Of These Days]

That could be the case of calcium being your spring fed water, when I buy bottle water, I have to add alot of cal mag.

 

[Simon Limon]

That could be the case of calcium being your spring fed water, when I buy bottle water, I have to add alot of cal mag.

I hadn't thought about the spring water but thanks to our generous rain for so many aeons this area's water is known for its lack of minerals. I have some lime granules that are supposed to be for relatively quick release -- if there actually isn't a calcium deficiency, would adding lime be risky?

 

[greenjeans]

Wish I could help with this one Simon - I had similar issues - I think my problem was using Miracle Gro Potting Soil and then adding some granular Tomato Fertilizer - I finally gave it a good flush, mixed in some composted garden soil and cattle manure mix into the top. She seems to have came back and is flowering like crazy. Plus it takes days some times for the corrections to show - Who's that patient??????? I'm wanting to fiddle with things every hour!!!

 

[Simon Limon]

Wish I could help with this one Simon - I had similar issues - I think my problem was using Miracle Gro Potting Soil and then adding some granular Tomato Fertilizer - I finally gave it a good flush, mixed in some composted garden soil and cattle manure mix into the top. She seems to have came back and is flowering like crazy. Plus it takes days some times for the corrections to show - Who's that patient??????? I'm wanting to fiddle with things every hour!!!

I decided to take the conservative approach by clipping the affected leaves. I'm waiting now to see if the condition appears on other leaves -- perhaps it was just a hiccup of sorts and not some kind of pest or imbalance? All of the plants, including this one, continue to look quite good and are growing visibly every day.

 

[greenjeans]

Yeah - some people tell you to leave the affected leaves on but I never found that they recovered and made it hard to tell if is spreading - I took the off if they were fully screwed - I got tired of looking at them. Right or wrong??

 

[Simon Limon]

Yeah - some people tell you to leave the affected leaves on but I never found that they recovered and made it hard to tell if is spreading - I took the off if they were fully screwed - I got tired of looking at them. Right or wrong??

I don't see the logic of leaving a sick leaf on any plant, just as I really don't see the logic of removing healthy leaves unless they significantly reduce air circulation.

I've been following the interesting tug-of-war among 420magazine growers over the question of pruning out fan leaves or leaving them alone. I prune to improve air circulation but I draw the line at removing healthy fan leaves even if they are completely shaded by other leaves. My reasoning is based on the fact that the lowermost fan leaves on my plants look just as green, healthy and vibrant as upper fan leaves. If these lower leaves are somehow not working to feed and support the plant I'm sure the plant would shed them itself.

Back at the clone house I've just given everyone a big drink of spring water and a dose of Blossom Rocket (5-42-20), and Rhino Skin (0-0-.4) silica to strengthen stems.

I hate to say it but once the plants began to bloom and stretch -- and my pulse returned to normal -- things have gotten a bit boring in the clone house. I still don't fully understand how colas form along the stem and staring at them for hours on end hasn't yet helped me understand where they are headed. I see many small side stems on what I'll call "bud stems" and I wonder if those will produce additional small buds? I don't find anything in these forums that suggests trimming these off so I'll just wait and watch.

It is too warm today to sit with the clones so I am reduced to wondering how much bud they could produce. The plants are roughly 3.5 - 4' in diameter with easily 30 bud stems each. That is roughly 58 square feet, not counting the two plants outside in the garden.

I can't see a practical way to turn this into a contest and a Grand Prize but I hope those of you following this journal will at least offer a guess as to the final weight of the harvest. The closest answer will undoubtedly bring you great prestige and satisfaction!

 

[greenjeans]

I'm of the opinion that outdoor plants have plenty of light to go around - so the only leaves that get trimmed are sickly looking ones. But I've been guessing at everything so.....

 

[One Of These Days]

120 ozs

 

[Nunyabiz]

That's coco in 20 gallon pots.

I'd water the hell out them daily.
Never let coco dry out.

I'd suggest putting them all on pot elevators so you get air under the pots.
And watering about 5x more than you have been especially if the coco is well aerated.

 

[Simon Limon]

That's coco in 20 gallon pots.

I'd water the hell out them daily.
Never let coco dry out.

I'd suggest putting them all on pot elevators so you get air under the pots.
And watering about 5x more than you have been especially if the coco is well aerated.

The plants aren't in coco. It is a mix: 45% Fox KoKoBop / 45% good compost / 10% perlite. I prefer to water with a can, by hand, in order to give them identical amounts. Today, for example, I gave each plant 4 gallons -- two waterings several hour apart of two gallons.

Does that sound like enough to you?

Elevators? A very short stool or some kind of spacer? Why?

 

[Nunyabiz]

The plants aren't in coco. It is a mix: 45% Fox KoKoBop / 45% good compost / 10% perlite. I prefer to water with a can, by hand, in order to give them identical amounts. Today, for example, I gave each plant 4 gallons -- two waterings several hour apart of two gallons.

Does that sound like enough to you?

Elevators? A very short stool or some kind of spacer? Why?

Ahhh, thought it was straight coco.
Even still I'd water it like you did today.
And yes that sounds more like it.

And pot elevators give the roots in the bottom air so they self prune, it also helps wick water from the pot, helps the fabric last longer.

Pot Elevator | Plant Pot Riser | Black Dog LED

Make sure the roots of your plants are properly aerated with a pot elevator. Proper drainage is crucial, and these 13-inch plant pot risers are sure to get the job done.

www.blackdogled.com

 

[Simon Limon]

The clones inside the greenhouse are now about 24 inches tall, with the exception of the lone sativa, which is over 30". They seem to be going upward at a more or less equal rate so I'm not bothering now with training. I do see a real increase in their thirst -- 4 gallons a day is now typical.

Today I gave them another dose of bloom nute and silica, twice the strength of their first dose a couple of days ago.

Here are the "Insiders", with the Dutch Hawaiian sativa looming over the others in the back:

The Outsiders, with the Dutch Hawaiian in the foreground:

 

[One Of These Days]

Those girls are so pretty and huge simon. I can't wait to see them start flowering. Excellent job.

 

[Simon Limon]

Those girls are so pretty and huge simon. I can't wait to see them start flowering. Excellent job.

Yes, they are big and beautiful but about all I can take credit for on this grow is following the advice I've been given here on 420magazine and in my local hydro shop.

We must be in full stretch mode now because the average height of the Critical Mass girls is 30 inches. This photo shows how the heavily trained stems have shot up in the past week:

I don't see much development of the white pistils so I assume they are just going to continue to go up until further notice.

Here's today's group photo:

Slightly off topic but both the pickling cukes and the slicing cucumbers that are planted in identical soil as the clones, also in 20 gallon fabric bags, are growing like crazy. On the other hand, we also have over a dozen tomato plants in another grow tunnel, also in the same soil mix -- and they are not looking that great. Lots of ugly leaves, blossom drop and end rot. Next year I'll grow tomatoes in the usual garden compost and feed them fish fertilizer.

 

[irie lion]

Hey Simon. Your plants are looking strong and healthy. With stretch setting in we should see a good amount of pistils pushing within the next 2 weeks.
You're doing a great job my friend, these plants are going to yield well for you.

 

[Simon Limon]

Hey Simon. Your plants are looking strong and healthy. With stretch setting in we should see a good amount of pistils pushing within the next 2 weeks.
You're doing a great job my friend, these plants are going to yield well for you.

Our long range weather forecast is for at least a few days of hot weather to close out the month. If the stretch continues to the end of the month I think the inside girls will be close to four feet tall. The tallest of the Critical Mass clones I did so much training on is now just under three feet and the outside CM is pushing six feet.

Based on the amount of dry buds my wife and I have used since we started with CBD oil I'm estimating our annual need will be about 120 grams. With 8 plants I get the feeling we may have extra.....

 

[Nunyabiz]

Our long range weather forecast is for at least a few days of hot weather to close out the month. If the stretch continues to the end of the month I think the inside girls will be close to four feet tall. The tallest of the Critical Mass clones I did so much training on is now just under three feet and the outside CM is pushing six feet.

Based on the amount of dry buds my wife and I have used since we started with CBD oil I'm estimating our annual need will be about 120 grams. With 8 plants I get the feeling we may have extra.....

Just 4 oz a year for both of you?

Jeebus I thought my wife and I were slackers consumption wise.
Yeah with 8 plants you should end up with like 3 to 4 pounds.

 

[Simon Limon]

Just 4 oz a year for both of you?

Jeebus I thought my wife and I were slackers consumption wise.
Yeah with 8 plants you should end up with like 3 to 4 pounds.

I make CBD oil in an InstaPot, in batches of 20 grams of dry bud with a cup of oil. .5ml of this oil turns me into Mr. Magoo so I typically take doses of about 5 drops, often twice in the evening. My wife uses the oil topically and much more liberally, for aches and pain. I can't tell for sure if she is getting high from this because she is normally quite talkative and zips from one topic and thought to another.

I'm calculating our needs at 20 grams every 2 months but that is just for the oil. The sludge that is left over turns out to really kick my butt. As I wrote in another thread, something like 1/4 tsp fried with butter and an egg had me couch locked for 4 hours.

It is kinda frustrating to know that I can grow vastly more than we need but I can't legally share it with others.