Rabbit's Big Leap - High Brix With Doc's Kit

KingstonRabbi said:
Vape Report - Blue Mystic

One of the problems with my vaporizer is that the first round mostly draws the monoterpenes and not much cannabinoids. They don't start to hit until the second round. Also, it only holds 1/4 -1/3 gram, which is enough for testing and microdosing but is mildly annoying for recreational use. It would be a lot more relaxing if I could just take a hit and be done. Instant gratification is all I'm asking for. ;)

The scent has changed from slightly blueberry-ish to more earthy sweetness like tea with fruit essence that doesn't taste much like the fruit pictured on the box but still tastes good. As expected first round produced very little buzz, like my body saw me going through the motions and was pretending to be slightly buzzed but wasn't really. Some strains have a noticeable effect on first round, this one had me worried I had grown a dud. I gave it about 15 min but still not much. Second round was better. Head high started quickly, at first stimulating then turning into euphoria that at this small dose I could easily keep working on my evening task making more bio bombs. No risk of couch lock even when I was lying in bed. Body buzz was weak, making the overall experience out of balance from what I like. Not the strain for me, but will make some good oil, which is what I really grew it for anyway.
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Vaporizers are still my last choice of administration, but when I used my Kind pen in Jamaica what I found worked was two pulls in the lowest setting, two at the middle temp and finishing off with the highest temperature. I agree with you about vaporizers being designed for micro dosing. Micro dosing is the big push these days, isn't it? Not for me personally, or any of my patients, come to think of it, though I'm training them to stay on capsule protocols, which could be micro dosing of a sort, with a lighter oil.

I'm sitting here wondering if your Dance Worlds smell anything like that delicious Jamaican Dream I grew last year. :dreamy:
 
That reminds me I never posted the DW vape report.

Dance World vape report

All of the strains in this grow have variations of Earthy/Fruity aroma. DW aroma is not quite as strong but has distinct spicy flavor. Posts on Doc Bud's page frequently mention how smooth high brix flowers smoke, and that's been true of all strains this grow. Most of prior grows often made me cough and irritated my throat, but not these.

Effects are similar to Medical Mass as expected. It does have some uplifting sativa effect while MdM has slight sedating effect. Neither was enough to limit use strictly to either day or evening, although with stronger doses it might be. This makes 2 new strains that are exactly what I hoped for. Very happy about that. :)
:Namaste:
 
KingstonRabbi said:
That reminds me I never posted the DW vape report.

Dance World vape report

All of the strains in this grow have variations of Earthy/Fruity aroma. DW aroma is not quite as strong but has distinct spicy flavor. Posts on Doc Bud's page frequently mention how smooth high brix flowers smoke, and that's been true of all strains this grow. Most of prior grows often made me cough and irritated my throat, but not these.

Effects are similar to Medical Mass as expected. It does have some uplifting sativa effect while MdM has slight sedating effect. Neither was enough to limit use strictly to either day or evening, although with stronger doses it might be. This makes 2 new strains that are exactly what I hoped for. Very happy about that. :)
:Namaste:
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Are you trying to pin down favorite strains and then stick with them KR, or just exploring the strains? I lucked out and had the cosmos lead me to the four that I'll likely stick with for a while. It was my intent to focus on Carnival, CBD Critical Cure, and DDA to get them nailed down to consistent harvests. Ultra Dog fell in my lap and turned out to be the BIL's favorite so I'll keep that as well.

When I started the idea was to grow as many strains as possible. Then I found the medicinal cannabis mindset and suddenly it became a medicinal grow and I'm more concerned with consistency than variety. I started out strictly recreational, didn't even consider myself a patient. Now I know we're all patients. It's not a drug, it's a nutrient.
 
Are you trying to pin down favorite strains and then stick with them KR, or just exploring the strains?
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No reason we can't do both. ;)

Actually, since the beginning I've been looking for best strain for my needs, but my needs have changed a lot since then. BCS has served me well but I don't need the high THC as much anymore. I'm hanging on to it for a rainy day. Hash Bomb is probably a better fit with moderate CBD. But right now I'm still healing the damage from chemo so these 1:1 strains are becoming my new staple.

I still have seeds for 7 strains that I haven't tried, plus all the Hash Bomb seeds I harvested, so experimentation is inevitable, as it should be. :)
:Namaste:
 
KingstonRabbi said:
No reason we can't do both. ;)

Actually, since the beginning I've been looking for best strain for my needs, but my needs have changed a lot since then. BCS has served me well but I don't need the high THC as much anymore. I'm hanging on to it for a rainy day. Hash Bomb is probably a better fit with moderate CBD. But right now I'm still healing the damage from chemo so these 1:1 strains are becoming my new staple.

I still have seeds for 7 strains that I haven't tried, plus all the Hash Bomb seeds I harvested, so experimentation is inevitable, as it should be. :)
:Namaste:
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As you've noticed I've discovered I don't need the THC overload either. This finding surprised the hell out of me, because I love the buzz. I mean I really love the sense of high euphoria, and it's still the place I choose to go with great regularity. For a writer THC is a wonderful tool for freeing the mind to explore. But this new oil has completely changed my perspective. I actually didn't have a brownie yesterday, and I can't remember the last time I deliberately choose not to, and the first time because I was already feel good.

You'd think "Wow! Conserving resources, what a nice thing" but then you realize that I took pity on a hard-working neighbor who hasn't been able to access anything in his sorry street drug world and gave him my brownie last night. So it looks like I still need to ramp up production. Wish I could throw up the 4x4, but then I'd need more filtration. :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
The Size Matters update

There's something about growing single colas that boosts a guy's self esteem. :rofl:

This is Black Cherry Soda at about 5 weeks. 1st photo of white tufts was 4/18, I count that as 1 week in, so 5 weeks now. Still finding small spots that could be PM that I pull but fewer and fewer. The bigger problem is that mites returned with a vengeance. I wasn't taking this grow seriously until last week and wasn't checking regularly. When I did I found some buds completely covered by tents. Ladybugs have passed on and I didn't see any signs of larvae I was hoping for. So I broke out the new bottle of neem oil and soaked everything. That took care of it for now.
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Dance Worlds are off to slower start. That was true of last round also. It was the last to show after flip. I'm thinking that what I saw back in April were just preflowers and not actual flowering. Not sure what to consider start of flower to count age. Instead I'll go by stage of development. Right now is about time I would give 1st cat drench, but my bunny soil doesn't come with drenches. Buds are set with spirals starting to fill in. My guess is 5-6 weeks left. Just a guess.
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Hash Bomb is definitely in flower this week with white buttons, guessing 2nd week with 6-7 to go. Also wondering if starting flower under 14 hour light made them go into flower more gradually like plants that flower outside. That would explain slow starts also.
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When this grow is over my basement will be truly empty of plants and I can finally get rid of mites for good. My few remaining clones have been moved to back yard to grow out as clone mothers. Next grow in basement will be from seed in clean environment.
 
Blast from the Past update

I have a whole new appreciation for what a long curing time can do for a bud, and what it can't.

I've been going through buds I saved from prior grows and found some hits and misses.
First hit, White Widow from my mini-SOG experiment, almost 6 months in jar. At harvest it was already a great high, balance of headiness and body buzz making me seriously happy. However, vaping was a little harsh on my throat and lungs, made me cough quite a bit. Now there's none of that, just smooth and tasty and potent. ;) Makes me wish I had grown one in Doc's kit. This is still better than what I bought at dispensary. And I've got a full jar. :)
Second hit, Dutch Treat from same mini-SOG. Six months ago it had same harshness as WW, same potency but slightly more clear-headed and energizing, so good for early evening but not before bed. Now harshness is gone, orange taste is more noticeable but still not strong, high is the same, maybe a little more potent or maybe I'm just better at using my vape pen. I'll give it a B+ compared to WW same as it compared at harvest. Good but not going to become a favorite.

And a miss, Black Cherry Soda from my second grow with improved soil but still bottled nutes, about 4 months. Pic below is what's left of bud I entered in NOTM a few months ago (and actually got 1 vote, so thank you whoever you are). I remember thinking back then how strong it smelled, but it's nowhere near the buds I just harvested. I also remember being a little disappointed (first ding, I can remember that :laughtwo:). It had potency but effects were kind of off: good body buzz, uplifting, clear headed, but after half hour it blurred my vision and overall wasn't very relaxing. Now it's probably not as harsh but I still started coughing halfway through. The taste has improved, actually tickled my nose on exhale. Still blurs vision slightly and interfered with my sleep. C+ because my expectation have increased since back then. This bud is going into the next oil batch.
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I need to do another test of high brix BCS now that it's a few weeks old. First test was already big improvement over last run. Smoother, stronger, smellier, more energizing but also more relaxing. I kept me awake a few hours (note to self: daytime only, I keep forgetting that) but I was happy and relaxed.

Still have a few more old grows to re-test as my current accidental grow progresses.
:Namaste:
 
Amazing journal and great insight and detail. Your really a godsend for so many others. Instant motivation for anyone who is going thru tough times. Nothing better than self healing and your spreading and showing us how to improve at gardening at the same time. Will continue to look forward to learning more and seeing those gorgeous plants flower out!
 
It's Tuesday and time for the Sunday update

After loading these photos I went back to compare with photos on May 8th, exactly 2 weeks ago. Dance Worlds' buds now are about where BCS was back then. Likewise Hash Bomb is about where DWs were 2 weeks ago. So there's the age spread. I still don't know for sure how far along BCS is. Her colas are already bigger than anything I've grown, but clearly not finished. I'm sticking with my guestimate of 2 more weeks, about June 7th.

One thing is clear. All the plants love the bunny mix soil. The smell is as strong as it's ever been. Even more noticeable with the buds closer to nose level. The stems are like fiberglass. And I haven't needed to feed much, just a couple doses with free ammoniacal nitrogen, I'll let you figure out where that came from. This soil is living up to my best expectations so far. Eager to see how they finish.

Dance Worlds have stretched another 2 inches. I'm noticing the smell a lot more than the last grow, probably because they're upright and buds are closer to nose level. The colas have filled in and are ready to start fattening.
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Hash Bomb has stretched about 6 inches in last 2 weeks. Not much smell yet, but being next to BCS I doubt I could tell if she did. She will be the last one in tent, so I'll have some one on one time to really get to know her.
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BCS is really surprising me. For one thing she's only in 2.5 gal compared to others in 4 gal pots. Yet she's setting the standard for the others to meet. I did have to add a support for the stem on the side. I think I need to plan to grow a full sized christmas tree this fall.
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This is starting to feel like a real grow and not just an accident. And there's no pressure because until recently I didn't expect to get more than juice out of these plants. But the excitement of growing is returning. In the beginning I just threw this mix together to see what would happen, and now I can't wait to see the results it produces. I didn't train these plants, but now I want to see how these tall plants differ from scrog. I didn't need any more herb until Sue started talking about fresh harvest infused oil, and now I can't wait to try it. God grant me patience, and I want it now!
:Namaste:
 
The Countdown continues

BCS is definitely in the harvest window. White pistils are fading out. I confirmed amber trichs on leaves (under the T5, so not just a reflection of LEDs), but not yet on the buds, which are mostly cloudy. I'd like to see more orange hairs, so I think I'll try to hold out another week, which will be just a few days earlier than I expected her to be ready.
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Dance Worlds still pumping out white pistils and getting a little firmer. Looking like 3 more weeks, but I wouldn't mind letting them go a little longer. I think I harvested the last one about a week to 10 days early (due to the PM, her buds looked like they needed more time.) The smell is getting a lot more noticeable, woody/earthy, slightly fruity but not too sweet, and a little spicy, just like the last one at harvest. For most of this grow the temps and humidity have been excellent, mid to upper 70's day/65 night and 45-55% RH. Winter grow with the heater stayed right around 70 with no evening drop, not good for terpene production. Humidity was never good, and for a while temps were 55-62. Even though I can't take credit for the improved environment (it's just the way my basement is in spring) it's a strong testament to the importance of environmental control. It just might be enough incentive for me to build a real grow room before next winter.
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Hash Bomb has filled in and put on weight. The tall stems have been leaning more and more all week. Today I added stakes to hold them upright again. I'm also noticing her smell much more than last grow, more citrusy than before but still much weaker than other strains. I think I'm going to give her another boost of rabbit manure tea. The last one got her to stop yellowing, one more might get her through the next few weeks until I want her to start using up nutes.
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Under Pressure update

BCS is in the pressure cooker right now turning into Psycro-PSue-PShiggity's fresh harvest infused olive oil. Gotta love the team effort in developing this method. If you haven't been following Sweet Sue's Cannabis Oil Study Hall there's been a lot of discussion about fresh harvest oil. I've been waiting all month for chance to try making some, and tonight I decided I couldn't wait any longer.
This is her all trimmed just before the chop and wash, quick drip dry, into the cuisinart and finally the Instant Pot. 320 grams wet, of which 280 is in the pot and 40 is drying slow-and-low in the refrigerator. I'll be up well past midnight finishing the process, but it will be well worth it to finally get to test this fresh harvest oil.
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This shot reminded my wife of something that made her giggle. Said she had to share it with her internet moms group. Yes it's the largest cola I've grown. I'm glad she's as excited about this as I am. :)
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TBT FTF (Throwback Thursday From the Future)

Shades of last June when I joined 420. Volunteer seedling on left is even leggier than my first grow. That's 1st leaves yellowing at 3" and 2nd node at 7", 3rd node at 9"-ish. That's after I transplanted burying 1" of stem. After exhaustive study of all the mistakes I made I now know this stretching is due to cold weather, probably. Looks like 4th and 5th nodes will be more compact.
It's ironic that I know who the father is but not the mother. Father was almost certainly Hash Bomb #1, the plant that impressed me with most vigorous growth until I learned that was a sign of being male. Looking at mature leaves I'd say Skunk #1 is most likely mother. Other 2 candidates are BCS and Chernobyl, both of which have wider leaves than HB (that's 3 HB #8 clones on right for comparison.) (4th in black pot is Medical Mass clone of the one that got a vote, YEAH!!!)
So same spot, same time of year, but a whole new world. (deleted lame Disney Princess joke, I'm sure Rad can do better.) Plan for this grow is do nothing, let my seedling and clones just grow naturally this summer. My backyard gets too much light for plants to start flowering and finish before rains. So I'll just let them grow, eventually get some mite and PM free clones to bring inside, and enjoy these as beautiful additions to my landscape. :Namaste:
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Fresh Harvest Oil update

It was almost 1am by time I strained it. Thought I had cheese cloth but I was wrong. I used mesh pot strainer to collect plant matter, saved in jar so I can squeeze rest of oil out later. I had a lot of water left, stuck oil/water in freezer last night to separate but this morning still not frozen. Canna-water must have antifreeze properties, or maybe time for new chest freezer.

Tried a very small sample, less than 1/2 ml. By the time I got upstairs into bed I was already feeling it. Don't know how strong because I was out like a light as soon as my head hit pillow. I do like the taste, like a fruity herb-infused olive oil that I use for dipping bread. Almost got another better sample this morning when I checked for ice in the bowl. I was about to lick my oil-coated finger. That would have been an instant day-off from work for sure! I'll do a real test this weekend.
 
I need to check out that oil thread you posted a few posts back. I've got so much trim and stuff I need to be able to do different things with it. Infused olive oil sounds great. Surprised I haven't tried it yet
 
I'm so excited KR. Finally, someone other than this passionate voice and PsyCro will be able to give a review of the oil's effects. His method wasn't taken seriously enough. I think we're about to see that change.

Good call on avoiding the finger licking. :laughtwo: I lack that self-control, but then I don't have a job to report to either.

Did you take any pictures of the oil when it was done? I had a suspicion that the pressure cooker might not remove the water, but I suspect this might not effect potency in the way we might expect. My decision on whether or not to purchase a pressure cooker before the next harvest will depend on both your review and Hizzy's. Doing it on the stovetop may be time-consuming, but I'm certain when it's done that both the water and the CO2 are removed. For me that makes it worth the time and effort.

Today I took one capsule at 9 AM and then completely forgot to grab one before I left to go walking with my friends at 6 PM. I'm home now, and I'm still flying high. :cheesygrinsmiley: You're going to be happy you did this KR. :battingeyelashes: :Love:
 
I forgot to buy cheese cloth again today and struggling to get most of the olive oil out of the plant matter. Better planning will make this a lot easier next time. No pictures yet, which is good because it looks like a complete disaster so far. The equipment I have is all for solvent extraction and olive oil is so much thicker I'm just making things worse. It's not really a disaster, the oil is still there. I just need more time and engineering, and cheese cloth.
 
KingstonRabbi said:
I forgot to buy cheese cloth again today and struggling to get most of the olive oil out of the plant matter. Better planning will make this a lot easier next time. No pictures yet, which is good because it looks like a complete disaster so far. The equipment I have is all for solvent extraction and olive oil is so much thicker I'm just making things worse. It's not a really a disaster, the oil is still there. I just need more time and engineering, and cheese cloth.
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TopCola was making an infused oil that he didn't strain the plant material out of. Of course his used a higher volume of oil to bud. I use silkscreen silk myself. It doesn't hold onto the oil the way cheesecloth does. I detest losing oil. With a boiling water reclaimation you'd get it all out though. Hadn't thought of that. Do you have a French press KR?
 
SweetSue said:
TopCola was making an infused oil that he didn't strain the plant material out of. Of course his used a higher volume of oil to bud. I use silkscreen silk myself. It doesn't hold onto the oil the way cheesecloth does. I detest losing oil. With a boiling water reclaimation you'd get it all out though. Hadn't thought of that. Do you have a French press KR?
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Still struggling to separate all the oil from the water. I think I used too much water in pressure cooker and compounded that by trying to boil out oil in another bath. I also tried using alcohol to extract oil from plant matter. That was a mistake. With all the olive oil in it the alcohol wouldn't strain through filters like I expected, so that's 2 messes to clean up.

I did find some large mesh tea bags that I used with my potato ricer to squeeze out most of remaining oil. Just a matter of cleaning up the messes I made with this first attempt. Learned what not to do, so that's worth something.

Next time I'm using more olive oil and skipping the pressure cooker.
 
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