Radogast's Hi-Brix Basement Grow - New Location - New Soil - New Experiences

[Radogast]

The garden is looking great Rad. How much is just right and how much is too much for the back building?

From when i did back building a couple times i noticed it worked best wen u take the top few hairs off like literally only a quarter inch or so i only snipped the top three hairs that have alil tip like point and snip off it went lol hope that helps alil im not a professional by any means but just my in put from what ive experienced

I agree with Blazinjones. The goal is to take off the top 2-3 pistils, but I was too lazy to walk 6 feet and grab some scissors, so I pinched off the tiniest tip with my fingernails. I ended up getting a little divot of calyx with the pistils. That seems to have been enough to make the buds grow a little wonky

In previous tests I haven't really seen a difference. This time i see a difference, but I'm questioning the benefits - even if done right. My version of 'bag appeal' seems to differ from most people. I rarely make the same choices in 'nug of the month' contests.

 

[Morglie]

I agree with Blazinjones. The goal is to take off the top 2-3 pistils, but I was too lazy to walk 6 feet and grab some scissors, so I pinched off the tiniest tip with my fingernails. I ended up getting a little divot of calyx with the pistils. That seems to have been enough to make the buds grow a little wonky

In previous tests I haven't really seen a difference. This time i see a difference, but I'm questioning the benefits - even if done right. My version of 'bag appeal' seems to differ from most people. I rarely make the same choices in 'nug of the month' contests.

Looking good in here Rad. I'm with you, I don't see reasoning to back build. It makes the buds squatter and fatter, but are they actually bigger overall? I think the regular buds you have going look great as is. Nice and frosty.

 

[Blazinjones]

Looking good in here Rad. I'm with you, I don't see reasoning to back build. It makes the buds squatter and fatter, but are they actually bigger overall? I think the regular buds you have going look great as is. Nice and frosty.

Yea I'm guna have 2 concur on that as well lol lookn really great as is rad I wish my buds where like that and when I did back building all it seemd like it did 4 me anyway was change the shape of the bud from a tipical Christmas tree bud style to a lumpy turd style bud Lmao but 4 real tho they jus turns lumpy but not really sure if it got bigger or ended up with more of a yield so my take is its really jus training in how u want ur bud to appear wen done but I cud be wrong its jus me 2 sense worth

 

[Tead]

Wow... that was a huge long string of really interesting photos.
I've played with backbuilding some, but don't bother any more. I've seen no differences, so I pass.

2cents... but probably worth less.

 

[kelticBlue]

I never did find the back build use. I have also placed a pencil on top of buds. In similar theory to build the bud, not much use. But I probably did it wrong.
I just grow, dry, and get them ready for my missus. There is My half a cent.

Rad. I thought I read something about 12 in center for COBs being the norm. You are combining the HPS though too,right?

just thinking out loud again. Happy sweetest buds !

 

[Radogast]

Wow... that was a huge long string of really interesting photos.

I felt I owed it to you guys. I've been very lazy taking pictures.

I harvested AK47 today. Maybe 1.5 -2.0 oz. Nice popcorn (big enough to be worth trimming), and my stickiest girl this year

 

[SweetSue]

Congrats on the harvest Rad. I've yet to sample an AK47.

I'm seeing dramatic improvement with my lighting upgrade. I'm feeling certain you will too. I'm absolutely amazed at your Carnival. The way you grow these trees.

 

[Radogast]

I never did find the back build use. I have also placed a pencil on top of buds. In similar theory to build the bud, not much use. But I probably did it wrong.
I just grow, dry, and get them ready for my missus. There is My half a cent.

Rad. I thought I read something about 12 in center for COBs being the norm. You are combining the HPS though too,right?

just thinking out loud again. Happy sweetest buds !

I typed an earlier answer but never hit enter at 30W per COB and a goal of 30W per square foot, one COB per square foot is perfect. It's all about where to place those (roundish) square feet. I'll try something soon. The goal is to take one of the HPS out and run the COB alongside the HPS. I'll be hanging the COB in the front of the flower area where I can keep an eye on them. The front of the flower area is also where I place the girls closer to harvest where I can keep an eye on them, so the COBs will initially be used to finish flowering.

Congrats on the harvest Rad. I've yet to sample an AK47.

I'm seeing dramatic improvement with my lighting upgrade. I'm feeling certain you will too. I'm absolutely amazed at your Carnival. The way you grow these trees.

I'm still working at getting the lights installed. My social calendar has actually had one or two events a day for the past week - it slows me down. I cancelled the one because it was porch painting day, but it doesn't make sense to cancel most of them since they have mostly been about someone giving us food or money

My plan for the day was to harvest, wash, and trim - then eat some fat Prime Rib steaks given to us a couple of days ago by a 'prep' chef when his boss said "Take those steaks and their sauce home with you!" I woke up early so I weed whacker groomed the gardens before breakfast. Then a couple 3 blocks away, who are fast becoming close friends, called and asked if they could come over today. She and my wife shared several bowls while she and the girl trimmed my harvest. He offered to make his famously addicting Greek burgers - then shopped and prepared them on my charcoal grill while I harvested some fresh rosemary, helped him find spices and tools in the kitchen, and reheated the prime rib.

I have cooking photos but I'm having problems remembering my login and password to 420 magazine.

I'm not doing anything special to grow 'trees' - AK47 didn't get tall. My Carnival pheno just took off, 20 to 48" is 140% stretch at the Cat Drench. That's my biggest stretch to date and still going. If she goes 8 more inches, I'll be either supercropping or shuffling plants and raising the COBs to higher than the HPS hood can be raised. Given the buds I've seen on other Carnival grows, it's a good challenge to have

AK47 XTRM is one of my favorite strains, it's got just enough indica (25%) to add a good stone to the sativa zip. AK47 (Columbian, Mexican, and Thai sativas with 25% Afghan indica) and Amsterdam bred White Widow XTRM (Brazilian Sativa with 25% Afghan indica) combine to create a gentle high with a big initial kick. It's better smelling and tasting grown with the kit than grown in my build-a-soil mix. Freshly harvested it has a pleasant, sweet, citrusy aroma with a touch of sandalwood. If one mixed passion fruit, mandarin orange, grenadine, lime juice, coconut rum, and Captain Morgan spiced rum they might have a similar aroma.

Around noon, I took one hit off a bowl of Agatha (Ace Mix) with kief on top and it was enough to force me to reallly focus for the next 1.5 hours. I imagine the kief contained a significant amount indica Similar effects abounded among the ladies - to the point where it took about 20 minutes to come up with the food schedule - which turned out to be "whenever the cook decides to cook " When we went back to more contemplative discussions we did much better than when asked to choose a time.

Life was good today: Good food. Good friends. Good conversation.

 

[SweetSue]

That was a delightful read Rad. Sounds like a picture-perfect day.

 

[Radogast]

That was a delightful read Rad. Sounds like a picture-perfect day.

Thanks!


I updated the description of AK47 XTRM

"AK47 XTRM is one of my favorite strains, it's got just enough indica (25%) to add a good stone to the sativa zip. AK47 (Columbian, Mexican, and Thai sativas with 25% Afghan indica) and Amsterdam bred White Widow XTRM (Brazilian Sativa with 25% Afghan indica) combine to create a gentle high with a big initial kick. It's better smelling and tasting grown with the kit than grown in my build-a-soil mix. Freshly harvested it has a pleasant, sweet, citrusy aroma with a touch of sandalwood. If one mixed passion fruit, mandarin orange, grenadine, lime juice, coconut rum, and Captain Morgan spiced rum they might have a similar aroma"

 

[DopyLemontree]

Nice plants Rad. I had the AK47 in my last grow, the effect is powerful, now I know why they named it AK47!

I never tried the AK47 XTRM. Sounds tasty!

 

[Beavis]

I felt I owed it to you guys. I've been very lazy taking pictures.

I harvested AK47 today. Maybe 1.5 -2.0 oz. Nice popcorn (big enough to be worth trimming), and my stickiest girl this year

Congrats on the harvest Rad! Ok no pics? At least give us a smoke report!!!!!!!

 

[Radogast]

Congrats on the harvest Rad! Ok no pics? At least give us a smoke report!!!!!!!

We didn't sample yesterday, busy day, 3 different strains and keef being passed around. Here's my smoke report from 3/17.

I remember why I like AK47. I feel happy and friendly. First hit, about 8 seconds, there is a "ping" in my forehead, and before the first cough I am grinning and feeling A-OK

I'm too much of a lightweight to give good smoke reports

I'm having logon problems with my phone - password reset didn't help, so no photos yet - but I didn't take any of harvest anyway. Too busy chatting and being high

 

[kelticBlue]

 

[Radogast]

I got my logon issues straightened out so I can upload photos.

AK47 clone was put in a 2 liter pot on 6/9. 26 days later she got her first nutrients and water since planting day.

 

[Radogast]

Lighting change


I looked at the flower area and decided today was the day.


Dual 600W HPS bulbs in the flower area before making changes (top of an HPS hood in the foreground, carbon filter upper left, exhaust fan in far wall.)

First step, disconnect flexible ducting and de-install front HPS and ballast - leaving back HPS still installed.

None of the existing flex duct was long enough to go direct from the remaining hood to the air filter, so I placed 6" rigid ducting logically in-line where the HPS hood used to be.

Physically I screwed the rigid duct to the ceiling joists behind and adjacent to the remaining HPS hood and swapped ends on the air filter so the flexible duct runs were shorter. It looks much neater and is tucked out of the way compared to before.

Next I unpacked 8 COB lights

and 2 COB ballasts.

Then added 60 degree and 120 degree lenses in the mounts that Mr Greene pre-installed.

Rather than build the aluminium frame, cuphooks and chalk line were used to individually hang each COB unit. I like the flexibility of multiple heights and changing the individual angles of the lights.

With the spinning fans, they look like tethered drones

I now have 600W of yellow HPS light and about 240W of bright white (3000K) COB LEDs on the same timer in the flower area.


Some yellow light on Borderliner bud (flip + 48 days.)

With flash enabled, I can now get non yellow closeups in the flower area.

 

[RheinRover]

I can't wait to see more non yellow close ups. Quite the beautiful girls you've got going these days!

 

[NorCaliwood]

Just a drive by.... It'll be interesting to see if you can see any change between the HPS and the COBs. Temp and or buddage departments...
Keepem Green

 

[Tead]

Life was good today: Good food. Good friends. Good conversation.

Very nice. I did some of that myself lately. Little gifts on life's journeys.

With the spinning fans, they look like tethered drones

Indeed. Seems crazy/busy/confusing.
Do you like the individual hanging lights? Is there a way to mount them to the un-made metal rack so that they can be tilted individually and achieve the same bonus of hanging them individually without all the clutter? Maybe even a big frame covering the whole space with crossbars for moving the lights around to various places in the garden? Clip on light mounts?
The thoughts... they're rollin with the UltraDog this morning.

 

[Graytail]

Very nice. I did some of that myself lately. Little gifts on life's journeys.





Indeed. Seems crazy/busy/confusing.
Do you like the individual hanging lights? Is there a way to mount them to the un-made metal rack so that they can be tilted individually and achieve the same bonus of hanging them individually without all the clutter? Maybe even a big frame covering the whole space with crossbars for moving the lights around to various places in the garden? Clip on light mounts?
The thoughts... they're rollin with the UltraDog this morning.

I have some leftover clothing wall grids, 4x4 on 3" centers. I'm thinking I might mount one firmly to the ceiling, hang anything anywhere.

There are lighter cheaper versions too.