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

[Radogast]

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

That's the core of the change. How will this affect my flowering?

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

It's summertime. In my world that's the season to be social - preferably inside.

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.

The spacing of the lights is actually planned (overplanned?)

I was all set on building a grid with mounted lights - a COB LED version of a 4' CFL array.

Prompted by questions about my space design I decided to hang them temporarily. While hanging I saw how one height can do this and another height can do this, plus some lights can be angled and do that.

I think I'll go ahead and build the grid because I like the spacing and have the parts, but I might miss the individual height and angles.

 

[MrGreene]

I'm excited to see that you hung the lights and anxious to see how well your plants like them.

I'm not sure how to suggest hanging your lights other than to follow your gut feeling. I have mine hung both ways and haven't made any kind of decision other than I'll keep watching them and trying different lenses and heights until I see a clear benefit. It's pretty cool that you can position them up in the rafters for the really tall girls.

I think it took me 20 minutes to type this. I should have got on here before smoking.

 

[SweetSue]

I like Graytail's grid idea. It's kinda what I have going on in my closet.

Great rewrite of the AK47 XTRM.

 

[Radogast]

I'm excited to see that you hung the lights and anxious to see how well your plants like them.

I'm not sure how to suggest hanging your lights other than to follow your gut feeling. I have mine hung both ways and haven't made any kind of decision other than I'll keep watching them and trying different lenses and heights until I see a clear benefit. It's pretty cool that you can position them up in the rafters for the really tall girls.

I think it took me 20 minutes to type this. I should have got on here before smoking.

LOL - I am excited too. And yet I didn't even look at the girls today.

Socially, it was a busy day. 8 different friends stopped by to visit for anywhere from 10 minutes to 6 hours. I never even got a peek in the grow areas.

I like Graytail's grid idea. It's kinda what I have going on in my closet.

Great rewrite of the AK47 XTRM.

The grid idea is nice, but I know I'd start moving lights around, which means I'd be playing favorites. Fixed vertical columns is probably safer -at least for an initial comparison between COBs and HPS.

 

[Radogast]

After 58 days, my reveg of Bubba's Gift has finally started to grow new leaves.

 

[Blazinjones]

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.

Hey rad lookn great brotha just a quick question how long do u leave ur plants bent over like tht I'm just wondering when I shud end up letting my strawberry cake straighten up or do I jus leave her like that??

 

[ShiggityFlip]

Rad I applaud your effort, especially tidying up the hvac. Looks so much nicer in there. And the cobs will be easier to work around in your space. 3000k is sweet. It's gonna make for some really nice buds!

 

[Radogast]

Hey rad lookn great brotha just a quick question how long do u leave ur plants bent over like tht I'm just wondering when I shud end up letting my strawberry cake straighten up or do I jus leave her like that??

I bring the leader down to just below the next highest branch.
The first time I hold it down, the tip will turn up and get back taller, so I move the wire out a little further on the branch to hold it down.
If the second time doesn't take I do it again.

After about a week, a new branch is pulling ahead of the pack, so it goes through the same process, starting with pulling it down below the next highest branch.

When I go into flower, I release all the branches because they are going to stretch anyway and the wires get in the way when I water.

 

[Radogast]

Rad I applaud your effort, especially tidying up the hvac. Looks so much nicer in there. And the cobs will be easier to work around in your space. 3000k is sweet. It's gonna make for some really nice buds!

Thats nice of you to say. MrGreene really pushed me into the upgrade.

It's a lot easier to reach the back of the room now, I still go around the plants but I don't have to fight the HPS hood or the flexi-duct. - The COBs just swing out of the way. I just have to check them later to make sure I didn't dislodge the fan wires

I'm looking forward to the buds coming off the next few plants.

 

[Blazinjones]

I bring the leader down to just below the next highest branch.
The first time I hold it down, the tip will turn up and get back taller, so I move the wire out a little further on the branch to hold it down.
If the second time doesn't take I do it again.

After about a week, a new branch is pulling ahead of the pack, so it goes through the same process, starting with pulling it down below the next highest branch.

When I go into flower, I release all the branches because they are going to stretch anyway and the wires get in the way when I water.

Ok so if I understand u right u just keep moving the wire down or up I guess lol u no way I mean the main stem to keep it bent over and keep forcing it to grow back up and you do that to the side branches as well?? Then when u switch to flower u release all the branches right?? Also how early shud I start doing that type of training bending her over completely or does it matter as long as I dnt break any branches off and for all the help man I really like the look of ur carnival I believe it was u get to up pot her yet? And is that 1 u got going is that from ministry of cannabis carnival I'm trying to make some pollen with a red poison auto tht I am reversing and that is one of the strains I wana get to tryn cross with my red poison pollen and dwn the line here ill also be getn sum dark devil auto pollen and isn't that what nisamo12 and them used to make the strain devils carnival?? Also good job on that reveg bubbas gift lol ur guna have a shit ton of mass in the way tht the new leaves will have to grow around with all that bud jus sitn there also do u think u have to worry about mold or anything like that? But yea gud job reverting her back

 

[Radogast]

Ok so if I understand u right u just keep moving the wire down or up I guess lol u no way I mean the main stem to keep it bent over and keep forcing it to grow back up and you do that to the side branches as well?? Then when u switch to flower u release all the branches right?? Also how early shud I start doing that type of training bending her over completely or does it matter as long as I dnt break any branches off and for all the help man I really like the look of ur carnival I believe it was u get to up pot her yet? And is that 1 u got going is that from ministry of cannabis carnival I'm trying to make some pollen with a red poison auto tht I am reversing and that is one of the strains I wana get to tryn cross with my red poison pollen and dwn the line here ill also be getn sum dark devil auto pollen and isn't that what nisamo12 and them used to make the strain devils carnival?? Also good job on that reveg bubbas gift lol ur guna have a shit ton of mass in the way tht the new leaves will have to grow around with all that bud jus sitn there also do u think u have to worry about mold or anything like that? But yea gud job reverting her back

I used to move branches down and up, but really, I do one branch at a time - the top branch - hold it down... A few days later if another branch is noticeably taller, I hold that branch down, and continue until the flip into flower. I usually wait until the plant is nearly at the height where I will do the flip before training.

Dark Devil Auto and Ministry of Cannabis Carnival is what SweetSue is calling Devil's Carnival. I am growing a MOC Carnival courtesy of SweetSue. I think there are 3 Carnival phenomes while Dark Devil Auto is very consistent from seed to seed.

You make a good point about the reveg and the buds being mold susceptible. I've never had mold in my plants. My plan is to take a clone from the Bubba's Gift reveg and then decide if and how to flower the revegged mother.

 

[Blazinjones]

Ok kool thanx for the info I will apply it as I can lol and yea I'm way better with cloning then I am from seed some how lol I think it was like u weretelln me tho I was using to powerful of soil to start an in so this time around I got an in Styrofoam cups of sunshine mix #4 so that shud be way better right?? And gud luck with the cloning brotha man

 

[Radogast]

Ok kool thanx for the info I will apply it as I can lol and yea I'm way better with cloning then I am from seed some how lol I think it was like u weretelln me tho I was using to powerful of soil to start an in so this time around I got an in Styrofoam cups of sunshine mix #4 so that shud be way better right?? And gud luck with the cloning brotha man

Starting in a cup of sunshine #4 should work a lot better.
I take about a fistful of Pro-mix/sunshine #4 and place it in the top center of a 1 gallon pot, water/soak the soil, then plant in the fistful of Pro-Mix/Sunshine #4.

 

[Graytail]

Starting in a cup of sunshine #4 should work a lot better.
I take about a fistful of Pro-mix/sunshine #4 and place it in the top center of a 1 gallon pot, water/soak the soil, then plant in the fistful of Pro-Mix/Sunshine #4.

That's a capital idea. I like it. Simple and sweet.

 

[Blazinjones]

Oh dam I shud thought of that well now I no for next time lol I was thinkn how can I get a bunch started without takin up 2much space so thats why I want with the foam cup oh n did I tell u I found 2 more black domina that I thought had died but havn in a paper towel in a a baggie for like almost 2 weeks and they had like a 3 inch tap root Lmao they shed the helmet and had the lil round leaves u see wen it first pops above ground only they were white and still folded like they were still in the shell even tho they weren't n I made sure they didn't have that lil skin/film around them also I found an early vixen I believe it was lol n planted them in so I hope they will make it but yea now I got 6 new babies on the way instead of just 3 lol I wish I wuda took a pic of the tap root it was pretty long
Hey actually u mite know I thought clones cudnt be toped cuz they grow a branch every other one so topping don't work well both my Kali mist clones from same plant the bottom 2 branches are growing normal like they are from seed so I topped one and not the other to see which 1 produces the best yield so I'm wondering is that normal for one and was I right in thinkn normally clones grow every other branch not two at same height on each side??

 

[Radogast]

I saw the Kali Mist photo in your thread. Those branches are almost opposite, which is just as good as oppposite for the purpose of topping and getting 2 branches.

Some clones do get opposite or near opposite branches. I sometimes see it in other threads. It has never happened with my plants,

 

[Blazinjones]

I saw the Kali Mist photo in your thread. Those branches are almost opposite, which is just as good as oppposite for the purpose of topping and getting 2 branches.

Some clones do get opposite or near opposite branches. I sometimes see it in other threads. It has never happened with my plants,

Oh look I was like man these are growing strong and very fast n look like they r from seed lol I thought I jus got lucky with some freaks n it jus happened to work out in my favor lol

 

[Radogast]

Training one branch at a time


In this example, Agatha (Ace Mix) has had 4 branches lowered before.
One branch, previously a low one, now the leader, is standing tall and ready to be lowered to the canopy.

I grab one of my shepherd's hooks made of 12 guage electrical wire

Placing the hook as deep in the soil as possible, I bend and twist the end to hold the branch tip where I want it.

One branch gently bent down to it's place in the canopy = Low Stress Training (LST). LST for the plant. Low stress for me

Another quick example from today: Leader branch was allowed to grow up too high.

Leader lowered just below the canopy, forcing another branch to become the leader.

In the veg area, Agatha (on the right near the fan) will be ready to go into flower in a week or two.
Borderliner clone will be ready to harvest in a week or two.

 

[Blazinjones]

Great job my man ur veg area is lookn like its ready to take off for flower lol doing great im really thinkn about switchn up 2 docs hbb kit this coming weekend wen i get my check so wud u say roughly 200 bux for the whole kit? Or is that not right? Also does it come with every single item i will need or will i need to get things on my own to complete it like ewc, peat moss, compost of some sorts anything and everything xtra i will need cud u let me no how much u paid for the whole kit thanx rad i really appreciate it cuz i jus found out i got 60 gallons of worthless soil bb14 told me that the sunshine mix #4 wont work for buildasoil.coms los mix kit that i use and well i didnt hear back from him till a week after i mixed it all up and screwd it all up so if guna have to order another soil mite as well be the brix kit and finaly join u guys i think ill jus take the plunge and do it if i can afford it that is lol but yea thanx for the info on price

 

[Radogast]

Great job my man ur veg area is lookn like its ready to take off for flower lol doing great im really thinkn about switchn up 2 docs hbb kit this coming weekend wen i get my check so wud u say roughly 200 bux for the whole kit? Or is that not right? Also does it come with every single item i will need or will i need to get things on my own to complete it like ewc, peat moss, compost of some sorts anything and everything xtra i will need cud u let me no how much u paid for the whole kit thanx rad i really appreciate it cuz i jus found out i got 60 gallons of worthless soil bb14 told me that the sunshine mix #4 wont work for buildasoil.coms los mix kit that i use and well i didnt hear back from him till a week after i mixed it all up and screwd it all up so if guna have to order another soil mite as well be the brix kit and finaly join u guys i think ill jus take the plunge and do it if i can afford it that is lol but yea thanx for the info on price

Yeah I was just over on your thread and saw that.

First off - I feel like sh**it because I told you Sunshine #4 is really, really close to Pro-Mix HP so yes, go ahead and use it. And here you are asking me, so I guess you don't learn too good ! --ducks to avoid shoe- takes it in the ear- I deserved that.


I heard Bobrown saying Sunshine #4 won't work, you need straight Peat Moss, and I'm pretty sure I did my build-a-soil Clackamos Coot mix with Pro-mix for my second grow. That was a grow where things didn't work well, took me months to get my water PH to work out right and I eventually grew a few nice 3 oz and one 6 oz with that soil - but I also grew a lot of 1 to 1.5 oz plants because I never got the teas worked out and I was always a bit confused about what to do so I grew water only and depleted the soil. You are in much better shape than I. I wish someone had told me Pro-mix was not the right stuff back then. I don't feel like the 'magic' in the living soil ever really happened. But I grew about 40 oz of good bud out of that soil in 18 months for about $350 in soil and nutrients.


I'm sure you would do a lot better with the Build-a-soil mix than I did - so I don't want to push you either towards Doc Bud's Hi Brix or towards the build-a-soil mix. Doc Bid's definitely works better for me, And there are folks standing by to help me if it doesn't.

- - -

Question about price . For growing 6 plants to Harvest, the Hi-Brix kit (was $99) + (Amazon) 3.8 bale of Pro-Mix HPw/myco (is $53) and 60 LBs of Unco Wiggleworm castings($56) = $218. Private Message DocBud for his email and a price quote.

When you finish that first grow you will have soil ready to be used again, about 15lb of worm castings so you would have to buy another 30lb of worm castings ($28) + some replacement Brix kit stuff ($50-100) to complete grow #2 and grow #3 of 6 more plants.

So for 18 plants in 3 grows spread out over 12 months I would guess $300-350 plus whatever you spend on bug spray (if needed) and your environmentals (tent fans, etc.).

- - -

If you are going to be growing in perpetual, or two tents with more than 20 plants harvested in a year, It might be more cost effective to tell doc you want the kit ingredients in quart containers as you will save money before the year is out. For my 4+ plants in perpetual flower area with 2+ plants harvested a month, I am running 2 bales of Pro-mix and 80-90 lbs of worm castings with Doc Bud amendment in about 80-90 gallons of soil, and I wish I had more soil

I am spending under $10 on soil and nutrients per harvested ounce of premium quality Doc Bud Hi-Brix bud. This doesn't include the cost of lights, heat, and trimming scissors - but it's a pretty good deal in my eyes.