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

[Radogast]

I just went to subb in for your journal but discovered I already am! (My memory is getting appalling.)
I've got four '47 xtrm' in my Veg Tent atm. So I'm grateful to get some tips on how to treat them. Thanks, Radogast.

I don't know much but I'm glad to share.

The first two strains I grew were a 'white widow' and 'Caramelicious' from Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds (a sponsor of the board at the time.) While nice, predictable seeds, the are not the famous white widow. The original White Widow/Black Widow can throw out a wide range of phenos, most of them unexceptional. Only one of those phenos was cloned and submitted to the Cannabis Cup competitions. The 'white widow' from Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds seems to have been a stabilization of one of the unremarkable White Widow seeds. Their Caramelicious seems to have been bred from their white widow, it grows, looks, and tastes almost the same.

The seconds batch of strains I grew from seed were Hawaiian Skunk, Borderliner XTRM, and AK47 XTRM. These seed were much better quality than the first two strains. They each look and taste like different strains.

According to Seedfinder (.eu) The White Widow XTRM is a nice White Widow that was bred with a Brazilian Landrace Indica to stabilize the good qualities of the White Widow pheno. This White Widow XTRM is then the XTRM of Borderliner XTRM and AK47 XTRM. This moves AK47 avway from sativa dominant close to a 50/50 sativa/indica hybrid.


I find the AK47 XTRM very easy to grow and train. It can look a bit gangly during veg, but it works it out in flower. I liked it enough to add it back in to this third batch of strains I am growing. White Widow and Caramelicious didn't make the cut. The buds tend towards smaller, dispensary sized buds, but they grow solid. The leaves tend to look like sativa leaves,but the pants grow more indica.

In my grows, AK47 XTRM likes to make popcorn. I used to strip off the low leaves and buds in early flower, but all that did was change nice popcorn buds into tiny, not worth trimming, popcorn buds. I now leave her leaves alone after she hits flower.

AK47 XTRM is a medium feeder that does OK on very little nutrition, and will thrive on medium to heavy handed nutrients.



According to my feeding notecards, the first AK this year went from 24" to 48" tall in 51 days of flower until full floudy, yielding 93g.

This was the first plant to leave the flower area. Like the first pancake in a batch, this one didn't get the more stable humidity and temps of the plants that followed. It's upper and lower fan leaves assumed the taco shape. Two application of 2 TBSP epsom salts 9 days apart took care of most of the taco leaves.


The second AK47 XTRM from this year went from 16" to 30" tall in 58 days until fully cloudy with a taste of amber, yielding 84g.

I put girl into the flower area when it was too small. I want my future yields to be 100+ grams

 

[Tead]

pistils are toasted brown or pulling back into the calyx

Never noticed this before... now I gotta hunt for it. Live and learn ehh? Love this place.

 

[ShiggityFlip]

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,

My twister is weird like that. Sometimes the clones will go back to opposite branching. Kind of neat really.

 

[Beavis]

Nice harvest Rad...congrats. Bet you are tired...looks like you were up all night.

Rest of the garden is looking fantastic!

 

[weenmeoff]

Congrats on another fine harvest Rad! +Reps! It's looking awesome in here, the Carnival is looking amazing and love those close up shots!



Page 100!

 

[Radogast]

Nice harvest Rad...congrats. Bet you are tired...looks like you were up all night.

Rest of the garden is looking fantastic!

I've been staying up all night writing.

It was a busy day in the garden, but when I come upstairs with a plant to trim, the family is always happy.

Never noticed this before... now I gotta hunt for it. Live and learn ehh? Love this place.

I hope "pistils pulling back into the calyx" turns out to be true. I saw this idea on a thread a few weeks ago and it seems to be true.

Congrats on another fine harvest Rad! +Reps! It's looking awesome in here, the Carnival is looking amazing and love those close up shots!



Page 100!

Page 100 and another male!


I walked into the grow area and thought 'Something smells funny.'


Tangerine Widow #1 (61 days of veg)

I liked the way the branches were making a menora/candelabra shape.

Tangerine Widow #1 - a branch with ornaments.

So far this year 4 of 5 regular seeds planted have failed. 1 Hawaiian Skunk failed to germinate, 1 Hawaiian skunk and 2 Tangerine Widow have gone male.


One Tangerine Widow hasn't showed sex yet. Today, I planted a regular UD seed.

 

[NorCaliwood]

Shoot the bastard.. Bummer.... GL with your T-Widow. Keepem Green

 

[TripleBeam]

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

I love those kinds of days.

On a side note, I will be converting to cobs when the kit gets delivered this week. I'm probably going to do a free hanging configuration. My goal is to have each cob to have the ability to move independantly, up or down, and move side to side within a grid zone. Plants grow at different rates and sizes. Want the flexibility rather then locked in a frame. What are you going to do with your cobs?

 

[kelticBlue]

Page 100 and another male!

I been the same with my scorecard. Getting males from my regular seeds. I reaally need my next triple purple rhino to be female.
I wanna flip aug 1. & harvest in Oct.

Happy Harvest and Cheers Rad

 

[Radogast]

Shoot the bastard.. Bummer.... GL with your T-Widow. Keepem Green

Already chopped up and sleeping with the worms !

I love those kinds of days.

On a side note, I will be converting to cobs when the kit gets delivered this week. I'm probably going to do a free hanging configuration. My goal is to have each cob to have the ability to move independantly, up or down, and move side to side within a grid zone. Plants grow at different rates and sizes. Want the flexibility rather then locked in a frame. What are you going to do with your cobs?

I don't want to move my lights from square to square so much as move them up and down and have them 360 'swivel' through the various downward directions. I'm thinking of some sort of aiming aparatus hanging from a single string. The thought has not jelled into anything practical - so far.

I been the same with my scorecard. Getting males from my regular seeds. I reaally need my next triple purple rhino to be female.
I wanna flip aug 1. & harvest in Oct.

Happy Harvest and Cheers Rad

I have 8 strains going in rotation, so these regular seeds didn't have reserved space. If any of these 'spec' seeds go female, I'll find a way to squeeze them in

I'm really stoked try for an UltraDawg female. I'll also be looking for a good indica or indica heavy hybrid. I was expecting my CBD Critical Cure to be a high CBD indica, but she is definitely a sativa leaning strain, like almost everyone else in the grow room. I need more indica stone in my life


The family had a great time yesterday. We were 'bring your own costumes' extras in a short movie done silent movie style depicting 'hyper-real' downtown street scenes. The other extras played terminally cute street scenes with kittens, bicycles, moms and small children. We went the other direction as street hustlers and the bizarrely dressed seedier side of downtown life. As well as getting good film time as our first characters, the wife and I were both highlighted in the background when the main actors got tangled up with a queue of the macabre.

We followed the predefined outlines, but the director was great at accepting last minute blocking suggestions and scene tweaks from the experienced actors. One scene got cut in favor of my wife's better scene on shooting day. We managed to pull off 11 scenes in 5 locations in 4 and 1/2 hours. I don't know how the movie will turn out, but we had a blast and sure entertained each other and people passing on the street

The girl made a connection with one of the extras that might turn into a seasonal job as a haunted house makeup artist - she also buddied up with the female lead for about half an hour after our girl knocked her big scene out of the park. Modeling for still photographers this summer has really amped up her confidence and skill in posing and flashing winning smiles. She actually had people on the street turn around and come back down the street to watch her act.

My scenes mostly attracted slow drive-bys from the police

 

[NorCaliwood]

There are ways to help with the percentage male/female with a controlled environment. Do they work? Hell if I know. I've always been luck with mine. I just read one abit back from Dutch Passion and they clain to get 75% female tweaking the envoriment. I can't give the link but copy this for search a fast read.

How To Grow More Female Plants From Standard Cannabis Seeds

GL and Keepem Green

 

[Radogast]

There are ways to help with the percentage male/female with a controlled environment. Do they work? Hell if I know. I've always been luck with mine. I just read one abit back from Dutch Passion and they clain to get 75% female tweaking the envoriment. I can't give the link but copy this for search a fast read.

How To Grow More Female Plants From Standard Cannabis Seeds

GL and Keepem Green

It seems to me that once the seed is mature, it's not likely anything much will change the genetics. - then again, fish like groupers can change sex as adults.
My favorite solution is to buy fem seeds

 

[Graytail]

No, early environment is a big factor in male/female ratio.

Doc Bud has mentioned a number of factors like temp and RH, and spectrum plays a role, too. Not definitve, but enough to screw up the ratio to 70/30 or so.

 

[RheinRover]

It seems to me that once the seed is mature, it's not likely anything much will change the genetics. - then again, fish like groupers can change sex as adults.
My favorite solution is to buy fem seeds

On the topic of plant sexing, Buck has a great write up on a plant sex test he did. Looks like the plant has a determined sex much earlier than most people think, or at least much earlier than I thought. Post # 578
Breaking Brix - Buck's DIYs With Doc Bud's Soil

 

[Radogast]

There are ways to help with the percentage male/female with a controlled environment. Do they work? Hell if I know. I've always been luck with mine. I just read one abit back from Dutch Passion and they clain to get 75% female tweaking the envoriment. I can't give the link but copy this for search a fast read.

How To Grow More Female Plants From Standard Cannabis Seeds

GL and Keepem Green

From that article -

Consistent environmentals - check

Focus on 3rd and 4th week - (later)

Use Cool Daylight (6500k) for veg, avoid "Warm" bulbs (2700k) - nope
The Agromax Pure Par Veg lights I use, although T5 CFL, are also burple colored - so have red in the spectrum.

Light scheduke of 15/9 or 14/10 - close, I run 16/8

High N low K fertilizer - check. Doc bud soil is low K. I don't fertlize seedlings in the first month.

Don't let the soil dry out in 3rd and 4th week of vegetation - Nope
I rather consistently wait 3 to 4 week for the soil to dry out and do my second watering.

Temp down and humidity up - Maybe.
I run 70-80 F and 65-80 RH in veg. They didn't give a goal temp and RH.

- - -

If I were to adjust to these ideas now I would:

A) Create a seedling incubation station on the ground floor of the house.
B) Use a single daylight bulb on a 14/10 timer (or the sun through a window.)
C) Run cool mist humidifer
D) Water every 4 days in 3rd and 4th week of veg
E) Move the seedlings to regular veg on week 5.

Historically, I don't start very many seeds. I clone each seed for many generations. I amost never retire a strain
I am almost out of regular seeds, except for some home crosses I never expect to grow.

A simpler solution would be to:

A) Create a seedling incubation station above the existing CFL in veg.
B) Use a single daylight bulb on a 14/10 timer
C) Only start regular seeds in the cool of winter
D) Water every 4 days in 3rd and 4th week of veg
E) Move the seedlings to regular veg on week 5.

I think this solution works better for me

No, early environment is a big factor in male/female ratio.

Doc Bud has mentioned a number of factors like temp and RH, and spectrum plays a role, too. Not definitve, but enough to screw up the ratio to 70/30 or so.

So that is two votes for environmentals in veg matter.

On the topic of plant sexing, Buck has a great write up on a plant sex test he did. Looks like the plant has a determined sex much earlier than most people think, or at least much earlier than I thought. Post # 578
Breaking Brix - Buck's DIYs With Doc Bud's Soil

In Bucks test - he is snipping and mashing the cotyledon leaves on a plant that looks 1-2 weeks old.
Breaking Brix - Buck's DIYs With Doc Bud's Soil

The cotyledon leaves, being the earliest leaves, seem to be a vote for sex determination when the seed germinates.

 

[NorCaliwood]

That's just one read.. But if you think of it this way, pot plants have both sexes in them. That why we get female pollen. And we can hermie a plant just by throwing alittle light on them in flower. I don't know how much is truth in these reads, I also use fem seed, unless I was doing a breeding project. And I've dealt with rouge pollen afew times so I'll stay away from that for now and they claim you'll get a better plant with regular for a mother plant too, less chance of future generations showing hermie traits. I don't know if any truth to all this, I'm no scientist with unlimited space to do controlled experiments, so I'll never know myself,, but intresting reading.. GL and Keepem Green

 

[mouser]

Damn, sucks about the pretty Tangerine Widow. I have had bizarre luck with reg seeds. Im 6 for 7 so far, and the one male (Mango Widow) was a nice enough plant to keep around for collection. I have no idea what Im doing right, because my approach to seedlings is half-assed at best....all good if the cat doesnt get into the closet. Sometimes I mist, sometimes I dont...I forget to water frequently...nutes are what bottles I see handy...

Unfortunately that luck has not carried over to the lottery Oh well...off to buy a suit. Havent owned one in a decade or more but the need has arisen. Hug all your loved ones today if you havent :/

 

[NorCaliwood]

Errr Rad,,, just my little 2 cents,,, you painted the brick in your flower room, when ya going to put some white on that plywood??? It'll blind ya in there then.. Even the outside walls hell. I hope the best for ya. I have trouble keeping my R/H down. Matter a fact I just lost my and had to replace. But sounds like your going to need one of the 70 pints per day dehumidifier. I just ordered me a new one from wallies. Found me a 50 pint with a large reservoir. Man some have such a small reservoir you have to empty twice a day. Well, I know I wood. I've seen alot grow that Carnival, and grow it more than once so maybe some merit? Well GL and Keepem Green

 

[Radogast]

Errr Rad,,, just my little 2 cents,,, you painted the brick in your flower room, when ya going to put some white on that plywood??? It'll blind ya in there then.. Even the outside walls hell. I hope the best for ya. I have trouble keeping my R/H down. Matter a fact I just lost my and had to replace. But sounds like your going to need one of the 70 pints per day dehumidifier. I just ordered me a new one from wallies. Found me a 50 pint with a large reservoir. Man some have such a small reservoir you have to empty twice a day. Well, I know I wood. I've seen alot grow that Carnival, and grow it more than once so maybe some merit? Well GL and Keepem Green

I painted the brick because I bought a used spray gun and needed to test it. The 4 ft wide stalls are a bit small for a spray gun. I was going to use a brush on the OSB wood walls - still might someday


I don't use the dehumidifier reservoir as a reservoir. I take the drain plug off and let it drip. A string on the drain that hangs down guides the water into a perlite filled tray under the plants. The plants suck up the moisture from the perlite. A string works better for me than a long hose


The dehumidifier in my flower area is one of four I currently own, but only one and a half of them work.
I moved a whole house unit with us when we moved into the housea year ago. It is at least 6 years old. It worked when I set it up.
I purchased a baby dehumifier ($2 at auction) for the veg room that takes 3-5 days to fill up a 1 qt reservoir.
I purchased whole house unit that looks brand new in the box ($18 at auction) that doesn't work and probably never worked.
I moved the 6 year old whole house unit into the grow area where it didn't work.
I purchased another whole house unit that was so dusty inside and out I couldn't see the air intake ($14 at auction.) That is the one that ices up. Since it only ices halfway up the back I think that means it is low on refrigerant.

I am always on the lookout for humidifers and dehumidifiers at auction.

I may actually take the 'New in Box' unit and the icing up unit to a repairman if I can find one who cares about such things.


I'll know more about Carnival next month. The buds are huge.

 

[NorCaliwood]

I make that comment cus the Old Lady' is after me to stain the fence... Seeing I bought the stain 3 years ago?? I wonder why shes bitching? Women.. But now the grow room, I'd use artists brush to whiten my walls. Reflection is 60% as good as direct. Sorry white is one of my pet peeves.... Makes a world of difference. She'll be after me today to get started,,, I be thinking. Oh well Keepem Green