Stunger's Organic Soil Stealth Balcony: Landrace Mulanje & Other Sativas

Great pics, Stunger
Love the frost already on the Mango Sherbert- and she's just getting started ...
 
BakedARea said:
How's growing in Alberta Dutch? Zone 9B, Central Coast Cali for me. I feel truly blessed with my mild climate. Seeing the other types of struggles other outdoor growers experience, gives me reluctance to complain about anything. But Caterpillars? F*ING HATE caterpillars and wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy. Watching Stung's application of BT closely to keep me focused on a better outdoor season for 2022.
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We’re in zone 4a here, so it’s a really short outdoor season for us, it’s really from end of may to middle-end of September if we’re really lucky. There’s still a foot or so of snow on the ground now, and forecast is calling for more yet this month. (We really need a warm get-away!) And I hear you on the caterpillars, summer of 2020 they ravaged our kale pretty bad.
 
Stunger said:
Update - 4th and final top dressing - and some pictures

Greetings 420 enthusiasts! With my grow last year, I carried out a single top dressing, this year I chose to start giving earlier and to 'trickle feed' them a similar amount, but over several smaller top dressings. I thought 3 top dressing would be about it, and the 3rd was about 2 weeks ago. Since then, there has been some lower lightening leaves which I tend to remove because I don't want them blowing off into the neighbour's property (because I am trying to run a stealth grow here and no need to confuse them), otherwise I'd be happy to let the plants release their old leaves when they choose. So today, I decided to give a very small 4th top dressing and hopefully that'll be good until harvest.

Several grows ago, I was too conservative in the amount of the amendments I gave the plants. Each grow since, I have been trying a little bit more to tentatively establish where the 'Goldilocks zone' is, I think I am close to it with this grow, but today's topdressing is only small, only 1 tablespoon (1/16 of a cup) of Blood n Bone for the plant with the least lightening, and 3 tablespoons for the Mulanje which had the most. I included 2 tablespoons of Neem powder mostly as a pest deterrent but it does release some Nitrogen too.

These dry amendments were sprinkled over the existing mulch layer. On top of that I added 2 - 3 cups of fresh worm castings which included quite a lot of worms that I couldn't be bothered first removing. This was added as 'clumps' on top as it was too messy to lift the mulch layer and bird deterrent netting and training wires to mix in! So every time I water, more of it should wash in the main soil and become available to the plants.

Summary of top dressings given - for my own future reference and anyone who is interested

1st topdressing - 20th January 2022
  • 2 tablespoons Blood n Bone
  • 2 tablespoons Neem powder
2nd topdressing 2 weeks later - 3rd February 2022*
  • 2 Tablespoons Blood n Bone (1/8 cup)
  • 2 Tablespoons Fish Meal(1/8 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons Guano Phosphate(1/8 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons Seafood Lush Fert Mix(1/8 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons Kelp meal(1/8 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons Neem Powder(1/8 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons Diatomaceous Earth/Silica(1/8 cup)
  • 1/2 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley
*The above quantities are for the smaller 30L (13 gallon) containers. I added a bit extra for the larger 50L (13 gallon) containers.

3rd topdressing 2 weeks later - 19th February 2022

3 tablespoons Blood n Bone for 50L pots, 2 tbsp for 30L pots
1 tablespoon Fish Meal for 50L pots, 1/2 tbsp for 30L pots
1 tablespoon Guano Phosphate for 50L pots, 1/2 tbsp for 30L pots
3 tablespoons Neem Powder for 50L pots, 2 tbsp for 30L pots
1/3 cup washed dried shrimp (washed to remove salt)
1/3 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley

4th and final topdressing 2 weeks later - 3rd March 2022

Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje - 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 1 tablespoon Blood n Bone
Honduras/Panama x Purple Honduras - 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 2 tablespoons Blood n Bone
Mango Sherbert - 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 2 tablespoons Blood n Bone
Mulanje - 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 3 tablespoons Blood n Bone

Each pot then had 2 - 3 cups of fresh worm castings (including some worms) added on top.

Some pictures from the day

Some lightening of lower leaves

Some lightening of lower leaves


Clumps of fresh worm castings on top

Clumps of fresh worm castings on top


Mulanje

Mulanje


Mango Sherbert

Mango Sherbert


Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje

Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje


Balcony girls

Balcony girls


Mulanje

Mulanje


Balcony girls from the side window

Balcony girls from the side window

Thanks for dropping by, wishing you and your gardens all the best! :ganjamon: :surf:
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I like the new dressing schedule! They do too! Thanks for posting the amounts!
Stunger said:
Update - Selective pollination attempt

Greetings 420 enthusiasts! This morning was the time for pollination, the ducks were all in a row, the wife had gone out to do a shop and pick up some of the free govt RAT tests, we're currently fine, but kids at our daughter's school are getting it, so sooner or later... My sister and brother in law have just got over it, headache, tiredness and a head cold were their symptoms.

Anyway, I briefly had chunk of 'nag free' time, plus the plants were at an ideal stage to attempt pollination, and... there was no wind to do a Marilyn Monroe on the girls and have their skirts flapping the pollen everywhere!

Mulanje Pollen

I have been collecting Mulanje pollen from collecting drying pollen balls in a fine sieve and letting the pollen fall thru on to the baking paper lining the bowl underneath.

I was going to use the pure collected Mulanje pollen, but I decided there was no need, that I would instead just take some dried pollen ball stems that I cut off the male yesterday and put them directly into the shaker. So when it came to doing each plant, I added more 'fresh' dried pollen balls to the shaker and trying to be careful that I manually sealed the open top of the plastic bag around the shaker before proceeding to lightly 'shake' the pollen onto the bagged buds.

Preparing for selective pollination

Preparing for selective pollination


Mulanje pollen collected from dried pollen balls in sieve

Mulanje pollen collected from dried pollen balls in sieve


Fine mesh shaker for applying pollen

Fine mesh shaker for applying pollen


Plants selectively bagged in readiness for pollination

Plants selectively bagged in readiness for pollination


After carrying out the selective pollination. I sprayed all the plants with water, well actually I used the opportunity to add some BT powder to the spray bottle so I could use the spraying also as a caterpillar prevention, as well as neuter any stray pollen.

Post pollination

Post pollination


I will leave the bags in place for 3 or 4 hours before removing them, and I will then spray all of the plants again in case any pollen escapes the bag when they are removed. I could leave the bags on for longer, but when I last carried out a selective pollination using bags, 3 or 4 hours seemed to work fine, and also, being plastic bags I don't want too much humidity building up in the bags in case it neuters the pollination attempt.

I bagged up
  • 5 lesser branches of the Mulanje (I did 5, but several were minor larf stems)
  • 4 of the Mango Sherbert (I did 3, because the budding was still early, mostly minor stems)
  • 1 of the Honduras/Panama x Purple Honduras (this was a chunky double branch)
  • 2 of the Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje (this plant is the most immature in it's budding)

It was a bit of a mission, and it took me a couple of hours preparing and carrying it out. I am glad that is out of the way, and now in the hands of the gods.
Thanks for dropping by, keep well, and I hope you're enjoying some lovely self grown buds. :ganjamon:
Click to expand...
Love the way you did your pollinating!
 
Stunger said:
Cheers Emeraldo, I missed this post earlier. Yes that's the way I see it, that it would make the chitin sources more digestible, and also, because of an account I've mentioned before, of a sack of spilt dried shrimp that caused a bamboo grove to grow crazy.
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In another space, at another time, wesk wrote, commenting one the Clackamas Coots podcast transcript ("Malted Barley Explained by Clackamas Coot" over on thc farmer), but also answering my recent question here:

"So the phosphatase, chitinase (and the others) make the P and chitin that's present in the soil (from things like bone meal, guano, and dead bugs?) plant available (magically changing phosphorous into phosphate, which is used in every cell in/on the planet/plant in the ATP cycle…it’s almost like I remember biology…sometimes it takes an inordinate amount of time for things to percolate around in my brain). No idea why the worm pile goes crazy.

"It sounds to me as though we're making sure that the plant has "full access" to the sources of nutrient in the soil by adding enzymes that start the process of breaking these nutrient resources (substrates) down into ions or at least into simpler things that bacteria and fungi can work on. Put alternatively, by having a boatload of enzymes in the soil, we're helping to ensure that access to nutrients will not be a limiting factor for our weed plants (all things being equal). And now I get your last point. Roots exude these enzymes (for whatever reason...bait for bacteria?), and in the process of malting, the grain brain gets serious about making roots, so enzyme development goes into overdrive and using malted barley in tea steals these freely available enzymes and puts a goodly portion into the rhizosphere (or the plant surface even), right where it's needed? Yeah, I dreamed that entire last bit up I think...but it could be how it works."

Seems the malted barley enzymes enable more than just making the chitin available. Sounds like germination is benefitted immensely, and so I wondered if 420 growers use MBP in germinating or root development. Any thoughts?
 
Emeraldo said:
In another space, at another time, wesk wrote, answering my recent question here:

"So the phosphatase, chitinase (and the others) make the P and chitin that's present in the soil (from things like bone meal, guano, and dead bugs?) plant available (magically changing phosphorous into phosphate, which is used in every cell in/on the planet/plant in the ATP cycle…it’s almost like I remember biology…sometimes it takes an inordinate amount of time for things to percolate around in my brain). No idea why the worm pile goes crazy.

"It sounds to me as though we're making sure that the plant has "full access" to the sources of nutrient in the soil by adding enzymes that start the process of breaking these nutrient resources (substrates) down into ions or at least into simpler things that bacteria and fungi can work on. Put alternatively, by having a boatload of enzymes in the soil, we're helping to ensure that access to nutrients will not be a limiting factor for our weed plants (all things being equal). And now I get your last point. Roots exude these enzymes (for whatever reason...bait for bacteria?), and in the process of malting, the grain brain gets serious about making roots, so enzyme development goes into overdrive and using malted barley in tea steals these freely available enzymes and puts a goodly portion into the rhizosphere (or the plant surface even), right where it's needed? Yeah, I dreamed that entire last bit up I think...but it could be how it works."
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Hey Emeraldo, that's pretty much how I see it too. If I could do all that in containers 10X bigger, that would be really great. Cheers.
 
Emeraldo said:
You'll need a new balcony for that!
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The more you guys talk about this the more I and many others are learning. You gotta be on your toes in this journal. Thanks.

Edit: I said, " You gotta be on your toes in this journal." Translation: BIG DOGS play here. :laugh:
 
Jungle Joseph said:
Beautiful. That mango sherbet though, Mmmmm, frosty.
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I like the mango too. This is the 2nd time I've seen Stunger grow it. Its one I'll grow outside next summer.
 
Emeraldo said:
You'll need a new balcony for that!
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Thanks Emeraldo, yup there's not much spare space left with 4 plants!
Jungle Joseph said:
Beautiful. That mango sherbet though, Mmmmm, frosty.
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Thanks Joe, she is a frosty one!
Jon said:
The more you guys talk about this the more I and many others are learning. You gotta be on your toes in this journal. Thanks.

Edit: I said, " You gotta be on your toes in this journal." Translation: BIG DOGS play here. :laugh:
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Cheers Jon! What comes around goes around, and there is a heap of great experience to lean on here at 420, I'd be lost without it!
stinker said:
I like the mango too. This is the 2nd time I've seen Stunger grow it. Its one I'll grow outside next summer.
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Cheers stinker, I really liked the Mango Sherbert and all going well this grow I could have some seeds crossed with the Mulanje to try next time, I am imagining that could be a really nice cross.
 
Update - mostly pictorial

Greetings 420 enthusiasts! Time is rapidly marching upon the balcony girls. Their budding is still at an early stage but it's picking up!

1

1


2

2


3

3


4

4


5

5


6

6


Thanks for dropping by, keep well, and may your gardens be coming along beautifully! :ganjamon:
 
Heavenly Hybrid said:
Lovely progress Stunger. I’m curious to see what that balcony can really do! Putting it to the test this year. If all goes well, do you think you’ll grow four out there again?
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Thanks HH! Well, I may... but mind you I didn't expect to get 3 females from 3 regular seeds. I am finding this configuration a bit of a challenge because I cannot move or rotate them, the left 3 in particular are quite jammed in.
But nevermind, hopefully they will provide a nice smorgasbord of choice to enjoy and reflect upon this winter! :smokin:
 
Stunger said:
they will provide a nice smorgasbord of choice to enjoy and reflect upon this winter! :smokin:
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Indeed they will! I forgot you used regs, go figure they’d all turn out ladies! You’re managing them all quite well.
 
Stunger said:
Update - mostly pictorial

Greetings 420 enthusiasts! Time is rapidly marching upon the balcony girls. Their budding is still at an early stage but it's picking up!

1

1


2

2


3

3


4

4


5

5


6

6


Thanks for dropping by, keep well, and may your gardens be coming along beautifully! :ganjamon:
Click to expand...
Starting to see those giant towers forming on the Mulanje!!! You go Stunger! Whoo hoo! And next post if you could please provide smellevision for the Mango Sherbet we'd appreciate it. Thanks...LOL.
 
Update - top dressing summary + some pics

(edited; to change the previously wrong Mango Sherbert pics I had up)
(edited further; to summarise by plant what top dressing each plant received)

Greetings 420 enthusiasts!

The Mulanje has been yellowing. It is has been noticeable from pictures taken just a week ago. And as the leaves have lightened and yellowed, she has lost them so her stems are now not as bushy as just a week or two ago. She is the most advanced of the 3 sativas.

It is senescence, but what to do :hmmmm:? Let her ride it out because the end is near, or give her something extra now? When I consider that just a few years ago I was barely getting 2oz a plant whereas my more recent grows have averaged over 7oz per plant.

I was very conservative when it came to building the soil and feeding the plants, as I was fearful of overdoing it and ruining the crop. Since then, little by little, I have 'bumped' things up over the grows, trying to keep them in the happy zone. Last year I gave my balcony plants one main/single top dressing, this year I have been 'trickle' feeding them to see how a 'lighter and more often' approach goes.

So this morning, I decided to give a little more to the Mulanje in the form of another quarter of a cup of Blood n Bone and a tablespoon of guano phosphate. Perhaps I should have been more generous, but I feel she will easily give me plenty for my needs as it is, and I'd prefer to observe how she handles this, and then next grow I'll know if I can push it further.

So for the record from 20th January to 11th March, I have given just over 1 cup of Blood n Bone (16 tbsp) to the Mulanje - she has been the hungriest of the 4 girls.

Unless someone chimes in and suggests something different, I imagine (famous last words) that I won't be giving any further topdressings. But any thoughts from those with Sativa experience most welcome.

Summary of top dressings given - for my own future reference and anyone who is interested

1st topdressing - 20th January 2022

2 tablespoons Blood n Bone
2 tablespoons Neem powder

2nd topdressing 2 weeks later - 3rd February 2022*

2 Tablespoons Blood n Bone (1/8 cup)
2 Tablespoons Fish Meal(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Guano Phosphate(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Seafood Lush Fert Mix(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Kelp meal(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Neem Powder(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Diatomaceous Earth/Silica(1/8 cup)
1/2 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley

*The above quantities are for the smaller 30L (13 gallon) containers. I added a bit extra for the larger 50L (13 gallon) containers.

3rd topdressing 2 weeks later - 19th February 2022

3 tablespoons Blood n Bone for 50L pots, (2 tbsp for 30L pots)
1 tablespoon Fish Meal for 50L pots, (1/2 tbsp for 30L pots)
1 tablespoon Guano Phosphate for 50L pots, (1/2 tbsp for 30L pots)
3 tablespoons Neem Powder for 50L pots, (2 tbsp for 30L pots)
1/3 cup washed dried shrimp (washed to remove salt)
1/3 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley

4th topdressing 2 weeks later - 3rd March 2022

Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 1 tablespoon Blood n Bone
Honduras/Panama x Purple Honduras 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 2 tablespoons Blood n Bone
Mango Sherbert 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 2 tablespoons Blood n Bone
Mulanje 2 tablespoons Neem Meal, 3 tablespoons Blood n Bone

Each pot then had 2 - 3 cups of fresh worm castings (including some worms) added on top.

5th topdressing- 6thMarch 2022

Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje 1 tablespoon Guano Phosphate
Honduras/Panama x Purple Honduras 1 tablespoon Guano Phosphate
Mango Sherbert 2 tablespoons Guano Phosphate
Mulanje 2 tablespoons Guano Phosphate

6th topdressing-11thMarch 2022

Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje 1 tablespoon Blood n Bone
Honduras/Panama x Purple Honduras 1.5 tablespoons Blood n Bone
Mango Sherbert 1 tablespoons Blood n Bone
Mulanje 4 tablespoons Blood n Bone, 1 tablespoon Guano Phosphate

To summarise by each plant

Mulanje - total top dressing from 20th January to 11th March
16 tablespoons Blood n Bone (1 cup)
11 tablespoons Neem Powder
7 tablespoons Guano Phosphate
4 tablespoons Fish Meal
3 tablespoons Seafood Lush Fert Mix
3 tablespoons Kelp meal
3 tablespoons Diatomaceous Earth/Silica
1/2 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley
1/3 cup washed dried shrimp (washed to remove salt)

Mango Sherbert - total top dressing from 20th January to 11th March
12 tablespoons Blood n Bone (3/4 cup)
11 tablespoons Neem Powder
6 tablespoons Guano Phosphate
4 tablespoons Fish Meal
3 tablespoons Seafood Lush Fert Mix
3 tablespoons Kelp meal
3 tablespoons Diatomaceous Earth/Silica
1/2 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley
1/3 cup washed dried shrimp (washed to remove salt)

Honduras/Panama x Purple Honduras - total top dressing from 20th January to 11th March
9.5 tablespoons Blood n Bone
8 tablespoons Neem Powder(1/2 cup)
3.5 tablespoons Guano Phosphate
2.5 tablespoons Fish Meal
2 tablespoons Seafood Lush Fert Mix(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Kelp meal(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Diatomaceous Earth/Silica(1/8 cup)
1/2 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley
1/3 cup washed dried shrimp (washed to remove salt)

Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje - total top dressing from 20th January to 11th March
8 tablespoons Blood n Bone (1/2 cup)
8 tablespoons Neem Powder(1/2 cup)
6 tablespoons Guano Phosphate
2.5 tablespoons Fish Meal
2 tablespoons Seafood Lush Fert Mix(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Kelp meal(1/8 cup)
2 tablespoons Diatomaceous Earth/Silica(1/8 cup)
1/2 cup rough ground diastatic malted barley
1/3 cup washed dried shrimp (washed to remove salt)

Mulanje 28th February - 12 days ago

Mulanje

Mulanje


Mulanje 3rd March - 8 days ago

Mulanje

Mulanje


Mulanje 11th March - today

Mostly Mulanje showing some yellowing of the leaves

Mostly Mulanje showing some yellowing of the leaves


Mostly Mango Sherbert

This is my only plant that is currently biffing out trichomes, so of course I'll show them!

4B069A7B-9178-4472-970B-9D1C0503D621_1_201_a.jpeg

4B069A7B-9178-4472-970B-9D1C0503D621_1_201_a.jpeg


Mango Sherbert

Mango Sherbert


Mango Sherbert

Mango Sherbert


Mango Sherbert

Mango Sherbert


Thanks for dropping in, wishing you all good health, and may your gardens be blooming! :ganjamon:
 
Jon said:
Starting to see those giant towers forming on the Mulanje!!! You go Stunger! Whoo hoo! And next post if you could please provide smellevision for the Mango Sherbet we'd appreciate it. Thanks...LOL.
Click to expand...
Cheers Jon! The Mango Sherbert is the only one I can show off any trichomes on at the moment!
 
Wow! Stunger, you sure fill that balcony up to the brim. :p Has the Mulanje stopped getting taller yet, or is it still growing?
The Mango Sherbert looks absolutely delicious.
 

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