Sweetsue's First Grow - Stealthy Trio of Autos Under CFLs

[SweetSue]

Finishing the Harvest

The last of Buddha's colas are now ready for the cure.

Trimming this one is a bit more complicated than the Bomb. Buddha had all those completely frosty sugar leaves that embraced the buds and it was a pain to trim those, without removing all of them. You want to maintain some of the aesthetic of that structure and the trichomes on the sugar leaves probably rival what's on the buds, so she took over two hours of careful inspection. This is what I was looking at before I began cutting up the main cola.

Finally it was all done and time to weigh everything. The top bud from Buddha's main cola weighs an impressive 6 grams and has some serious sized buds going there.

I included the main cola bud in this jar.

The other two jars from tonight.

The last of the sugar leaves and any buds I mistakenly clipped off. This is for butter making, which I will be doing tomorrow evening, after getting home from my day with Dale.

Everything is jarred and curing nicely. Buddha still has a grassy smell, but the Bomb has the sweetest smell to her jars. All of this will be allowed to cure from this point for three weeks before I dip into them again. I have enough small stuff to keep me going about half that time and the rest of the way I will simply be patient.

I pulled everything out and weighed it again to check my totals.

Drumroll please.............

The Bomb filled four jars (19+17+23+11= 70 grams total).
Buddha filled five jars, four large and one small (13+13+13+10+8= 57 grams total)

- Note: The jar that weighed 11 grams in the photo only came up as 10 grams when I weighed it again. I have no explanation for that. The above weights were all done this evening, so this is what's curing right now.

Altogether we have 4 1/2 ounces of top-quality cannabis curing on the shelf.

There is also over 1/2 oz of frosty sugar leaves for cannabutter.

I am one happy camper. This was sooooo much fun!

All of you made it just that much more enjoyable. It meant so much to be able to celebrate this momentous event in my life. Thank you all for being there for me.

Seeds are in the mail. It's almost time to begin all over again. There's so much more excitement ahead, because I'm just getting started. WooHoo!!!!!

Are we all having a good time?

 

[MassMedMan]

The article you quoted is from the lab who makes all my products, does my soil tests and all the research. I'm their "agent" for legal cannabis growers.

It's cool to know what's going on with the soil.

And here I am thinking I can get closer to your results by tweaking my guesses....

 

[SweetSue]

The article you quoted is from the lab who makes all my products, does my soil tests and all the research. I'm their "agent" for legal cannabis growers.

It's cool to know what's going on with the soil.

Yes it is Doc. I'm so glad you joined in the fun here. I've learned so much from having you here, and what was just an interest has become a driving passion. You've been such a good influence on me.

 

[SweetSue]

There have been many wonderful moments in this grow. That incredible excitement when I first opened the bin where the soil was cooking and found a healthy cloud of soil fungi. The day Buddha rose from the dirt and began her joyful dance, completing my set. Finding out that I had a passion for posting. I could go on for hours.

In the end, my favorite moments were these.

My first harvest.

Harvesting my dancing Buddha (Buddha Magnum Auto), Day 82 from seed. February 25, 2015.

Dry weight, 57 grams.-


The harvest of the Bomb (THC Bomb Auto), Day 86 from seed. March 1, 2015.

Dry weight, 70 grams.

Made all the better by sharing.

 

[PlanetJ]

Congrats on an epic harvest and journey! Please share your next journal here as wrll ... I want to be there from the start

 

[MassMedMan]

70g on that THC auto is motivating, well done!

I'm popping four of them beans next. Please come by and take a look when it's up and running. You've inspired many not only by your plants, but how you get it done.

Tip my hat to you

 

[SweetSue]

70g on that THC auto is motivating, well done!

I'm popping four of them beans next. Please come by and take a look when it's up and running. You've inspired many not only by your plants, but how you get it done.

Tip my hat to you

Thank you petergreen. My goal was to get others excited about growing. It appears I did a fine job of that.

I hadn't been to your current journal before today, but a cursory glance ensnared me, so I'll be back over later to read through. I'd be thrilled to watch you bring along some THC Bombs under better lights than I had. Keep in mind my results were a combination of the soil, the SWICK set up, some serious light placement and lots of love.

You should do quite well, from what I've seen there already.

 

[SweetSue]

I'm gonna be real open and honest here and tell you all that THIS is the plant that drives me to perfection.

Just sayin'.

 

[420Brother]

looks like destroyer

is it really destroyer?

 

[Graytail]

 

[SweetSue]

A year ago I didn't even know there was a community of cannabis growers out there, much less this ..... Words fail me guys. How can one describe this community? The level of support makes it feel like visiting friends and family. One of those families where they all get along. Yeah - that's how rare it is.

Back then my driving passion was Callanetics. When Dale's kidneys failed I went back to my favorite fitness program to reclaim a neglected body and prepare it for what I knew would be ahead. But Callanetics isn't just a fitness approach. It borders on addiction - these improbable positions one learns to control with intense focus and complete relaxation, and the accompanying tiny, tiny, delicate pulses that require the most incredible counter extensions to carry out "relaxed and effortlessly". Guys, you have no idea. I am obsessed by them. I have quite a following on two forums dedicated to Callanetics, and all the joy and passion you see here, began there.

I've been neglecting Callanetics for a while now. The time not spent holding Dale together and rethinking our lives to accommodate all this sudden change has been spent in the song of joy this improbable journal evolved into. There was no way to prepare for what building this journal became, or the passion it created for Living Organic Soil. To be able to document the ease of creating and maintaining an indoor medicinal garden under the most challenging of spacial and financial constraints, and under CFLs nonetheless, seemed a lofty goal when I started. I'm just tickled pink that we had so much fun along the way. I think it turned out rather well for a tiny open closet in the corner of the living room, eh?

It never felt like work. It did, however, take a lot of time, which turned out to be a good thing. I quit my job last year to be here for Dale 24/7 and quite frankly, I was going a little nuts. This journaling thing is a sweet way to let the creative urges out and help me feel productive. It appears I thrive on it, so it's nice to have someone to share it with.

We've only just started. I promise you that. Tonight I'm making cannabutter, my first big step to consumables, aside from the little bud I took in for him yesterday. That surprised him and worked well. For about three hours there he was able to feel a little normal in the madness. I'm taking another one today. Tomorrow I'll try to have something different.

What fun.

 

[SweetSue]

looks like destroyer

is it really destroyer?

Good eye brother. Greytail. My hero.

 

[ClosetPharmer]

Hi Sue,
Quick question: I'm getting ready to do my first tea application and am concerned about any drainage getting into the material that contains the water for the SWICK. How did you manage that? I'm thinking the reservoir might get funky if the tea gets in there. Am I over thinking this?

 

[nivek]

You rock sue

We made our first ever canabutter yesterday. my studio smelled like corn on the cob , slathered in butter all day. Will post in my journal later. Cheers sue

 

[SweetSue]

Hi Sue,
Quick question: I'm getting ready to do my first tea application and am concerned about any drainage getting into the material that contains the water for the SWICK. How did you manage that? I'm thinking the reservoir might get funky if the tea gets in there. Am I over thinking this?

You raise a good question ClosetPharmer. I got around it by making my teas and drenches limited to a quart per container. The soil biota will redistribute it. Alternatively, move the pot off the reservoir and to an area where you can catch any run off.

Moving the pot has the added advantage of giving you easy access to clear the roots trying to grow into the perlite. Mine got so huge that I couldn't lift them. Hence the limited volume on the drench. I still need to solve the cleanup of those roots.

Yeah, I read kelp gets funky in the reservoir, and I believe them.

 

[SweetSue]

I found a quick and easy recipe for magic brownies.Pot Brownies

I'll be stopping to pick up a box of brownie mix on my way home tonight. Yummy.

 

[PlanetJ]

I keep it simple ...

recipe for 12 cupcakes:

150g sugar (optional add bag of vanilla sugar (14g))
150g self-rising flour (or regular and a pinch of baking soda)
15g custard
little bit of salt
30ml milk
2 large eggs

^--- all at room temp, sifted where applicable, eggs in one piece for now. If you take everything out when you begin the butter, it will be room temp when that is done.

150g butter & 30g wet trim .. remember I like them strong & about half a liter of water.

Cut the butter up a little to make melting go faster, dump it together with the trim and the water in a small pan and get it to boil, turn heat low and simmer for an hour (not much longer!) on low heat. Stir every now and then. Make sure there is enough water in there to make sure the heat wont go over 99C .. if you boil off the water, the butter will start to boil, and when that happens, your butter is ruined. So keep enough water in there. Too much is only making your life a bit harder later on, it wont hurt the butter.

After an hour, strain out the trim. I like to put it in a metal bowl, and use a spoon to press out any remaining moisture and butter .. I poor this back into whatever I strained the water/butter mixture in. This should be a light to fark green, depending on the amount of trim.

Next I cool it au-bean-PlanetJ ... I fill the sink with ice-cold water, add a bunch of ice cubes and put the warm mixture (usually in a metal bowl or pan) in the ice bath. When it is around room temperature (15 minutes ?) I put it in the freezer for another 15 minutes.

By now, the butter has settled on top of the water, and has gotten a bit firm. If you have patience, you can let it sit all night, and be done quicker with the next step.

Take the butter layer off with a fork or something, put it in a bowl where it will comfortably fit on one side. You'll end up with a bunch of chunks of butter, kinda wet. Next I poor the remaining water through a filter cloth .. scrape off the butter and put in the bowl as well. Next massage the butter with the back of a spoon to get the excess water out, should take about 10 minutes for this amount, and the butter will be nice and soft and back to room temp when done.

Preheat oven to 170C
Get a mixer, whip the butter with the sugar till creamy (3 minutes highest setting)
Add an egg, whip for 3 minutes on highest setting again. No less then 3 minutes.
Add second egg, whip for 3 minutes on highest setting again. Again no less then 3 minutes.
Add milk and self-rising flour and on low, mix well .. do it in less then a minute.

I have silicone baking trays .. so I just fill them and put in the oven for 25 minutes. Do not open the oven during baking till about the last 4 minutes .. then just poke a skewer in there and if it comes out totally clean, they are ready.

Wrap tray in alu-foil and let cool down.


Optional: Serve to mother in law.


Edit: Dont worry if the butter wont get totally de-watered (for lack of a better term) this recipe calculates that in. If you have clean cannabutter without any excess water in it. use 125 flour/sugar/butter and 10g custard.

 

[PlanetJ]

Extra comment: using water is pretty important. It prevents the heat from getting to high. Alternatively, use a narrow-deadband chocolate heater to maintain the temp in a narrow zone. If you go much higher, you will be decarboxylating faster, and before you know it, after baking it as well, you will be stoned to the max from it, but not high.

This graph illustrates the decarboxylation process as a function from heat and time .. higher heat requires less time before you start converting THC to CBN at a faster rate then THCA to THC. Add the baking time of half an hour @ 170C, and you will get an end product with a lot less THC than you probably planned for (simmering shorter will risk not getting all resin from the trim)

 

[SweetSue]

So I came home anticipating the making of some nice magic brownies, brownie mix in hand, to discover that I am short on oil. Oh well, this will have to wait until tomorrow. What I did do is decarboxylate the 1/4 oz of sugar leaves I'll be using to increase their THC value. I want the maximum effect from this batch of brownies.

They went into the oven, heated to 225 degrees F and left for 30 minutes.

Tomorrow I'll pick up some oil and bake the brownies. Until then;

Daily Update: Pots in Limbo

Yesterday I was rushed enough that I didn't bother with the reservoirs, so today I played catch up. Each only took about three cups to top off. I'm still trying to figure out how to clear out the roots that are in the perlite. Leave that for another day. That's really all I need to do with them today. Seeds should arrive in a day or two and new excitement will ensue.

Today I'm tired and fed up with the clingy, dependent nature of my beloved husband. At some point he needs to step up and take the initiative. I think this nursing home has the potential to crush my spirit, if I'm not careful. I know I'm getting sick and tired of him waiting until I get there so I can do all the things he WONT ask the staff to do. You know, all those things they are PAID to do.

Sorry. When he handed me his mayo package so I could put it on his damn sandwich I just lost it. I had to leave early to keep from getting angry and then he called me to blame me for something petty that I didn't do. Arrrrgh!!! I'm going to sit here for a while and unwind. Tomorrow I'll do my best to be Susie Sunshine again. Tonight she went for a walk and can't be found.

I find it really sad that I pulled off this highly improbable event with this grow and I can't even celebrate it properly. I know there'll be other momentous grows, but there will only be one first and damn, I did a bang up job of this one. The timing appears to suck, but I know better. Everything in its right time. I know when five years have passed and we look back on this time it will be with the understanding that this was the best thing that could have happened. Because that's just the way life goes.

I'm so glad I had all of you to share this event with. It was so special to create this kind of excitement in a community that understood the magnitude of it all. It helped temper the disappointment that he isn't really interested at this time. He does have other, more pressing concerns. I guess I'm just feeling a little unappreciated. Welcome to the human race Susan.

Where's that pipe? Ahh yes, there it is. Give me a few minutes to recover.

 

[B A R]

You might be in the stage where everything you look at is assessed as being either helpful or not for growing. Everywhere you go you'll notice things and think, "I could use that...."

Lol does this stage ever end? Feel like I been in that stage since I started growing last summer.

Nah, it doesn't. I've gotten so bad now that I can't walk past a decent looking pile of clean garbage.

Congrats on your recent chops Sue.