Running the foliar again with calcium chloride to help keep things liquid on the leaf. Calcium antagonism makes the most sense given the visible symptoms and the history of the soil last grow (massive gypsum application). The multi-mino has iron, manganese, boron, and zinc covered. I added Epsom salt for the magnesium. I’ll do a future foliar with some AgSil since it doesn’t mix well.
The efforts with the blumat seem to be working. The flush water is clear and clean. I think more regular flushing in general is a good idea for keeping the system flowing.
First up, in the tent this little tester plant has been showing male pre flowers, and I’m not sure if it’s an auto or not so it will be coming down soon to avoid pollen issues. I think the new growth is looking happier, though there’s still some balancing the soil life needs to do as evidenced by the color patterns on the leaves. It seems like the veins are lighter in color with darker patches between the veins I’m going to practice some litfa for a while and let the biology do its thing. Plain water and compost extracts will be the go to for a while.
I’ve also decided to give the seeds from @NugLifeFarms420 a proper run. They’re sending either Party Pooper or Caribbean Crashers and I’m stoked to see how they turn out. I’m going to carve out some space for those today so the roots have a little time to decompose before they hit soil.
I also got my hands on some incredible compost that I’m going to use to inoculate the seeds. Under the scope this stuff is the definition of diversity and abundance. I kept having to dilute it further just to not have amoebae stacked on top of each other. Truly wild. I was skeptical going in after seeing other “biologically complete” composts look like a wasteland under magnification. This one is the real deal. They only sell it in small quantities, 1 or 4 ounces, but I think for seed treatment it could be incredible. Very excited to include that this run.
Last thing is just a fun bit from the outside bed. I let the cowpeas run wild and get infested with cowpea aphids. But I also saw some predators moving in in small quantities so I let it ride to see what would develop. It’s a bug circus outside
I’ve been seeing these beetles and their larvae (the white fuzzy things) plus some ladybugs and their larvae as well. In other spots the lacewings have started laying their eggs too. Going into fall, I think just letting the cowpeas die in place while the predators get their numbers up should give some protection for any veggies/herbs I put in. Also, dig this beetle larvae having a snack:
Last note: I can’t believe how quickly the sawdust mulch got devoured. I ended up adding more pellets as the worms had already broken through the surface of the first layer. Everywhere I looked in the pot was a mass of worms. While it’s cool to see, I also wanted to grow some wine cap mushrooms and I’m pretty sure they ate all the mycelium Hopefully it spreads into the new mulch, but my grain to grain transfers are colonized so if need be I could reinoculate with more grain spawn.
Here they are: Caribbean Crashers! Whole lotta lineage packed into these so it will be fun to see what comes of them. Big thanks to @NugLifeFarms420 for the seeds. Hopefully I do them justice and can provide some helpful information about your cross.
Since these are photos I’m taking a different route getting them started. I’ve been direct sowing, but this round I’m going with a starter mix. It’s comprised of screen coir & mushroom compost, and minute amounts of multimino and bone meal. 5% by weight bentonite was added, and Montana grow volcanic dust was added for texture & aeration.
I made a compost extract using a mix of two composts, then poured through my filter to wet the mix. Added and mixed to field capacity or just shy of it.
I’m very excited about using this compost on some cannabis. It’s incredible stuff under the scope and I want to see how that translates to plant health. Even this small amount is an overuse!
Dimpled, sprinkled the VAM spores, dropped in the compost coated seeds, and tucked everybody in. I sprayed the surface with some plain filtered water to bring everything together, then gave a bit more of the compost extract around the edges to bring the moisture to where I wanted it. Now we see what happens
Quick update- one of the seedlings is showing its first set of leaves, the other two are in various stages of waking up. Got them under some LED/fluorescent strips in a humidity dome with some other seedlings I’ve got starting for fall’s veggie garden. Will keep an eye on the stretch. Gonna call this Day 1 of Caribbean Crashers
Pretty sure overwatering stressed these babies out, hence the yellowing. Otherwise they’re doing pretty well! One week ago they popped above ground. In a week or two they should be ready for transplant so the bigger chops in the tent will be happening soon.
Went ahead with the chop. B+ spores came so I shot up a few extra grain bags I had made.
I had been waiting to review the Forum Stomper F2 smoke until I could actually describe the smell. It was on the tip of my tongue but I finally realized it’s like a grape tootsie pop. From the jar I get a lot more fuel, and I really did dry/cure this round better than ever before. The mini fridge was a risk that paid off I guess Ill definitely do it that way again, but likely with some adjustments to increase how much I can put in there.
As far as the smoke itself, I don’t get the same taste when smoking it. It’s much fruitier there- the chocolate is really faint and only on the smell. As far as high, this thing hits the body much more than I’m used to. I think generally it is more potent than what I’ve grown the past few rounds, but it’s definitely body oriented. Not in a pure sleep kind of way, but definitely in a zone out and let your muscles melt kind of way. Not what I would consider a get up and go sort of smoke, but not incapacitated to the point where I can’t play some music or keep up with a good show or conversation. We’re going to a bunch of good concerts later this year and I’m 100% bringing some joints of this stuff.
The seedling mix is decent, but the Achilles heel is the aeration. I have an equal amount left over so I will prepare it the same way but with more aeration and see how it goes.
They’ve been in the main system now for a few days. The roots had grown mostly at the bottom of the starter pots and got inoculated with some microbes and given a nosh of liquid food. They 100% got stunted by using that starter mix, but it should be an easy fix next time I make some and the seedlings are bouncing back quickly.
They’re definitely liking life in the tent vs their starting mix. Two have been topped. I’m letting the last one make a few more nodes then I’ll top it as well. Going to use a scrog net this round - I had ordered a two pack of some cargo nets I found but they pulled the tent poles a bit too hard for my liking. To the point I thought they might bend the poles. So I’ll either bite the bullet and get a proper scrog net or DIY something together with pvc and paracord or whatever else I have lying around.
Scrog net ordered. Finally saw some adult rove beetles scampering around as well. I added those well over two months ago, maybe longer. Also found this spider and others like it around the pot. Even the runtiest transplant is starting to take off, so for now I’m just keeping the tent environment dialed in with appropriate moisture in the soil.
These Caribbean Crashers have been staying verrrrry low to the soil. They’re starting to bush out since being topped- now we’re just waiting for the scrog net and to see who’s got balls and who doesn’t.
Was away for a bit, so before I left I watered in about a gallon of plain water and dropped the humidity slightly to try and get the humidifier supply to last as long as possible. Still no preflowers for now, but the scrog net cleared customs so it shouldn’t be long before I can really start flattening the canopy and preparing for the flip to flower!
After the experiment with the wine cap mushrooms, I’m not exactly sure how to go about inoculating specific species like that into the system. The worms turned all the wood and mycelium into castings so far as I can tell. Seeing as all my old slants and plates weren’t good anymore, I can’t risk not getting fruits from this spawn. I want to take more prints and have some tissue to expand on agar so I don’t have to order more spores.
I’ll likely be spawning to bulk soon as they’re nearly fully colonized. Once I’ve got some prints and/or agar cultures I’ll start playing with spawning direct to the living soil.
I’m going to practice some litfa for a while and let the biology do its thing. Plain water and compost extracts will be the go to for a while.
Hopefully it spreads into the new mulch, but my grain to grain transfers are colonized so if need be I could reinoculate with more grain spawn.
Ill definitely do it that way again, but likely with some adjustments to increase how much I can put in there.
