My Thai x Blue Dream cut is a mite magnet tbh… really hard to keep that one safe… @Meesh how have your Blue Dream autos been? … if you have them growing again this year ?? Can’t remember lol
6 Likes
Mother Nature sure can be fickle!
There is always a certain sense of trepidation involved in the process of growing plants outdoors.
You anticipate a harvest that is not guaranteed.
It’s part of the fun in nurturing little seeds into a nicely developed, productive plants. I find this process to be very engaging and strangely satisfying. I get a big kick out of growing stuff.
Anyway, there are always going to be good and bad years in the great outdoors. This year caterpillars are like legions of demon spawn, hardly any last year, and this year is one of the worst (if not, the worst) I have seen anywhere that I have grown outdoors. There sure are loads of butterflies flitting about though. So, there’s that!
If you enjoy the process of growing, it is far easier to accept disappointments and move onward.
8 Likes
Perhaps next year you can get dad to help you put up butterfly netting. It will help keep the butterflies out, thus protecting your plants from caterpillars later in the season.
8 Likes
One thing that may factor in is your flower & vegetable garden could be a magnet for them too.
If it’s only one species (in my case & probably yours: the corn earworm moth) then it’s easier to start analyzing/stratgemizing.
After my major catastrophre (truly-- it meant buying MMJ) the following year I sprayed a LOT, less this year. I used Neem Pyrethrin & Spinosad & Bt in veg & then Bt & essential oils to mid flower. This year I dropped the Neem/pyrethrin & spinosad & have BETTER results. Even the essentials kinda bum me out because I see a lot less beneficials around. 
It really is a balancing act; my comm’l farmer friend is much more inclined to spray often & spray up to 2 weeks before harvest () but his income depends on it. He smokes his own & uses organics but I still fell less is more when it comes to spraying in flower… depending on the bug. He’s got 3x the experience but less (‘ahem) IQ & book-learnin’ and sure doesn’t read forums. 
Another friend & 1st yr homegrower gave me some chemdog that had neem on it & it was just awful. At the time I didn’t really know or enough anyway & smoked a jar of that stuff. 
…
Awful-awful. 
My 1st year I sprayed zero nothing nada & that herb was stupendous!
10 Likes
@Sunvalley I grew 2 blue dream autos out this year and have 4 more at like day 40 or so. No problems with bugs on those, in 2 weeks or so I’ll find out if caterpillars attack them like the last 3 autos that got raped. Last year I had more mites around for some reason. I remember them pissing me off on the blue dreams last year.
2 Likes
Ok… hope they stay safe and sound … you’ve had a full plate
2 Likes
I wouldn’t be surprised on the OG Skunk if that’s the case.
Nope. I’m an only child and I have no kids, but that would be an awesome idea
Funny, you say that… the good shit and CBW are really sweet smelling. The funky smelling Botafumeiros hasn’t been touched or the Holy Punch (both have more forest or fuel smells).
@cannabissequoia I used Spinosad on the whole garden throughout veg. I personally can’t tolerate the smell of Neem after testing it as a preventive in the winter and spring. It didn’t work for me at all and the smell literally made me dry heave, so I’ve given up on that shit. I have read not to spray any type of oils in bud as they seep in and don’t leave. I also sprayed BT preventively as well. They still just got me in full force! I don’t know what they are called but I don’t think most of them are pretty butterfly caterpillars. I tend to think they are those small tan moths like @zephyr had mentioned. Funny, I had tons of beneficials out there all spring and beginning of summer and most of them disappeared as my garden did. I’m still finding ladybugs and spiders and unfortunately it mostly flying mofos now. All I can do is keep at it and salvage what I can. So far the Holy Punch, Botafumeiros, Kushage (slight damage) and the Jungle Spice seem to be okay for the most part. I’m hoping the moths start fucking off before the DBHP and diesels get to that point and I don’t have to battle anymore pm. That reminds me, I am gonna water in some aspirin today on all the plants.
4 Likes
@Calyxander You’re right! I do love growing things in general. I need to lighten up and get some perspective. I did get like 4 extra plants that I hadn’t even counted on. Out of the regular seeds I planted only 1 of 4 turned out male, so I’m already ahead of the game. I wasn’t even expecting that many extra females, so I need to chill and stop feeling so greedy. It is so satisfying when any plant turns out great that you nurtured from seed though isn’t it?
Looking at the plants again today in full sunlight, they aren’t as ugly as I was seeing them last night before the sun went down. The last 2 days were just really stressful and I see things differently though anxiety eyes. Today I’m feeling more rested and less stressed and am feeling more optimistic again. My anxiety disorder and depression really throws the doom and gloom on full force if I get too much at once and everything looks much worse than it really is. Today everything just looks like it needs a nice drink of water and things will perk up. Luckily that’s all they need as I need to get my butt in gear and get work done the rest of the afternoon and evening. That will ease some anxiety too!
9 Likes
I feel like the plants need a pick me up today after all the picking at them BT sprays, intense heat. Since no more foliars I think I’ll water them with some water soluble kelp. Wondering if throwing in aspirin with that is a bad combo. I worry about mixing things together. Maybe some kelp today and aspirin in a day or two. Thinking the kelp should perk them right up. Every time I use it, I feel like the plants scream “YES!”
Edit: Shit actually just remembered that it’s Cal-Mag drench day per the soil test. So that’s that. Kelp another day.
7 Likes
Sorry for all the posts today… my wheels are turning. lol I think I’m gonna go out now and feed the autos and Charlotte again even though they were fed on Wed. Just feel like they need it. My gardener comes and cuts my grass and trees today so I’ll wait to do the Cal-Mag drench until after he finishes. In the meantime, I’m gonna STFU until later this evening and get things done. Finish a few clients and get some invoices out. That will make me feel much better! I can’t tell you how nice it is to be my own boss, so I can takes breaks throughout my work day to mess around in my garden.
Happy Friday, you guys!
13 Likes
Venting is GOOD!!! We all need to at times. Can see this is really stressing you out. WHY??? Your not making a living off of it, you will have plenty for friends n family…EVEN if only 1/4 of it makes it through…and we know more than that will!!!
Be happy your in a legal place where you can do what your doing. I would love to be able to do that, Outside yield is off the charts compared to indoor harvest’s. Plus you get to be around them all the time, gotta make you feel better.
Take a deep breath, relax a little…it will all settle in.
BTW, Spinosad can be used during flower, I have and not noticed anything. I DO hose them off with fresh water 4 or 5 hours after every hit with Spinosad however.
Good vibes sent your way… 
8 Likes
Yes. For some reason my doctor decided to “tinker” with my antidepressants last week. Wasted an entire day in a negative funk. Full on anxiety and out of my “zen”
Why…
7 Likes
What works for me is a formula that’s has everything in it micros and all Like Grow More 16 - 16 - 16 Kelp Base you could grow in sand or sawdust with good results . Works anyway you apply it Foliar / Fertigation / Drench / Crop Dusting I use the mix and dump method . This is what some farmers use on large grows I’ve been using this for 4 or 5 years with great results why waste your precious time with quart bottles of what ever . When my neighbors moved out they gave me all their grow chemicals and equipment now I know why their grow sucked . They must have bought everything they could find online all pints and Quarts and some half gallons / Gallons two and three part combos . I check out all the local grows to see what works never too old to learn a new trick . But I need too see the evidence 
My home grown helps me with most of my problems and pain or I’m just so stoned I think it works Happy Growing
9 Likes
OMG! I’ve been on antidepressants nearly 20 years and for some reason about 6 or 7 years ago, I suddenly decided that my depression (mind you, mine is a chemical imbalance) was magically cured. Decided I was just gonna stop taking them. It wasn’t too bad and took about 4 months until shit hit the fan. Oh boy, did it! I started having major panic attacks anywhere from 3 to 4 times a day, sensitivity to noise, crazy road rage as my disorder really makes me want to control EVERYTHING. I had convinced myself that either I had come down with diabetes or was having a heart attack as I had physical pain restricting my chest and all of my limbs went numb for 5 straight weeks. I had truly forgotten how bad it was. Damn, my occasional breakthrough depression and anxiety is bad enough, but that was unbearable! Finally saw my doctor and when she told me all of my physical symptoms were psychosomatic and put me back on my meds, I remember getting out to my car and crying cuz I felt like I was just a crazy person and it wasn’t something physically tangible. I’m never stopping again!
8 Likes
A few pics…
Wanted you all to see the scale of these buds, hence my arm… this is the Kushage
One of the Blue Dream autos
All the autos, 4 blue dreams and last 3 @ReikoX FM 7-9
Charlottes angel cbd
Here’s what happened cuz I tried to top her a 2nd time too late. Not the best pics. It got dark so couldn’t reshoot them. 2 double mini colas
14 Likes
Chemical imbalance here also. I hate being so dependent on them. If I miss one dose I’m screwed for 2 days. I honestly believe that if I could micro-dose psilocybin daily I could stop taking them.
6 Likes
I do two. 
…working on it. 
may be a couple months? shakedown your favorite moderator that takes freaky pics of himself. 
7 Likes
Denver recently made magic mushrooms legal for sale. First city in the US I believe. I’m not up on the other methods, what is it??? DMT or something. Haven’t talked to anybody who has enjoyed the new perk, though.
I haven’t done them in forever, acid either. But I would like to do some micro dosing I believe. I been thinking about it for a while. The system has us all on those damn antidepressants and they don’t tell you that you can never stop. Very convenient for the corporate bottom line. At least I never let them increase the dose when they tried. I’m on the same as when I started.
I’ll have to see what the scene is like up north @oleskool830. Maybe I can find a way to get some souvenirs your way.
5 Likes
I heard about that! It is apparently being considered as a treatment for PTSD and depression. I have Veteran friends that treat their PTSD with daily micro-dosing. They replaced their pharmaceuticals with great outcomes. Where there’s a will there’s a way! Do you buy them at a dispensary? Interesting…
4 Likes