Mostly SSDD's, and a little Useful, in a lot of Coco

[HorseBadorites]

Haven’t seen any buggery moving on the SSDD clones for 10 days. Been noticing the Blueberry Diesel clones slowly going downhill (in the back row), yup, fuckin’ mites. I even thought I was looking, d’oh!

Started misting… love that fogger, takes so much of the hassle out.

Topped most of the SSDD’s back to 4 nodes.

Then moved them into the 3x3 under a 315. It’s raised pretty high at the moment.

Put the only SSDD survivor clone in there with them… she is way different! They still haven’t shown.

The latest plan is to let the lower branches stretch some more, whack 'em, stick 'em in popsicle molds, and see if any take. The keeper is such a bitch to root for me, figure I might want to select for something that likes me.

They were in the box with the mites, so I’m fogging them, too. But, it seems as if these red mites prefer plants that are a little sickly… unlike the 2 spotted. Anyway, I didn’t see any evidence on the seedlings, and I really, really looked, honest

I had to do a timer/lighting check, so got some rare pics with lights on. The main bloom room.

Blueberry Diesel is becoming more beautiful each day, and there have been 37 of them so far.

Close ups look much more lifelike with flash… she’s really a delightful shade of green.

The Lemon Kush is ready at 65 days, but it’s not, I guess I mean I’m ready for her to come down. She’s fading, putting out nanners, and so heavy on side she’s got the hoop listing, but still sporting mostly clear trichs. Still, she is stiiiiiky, and smells like a lemon meringue pie with out the meringue, which is fine with me because I don’t really like meringue.

Been vaping some old stuff, like a couple of years. Last week it was Jamaican Hashplant. I’m still not back to full capacity tasting or smelling, but wonderful blond hashy taste with a sweet, sweet cured weed smell… kind of like a nice ceegar wrapper sweet… and not a swisher, lol! Very end of the day relaxing which goes right on to beddy bye.

This week it’s Space Monkey. Nice, comforting vape that makes me forget to take another hit. Not as sweet as the JHP, but a satisfyingly goodly cured herb. I gotta grow her again

Thanks for peeking in, I’m going to go enjoy the buzz and watch some hoops.

[syzygy]

@HorseBadorites

This week it’s Space Monkey. Nice, comforting vape that makes me forget to take another hit. Not as sweet as the JHP, but a satisfyingly goodly cured herb. I gotta grow her again

I know not everyone is excited about gg4 genetics these days but Space Monkey is really some great herb. There’s an incredible pine pheno with extreme power, resin and great uplifting effects when taken in low doses that I found. Can be a bit too disabling when pushed harder. I doubt you’d be disappointed if you do grow her again!

[Kabuddha]

The lemon Kush look fantastic!!!

[minitiger]

@HorseBadorites

figure I might want to select for something that likes me.

Haha, that made me chuckle.

Plants look good! Is it just me or do the Lemon Kush flowers look a little, uh… unusual? Not in a bad way or anything, I dig ‘em.

I was wondering, @HorseBadorites, how long have you been growing? I only ask because I know you’re a little bit older than me and I’ve been following along with this grow and reading about your troubles with those gawddamn mites and whatever. Does it seem like problems that you didn’t used to have to deal with have suddenly reared their ugly heads? Or have you always had to deal with shit like that?

I found PM on one of my plants last night, first time I’m certain that I’ve had that (something that looked like it coulda been PM showed up on my Ancient OG x AfPak last grow, but I wasn’t positive that that’s what it was). But it’s like, aphids last year, then thrips, now PM… I grew problem-free for years, then all this stuff started happening all at once, every grow lately, just wondering if you’ve noticed an increase in, uh, “issues” or whatever lately.

Anyway… Yeah, your plants look good haha.

[HorseBadorites]

@minitiger

Is it just me or do the Lemon Kush flowers look a little, uh… unusual?

They look more than unusual, lol! This plant was a mutant from the get go. I almost tossed her more than a few times, but she’s some sort of femme fatale wearing lemon rind perfume.

@minitiger

how long have you been growing?

I dropped my first seed in 1971. Grew outdoors till 2005, when we got too many nosy neighbors, and reported my little patch to the cops. Wasn’t anything to link me, but I quit growing and smoking out of disgust.

Ms H still smoked like a chimney, and got our oldest to keep her hooked up, til he moved to Montana in 2010. Just before he did, I found a pile of lights, fans, cloner, pots, and ferts outside the crawlspace door.

I’d always figured the crawlspace would just be moldy, dirty place to grow in… and it was. Still is, but I got used to it… I just love to grow weed!

@minitiger

I know you’re a little bit older than me

Ha, probably by about 25 years… but I’m young at heart!

@minitiger

Does it seem like problems that you didn’t used to have to deal with have suddenly reared their ugly heads? Or have you always had to deal with shit like that?

I grew up around farms and farmers, family made animal feeds, and have grown stuff since I was a kid. It was always something with farmin’. Just gotta roll with it or I’d go nuts… well nuttier.

Honestly though, I think the climate changes have a lot to do with the new pest prevalence, that and all the poisons that they’ve gotten used to. Bugs and fungi are gonna be here long after we’re gone… unless someone drops the really, really big one… but they’ll probably survive that too.

The pests in the crawl used to get me all excited and chasing my tail, which is quite handsome if I do say so, but I’ve calmed down. I’ve had some great trouble-free stretches, but they get boring, a new pest is a new challenge… which as long as I win, it’s fun. It’s even satisfying.

@minitiger

I grew problem-free for years

You were lucky… or in extreme denial, lol!

@minitiger

just wondering if you’ve noticed an increase in, uh, “issues” or whatever lately.

Not in the crawl, it’s always been something, but it’s not like it’s just happening more. Now outside with our flowers and vegetables, we have been seeing less and less insect pressure since we’ve stopped “treating” for them.

And, since I sprayed sulfur out there, where ever we had pm, it’s way down too. We’ll see how long that lasts!

For your pm, it could be from your dog, but not all plants support pm that effects weed. @JoeCrowe has a list of which does what. I’m still not clear on how pm does or doesn’t get around, though.

@minitiger

Anyway… Yeah, your plants look good haha.

Took me a long way around to get to thanks, lol!

[HorseBadorites]

@syzygy

I doubt you’d be disappointed if you do grow her again!

I hope so. She was the first plant I grew in coco, and turned out wonderfully, very piney… but I’m sure I could do her better. I’ve been practicing

@Kabuddha

The lemon Kush look fantastic!!!

She’s been crazy looking all along. Topped herself at least twice, has extra leaves growing out of the tops and bottoms of the fans, fasciated stalks… and taking forever to ripen!

Thanks for lookin’ in.

[minitiger]

@HorseBadorites

when we got too many nosy neighbors, and reported my little patch to the cops.

Are you serious? Gawd, I hate people haha. All these motherfuckers talking about,”Freedom! Freedom! But not weed gettin’ grown next door!” haha…

@HorseBadorites

I found a pile of lights, fans, cloner, pots, and ferts outside the crawlspace door.

Wow, man, that’s, uh, pretty lucky haha.

@HorseBadorites

Honestly though, I think the climate changes have a lot to do with the new pest prevalence, that and all the poisons that they’ve gotten used to.

Yeah… That’s what I’m starting to think, too. I read an article a while back about how CA was on the verge of an untreatable aphid thing, think it was like two years ago that I read that. But it said that aphids were just gonna be a thing now and there’s not a whole lot we can do about it. At the time, I thought,”Bullllshiiiit. We can do something about it,” but now I’m not so sure haha.

Either way, it’s annoying haha.

@HorseBadorites

You were lucky… or in extreme denial, lol!

No way, dude! Haha. I really have never had any issues until like three or four grows-ago. Google my fucking grow logs! Haha. The only consistent problem I’ve had is a lil’ Mg deficiency, but I’ve never had to deal with pests and PM and all that bullshit.

Until recently, anyway…

@HorseBadorites

we have been seeing less and less insect pressure since we’ve stopped “treating” for them.

That’s interesting. So you think maybe the “treatments” could possibly be “inviting” pests and shit? Like maybe the treatments aren’t effective at all?

Where’s JoeCrowe? Haha.

@HorseBadorites

Took me a long way around to get to thanks, lol!

Haha, yeah, sorry, man… You know me. Once I get to talking, I’m gonna talk like a motherfucker.

[JoeCrowe]

As long as I’m careful, nothing invades the grow. Fuck parasites, I’ll go ballistic on their heads. I just use a simple clean-room style grow to keep shit at bay. 5 doors between the grow and outside world.

There’s my warning sign on the second door.

[HorseBadorites]

@minitiger

So you think maybe the “treatments” could possibly be “inviting” pests and shit? Like maybe the treatments aren’t effective at all?

Maybe,lol!

We used to spray Bacillus thuringiensis for caterpillars on ornamentals and veggies… it knocked 'em dead, all of them, but they always came back, and usually even stronger.

Then I got interested in attracting more butterflies… they come from caterpillars! So I stopped the Bt, and started hand picking the cats. After a few years, we hardly see any of the cats eating the stuff we like.

Obviously by just killing everything, we were also killing some things that controlled the pests?

Like the wasps that suck the life out of tomato hornworms. I was killing the hornworms, so the wasps didn’t have anything to do but look for greener pastures. Now, the hornworms seem to get jumped as soon as they show up.

Inside, though, it’s a whole different deal for me… and I’m still trying to get a grip on it.

@minitiger

Until recently, anyway…

If it wasn’t luck, then you’re fucking something up now, lol! Happens to the best of us, though it’s never been my problem, ha ha ha!

@JoeCrowe

There’s my warning sign on the second door.

Dang, my pests aren’t nearly so literate… but I’m taping that up on the crawl door… and I’m using Gorilla tape, lol!

[JoeCrowe]

lol! That’s for the humans. I have yet to find a bug that can open a door, so it requires a human to transfer the bugs into the room. Aphids can crawl and fly, and cling to you. Best vacuum yourself off before entering the grow. Change your clothes. Try and eliminate as many contamination vectors as possible.

[minitiger]

@HorseBadorites

Dang, my pests aren’t nearly so literate…

Holy shit, dude, I’m gonna be chuckling about this for the next two days, easily haha…

[HorseBadorites]

I’m going to get shit from our writing spiders for that… but they make their webs right at eye level and don’t care what they think. You ever try to get web off your specs?

@JoeCrowe

Aphids can crawl and fly, and cling to you. Best vacuum yourself off before entering the grow. Change your clothes. Try and eliminate as many contamination vectors as possible.

Man, I am a walking vector, lol! No way I’d go through any of that just to grow some weed! I know that’s pretty cavalier, but as long as I spot stuff early, it’s not too hard to take care of… especially now that that steenkin’ pm’s gone!

Since I cut way back on the number of plants, and instead started growing bigger ones, it’s pretty easy to keep an eye on the enemies!

But that said… I’m not sure what’s up with these SSDD yutes. Might have been the neem? They were in a box with the Blueberry Diesel cuts that had mites, along with the runt SSDD seedling, so everybody got fogged, I am an equal opportunity sprayer.

I’m trying to grow these up to select for the way things work in the crawl. I topped these cos that’s what I do. From 6th node back to 4th. Growth wise, they have responded in a way I’m not used to, so at least I’m not bored.

They look over watered to me, but they are in coco/perlite in airpots? Don’t seem to be drinking much, so the bar was not open tonight.

Started to see some pre-flowering around 40 days from seed. #1 & #5 are looking girly.

#1

#5

And 2x males, I think. I would love to find a stellar male, if all the rest are boys, I’d be okay with that.
#2 and #6

#2

#6

Soooo, the new plan is to grow the girls out as usual, one plant under one light, as large as I can get them. Not sure if I want to try and pollinate branches at the top or bottom. I want the best seeds possible, but I’m not sure if top or bottom makes a diff?

Thennnn, I’ll try to get pollen from each male, separately, but after that IDK. I’m not a breeder, or even much of a pollen slinger.

Save the separate pollen, grow out the males and smoke them and pick the one(s) I like best? Go with smell, which I suck at. Hope there’s one with trichs? Find the structure I like best?

anyway, 2 more to go sex-wise, and I sure hope things get clearer

[syzygy]

My thought process for an imaginary project was to save the females and run them alongside one male at a time so there’s plenty of room for error when it comes to selection. I’m no breeder either though. I can’t shake the feeling that the safest way to judge a male is by testing the offspring and with a discontinued line it seems a safe approach. I’d also love to find a resinous male sometime, I’ve seen quite a few people come across them (SSDD included) in B’s lines.

Are you going to be manually pollinating the branches with a paintbrush and tagging them or something? Pollen contamination always concerned me with that style but it sure would save a ton of time and could probably look at as a semi-sorted open pollenation or something haha.

[HorseBadorites]

@syzygy

save the females and run them alongside one male at a time so there’s plenty of room for error when it comes to selection.

That room for error thing, yeah, lol! Soooo, the next new plan is to take cuts from everything. Assuming they root, which as you’ve seen can be a pretty big assumption for me, and assuming I can get something worthy from at least one of the grown out females, I’m hoping I have something to play with later.

The males, I’ll keep in 1 gallon pots, take cuts, flower, and collect and freeze pollen. If the timing’s right, I may dust some branches of the big girls, and that would be manually.

I’ve done that by just putting some male flowers in a paper bag, sliding that over a female branch, and shaking it up baby. Spray the rest of the plant with water, then take off the bag.

I don’t think I want to do an open pollination, right off at least.

@syzygy

My thought process for an imaginary project

Thanks for helping me think about it… long way to go though, lol!

[HolyAngel]

@HorseBadorites

I’m not sure if top or bottom makes a diff?

won’t make a single difference at all.

@HorseBadorites

Save the separate pollen, grow out the males and smoke them and pick the one(s) I like best? Go with smell, which I suck at. Hope there’s one with trichs? Find the structure I like best?

… this is up to you mate. If you already have a girl or two that you like the most, I would look for a male with the same traits. leaf morphology, stem rub, structure, whatever you wanna use as a trait. Look for the same thing and then make the cross. Like breeds like, and all
Or if you’re chosen girl(s) has ‘bad’ structure, you could use a male that has ‘good’ structure for the cross, to try and fix that issue in the offspring.
Or use a male thats completely opposite to your girl(s) to try and “preserve” the genetics… or something.

Those girls definitely look like roots aren’t happy. Obviously can’t be overwatered like you said, but gotta be something going on Too cold maybe? idk, they should bounce back i’d think tho, color and everything else looks good.

[HorseBadorites]

@HolyAngel

@HorseBadorites

I’m not sure if top or bottom makes a diff?

won’t make a single difference at all.

Good to hear, I’ve always done lower branches, at least I didn’t screw that up!

@HolyAngel

Those girls definitely look like roots aren’t happy. Obviously can’t be overwatered like you said, but gotta be something going on Too cold maybe?

They were just upcanned. I usually dust some mycos and gypsum on the root balls. This time I didn’t. I was thinking it might be counter-productive with salts in coco, but now IDK? It is in the 60’sF, and that’s usually not a problem… but the unusual is my specialty!

I guess I’ve got to let these grow up a little, seems the “traits” change on a lot of my plants, as they grow up from seedlings.

Just trying to be a good matchmaker for my keeper

Thanks for the comments.

[HolyAngel]

@HorseBadorites

They were just upcanned. I usually dust some mycos and gypsum on the root balls.

Oh that’s probably it then! Should perk right up in a couple days I’d bet. Mycos would likely make them skip this sad step and keep looking perky. (Solution-grade) Gypsum is what I use for calcium in coco. Tablespoon of gypsum and tablespoon of maxibloom per 5 gallon bucket is my standard flower feed. For veg I add in silica first and then same tablespoon each of the other two. I also do not charge my coco at all, I use it straight out of the bag. I just add in enough perlite to have a 50/50 mix for easy wicking and no overwatering.

[HorseBadorites]

@HolyAngel

Mycos would likely make them skip this sad step and keep looking perky.

I’ve only used them out of habit from my mud days fiascos. This time I had the thought that they needed some bacterial action to be useful. I should stop thinking, eh?

I’ve tried to order solution grade gypsum, and have gotten food grade instead, in 50# bags, lol!.. it does not dissolve readily. I only used it for transplants, and for all the veggies and flowers outside. I was thinking that it needed bacteria to make it available, too?

I do have a soluble Ca I use in every feed. I don’t buffer either, and just scratch in a little epsom if the need comes up.

I’ve been doing a quart of perlite to a gallon of coco… I’ll try bumping that up

[HolyAngel]

I don’t think it needs bacteria to make it available but… i don’t really know for sure with that food grade stuff. My flower table runs sterile so I know the solution grade is fine regardless of bacteria/mycos.

As for where to find it:

Diamond K Gypsum - Premium 97 Solution Grade for Soil Enhancement

or

Amazon.com : Down to Earth OMRI Organic Solution Grade Gypsum, 1 lb : Patio,...

The buildasoil is 10lbs for ~$23 shipped or so, can’t beat it really but it is not entirely clean and doesn’t completely dissolve but still gets the job done no problem. The DownToEarth brand is really clean and dissolves easily but is 10x more expensive. I’ve used both and currently working through the buildasoil stuff ^^

[JoeCrowe]

I just get a bit and sprinkle it on top of the soil. Over time it just kind of disappears. Presumably into the ground.