Greetings from the gher!

[DingusKhan]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Gher! I've missed you guys. Even though I haven't posted, I've checked in periodically, and I'm glad to see most of the same old times and lots and lots of noobs getting their feets wet!




This past year was good, but tough, at my business. Some of you may remember that I own a small company in Southern Oregon, and hired my first professional associate (I've had 3-5 entry level helpers, this was the first time I hired another one of “me”). The results have been mixed. I kinda blew it. But hey, we're still doing okay, and my associate and I are parting ways amicably. In that way, running a business is very much like growing pot. As Jim Collins puts it in his classic book Built to Last: “try lots of stuff, and keep works”.




I've kept some grow going on, here's what's growing at the Gher:




Death Star: 7 or 8 weeks in flower. She started as clone from a friend last July, and has been growing in Ocean Forest Happy Frog in a 2X4 tent under (2) GalaxyHydro 300watt (nominal) and (1) Roleadro 400watt COB full spectrum.




Jack Herer clone was purchased at a dispensary in Port Orford while Wendy (my wife) and I were spending Thanksgiving weekend at the coast. She was about 9 inches tall when I brought her home, went into a smart pot with Happy Frog under my 2x4 T5 fixture until Death Star is pretty close to finished. I've read that this strain STRETCHES, like easily tripling during flower, so I'm hoping Death Star doesn't take forever to finish soon so she can get started. I also want to hurry up and smoke because Jack has been my favorite strain so far!




In the mean time, I'm getting time to practice cloning, one of those clones is rooted in a DWC, one is little pot with soil for a clone mother, and a couple for friends.




She's been bent over and defoliated several times and she keeps bouncing back. I should probably leave her alone, hoping she slows down a little before I get her started on 12/12.




As one who finds the holidays difficult, starting seeds (even though I don't have to room) is so therapeutic! I had a few auto seeds left from New Breed Seeds which I grew over the summer, and I wanted to do an A/B comparison grow between one in DWC, and the other in soil. The DWC seed took off quickly and is doing well. The seed that happened to go in soil took over a week to sprout, but then I spilled it. I replanted, but don't think she's going to make it.




Lastly, at my last stop to a local dispensary, I picked up some “White Russian” by Serious Seeds. There's a tiny sproutlet, and I'm popping an extra for a friend who grows plants into some freaking giants!




So that's what's going on here. PLEASE feel free to offer advice! I'm sorry I don't get time to share everyday, but thanks for reading!

[alltatup]

Hey Dingus, Happy holidays!! It IS a rough time of year: people get crazy. Sorry and congratulations on you and your "mini me" parting ways. That must be an extremely difficult experience to go through, and so difficult to find the right person to work that closely with you! You wrote "I kinda blew it": I doubt that you did. People put on their masks and they are so used to misrepresenting themselves that it feels true. I say, It takes about a year to really learn who someone else is, to see their contradictions and blind spots. I hope your business is thriving.

Man, you got so many options out there in OR: a veritable cannabis smorgasbord of choices!!! Your plants look awesome!

[oldjarhead100]

Well said ATU . Dingus we tend to have expectations of others based on what we do then when it doesn't meet them we get upset. others are others and have nothing to do with us.

Ok thats my existential BS for the morning lol

[D.A.A.S.69]

Morning Dingus, glad to see you back.

[DingusKhan]

Thanks ATU, OJH, and DAAS, (in spite of all those caps, I'm not shouting), I missed your encouragement.

It was tough, and I I don't mean to say"I blew it" with any (permanent) self condemnation. I mean to say I've reached another landmark in my ongoing education.

And Jarhead speaks truth, especially as one who has given and followed orders, running a high ly technical service business with young people is very different from when I was an army medic, My orders weren't very intimidating, but yeah, leadership is the hardest thing I've ever had to learn. I'm better at growing pot.

But you're absolutely right, I gotta quit getting pissed that I can't really control other people, even great employees. And I really do a great team.

Still, my business is doing well, even though we are taking a step back. I have good people, and a solid base to regroup and try again better, like growing pot.

Thanks for your encouragement. Blessings!

[oldjarhead100]

Dingus what is your Business

[alltatup]

Right you are: life is ongoing education...

[D.A.A.S.69]

When you quit learning, its time to hang it up. Good Luck with everything DK.

[LuckyAcres]

Hey dingus! Good to see you back here! Like a buddy told me once when I was looking for a music outfit, “the problem with playing music with people is that you have to play music with people!” (Replace with any hobby or job!).
ledership is a hard thing indeed!
glad you’re growing again man!

[DingusKhan]

I know, right? That's why it's so sad when a great band splits up. It's hard to find groups of people who work that well together.

[DingusKhan]

Hey lucky! It good to be back. I was a silent, sporadic fan of the auto mechanics and your videos with greenie.

And yes, it's a joy to be growing again! So Death star has been an interesting plant to grow. In spite of the reports of unpleasant stench, I'm only getting a very faint lemony scent.

Some leaves are fading and shriveling up, and some turning purple. Is this some deficiency, or am I overdoing the lights? I have 2 "300 watt" LEDs and a "400 watt" roleadro cob pointing in at it. The canopy is about 24x24 inches. Could I be pushing it too hard without burning the tips?

[D.A.A.S.69]

Morning DK, can't see anything wrong in your pictures, beautiful plant.

[DingusKhan]

Thanks DAAS, I was worried that the purple leaves was a deficiency.

[gbauto]

I'd say that the led's you have probably use about 500W combined. I try to shoot for 30-50W/sq ft-if your using it in a 4 sqft space it's a bit much. One of the most useful tools I've added to my kit is one of these:

[DingusKhan]

Yeah, I was looking at those, kinda pricey. I know PAR is the true parameter to measure for light that is useful to the plant, not the human. But PAR meters are WAY more expensive than LUX meters. Could one use a $20 LUX meter accurately enough for government work, or are they just a complete waste of time and Amazon free shipping?

[DingusKhan]

Thanks D.A.A.S.69 AS and gbauto , I appreciate your help. I was a little worried about Death Star, some of the leaves turning purple-brown and wilting away. Some of the calyces are also turning the same purple on their tips. I hope its her color starting to show. That would sure make for some pretty buds.

GB-I'm not seeing any burn on the tops, but I am going to cut down on the light before I cook these beautiful little colas. Should I go with the 2 Galaxy Hydro Blurple LEDs or the Roleadro full spectrum COB light? Maybe I'll alternate.

It's funny about getting a PAR meter. You're absolutely right, but I have a somewhat dumb grow-philosophy: do as half-ass a job as possible, and still manage to harvest some smoke. I'm kidding. I'm really to lazy to have a real philophy.

Her trichomes are developing, not VERY frosty yet. These were taken with a clip on macro lens on my phone. She doesn't look anywhere near done yet, I don't think.

Jack Herer got a pretty big hair cut last night: here's before and after. Is that too much? I kinda went to town. We are watching "Vikings" and I was inspired to hack and slash... She is waiting for Death Star to finish in the flower tent before she goes in herself.

[oldjarhead100]

you right Dingus she doesn't look ready and thats about how much I take of she will recover in a couple of days looking good

[DingusKhan]

Thanks Jarhead. I panicked a little when I put down the scissors and realized how much I took. Maybe I should watch a cooking show instead.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Pretty pictures, still close to a month though. Nice

[DingusKhan]

Thanks! Yeah, at least. She hardly has any smell, when I rub the leaves she smells kinda like lemonheads or Pledge furniture polish.

[DingusKhan]

Here's a fun comparison experiment that I completely botched at the beginning, but I will still continue: These 2 plants are Timberline Auto from New Breed Seeds here in Southern Oregon. They were dropped into a shot glass on Christmas for 24 hours, then placed into rooters. The first one that popped went into the bucket and the other took several more days to sprout. I became impatient, and tore the rooter and found the seed had about 1/4 inch of root sticking out, so not quite dead yet. I poked her into the Jiffy Cup with some Happy Frog. She seemed to do okay for a few days.

But then I spilt her. All over the damn place she was the cotyledons and TEENY TINY first leaves with about 1 inch of root. I put it all back, and now this is all she's done. She has tipped over and tried to die a few times. I propped her up and kept her out of the trash. Now she's ridiculous, especially with her sister doing so well in DWC. I expect she will get about the size of a chicken leg. I hope to get at least SOME tiny buds, I would like to do a taste test when she's done.

I have to say I'm impressed with the DWC. When I bought the seeds last spring, they guys at New Breeds didn't know how it would do in DWC since they hadn't tried. She sure seems to like it in Rx Green Solutions noots. I'm not particularly devoted to those noots, they just happened to have the 3 pack on the shelf when I went and got noots for the first time.

Probably the most interesting thing is that they seem to like the LED flood light I have them growing under. It's 19.6 watts, 3000k, and makes virtualy no heat.

[DingusKhan]

Yesterday, I tipped over the little guy for the 3rd time, and realized he had been trying to commit suicide this whole time. We agreed that this world wasn't right for him, the next was waiting eagerly. He only got his first real leaves a little over an inch across, and the second node was just visible to the naked eye.

Sigh...

[DingusKhan]

Death Star is progressing, but slowly. Some of the pistils up high are darkening and scroiling up, and what I can zoom in on trichomes still look pretty clear. Still not much scent, though. A little lemony, but sort of a musty cellar odor too. She's both turning purple and wilting and losing leaves. I've been defoliating moderately-heavily in this grow and I'm starting to worry I over did it, if the buds are eating the nutrients out of the leaves too fast and she wont have enough. Would it be bad to mix a little grow nutrients in with bloom nutes to slow down the wilting?

I decided I couldn't wait anymore, and Jack Herer became her new roommate. I hope she doesn't crazy stretch before Death Star is done.

I hope your all growing well. Peace.

[alltatup]

Death Star looks fabulous in the picture.

[DingusKhan]

Thanks Tat, she's the first indica I've grown, and the first to turn purple, it's beautiful! Even though I prefer sativa-doms, I may switch to growing strictly for color. Not really, but it sure is something new to enjoy in this wonderful hobby.

[oldjarhead100]

hey Dingus with the cold snap my Jack herer is 6 inches tall and one of three is in bloom so I'm just going to let them go ,

[DingusKhan]

I bet she explodes for you! It will be fun to compare how they grow. Which genetics do you have? I got mine as a clone from a dispensary so I don't know whose Jack it is, other than it was good enough for someone to propagate and sell. I've always heard that Sensi is the real(est) deal.

[oldjarhead100]

most of the Jack Herer were freebees from seedsman, and they only say seedsman

[alltatup]

I've got the Sensi Jack Herer regular seeds, cuz that's what I understand as well: that theirs is the OG. Haven't grown it yet; really want to.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Of course feed them,

[DingusKhan]

Harvest has begun! She didn't get heavily encrusted in frost, but she's pretty, gorgeous fall colors. Also, very little smell, faintly of coffee and some cat pee (uggghh, I have issues with cat pee).

Her pistils darkened up faster than I thought they would. I can't get a good picture with it, but I finally figured out my USB microscope and I'm finding almost all cloudy trichomes and a few random amber ones.

I too will wait until she's dry before I weigh her out.

Of course I can't tell if it helped to add a 1/4 dose of grow nutrients to bloom nutrients I fed occasionally as the leaves were wilting and fading rapidly.

[DingusKhan]

Thanks Tat! Those are 36 inch skewers that I found at our local WalMart alternative (called BiMart here). I poked 4 of them into the soil, and then zip-tied horizontal cross pieces together into a flat square. By the time the thought crossed my mind, it was much easier than trying to slip a tomato cage over the bush.

I actually did smoke a bit. I tried a cloning-late-in-flower experiment in progress (no roots yet), so I had a couple immature larfy buds that I dried in my nova, and then smoked. It was only enough to where I think I felt a tiny buzz, but I didn't go racing off into paranoia land. It only tasted like burning plant. But she sure has been pretty to look at.

[Cronk]

cool manifold. a lot of space around each cola, very nice looking.

[DingusKhan]

Thanks Cronk! I have all the brave defoliators of GWE to thank for leading the way and showing me what can be done.