Meesta's Grow

[MeestaFeesha]

Top of the morning to y'all. I've taken my walk to get coffee, lounged a bit, now getting started on LST for the rest of the ladies.

I took this picture of the stem of the happy woman I had worked with yesterday. Before applying any LST I had gone through and cleaned up the inner skeleton, pinching and cutting off the smaller new growth hidden inside.

Alriiighty, lathering on some sunblock and getting to it. I'll catch you all this afternoon 😎

[MeestaFeesha]

One down, one big lady to go. It's hot in the sun...😅🤘

Happened to pinch a flying insect between my fingers, found and fed a Mantis!

[alltatup]

She's gonna be a monster.

[MeestaFeesha]

Getting to the final touches on the last WW. On this one through LST (and pruning) before training the main I was able to create a space for it to be comfortable. Also testing the end goal with my hands before putting any ties on. (Photos 1+2 are swapped)

[MeestaFeesha]

Finished up a while ago, worked at a slow pace and admired the babes as I went. While, as I had mentioned before, I took my sweet time in planning how they would end up..Interesting process I had gone through, where at first I did not prune much, thinking of wind, and the plants having a fan leaf barrier...I did get a bit excessive on the last lady, who is protected by her sister.

My goal in pruning (I've learned elsewhere the proper term is defoliation) was to remove the excess (inner, new growth) on these larger plants, so that they can instead focus on the very large canopy that already exists (and repairing the damage I did removing growth). From what I've read and learned, I believe that most people do this when entering flower. As the plant will stop focusing on vegetative growth(rebuilding) and instead have a priority of bud building. I've had second thoughts on the direction in which I've gone, as this is an outdoor grow. Although, I believe the plants are sturdy (and hope the strain resilient enough!) to be able to have no issue.

I did leave some small growth at the heart of the third WW, as a mantis had made it its home. I love to share, and you're the people who enjoy this as much as I do! Thank you for stopping by, if you've got any tips on what to do/what could have been different, (that I've done wrong 🤦♂️) or questions, let me know! 😅🤘😎

-Meesta

[HappyDaze]

Nice looking plants...there`s lots of good reasons to clean off excessive foliage during your grow. Too much leaf matter gives bad bugs a place to hide too, and depending on where you live, fungus and mold can be an issue. Opening up airflow through the plants makes them happy, indoors and outdoors. Ask someone who grows tomatoes...LOL, weed growers didn`t invent defoliation techniques, we just copied them..

You mentioned using one plant as a wind barrier for another....as long as they aren`t being damaged by the wind, the one`s that are in the wind the most, will do the best. They`re wind pollinated plants, and they respond to being blown around, by making bigger flowers so you don`t want to overprotect them.

[alltatup]

I agree w/ HappyDaze as long as you don't go overboard outdoors. As you already know, cannabis has a lot more need for leaves outdoors. You don't live in a high humidity region, I assume, so you should have worries about mold and bud rot...

[MeestaFeesha]

Awesome. 😎. Just getting up for the day, about to stroll for a morning brew. Thank you both for the info. I've got some better peace of mind, interesting the rollercoaster ride of my worrying degree. I'll take some better pictures today.

Did end up flushing a garden spider off a plant yesterday, I had been curious where the baby mantids had gone.

[MeestaFeesha]

[alltatup]

Here's my favorite spider where I live:

[alltatup]

PaganRich You're a fine one to talk; there's really no difference between your skull avatar and mine!!!!!


SoOrbudgal It's nephila clavipes, commonly known as a banana spider. I get them all around my house in the summer; very protecting.

[PaganRich]

SoOrbudgal alltatup I can honestly say that protecting would not be a term I`d use...bowel loosening, cardiac inducing, that would be more reflective. I mean Atu you go between gurt big gigantic 8 legged fast killers that nick your bananas (Thieving toe rags) to monkeys that have an advanced aptitude in dogging you right out. I mean they even have the Thousand Yard Stare off to pat...where`s the peace, where`s the harmony. Imagine, you`re sitting down having a Rich Tea and a cuppa, casually look over and see a gurt 8 legged thing coming at you...they`d be tea and biccy`s flying everywhere. No, can`t be having that...I`d be a bundle of nerves by a week Tues

[MeestaFeesha]

😂, eh, spiders are pretty cool. The one that surprises you when you don't expect it, like when I pick up a brick or stone and there's a big ole Black Widow...yea, no thank you. The rest don't bother me none though, I pick em up and move em when necessary

[MeestaFeesha]

Well, god bless the older woman who is always at Ace Hardware..yelling at the kids from time to time, I love it. She mentioned they're having trouble getting ladybugs, and cited this migration in Southern California as a reason 😂. Not sure the merit to it, but thought it was interesting enough to share.

Picked up more Mantis Ooths anyways.

[MeestaFeesha]

Okilly dokilly, hi ho diddly neighbors! 😋

Been in the 80's for a few days, the women have been through a stressful period, but are chugging along wonderfully. The canopy is evening out again, I couldn't be happier. Not sure if I will continue with much LST after this point, the plants are just around two feet tall, I am debating with myself over just letting them go.

The large ladies received 4gal of water today, delivered by 2gal watering cans. The second of which containing full strength nutes of Big Bloom and Grow Big. I normally feed every other watering, being that I removed a fair amount (I believe what I have done is dubbed "Lollipopping") I made the decision to feed them again.

I've added photos of the White Widow that I had worked on last, and will add the other two soon here. Also potted some Sunflowers and a Salvia plant today...and more marigolds! Gonna start LST on the three younger beauties today, their training may be interesting.

Will be adding a bit more throughout the day, thanks for coming and seeing the happenings of this grow journey!

-Meesta

[MeestaFeesha]

If my memory serves me right, we had commented on a topic together where you mentioned your were (zone 3-5?) with roughly 80 days no frost? I can see that being tough, I'm spoiled here 😋(not to rub it in your face 🤦♂️)

[HappyDaze]

Zone 3 ....99 days frost free here. I think the almanac says May twentysomething to second week of September, so I'm just a tad jealous of your temps and extended season. It's probably a good thing though....I get a little obsessive about the plants and spend way too much time puttering with them.

[MeestaFeesha]

Ah yes, as I have learned from this grow all too well.

[MeestaFeesha]

If the previous plant was WW the third of their name, this is WW the second. 🤦♂️😂🤘😎

Also, the lady who is a windshield for her sister. The weather has become much more mild, as well as the addition of LST, where they have movement it's more static.

[MeestaFeesha]

Here we have WW the first of her name. This magnificent lady has been outside since May 25. We've had an up and down relationship, as she was forced outside due to space limitations, and did not appreciate the ubrupt change in lighting/weather conditions. I like to think that there's an understanding now that I treat them better than I treat myself at times!

Being the first plant to receive training as well as pruning, I took care to not remove much, and spent more time than the others on determining the best way to LST. Final picture is the garden corner, it's now the moment for quality time with my three young ladies.

Catch you all on the other side!
-Meesta

[MeestaFeesha]

Finished understanding what to do with the young ladies. Spaced them away from each other and continued LST and supercropping as necessary. Larry OG was moved off by herself, giving both Sugar Black Rose and Strawberry Diesel their needed room.

Strawberry Diesel has really taken off outside, as well as in her new pot. Will try and save her for the future.

I think that's it for me until later this week/this time next week, even then, it will most likely be a watering and growth update. Here's a familiar line to those who have followed or read this far....thank you for stopping by! 🤘😎
-Meesta

[MeestaFeesha]

Ah, just can't stay away, can I?

Took a personal day today, relaxing on the porch and have been witness to the occasional strong gust of wind coming through. I wish I could upload the iPhone's "live" picture. Was just mentioning to a friend I don't think I've laughed while being terrified at the same time. The babes are still very happy, but what a picture we have here.

Took the time to create a hatching terrarium for the next batch of mantids as well. Grabbed whatever succulents were nearby, makeshift temporary home!

Interested in seeing if I can stay away from this site, it's a black hole I'm being sucked into! Haha...I wish I could say I was kidding, 😅.

-Meesta

[HappyDaze]

I wonder if you could raise mushrooms and predator bugs in the same terrarium...LOL... I'm all about efficiency.

[alltatup]

Why would you want to stay away from GWE??? Where else can you go to express your love of cannabis cultivation and mantis hatching????

[MeestaFeesha]

HappyDaze Ha! Given the drive, anything is possible 🤘

alltatup 😂, too true! I won't lie, definitely educated a few people who couldn't care less. I think I've found a new past time in this site.

[MeestaFeesha]

Ladies and gentlemen, correct me if I am wrong, I believe we are underway here. (WW#3)

[alltatup]

STIGMAS!!! Yippee!

[SoOrbudgal]

Excellent I also have 2 mama mia and 1 ww expressing pre flower any day should see stigmas getting really excited. For the love of growing Meesta it's habit forming, I feel no shame

[MeestaFeesha]

Friday evening update.

Good news all! Bought more ladybugs, and found an elusive Mantis, this one may be 1 1/4" long.

Bad news all, I've got some sort of white flies (don't think they're 'whiteflies', not sure what they are to be honest). Wouldn't normally come home after work, and then get right back in the car, but I had to take a trip to the local nursery. All to buy ladybugs for the love of these beauties. Something to be aware of, is that the ladybugs will fly away after time. Through a recommendation and then some research of my own, I'll be hatching some Green Lacewings next week. Definitely more options than these two out there for those curious.

As I believe we're all aware, pest/critter infestations need to be dealt with swiftly. They're able to multiply pretty damn fast, and all stages of the pests' life are detrimental to plant health. After feasting, they excrete what is called "honeydew", and ants love it. The ants will actually help to defend the plant from beneficial predators in order to protect their source, yikes! Gotta get on it.

The babes are really enjoying themselves otherwise, due for a watering in the morning/evening tomorrow. Exciting time here, had just chatted with my neighbor yesterday. He had waved to me and given a thumbs up, 😂. Talked for a little and he mentioned his realization (confirmation?) to what's growing. Morning breeze into his backyard, he thought there was a skunk! Still gotta have a better convo, but I'll bake some dessert and bring it by.

Mwuahaha. Meesta back in full rant mode, interesting new smoke from a friend. Well, if you made it here, thank you all for reading and stopping by! Hope everyone has had/did have a wonderful Friday!
-Meesta

[alltatup]

The girls clearly loved the transplant!!!

[MeestaFeesha]

🐞 Ladybugs ya'll 🐞