Big Jay's Cream Caramel Grow (first grow)

[bigjay420]

@DP- Thanks for the info and encouragement! I plan on buying another 600W for a separate veg room. Not sure if it'll be on the second or third grow, though. I'm doing 3 autos (Sweet Seeds Black Devil), and the rest will be fem or reg. I know I'm doing some Critical Sensi Star, Bubblegummer, Afghan Kush Special, and Darkstar fems. I might have some other treats thrown in there as well. But, I'm not sure, yet. Just found out we're pregnant, so $ for acquiring new seeds will be scarce for a bit. I hear great things about MGG's Speed Berry. So, I'm currently trying to acquire some of that. I'm hoping to start 12 plants, and whittle it down to 8 or 10. I'm not using 1/3 of the closet space, now, so I think that's a reasonable goal.

 

[Max Frost]

@DP- Thanks for the info and encouragement! I plan on buying another 600W for a separate veg room. Not sure if it'll be on the second or third grow, though. I'm doing 3 autos (Sweet Seeds Black Devil), and the rest will be fem or reg. I know I'm doing some Critical Sensi Star, Bubblegummer, Afghan Kush Special, and Darkstar fems. I might have some other treats thrown in there as well. But, I'm not sure, yet. Just found out we're pregnant, so $ for acquiring new seeds will be scarce for a bit. I hear great things about MGG's Speed Berry. So, I'm currently trying to acquire some of that. I'm hoping to start 12 plants, and whittle it down to 8 or 10. I'm not using 1/3 of the closet space, now, so I think that's a reasonable goal.

A BABY?!!!! :joyful: Congratulations, bro!!! That's really super! If it turns out NOT to be a female tho...DON'T GET RID OF IT!!! Those Speedberry's are really marvelous plants! The structure is as good as I've seen and it's super easy to grow! She's not a huge feeder either, so don't load her up too much until you see what she asks for! I think MGG is gonna hook you up, but you should PM him. If he doesn't, I have a few left so let me know.

Sounds like a good line-up, bro! Can't wait to see them in action! The 600 you're planning for veg, is great, but with your set-up, I'd strongly consider using T-5's for veg. You'll have allot less heat and power draw to deal with. Also...and this is just my opinion...I like the T-5's for veg MUCH better than anything else I've used, and I've used MH, HPS,and floros. IMO, the T-5 stacks nodes tighter and gives you better vegetative growth overall and a more vigorous plant. And it'll save you money, too! If you decide to go with T-5's, I recommend the Bad Boy HO T-5's WITH the Quantum bulbs. The Quantum bulbs give you a better spectrum and more output than standard bulbs. I just vegged a round with my new Bad Boy, and couldn't be happier. My UNO VHO T-5 is brighter still, and uses the 110 watt Himalaya bulbs, which also have increased output and a better spectrum. It draws about 450 watts tho and does put off more heat than standard T-5's...but not nearly as much as the 600 would. I haven't used the UNO VHO for veg...only flowering...but IMO, it would be a KICK-ASS veg rig!!! Food for thought! Best of luck, bro!

Best,

Max :wacky:

 

[bigjay420]

A BABY?!!!! :joyful: Congratulations, bro!!! That's really super! If it turns out NOT to be a female tho...DON'T GET RID OF IT!!! Those Speedberry's are really marvelous plants! The structure is as good as I've seen and it's super easy to grow! She's not a huge feeder either, so don't load her up too much until you see what she asks for! I think MGG is gonna hook you up, but you should PM him. If he doesn't, I have a few left so let me know.

Sounds like a good line-up, bro! Can't wait to see them in action! The 600 you're planning for veg, is great, but with your set-up, I'd strongly consider using T-5's for veg. You'll have allot less heat and power draw to deal with. Also...and this is just my opinion...I like the T-5's for veg MUCH better than anything else I've used, and I've used MH, HPS,and floros. IMO, the T-5 stacks nodes tighter and gives you better vegetative growth overall and a more vigorous plant. And it'll save you money, too! If you decide to go with T-5's, I recommend the Bad Boy HO T-5's WITH the Quantum bulbs. The Quantum bulbs give you a better spectrum and more output than standard bulbs. I just vegged a round with my new Bad Boy, and couldn't be happier. My UNO VHO T-5 is brighter still, and uses the 110 watt Himalaya bulbs, which also have increased output and a better spectrum. It draws about 450 watts tho and does put off more heat than standard T-5's...but not nearly as much as the 600 would. I haven't used the UNO VHO for veg...only flowering...but IMO, it would be a KICK-ASS veg rig!!! Food for thought! Best of luck, bro!

Best,

Max :wacky:

Haha! Hopefully, it'll be a keeper. Long as it's not a herm, we'll be fine. lol. I hadn't even thought about the T-5's. Will definitely be looking into all your info, tonight. I could definitely use better results with a lower light bill. You know I'll be hitting you up with pics of the new grow space, and diggin' it that ganja filled brain of yours on the whole setup. As for the Speed Berry, I hit up MGG, but never heard back from him. He's probably busy being awesome somewhere. I'd holler at him again, but I don't wanna bug the poor feller. He knows what I'm after. lol. Who knows... Maybe he'll stumble across this thread, and decide to help a po' boy out. ;) Anyway... I'm also gonna be runnin' those AC's, I failed to mention that previously... Hopefully I won't shit the bed too bad with those beasts. Looks like you're the only man who might get to test that tasty smoke, from what I've read... Got my fingers crossed for ya!BTW... How many plants you think I can run at a time under the 600W I'm currently using?

Always a fuckin' pleasure!
Jay

 

[BakedReality]

@DP- Thanks for the info and encouragement! I plan on buying another 600W for a separate veg room. Not sure if it'll be on the second or third grow, though. I'm doing 3 autos (Sweet Seeds Black Devil), and the rest will be fem or reg. I know I'm doing some Critical Sensi Star, Bubblegummer, Afghan Kush Special, and Darkstar fems. I might have some other treats thrown in there as well. But, I'm not sure, yet. Just found out we're pregnant, so $ for acquiring new seeds will be scarce for a bit. I hear great things about MGG's Speed Berry. So, I'm currently trying to acquire some of that. I'm hoping to start 12 plants, and whittle it down to 8 or 10. I'm not using 1/3 of the closet space, now, so I think that's a reasonable goal.

is the Bubblegummer a freebie? tried a couple I think years ago...ok...not very strong...good luck! If that is World of Seeds Afghan Kush Special...it will be a good one...start at least 2 if ya have it...you will find one good one. I ran out some of there Afghan fem line...findind a couple of gems. I have a pack of their land race afghan been waiting to start the whole pack...

 

[bigjay420]

is the Bubblegummer a freebie? tried a couple I think years ago...ok...not very strong...good luck! If that is World of Seeds Afghan Kush Special...it will be a good one...start at least 2 if ya have it...you will find one good one. I ran out some of there Afghan fem line...findind a couple of gems. I have a pack of their land race afghan been waiting to start the whole pack...

That Bubblegummer was a freebie, sir. I heard the same report on it from a few others, so I figured it would be good to pull out for late night jam sessions with my band. I smoke like crazy when I write music, so it'll be nice to have something weaker I can smoke on pretty heavy and still function. And, the Afghan is from world of seeds. Both are fem. With exception of some gifted Animal Cookies (thanks Max), everything I have is femmed. I havent heard of the Land Race Afghan... Is it fire?

Thanks for your input, my friend! And please feel free to stop by and give more. I can ALWAYS use another great grower to learn from. Cheers from the South!!!

 

[Don Peppy]

I cram 5 under my 400 watter.. You'll pull in some nice dense buds with that 600.. I like the line-up.. Heat will be your issue if any.. Congrats on the good news..

 

[bigjay420]

I cram 5 under my 400 watter.. You'll pull in some nice dense buds with that 600.. I like the line-up.. Heat will be your issue if any.. Congrats on the good news..

Thanks DP! Got some fans... Trying to acquire a whole vent system when I get the new lights.

 

[BakedReality]

the Afghan Kush land race is reg's...I did not run the Afghan Kush Special...just there Afghan Kush...if I recall tho...the special is super frosty. I will be watching to check it out....

 

[Max Frost]

Thanks for the kind words! I'm not sure it's all merited tho. :shy: The 600 will cover about a 4'x4' area pretty well. Allot of folks will say 5'x5', but when I ran a 600 watt HPS (which is, by the way my very favorite light) I found 4'x4' to be a more realistic size. As far as the number of plants...you have to decide what you're going for. Keep in mind the plant count and the laws. In your state, the charges and penalties increase if you have over 10 plants total. If this is a concern, you'll want to go with fewer...but much larger plants. If you go for an average size indica plant, I would think about 16 total, giving each plant about a square foot of it's own. (Four rows of four plants). You can try starting there and then adjusting depending on what you're seeing. That's about the space I'm giving them in my tent right now. It's a bit crowded, but it's working. You can thin that down to about 10 or 12 plants and just veg a bit longer and get close to the same yield from the space. Again...it depends on what you want to do.

LMAO...when I first got my 600, I was growing in the bathtub in the guest bath. (No Mom, I'm sorry...you CAN'T come visit anymore)! haha. I just crammed that puppy full. I had large plants in the tub and smaller ones surrounding the rim. I even had plants on the floor beside the tub. They were everywhere! (Those were good times)! Good luck bro. I'm gonna PM you about something too.

Best,

Max :wacky:

 

[Don Peppy]

The No Vacancy sign is never lit at the Maxy Pad!.. I say cram them in there big j

 

[bigjay420]

Week 8 of this roller coaster has not been one of interest. The wonderment is gone. The magic is gone. A few days ago, the fan in my closet went out while I was at work. I came home late to find CRISPY ladies. Like, deep fried those bitches. I feel bad for them. Every time I turn them around it's a new problem. I know I have DESTROYED the NLXBB. It's not even flowering. I removed most of the burnt leaves on all the plants. If it was 70% burnt, I gently pulled it. I am more excited about the next run than actually finishing these. With everything I'm learning, it'll be a different ballgame. But, I have to give it up to the cream caramels. They're taking some brutal punishment from a noob, and they're hangin' in there. I will probably test out more from Sweet Seeds, but I'll be staying away from ALL autos from ALL breeders. They're just not for me. Thanks for stopping by. As always, any advise is welcome. Cheers from the South!


@DP- Max sent me a great link about my state laws, so I will be keeping my count under 10. Which is what I was thinking. Might whittle it down to 8. I'm not looking to go crazy, anyway. I just want enough for myself. I figure 8-10 will do the trick fer me and my ol' lady. Also, I found a place to grow away from home that is 100% safe. Though a bit less convenient, I feel it will be much safer. I'll send you a link when I get my next grow goin'. Thanks for stoppin' in, man!

@Max- Thanks for the PM bro! You're always coming through with that good advise. I was thinking about setting up in the guest bath to have a bit more space. Plus, it'll beat the hell outta luggin' around that water can. TTYS, my friend!

 

[Don Peppy]

Oh man bro.. Bummer.. Viewer discretion advised .. Been there.. Brush it off and pop some more beans. and feel the magic again.. best to ya J..

 

[bigjay420]

Oh man bro.. Bummer.. Viewer discretion advised .. Been there.. Brush it off and pop some more beans. and feel the magic again.. best to ya J..

Yeah, that's the plan. I am gonna stick it out and finish these. I should still get some smoke, I think... Maybe not a truck load, but a little. There's some studly little budleys that are growing (slowly). I already have the next grow planned out. I'm waiting on a few gifted beans from friends, and tryin' to dig up more on a limited budget. As soon as they arrive/ are located, I'm gonna get 'em crackin'. It should be much better. I mean, hell... I wasn't even PHing my water for over half this grow, and when I started PHing, I got some terrible info from some know nothings, and did it wrong. I didn't have any calmag until recently, and I didn't understand proper ventilation. So, taking all that (and more) into account, I have no one to blame other than myself for this failure. To tell ya the truth, I'm proud to have gotten them this far. Tried to grow in college, and couldn't get them past 2 weeks... So, this was a surprise! Anyway, live and learn... Thanks for the support. Any friend of Max is a friend of mine. Cheers, my friend!

 

[Max Frost]

The No Vacancy sign is never lit at the Maxy Pad!.. I say cram them in there big j

Like the ad says...We'll leave the light on for ya! Haha! We damn sure WILL!

Jay...IMO, you have NOTHING to feel bad about! I think for your first run, you've done SUPER! DP's advice is right on the money! Pop some new gear, think about what you've learned, and as he put it so succinctly...Feel The Magic again! Your next run will be SO different for you. This run you've spent all your time and energies into putting out fires as they come up...and you've done great! Next round, we'll stay ahead of those issues and they shouldn't even come up. The best way to battle deficiencies and problems...is not to have them in the first place! Be sure and hit me up before you pop them, and we'll plan out a schedule for you that should do just that!

This run has been a great learning experience for you. Next round you SHOULD get to see how things are supposed to go without all the probs. Good times are ahead bro!

Best,

Max :wacky:

 

[soserthc1]

Didnt read all this but grew in a closet for years and unless your closet is in a basement (mine was on the top floor) you will have heat issues and will need to be around 24/7 on heat waves when the rest of the world is at the beach .

1) air cooled is a must !!!!
2) remove the air vent if you have one and run air out there ... air in under door air out thru roof ..... carbon filter required
3) heard u mention the neighbors like the good weed your growing , them neighbors will destroy your security - if they have not all ready .....TELL NO ONE .....imho
4) congrads on baby .......leave the auto junk alone ......

.blessings
soserismthe highcrowd...........

 

[bigjay420]

Didnt read all this but grew in a closet for years and unless your closet is in a basement (mine was on the top floor) you will have heat issues and will need to be around 24/7 on heat waves when the rest of the world is at the beach .

1) air cooled is a must !!!!
2) remove the air vent if you have one and run air out there ... air in under door air out thru roof ..... carbon filter required
3) heard u mention the neighbors like the good weed your growing , them neighbors will destroy your security - if they have not all ready .....TELL NO ONE .....imho
4) congrads on baby .......leave the auto junk alone ......

.blessings
soserismthe highcrowd...........

Thanks for stopping in, my friend. I think you may have misunderstood. I meant they enjoy me not being in my back yard acting a fool. They have NO idea why I'm MIA. I have told no one I'm growing (other than you fine folks). Thanks for all the advise, and feel free to stop back by with more!

 

[bigjay420]

@Max-
Thanks for "taking me under your wing". Soon, we'll be soaring like eagles high in the sky, momma bird. I have no idea what that means... I'm super baked right now. Moving on... Your help is priceless, man. I'm no longer discouraged by this grow... The more I read about autos, the more I realize how janky they are. That, coupled with my inexperience... there was nothing I could do. Plus, I should still get enough smoke to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I'll let ya know how that goes. I'm ordering everything for my next run, as we speak. The last hydro store in my area shut down, so it's online or bust. Any good sites you'd recommend? Also, I was thinking of mixing some of Subcool's super soil. Ever tried it? I've been reading a lot about it, and it seems like the way to go. Then again, autos seemed like a good idea while researching... So, I'd like to get some educated opinions. TTYS, my friend!

 

[og dmc]

Hey there Jay, if you need any tips or suggestions let me know. I happen to be from the south too. Maybe i can give you some tips to put you on a highly productive path. I also have some strains I've been developing that are really hardy. Ive sent a few in for distribution as freebies. Anyway, maybe we can come up with a formula of technique and genetics that will suit your needs.

 

[Mikenite69]

First Let me start by saying I don't know why anyone would ph organic nutes but to each there own. Maybe in coco you might want to but even then I don't ph nothing. You will realize ph down causes more problems then it does any good. To me by looking at your pics you are growing in peat. Yes I understand that u want your nutrients readily available but IMHO they become available because of the natural buffers in soil or peat. Now what you put into it the peat will usually always bounce back to a ph of around 7. Plus organic nutrients stay in The soil and the plants take what they need when they need it. I have ran full grows start to finish and haven't ph'd one time through the whole grow and plants were absolutely fine. As a matter of fact the plants I am growing right now I don't ph nothing and I run iguana juice grow with aptus start boost and facillitator. For flower I will be using advanced Mother Earth tea bloom as well as some non organic nutrients like big up and rock resonator.

This is what I use when I ph anything silica blast ph up and humic acid ph down. That is the organic way of adjusting ph. But like I said really with organic nutrients there is no need to ph anything plants will take what they need from the medium.

I also have plants right now in blocked coco that with organic nutes I don't ph a thing and plants are Absolutely fine.

Now another issue autos are such low matienance plants that you really don't need to shove nutrients down there throat. A little motto to live by is less is more approach when feeding any plant unless they are heavy feeders.. You also really shouldn't feed plants unless they really need it. Think of it like a human you feed them all this crap and in a human we become less productive same as pretty much a cannabis plant.

I haven't read your whole thread only a few pages but felt I should comment about the whole ph and this and that like I said peat has natural buffers in it so nutrients will become available to the plant no matter if you ph or not. Especially organic nutes where they sit in the soil and plants grab what they need.

I am not trying to start a shit throwing match or claiming anyone's methods are wrong. I have been growing in promix for about 15 years and before internet days and never ph'ed anything back then all the way till now. There is so many things that can and will go wrong by ph'in in peat to much of a ph swing one way or the other and your plants will turn to shit fast.

Now hydro is a whole other story that you need to be accurate with EC and ph soil not really as much. Good luck with your grow. Also one last thing if you are trying to correct issues with your plant try one thing at a time I know it is hard because u want to straighten them out but if you don't wait to see if the issue is resolved in a couple of days u are just risking causing more issues.

 

[bigjay420]

First Let me start by saying I don't know why anyone would ph organic nutes but to each there own. Maybe in coco you might want to but even then I don't ph nothing. You will realize ph down causes more problems then it does any good. To me by looking at your pics you are growing in peat. Yes I understand that u want your nutrients readily available but IMHO they become available because of the natural buffers in soil or peat. Now what you put into it the peat will usually always bounce back to a ph of around 7. Plus organic nutrients stay in The soil and the plants take what they need when they need it. I have ran full grows start to finish and haven't ph'd one time through the whole grow and plants were absolutely fine. As a matter of fact the plants I am growing right now I don't ph nothing and I run iguana juice grow with aptus start boost and facillitator. For flower I will be using advanced Mother Earth tea bloom as well as some non organic nutrients like big up and rock resonator.

This is what I use when I ph anything silica blast ph up and humic acid ph down. That is the organic way of adjusting ph. But like I said really with organic nutrients there is no need to ph anything plants will take what they need from the medium.

I also have plants right now in blocked coco that with organic nutes I don't ph a thing and plants are Absolutely fine.

Now another issue autos are such low matienance plants that you really don't need to shove nutrients down there throat. A little motto to live by is less is more approach when feeding any plant unless they are heavy feeders.. You also really shouldn't feed plants unless they really need it. Think of it like a human you feed them all this crap and in a human we become less productive same as pretty much a cannabis plant.

I haven't read your whole thread only a few pages but felt I should comment about the whole ph and this and that like I said peat has natural buffers in it so nutrients will become available to the plant no matter if you ph or not. Especially organic nutes where they sit in the soil and plants grab what they need.

I am not trying to start a shit throwing match or claiming anyone's methods are wrong. I have been growing in promix for about 15 years and before internet days and never ph'ed anything back then all the way till now. There is so many things that can and will go wrong by ph'in in peat to much of a ph swing one way or the other and your plants will turn to shit fast.

Now hydro is a whole other story that you need to be accurate with EC and ph soil not really as much. Good luck with your grow. Also one last thing if you are trying to correct issues with your plant try one thing at a time I know it is hard because u want to straighten them out but if you don't wait to see if the issue is resolved in a couple of days u are just risking causing more issues.

Thanks so much for the advice. This was my first run. I do everything much differently now. I use super soil. More lights more space. I have exhaust now. I have multiple chambers and have WAY less problems. I still PH, though. Just a preference. Here's a pic of one of 2 flower chambers.