Experimenting with clones and dirt: A Black Thumb Adventure.

[Nate_in_AK]

Prior to flipping my last crop to flower, I clipped 8 small stems and stuck them into Rapid Rooter plugs. 6 of those clippings developed roots. I kept them alive under a make-shift rig with a few household LED bulbs that had the diffusers removed.

I harvested the crop from my tent, I transplanted the healthiest looking 2 plants into real pots:

(I gave the other 4 plants to a friend)

The pots are filled with 90% MG Organic Pro 10% Perlite.

After a couple of weeks of real light and some General Hydro nutrients, I climbed up onto the pots and stomped on my plants. (I jest, but you get the idea)

The tent is around 70-85F/65% Humidity. Light is Viperspectra 2020 Pro (or something like that)

I figure they are good to flip to flower now, but interested in feedback -- would there be any significant advantage to a little longer in veg??

Peace!

 

[Aqua Man]

Prior to flipping my last crop to flower, I clipped 8 small stems and stuck them into Rapid Rooter plugs. 6 of those clippings developed roots. I kept them alive under a make-shift rig with a few household LED bulbs that had the diffusers removed.
View attachment 1126238

I harvested the crop from my tent, I transplanted the healthiest looking 2 plants into real pots:
View attachment 1126237
(I gave the other 4 plants to a friend)

The pots are filled with 90% MG Organic Pro 10% Perlite.

After a couple of weeks of real light and some General Hydro nutrients, I climbed up onto the pots and stomped on my plants. (I jest, but you get the idea)
View attachment 1126235
The tent is around 70-85F/65% Humidity. Light is Viperspectra 2020 Pro (or something like that)

I figure they are good to flip to flower now, but interested in feedback -- would there be any significant advantage to a little longer in veg??

Peace!

Great job.... 1 tip to keep clones from yellowing when rooting is to reduce the light intensity to a bare minimum even ambient light in a room is enough. Just want to keep them from flowering. They yellow because light drives photosynthesis and that requires nutrients so until the grow roots to take them up its best to have them photosynthesize as little as possible and let them use the stored energy to create roots.

I find they root a bit faster also when not being driven to photosynthesize as much.

Sure is nice to do your own clones though

 

[mancorn]

I’d concur with Aqua Man and add that it looks like the early clones got light burn, as the yellowing happened in circles. Some plants have yellow in the center of the leaves, some are yellow on the edge of the leaves. It almost looks like there wasn't a diffuser on the lights.

Grows looking good!

 

[Nate_in_AK]

What a difference a few days makes. Flipped lights on May 20th.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 1 flowering stage:

Feeding General Hydro 3-part FloraSeries + CalMag @ vendor recommended strength.
Tent is 70-85F / 60-65% humidity.
The non-uniformity of the canopy bugs me, but it's my own fault for not taking better care of the clones while they were on deck for the tent.

 

[One drop]

End of week 1 flowering stage:
View attachment 1129688

Feeding General Hydro 3-part FloraSeries + CalMag @ vendor recommended strength.
Tent is 70-85F / 60-65% humidity.
The non-uniformity of the canopy bugs me, but it's my own fault for not taking better care of the clones while they were on deck for the tent.

Nice work mate your starting to get more green on your thumb not so black anymore

 

[Nate_in_AK]

Nice work mate your starting to get more green on your thumb not so black anymore

Kind words, OD. I do feel like I am understanding the plants a tiny bit better. Have had to work hard for it because my instincts are pretty much always wrong.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

@One drop : Thumb still kinda black

Oops.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of Flower week 2:

Significantly more developed than the last crop at the same 2-week mark. I suspect I may have been underfeeding with the hydro setup.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 3:

I think I'll do some defoliation this week, getting a little crowded under the canopy. Watering schedule is working out to every 72 hours. Feeding with every watering. Humidity still running at 65%.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 4:

As you can see, I didn't defoliate yet, but really need to do it soon.

The thriving success of the plants in dirt suggests to me that I was not getting the hydro environment tuned in as well as I thought I was.
This dirt experiment may prove to be a conversion experience.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

Side by side of last grow vs this grow @ week 4.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 5:

Moderate defoliation this week. Colas feel very dense, I may have to add support for some of the taller ones if they get too fat. Not a problem I mind having to plan for. :)
Defoliation reveals the sad little section in the middle-front that didn't quite develop the same should arguably just get chopped, but it's getting light and developing ok.

Watering once every 3rd day, and feeding 2 times out of every 3.
Humidity 60%. Temperatures 68-82F.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 6:

Following medium feed schedule, feeding with every other watering. It's not very scientific of me, but the day-to-day maturation process feels like it was less pronounced when I let them go 2 waterings without food, or 2 feedings back to back. I could just be dreaming it up in my head too. Regardless, the colas feel very solid, and this makes me optimistic that this crop will yield denser buds than the last batch.

 

[Frankster]

@One drop : Thumb still kinda black

View attachment 1131580

Oops.

wouldn't hurt to mend that one a bit better, maybe wrap some tape around one branch above, then wrap it toward the others side, make it a bit stronger, or even use the ties, same way, but above, keeping the two stems from moving apart from one another.


Flowers look fantastic, such a beautiful grow you've got going on there.
Dude your a freaking doppelganger for a friend of mine that just passed away a little while back.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

wouldn't hurt to mend that one a bit better, maybe wrap some tape around one branch above, then wrap it toward the others side, make it a bit stronger, or even use the ties, same way, but above, keeping the two stems from moving apart from one another.


Flowers look fantastic, such a beautiful grow you've got going on there.
Dude your a freaking doppelganger for a friend of mine that just passed away a little while back.

My condolences on the passing of your friend.

I have no idea why I chose that picture when I created my account, I took it while goofing around with the kids and some old blanket. I often use Gru from Despicable Me as a profile icon; he's my spirit animal. (or something)

Unfortunately I didn't notice the split in the trunk right away when it happened, so it had dried up some by the time I addressed it, and thus did not fully heal. Damn clumsy Shrek hands. I did have it wrapped and supported for a week or two after the incident.

Thanks for the kind words. I've never been good with plants, couldn't even keep a rhubarb bush alive. I keep nearly killing my cannabis crops, but this one is the healthiest so far. I'm not sure how much I can prevent my Shrek mitts from breaking another branch in the future, but I feel like I'm slowly getting the hang of how to prevent killing them. Some day that progress might aspire all the way into something that resembles actual cultivation.

Peace!

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 7:

I have been enjoying the harvest from my last crop of Sherbet Queen. I'm pleased that red eye and dry mouth are very minimal with this strain, compared with most flower I get from local shops.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 8 and it's autumn in the tent!

I plan to give water only until harvest, which I expect will be end of the month.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

End of week 9.

Chop next weekend. They have been on water only since July 13th.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

Chopped.