PiecE's totally noobish Outdoor Attempt

[PiecEMakeR]

Restructuring and continuing on from my introduction thread, this thread will be about my first (hopefully) successful grow and harvest of what locals in South Africa call Durban Kush. At least that's what I was told. The smell I'm getting from them during trimming was a very sweet, minty and a little woody profile. I think it fits the Myrcene profile best.

After trashing hermies from a different strain, I was disappointed and doubtful these seeds would make it. So much so that I forgot to take pictures of the seedling when she sprouted.
Seed was planted in mid-May 2024.

The first picture I took was on the 16th of October

After a massive storm on Nov 10th that literally ripped roofs of some folk's houses, Miss Kush got hurt and bent. I wasn't sure if she was ready for harvest but I went ahead regardless.

Clipping and first drying on 11th Nov. As this is a first time for me, I tried to cut only the bigger fan leaves and some smaller ones that stood closer to the bud.

Quite happy with the yield, as a first timer I don't know what to expect really. I suppose some people's yields are a lot more.
Drying in a spare room of mine, with a fan subtly circulating the air above and not directly on the buds. I've got the window open too. First pic with light on, second with light off. Darkness is a thing apparently.

(To be Continued...)

 

[Oldchucky]

Congrats on your first harvest! And welcome! Are you growing here in the states?

 

[PiecEMakeR]

Congrats on your first harvest! And welcome! Are you growing here in the states?

Thank you! Growing from South Africa's country side. Our summer rains have just started with average high temperatures of about 29ºC (85ºF). I'm thinking it's the perfect weather to start my second attempt but I should probably hold off and test these first.

 

[Oldchucky]

I thought you might be down there! So you grew those outdoors all winter? Or did you grow them indoors and recently move them out? Yeah, you might as well get after your second run! Summer waits for no one!

 

[PiecEMakeR]

Outdoors all winter through, and we went through a really cold spell too.
Gave her all of the morning sun I could give and shielded her next to that wall you can see in the photos. No covers though. I think what helped was to not overwater her. I would intentionally not water her when temps dropped below freeze point.

Being down here, you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to source anything. Getting an indoor tent with basic equipment would cost me +2 month's salary, and I would much rather spend that on my family. We don't have the same kind of Amazon with readily available products as in the States and importing isn't an easy endeavor. So I made due with feeding her general flower fertilizer and making sure she was pest free.

For the growing stage, I don't know if I would change anything. I'm quite happy with how things turned out. Next up is getting a hygrometer and jars.
Thanks for being with me on my journey.

 

[Oldchucky]

Looking forward to it! I’m surprised they look as good as they do considering they were grown in the winter when there’s hardly any sunlight and it gets a bit nippy! I think you can count on doing a lot better this summer. Do some research and find out the best time to put them outdoors full-time in your area! If you’re growing photoperiod plants you have to pay attention to the hours of daylight, to get the best results! I have been burned by putting them out too early! Give it hell!

 

[PiecEMakeR]

Success!

I learned a few things with the drying and curing process. Constant room temperature is important when hang drying. I moved mine outside after the first few days as the Chlorophyll smell was overbearing which I never should've done. I think I lost a fair chunk of my terpenes this way but I could be wrong. I was done drying only 7 days after I started, afraid I'd lose all the humidity in them I decided to bottle up and start my curing process.

Still waiting for my hygrometers to be delivered, I initially thought my buds were too dry as the stems snapped easily. 2 days passed, meters got delivered, popped one in and saw I was on 78% humidity. So quite the reverse. Got me a normal silica gel packet together with the hygrometer and continued the curing process.

The first few days of burping the jar a lot, the Chlorophyll smell got more pungent until around day 4-5 when I first noticed the terpene smell again. I couldn't wait any longer and made my first batch of CannaOil with coconut oil. Making milky drinks with the oil has been a learning curve but I'm enjoying the high. As with any other edibles though, the high is mellow. I'll have to figure out my dosing still.

 

[Galgrows]

Well you certainly got skills for growing. Outdoor grows are a real challenge with all the different weather and bug issues we face and yours turned out healthy. In the states it takes us nearly 6months from seed sprout to harvest. I start mine indoors and try to get them big enough to hold up to the outdoor elements. We put them out in mid June when daylight hours are long enough then harvest late Sept into Oct. It tries one's patience for sure and try our best not to harvest early. I grow in pots and move them around out of harms way. Congrats on your harvest and learning, welcome to the forum

 

[Oldchucky]

Success!

I learned a few things with the drying and curing process. Constant room temperature is important when hang drying. I moved mine outside after the first few days as the Chlorophyll smell was overbearing which I never should've done. I think I lost a fair chunk of my terpenes this way but I could be wrong. I was done drying only 7 days after I started, afraid I'd lose all the humidity in them I decided to bottle up and start my curing process.

View attachment 2330734

Still waiting for my hygrometers to be delivered, I initially thought my buds were too dry as the stems snapped easily. 2 days passed, meters got delivered, popped one in and saw I was on 78% humidity. So quite the reverse. Got me a normal silica gel packet together with the hygrometer and continued the curing process.

View attachment 2330733

The first few days of burping the jar a lot, the Chlorophyll smell got more pungent until around day 4-5 when I first noticed the terpene smell again. I couldn't wait any longer and made my first batch of CannaOil with coconut oil. Making milky drinks with the oil has been a learning curve but I'm enjoying the high. As with any other edibles though, the high is mellow. I'll have to figure out my dosing still.

Yeah, it’s easy to overestimate the dryness! Helps to have a little something to get you in the ballpark! Way to go!