Junk's Growing Log

[SmithsJunk]

looks male

Agreed. I don't really have any experience with males so young flowers are hard for me to identify. Judging just by the sise alone, even without further developement, I'd say male.

Tempted to keep it for pollen because of the strain but there are plenty of new strains out there for me to try without crying over the loss of this one. I have one more and it hasn't developed preflowers yet. To me that's a good sign since the fem flowers usually start a bit later. If I can get a female from one of each of my five different strains I'll be in good shape (...and the four Banana Ice Creams are almost guaranteed fems). I know a lot more about cloning than popping beans. Not necessarily cloning cannabis but I've done a whole lot of roses.

 

[SmithsJunk]

I think it may be a bit early to tell. I've seen some lately that look male kinda, but its really just like a little branch starting instead of a pre-flower. Sometimes they like to be difficult lol. Now I been waiting till I either see hairs or the little bunches of balls. I thought I could spot them early like that but this last grow proved me wrong.

I'm holding out because the Cannabis Encyclopedia is saying the same thing you are. Though, these preflowers look exactly like the picture of the males in the book. Looking at the right one up close, that blurr could be the beginning of a hair but if I can't tell by tomorrow morning it probably isn't. My first female was obvious within a day, but still, different strains.

 

[SmithsJunk]

Grow Log 5/30/18 Daily

I thought the stipules crossing was supposed to indicate females. Is that just some bullsh*t wives-tale?

 

[justiceman]

Sweet log you have going on here! I'm digging the outdoor/indoor style and I can't wait to see those outdoor plants blow up in 200gal smarties. I'm with Heisenbubble with the Banana Crack looking like a male but some more time to make certain isn't a bad idea. I've never tried azamax but good old neem oil and some dawn dish soap have always seemed to work quite well for a bit of an outdoor pest preventative. It's a bit cheaper than azamax.

 

[SmithsJunk]

Sweet log you have going on here! I'm digging the outdoor/indoor style and I can't wait to see those outdoor plants blow up in 200gal smarties. I'm with Heisenbubble with the Banana Crack looking like a male but some more time to make certain isn't a bad idea. I've never tried azamax but good old neem oil and some dawn dish soap have always seemed to work quite well for a bit of an outdoor pest preventative. It's a bit cheaper than azamax.

Thank you very much. Another year, another learning experience. I have preflowers appearing on most of my plants and all but the femmed Banana Ice Cream look the same. Either I've got a whole bunch of males or it's just too early to tell. Aside from a raging case of spider mites last year the grow went pretty well. I've got a good feeling about this year too. Hopefully minus the borg. I'll post more pics of the preflowers on different plants in a few days, once they're a little more identifiable.

Azamax is a great weapon against spider mites and for the most part, very safe. I wouldn't use anything else during the flower cycle (for mites). That's for sure. All the precautions for spraying it turned out to be overkill. The first time I was wrapped like a mummy and by the last application I had it so dialed I was spraying in a tank top and shorts. Make sure it isn't too windy, set your Hudson sprayer to just shy of a stream, and drench those b*tches (underside first, then go back over the tops.) Direct contact with the mites is absolutely essential. If you get cut/bud worms then use the Spinosad bacteria instead (Capt. Jack's Dead Bug). Between the two, I think everything is covered. Except russet mites, and your crop is pretty much f^cked if you've got those bastards.

 

[justiceman]

That's right! Many don't spray the undersides and wonder why the sprays didn't work. I've gotten bud worms in the past man they suck but fortunately I have not run into russet mites so far. I've heard and seen the horror stories from them :drunk:

 

[SmithsJunk]

That's right! Many don't spray the undersides and wonder why the sprays didn't work. I've gotten bud worms in the past man they suck but fortunately I have not run into russet mites so far. I've heard and seen the horror stories from them :drunk:

My cousin got budworms last year. They launch out of our oaks 2x a year by the thousands. My shade cloth was effective against them last year. My cousin's plants were in the open only 5' away from my girls. They browned several of his colas and never touched any of my girls. The little f^ckers start at the top and eat their way straight through the core of the top cola. It looks just like bud rot but if you break off the dead top you'll find the worm. You can save the cola if you catch them quickly.

 

[SmithsJunk]

Grow Log 5/31/18 Daily

 

[justiceman]

My cousin got budworms last year. They launch out of our oaks 2x a year by the thousands. My shade cloth was effective against them last year. My cousin's plants were in the open only 5' away from my girls. They browned several of his colas and never touched any of my girls. The little f^ckers start at the top and eat their way straight through the core of the top cola. It looks just like bud rot but if you break off the dead top you'll find the worm. You can save the cola if you catch them quickly.

That's a good idea covering the area with shade cloth. Last time I neemed my plants a little bit before flower and although I got a few it seemed to be far less prevalent the other years I have experienced them. Ya isn't it crazy you just open up the bud and there they are :cry:. To top it off if it rains you get bud mold for real from all the damage and pooped out flowers ugh.

The garden is looking great right now!

 

[SmithsJunk]

Grow Log 6/1/18 Daily

I'm going to try to get it down to four plants next time. Had no idea they were going to get this thick. Probably should flip the day I can identify all the preflowers but I think I'll push it. They're stacking so tight and I'm pretty sure one of the Orange Creamsicle is male. So there should be room.

Ladybug pupa all over my fence and shade cloth.

 

[SmithsJunk]

That's a good idea covering the area with shade cloth. Last time I neemed my plants a little bit before flower and although I got a few it seemed to be far less prevalent the other years I have experienced them. Ya isn't it crazy you just open up the bud and there they are :cry:. To top it off if it rains you get bud mold for real from all the damage and pooped out flowers ugh.

The garden is looking great right now!

Thank you.

 

[SmithsJunk]

Sex? Looking to me like it still could go either way. A more elongated tip is a fem trait. Every preflower I've seen on my my plants has started as a spade shape. Except the one Banana Ice Cream I didn't see develope. One of the Creamsicle I'm almost certain is male. It has both the spade shape and a little bit of a stalk at It's base. As soon as it's big enough I'll get some pics. I now see why sexing plants can get confusing. Until you can see hairs or balls it's very hard to tell. I'm hoping the banana ethylene trick worked and I got mostly fems.

This one went all f^cktard and is probably useless for identification.

So, if I'm right, Yay. Got a fem Banana Crack. The name alone makes me want try it (Not because I desire to smoke crack but as an indicator of it's intensity, rofl.) Plus, as I've said before, it's one of my best looking plants. Next in line are the Creamsicles, then the indoor RNK, etc...

The Creamsicles are impressive specimens. Every one of them is stout, lush, and has about a .5" stalk already. If I run them longer and the bracts develope more this year, they could be a very pleasant surprise. For those who weren't following, last year they produced these beautiful, rotten pear stink buds, totally loaded with crystals. When dried they lost 90% of their weight. All sugar shake and almost no perceivable bracts. This year I'm giving them a chance to fully develope.

I laid them on the ground like mandalas using low stress training. The secondary branches became like primaries. My hope was that I could get an equal amount of sun to all flowers. Kind of like a mix of supercropping and mainlining, without any pruning. I did not know what I was doing. I didn't do any more training and the flowers grew in multiple levels and in every direction. It was an experiment I'd love to try again but with a lot more room. I still think with training and enough time I can turn them into 20' wide plants, but not this year.

My Creamsicle in the shadiest spot never really left the ground. It was a cool looking plant wirh dense flowers.

Training to be a ground pounder.

 

[stiffneck]

Lookin good dude!

 

[SmithsJunk]

I'm fairly certain this Orange Creamsicle is male. This is the only flower I've seen on a stalk so far. Just to be certain I'll let it grow a little longer.

 

[SmithsJunk]

Grow Log 6/2/18 Daily

Starting from left bottom clockwise.

Banana Ice Cream

Banana Ice Cream

Royal Nepal Kush

Banana Crack

Orange Creamsicle

??? Idunnoes

 

[SmithsJunk]

I'm fairly certain this Orange Creamsicle is male. This is the only flower I've seen on a stalk so far. Just to be certain I'll let it grow a little longer.
View attachment 804551

Was in town today when I posted the Daily Grow Log. Since I was going to the laundromat I figured I'd use the better reception in town to post more quickly. Was labeling what plants were what when I realised that something was wrong. The plant I posted a picture of with the likely male flower wasn't an Orange Creamsicle, it was one of the femmed Banana Ice Cream (but I didn't know for sure till I got home to double checked the tags, hence the lack of labels on the indoor grow). Either the beans aren't really femmed or the more likely reason, I f^cked it up. I think I started the beans too early in the season with the wrong equipment. They suffered through some very cold nights, were poisoned by propane fumes, started in a sh*t soil (not the good kind of sh*t), were burned by the lights, and overwatered. I can safely say it is probably my fault if it's male.

On the lighter side, I don't really give a f^ck, rofl. I didn't grow this year to sell my flowers. I grew for me, my friends, for fun, and to learn. If every plant I had died I'd only be slightly disappointed and definitely not crushed. The only strains I really care about are the RNK and OC, and that is mostly because the I want another shot at the OC to see if I can get it right and the RNK is super sticky, rock hard, stony fire that I want to clone.

I accomplished what I sought to do though, I learned. It's called "Failing Forward" (by John C Maxwell). Every failure is a stepping stone to success. If you are prepared, nurture a teachable can-do attitude, when you fall on your face you're often as close or closer to success than if you never failed (My words, Maxwell's idea).

Now. I know how to start my beans, what temps are best, when to water, and own the right equipment with a solid basic understanding of how to use it. I consider that a success no matter what the outcome of this grow.

...and I didn't spend a f^ck ton and half making it happen like last year. He he

So, cheers and happy growing.

 

[justiceman]

Well said! They say the master has failed more times than the beginner has tried. The garden is looking good man. I have that same watering wand for my raised beds. Isn't it awesome that you don't have to hold the lever down.

 

[SmithsJunk]

Thank you.

Yeah, love this wand. The best aerator of any I've ever had, too. I use buckets to water when they get bigger but I fill with this wand so the water still has great aeration. One of my local Ace nursery workers also teaches advanced ag at the college. She is my gardening angel. The aeration wand and humic fulvic acid were her ideas last year. She's taught me that cannabis is a partial shade plant and helped me pick out the right solar screen.

I've gotta find out if she tokes but there's always other people around. She deserves some frosty nuggs from last season. They're still fresh because of our collaboration on how to cure and preserve them.

My favorite thing to do... I water while sitting in the midst of my girls and the water cools the air under the tent.

I like leaving the smart pots a quarter empty so the edge folds over. I use it so the water doesn't erode the soil around the roots.

 

[SmithsJunk]

Grow Log 6/3/18 Daily

WTF? It's like they hit pause. They still haven't developed enough for me to tell for sure. The only ones who've shot out hairs so far are a couple of Banana Ice Cream. How long does it take for these f^ckin things to develope. The Cannabis Encyclopedia say they can start spitting pollen in ten days from appearing but I'm seeing nothing like that. I want to get on with replacing any outdoor males with indoor fems and thinning out the indoor for fuller growth. F^ckin annoying.

Indoor Orange Creamsicle

Outdoor Banana Crack

Judging by the sise of the flowers I'd say the top pic is fem and bottom is male.

 

[SmithsJunk]

I don't give a f^ck if they're male or female. I just wish their balls would drop so they stop wasting my time. If I've got mostly males then I want to get these mother f^ckers out of my way and get some clones to replace them.

Indoor Banana Ice Cream