Junk's Growing Log

SmithsJunk · Jul 28, 2018

Grow Log 7/28/18

SmithsJunk · Jul 28, 2018

Grow Log 7/28/18

About 6:30pm, smoke from a fire somewhere filtered the sunlight and cooled the day down a little. As expected, a cooler day brought with it a growth explosion.

Every time I see the Banana Crack I'm blown away.

Going to fill all six 200gal smartpots to their tops with soil next year. I think it will make a huge difference. Wanted to do it this year but need to transplant before I could get the scrill together. The Banana Crack has an almost full pot.

SmithsJunk · Jul 29, 2018

Grow Log 7/29/18

SmithsJunk · Jul 29, 2018

Grow Log 7/29/18 #2

Overnight, that speedy branch-tip growth has slowed to a crawl. A closer look shows flower sets beginning to stack. The colas have started. Yay! From now on all the branch-tips will have that spikey look and the girls will start to fill out. If the Banana Crack has a yield equal in proportion to the sise of my Royal Nepal Kush last year, then my estimate would be 4-5lbs. I also optimised the girls for as much sunlight as possible. Added 30%-50% and possibly more surface area to each plant by minimising overlap.

SmithsJunk · Jul 29, 2018

Fires North & South. Nothing too close but still getting some dark smoke skies. Furgusen fire, to the South, is about 55,000 acres and only 30% contained. Thanks to Cali's own personal jet stream most of it passes over us. I hate the fires but love these days. Smoke is high enough not to mess up the air and it cools down 10F+. Better for the girls than 100F temps.

Farmer P · Jul 30, 2018

SmithsJunk said:
Fires North & South. Nothing too close but still getting some dark smoke skies. Furgusen fire, to the South, is about 55,000 acres and only 30% contained. Thanks to Cali's own personal jet stream most of it passes over us. I hate the fires but love these days. Smoke is high enough not to mess up the air and it cools down 10F+. Better for the girls than 100F temps.

View attachment 819013 View attachment 819018

We had a big one last week near Idyllwild. I heard someone set it on purpose throwing flares, but at least they caught him. I remember thinking at least one good thing was it cooled us down quite a bit. Garden's looking great.

SmithsJunk · Jul 30, 2018

Farmer P said:
We had a big one last week near Idyllwild. I heard someone set it on purpose throwing flares, but at least they caught him. I remember thinking at least one good thing was it cooled us down quite a bit. Garden's looking great.

We owned part of a mountain peak up there when I was a little kid. We'd ride our motorcycles and go on horseback all around that area. F^ckin scary someone setting fires. It's so dry.

SmithsJunk · Jul 30, 2018

Grow Log 7/30/18

All are Banana Ice Cream, one has red leaf stalks, the others have white (starting to see a touch of red at the leaf intersections).

SmithsJunk · Jul 30, 2018

F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK!

!!!!F^^^^^^^CK!!!!

The f^ckin Borg are back!
(Two Spot spider mites)

I f^ckin knew it. I saw a little speck on the bottom of the leaf, strained to see it, and got the slightest glimpse of those f^ckin black dots. Checked it at home with a 30x & 60x loupe to make sure. I'll order Azamax tomorrow. F^ck!!!

SmithsJunk · Jul 30, 2018

SmithsJunk said:
F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK! F^CK!

!!!!F^^^^^^^CK!!!!

The f^ckin Borg are back!
(Two Spot spider mites)

I f^ckin knew it. I saw a little speck on the bottom of the leaf, strained to see it, and got the slightest glimpse of those f^ckin black dots. Checked it at home with a 30x & 60x loupe to make sure. I'll order Azamax tomorrow. F^ck!!!
View attachment 819190 View attachment 819191 View attachment 819192 View attachment 819193

I don't know what's up? They seem to show up when the flowers start. Just like the Borg they got a f^ckin starship in orbit, "10,000 to beam down, Scotty"

Honestly, I think they come in by birds, bugs, and web slinging.

"Honestly", bahahaha. Like I really have to make it clear that they're not frackin Cylons. ROFL Somebodddy stoned meh... it was meh.

SmithsJunk · Jul 31, 2018

Grow Log 7/31/18

By this time last year my girls had grown into each other. I spaced them out more this year but they're getting much bigger than I expected. I hope it's enough. So far so good.

The wide spacing should allow the girls to grow good quality buds on their skirts.

The Creamsicle has the first full size flowers.

Odd pics...
The Banana Ice Cream are so floppy and twisted.

Looks kinda like full sise trees in a park setting to me.

Metaphor, hehe

The flowers were not as good at pest control as I hoped. So I moved them to where I can enjoy looking at them. I don't mind if they take over below the Idunnoes. Maybe they'll be all Disneyland-ish by the fall.

SmithsJunk · Aug 1, 2018

Grow Log 8/1/18

Hard to fit everyone in the group photo anymore.

SmithsJunk · Aug 1, 2018

Not playing the catch game up with the spider mites this year. Ordered a 32oz (1 quart) bottle of Azamax. That'll make over 11 full strength tanks in my 6 litre Hudson sprayer (1-1.5 tanks covers my garden). Got a great deal from Cult Hydro on Amazon at .77 no tax. (Normal price range -8 +ship&tax) I payed last year for a pint 16oz (Amazon Prime shipping & around tax included in that price). I won't get it by Friday like with sellers who use Prime shipping but 7-14 days (likely much sooner) is worth the almost 50% savings. For the new growers reading this, I suggest having a bottle on hand because you WILL eventually get pests and mites are much cheaper & easier to control and far less destructive when caught early. I also suggest having something with Spinosad in it like Monteray or Capt Jack's, because while azadirachtin (derived from Neem) takes care of most pests it does not work on bud worms and the like. Between the two you should have very few full on pest outbreaks. Next year I'm spraying Azamax preemptively and once a month, cycling it with Captain Jack's Dead Bug.

Here's the link for the quart of Azamax I bought (I can't guarantee no tax but it's a good sign I wasn't charged here in Cali. Cult Hydro ships from MI.)...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002EBBKAW

(There are more effective products out there but they are not safe to use during flower cycle and most I wouldn't even use during the veg cycle. After a lot of research and 'trial and error', I found azadirachtin and spinosad to be the most effective insecticides while still being very safe for use on consumable plants & fruits as long as instructions are followed.)

Wishbone · Aug 1, 2018

SmithsJunk said:
Not playing the catch game up with the spider mites this year. Ordered a 32oz (1 quart) bottle of Azamax. That'll make over 11 full strength tanks in my 6 litre Hudson sprayer (1-1.5 tanks covers my garden). Got a great deal from Cult Hydro on Amazon at .77 no tax. (Normal price range -8 +ship&tax) I payed last year for a pint 16oz (Amazon Prime shipping & around tax included in that price). I won't get it by Friday like with sellers who use Prime shipping but 7-14 days (likely much sooner) is worth the almost 50% savings. For the new growers reading this, I suggest having a bottle on hand because you WILL eventually get pests and mites are much cheaper & easier to control and far less destructive when caught early. I also suggest having something with Spinosad in it like Monteray or Capt Jack's, because while azadirachtin (derived from Neem) takes care of most pests it does not work on bud worms and the like. Between the two you should have very few full on pest outbreaks. Next year I'm spraying Azamax preemptively and once a month, cycling it with Captain Jack's Dead Bug.

Here's the link for the quart of Azamax I bought (I can't guarantee no tax but it's a good sign I wasn't charged here in Cali. Cult Hydro ships from MI.)...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002EBBKAW

(There are more effective products out there but they are not safe to use during flower cycle and most I wouldn't even use during the veg cycle. After a lot of research and 'trial and error', I found azadirachtin and spinosad to be the most effective insecticides while still being very safe for use on consumable plants & fruits as long as instructions are followed.)

Been using just neem so far, no bugs yet, but the aphids didn’t show up until Septemberish. Is this stuff effectively the same as neem oil?

SmithsJunk · Aug 2, 2018

Wishbone said:
Been using just neem so far, no bugs yet, but the aphids didn’t show up until Septemberish. Is this stuff effectively the same as neem oil?

(My info is from a combination of experience and Amazon reviews. I have not used pure Neem oil but from the reviews I've read the Azamax works better. I won't trust a single review but hundreds of them form patterns that tend to be trustworthy.)

To the best of my knowledge it's far more effective than neem oil. The same as when pyrethrins from chrysanthemums were refined for strength but Neem/Azamax is safer. I used another neem product by Garden Safe last year and it barely had an effect but the Azamax dramatically depleted spider mite numbers. Probably would have gotten more if I hadn't ran low and had to use a more diluted dose. Another thing is I wasted a lot trying to spray it too finely and didn't get very good coverage. I learned that if I opened up the Hudson sprayer and just hosed them down I got great coverage, used half as much, and barely got any on me. The first time I sprayed and got it all over me the worst that happened was a bit of skin irritation. Now that I know what I'm doing I spray in shorts and a tank-top (Safety glasses are a good idea though. Why risk it?).

You're going to want to spray with more than two weeks before harvest. The sunlight causes it to dissipate and if you don't give it enough time it'll make the buds taste funky. Not unsafe, just a slightly bad flavor. I smoked some buds from of a branch that broke off within a couple days of spraying. It was kind of minty but not bad. Still it wasn't a flavor you want on your herb. Under extreme circumstances, if you were keeping the flowers for your own consumption and it was absolutely neccessary, then you can spray within a couple days of harvest but I wouldn't recommend it.

Spray in the evening after there is no direct sunlight. Make sure to spray the undersides of the leaves thoroughly. I do them first and come back to spray the tops. Better to run low after the bottoms are done. A Hudson sprayer works the best for this. The Azamax made my girls really thirsty so I like to water them well the morning of the day I spray. It is also photoreactive so it can cause their leaves to burn easily. Watch them closely the first morning after you use it and throughout the day, especially during the hottest part of the day. If you see them beginning to wilt in the sunlight, rinse them off and give them some water as well. If possible do not rinse them though, it will become ineffective and you'll have to reapply.

I hope this is comprehensive enough. I tried to cover the stuff that isn't in the instructions or hard to get an easy answer about. If you have any further questions about Azamax or want to know about other pesticides I've used feel free to ask. In regard to pesticides there are no stupid questions. Safety first brother, and flavor is important too.

PS Try not to use it before a rain. You dont want it to be neutralised on your plants and the runoff can harm aquatic life. You want to be careful it doesn't flow into storm drains, ponds/lakes/back yard water features with fish and invertebrates, or if you use living water filtration like aquaponics.

SmithsJunk · Aug 2, 2018

Grow Log 8/2/18

justiceman · Aug 2, 2018

Gorgeous ladies right now! Nice spotting on those little buggers. A good eye like that to spot things soon saves a world of hurt. I'd wager with your azamax spray and the other resident bugs around you'll have control of them in no time.

What I love about raised beds/smart pots is that the roots get to grow into the ground and stimulate or strengthen the microbiology below so you get to slowly condition and utilize a practically endless zone for the roots to spread.

SmithsJunk · Aug 2, 2018

justiceman said:
Gorgeous ladies right now! Nice spotting on those little buggers. A good eye like that to spot things soon saves a world of hurt. I'd wager with your azamax spray and the other resident bugs around you'll have control of them in no time.

What I love about raised beds/smart pots is that the roots get to grow into the ground and stimulate or strengthen the microbiology below so you get to slowly condition and utilize a practically endless zone for the roots to spread.

Thanks man. I'm diggin it this year. Even with the mites. I've come to the conclusion that spider mites are just a reality of growing where I do. I live in an arid zone with a lot of naturally occurring pests. This paints a target on my plants as the most delicious salad around. On the plus side within the next couple years I should be a master at spider mite control, rofl.

When I researched smartpots last year I learned that they air-prune the roots. This prevents them from becoming root bound by stimulating branching. Short, evenly spaced roots have better nutrient/water absorption and drainage. Less nutes are required and it's near impossible to overwater. I've noticed when moving the containers that big tap roots have grown through the material and into the soil after densely populating the pot (like you are saying).

My plan is to fill the pots with soil this winter and stimulate biologicals using no till techniques. Maybe next year I can focus on feeding the soil instead of the plants.

If this were my property I would build huge raised bed containers, but for now smartpots are what I have to work with.

Wishbone · Aug 3, 2018

SmithsJunk said:
(My info is from a combination of experience and Amazon reviews. I have not used pure Neem oil but from the reviews I've read the Azamax works better. I won't trust a single review but hundreds of them form patterns that tend to be trustworthy.)

To the best of my knowledge it's far more effective than neem oil. The same as when pyrethrins from chrysanthemums were refined for strength but Neem/Azamax is safer. I used another neem product by Garden Safe last year and it barely had an effect but the Azamax dramatically depleted spider mite numbers. Probably would have gotten more if I hadn't ran low and had to use a more diluted dose. Another thing is I wasted a lot trying to spray it too finely and didn't get very good coverage. I learned that if I opened up the Hudson sprayer and just hosed them down I got great coverage, used half as much, and barely got any on me. The first time I sprayed and got it all over me the worst that happened was a bit of skin irritation. Now that I know what I'm doing I spray in shorts and a tank-top (Safety glasses are a good idea though. Why risk it?).

You're going to want to spray with more than two weeks before harvest. The sunlight causes it to dissipate and if you don't give it enough time it'll make the buds taste funky. Not unsafe, just a slightly bad flavor. I smoked some buds from of a branch that broke off within a couple days of spraying. It was kind of minty but not bad. Still it wasn't a flavor you want on your herb. Under extreme circumstances, if you were keeping the flowers for your own consumption and it was absolutely neccessary, then you can spray within a couple days of harvest but I wouldn't recommend it.

Spray in the evening after there is no direct sunlight. Make sure to spray the undersides of the leaves thoroughly. I do them first and come back to spray the tops. Better to run low after the bottoms are done. A Hudson sprayer works the best for this. The Azamax made my girls really thirsty so I like to water them well the morning of the day I spray. It is also photoreactive so it can cause their leaves to burn easily. Watch them closely the first morning after you use it and throughout the day, especially during the hottest part of the day. If you see them beginning to wilt in the sunlight, rinse them off and give them some water as well. If possible do not rinse them though, it will become ineffective and you'll have to reapply.

I hope this is comprehensive enough. I tried to cover the stuff that isn't in the instructions or hard to get an easy answer about. If you have any further questions about Azamax or want to know about other pesticides I've used feel free to ask. In regard to pesticides there are no stupid questions. Safety first brother, and flavor is important too.

PS Try not to use it before a rain. You dont want it to be neutralised on your plants and the runoff can harm aquatic life. You want to be careful it doesn't flow into storm drains, ponds/lakes/back yard water features with fish and invertebrates, or if you use living water filtration like aquaponics.

Awesome, thank you for the detailed reply. I’ve been applying neem in the evening, and have the greenhouse so no worries about rain. Jacks and Azamax added to the next Amazon order!

SmithsJunk · Aug 3, 2018

Ooooh, I want one. This is what the commercial growers are using around here (but their's are usually gas powered).

https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Ato...rd_wg=kjQvd&psc=1&refRID=0KM8V0J2EA0X652DQDQB

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