Schwer's First Grow Evah! Planning, Prep and Grow

[Mothman]

Trimming and curing can be bothersome yes. Thats when you send it to me ;)

A friend with weed is a friend, indeed!

 

[Schwer]

My (our really) first grow is almost complete!

Between last night and this morning I trimmed the rest of my drying plants and put them in paper bags for a sweat. I let this bunch dry for 10-11 days at 60% humidity and between 60-64 degrees F before getting any slightly snappy branches.

There were some differences between strains and phenos in this drying group. BBK1 had smaller buds and fewer sugar leaves compared to BBK3. Both GDP1 and 3 had larger sugar leaves when compared to the BBK's, and there were just more of them too. The end result was four different dries and four different trimming sessions. On my BBK1 I could knock off the sugar leaves with the scissor tips because they were that crispy, but GDP1 had enough moisture remaining in the sugar leaves to feel like wet-trimming at times (I'll be sure to let that one sweat a little more than the others and check it more often, just in case). Either way, the major trimming is over with and I'm pretty happy about that!

I don't have any weight totals yet, but I checked the buds I've trimmed and bagged from BBK2, GDP2, and BBK1 and that totaled a little over 12 ounces, not including all the big bags of trim I ended up with. Once I trim the remaining bud off the mini branches in the paper bags I'll get some proper weights for each plant and some totals for our edification... and for fun! I'll post some final pics then as well.

So far I've been able to fit each plant's harvest into 2 quarter-pound Grove Bags and 1 half-ounce Grove Bag each. That's been handy, because the half-ounce bags have made their way to my smoking table and I've been enjoying the hell out of them! I know several of us here have mentioned this before but I really appreciate having a variety of weed to smoke, and from what I've tried so far this grow is going to be an excellent addition to the sativas I already have on hand. Just super relaxing so far. I'll try to offer up a better smoke report about 3-4 weeks from now.

Oh, Peggy was a fun surprise! As the runt of the crew she was never very big, but she ended up being straight-up dense, baggable bud from head to toe ... hopefully I'll still feel the same way after our first hot date.

 

[FourPlants]

That is awesome! Glad you had an enjoyable and successful first experience. Hooked for life.

 

[Goblinkiller]

Good to read you had a good experience. Good going ! I agree with you on the groveda bags

 

[Schwer]

That is awesome! Glad you had an enjoyable and successful first experience. Hooked for life.

Ha, thanks. As @Lilolme has mentioned throughout this thread and in others, a person like me is likely to go through as many psychological stages as the plants do growth stages. I'm sure I'll get more comfortable with it over time but its not the kind of thing I'd want to keep going perpetually. One grow per year feels like a good fit for me and won't require any additional equipment, heh.

But yes, I am hooked for life if for no other reason than this: Once you start filling and storing bags and bags and BAGS from your own small grow its hard to consider going back to paying someone else for an ounce.

Also... I imagine you are days away from trimming? Right?

 

[Goblinkiller]

Its also hard to accept mid to low quality after your own successes. I am thinking about quality in general.

Its also comforting to know what has been going on and Nice to follow the plant(s) from seed to bountiful harvest (or males)

Guess you dont smoke daily since one grow is enough a year ?

 

[GalaxysEdge]

My (our really) first grow is almost complete!

Between last night and this morning I trimmed the rest of my drying plants and put them in paper bags for a sweat. I let this bunch dry for 10-11 days at 60% humidity and between 60-64 degrees F before getting any slightly snappy branches.

There were some differences between strains and phenos in this drying group. BBK1 had smaller buds and fewer sugar leaves compared to BBK3. Both GDP1 and 3 had larger sugar leaves when compared to the BBK's, and there were just more of them too. The end result was four different dries and four different trimming sessions. On my BBK1 I could knock off the sugar leaves with the scissor tips because they were that crispy, but GDP1 had enough moisture remaining in the sugar leaves to feel like wet-trimming at times (I'll be sure to let that one sweat a little more than the others and check it more often, just in case). Either way, the major trimming is over with and I'm pretty happy about that!

I don't have any weight totals yet, but I checked the buds I've trimmed and bagged from BBK2, GDP2, and BBK1 and that totaled a little over 12 ounces, not including all the big bags of trim I ended up with. Once I trim the remaining bud off the mini branches in the paper bags I'll get some proper weights for each plant and some totals for our edification... and for fun! I'll post some final pics then as well.

So far I've been able to fit each plant's harvest into 2 quarter-pound Grove Bags and 1 half-ounce Grove Bag each. That's been handy, because the half-ounce bags have made their way to my smoking table and I've been enjoying the hell out of them! I know several of us here have mentioned this before but I really appreciate having a variety of weed to smoke, and from what I've tried so far this grow is going to be an excellent addition to the sativas I already have on hand. Just super relaxing so far. I'll try to offer up a better smoke report about 3-4 weeks from now.

Oh, Peggy was a fun surprise! As the runt of the crew she was never very big, but she ended up being straight-up dense, baggable bud from head to toe ... hopefully I'll still feel the same way after our first hot date.

So whats the deal with these Grove Bags? I got some Mason jars early on in my grow but am open to a better option if there is one.

What makes these bags special?

And congrats bro. I can feel your excitement through your post and its contagious! Can't wait to hear the continued smoke reports.

 

[Lilolme]

I am so fucking high

 

[Schwer]

I am so fucking high

Can we all quote you for our forum signatures?

 

[FourPlants]

Ha, thanks. As @Lilolme has mentioned throughout this thread and in others, a person like me is likely to go through as many psychological stages as the plants do growth stages. I'm sure I'll get more comfortable with it over time but its not the kind of thing I'd want to keep going perpetually. One grow per year feels like a good fit for me and won't require any additional equipment, heh.

But yes, I am hooked for life if for no other reason than this: Once you start filling and storing bags and bags and BAGS from your own small grow its hard to consider going back to paying someone else for an ounce.

Also... I imagine you are days away from trimming? Right?

Yeah, I would imagine in the next few days. I rolled a joint with some yesterday and it smoked pretty good.

 

[Lilolme]

Yeah, I would imagine in the next few days. I rolled a joint with some yesterday and it smoked pretty good.

It don’t start gettin sweet for a month or so

 

[GanjaFarmer24]

I just made some thc butter in a crock pot from my trim. Gonna be some good baking this year.

 

[Schwer]

So whats the deal with these Grove Bags? I got some Mason jars early on in my grow but am open to a better option if there is one.

What makes these bags special?

I don't know that I'd call them a "better" option so much as an alternative option, but that might depend on what you value.

They do seem to be one of the easiest options for curing and storage. After properly drying your bud you can put it in a Grove Bag for the cure without having to concern yourself with the occasional burping that goes along with mason jar curing. The bags allow for gas exchange and maintain humidity between 58 and 62 on their own. Obviously, this will be my first experience using them for a cure, but the crew I'd previously been getting my bud from has been using Grove Bags or a product just like them for packaging, so I can vouch for the long-term storage part.

@Lilolme also made some good points about the experienced to be gained from the frequent mason jar checks, and having a better understanding of the process your bud is going through. So there's that to consider too.

 

[Schwer]

I just made some thc butter in a crock pot from my trim. Gonna be some good baking this year.

Nice! What ratio did you go with for trim? I've only ever made it with flower but I'm excited to get to cooking with all this trim.

 

[Goblinkiller]

I would like to point out that its Nice to not have to check on those jars 3 times a day the 10 days but each to their own ?

It also seems to me its less resin buildup in the bags vs jars. It can be Nice to scoop out some resin when its empty but but

 

[FourPlants]

It don’t start gettin sweet for a month or so

Yeah, I wasn't looking for flavor yet just burn. I got a few half pound grove bags for it to go in and trimming is gonna be a chore. The high is great, however the next grow is gonna get much more manicured going for big A buds with less trim.

 

[Lilolme]

I should have pushed for yall to get some clones started before ya flipped, its kinda perpetual but kinda not. Squeezin a little more out of the grow, learnin a few more tricks and, dare I say it, lettin em go a little longer to get over the fear of makin “sleepy weed”. To be honest the Sour Diesel is some kick my ass weed without lettin it go long. Yall need to know how happy and honored I am to have been able to help yall get past the usual noobie hiccups and get some real goodies into storage. Awesome

 

[Lilolme]

I would like to point out that its Nice to not have to check on those jars 3 times a day the 10 days but each to their own ?

It also seems to me its less resin buildup in the bags vs jars. It can be Nice to scoop out some resin when its empty but but

I look at it like I GET to open the jars and enjoy the aroma a lot, which I do, plus its easy to give the jars a little shake and roll it keeps things from stickin together. Not knockin the bags of course I haven’t tried em but I’m kind of fond of the good old mason jars

 

[GalaxysEdge]

I look at it like I GET to open the jars and enjoy the aroma a lot, which I do, plus its easy to give the jars a little shake and roll it keeps things from stickin together. Not knockin the bags of course I haven’t tried em but I’m kind of fond of the good old mason jars

YEAH. You can take your bags and shove em @Schwer !

 

[GanjaFarmer24]

Nice! What ratio did you go with for trim? I've only ever made it with flower but I'm excited to get to cooking with all this trim.

I had about a half ounce of sugar-leaf trim and larfy buds. I used 6 sticks of butter and a cup of water, let simmer for 3 hours. Strain and refrigerate overnight to separate the thc fat from the icky spinach water.