AKGramma's Perpetual Grow

[AKgramma]

Just a note on the previous perpetual grow, which I did not journal:

I was researching methods of getting better performance out of one's flowering ladies, since I only flower one at a time, and came across two very good articles on defoliating. One method, which suited me, was to remove all the large fan leaves and to remove any dying and unhealthy leaves.

This suited me because the Lady in flower has 5 very bushy tops over bare stems. The Lady was casting off leaves, and i knew that in those tightly-packed clumps of foliage were some hidden buds. Since the buds are still in early flower, it wasn't too late to defoliate.

So, this morning, I methodically removed all the large fan leaves first, which revealed a lot of dying smaller fan leaves and a few dried up buds. It took me nearly 2 hours, but I defoliated her to her healthy leaves and made sure that all the healthy bud sites were not shaded. Because I LST rather heavily, the Lady ended up looking like a bonsai. Very oriental-looking! After she has time to recover, I'll post some pics for you.

I also did some minor defoliation on the lady in veg, removing any leaves that looked unhealthy or that were overlapping others. Both plants are the last survivors of my OG Kush perpetual grow. I have so much light in each area (1000w) that I had eyespots by the time I was finished grooming and trimming both ladies.

Back to the BBLs: BBL#1 and 2 got a good drink of diluted all-inclusive nutes, and I adjusted the CFLs up an inch. Not much growth yet, because they are still recovering from being transplanted, but they are their usual bright green, and looking happy.

 

[AKgramma]

I also got tired of waiting for the 3rd cup of BBL to sprout, and fished around in the soil with a wooden skewer. I recovered two dead seeds and one that was just splitting open and showing life. So I saved the dead seeds in case i want to ask the seed bank for replacements, and put the live seed with two others in a wet paper towel to sprout some, before replanting. It's much easier to monitor sprouts in a paper towel than to find them in soil.

 

[AKgramma]

Her are the pictures I promised.

Mystery - 3 tops - Day 17 side and top views

BBL #1 and 2 in Veg

OG Kush growth in Flower after final defoliation. Early flower.

Last OG Kush lady in veg

Once they are in their 3 gallon bins, I cover the soil with dryer sheets and a layer of aquarium gravel to prevent fungus gnats and to keep the soil from tunneling when I water. (MISTAKE ON THIS PHOTO.. SHOULD BE 2016, NOT 2015)

 

[AKgramma]

I just discovered that when one edits a post, you lose the likes and thanks attached to it.

 

[skunkpilot]

Soooo, do I have to thank you again? What if I changed my mind? I feel a lot of pressure now. What to do, What to do?





The ladies look dang near naked. And for the Bonsai look....

 

[AKgramma]

The article I read also had some very naked ladies after their defoliation, but they grew back in, and the buds had a chance to fill out without all the shade. I probably waited far too long to defoliate, but did not come on the article until a day ago.

I figured I had nothing to lose, as she was dropping leaves like mad, defoliating by herself, killing off hr flowers, basically a bunch of thick foliage clumps on top of bare stalks.

It looks far more bonsai from the rear. The flowers are framed in healthy swirls of leaves, but they're facing the wall right now.

And, no, you don't have to re-like. I DO appreciate knowing who likes my posts, however, and if they are even worth journaling.

 

[arteekay]

I just discovered that when one edits a post, you lose the likes and thanks attached to it.

I thought the same thing when I edited a post one day a few months ago. A little panic set in, this kind person was thoughtful enough to read and like a post, and I basically deny that with a simple edit.

Just refresh the page and they'll reappear.

 

[skunkpilot]

On prier grows, I have defoliated and I did notice that the although the lower bud filled in, the upper buds did not get much bigger. I now do a scrog type training. Two plants in one tub and I cross the plants by bending and tying. I trim the leaves under the canopy just for air flow.

Old picture. I try to keep the plant better trimmed now.

"And, no, you don't have to re-like. I DO appreciate knowing who likes my posts, however, and if they are even worth journaling."

Ya know I was just joking with ya? And your journal is worth reading. It's informative and I enjoy watching how others grow indoors. As a farmer, I've spent so many years outside dealing with mother nature but none of this correlates with an indoor grow.

 

[AKgramma]

Skunkpilot: I, too maintained an outdoor garden and a yard full of trees in my younger days, plus many indoor plants, as well. Trying to replicate outdoor conditions indoors is a challenge, mostly financially.

But it's a fun challenge!

 

[AKgramma]

One of the seeds I placed in a wet paper towel is responding. I checked the towel and found a 2" long sprout. So I gently separated it from the paper and planted it into a cup. This time I left some room for additional soil if the seedling stretches.

The other two seeds are iffy. One is still closed and the other is open. What is emerging doesn't look all that healthy. Will keep checking daily. I think I like the paper towel method better than sprouting directly in soil.

Since the BBL's are growing so fast, I just MIGHT get a male to breed with a female OG Kush and a BBL sister. The two remaining OGKs (1 in flower, 1 in veg) will last at least 2 months and 4 months, respectively.

It looks like I'll have a few too many plants again, like I did the last time I started from seed. I REALLY want to eventually up-pot to 5 gallon bins, rather than buckets. It's going to be tight, but I think I can manage space-wise.

 

[AKgramma]

DAY 41 OF GROW: BBL seed #6 and 7 emerged from soil today. (#3 - 5 were duds.) It's going to be impossible to journal on each plant by how old it is pretty soon, so we are going to talk about babies and juveniles, now that I have 4 BBLs and 2 OGKs.

Mystery #1 is now renamed to Tritops. I get a scent off the leaves when I rub it, but I can't quite place the scent. Definitely herbal. The leaves are narrower than the BBLs, but not overly narrow. And the second level of leaves already sport 5 fingers. So it's a sativa-heavy hybrid. As I identify the scent, I'll be able to narrow down its ancestry.

 

[AKgramma]

Day 42 of Grow: Spotlighting Mystery "Tritops" at Day 21. Definite fruity-herbal scent coming off leaves. It is 2" tall and 4" wide with all the foliage. This one is almost ready for up-potting, as there are roots all over the inside of the cup.

As expected, BBL # 1 and 2 are doing well as juveniles. Both BBL # 6 & 7 have survived their first day of life and I have filled in around their stems, since they tend to stretch until they reach the rim of the cup. This time I left a couple of inches room so that I COULD add soil without having to repot.

 

[Sypherz]

Hey AK.. Looking good.. Got a quick question for you.. Im starting a seed tomorrow. Gonna be a "freedom of seeds- A Littke Kushy" ... You can check out the strain on herbies.. I was wondering if a 9x9x9 square pot would be big enough for that strain.. Its an auto fem.. Only supposed to get 14-20" tall.. They were freebie seeds so i figured id start my first grow with a strain im not so excited about plus they were freebies.. Let me know your thoughts

I will be transplanting which many say not to do on an auto.. But i think it will be fine as long as im really careful

 

[AKgramma]

If you seed in a large pot like that (3 gallons), you have to be very careful not to over-water. I do understand why you want to start in its "big-girl" pot, to avoid transplanting. However up-potting from a smaller pot is possible if you let it get rootbound first and VERY GENTLY move the rootball to the larger pot.

3 gallons will be sufficient to get your auto to maturity.

 

[Sypherz]

So a 9x9x9 is a 3 gal pot? Im not going straight to that pot im starting in a tiny pot made to start seedlings in.. Did u check out that strain? I will definately be transplanting.. Even though most dont advise it. i should have plenty of times to order my nutes bc ill be using ffof and a mix of perlite and sand added in

 

[AKgramma]

So a 9x9x9 is a 3 gal pot? Im not going straight to that pot im starting in a tiny pot made to start seedlings in.. Did u check out that strain? I will definately be transplanting.. Even though most dont advise it. i should have plenty of times to order my nutes bc ill be using ffof and a mix of perlite and sand added in

I went online and found a converter for cubic inches to quarts, and your 9" cube comes to just over 12 quarts, which is 3 gallons. I am sure you won't have any trouble up-potting from a smaller pot, as long as the roots are disturbed as little as possible.

I did not look up your strain, and have not grown an auto (because I want to make seeds), but those who know for certain about autos have posted that careful transplanting can be done if the rootball is not disturbed. Just make a hole large enough in your big pot, set the whole rootball in, and tamp th new dirt around it. Don't do any trimming or loosening of the rootball.

I am this careful, even with photoperiod cannibus, so as not to stall the growth too much.

 

[Sypherz]

Thanks AK.. Sorry to have asked in your journal but o knew it was the easiest place to get your attention.. Thanks so much for the help and quick response

 

[AKgramma]

Grow Day 50:

BBL #1 and #2 are approx the same size, although #1 is 21 days older. They are bushing out really fast and are 8 inches above the soil.

The mystery plant I named "TriTops" is sporting a vigorous branch and so I think the plant wants to lean in that direction. It needs to give the other two tops room to develop. So this one will be tied down Bonsai-style.

 

[AKgramma]

Grow Day 51:

Mystery Plant #1 - "TriTops" went into its juvenile pot today. It was rootbound enough to hold together during transplant. The "pot" is the bottom section of a plastic 1.75L Vodka bottle. I use what's available, not concerned about looking all Martha Stewart. Its roots were sprinkled with Myco. I had forgotten to do this for BBL #1 and #2. Shown below with BBL#6 and 7. This one is definitely sativa-heavy, considering its slow growth rate.

BBL#7 and 6 (lt to rt) at 20 and 19 Days, respectively. #6 is tall with a thin stem. #7 is short with a thick stem, a dramatic difference in seedlings only 1 day apart in age. I will need to add soil to support #6.

I think I will stop popping seeds for now, because the veg "tent" is going to be crowded when these last two are finally up-potted later this month. I AM curious, however, how the 9 remaining mystery seeds will show, but those can wait until I've harvested a few plants in April. We'll see how fast the BBL's mature.

 

[AKgramma]

I put the last 3 BBL seeds into a wet paper towel a couple days ago. These were the least healthy-looking of the 10.

Today I was totally surprised that the smallest one sprouted a very healthy root! So I put it in a solo cup with its seed coat just under the soil. I expect it will take a couple days for it to show it's head. One of the others has split open, but all I see is a folded cotyledon but no root yet. Might be another mutation.

The third one is just sitting there, doing nothing.

In the veg tent, the juvenile BBL's are growing well.

Mystery #1 "TriTops" has a massive rootball inside the 1/2 gallon pot already, and I'm thinking it will have to be up-potted to a 5 gallon bin, instead of a 3 gallon bin. I'm using bins because they are rectangular and they are lower in height. Tritops is going to be a monster, I think, judging by how quickly the roots took over its first re-potting. Big roots, big plant, esp one born with three growing tips!