Bigkahuna's First Grow (Sour Diesel - Indoor - Soil - CFL to HPS)

[bigkahuna]

Thanks again SmokerJoe, you are very informative and helpful. Just one last question, I promise Do you think it would help increase my plant's development if I progressively shortened the amount of light my plant gets until harvest? My reasoning is that people say 24 hours of darkness before harvest increases resin production. So instead of taking the plunge the day before, I would think that shortening the hours of light over the next two weeks (approx.) would be highly beneficial to the plant's development, with the crown being that last 24 hours of darkness.

 

[SmokerJoe]

If you decrease the light from 12/12 then you will increase harvest speed but your yield will suffer. If you increase light and dcrease darkness you will yield more but it may take a extra week to harvest. If you do 24 on /12 off you will harvest faster and yield more so it really depends on the electricity you are willing to consume . What you want your total yield to be and how fast you want to harvest. Sorry I didnt get to your question sooner noone was on and posting in all the journals I subscribe to so I just logged off.

 

[bigkahuna]

Thanks for the information again SmokerJoe! I've been using plain water and flushing the last week. I plan to flush again on Friday and then harvest on Monday after the 24 hours of darkness. Here are some pictures from today:

 

[SmokerJoe]

Nice little plant you got there. Hope it all goes well for you

 

[bigkahuna]

Chopped the plant yesterday after 36 hours of darkness. The buds are currently drying but here is a shot of one after a quick trim before hanging.

 

[SmokerJoe]

Good job. What time of day did you chop them down?

 

[SmokerJoe]

Let me know how that sour diesel turns out. Its one of my favorite strains

 

[bigkahuna]

Hey SmokerJoe! I chopped them around 10am which would be 2 hours before the lights would normally come on. Will be sure to update on the smoke report for you, but I don't plan on trying it until after 2 weeks of curing. Hope it tastes as good as it looks. I've seen Sour Diesel that looked spectacular but had no taste, it was really disappointing. But I guess that's all in the drying and curing right? I read that you start curing when the buds don't feel wet anymore, but I don't believe the moisture receptors on my fingers are up to par haha. What would be a more visual indicator, is it proper when the bud has some spring to it?

Here are some photos of the buds that came off the middle of the main branch, the "main" cola was separated. Funny to see the evolution of my budtography, I used to suck at taking photos but I feel I learned a lot just messing around with these guys.

 

[SmokerJoe]

I must be really tired. I thought when you said you suck at taking photos on first read to me it said you used to suck at stacking potatoes and Im not even high haha. Well a decent indicator is when the pistils turn red or brown and rescind back into the bud so they are just laying on top of it. The stem will snap if you bend it and it will snap at multiple areas. If you sample some of it into a joint and you dont have to relight it over and over. At that point it is ready for the cure.

 

[High yogi]

bk looking great man the first grow is so mysterious, wondering what the plant needs... Smoker Joe has kindly set you straight and much to his credit. The great thing is the chance to learn by mistakes. I would suggest trying this strain again learn its needs, find the style that fits your needs, phenotypes etc. IMHO if you just veg. two weeks more after topping it would of been a more personally satisfying result. I currently have a sour d x afghan chitral from seeds I bred last year in week one of flower. ( I count flower schedule at first hairs not light flip) w no topping or anything else but usually I lst the plant like mad for a month of veg, super crop it and stand back lol. They are super stretchy those diesels I vegged to oh about 11 inches after flip: 31.5 and still going. Diesels can go ten weeks in flower depending on various things I.e. phenotype expression, temps. No means an expert here just sharing observations. Personally I think you did great. I tend to dry five to ten days depending on temp buds density and relative humidity. Stem snaps? Jar and burp time. Too dry? In the jar with a green bud or some green leaves, two days max all better. Go one ebay get a thermometer w a hygrometer about nine bux. Keep a record of temp relative humidity strain type grow medium type etc amazing what we forget esp us older ones, synapses are fine we just have more on the hard drive than the youngins out there. Orca reflective material. Nice nice nice. $$ but worth it. Ok enough but enjoy your fruits of labor and keep learning, that's where the fun is.

 

[bigkahuna]

Ya I am not too familiar with stacking potatoes haha. Thanks for the advice SmokerJoe and High yogi! Next plant will definitely be vegged for longer, planning on trying Light Addict's method of fluxing.

 

[bigkahuna]

Today buds were taken down and placed in glass jars with the lids off, planning on putting the lids on for 30 minutes several times over the next 24 hours. The smell is good but not too strong yet. I ended up taking a little guy out to try and it already has a pungent, diesel mouthful with grapefruit undertones. It was impressively smooth and produced a strong cerebral high coupled with a pleasant calming atmosphere. I cannot wait to try it after it's cured for at least two weeks, I believe it will be one of my favorite buds ever. The only downside is that the buds are a little airy since I did some unnecessary bending of the branches while it was budding. However, I did get a yield of 12 grams (weighed during the sweet spot of moisture content) which was more than I expected since I had chopped the plant so short. Overall, I achieved more than I thought I could and have gained a wealth of information that I am excited to unleash on my next plant. Thanks to 420 Magazine and all the people's journals/posts I read, thanks especially to SmokerJoe who was very helpful and gave me excellent advice!

And now for some pictures:

 

[SmokerJoe]

Hey no problem man. Glad you got to harvest some deliciousness. Wish I could try some with you. Pretty soon I will have some though. ugh hurry up already haha

 

[Richard Richardson]

Thanks for sharing your grow with us, bigkahuna
Please head over to the 420 Strain Reviews forum and post your smoke report there too!

I’m moving this to Completed Journals now.

Have you started a new grow you would like to share with us?

If so, please feel free to start a new journal here: Journals in Progress

Hope all is well in your world.

Love and respect from all of us here at 420 Magazine.

 

[Light Addict]

Sorry for being late but congrats on your harvest, looking forward to your fluxing!

 

[MaxYields]

Today buds were taken down and placed in glass jars with the lids off, planning on putting the lids on for 30 minutes several times over the next 24 hours. The smell is good but not too strong yet. I ended up taking a little guy out to try and it already has a pungent, diesel mouthful with grapefruit undertones. It was impressively smooth and produced a strong cerebral high coupled with a pleasant calming atmosphere. I cannot wait to try it after it's cured for at least two weeks, I believe it will be one of my favorite buds ever. The only downside is that the buds are a little airy since I did some unnecessary bending of the branches while it was budding. However, I did get a yield of 12 grams (weighed during the sweet spot of moisture content) which was more than I expected since I had chopped the plant so short. Overall, I achieved more than I thought I could and have gained a wealth of information that I am excited to unleash on my next plant. Thanks to 420 Magazine and all the people's journals/posts I read, thanks especially to SmokerJoe who was very helpful and gave me excellent advice!

And now for some pictures:

Hey Bigkahuna!

Sorry I'm sorry I am so late! Thankfully I made it before the post cure smoke report, although I have a question about your curing process, you said you were going to let them cure in glass jars for 2 weeks and you had planned on putting the lids on every so often for 30 minutes. It seems like you have it backwards (at least to my knowledge), I always thought that you kept the buds in the glass jars with the lids on, and only take the lids off (also known as burping) for 30 minutes a couple times a day.

Maybe I am wrong, but I wouldn't want you to cure your buds incorrectly! Regardless, they look beautiful and I am envious that those buds aren't in my glass jars haha.

Amazing grow and congrats!

Regards,
Max (MaxYields)

 

[SmokerJoe]

Hey Bigkahuna!

Sorry I'm sorry I am so late! Thankfully I made it before the post cure smoke report, although I have a question about your curing process, you said you were going to let them cure in glass jars for 2 weeks and you had planned on putting the lids on every so often for 30 minutes. It seems like you have it backwards (at least to my knowledge), I always thought that you kept the buds in the glass jars with the lids on, and only take the lids off (also known as burping) for 30 minutes a couple times a day.

Maybe I am wrong, but I wouldn't want you to cure your buds incorrectly! Regardless, they look beautiful and I am envious that those buds aren't in my glass jars haha.

Amazing grow and congrats!

Regards,
Max (MaxYields)

You are right. Burp it once a day. If you were to keep the lid off all day and then on for just a half hour then there would be no curing and no benefit besides the equivilent of drying but the lid makes the water content in the buds condensate and burping it prevents the mold issue. Getting mold while curing would be the worst growing and taking all that time only to fail at the very end would be very disheartening

 

[MaxYields]

You are right. Burp it once a day. If you were to keep the lid off all day and then on for just a half hour then there would be no curing and no benefit besides the equivilent of drying but the lid makes the water content in the buds condensate and burping it prevents the mold issue. Getting mold while curing would be the worst growing and taking all that time only to fail at the very end would be very disheartening

Yeah I always thought that was the way to do it, thanks for confirming SmokerJoe!

Curing seems to be one of the most important stages in a grow (in my opinion), it determines so much about the buds and the smoke. You are damn right that it would be terrible to cure incorrectly and get moldy buds or rotten ones. I would be so utterly disappointed in myself.

How long on average should you be curing you buds once dried? It seems like the average is two to three weeks, however does longer or shorter curing periods change the chemical make-up or the attribute of the bud? (besides taste)

Thanks,
-Max (MaxYields)

 

[SmokerJoe]

I cure for 2 weeks if I do cure. Curing longer tends to bring out color and aroma is more profound but I believe within those 2 weeks your potency is probably maxed out although this is personal opinion and nothing scientific.