TheNarrator Learns to Grow - Multi-Strain - LED

[TheNarrator]

So after letting the cheap hygrometers settle in the jar (my more accurate one is in transit somewhere) the one which I marked as +5% after the salt test is hovering around 57% meaning my bud would be around 52%. Taking these results with a grain of salt due to the probable inaccuracy of the meters but as the two hygrometers are at least maintaining 5% difference between each other I think its quite possible I have crossed through the 55% barrier, DAMN!

Learnt lots for next time at least, I think I dried a little too long for buds which weren't very dense and I also have my doubts about the air tightness of the large clip jar I used. Have transferred the bud into a smaller 1.25L jar now.

I guess the flipside of this is that my buds will hopefully be stable enough to just leave them for a week without enlisting help.

I know it won't restart the curing process, but would it be worth putting a couple of fresh fan leaves in there to try and bump the RH up a few % or is that simply done to make dry buds more enjoyable to smoke rather than for storage?

Can't stop playing with the new phone so heres a couple more snaps, performs decently under the LED light. Both PCs are starting to show lots of paling fan leaves, not much yellow so far but a fair bit of lime green.

 

[Faic]

You could put a fan or piece of stem in there to get it to a decent hydration level, even like orange peel. I think it's more for personal choice on texture of the bud. I prefer mine a bit dryer than normal perhaps. Damp and sticky doesn't burn as well, harsher, and clogs things up much faster. LOL it's interesting how one's perspective changes when there's lots of bud around and you can actually experiment.

Yeah at 52-60 you could leave em for a week safely I'd think, but will be interesting to see how they do in the smaller jar, who knows, the better meters might show the cheapies are off 15% lol. But you know what I mean.

All things considered though, I think you're better off with a bit of fail now, vs a effortless cure. It makes things you see the next cure much clearer.

Heh you need to see if there's a white balance setting on your phone ;3 Yeah, nitrogen deficiency is fine. At this stage, the plant getting sick looking isn't a bad thing. You just need to decide if you want to let the plant stress at the end, or feed it completely till you cut (with appropriate flushing if you flush). Right now, I'm feeding so the plants look healthy till I cut. Heh this is one area where the plant finishes despite what people do.

 

[TheNarrator]

You could put a fan or piece of stem in there to get it to a decent hydration level, even like orange peel. I think it's more for personal choice on texture of the bud. I prefer mine a bit dryer than normal perhaps. Damp and sticky doesn't burn as well, harsher, and clogs things up much faster. LOL it's interesting how one's perspective changes when there's lots of bud around and you can actually experiment.

Yeah at 52-60 you could leave em for a week safely I'd think, but will be interesting to see how they do in the smaller jar, who knows, the better meters might show the cheapies are off 15% lol. But you know what I mean.

All things considered though, I think you're better off with a bit of fail now, vs a effortless cure. It makes things you see the next cure much clearer.

Heh you need to see if there's a white balance setting on your phone ;3 Yeah, nitrogen deficiency is fine. At this stage, the plant getting sick looking isn't a bad thing. You just need to decide if you want to let the plant stress at the end, or feed it completely till you cut (with appropriate flushing if you flush). Right now, I'm feeding so the plants look healthy till I cut. Heh this is one area where the plant finishes despite what people do.

Cool well I won't bother until I'm back at least, going to leave the jar close for the next couple of days and if RH is steady will be confident to leave them.

They very well could be that far off but the bud does also appear quite dry when inspected.

Yep you're right, got to do things wrong to know how to do them right sometime!

Cool, was more excited to see the yellowing than worried.
Thats just the default camera app so no control but just downloaded a different one with much more control so will keep playing! Cool, I think the Pineapple Chunks are starting to reduce their water intake a little as well, perfect timing for me being away

 

[JayBizzle]

As I get closer to my first harvest, I am also looking for accurate hygrometers, seems all the digital ones have a +/- threshold of 5%. Does anyone use a manual dial type hygrometer? Are they more accurate? Having a +/-5% variable is too high for my liking.

 

[Faic]

I like the digital ones since they respond faster than an analog ones as I understand it, since I've only compared my digital to the analog in the office. As long as you check it beforehand you can mark it if it's off.

 

[TheNarrator]

So after letting the hygrometers settle in the ambient environment I put them into the smaller jar with the buds and they once again settled on 62% and 57%, so they do at least appear to be consistent once you know how far out they are. Going to calibrate them with a humidity pack so I can get a more accurate measure on the +/-%.

As I get closer to my first harvest, I am also looking for accurate hygrometers, seems all the digital ones have a +/- threshold of 5%. Does anyone use a manual dial type hygrometer? Are they more accurate? Having a +/-5% variable is too high for my liking.

Hey JayBizzle, have been doing lots of hygrometer research lately and it seems there is plenty of discrepancy out there, have seen people saying they have 10+ different brand of hygrometers and all give different results... The more accurate one I decided to order was 'Calibre III Digital Hygrometer' which is around $20-$30 and advertises a humidity error of +/-1%. There are also the Acurite ones, which give the error as +/-3% when the humidity is between 20-80%, even their high end weather stations seem to use this error range. I had been considering the analog dials as well but most don't give an error range and I have seen mention somewhere that some could be as much as +/-10-15% and that they will become more inaccurate over time.

EDIT: You can also get the Calibre with a 5 year guarantee.

 

[arteekay]

Dammit. Thanks TN, I got lost in the river for a good half hour courtesy of your search term. Ended up adding a cool 360 degree oscillating tower fan to my cart that may just work dead center of our tent.

Not sure how that helps our cure, so now I gotta go back for another swim.

Grrr.

 

[TheNarrator]

Dammit. Thanks TN, I got lost in the river for a good half hour courtesy of your search term. Ended up adding a cool 360 degree oscillating tower fan to my cart that may just work dead center of our tent.

Not sure how that helps our cure, so now I gotta go back for another swim.

Grrr.

Ha! it's a treacherous place, the water is like quicksand. Fan sounds cool, don't think I've ever seen a 360 one in a grow so far, should be a good addition!

While your swimming if you haven't come across it already there's also the calibre IV hygrometer which has a calibration function for around the same price.

just send a SOS if you need me to call the rescue helicopter to pull you out!

 

[Faic]

This looks promising.
Quality Importers HygroSet II Round Digital Hygrometer for Humidors

Hah it's on it's way from china. Ma ikka.

 

[TheNarrator]

So I'm about to head off for 7-8 days. Bud in the jars is holding a steady RH at 52% so will just be leaving it in the closet. Gave the Pineapple Chunks a big water just before. They have both reduced their water consumption somewhat so I think they will survive fine, from the looks of them one or both may even be ready to harvest which will be a nice thing to look forwards to and get me through what will be my longest break from smoking for several years!

Been playing around with camera apps in the LED light with varied results but thought I'd leave you guys with this one which looks sort of cool I think.



Probably won't have internet access either so will catch you all when I get back.
Peace
TN

 

[arteekay]

Have a great trip TN.

 

[TheNarrator]

And I'm back!

Good news first, bud in the jar is fine, no sign of mould at all.

The Pineapple Chunks not so good I think, they copped some brutal weather while I was away which has left them both looking like the photos below.



The damage seems to mainly be to fan leaves and the larger sugar leaves so I'm hoping I got back just in time to have saved the buds which still have plenty of moisture and seem to be ready to harvest anyway (they actually look quite nice with plenty of frost. I just got back from the airport and need to sleep but will be chopping them tomorrow, anyone got any ideas if I should do anything differently or try to revive the plant a bit before harvest?

Makes me so sad to see them like this but hoping that I haven't damaged the end product too badly.

 

[TheNarrator]

So an update, I compromised to stop myself freaking out too much and chopped both plants at the base and they are now hanging upside down in the tent, interested in peoples opinions about whether I should let them dry like this seeing as though the plant had already somewhat dried out or if I should go ahead with trimming the fan leaves and sugar leaf tips off tomorrow.

EDIT: PC2 (the younger but larger) at least looks to have some decent weight on it as well and should still easily beat 2 fast 2 vast so hoping I'm freaking out unnecessarily, time to chill out

 

[Faic]

cut the fans unless you want to see if they taste green compared to the one you pulled before.

welcome back

 

[TheNarrator]

cut the fans unless you want to see if they taste green compared to the one you pulled before.

welcome back

Cheers man! Glad to be back, about to smoke my first joint after 8 days, overdue to say the least

Thanks, I think I will, can dry these ones without lights and oscillating fan so should be a slower dry anyway, will get trimming tomorrow. The more I look at the buds the more I think they will still be nice, just shat myself when I opened the tent and saw the fan leaves were almost all completely dead...

 

[TheNarrator]

Have a great trip TN.

thanks RTK! Wasn't the best circumstances but got to see some people that I hadn't in a long time at least

 

[arteekay]

thanks RTK! Wasn't the best circumstances but got to see some people that I hadn't in a long time at least

Ah, funeral or a wedding I'll assume. Only times I really see half my family.

(I include weddings from the perspective of a middle-aged bachelor). hehe

 

[TheNarrator]

Ah, funeral or a wedding I'll assume. Only times I really see half my family.

(I include weddings from the perspective of a middle-aged bachelor). hehe

You are a wise man, the former unfortunately but thats life. I'm hearing you on the weddings, an open bar never hurts either

On the plus side after 8 days off one small joint of 2 fast 2 vast essentially knocked me unconscious last night

 

[arteekay]

You are a wise man, the former unfortunately but thats life. I'm hearing you on the weddings, an open bar never hurts either

On the plus side after 8 days off one small joint of 2 fast 2 vast essentially knocked me unconscious last night

My condolences, I shouldn't really have pried. I forget not everyone needs to know every assumption that pops into my head.


Haven't done 8 days off in two decades, can't imagine what that'd be like.

 

[TheNarrator]

My condolences, I shouldn't really have pried. I forget not everyone needs to know every assumption that pops into my head.


Haven't done 8 days off in two decades, can't imagine what that'd be like.

Thanks, but all good, was a very logical assumption, don't stress!

The 8 nights of restless sleeping were a bit of a pain but other than that I found it surprisingly easy.