Yarddogs AK 48 Soil Grow

[YardDog35]

Well its time to get dirty! This is an AK 48 clone from my last grow. I had her under a weak florescent light since she rooted two months ago. She was going to be my mother plant so I did not want rapid growth. My last grow was Deep Water Culture with amazing results, since my lease is up July 1st I don't have the time to start from sprout or clone now so this girl is going to go into flower for a June harvest.

I had her in a 50/50 mix of Foxfarm Ocean Forest and Light Warrior with a little bit of perlite added to the mix. I put her under 6 cfl's last week and she showed her hunger very quickly with some bottom leaves losing color.

I transplanted to a 14.5" wide shallow clay pot I got from Lowes, with 100% Ocean Forest. Using 9 23w 6500 kelvin clf's, then switching to my 250w hps light for flower April 13.

YD

 

[vspec]

hey buddy.

whats 100% ocean forest?

Good luck on the grow

 

[YardDog35]

hey buddy.

whats 100% ocean forest?

Good luck on the grow

Ocean Forest soil by Fox Farm. What I meant by 100% is that I used all Ocean Forest rather that a mix of soils. Its a great soil packed with nutes that should last for 3-4 weeks before I need to start feeding her. I used a mix of Ocean Forest and Light Warrior (more of a seed starter soil from Fox Farm) when the clone was young to give the roots a chance to spread out in the light soil mix without burning the plant from too much nutes.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the good luck on this grow, much appreciated

 

[vspec]

i appreciate you taking the time to fill in the gaps for me.

They say the stupid question is the one you dont ask, so thank you.

 

[YardDog35]

A little update...


Started feeding this week. First with half strength GH Flora Nova veg to see how she responded, nothing but green. This morning, 5ml Nova, 1ml Floralicious Plus, and 10ml Florablend (per gallon). Came home and she looked happier than ever!

I set up my 250w hps 10 days ago, have it raised a little to encourage some stretching before flower. Switching to 12/12 this weekend...a week later than I was planning. I have topped 4 times since the first topping. I was tempted to top again but I think the canopy is even enough, I count 8 main 'tops' right now.

On to the pics!

Next time I have her out of the closet for a misting I will get some better pics. Those are a little yellow from the hps.

YD

 

[YardDog35]

Bought a Lumatek 400w digital ballast, Xtrasun hood and a 400w Hortilux HPS bulb today!

Really happy with this set up! Sooo much better than the 250w I was running.

 

[YardDog35]

Took time to take some pics last night before the lights went out

Just shy of 4 weeks into flower. Closet temp ranges from 76*-80*, humidity 40. Feeding General Hydroponics "keep it simple" drain to waste chart...aggressive bloom.
PH 6.0 at feeding, plain water every third watering. Needs water every 3-4 days usually. Its very important to let the soil dry out for oxygen to get to the roots, I water when the lower half of the plant is starting to droop.

YD

 

[zzoomm100]

Awesome grow Yarddog. I just wanted to ask you a quick question.

How did you create that CFL spiral in the first 4 pics? Is it made out of two separate cords threaded through a hood with Y connectors to allow 4 cfls per cord? I like the light coverage on that. I want to replicate it. I think it's brilliant.

I grow with CFLs throughout. I know it isn't as productive as flowering with an HPS but I'm out of the house all day and I don't feel comfortable with anything lit except CFLs.

Thanks.

 

[insane420]

Great looking plants ! I have some AK48 seeds waiting for my next grow...going to watch this journal carefully

 

[YardDog35]

Awesome grow Yarddog. I just wanted to ask you a quick question.

How did you create that CFL spiral in the first 4 pics? Is it made out of two separate cords threaded through a hood with Y connectors to allow 4 cfls per cord? I like the light coverage on that. I want to replicate it. I think it's brilliant.

I grow with CFLs throughout. I know it isn't as productive as flowering with an HPS but I'm out of the house all day and I don't feel comfortable with anything lit except CFLs.

Thanks.

Thanks zzoomm! Here is a link to my cfl set up Another CFL set up...

All the parts were bought from Lowes, but other hardware stores will do. I understand your concern for safety with lighting, we all should be very diligent in checking our lighting systems total amperage draw and be careful with heat. The reflective (not really reflecting all those cfl's though) hood I am using is rated at 150 watts, so the 6 23w are getting close @ 138 total watts. Still that is only 1.25 amps being drawn...the beauty of cfl's

Back to the set up. You can manipulate a lot of different arrays with those handy Y splitters. The most important part is the plug/socket piece used for the extension for clearance. Good luck!

Great looking plants ! I have some AK48 seeds waiting for my next grow...going to watch this journal carefully

Thanks insane420! I just skimmed through your Cheese journal. Very nice bro! Some good looking plants, I'll be watching for sure.
I really like the AK 48, and I'm excited about this grow for a few reasons. First is the age of her when I put her into veg. The last AK girl grown in Deep Water Culture was only vegged for 3 weeks, growth was so fast I had to go to flower before I ran out of room. Flavor and aroma did not reach the full potential. This clone was over two months old before being put into flower.

Second is the soil. I am anxious to see the difference in smoothness and taste compared to dwc (even though the results are tainted a little from the above mentioned lack of maturity in the last grow). I loved growing in bubbles and will do it again this fall through winter when temps drop, hard to keep res temps down in the summer heat. With that being said I am enjoying the soil thing

I will update soon...trich development is getting crazy!

YD

 

[YardDog35]

Another update...about 3 weeks until harvest is my guess. Temps have been tough to keep down lately with the warm weather setting in. The good is humidity drops to almost 35%, the bad is temps are almost getting to 84*. Been running the AC during the day lately...$$$

Its all for a good cause though, right?

Last night was the last full feeding of nutes. I will switch to the 'ripen' schedule per General Hydroponics feeding chart, along with AN's Bud Candy for week one of the last three weeks before harvest. Flush for the last two weeks. The first week with GH's FloraKleen, the last week with plain water...the last 3 days before cutting, complete darkness.

ON TO THE PICS...taken 5 days ago

Sorry for the color, she is to large to take out of the closet. The 400w HPS isn't the best lighting.

...I like this one!

YD

 

[LotzOfTrycs]

Nice colas you got going on there

 

[YardDog35]

Nice colas you got going on there

Thanks L.O.T, appreciate the compliment

 

[YardDog35]

Went to Ace and bought some bamboo stakes and green wire to brace her up a little. Some of the lower shoots are starting to get a little top heavy. Next watering will be the beginning of flushing.

Pics taken the night of June 18th

Before the help of the sticks

And after

Some cola shots

I'm still battling temps, I need a 'real' blower type fan to cool my hood.

Thanks for looking and, thanks again for all the kind words!

Happy growing all

 

[AFLthrasher]

Looks Awesome Hows she smelling..





AFLs First 420 Grow Journal

 

[YardDog35]

Looks Awesome Hows she smelling..
AFLs First 420 Grow Journal

Thanks AFL!

When I give a cola a little love squeeze and smell my fingers, I want to lick the sticky off it smells so sweet. The overall room smell is not bad, I get home from work and you know something special is growing

 

[YardDog35]

Oops...been so busy I forgot to update my journal.

Harvested two weeks ago, 61 days for flower...she maybe could have gone another 3-4 days idk, I'm still learning. Jar curing right now, burping daily. The smell is starting to sweeten up some, and yes I have smoked some early...the high is getting strong!

Weighed out three smoke-able ounces, some being thinner lower buds. All in all a happy harvest. The heat was an issue though, next time around hopefully I can keep temps down.

On to the pics!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will update with a better smoke report after curing.

YD

 

[YardDog35]

OH...DON'T FORGET TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE. GO TO 420 CONTESTS AND SEE WHAT EVERYONE IS GROWING AND SMOKING!​

HAHA...Just a little plug for everyone, including myself

420 Contests - 420 Magazine

420 Magazine's Plant of the Month Contest: July 2010

 

[Lemon Paradise]

very nice grow. those cola were huge,, great job,, looks

 

[AFLthrasher]

Wow those are some nice Nugs man Gj..













AFLs First 420 Grow Journal