Aberration Goes ker Bloom! - 2009

[Aberration]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I am working within the rules of my state - I'm a med card holder - and they limit me to 6 plants in bloom, so I need to grow big. I would love to go SOG. I've been considering SCROG. I'm already shaping them with stakes. so a screen would just make it easier.

[Aberration]

The cutlings are still going to have to wait. They'll be fine as long as I feed them daily. It takes time and space to mix up 50 gal of soil.

Meanwhile, I am going to do a simple experiment. OC1 and OC3 are very much alike. They went into bloom 2 days apart (7/14 & 7/16) and are the same in all respects. Size, vigor, pot size, history, number of tops are all similar. I am going to feed OC1 the PBP Bloom formula, with a few additives. We shall compare at harvest. Therefore:

--> Cutlings:
1. Water to saturation, pH 6.22 @ 19.9 C

--> MTO1, MTO2 (both *VEG*):
1. Feed: 1 gal.
   Per gal:
	 1.0 T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion
   825 ppm, pH 6.19 @ 21.0 C

--> OC3, MTN2:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.19 @ 21.2 C

2. Feed: 1 gal.
   Per gal:
	 2  t  Soil Nute
	 2  t  PGE
	 3  t  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 2  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion
   Dilute to 1180 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.24 @ 20.2 C

--> OC1:
1. Feed: 1.5 gal.
   Total for 1.5 gal:
	 3  T  Pure Blend Pro Bloom (1-4-5, soil and coco formula)
	1.5 oz yucca
	1.5 oz Amino Blast
	 1  t  Carbon sweet
        1.5 T  Calcium Syrup
	1.5 t  Companion
   Dilute to 1180 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.24 @ 21.2 C

I got that great big dryer out of there. Won't need it for another 5 1/2 weeks or more and I could use the space. Much nicer.

[Aberration]

--> OC5, MTN1:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.20 @ 23.3 C

2. Feed: 1 gal.
   Per gal:
	 2  t  Soil Nute
	 2  t  PGE
	 3  t  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 1  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion
   Diluted from 1440 ppm to 1340 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.24 @ 23.3 C

So I upgraded my res today. No, not hydro yet. But I have a garbage can full of water with bubblers in the bottom. I try to let the water sit for at least 24 hours before I use it. I had a 32 gal can. Now I have a 44 gal Brute. I put standoffs under the lid so it wont snap shut and it breathes better. I added a 3/4 spigot to the bottom woth a nice big bore ball valve. Finally, I put it up high enough to put buckets under the spigot. I can also store buckets under it. It already has a bunch of crap piled on and around it:



Here's the bloom room at the moment:



Here are the cutlings, starting to really go now:



And here are the two competing to see who goes into bloom next:



As always, close-ups and explanations are free.

[Aberration]

It was complicated tonight.

--> Cutlings:
1. Feed: Water to saturation
   Per gal:
	 1.0 T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion
   600 ppm, pH 6.24 @ 23.8 C

--> MTO1, MTO2 (both *VEG*):
1. Feed: 1 gal.
   Per gal:
	 1.0 T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion
   880 ppm, pH 6.23 @ 23.9 C

--> OC5, MTN1, OC3, MTN2:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.19 @ 21.2 C

2. Feed: 1 gal. (MTN2 gets 5/8 gal)
   Per gal:
	 2  t  Soil Nute
	 2  t  PGE
	 3  t  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 2  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion

   OC5, MTN1: Diluted from 1400 ppm to 1315 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.24 @ 20.2 C

   OC3, MTN2: Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.23 @ 23.5 C

--> OC1:
1. Feed: 1.5 gal.
   Total for 1.5 gal:
	 3  T  Pure Blend Pro Bloom (1-4-5, soil and coco formula)
	1.5 oz yucca
	1.5 oz Amino Blast
	 1  t  Carbon sweet
        1.5 T  Calcium Syrup
	1.5 t  Companion
   Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.23 @ 23.3 C

The choice between MTO1 and MTO2 has been made. MTO1 has entered the bloom room. Today is her day 0.

[Soniq420]

Love this journal, your flower room is looking fantastic

[Aberration]

Originally Posted by Soniq420

Love this journal, your flower room is looking fantastic

Thanks! I'm enjoying it.

It hit me today: at this rate, by the time I harvest, I'm going to have a sea of tops. Woot! I'm already better than last round, I think as long as I don't over-correct, and push too hard.

--> MTO2, Cutlings (*VEG*):
1. Feed: Water to saturation
   Per gal:
	  1  T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion
          2  t Bt-i

   MTO2:     Dilute to 900 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.17 @ 20.2 C

   Cutlings: Dilute to 650 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.19 @ 20.2 C

--> OC5, MTN1, OC3, MTN2, MTO1:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.22 @ 21.2 C

2. Feed: 1 gal.
   Per gal:
	 2  t  Soil Nute
	 2  t  PGE
	 3  t  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 2  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion
          2  t Bt-i

   OC5, MTN1: Dilute from 1400 ppm to 1318 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.28 @ 20.2 C

   OC3, MTN2: Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.25 @ 20.2 C

   MTO1: Dilute to 1000 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.21 @ 23.3 C

--> OC1:
1. Feed: 1.5 gal.
   Total for 1.5 gal:
	 3  T  Pure Blend Pro Bloom (1-4-5, soil and coco formula)
	1.5 oz yucca
	1.5 oz Amino Blast
	 1  t  Carbon sweet
        1.5 T  Calcium Syrup
	1.5 t  Companion
          2  t Bt-i

   Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Brought up with liquid lime to pH 6.26 @ 23.2 C

[Aberration]

Just some clean water for the cutlings today. That will keep them from wilting before tomorrow. I need to transplant them so bad, but they will have to wait until at least Tuesday, and maybe until next weekend.

I no longer have a place to mix my medium. The recipe I use makes 50 gal at once. I'd rather do the whole thing in one go, and the biggest tub I could find was 50 gal as well. Mixing 50 gal of soilless and amendments in a 50 gal tub is impossible without getting it all over, and it mixes badly anyway.

My solution is to get a fresh piece of 10'x10' 6 mil plastic sheet and spread it out on the floor. I then spread the ingredients around on the sheet. Then, by grabbing an edge and lifting, I can roll it together - like folding dough. I change sides randomly and it all gets mixed well (15-20 minutes). I then scoop it into the tub with a small plastic bucket and a dustpan. It fills the tub right to the rim.

The first time I did it, it was in the bloom room. But there were no plants in there yet. It's a bit full right now. The second time, was in a room I have been adding to my house (permits and everything) that only had car decking, and no sub-floor yet. So a little spilled soil made no difference. I just vacuumed the worst of it. That room is now nearly done and a part of the rest of the house. My wife will not permit me to mix in the house, and I can't do it outside. I may have to borrow my mentor's garage for a few minutes.

I should take pictures of what I am doing and post it...

[Aberration]

I've been away. Sorry.

But my garden has been tended. To catch up:

8/14/09
-------
--> MTO2, Cutlings (*VEG*):
1. Feed: Water to saturation
   Per gal:
	  1  T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion

   Dilute to 700 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.20 @ 20.2 C

--> OC5, MTN1, OC3, MTN2, MTO1:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.20 @ 21.2 C

2. Feed: 1 gal. ea.
   Per gal:
	 2  t  Soil Nute
	 2  t  PGE
	 3  t  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 2  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion

   Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.20 @ 20.2 C

--> OC1:
1. Feed: 1.5 gal.
   Total for 1.5 gal:
	 3  T  Pure Blend Pro Bloom (1-4-5, soil and coco formula)
	1.5 oz yucca
	1.5 oz Amino Blast
	 1  t  Carbon sweet
        1.5 T  Calcium Syrup
	1.5 t  Companion

   Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.20 @ 23.2 C

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/15/09
-------

Just water for the cutlings.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/16/09
-------
--> MTO2, Cutlings (*VEG*):
1. Feed: Water to saturation
   Per gal:
	  1  T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion

   Dilute to 700 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.20 @ 20.2 C

--> OC5, MTN1, OC3, MTN2, MTO1:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.20 @ 21.2 C

2. Feed: 1 gal. ea.
   Per gal:
	 2  t  Soil Nute
	 2  t  PGE
	 3  t  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 2  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion

   Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.20 @ 20.2 C

--> OC1:
1. Feed: 1.5 gal.
   Total for 1.5 gal:
	 3  T  Pure Blend Pro Bloom (1-4-5, soil and coco formula)
	1.5 oz yucca
	1.5 oz Amino Blast
	 1  t  Carbon sweet
        1.5 T  Calcium Syrup
	1.5 t  Companion

   Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.20 @ 23.2 C

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/17/09
-------

Water for the cutlings.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/18/09
-------
--> MTO2, Cutlings (*VEG*):
1. Feed: Water to saturation
   Per gal:
	  1  T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion

   Dilute to 750 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.22 @ 23.4 C

--> OC5, MTN1, OC3, MTN2, MTO1:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.19 @ 23.4 C

2. Feed: 1 gal. ea.
   Per gal:
	 2  T  Budswel (0.01-0.10-0.01)
	 2  t  PGE
	 1  T  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 2  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion

   Raise to 1250 ppm with Bioactive
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.19 @ 23.3 C

--> OC1:
1. Feed: 1.5 gal.
   Total for 1.5 gal:
	 3  T  Pure Blend Pro Bloom (1-4-5, soil and coco formula)
	1.5 oz yucca
	1.5 oz Amino Blast
	 1  t  Carbon sweet
        1.5 T  Calcium Syrup
	1.5 t  Companion

   Dilute to 1200 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.19 @ 23.4 C

Although you may have to scroll down to see it on today's recipe, but I subbed in Budswel for the Soil Nute. I think I may alternate. By the way, holy crap that stuff smells. I think it's a new low in my experience. Wow. <gag>

I don't have any time after tonight's feeding due to other priorities, but I promise to post some nice canopy and bud close-up shots soon.

[TheCriMsonK20]

good to see things are still going smoothly. Can't wait to see the updated pics!

[Aberration]

Here's a few. First, a shot of the bloom room. It's all over the place. This next harvest is looking good at this point. I'm trying not to count my chickens.

Anyway, here it is:



Next, a close-up of a Mattanuskan T. bud on MTN2. Forming up nicely. I love Matty:



Finally, everyone, please confirm for me that this is due to nute burn:



I need to let off on MTO2. She's the only thing bigger than a cutling in the veg room. I've pushed her so hard. I think I'm going to prune her back next. I'm so mean.

The cutlings got water only. Quiet night. I'm going to go hang out with my wife.

[TheCriMsonK20]

damn dude, if i had that room in my house, i would probably live in there and never leave. Plants are looking great!

[Aberration]

Thanks. :)

--> MTO2, Cutlings (*VEG*):
1. Feed: Water to saturation
   Per gal:
	  1  T Pure Blend Pro Grow
	  .5 t Companion

   Add PBP to 770 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.26 @ 23.5 C

--> OC5, MTN1, OC3, MTN2, MTO1:
1. Pre-flush: 1/2 gal. 
   Per gal:
	 1  T  liquid bone meal
   pH 6.209 @ 23.8 C

2. Feed: 1 gal. ea.
   Per gal:
	 2  t  Soil Nute
	 2  t  PGE
	 1  T  Notrazyme
	 1  oz yucca
	 2  t  Biggest Bloom
	 2  t  liquid bone meal
	 2  t  Feather Tea
	 1  oz Amino Blast
	1/2 t  Carbon sweet
	 1  t  Cal-Mag
         1  T  Calcium Syrup
	 1  t  Companion

   Raise to 1300 ppm with Bioactive
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.25 @ 22.8 C

--> OC1:
1. Feed: 1.5 gal.
   Total for 1.5 gal:
	 3  T  Pure Blend Pro Bloom (1-4-5, soil and coco formula)
	1.5 oz yucca
	1.5 oz Amino Blast
	 1  t  Carbon sweet
        1.5 T  Calcium Syrup
	1.5 t  Companion

   Dilute to 1300 ppm
   Bring up with liquid lime to pH 6.24 @ 20.9 C

I see why they call it Orange Crush. When I go in the room, it smells like someone spilled a bottle of citrus-based heavy duty cleaner. Or maybe Simple Green. It's definitely coming from the OC. It's insanely strong in there and I have a CAN66 with a 6" fan going 24/7 to clean the air in that room. The air coming out of the air cleaner doesn't smell either, so I'm pretty sure the filter is still OK. Just wow. I wish I could digitize a smell.

[Cherma]

Aberration: Going back to when you were building this room, your skills in carpentry were duly noted. I now have seen your hard work and dedication to growing some very fine cannabis. You have come a long ways since the foundation was poured. And have built from that an incredible area to cultivate in.

but I subbed in Budswel for the Soil

Nute: Yes I have been using Budswel for 2 years now and will keep on using it. The smell is a little strong to some. The results are fantastic. The High "P" really gets the flowers pumped and fuller.

I appreciate you sharing your long hours and hard working theories and formulas that are so ever detailed. That is quite an accomplishment. You will undoubtably in the future have much more to give and offer to many who seek knowledge on growing cannabis. Please keep this going forward and always I say Aloha to my original home state.

[Aberration]

Thanks Cherma. I have put my heart and soul into it, not to mention a generous portion of blood. I'm actually terribly clumsy at construction. I should have had stitches a couple times, but butterflied them instead. I got through with sheer persistence.

I'm always happy to share what I have learned and how I do things though. It's in my nature. I also appreciate constructive criticism.

I continue to be convinced that growing can be a science, and therefore the scientific method, good records, and rigorous observations can continually improve the outcomes. I'm also trying to set the stage for breeding later.

[Aberration]

I finally weighed out the last of the first round tonight. In total for the round:

GV.......89.1 g  =  3.15 o
ATW.....248.2 g  =  8.75 o
POG2....160.8 g  =  5.67 o
KK......326.5 g  =  11.52 o
L........90.9 g  =  3.21 o
PG4.....234.4 g  =  8.27 o
---------------------------
Total..1149.9 g  =  40.56 o  =  2.5 lb.  	Woohoo!

40.56 o / 6 plants = 6.76 o/plant

That certainly meets my goal of 4 o/plant!

Actually, I did better than that. I never weighed up what I have already smoked and given away in small quantities. My use alone is 2 o / month, and I've been smoking only my own for more than 6 weeks. That means I grew at least 3 o more that what is tallied above. Hell, I smoked a 1/2 o myself over three days on an outing recently. Adding a very conservative 3 o would put the total at 43.56 o and 7.26 o/plant. But since I didn't actually weigh it, I won't claim it.

Of course, right now I have about a gram short of 14 o. The remaining 26 o have already been donated to other card holders in varying amounts. I've been gifting it as harvests approach to prevent myself from exceeding my 24 o limit.

14 o is more than enough. I'll give away at least another 4 o. Even 10 o is a 5 month supply for me, and the OC5 and MTN1 should be ripe for harvest in less than 4 weeks.

I would rate that first round a resounding success. It far exceeded my expectations. With what I learned, the current round should easily surpass that. They are already much larger than that first round. Most importantly, this means I should have no trouble meeting my needs with 2-3 plants easily. The leaves 3-4 plants per round where I can take a chance and still be OK. And to me, that means trying my hand at breeding.

---

My first goal is to grow as many different strains as I can, so that I can get a feel for the common elements of taste, scent, and high, as well as what distinguishes the various 'types', such as skunks, hazes, diesels, etc. Once I have surveyed some and started to decide what I want, I can start looking for examples to narrow my search to. Then I will start crossing them for seed.

There are really two good reasons for me to breed:

1. Growing from seed provides freedom. Because I am limited in the number of plants I can grow at a time, maintaining a number of strains for variety is difficult via cloning. Buying seed is expensive. The solution is to make your own seed. Properly stored, you could use it for years, and you could pull a few seeds of whatever you wanted, as desired, for immediate use. Variety without clones. I would rather use a large live population, but I work with what I have.
2. Crosses can result in hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor make the plant grow faster and produce more. This increases my safety margin. It can also make for very easy-to-grow plants if I can do it correctly.

The hard part about breeding with very small populations is the lack of good sample size. 6 plants at a round is not a large selection population. I intend to give seed to other legal growing patients on the understanding that if they find anything exceptional, I get a sample of the bud and a clone. That would give me a large virtual sample size with a bit less control overall. Breeding is a numbers game. I think it might work for me. CO-OP breeding.

---

In other news, you may have noticed (if you read from the start) that I use a nutrient line you have never heard of. They have always been a very local producer here in western Oregon. Well, they are going national I hear, so you may have the opportunity to try them as well. Just a heads-up. I'm not trying to sell the stuff.

---

Only light water with Bt-i and myco (Wonder Dust) tonight for everyone. Tomorrow is a full feed though.