Ahhh Crap, Storm Damage

[Morda Grown]

So I went to check on my girls this morning after a mild storm and found that a branch had come down on one of them.

Literally stripped the branches off one side of the plant. The plant is in stretch and hit 6'9" yesterday. :.(. It sheared about 7 bud tops and two branches completely off the plant. I cut off the branches that had the heads striped. (No other bud sights on the branch) and splinted what I could save. I'm not set up for cloning and besides, the plant is not one of my better plants. (Over water damage)

Here are the Pics:

Repair

It is what it is, one of the pit falls of growing out doors. It sill sucks though!

 

[Paul Squiggle]

What a mess.. so can anything be rescued? Or is it a total right off?
Really sorry to see this, you must be devastated

 

[Morda Grown]

I saved what I could and the good news is the Main Cola is still intact. Only time will tell if the branches I splinted will survive. Yes, it hurt to see as it was one of the bigger plants and will loose about half the yield from it. Just more reason to get them in the green house when I can get it done.

 

[Paul Squiggle]

I saved what I could and the good news is the Main Cola is still intact. Only time will tell if the branches I splinted will survive. Yes, it hurt to see as it was one of the bigger plants and will loose about half the yield from it. Just more reason to get them in the green house when I can get it done.

At least the whole plant wasn't damaged. Which could have easily happened, still not a nice experience though. It will be interesting to see if the splints work. Try and take some detailed pictures of the breaks and the repairs. We could all learn something from this..
Have you already got a green house ready to build or are you still on the hunt for one?

 

[Morda Grown]

I am very thankful that it was only one plant too, I have 8 plants in that same area.

I have it mostly built, just need to do the plastic and the wiggle wire to hold the plastic in place. Been too hot here to work on it and the cooler days, like today, it has been raining. I will take some better pics when the rain lets up.

Hoop House Build

 

[Morda Grown]

More Damage and Repair Pics.

I use floral pins for LST and attaching to stakes. I bend them with pliers into snap hooks. They also work good for repairs.

Cut off a couple lower damaged branches

Cross Splint

 

[greenjeans]

I think that if 1/3 of the outer skin is intact your branch should be OK. I am always amazed as no matter how twisted and tortured a stalk may seem - it just carries on!!! Well, usually - your results may vary!!!

 

[Morda Grown]

I think that if 1/3 of the outer skin is intact your branch should be OK. I am always amazed as no matter how twisted and tortured a stalk may seem - it just carries on!!! Well, usually - your results may vary!!!

I wanted the plant to put it''s energy into the bent and fixed branches. The two that broke off had the tops severed aswell Just no point in trying to save them. I also have now 8 females so I thought, just write the two branches off.

 

[Morda Grown]

Well as our lovely Michigan weather would have it we got hit last night and all day. It tore up all my patchwork.

So, I spent some time patching it back up. It is still storming so I'm sure I will fix it agin. It is not the rain but the wind that is tearing it up now.

 

[Morda Grown]

And now more storm damage... We had a tree come down and take out our power line to the house Tuesday night. It was a mess and took out my early budding plant as well, total loss. I did salvage any buds that were on it though, they were not ready by any means.

You can not see by this image but the main stalk was snapped in half.

The next night we were hit again with heavy winds and took out two more plants. I was just so pissed by this time I didn't even take pics. I'm now down to 6 females for the year from 9.

 

[Paul Squiggle]

Feel for you mate. Is there any more storms forecasted?

 

[Morda Grown]

This is Michigan, it is a "If you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes, it will change State." We get what are called straight line winds here. Most are not perdicted because it is a burst of wind. These winds are known for taking down trees. That is what took out the other two plants. Had 4 trees in total come down over the course of two days. Not much you can do about it just pray they don't hit an out building or your house. There is nothing forecast for a couple weeks atm though.

 

[Morda Grown]

Just rolled a few of the popcorn buds, It is not the best I have had, but it does give a nice mellow high and is taking the pain from my hip after a fall I took a couple days ago when the power was off.

 

[greenjeans]

but it does give a nice mellow high

Ain't it nice when a plan comes together!!!! I got impatient so I water cured some of my Auto just to see what it was like - and Hey, it do the job!!!!!

 

[Morda Grown]

Can't say it was the plan.. But, Yeah it was better than the total loss I thought it would be. Samples of what may come are always good.

 

[Morda Grown]

Got the buds trimmed and weighed, 1.5 Oz of popcorn. Even though it is not what I was expecting from that plant before it was smashed, it is better than a kick in the arss.

Having said that, last years grow out of 7 plants (With Seeds) had a total yield of only 1oz. This one plant that was smashed early gave me 1/2 oz more (No Seeds) than my whole grow last year. It may only be but, I will cremate her with pleasure.

 

[Morda Grown]

Weather Strikes Again. Had heavy winds again last night with heavy rain. All but 1 did fine. This one I had to prop up some weaker branches that laid down. Noe of the branches were broken more like Mother Natures HST you might say.
The buds are getting heavy and these branches just did not thicken like the others. I grabbed some bamboo sticks and propped up 5 branches, mostly lower ones.

 

[FelipeBlu]

Man, I really feel for you. Supporting the plant to survive the wind is one thing - defending against falling trees is quite another. Looks like you are next to a lake too - no trees there to slow the wind down until it hits your trees. Thankfully, your house hasn’t been hit. Are there fewer trees there or is it because of the wind direction? Maybe move the remaining plants closer to the house to protect them?

 

[Morda Grown]

Fewer trees and the house and shore trees block the wind during the summer. Yes I'm on an inland lake that is basically a bunch of med to small bays. Because of that, wind gets broke up a lot. The wind is worse on the deck in the winter months. The worse winds come from the west and this is the south east side of the house.

 

[FelipeBlu]

It sounds like they are in the best place that they could be then. GL with the trees!