AK-48 Planted 10-19-15 From Seed

[swwilson20]

Got the tent in the closet. It runs a couple degrees higher, but it's not too bad. High 70's and barley scratches 80 but not for long. All in all I like the move into the closet, it's a lot more consistent, and it's not in our dining room..

Anyways it's been about 60 days now since going to 12/12. 7 days since last watering, which was a full dose of the Roots Organics bloom nutes, cal mag, aphrodites (sugars) and some Orca.

 

[goddi13]

Your hairs are turning so cut and dry time is coming bro have you been looking at them with a magnification loop or glass? Still totally in love with the colors its throwing and all with no cold temps wow.

 

[swwilson20]

Yes I have a loop. I don't think I will be able to take pics with it, but I shall try. To me they are starting to turn cloudy but the dominance of the trichs is still clear.

So my next watering will possibly be tonight, tomorrow, or the next day. I won't know for a few more hours still.

I am a bit lost concerning my next step. Should I be giving her pure water now from this point on?


And I don't know if it makes a hoot, but it takes my plant 9-12 days to dry out completely..

 

[swwilson20]

I can't get good pics with the loop, but the trichs are definetly mostly cloudy at this point with a few random amber trichs.

 

[Papageno]

I think if you baby it a little you can get some weight still.

 

[swwilson20]

I was going to water with sugar and orca only, probably tonight. When the time comes to cut her down, is it best to do so just before she would need another drink, or should the soil have some moisture left in it?


And VI I think I saw a post of yours and others as well stating you can add some weight on at the end if you severely drop the rh%, like in the 20's. I can't get it that low even if I wanted to, but I think I can drop rh down to 30%

 

[goddi13]

Less air and plant water the better especially if your already getting amber trichs hell i thought from the look of them you had way more time. Black strap will plump them up. Im using black strap and coconut sugar once a week and 1/2 on top of there foxfarm bloom and micro feed 3 times a week. The way I have them tied its going to be hell taking them out to flush. Props on them loop pics I like them.

You going with a 50/50 cloudy to amber trich before cut or are you going more amber?

 

[swwilson20]

Yes 50/50. Definetly not there yet but they are turning color. I don't have to look as hard to find them now

Ill play it by ear but I think I would be safe to cut after a week from now, but like I said I'm not carving that in stone by any means. When the time comes, I think I get the gist of drying after the cut. Basically just hang the branches upside down until the branches nearly snap when trying to bend. I cut a sickly looking branch off and have it hanging now, ya know, for practice

 

[goddi13]

Hahhaa practice dose make perfect lol my brother dose his that way but adds a few days/weeks to cure time. I let it hang till it snaps clean off and dont cure as long but either way works in the end. Did ya start your seeds for the next grow yet.

 

[Papageno]

Disclaimer: There is more to curing then strictly this ...But...

They key to curing is an anaerobic bacteria goes through and eats up all the excess chlorophyll and sugars left behind. When they are done cleaning it up the hay smell is gone and you are left with the smell and taste that is unique to that strain. A good cure leads to a smooth clean smoke. This bacteria only grows at a certain humidity in the jar(I think 55-65%). It is anaerobic so every time you open the jar it starts over. So if you can close it at the right time you can get the humidity to stay at the right level (... or you can get these humidity packs to force it to 62%) then wait a while. Longer the better.

A basic cure is 2 weeks if done correctly. Still a bit harsh but smokable.

2 months is pretty standard.

6 months is nice after which most people can't tell an improvement. I think beyond a year there is no improvement.

There is a simple process on getting it ready to jar without using humidity packs I explained in the journal in my sig. on page 8 starting at post 92.

Depending on drying method it can take 4-6 days to get them into jars. It can and should be done much slower.

 

[swwilson20]

Goddi I am chomping at the bit waiting to plant the next seed! At this point I would rather see a solo cup getting a tan vs. the mess I have going now! Nah it's not that bad I don't guess, and hell I'm pretty sure Ill be able to harvest this plant, so that's a big goal achieved in itself. Probably going to dry inside the tent so I'll have to wait to plant the next grow.

Thanks VI! Good info. I can count on one hand how many times I've gotten herb that was really smooth to smoke. So creating something a little less painful to smoke is an attribute I am looking for, that and something that sends me to the moon, quick like! Probably won't come from this grow haha, but I'm looking forward to the next grow

 

[Papageno]

I been smoking my BM auto recently. I harvested that around new years. Cure is not done well but it is smokeable and works great. I have 3 more beans I will try when I start up again since they are so fast. I still have a few jars I haven't opened yet for some time. I may get some good smoke out of it yet.

 

[goddi13]

Im trying v's way this time. Iv never went that long hell I couldn't keep my hand out of the jar that plant was gone so fast it didnt have a chance lol

I told ya wilson. What did I say no matter what by the end of this grow you will have a few buds to smoke lol you just made that by the skin of your teeth but by hell you got there this bud might be a mind bender man. Might be the plants way of saying hey thanks for sticking with me hahaha. I wish you would have got some cloning done and grew a few more of them out. Ill definitely be there for the next one you do. Iv said it 3 or 4 times but ill say it agine I love the look of this plant just call it the ghost ak-48 the plant that haunted your dreams for months.

 

[swwilson20]

Yes sir, definetly squeaked by, although she ain't quite there yet. Still have the matter of drying and curing..

I think I am going to use Boveda packs for curing. Suppossedly they are easy, just toss the pack in an airtight mason and be patient.

 

[Papageno]

Yup...But I would still try to learn how to do it without. I would still go through the motions of drying before curing to get that skill and then back it up with the packs for now until you feel comfortable that you are doing it right. Curing too early will cause mold without the packs. A good slow dry is a good skill to learn.

 

[swwilson20]

Alright so the trichs are about where I think they should be. Mostly cloudy now with amber starting to pop up, I'd say 10% or so. I have a little nugget drying now, the first attempt dried too fast.. I have in a cabinet and the rh is around 65%. I think I am going to dry the plant in the tent as I'm sure the rh will be easy to get in the 60-65% range for a good slow dry. The towels wicking in a bucket trick works like a charm.

So my last watering will be tomorrow night, and I am thinking it's okay to give it molasses on the last watering, or should it just be pure water?

 

[Papageno]

I'd give it broken down molasses product, but straight molasses wont be usable in time.

Good job mate! Water it good with a sugar a few hours before the darkness and then 36-48 hours of darkness. Then harvest / Dry / Cure in low light and you are golden.

During the down period go read this... Bud Washing

Read until at least the Doc Bud post. Do not use Hot water. H2O2 is not necessary.

 

[swwilson20]

I was planning on making butter with the trim and the little wannabe buds. Do I cure everything all together, and trim after cure? If I understand corectly, you take off all the fan leaves after a few days of drying, and then dry a few more days, and then cure in jars?

 

[Papageno]

There are a lot of stickies and places to read about curing. Even in my journal there is a bit on it.

 

[David Bowman]

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