Amy Gardner's First Journal - Outdoor - Critical Cure & Chaos In The Forest

[weenmeoff]

The whole forum site got considerably faster in the last few hours.

Apparently image optimisation is done and the whole media backend has the resources it needs to deliver each others’ content to us all! A week after a premature (and emergency induced) birth and pretty much off the life-support - that’s pretty good going I reckon.

This means that my mega update from last week is very viewable
So for anyone who happens to drop by... it’s here: Amy Gardner's First Journal - Outdoor - Critical Cure & Chaos In The Forest
(or just back one page )

There’s still kinks and minor bugs being sorted on the site, any problems go here and ask your questions
Brand New Forums & Gallery

I’ll post another update tomorrow - I have some lovely pics already (and some nice surprises), just need to go through them (delete, edit, etc.) Till then, stay medicated in any and every way that suits you.

Hi Amy! I wanted to let you know your mega update is not loading smoothly for me. A few pics came up but the rest did not. I did not wait long but will try again later.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Hi Amy! I wanted to let you know your mega update is not loading smoothly for me. A few pics came up but the rest did not. I did not wait long but will try again later.

Thanks ween - and welcome to the garden!

Yeah - i’ve Only just logged in today (it;s early morning for me), and the image load on other paged has slowed again too. Doesn’t seem as hamstrung as it was - but it’s not as fast as is was 10hours ago. MAybe I’ll post over in the feedback/ bug reporting thread, so they know or can clarify.

 

[Amy Gardner]

subbed. still on page 5 but learning a lot about organic growing!

yay for outdoor growing in aus

Hi snezola

It’s very lovely to have you along. I’m learning a lot about organic outdoor gardening myself and I’ve made numerous missteps here n there and each time the plants have survived it ok! It remains to be seen how well I can get them to the finish, but I think I’ve discovered that you can be fairly “there, or thereabouts” with a soil mix and still produce some fine bud - well I’m almost at ‘bud’.

Love your Frida avatar

And furthermore - let me offfer you a big 420 Forum welcome (our welcome emoji hasn’t; been restored yet - but one day that’ll represet me holding up a big welcome sign for you!). The forums are in a state of transition right now wiht the recent launch of a totally new website platform. We’re a week onto the teethin problems and things are getting much smoother. SHould be settled back to a new normal soon. Meantime, I hope you’re finding your way around ok. Need anything? Please ask - here or wherever it feels relevant. Most folk around here are super friendly and helpful. Are you growing yourself at the moment?

 

[Amy Gardner]

Garden Update: Week 19/ Week 9

Bloom is happening everywhere! The older girls are about halfway through flower - I think. The solstice babies are at various stages of just starting to flower. Teas have been given, foliars of Casuarina tea/Seaweed tea/LABs have been given also. I’m trying to foliar about every week or so and each time I do the plants respond really well so there’s no need to question it atm. Weather wise, it’s been mostly very lovely with plenty of sunshine and last weekend we had thunderstorms and rain that dropped 100ml of water on us over 48hours.

There’s been a lot of words floating around lately so without further ado - lets get to the photos already! These were all taken on my phone (I’m in a camera transition phase), between 9am and 10am in the morning.

Here is the family in the raised bed:

FamilyPhoto.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

From top left: Professor Chaos, CBD Critical Cure, GTxNL#1, Ice.

Let’s kick off the details with the little ones...

Solstice babies - week 9

Ice (Female Seeds) started flowering about a week ago (pushing pistils out the top) so i’ve stopped tying her down. There’s not many budsites and I’m not too fussed about that, she’s a bonus experiment really. Should get some fun smoke from her.

Ice-week9.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Late season grow - planted on summer solstice.

GTxNL#1-week9-above.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Late season grow - planted on summer solstice.

GTxNL #1 (Friend’s cross of Golden Tiger x Northern Lights) also started flowering a couple of days ago. There’ll be a few more buds here if she manages to finish under the lowering sun come mid-late autumn...

GTxNL#1-week9.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Late season grow - planted on summer solstice.

GTxNL#1-week9-above.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Late season grow - planted on summer solstice.

GT x NL #2 (Friend’s cross of Golden Tiger x Northern Lights) has filled out nicely over the last week or so. I’ve done some training and tying down and because the sun is lowering in the sly mow and this one will have a late finish, I’m getting it lower at the front (the northern side - Southern Hemisphere). It showed me some pistils this last week but hasn’t seemed to go much further than that. It gets a lot more good sunshine that the other 2 solstice kids so I’m hoping that just means longer to get going. It’s mature, lots of alternating nodes. Really hoping she is a she - I’m really happy with how she’s looking. Most of the preflowers are the ‘she’ kind of shape so fingers crossed. In the pot, I can chase the sun a bit with her into the latter part of autumn. No macros today - next time... (i plan to check for more pistils tomorrow)

GTzNL#2-week9-above.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

GTxNL#2-week9-detail.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

She was actually the first plant I visited when I got out there and I didn’t have my phone with me at first as I wasn’t planning a photo session - but I was greeted by this so I just had to go back and get it!

Best friend and protector.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Damsel fly on 9 bladed leaf - nature’s IPM

OK! On to the bigger girls. Let’s depart the enclosure for a bit and head into the bush, see what Money Bush is up to...

Money Bush (Heavyweight cross of Afghani x Critical Mass) as mentioned before there’s not enough direct sun hitting this pod. Things are going pretty well considering. Here’s a few shots taken just as the sun was starting to hit the spot (I used a bit of flash too to try to help you see her a bit better). Shots taken through the mesh...

Bushpod-week19-1.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Money Bush by Heavywieght. Not getting enough direct sun hours where she is, but producing...

Bushpod-silhouette.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Money Bush by Heavywieght. Not getting enough direct sun hours where she is, but producing...

Here-comes-the-sun.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Money Bush by Heavywieght. Not getting enough direct sun hours where she is, but producing...

CBD Critical Cure (Barney’s Farm)

So lush she is. The laying back and leaf tucking work I did on this one throughout January really paid off don’t you think?

CBDCC-week19.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

CBD Critical Cure: week 19 outdoor organic grow.

CBDCC-lowerbranching.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

CBDCC-week19-above.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

CBDCC-week19-topcola.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

And finally...

Professor Chaos (Homegrown Natural Wonders/TGA Subcool)
I’m probably the most excited about this one. She’s medicinal in the recreational sense and having enjoyed a preliminary smoke of one of the little underdeveloped and quickdried buds from underneath a couple of weeks ago, I know she shows great promise indeed. I’m also fairly in love with her because she had such a rough ‘childhood’ and look at her now! There was a point when I thought she might not make it...

ProfChaos-week19-cola.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

ProfChaos-week19-above.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Professor#2-week19.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Professor Chaos - Homegrown Natural Wonders/TGA: week 19. She had a very shaky start to life and...

ProfChaos-week19-cola2.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

That leaves me with the critter of the week. But first, some eveidence of manual pest control, one of our most effective tools. Integrated (organic) pest management outdoors is a lot more than adding things to soil or foliar spraying. We live in a thriving ecosystem so really have to be diligent with our visual checking and encouragement of benficials. This book has been loaned to me recently and I’m putting it on my wish list immediately

View media item 1498853

While not an insect (and not the critter of the week either - that’s coming) - i found this on the CBDCC 2 days ago when some large droppings and one or 2 half eaten leaves caught my eye. They’re wicked hard to see... look how well comaflaged they are!

View media item 1498855
I was going to make this week’s critter the damsel fly that greeted my arrival in the garden, and that would be relevant to pest management as well because I’ve watched them eating other bugs, including a white fly (one day that will happen when I have camera in hand), ... but then later in the day, just when my partner was talking about how the little birds have finally found their access into our enclosure (we left a section of just fence without net so that they could), many little finches and thornbills arrived and started flitting around in there. I went to look and saw my plants jiggling with the activity of little birds! I very carefully snuck around behind - they startle easily and if i’m sitting still somewhere they’ll come very close, but when I’m moving i’ve got to be very gentle. I managed to get this shot through the fence from the backside of the plants - the focus isn’t great on the little critter itself, but if you look hard you can see evidence of the very good reason why I wanted to make sure they could still get in to the enclosure. Certainly not the best critter shot I’ve ever taken but absolutely the critter of the week!

View media item 1498854
View media item 1498856
So that’s everyone! Truth be known it’s actually too many plants for me to deal with but I’m managing ok and I have help (both paid and unpaid) sometimes which is great. Next year I’ll run things a little differently. Might use more pots - and I can really see a huge Sativa all alone in that raised bed - can’t you?

Thanks for walking with me today - at whatever moment in time you happen to be here. May your gardens be glorious!

 

[weenmeoff]

Thanks ween - and welcome to the garden!

Yeah - i’ve Only just logged in today (it;s early morning for me), and the image load on other paged has slowed again too. Doesn’t seem as hamstrung as it was - but it’s not as fast as is was 10hours ago. MAybe I’ll post over in the feedback/ bug reporting thread, so they know or can clarify.

Haha, I subbed a couple pages ago and you welcomed me then but I'll take the extra welcome!

The update you just made loads fine but the mega one still does not. Looking awesome in there!

 

[Amy Gardner]

Haha, I subbed a couple pages ago and you welcomed me then but I'll take the extra welcome!

The update you just made loads fine but the mega one still does not. Looking awesome in there!

Oh my! that’s too funny
Thanks

I’m going to blame the Blueberry twist that Duggan passed me, that was a couple of days ago...

 

[Amy Gardner]

Update supplemental:

She smiles with some relief... it’s a girl

Itsagirl.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Golden tiger x northern lights: week 9: pistils

Itsagirl2.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Feb 28, 2018

Golden tiger x northern lights: week 9: pistils

I ducked out this morning to check over the garden before i go away for 2-3 days - thought I could spot these with my naked eyes on the GT x NL in the pot, so had to get the macro phone lens and check.

 

[snezola]

Hi snezola

It’s very lovely to have you along. I’m learning a lot about organic outdoor gardening myself and I’ve made numerous missteps here n there and each time the plants have survived it ok! It remains to be seen how well I can get them to the finish, but I think I’ve discovered that you can be fairly “there, or thereabouts” with a soil mix and still produce some fine bud - well I’m almost at ‘bud’.

Love your Frida avatar

And furthermore - let me offfer you a big 420 Forum welcome (our welcome emoji hasn’t; been restored yet - but one day that’ll represet me holding up a big welcome sign for you!). The forums are in a state of transition right now wiht the recent launch of a totally new website platform. We’re a week onto the teethin problems and things are getting much smoother. SHould be settled back to a new normal soon. Meantime, I hope you’re finding your way around ok. Need anything? Please ask - here or wherever it feels relevant. Most folk around here are super friendly and helpful. Are you growing yourself at the moment?

thankyou, thankyou! *bow* *curtsey* Thankyou for the warm welcome, I'm glad to be a part of the community!
I was a lurker before I created an account so finding my way around is ok, i'm still getting used to the unwritten rules of posting though, what with the quotes and replies and stuff. Am I doing it right? Technology isn't exactly my forté.

I've just put some seeds in but they haven't popped yet so I haven't technically started this grow but I started a journal anyway, mainly for my own record. These seeds weren't free and I hate to waste money so I figure a grow journal is great for posterity; so that way even if I mess up at least I can figure out where I went wrong and gain the knowledge and experience.
Your ladies are looking luscious as usual. You've done a great job and I love your critter pics... especially the echidna. I've never seen one in the wild west, I used to be able to find them in SA and VIC though
The photos in your mega-update are loading for me much quicker than last night. I look forward to watching harvest from my front row seat! oh, the anticipation!

I did attempt to put the link to my journal in my signature like the cool kids are doing, but like I said: technology is not my forté.... I'll try again at some point.

Super happy to (kinda) meet you!
Snez

 

[Old Salt]

...and I can really see a huge Sativa all alone in that raised bed - can’t you?

Oh yes. It's something to dream about until you make it happen.

You have a beautiful garden.

PS: I couldn't delete the post, so I poked around for a bit. I'll be back to take a closer look.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Oh yes. It's something to dream about until you make it happen.

You have a beautiful garden.

PS: I couldn't delete the post, so I poked around for a bit. I'll be back to take a closer look.

Yeah great! Welcome to my journal Salt! (we’ll get that emoti back one day I’m sure) Nice to have you aboard and glad you like my garden. I’ve dreamt about growing like this for years - took becoming housebound to get it happening. It’s a pretty good silver lining I think

 

[KeifKeith]

Great job helping the 420Magazine staff Amy, your work is appreciated.

Peace
Keith

 

[Old Salt]

Great job helping the 420Magazine staff Amy, your work is appreciated.

Peace
Keith

It's too bad we can't 'multi-like.' I share you sentiment. She has put forth great effort to make this transition as easy as possible for the members. Amy, it is very much appreciated.

 

[KingJoe83]

hey Amy good run at member of the month next time lady.

Journal is beautiful as always . Think I am going. To get some reading material myself his summer and read more on cannabis .

Take er ez Amy

 

[the hen]

Beautiful garden any!

 

[Amy Gardner]

Great job helping the 420Magazine staff Amy, your work is appreciated.

Peace
Keith

It's too bad we can't 'multi-like.' I share you sentiment. She has put forth great effort to make this transition as easy as possible for the members. Amy, it is very much appreciated.

Much appreciated yourselves, both, for saying. It’s definitely a team effort. I do what I can and I’m especially pleased that I’ve been (am being) able to put the time in. Part of my OCD is a compulsion to help solve problems, especially technical, ‘informational’ ones. In the past I’ve had to learn about when it might be none of my business , but I’m kind of across that in my old(er) age and this was just one of those times to ‘go for it’!

Can see that the new site platform is technically very sophisticated - only time (and our patience and repsect) will allow the team (devs and 420 admins) to get done what thy need to do get it running at optimum, hey!?

 

[Amy Gardner]

hey Amy good run at member of the month next time lady.

Journal is beautiful as always . Think I am going. To get some reading material myself his summer and read more on cannabis .

Take er ez Amy

Cheers Joe - same to your good self.

Keep it frosty over there! (It usually is when I check in o your garden)

Beautiful garden any!

WHy thank you lady hen! courtesy* (nods to snez )

And welcome , welcome anytime

 

[Neiko]

I think I'll pull up a chair. You have some very healthy looking ladies! I really love the looks of the GT x NL. That should be a fantastic cross. I'll get caught up as time allows. Nice job!

 

[Amy Gardner]

I think I'll pull up a chair. You have some very healthy looking ladies! I really love the looks of the GT x NL. That should be a fantastic cross. I'll get caught up as time allows. Nice job!

Well thankyou neiko - that feels like quite something coming from you! A very hearty and humble welcome to my garden good sir!

I have to admit to having been a lurker in your journal for sometime now, it’s one of my fave places to chill and look at pictures

I visit lots of the DBHBB threads. Don’t often say much, mostly I’m watching and learning and admiring.

I’m thrilled that you dropped in. Do come by anytime.

 

[Neiko]

Well thanks for the welcome. Feel free to visit my journal anytime. I'm not very good at updating but I do manage to get most the plants in it a couple times before they get chopped. It's about time to do another update now.

Your plants look like they are in high brix territory, have you been getting advice from Doc on your soil? If I remember right you live in an area that it isn't reasonable to ship the kit products to? Anyway whatever you are doing is working. I'm looking forward to seeing them finish up flowering.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Your plants look like they are in high brix territory, have you been getting advice from Doc on your soil? If I remember right you live in an area that it isn't reasonable to ship the kit products to? Anyway whatever you are doing is working. I'm looking forward to seeing them finish up flowering.

That’s exciting to hear. I’ve been aiming for Brix and focused way more on minerals in the soil and than fertiliser and organic matter. I’ve had a few brief direct communications with Doc and most of the ‘advice’ has come from reading his old ‘pre-kit’ journals - when he was figuring it out, you know? And some of Conrad’s old ones as well. Plus reading about high brix principle in general and looking at LOS growers, Bobrowns journal, the Teaming with microbes book and numerous papers and YouTubes on soil. So I ended up with a whole lot of surface level info in my head and then have just followed my instincts from there. I got my mineral balance a bit wrong (first ttime me cause I’d missed the 6-5-3 ratio on the calcium sources, second time cause id run out of funds) but the mineral rock dust additions I’ve made seem to be doing the trick. So I have some kind of hybrid of LOS and High Brix approaches going - which was kind of dictated by what I could source. In the end it probably cost me more than it would’ve to get the kit (including shipping) and I’ve only covered one grow. I’m fairly sure others have got the kit here in Aus but our customs is super heavy so I have concerns about the liquids etc getting picked up and confiscated. I’m definitely a DB follower and believer (zealot even ) and I’ll be doing something with Doc eventually. (I need to get a couple of soil samples to him. )
I’m enjoying trying to do it ‘by the seat of my pants’ for now though as I think it’s teaching me a lot, which will hopefully be helpful once I’m wielding the kit. I’m at something of a loss for how to push them a bit harder during flower though. Have kind of been doing the same thing - but have topdressed with some good worm made compost and more calcium and a seaweed/comfrey tea so we’ll see how they finish. I’m totally in bonus territory already now because I’ve only ever grown 2 plants before and both of them had to get harvested early (for various reasons), so these ones are just passing that mark now - plus, those other ones were nowhere near as good as these I’ve also recently stated adding casuarina tea to the foliar which they seem to love (overdue for it now actually but I’m too wrecked atm - tomorrow) - it’s full of great stuff and is good fungus/mould prevention.

Long answer! But you asked the golden question. Brix is where it’s at and I’m pretty pleased with how close I’ve got to that mark on my first go at it - so thanks for noticing