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

[Radogast]

Well a little news... I made some polite enquirers to the Magical Butter folks. Let me just say that they have been awesome to communicate with. Very polite, engaged and full of positive energy. The result of my initiative is that there is an Aus version of the MB2 being sent out to me tomorrow (today being a national holiday).

And the advert at the bottom of the page when I read that .... Magical Butter Machine


May your topicals be smooth and powerful

 

[Smeegol]

good morning ms.Amy, I'm really happy to hear bout your MB machine, gotta long waiting time for those here in SA....hope you having an awsome day......

 

[Lady G2HM]

Hi AmyG Just checkin' in to see how you're doing, how's the topical workin' for yah?

 

[Amy Gardner]

High there G

I’m doing ok - at a relatively low ebb so keeping a vaguely low profile.
Im checking my last outdoor plant daily for ripeness, getting close to harvesting it. Will update this weekend sometime. I’ve also been reviewing this journal a bit, in preparation for tying things up for the season and looking ahead to next year. Planning a few changes next time around.

So my pain oil is awesome. A friend who is aromatherapy savvy helped me try out some options the other day (from her very nice bag of tricks!) and I have discovered that a blend of bergamot and frankincense essential oils is a beautiful combination with the aroma of the oil. It retained some of the strawberry bubblegum and piney notes to it in quite a lovely way and adding those other drops made it smell amazingly wonderful

Unfortunately I don’t have those myself but will endeavour to get them. We use a very high quality essential oil so some of their oils are super expensive (for good reason) and frankincense is one of those, so I likely can’t afford that. I might be able to manage the bergamot though, it was nice on its own or blended with the lavender.

And regarding its therapeutic attributes? Very good. It knocked the pain and itch of the shingles rash right out of the park! Not to mention the rash has progressed and healed very quickly and is nearly completely gone. It doesn’t seem to be leaving a scar either.
I’m using it on my painful feet, ankles, knees, quad muscles, and fingers/knuckles. It works. I gave some to visiting friends recently and for the most part, they’ve said it works too. I’ve asked them to experiment a bit with application amounts and rates and tell me how it goes. I need to make some more. I gave them quite a bit! (MB2 machine is in the post )
Now I know this recipe works I’ll make a bigger batch.
I’m also very pleased with the base oil blend I tried: 75% Grapeseed Oil, 25% Fractionated Coconut Oil. I won’t need to change it. It spreads well and soaks in nicely after spreading.

That was a long answer to a short question hey G ( @Lady G2HM )

 

[Amy Gardner]

good morning ms.Amy, I'm really happy to hear bout your MB machine, gotta long waiting time for those here in SA....hope you having an awsome day......

Hi Smeegol - yes! My days are pretty restful at the moment which is very good.
Are you recovering well? How is your back doing?
Hope your day is a good one, and a restful one too

 

[Smeegol]

Hi Smeegol - yes! My days are pretty restful at the moment which is very good.
Are you recovering well? How is your back doing?
Hope your day is a good one, and a restful one too

morning ms.Amy, had a bit of a blunder night before last, fell out of bed at my age...lol
Jarred my back rather well, so not the happiest of campers right now, but no damage done I hope. Otherwise my gardens adjusting from autumn to winter and I may just have a photo opportunity today all depending on my brothers good nature and whether he knows his A from B with a camera.....

Hope you are doing well and nothing like rest to recover...
Good day to you ms.Amy...

 

[Amy Gardner]

Geez Smeegs that’s not much fun at all I hope you’re right that no damage was done and that you’re recouperating well

 

[Amy Gardner]

Update: Golden Tiger x Northern Lights
The last one standing


But first things first - I made it myself!

Professor Chaos popcorn-nug.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

3 weeks cured, light trim...

Now, I need to start with a question. How cold is ‘just too cold’ overnight? Recently, overnight temps have plummeted to below 10ºC and predicted to be from 6ºC - 12ºC overnight for the next week (19-23ºC during the day). I’m wondering if it will hinder flowering, or damage the plant in any way.

The GTxNL#2 is still ripening and I wonder everyday if it will show me that it’s ready. But it’s still pushing out new pistils here n there, although it has slowed. It’s nearly completely cloudy, with scattered amber mostly on the bud leaves. It’s possible I may just take it tomorrow in any case. It was cold and wet overnight (a little rain, not a lot) and the amount of direct sun through day is very small (2-3hrs straight in the late morning and scattered periods through the rest of the day).

Thoughts? perspectives? “Ready”? “Not ready but take it down now cause that’s too cold”?

GTxNL#2_April28_8.5weeks-3.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

GTxNL#2_April28_8.5weeks-4.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

GTxNL#2_April28_8.5weeks.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

Golden Tiger x Northern Lights - planted on summer solstice (Southern Hemisphere). No longer...

GTxNL#2_April28_8.5weeks-5.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

Rest-spot.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018
• 1

Bee ‘resting’ on cannabis leaf.

GTxNLabout8.5weeks-4.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

GTxNLabout8.5weeks.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

GTxNL#2_April28_8.5weeks-5.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

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• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

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• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

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• Amy Gardner
• Apr 28, 2018

It’s going to be a nice toke. I salvaged a bit from one of the main colas a few weeks ago, that id’ had to remove for a little bit of rot creeping in, and it’s both smooth and powerful.

All the curing is coming along. No pics of that this time - my arms are exhausted from opening and closing jars! It’s been less challenging getting the recently bottled nugs to a good RH zone because the ambient RH has stayed lower. In the future I’ll pull out the dehumidifier earlier in the process if the room and outside RH is high. My blacklight hasn’t arrived yet - I think it’s waiting for collection at the post office, so this week sometime there’ll be some blacklight pics

I’ve been doing a bit of reading of other people who use cannabis to treat aspects of ME and at some point I’ll be ready to write a bit about it. It’s been heartening to see others find some similar benefits that I do. I can say at this point that managing being a medicinal grower with ME is a real challenge. I’m a lot more tired and exhaustible now that I was at the beginning of summer! There’s a few things to address with the approach and I have some innovations in the pipeline to enhance the growing and hopefully ease the workload. More on that down the track

Meanwhile, what say you about the questions I posed back there? Is it worth letting it try to go longer considering the conditions - and that there are lots and lots of cloudy trichs?

In any case - there’s a harvest coming sometime soon and this week’s critter was found slithering right along the line of the deck where the harvest wash buckets usually go!

View media item 1537244
Needless to say, we have trimmed that grass in preparation...!

 

[BigBearNTexas]

I think the plant will be okay with the temp changes because you will be warming up quite a bit during the day, but with high humidity outside that means you’ll have wet buds from dew that will need to dry off during the daylight hours. If they aren’t getting a lot of sun right now, that may mean bud rot. I would plan a harvest sooner rather than later.

Rest first though.


And hell to the no with the critter of the day!!!

 

[SweetSue]

Awww.... It's just a little snake. Lol!

I'd let her go, but keep an eye on her for that bud rot concern BigBear mentioned. Day-to-day is how I'd approach it, but you could take her at any time, from the look of the pictures. I understand the desire to let her have as much time under the sun as she can get. How much sunshine does she get during the day, and more importantly, does she get early morning sun, which would do the drying out you'll be looking for?

She's a beauty Amy. I love her leaves. Got lost in those pictures. Lol!

I know you're wearing out with all the work this time, but I want you to remember that the expectation is your ECS will begin to respond, now that you have an oil regimen going. Sometimes things appear to get worse right before they turn the corner. That's just a warning if you begin to feel like that. It'll pass.

As the system heals you'll gain strength and stamina. Slowly but surely things shift. The big mental trick is getting yourself to let go of the image you have of yourself so you can hold to the vibration of health and vigor of the type you can still remember having. There's your vibration as you awaken every morning, excited about the potential evidence of that steady improvement we all know is coming.

I'm so proud of you I could sing about it. Lol! Use that cream judiciously. There are no limitations to the use of a topical. When something even thinks of going "Ouch!" reach for your cream and smear some in. They do much more than stop the pain signal. You're remembering to use some on the DMR?

I'm ordering fractionated coconut oil for my next batch. Shed's been trying to get me to pay attention to that small but significant change in my recipe for a while now. You kicked me over the edge girl.

 

[Amy Gardner]

I think the plant will be okay with the temp changes because you will be warming up quite a bit during the day, but with high humidity outside that means you’ll have wet buds from dew that will need to dry off during the daylight hours. If they aren’t getting a lot of sun right now, that may mean bud rot. I would plan a harvest sooner rather than later.

Rest first though.


And hell to the no with the critter of the day!!!

Exactly! - the budrot has been on my mind. Especially with it turning so cool and a bit wet at the same time. Recipe for it!
Day before yesterday I gave it a really light foliar with the casuarina tea mix that helps protect against mould and PM. I should probably donut again. It’s too late in the day now though. I should go out for another look.

How much sunshine does she get during the day, and more importantly, does she get early morning sun, which would do the drying out you'll be looking for?

and the amount of direct sun through day is very small (2-3hrs straight in the late morning and scattered periods through the rest of the day).

So enough to dry out if the day is clear and warm, but if it’s a bit cool or overcast and the wind is chill, then maybe not so much.

I haven’t been out there today. It’s a little after 2pm, so the intermittent and dappled period. Maybe I’ll pay her a visit. She is very pretty after all

 

[dynamo1]

I would harvest especially if your drained from pushing yourself. Shingles isn't minor and drags on your body of energy. Is the difference in time really going to allow it to bulk up and finish off where you want it? I'm weary of bud rot-living in the northwest rainy climate.

 

[Amy Gardner]

I hear that! Yeah - that’s exactly it, is it going to make that much difference with such a small amount of sun everyday... perhaps not. It’s going to warm up mid week and be clear so I will likely do it then, when drying conditions should be conducive

Thanks folks

 

[Smeegol]

good morning ms.Amy, I am doing fine I hope, haven't done any damage I hope although I'm sore and taking it easier if that's possible.... And here I was thinking your critter of the week was that bee on the leaf and then that horrible black long yuck thing goes slithering by , truly glad I'm on this side of the screen....lol have a fab day ms.Amy and hope you feel fresh as a daisy when you wake up this morning.....

 

[InTheShed]

It’s nearly completely cloudy, with scattered amber mostly on the bud leaves. It’s possible I may just take it tomorrow in any case. It was cold and wet overnight (a little rain, not a lot) and the amount of direct sun through day is very small (2-3hrs straight in the late morning and scattered periods through the rest of the day).
Thoughts? perspectives? “Ready”? “Not ready but take it down now cause that’s too cold”?

I'm with Dynamo on this. Nearly completely cloudy, cold temps and damp = budrot (Temperatures warmer than 68°F (20°C) help prevent fungus spores from germinating), little direct sun. Where's the decision? Take it down and be happy!

 

[Conradino23]

Just keep an eye on it and take it as soon as you see any signs of mould. Low temps actually work against it. It thrives around 15-20C, but only gains ground when RH spikes.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Shingles isn't minor

thanks for saying that. It’s been hard to differentiate because I have a lot of the same symptoms already, but I realise I’ve been feeling it this last couple of month and pegged it as part of that - it’s almost a relief to think it might’ve been the shingles. The rash is all but gone now (yay Cannabis oil!). Hopefully with more rest all the other stuff will improve more as well.

thrives around 15-20C, but only gains ground when RH spikes.

Yes - well then this current weather snapshot tells me it’s ripe for it right now, and more so during the day than the night, considering that the top daytime temps only really happen in the early afternoon for few hours (if that), when the plant is only getting dappled shade. So most of the day it’s going to be about18-21

environment.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• Apr 29, 2018

It rained a little bit overnight
I might’ve taken it down over the weekend but I was on my own so had to wait anyway.

Where's the decision? Take it down and be happy!

Aaaallright then!
Well... there were the voices of nearly every good 420mag grower I’ve ever read screaming “not yet!” “It’s too early!” “Wait till the pistils have all turned!”
And ... I was kind of hoping to get a bit more rest before chop day. But I think I’ll be better to get it washed and into a controllable environment that doesn’t have 80-95%humdidty! Was hoping for a warmer day to harvest too... might just have to bite that bullet...

 

[andIhalped]

Fantastic journal, great photos, & it's always nice to see a stellar outdoor grow.

 

[Radogast]

Amy, I've heard Bergamot essential oil can stain skin and the discoloration lasts a long time and cause sensitivity with outdoor light - so may not be a good choice for a topical oil. Maybe research to find out if these are just rumors I heard.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Thanks Rad - I will definitely look into that... that would make it not a good choice for the ones I’m giving away.
I’m actually pretty happy with the one I made for myself with just lavender oil added. It’s simple and pleasant.