First Time Grow Journal - Outside - Kaya Gold & Freebies

[KodiakKid]

Growing these plants is amazingly fun. At this stage I'm dreading rain. Last night it started and continued to mid day. Nothing after that. Tonight these girls looked like they had been blessed from the heavens. They loved the little bit of rain. It totally wired them in for the moment.

 

[KodiakKid]

Well Uncle Cannabis was prescient. We've hit a bump in the road. Bud rot has raised its ugly head in the garden. Here are a couple shots. I plan to don my surgical gloves and do a little surgery to remove the affected areas. I'm still trying to absorb this and would appreciate a little help from my friends so I can get through this.

First photo main cola

 

[KodiakKid]

Dr. KK has performed the necessary surgery. I took care to remove ALL of the affected area and then some. We'll monitor this very closely. Luckily we have about a week of dry sunny weather in the forecast. The other two KGs are unaffected so far, likely because their are about 2 weeks behind the other one. Their buds haven't tightened up as much yet. I'm going to put a fan and the infected one. Luckily there were only four areas and none were as large as a ping pong ball.

 

[Weaselcracker]

I do get a fair amount of budrot because where I live is humid.
To reduce budrot-

Decrease humidity if there's any way you can.

I forget, sorry, if your plants are in a greenhouse situation or just in the open? If the latter can you put some sort of plastic roof above them?

The (other) number one tactic is to increase airflow in the area. Bushes and obstructions near the plants should be cleared. Any extra thick foliage on the plant itself can be trimmed- within reason.

If possible- plug in some oscillating fans around the plants

Remove any affected areas 1/2" or so back from any rot.

Inspect any likely spots for more rot, prying open the bud sections. Careful not to spread the BR by touching it and transferring it around.

There may be some other options such as sprays or a sulphur burn which work well- I haven't tried them.
Hope this helps.

 

[UncleCannabis]

Darn the bad luck KK. I hope my earlier warning didn't jinx you bro.
I swear to you that I'm not a fortune teller or tarot card reader or anything like that and I've never had anything to do with that black magic stuff either.
Maybe if I keep quiet Mother Nature will show you some love and push those rain clouds away.

WC is right, if there is anyway that you can improve air circulation so that the buds dry off quickly after they get wet this should help.

There may be some members here that can recommend products that may be available or possibly some home remedies to prevent or treat bud rot.

Wishing you all the best.

 

[KodiakKid]

Thanks Weas. I did cut out the affected areas, being careful not to spread the spores. I have a friend who is a cancer surgeon, and I used his method. Make sure all the margins are healthy. And I sterilized the cutters between cuts.

I can't control the environment. Three of four are in pots outside. One is in the ground. One of the potted ones is affected. I'm just not going to build a structure over them outside. I'll check frequently for new infections. The one with the problem is the most advanced. She is getting closer every day. She's finishing fast as her strain has a reputation for. We have at least a week of good weather. I'm going to evaluate as soon as rain is in the forecast. I may cut her down before the next rain. We'll see. Fingers cross this dry weather will keep it away for another week or 10 days. The other two Kaya Golds are rot free and should remain so for the dry spell. They are behind and need as much time as they can get. For the Sativa in ground she just started flowering. She'll be ready some time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, lol. We'll cut her down and make use of her somehow when we all Uncle with Mother Nature. She was a gift and, she will become a real one.

 

[KodiakKid]

Thanks Uncle. Don't worry, I sure don't blame you. You didn't jinx me, just gave me a heads up that had me checking them carefully, or I wouldn't have caught it so early. Thanks! I don't look at it as bad luck. It is just the thing that happens in mid October here. Read my most recent post; I will probably harvest this one early, but good weather is in the forecast... We'll just see. The others are all fine, but now I see we could get a shower tonite. With the girls dry and good weather ahead we will lug their asses into the garage tonite. After another bowl or two.

Peace brother.

 

[Robert Celt]

Hey KK, I keep a small spray bottle of 3% peroxide around for spot treating any bud rot. After cutting out the rotted bits, I then spray the area with the peroxide. It will kill any spores still in the area

 

[KodiakKid]

Hey Celt, thanks for the H202 tip. Tomorrow I will use it. Early so the water will dry during the day.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Just don't drop your guard and you'll be fine. You may/ probably will have to harvest some herb earlier than you'd like- but should be able to avoid losing any to rot if you keep checking. It can and usually will be completely hidden in the center of the bud- so don't assume it's not. Sometimes if you catch it extremely early you can notice a little off-color white or yellow stuff on the bud before any actual rot can be seen. It may be sprayable and killable at that point. Good luck!

 

[KodiakKid]

Thanks Weasel!

 

[double vision]

Thanks Weasel!

Dang, budrot is a shame! Sorry for your loss man. Good thing you cough it early.

 

[KodiakKid]

Hmm. KG1 is the one with the bud rot. I reported earlier and no change since then except one more spot discovered today right next to one of the initial infections. Bad area removed. This girl is probably a week or two from ready. Rain is forecast for Saturday, and no good relief for several days. My thought is to cut part of her on Friday. The main cola, what is left, and at least the rest of the buds already with areas cut away. Let it ride with the rest. The others will proceed.

I'll get some new pictures up quickly.

 

[UncleCannabis]

Sounds like you're managing the bud rot problems like a pro!


Stay on top of it like you are and you'll be a happy camper very soon. You're almost there brother!

 

[KodiakKid]

That is way too kind Uncle. Thanks for the kind words and support! You and all the others. I appreciate it! I am no Pro, but I will struggle though with angels on my shoulders.

 

[KodiakKid]

Well it was a busy afternoon. I didn't wait any longer to take down part of KG1. More spots of rot. I'm getting good at spotting it now. A curled and darkening leaf or three has been a good tip off. I took off all the buds that had been earlier trimmed or that showed any new infection. I then trimmed out any infected areas and a little more. That left me with some messy looking buds and part thereof. I was able to salvage by far more than I lost. Waste not want not, even if they weren't completely mature. I'm learning a lot, too. I also have the advantage of being a lightweight right now. I'll try to get some pictures. The good news is that most of the plant is left. I'll check daily carefully and cut more down when I need to. Another round of wet weather is in front of us.

KG2 and 3 have shown no signs of rot. Number 3 is blooming away like there is no tomorrow. I have to let he go on. Number 2 child, the dwarf remains stubborn. She put out a flush of new leaves in the bud areas when she started flowering and doesn't seem to get the picture about her dire circumstances. But she's coming along, just slower than would like.

And the Sativa in the ground. She's about 7' tall and at least that across and happily putting out flowers with a smile like it was August. Completely oblivious to moisture and light or lack thereof. She shows no signs of recognizing it is the middle of frigging October.

 

[Major PITA]

Bummer about the continuing rot, but great attitude! Best of luck, KK.

 

[KodiakKid]

Thanks Major. I've learned a lot about the botrytis already. First and foremost, avoid it. I see in my case that once it establishes itself in a plant you can't beat it unless you can fundamentally change the environmental conditions. There is just nothing I can do about the temperatures and RH. I can keep rain off, but the RH is just too high and temps too low to alter the environment.

And thanks for the props on my attitude. I'm completely positive about all of it. I get to see these plants grow and move on every day. And I learn something every day. Everything I see from these plants every day is something I am witnessing for the first time. You only get to do that once.

 

[double vision]

Thanks Major. I've learned a lot about the botrytis already. First and foremost, avoid it. I see in my case that once it establishes itself in a plant you can't beat it unless you can fundamentally change the environmental conditions. There is just nothing I can do about the temperatures and RH. I can keep rain off, but the RH is just too high and temps too low to alter the environment.

And thanks for the props on my attitude. I'm completely positive about all of it. I get to see these plants grow and move on every day. And I learn something every day. Everything I see from these plants every day is something I am witnessing for the first time. You only get to do that once.

Just wait till you get to harvest ! It's super exciting, then long and boring. Then you are done and you are excited again about drying and curing haha.

 

[KodiakKid]

Thanks Double Vision. I didn't mean to suggest all was a loss on this one. I was able to harvest most of the bud I cut down today, sans rot. A couple weeks early though, of course. They aren't pretty, but they are set to cure.