Fools Rush In: Newbie's Adventures In Suboptimal Conditions

[Trala]

End of week 8

Training wheels are off! Adjusting for final positions...

Also a little bit of defol...

I pulled her out again shortly after for more supercropping. Especially the top two branches, which I need to keep down as much as possible!

It was much easier thanks to this nifty implement:

That's all for now!

I've had some wider reflections about my training approach this grow. I will probably write another post about that soon.

Hope you all are well.

Your plant looks so uniquely beautiful. I can’t visualise how it’s going to mature, but I’m looking forward to watching each development.



I find it hard to say unique without sharing my vintage 1987 joke. In fact I think it’s the first joke I ever remembered. I either think it or tell it every time I hear the word “unique” and I’m not even joking!

How do you catch a unique rabbit?
Unique up on it!

BOOM TISH!

Gets better, coz there is a part II to the joke.

How do you catch a tame rabbit?
Tame wayyyyyyyyy!

LOLLINGGGGGGGGGGG

 

[Heavenly Hybrid]

Hi syenite! Just popping in to see what you got going on. Gotta go read back now.

 

[syenite]

That looks wicked dude

Thank you McRib

Honestly I meant needle in haystack for seeds in a bag cause I haven't found a growable 1 in years. The random 1 us tiny white and not worth the time. Dispensary bud certainly no seeds cause at that price their rep is on the line. Find a seed people would complain but I honestly would be happy. The weight of seed is nothing so why complain about 1. Fickle Americans why the world hates us. U paid up but be happy with the gift the rest of the world can't have like that. Also I would gladly apple seed the whole world. As far as genticts all put it right it's tuff. So many breeders and strains researching takes forever. Not like the breeder will say it's crap going be 5 star original ak47 to them.

Seed the planet!!!!

But yes, I agree. If you live somewhere where seeds are hard to come by, bag seed is still golden!

I wouldn't have been able to get this far without 'em.

Your plant looks so uniquely beautiful. I can’t visualise how it’s going to mature, but I’m looking forward to watching each development.



I find it hard to say unique without sharing my vintage 1987 joke. In fact I think it’s the first joke I ever remembered. I either think it or tell it every time I hear the word “unique” and I’m not even joking!

How do you catch a unique rabbit?
Unique up on it!

BOOM TISH!

Gets better, coz there is a part II to the joke.

How do you catch a tame rabbit?
Tame wayyyyyyyyy!

LOLLINGGGGGGGGGGG

Thank you for the kind words, Tra! I'm glad you are enjoying watching the grow.

I don't know how it will mature either. But it's giving me life to groom and train it this way. So much fun! And I'm learning heaps.

Loolll thanks for sharing the joke! I wonder what my "first joke" was...

Hi syenite! Just popping in to see what you got going on. Gotta go read back now.

Lovely to have you check-in on the shenanigans, HH!

 

[syenite]

Week 9 - Training review

So, this is how our smiling baby looks right now --

This is my ideal of where Desert should be before/at flip --

I don't think I can achieve that shape precisely, but I'm sure I can get closer.

The strategy, of course, being that I maximise all the vertical space in my cabinet.

1. I'm not sure if keeping 3 nodes (nodes 3, 5 and 7) after topping is necessary or even ideal

As can be observed with Desert, node 7 is too high and I doubt the lower branches will be able to catch up.

Perhaps more importantly, the plant is distributing more to node 7 than the lower ones. The top 2 branches are quite a bit thicker than the lower two. I feel if I were to have only kept nodes 3 and 5, the branches would be more symmetrical in thickness.

Lastly, I feel like waiting for node 8 to pop before topping simply cost too much time. My sense is that the secondary growth would be further along now had I topped earlier.

2. Secondary branches lagging behind

Following on from that last point, I would like the secondary growth to be further along by this point of the grow.

Apart from waiting for node 8 to top, I think the other mistake I made was removing all the fan leaves from the secondary growth sites. I thought this would be speeding up their growth by exposing them to the light. But ironically by removing the fan leaves that were supplying those sites, I think I stunted them a little. Would love for someone to weigh in on this?

Perhaps the ideal would have been to let the secondary branches develop a couple of nodes before removing their fan leaves?

3. The espalier/"powerline" training plan is largely coherent

I think overall I can say that the design "works", i.e. is achieving what I want it to.

4. The bamboo frame is great for setting up the base shape, but can get in the way later on

At the beginning, especially with having to tie down 6 branches, all along the same axis, the training frame came in very handy. It would have been a mess to try anchoring/tying down the conventional way, whether to a staple in the soil or to the edge of the pot.

However, later on, especially when the "vertical growth" stage of the training kicked in, the frame started to constrain the growth in annoying ways. Fan leaves got pushed up against it, and later I struggled with the verticals getting in the way of horizontal growth.

If I decide to only keep 2 primary nodes next grow, the bamboo frame may not be necessary.

The cool thing about it is that I can easily put it back!

5. Supercropping could have started earlier

I put this off way too long because I was a little scared!

Now I have a much better feel for it. And the duct-taped pliers really help too.

I think the lower branches especially could be more muscly by this point had I been pinching them more!

Predictions for this grow, preparations for the next

So I predict that I the two top branches will form the biggest colas - they are the thickest and are going to get the most light. I imagine it follows from common sense that the lower branch tips will form the next biggest colas.

Perhaps an open question is just how far the secondary branches can develop between now and the flowering stretch!

For my next grow in this cabinet, as mentioned, I think I will only try to keep 2 primary nodes. I would almost consider keeping just the one! We'll see.

If anyone has any further suggestions, questions, tips - I'm all ears!

Thanks for following along, everyone. I appreciate that this journal is not one you follow to see giant yields!

No - following this journal is like watching an ill-fated escape attempt unfold in slow motion. Luckily for me and for you - I'm a sadist!

 

[FelipeBlu]

Your problems would be over if you just topped above the second branch lol.

It looks like the secondaries on the lower branches could shade each other, and the secondaries on the third branch. If you trimmed them off and just focused the energy into the tips of those lower branches, they might catch up some to the third branch growth.

 

[syenite]

Your problems would be over if you just topped above the second branch lol.

It looks like the secondaries on the lower branches could shade each other, and the secondaries on the third branch. If you trimmed them off and just focused the energy into the tips of those lower branches, they might catch up some to the third branch growth.

Damn Felipe - why is your advice always so wise and well-reasoned?

For real though, I think you're right. Either I give the top node a chop, and let the secondary growth and the lower branches really develop, or I keep all 3 primary nodes, and focus on the 6 branch tips.

Am I hearing you right?

 

[DonkeyDick]

doubt the lower branches will be able to catch up.

Did I miss a memo? I thought this was the point of your side-lighting, that it didn’t matter. Does it matter?

Would love for someone to weigh in on this?

Biology is just a part of it. That’s my half ounce.

Perhaps an open question is just how far the secondary branches can develop between now and the flowering stretch!

I concur. That is certainly an open question.
Like Felipe said tho, the lowers may grow up ‘in front’ of the uppers in which case I would tie them to one side as they came up because you have the frame there and your uppers are already up and good heavens why would you chop them now put down those scissors!
I hope all is well in your strata today, Sy?
(Btw. Smiling assassin, really? What if I’d been eating? Ok, multitasking unlikely. You’re ok).

 

[syenite]

Did I miss a memo? I thought this was the point of your side-lighting, that it didn’t matter. Does it matter?

Biology is just a part of it. That’s my half ounce.

I concur. That is certainly an open question.
Like Felipe said tho, the lowers may grow up ‘in front’ of the uppers in which case I would tie them to one side as they came up because you have the frame there and your uppers are already up and good heavens why would you chop them now put down those scissors!
I hope all is well in your strata today, Sy?
(Btw. Smiling assassin, really? What if I’d been eating? Ok, multitasking unlikely. You’re ok).

Hey DDDDDDD!

You're right, from the point of view of light exposure, it doesn't matter. In all honesty now I wonder why I cared about the lower branches catching up? Maybe it was some desire to "fill the space" totally. TOTALLY! Don't worry - I haven't chopped anything yet!! Yup, I will definitely make space for the secondaries with more ties.

I think it's more that the taller those top branches get, the less time I have to let the secondary branches develop. The top branches are going to hit the vertical halfway mark pretty soon.

I'm very well thank you! I think my second order made it through too. Am keeping a close eye on the tracker. That's definitely cheered me up.

Although my jaw is hurting a lot today. I think I had a grindy stressy sleep.

O M F G. Do you know I used that phrase unknowingly??? I did not mean to refer to old JayKay at all!!! Corrected this terrible, terrible slip. Apologies to all sane NZers everywhere, and to Desert especially!

 

[DonkeyDick]

I'm very well thank you! I think my second order made it through too. Am keeping a close eye on the tracker. That's definitely cheered me up.

 

[syenite]

Some thoughts, briefly (thanks @FelipeBlu and @DonkeyDick):

1. Not sure why I care about the lower branches catching up to the top branches! Think I will forget about this
2. Will keep a close eye on the secondary growth, and prune some of the laggards soon, also tying aside where necessary
3. Will continue to supercrop everything, especially top branches

 

[FelipeBlu]

Not sure why I care about the lower branches catching up to the top branches! Think I will forget about this

Okay, back on track - put the scissors down.

Tying is always an option. Your problem remains that you have limited horizontal space. But again, a suboptimal challenge to be met!

 

[syenite]

 

[FelipeBlu]

Perfect!

 

[curls2cute]

Yesses Appleseed the world..the world needs it! Lol! When those mystery seeds people have been getting in the mail showed up on the news, I immediately thought...wouldn't it be wonderful if they were weed seeds?!! . Your weedbaby looks great!! Like a green menorah! Lmaooo! I'm amazed cuz our weedbabies are close in age. Mine is so slow. But damn hardy though, that's for sure. Hope it's a female! I feel like a chicken on an egg over here...haha!

 

[syenite]

It continues.

A package in the mail.

Gray, this time.

This time, I'll share the money shot! Here's the collection as it stands after today's additions --

Added:

• Do-Si-Dos 33 (Do-Si-Dos X Gelato 33, Barney's Farm)
• Gorilla Zkittlez (Gorilla Glue 4 X Zkittlez, Barney's Farm)
• Bubba Kush (Seedsman, Freebie)
• White Widow (Seedsman, Freebie)
• Super Silver Haze OG (Seedsman, Freebie)
• Lemon Haze Autofem (Seedsman, Freebie)

I'm feeling very blessed, y'all!

Now I have some "indica" heavy-hitters too, to counterpoint the energetic Amnesia stuff.

That Do-Si-Dos 33 is as Katy Perry and as Cookie-Gelato-OG inbred as they come ! I'm also really excited about getting some Bubba Kush freebies!

Now I am faced with the delicious dilemma of what to grow next....

Order-wise I am just about ready to crawl back into my hole. Just waiting on one more which is a solo OG Kush!

 

[syenite]

That Do-Si-Dos 33 is as Katy Perry and as Cookie-Gelato-OG inbred as they come

Don't get me wrong though - I am super excited to see what the fuss is all about!

 

[FelipeBlu]

Ooh, SSH


with
OG KUSH!

 

[syenite]

Ooh, SSH


with
OG KUSH!

See? OG Kush again!

 

[Bionic Chronic NZ]

It continues.

A package in the mail.

Gray, this time.

This time, I'll share the money shot! Here's the collection as it stands after today's additions --

Added:

• Do-Si-Dos 33 (Do-Si-Dos X Gelato 33, Barney's Farm)
• Gorilla Zkittlez (Gorilla Glue 4 X Zkittlez, Barney's Farm)
• Bubba Kush (Seedsman, Freebie)
• White Widow (Seedsman, Freebie)
• Super Silver Haze OG (Seedsman, Freebie)
• Lemon Haze Autofem (Seedsman, Freebie)

I'm feeling very blessed, y'all!

Now I have some "indica" heavy-hitters too, to counterpoint the energetic Amnesia stuff.

That Do-Si-Dos 33 is as Katy Perry and as Cookie-Gelato-OG inbred as they come ! I'm also really excited about getting some Bubba Kush freebies!

Now I am faced with the delicious dilemma of what to grow next....

Order-wise I am just about ready to crawl back into my hole. Just waiting on one more which is a solo OG Kush!

Thats a beautiful collection man.... gonna be some wonderful strains blooming in the land of the long white cloud

 

[DonkeyDick]

Well done, mate! A drool worthy collection.
Quite a few off my wishlist there, too. I’ll be watching with interest. Stoked for you