My First Time Growing

[kelticBlue]

Hi guys.
I understand all that natural hermie no worries. Just concerned his plants might be very stable and not want to hermie in a timely manner.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Hi guys.
I understand all that natural hermie no worries. Just concerned his plants might be very stable and not want to hermie in a timely manner.

I thought you probably did understand all that, but I have learned on this site to never assume.

 

[kelticBlue]

I thought you probably did understand all that, but I have learned on this site to never assume.

oh absolutely. So many variations on a theme.

I'm at work so probably not thinking clearly. But does it sound like his seeds are getting white fungus and damping off?

 

[Lady Cannafan]

In between peeling and boiling tomatoes down for canning today, I was thinking about something. This is going to be waaaaaaaay out there, but Smokey...what kind of paper towels do you use? Do they have dyed designs in them, and are they recycled?

I read a study a while back on recycled paper towels having been tested and found to have formaldehyde and bacteria feasts going on in them. Now, I am sure that the manufacturers would argue that, but I prefer to stay safe and away from the recycled or print designed paper towels.

Like I said, it's way out there...but I thought I would throw it in the pool for thought soaking.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

oh absolutely. So many variations on a theme.

I'm at work so probably not thinking clearly. But does it sound like his seeds are getting white fungus and damping off?

Yes, it sounds like a fungus is going on. Where that's coming from is hard to say, could be the water...could be a number of factors playing to contamination if that's what is happening. This is why I asked where the seeds had been stored before trying to germ.

Thanks!

 

[Smokeater]

Good morning Smokey. I was going to post to you again last night about the space thing, but got ill and went to bed. Yes, you are going to need to segregate a plant to either stress or finish out if it gets nanners or balls. It sounds like the unknown is in a perfect time frame for pollination, but we have no pollen. LOL

So, if there is no possibility of finding a place for a self pollination plant...we have no choice but to move on with the cloning.

The only downside to forcing sex is that it could possibly stress the plant into turning hermie. But doing it properly by adjusting the light schedule gradually should make things happen just fine from one transition another. I've done it before, just in case you're wondering. We only want them to barely show, then they go back into veg state by slowly adjusting the light schedules again.

So, let's do that. The two vegging plants, we will force sex on. Starting tonight, adjust your lighting to stay off two hours longer. Then in a couple more nights do the same, but maybe three hours longer. The goal is gradually making the lighting 12/12

Now, on the seeds you have in the bookcase? Is that in with the veg girls where there is light etc. on them?

If so, let's get them out of there. Germing seeds do not need much light, and they might be getting too warm.
In nature, when seeds germ and sprout, it is usually spring time. The ground is cooler, not summer time warm from the sun beating on it all day.
We want to mimic nature as much as we can. Find a fairly cool place for those seed cups waiting to sprout. Room temperature and normal Room light during the day will be just fine for them, we just don't want them too warm. The bookcase might be getting too warm with the light in there. Just a precaution, and at this point every little thing we can adjust might help.

Thanks Canna for all the help, but I just don't have space for a single plant or a light I can differentiate the cycles on because my lights are in the book case and tent. Besides I had a long talk with the wife last night and I decided to quit growing. I just can't afford it. I asked about getting some more worm castings (how the conversation started) and can't even afford them. I hate to say it but I think I am going to grow the ones I have up and quit.
I'll still be around until the last harvest so as far as the seed cups in the upper part of the book case. They are a Sleestack reg, a Criitical Kush and a auto (Jock Horror). They are lit by different lights from the bottom, They are the low powered ones I started with before I knew anything about growing. There is no other place to put a plant that I can control the light. I'll still be growing these until they harvest (everything in veg now is a regular seed) or I can figure out a way to get some seeds. (but I doubt that). With the extra cost of the electricity back, we will have a little more money to make our bills a little later. I should have chosen my profession with my head instead of my heart and maybe we would be better off. But like I said, I'm not just quitting, I'm going to go as far as I can with the seeds I have. I can go longer if these seeds would just germinate. But none have sprouted lately, I've let them sit for weeks when they don't crack with nothing. These three I changed out the containers again to see if that helped and they did crack, so fingers up! and please don't worry about me Canna, The narcotics are at least covered by insurance.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

You wouldn't have had to make new space by forcing the two in veg to show sex, then cloning them if they are female. You just use the same light in the bookcase where they are at and gradually increase the dark time. If you know they are female, you can clone them. At least then you would still have plants going as you need them. You were very successful at cloning.

So, having said that. I am sorry to read that you have decided to stop growing. When your frustration gets to a point of making you miserable, I can certainly understand.

Maybe sometime in the future, you two will be a little more steady on your feet with the finances and you will decide to give it another try. You have all of the equipment, so you can just start back up.

I look forward to your final harvests (if they are your final) for sure.

Love ya bro,

 

[Radogast]

You know, I'm getting confused about all this.

Smokeater - you are the same man who got up after a hard day dealing with life and death and did it again, and again the next day.

You have cloned before. It doesn't take any extra lighting, and you can pop a clone you have rooted into some used soil and keep things going.

If you WANT to stop growing, then go ahead and wind things down. You have our blessings.
If you want to keep on tending and harvesting plants you are still one who has fought many fires - cloning is something well within your reach. You've done it before.

I wish you success in your future endeavors, whatever they may be.

 

[ShiggityFlip]

I am confused about the cloning too smokey. You have successfully cloned before and cloning is the way to keep your best plants around. Clone them even if you don't know what sex they are yet. Keep them in small cups and then when you flower the big ones if they end up male toss them and their clones and put the next one in.
Take a few clones per plant so you never run out. If you keep trimming them down they can stay small in a cup for several months just by cutting them back.

If it's because the cannabis isn't helping then I understand. If it's a money thing check out several options. Many municipalities make and give out free compost, which can be used in place of earthworm castings. Or just skip adding it this round. The plants will still grow.

I guess the big question is:
Is your life better now with reduced pain pills and adding cannabis to your life? Do you think cannabis would help you live longer? If so fight for it. If not then go back to Meds.

In the end the choice is yours and we will all support it. For me life would suck without cannabis. I would be a shut in full of anxiety and depression. I thank God every day that I get to grow this miracle plant!

 

[Smokeater]

You know, I'm getting confused about all this.

Smokeater - you are the same man who got up after a hard day dealing with life and death and did it again, and again the next day.

You have cloned before. It doesn't take any extra lighting, and you can pop a clone you have rooted into some used soil and keep things going.

If you WANT to stop growing, then go ahead and wind things down. You have our blessings.
If you want to keep on tending and harvesting plants you are still one who has fought many fires - cloning is something well within your reach. You've done it before.

I wish you success in your future endeavors, whatever they may be.

I am confused about the cloning too smokey. You have successfully cloned before and cloning is the way to keep your best plants around. Clone them even if you don't know what sex they are yet. Keep them in small cups and then when you flower the big ones if they end up male toss them and their clones and put the next one in.
Take a few clones per plant so you never run out. If you keep trimming them down they can stay small in a cup for several months just by cutting them back.

If it's because the cannabis isn't helping then I understand. If it's a money thing check out several options. Many municipalities make and give out free compost, which can be used in place of earthworm castings. Or just skip adding it this round. The plants will still grow.

I guess the big question is:
Is your life better now with reduced pain pills and adding cannabis to your life? Do you think cannabis would help you live longer? If so fight for it. If not then go back to Meds.

In the end the choice is yours and we will all support it. For me life would suck without cannabis. I would be a shut in full of anxiety and depression. I thank God every day that I get to grow this miracle plant!

Rad and Shiggity, I appreciate the ideas, but when I say I'm broke, I mean bad. Our village raised our house taxes by $150.00 a month and I'm in the middle of a situation with the FD because they feel I should have retired at 50 and started paying for my own insurance and I don't even have enough to buy some worm castings. It really comes down to the money. I just can't afford it now. And as much as I hate them, At least my narcs are covered by insurance. Thank you guys so much for the ideas, but I'm stopping the grow after the ones I have now because I can't even afford worm castings, The few seeds I have left I will still attempt to germinate. Besides, I don't have enough room or plants to sustain just edibles and since my lungs are so screwed up I can't smoke it anymore without coughing until I vomit. You guys have been a family to me this last year and I'm still going to be around until all plants are harvested. To everybody on my journal -

Just noticed how many times I mentioned worm castings, sorry about that

 

[Smokeater]

Looks like my time with you guys just got extended (hopefully) with a seedling I just checked and saw. It's Sleestack reg, So I don't know the sex yet, but it's a good thing!! Sorry the pic is so blurry but my camera sucks and it's tiny. I will post a better pic when she (fingers crossed) grows a little more.
But 1 of 3 germinated! Now I just have to wait to see how the Jock Horror Auto and the Critical Kush do. One grow question, How do you guys get your pots so full? as soon as I water mine the soil level drops and when they are a baby I can't put more soil in it. I will find a way to get more worm castings if it kills me. I want these babies to have rich soil like PJ taught me.

I just talked to the wife and explained how important it was for me to keep growing as long as possible (she knows the MJ is better for me and I have been saving narcs like crazy since I made the Cannabutter, which helps better than the narcs and longer) and she said we can afford the worm poop when I get payed the 15th.

 

[Radogast]

Compost is good stuff. Worm castings are top shelf, but compost has lots of food in it.

Think of it as the difference between a well drink and a top shelf drink: One is better, but they both can get you drunk. After the top shelf you have been using, you won't notice the difference in taste of the ordinary stuff

With good genetics like you have, you can still get excellent results from reused soil, (you could get 2-3 more grows out of your soil doing nothing but water,) but you will do better with compost or worm castings.

 

[Smokeater]

Compost is good stuff. Worm castings are top shelf, but compost has lots of food in it.

Think of it as the difference between a well drink and a top shelf drink: One is better, but they both can get you drunk. After the top shelf you have been using, you won't notice the difference in taste of the ordinary stuff

With good genetics like you have, you can still get excellent results from reused soil, (you could get 2-3 more grows out of your soil doing nothing but water,) but you will do better with compost or worm castings.

Thanks Rad, I will look into getting compost then, but does compost have critters? I don't want to fix one problem and end up with another that costs more money to get rid of (besides the fact that my wife would kill me if I brought bugs into the house). Just curious because I have no experience with compost. and thanks again Rad, You have been so supportive for me like the others that are still following my journal! You guys are great!

 

[Lady Cannafan]

HI Smokey.

Congrats on the new little baby. Good job!

 

[Radogast]

Thanks Rad, I will look into getting compost then, but does compost have critters? I don't want to fix one problem and end up with another that costs more money to get rid of (besides the fact that my wife would kill me if I brought bugs into the house). Just curious because I have no experience with compost. and thanks again Rad, You have been so supportive for me like the others that are still following my journal! You guys are great!

In my limited experience, almost all storebought compost and pre-mixed soils have fungus gnats. I wasted time and money trying to fight them various ways. The neem oil mixed in water that I foliar spray knocks them out in one or two spray sessions. They are a lot more common and a lot less nasty than spider mites (which seem to appear on traded plants.)

 

[Lady Cannafan]

In my limited experience, almost all storebought compost and pre-mixed soils have fungus gnats. I wasted time and money trying to fight them various ways. The neem oil mixed in water that I foliar spray knocks them out in one or two spray sessions. They are a lot more common and a lot less nasty than spider mites (which seem to appear on traded plants.)

If by chance you cannot get neem oil, which is the best solution, in my opinion...here's a site that has several inexpensive ways to kill them and prevent them.

40 natural techniques to Getting rid of fungus gnats and kill adult & larvae completely – How To Get Rid Of Gnat

 

[Smokeater]

Hi guys, Sorry I haven't been around. This week everything went to hell. All kinds of problems with both our insurances and I mean BAD problems.

BTW, Unknown is a male and I just pulled him from the tent.

 

[JimmieJ]

Oh boy... hope things can be worked out with the insurance, Smoke. I have a little experience with that, and sometimes it takes a lot of work to get them to do the right thing.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

Well, let us know when you can. I think you said your mortgage payment went up again a while ago? Same thing here, I got the news in the mail today. Seems it goes up a little more every year. This coming year I'm going to argue the tax raise with the township and try to get them lowered.

Anyway, hope you got the insurance thing worked out.

Too bad you can't keep that male somewhere for pollen. But I know you have no space for that.

 

[Dennise]

You know, I'm getting confused about all this.

Smokeater - you are the same man who got up after a hard day dealing with life and death and did it again, and again the next day.

You have cloned before. It doesn't take any extra lighting, and you can pop a clone you have rooted into some used soil and keep things going.

If you WANT to stop growing, then go ahead and wind things down. You have our blessings.
If you want to keep on tending and harvesting plants you are still one who has fought many fires - cloning is something well within your reach. You've done it before.

I wish you success in your future endeavors, whatever they may be.

I can't say it any better... I've been away a few days and you quit... Really... #1 Canna is certainly correct... Get the seeds you are trying to pop out of that cabinet... They need to be in a cool dry place... A kitchen cabinet is fine... Some even claim the percentage of males goes up if they are germed in too warm a place... I don't put mine in water first... I put them in a white paper towel... Pretty wet but not dripping... Put that in a fold over baggie loosely... I usually blow a breath of air in the baggie too... I put the baggie in a tin box I have and leave it alone for 72 hours... The only time I have ever had a problem with this is the last time I got sick and I don't know what happened but before that... It worked 99.9% of the time... I hope you get things straightened out my friend....