Niccy's Critical Auto 2 Grow Journal: 2018

[nickeluring]

This Critical Auto germinated on the 18th of July and has been flowering since the 22nd of August.
She was topped at node 4 on day 17, nodes 1 and 2 was removed, and training commenced shortly thereafter.

Critical Auto info: Hybrid (Sat/Ind) 40/60
Indoor
Tent size: 60 x 120 x 208 cm
Light: Perfect Sun COB, 675 W
Substrate: coco
Pot size: 19 liters
Number of plants in tent: 2
Nutes: Advanced Nutrients usually at about 75% of recommended strength
Feeding: Every 3 hours during lights on

It's the plant on the left in the veg picture. It is taken on day 17 of veg, just after the topping was made.
The flowering pic is taken on day 11 of flower. It's the baby on the right.

 

[nickeluring]

Day 19 of flowering.
This Critical Auto is way different from my other Critical Auto. This is a normal hybrid and not as Sativa dominant as the other.

 

[nickeluring]

Day 29 of flowering. The Critical is the one to the left on the pic with 2 plants.
She is starting to get seriously sticky.

 

[nickeluring]

Day 38 of flowering.

 

[nickeluring]

Day 58 of flowering. She's been flushed for 6 days now, and I'll harvest within a week.
The smell is very strong and she smells very very good. She is very sticky to the touch. The smell and stickiness is making me excited about this plant. I think it'll be a favourite.
The buds look very different to other strains I've seen. They've got very little leaves. I think maybe that's what makes this plant handle heat better...

 

[Piña Delores]

Looking good, I can almost smell them lol.

They been in a tent all summer? No wonder they've been dealing with heat.

 

[nickeluring]

Thanks, Piña.
Yes, all summer in the tent and no air con. The COB light adds a bit of heat as well. Will add an air con if I'll grow over summer again, but hopefully I'll have a terrace next summer and can grow some outdoor plants.

 

[Piña Delores]

How ?!? What temps were the plants dealing with?

I'm worrying about my new year grow going too far into the Spring. If you managed to run that all Summer there might be hope.

 

[nickeluring]

Around 30 degrees, cooler now since a week or two back though. My plants have been handling high temps well during veg and early flower. If it gets too hot in mid and late flower, they tend to get upset.
I've given my plants 2 extra additives to handle the heat better, liquid silicone and algae kelp extract.
The apartment I've been in has been really cool. It's all stone, it's on the north side of the village and not much windows. It's been the best place for hot summers and the worst in winter when it gets absolutely freezing and wet and humid. Then I've had the tent heating the bedroom, and there has been a great symbios between plants and the people sleeping in that room.

Now I don't know how hot it is where you are, but given you're in Spain, it'll be hot in summer. If you plan to harvest in July/August/September, I think you might want to look at getting an air con. Otherwise I think you'll be fine.

 

[Piña Delores]

Then I've had the tent heating the bedroom, and there has been a great symbios between plants and the people sleeping in that room.

This has been suggested in this household. It wasn't received so well here . More blankets worked out quieter.

I'll look into the Silicone and Algae Kelp additives. It'll be too hot for a tent in June round here. Not going to use aircon, I've never had it, so I'm not using it for plants lol.

I've got a yard, but it's a bit overlooked for my liking, and I'm not sure it'll get enough direct sunlight. We'll see how I feel come Springtime.

 

[nickeluring]

Haha, yes, it takes a bit to get used to having tents in your bedroom, but after a while it doesn't bother you that much. I had 2 tents in my bedroom earlier.

Day 61 of flowering, tomorrow she's going down.
It's hard to take good pics, I can't open the tent door on her side, all the top branches fall out and I get sticky buds in my hair...

 

[nickeluring]

I chopped her on day 62 of flowering. This girl smells unbelievably good. Oooh, I think she'll be tasty

 

[Piña Delores]

Looks good Nick.

Did you get your cob-a-tron ready to go?

 

[nickeluring]

Thanks, Piña
Yes, I did get the cob-a-tron ready, but it seems it isn’t working, there’s no power out for the heater. Will look at it today. If not ok, I’ll have to dry and cure the Critical normally.
But trying to dry the whole plant to see how it goes. They say drying/curing is better this way...

 

[nickeluring]

Ok, so the cob-a-tron is working. It needed some weird wiring that I couldn't work out from the manual.

I'll probably let the plant dry for about 3 days before she goes in the box. I'll get some stuff to make the interior cosy for the little cobbies...not sure how many cobs will fit in there, but there's no way the whole plant will fit, so some will be dried and cured normally. I might screw up all the good stuff that is supposed to happen when drying the plant whole, after I start butchering her after 3 days...

Do you recognise the cooler, Piña? Useful things they are

 

[Piña Delores]

That's well cool . You should post it in the cob thread.

What are you using for the heater? Makes for a very clean build.

I might well copy you

 

[nickeluring]

Yes, just copy, this will be great I think.
I'm using a heat cable instead of a heat mat. It was hard to find a heat mat in the right size, and I first tried folding a larger mat a bit, but they're stiff and not so happy about bending. The cable is way easier to use here.

I'll post some pics in the cob thread after I finished making my cob bed. I might try to use oven paper instead of corn husks. I found some corn cobs today, but after I saw they had mold in their husks, I decided to try something cleaner.

 

[Piña Delores]

Where did you find that heat cable? Had a quick look on Amazon, and didn't see anything.

Don't forget you can use your Volcano bags instead of corn husks.

 

[nickeluring]

I got the cable online from growbarato. It's 4 m long, and costs €20.

I don't have enough used volcano bags to use, but could use normal oven bags. That would be cheaper than using new balloons. I'll try with the oven paper and see how I go.

 

[Amadeus Forzin]

Hope all is well in your world.

Thanks for sharing this grow with us.

Please head over to the 420 Strain Reviewsforum and post your smoke report there too.

I’m moving this to Completed Journals now.

Have you started a new grow you would like to share with us?

If so, please feel free to start a new journal here: Journals in Progress

Sending you lots of love and positive energy.