NorthernCosmos' First Indoor Soil Auto Grow: 2019

[CraZysWeeD]

Alright, are you running same lights as the Chili grow? The driver in the mars light can produce some ripple in the ac current that makes the switches stick in contact even if the mechanics pulls them appart. These new drivers are uggly bastards and makes all different types of ripples and interference. The first cheap leds I used had on board drivers the DC driver was more of less going on and off in 50Hz so I used ferrit cores around the AC cables going in to prevent ripples due to me being afraid it would interfere with my suppliers distant measuring reading. I heard of people being busted with this... but just rumors. I was called up by a electrician at work one day from their supplier he could tell we had a faulty DC driver in service which powered a flow meter. This got me scared...

Yeah, such a control center is my dream as well and been for a while but as usually other stuff keeps coming in the way. Like rocket engines....

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Ah, no, the chilis run on an old Galaxy Hydro blurple UFO. Been running steady for 4 years. Not related to the MJ grow - apart from the joy of growing, of course. It's even in a different house.

I've been thinking about the failure mode, and welded contacts is a distinct possibility, or some mechanical failure. Thanks for the heads up on the DC drivers - perhaps I'll get my instruments out and have a look one day.

I'm a big rocket engine fan, so keep on with that good work!

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Ah those UFO's, I had one as well but gave it away to a friend here in desperate need of getting her growing back online. They are perfectly alright if one doesn't expect miracles like I did when I bought it... those 100W was suppose to beat my 400W hid. Lol.

Would be very interesting to see one hooked up to a scope.

Rocket engines it it then, actually made another part for it today. Been spinning my head around that venturi pump as well, I have a super small one from work which was on a sink tap and used for pulling up very small amounts of water tests. But I don't think I can scale up that one so I have to go medieval on some spiro pipes.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

You've read what I said about new growth after reintroducing the day/night cycle after most likely one and a half month or more of 24/0 lights. Well, there zero doubt now - the old ladies in my tent is at it again, gaining a little height, but more importantly, as you can see in the pictures, new fresh pistils are curling out of newly opening calyxes everywhere and there are new bushy forests of pistils all over the place. And the density and/or fatness of trichomes is not getting any less.

This is crazy! Now they start growing... with three day/night cycles. I don't think these ladies are done quite yet, and I'm open to an extension of however long it takes for the new growth to subside, stopping earlier only if things turn very amber. So there it is, to me this is clear proof that day/night cycles are a good thing.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Today, on day 73, the plants continue to change rapidly after the the 4th day day/night cycle. There are now colas with mainly brown pistils, but then there's that rush of new growth in between and on top. The Amnesia is now getting buds that grow out of the sides of the colas (is that a form of "foxtailing"?).

Things are happening fast, and I feel I have to be on the ball here, w.r.t. when to chop. With the colas now becoming a mixture of browning pistils and new born ones, I'm not sure which of them should govern the chop. There' is no noticeable increase in amber, still mostly a little on the lower sugar leaves of the Amnesia and no more than 10%-15% even there.

How would you guys tackle the final days schedule for these? I'm still inclined to let them go on for a bit, but the pistils shouldn't get much browner than this, or...?

Amnesia - bushy new growth on top. Some new growth along the sides. Note the two protruding buds on each side 1/3 up from the bottom of the picture, there are quite a few side growths like that on this plant:

The White Widow has a lot of dark brown pistils now. Again mixed with new growth, e.g. see the one right on top:

Edit: tested using the member gallery instead of per post attachments... A bit more work, but hey... So this is how you folks usually do it? @CraZysWeeD?

 

[InTheShed]

I never pay attention to the color of the pistils, so keep checking the trichomes. Some plants will keep pushing new pistils right until you cut them down, and some aren't ready until two weeks after all the pistils are crunchy!

 

[NorthernCosmos]

New life in the tent: Happy day 4 for the next Amnesia and White Widow autos, both from Seed Stockers like the previous ones

Day_4_AM2_WW2.jpg

• NorthernCosmos
• Nov 23, 2019

Amnesia Auto and White Widow Auto at day 4 from seed

And Ada the Amnesia at day 74, look at those foxtails (terminology?) growing by the hour (right of cola, middle in the pic). There are several more on that cola, a couple of them with white fresh pistils pointing towards the viewer. Are they good, bad, weird?

 

[Emilya Green]

New life in the tent: Happy day 4 for the next Amnesia and White Widow autos, both from Seed Stockers like the previous ones

And Ada the Amnesia at day 74, look at those foxtails (terminology?) growing by the hour (right of cola, middle in the pic). There are several more on that cola, a couple of them with white fresh pistils pointing towards the viewer. Are they good, bad, weird?

That is just how the bud builds out so as to get larger

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Yes, but it's new to this day/night cycle revival. They were very even up to these new photo-events after an "eternity" in light, and this "freakish" foxtail(?) growth was unexpected. I don't mind bigger more bud / bigger colas of course , but who knows when it'll end - I'm sort of beginning to itch for my first harvest Oh well, I'll try to be steadfast and stick to the plan of waiting for some amber on the calyxes.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Day 76 and another feeding. The Amnesia side-buds are out of control and the Widow has "sub-colas" among the fatter ones that are growing at a good pace. All new growth looks green and healthy. There's no end in sight...

All I want is to grab these brand new shears:

...and get to work on these:

Day_76_Ada.JPG

• NorthernCosmos
• Nov 25, 2019

Amnesia Auto at day 76 packing trichomes

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Sorry man I missed out on a few posts been crazy in my head with all builds and other life stuff.

This looks awesome! Nice last few days growth you got there, but as other already have said. Pistils keep forming until you cut them down then they get its over. But I think it looks perfect by the close ups you posted, if you want it heavier wait a few days more.

The youngsters looks promising, I had the problem with the shell keeping the first leaves welded it almost died if it wasn't for my rescue. So now I now how that can happen @InTheShed remember you had trouble this summer?

You are doing everything by the book cosmos, looks like very tasty weed. Can I come over?

 

[CraZysWeeD]

ISS calling outer Cosmos...

How is ignoring the scissor treating you, or has the Widow finally fallen?

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Sorry, I was in a radio shadow there for a bit, a few systems north of the galactic center. I read you loud and clear now

I'm nervously and white knuckled clutching the shears, tiptoeing around the tent like a loony. The sight of it must be quite unsettling...

I'm still waiting for clear signs of calyxial amber, but in the mean time they're still growing buds and pistils and packing on and fattening up the trichs to silly levels, at least according to my expectations. Perhaps tomorrow's feeding will be the penultimate, if not the ultimate...

Day_78_Ada.JPG

• NorthernCosmos
• Nov 27, 2019

Ada the Amnesia auto at day 78 - not long left now...

Day_78_Wren.JPG

• NorthernCosmos
• Nov 27, 2019

Wren the White Widow auto at day 78 - not long left now...

 

[InTheShed]

Pacing, always pacing! With a plant putting out new pistils and trichomes until harvest, you have to balance the ripeness of the new trichomes against the original ones when deciding to chop.

Either way it looks delish!

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Exactly, Shed! I'm waiting for that sweet moment - counting on a wide range of trichome ripeness to impart these buds with broad spectrum goodness, or something to that effect

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Or you can just cut it down....

I'm with you either way you do, just remember you got more plants already on the way and will desperately need her space soon.

Shed got his big plastic grass lawn to fill with plants that's maturing, if he wants to.

The Americans and Canadians have too quickly forgot how it is growing under prohibition... Not their fault, I would do the same.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Cut, cut, cut , eh? Don't push me over the edge now - soon, CraZy, real soon...

 

[CraZysWeeD]

I'm going to cut down my Cheese real soon I think. Today when I opened the tent she was laying on the floor with her legs spread.... Gave her a support and tied her up some but she is getting heavy as well now, think I put her and Spliff B. in bloom about the same time... Just got home from picking up Ginza so now I have time to monitor the functionality of Ikaros before I trust it totally. Will put it in action tomorrow if plans go accordingly.

Cut that widow down now... its the first of many you will grow.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Yeah, got to get some ready for Jul, so it can't go on for much longer. I'm thinking they might not survive this weekend.

Then up to one week of drying (do the branch half-snapping test), and a couple of weeks of curing. Does that sound about right? Well, that's all I have time for anyway...

Looks like you have the season covered, but a buffer is surely nice to have.

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Always lots to do before Jul...

Are you hanging the hole plant first and cut down in buds after this week of drying? Snap method is fairly accurate, I'm sure Shed has a theory about this. I know he likes Bovedia or what its called. I do a every simple method, I like to trim it direct after harvest and I usually cut smaller buds direct of for drying and save the top colas to dry on stem. Drying in my veg tent in a box RH in there is usually 30-40% and 27C. So its crisp after 2-3 days, then in the fridge in jars and taken out every other day to air the buds. With this process its usually smokable after 2 weeks. But I also turbo dry some for direct consumption, its not mature by any means but gives a hint of the final cure.

All planing around my season is made to give some every 2 weeks, I'm not there yet but probably will be right about the time to shut down everything for summer heat.

This way makes the buffer never too much in my fridge, I would probably not get sentenced to jail if caught. 2 years ago I was sitting on over 0,5kg when shutting down for the summer. Not fun in a country were even possension of a few grams can totaly change ones life if caught in the wrong room. Never worry about the worst, just plan for it.