OldMedUser's - 3 Strain - DWC - Soilless - ScroG - ExtravaGanja!

[OldMedUser]

Sucks what your going through with those gnats!

You've given me a gnat Phobia!
If you entomb them will wreak havoc in there?

When I redo my room and I am now going to paint, cover my drain. Plant NEVER outside !
Clean the shit out of everything!

Sucks but thanks for the experience... I'd be crying... and someday probably will be.. ;/

FE

The idea of trapping them in there is that as they become adults they won't be able to get past the barriers, meet a mate and lay any more eggs on the soil to make new larvae to eat the roots. In other words, I've broken a crucial link in their chain of life.

L8r

 

[OldMedUser]

Hey there OMU. Lots of people just let the gnats be, because they don't seem to affect harvest, but I hate them being around because they always crash landed in my buds and I was having to pick gnats off my colas - so I found a solution. I used spinosad (Monterey garden insect spray) as a root drench in my dwc's when I discovered them in my room. I root drenched 3 or 4 times with the full strength spray dilution and then I started letting my plants dry out alot more than they had been (EDIT: I didn't fill the res as often in my dwc's and let my coco plants dry out more). I put the yellow sticky traps around just to make sure I got them all, and in a week or two (after the last root drench) I stopped seeing them.

I can't get stuff like that here Iwltfum. I was lucky to find some Safer's stuff to spray my other girl with locally. Even the larger garden centers here are already shut down for the season and putting up Xmas stuff. Not really but right after Halloween it starts going up.

I'm not even certain that they have infested the root balls that bad but I had stuff on hand that I could use to eliminate them if they are there in large numbers. Less than a month to go with those plants so I'll limp them to the finish line. I'm pretty sure that the DWC girl is going to yield as much or more than the two in pots anyway.

Winter is close at hand and the threat of bugs is greatly reduced.

L8r

 

[iwltfum]

Winter is close at hand and the threat of bugs is greatly reduced.

I've been looking forward to winter ever since spring for that very reason. I have to say that diversifying my types of plants (I grow alot of veggies and some helpful flowers like marigolds and chrysanthemum pyrethrum) and switching most of my plants over to a homemade organic soil high in minerals helped tremendously with my mid-summer bug problems. I don't grow the veggies or flowers inside, but I start most of them inside so the clone/mom room is very diverse in plant life and it seems to help keep the pests off the young cannabis plants for the most part. Sometimes I end up tossing young marigolds, but they always get the pests first and generally I can toss them in the fire pit without them finding any other plants to infest. Not that you have the ability to do all of that - or even want to, it's just interesting thinking about the place of pests in the plant world and taking a different approach to the control of them using other "bait" plants (tobacco, marigolds) or plants with repellent properties (basil, pyrethrum, ect). I like the bait plants more, because it's less work, once you see bugs on them you toss them, they even work better set to the side of the canopy a bit in the shade and a little unhealthy. With the repellent plants, they work better if they have good light and nutrients because they generally produce oils that repel the bugs and they can produce more of the oils if they are healthy.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Hopefully it was an interesting thought if nothing else.

Cheers

 

[OldMedUser]

By all means ramble on.

Things are a little too crowded in my room for companion plants so my air is filtered to keep most bad stuff out.

I've been wanting to sell this place and get out of here so if I get serious about it I'll take out the pot plants and start running DWC cherry tomatoes and flats of herbs. That room was a big selling point for me and might be for a prospective buyer too. Would hate to give up growing pot but hopefully find a place where I can get back into it soon after moving.

L8r

 

[OldMedUser]

I did this post in another thread and thought it might be useful in here to show how I do a free-standing DWC ScroG. I wish I had used a bigger screen with this one and as it was I let the branches grow out about 6" from the edges then looped back to the screen effectively making it about 3" wider on each side. So from 2x2 = 4ft² I had 2.5x2.5 = 6.25ft² or 50% more real estate.

First off don't weave thru the screen. Then the branches are trapped and as they still are pushing forward the nodes can get pushed up against the screen and break off. I had to get in and snip some crossbars out of my current screen a couple days ago so I could get some branches up in the light. That was because I had already grown the plants then forced them thru the screen instead of growing them into the screen.

As the branches grow along I just use short pieces of twist ties to hold them down to the wires and wander them all over the place. With just a wire screen and no frame if one area is higher than another I can just warp the screen to raise or lower one section and even out the canopy.

You could put some supports for a wire screen in pots when you transplant to the largest one you want to use and hang the screen with baling wire like I do so it floats as the plant grows then tighten up the baling wire to hold the weight when the colas get heavy. I had some long pieces of aluminum flat bar with holes at each end that I cut in half to make the supports for the screen. Then drilled holes thru them at a height where I could put a nail thru and bend them to fit in holes I drilled at each corner of the tub. A little of Red Green's helper to hold the bottom of the bars and a ScroG was born.

When a grow tip had to cross a big empty space I tied a wire across and used it to get across the gap. Some are still on there. The big holes in the screen are easier to work with than something a lot tighter like chicken wire. Later on when doing the vegging you might want to re-position branches for more even coverage and the extra free-play makes that easy-peasy.

Note the air lines going in under the handle rather than the lid so they aren't in the way if the lid needs to come off. No holes below the water line at all to make for a leak proof tub.

L8r

 

[Far East Buds]

Ok So sometimes I am pessimist..... so from that I need to ask... What do you think is the weakest link in the setup? I Like Scrogs but hate how it locked me in.. So I debated mobile scrog set ups.. Then changed my mind because I was worried I would make something that at say day 35 flower would find that weakest link and I'd be scrambling to fix.... I have thought a good bit about this as I am redoing my set up in between the grows...Not saying anything about design.. I like it .. Just curious what you think? I decided I was not going to scrog next grow with a net at least to see what I think. I have only done a scrog and wanted to try 2 toppings on a few only to see how i like 4 cola plants...also due to space ...

Thought food!
FE

 

[OldMedUser]

Nothing says you have to do ScroG. I grew a lot of plants for a lot of years before I ever tried a ScroG.

I generally top most plants above the 4th node. If I want to determine sex I wait until there are 6 or 7 nodes then take the top above the 4th and plant it under 12/12 light in a closet to force it to flower. If it's a girl and I want to keep it then I flip it back to 18/6 so it goes back to veg and if a male I either toss it or flower it out to save the pollen if I want more seeds of that strain. It can go in a cardboard box with tinfoil under it to catch pollen and be stuck somewhere it won't mess up any girls.

If you top a plant twice you will likely have more than 4 colas as the side branches will catch up to the tops. If you FIM when you top you could have a dozen colas on each plant. Then there is training like LST, HST, mainlining etc that can open up the center of the plant and give you a circle of big colas. A lot of it depends on how long you want to veg to get the end results you want.

Take two clones and try different methods on each and see what you like best. Play around for a couple of grows before committing to one way to get the most out of your setup.

There are no hard and fast rules to growing other than the ones you make for yourself.

L8r

 

[Pigeons420]

Solid advice right there!!!


Didn't even consider topping a male and forcing flower... Genius. Shit, it's always the little things, eh?

 

[Weaselcracker]

If I may blather my thoughts in your journal OMU
- Far East - I couldn't think of a decent answer to that question to the weakest link in scrogging. I do mobile scrog screens- one per plant. They are a bit awkward to shuffle around. But it was awkward to shuffle my plants around before I did scrog as well. I can think of lots of good things about scrogging - basically all to do with control of the plant growth. If I train them so that there's 10" or more between the pot and screen- there's plenty room to work beneath the plant and I don't find it particularly claustrophobic.

The only thing I don't like about scrogging at this point is- I miss the natural shape of the plants. Most pics of scrogs look all somewhat the same. It's still a beautiful sight looking at all those flowers spread across a flat plain, but I may grow a few plants soon which are not topped and trained in any way- just because I like to see their natural shape and I'm getting a bit jealous of seeing that in some other journals.

 

[jojo677]

Ok So sometimes I am pessimist..... so from that I need to ask... What do you think is the weakest link in the setup? I Like Scrogs but hate how it locked me in.. So I debated mobile scrog set ups.. Then changed my mind because I was worried I would make something that at say day 35 flower would find that weakest link and I'd be scrambling to fix.... I have thought a good bit about this as I am redoing my set up in between the grows...Not saying anything about design.. I like it .. Just curious what you think? I decided I was not going to scrog next grow with a net at least to see what I think. I have only done a scrog and wanted to try 2 toppings on a few only to see how i like 4 cola plants...also due to space ...

Thought food!
FE

If you're interested, check out the mobile SCROG tutorial in my sig. There are several examples of construction methods.

I'd have to agree with Weasel though, I miss the natural shape of the plants too. To me the biggest downside of SCROGs is that you are pretty much locked into that shape once you get through the stretch. Because of this, you can't always easily inspect all the parts of the plant you want, and it may be a little tougher to move around (if you have to move it).

Though the structure of being able to hold branches exactly where you want them is also the strongest point for me. You don't have to worry about top-heavy branches bending over and finding some creative way to support them (tying them to the ceiling, etc). This also leads to not having to constantly arrange leaves/buds through flowering. You also get nice even light coverage to your buds.

You may just have to try it out to see if it fits your growing style!

 

[Far East Buds]

Nothing says you have to do ScroG. I grew a lot of plants for a lot of years before I ever tried a ScroG.

I generally top most plants above the 4th node. If I want to determine sex I wait until there are 6 or 7 nodes then take the top above the 4th and plant it under 12/12 light in a closet to force it to flower. If it's a girl and I want to keep it then I flip it back to 18/6 so it goes back to veg and if a male I either toss it or flower it out to save the pollen if I want more seeds of that strain. It can go in a cardboard box with tinfoil under it to catch pollen and be stuck somewhere it won't mess up any girls.

If you top a plant twice you will likely have more than 4 colas as the side branches will catch up to the tops. If you FIM when you top you could have a dozen colas on each plant. Then there is training like LST, HST, mainlining etc that can open up the center of the plant and give you a circle of big colas. A lot of it depends on how long you want to veg to get the end results you want.

Take two clones and try different methods on each and see what you like best. Play around for a couple of grows before committing to one way to get the most out of your setup.

There are no hard and fast rules to growing other than the ones you make for yourself.

L8r

Great advice.... do you think scrog increases flower time? or non scrog you can shorten flower? or is the strain the only factor for that?
Curious...
I just want it simple and fluid... I see how it can become a full time job especially when you start having issue's like bugs,, net pots falling in .. nutes.. on and on.. but those all taught me stuff hehe You have seen my plant. I don't question the results are there with scrog... but I wonder if just a few tops and some minor LST to keep them even would be easier on maintenance mostly...and possibly faster time. The fact I wont have that much room next time...is why I will be switching to just topping I am trying to get more strain varieties and faster.. well harvesting perpetual... not necessarily faster.

Thanks OMU great post...


FE

 

[Far East Buds]

If you're interested, check out the mobile SCROG tutorial in my sig. There are several examples of construction methods.

I'd have to agree with Weasel though, I miss the natural shape of the plants too. To me the biggest downside of SCROGs is that you are pretty much locked into that shape once you get through the stretch. Because of this, you can't always easily inspect all the parts of the plant you want, and it may be a little tougher to move around (if you have to move it).

Though the structure of being able to hold branches exactly where you want them is also the strongest point for me. You don't have to worry about top-heavy branches bending over and finding some creative way to support them (tying them to the ceiling, etc). This also leads to not having to constantly arrange leaves/buds through flowering. You also get nice even light coverage to your buds.

You may just have to try it out to see if it fits your growing style!

Yah I do like it A LOT. my first grow is a scrog and i already know enough of my shortcomings if I did it again it would be better.. but limited flowering space in the future and trying to mix strains is the reason I am trying simple topping and slight lst stuff...

Scrog is great .. Love it... Hate i am locked in.. cant check roots etc.. and was hard to deal with bugs... laying on ground spraying etc.... but the results are definitely there... It is a great yielding method that is for sure...

Thanks for responding I am done hijacking! (DB Cooper just left the plane)

FE

 

[OldMedUser]

There are things that you can do with a ScroG to make it a lot easier than what you were doing.

Start off by using a tub. Rubbermaid Roughneck are the best I've found. Tough pliable plastic that takes a lot of abuse and I've never had a leaker yet. I always have an inspection hole so I can view the roots. add water and nutes, stick a hose in for my drill pump to empty it out. If only doing one or two plants you can have a hole big enough to stick your hand in to move or replace the airstones. The way that one in the picture above works I can peel the duct tape off the legs, pick the whole top off and set it on a fresh tub of nutes. With 37L of nutes in the shorter tub I don't have to constantly check the level and ppm like with a pail that maybe holds 15L depending on the depth of the net pot. 4 or 5" pot is plenty big enough for a large plant and leaves more room for nutes. My DWC girl is in a 3.5"/9cm pot and doing fine. 12 of those in that lid to do a DWC SoG if I want. Might just do that with cuttings off the big daughter of hers. Put two clones in each pot and flower out 24 at once.

Nothing really increases or decreases flowering time. That's basically up to the plant's genetics. Veg time we can have influence on tho and for filling a big screen DWC is the way to go. The more branches that start off in the screen the faster it's filled too. As soon as the branch starts growing horizontal all the nodes further back from the tips start growing upwards too for lots more smaller colas.

L8r

 

[Far East Buds]

Good stuff right there thanks OMU! Thanks for taking the time to respond, Answered all my questions.. appreciate it...


FE

 

[OldMedUser]

Just a quick update. The DWC girl is pumping out huge colas compared to the potted ones with about 3 - 4 weeks to go yet. I'm doing a full watering of the potted ones today with 1/4 strength nutes, 1/4 strength BigBud and 1/2 strength OverDrive. The next watering will be much the same but no more BigBud and full OD.

The yellowing of the potted girls continues unabated. A big feeding just before the yellowing began got a dose of pH up by mistake. Now I'm wondering if that may be the cause but I should have eliminated it in the one pot that I flushed a while back yet it continues to yellow the most of the two. When I water today I'll toss in some pH down and see what happens. At this point with only 3 weeks to go I'm not really all that concerned. Guano happens.

Not looking too bad I think for 37 days from the flip.

L8r

 

[Sorenna]

I feel smarter every time I come to read your journal.

Great work you do.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Oooh the DWC is looking sweet. For 37 days ?! Wtf...

 

[Pigeons420]

I feel smarter every time I come to read your journal.

Great work you do.

We're on the same page Sorenna!

 

[closetorganic]

Just a quick update. The DWC girl is pumping out huge colas compared to the potted ones with about 3 - 4 weeks to go yet. I'm doing a full watering of the potted ones today with 1/4 strength nutes, 1/4 strength BigBud and 1/2 strength OverDrive. The next watering will be much the same but no more BigBud and full OD.

The yellowing of the potted girls continues unabated. A big feeding just before the yellowing began got a dose of pH up by mistake. Now I'm wondering if that may be the cause but I should have eliminated it in the one pot that I flushed a while back yet it continues to yellow the most of the two. When I water today I'll toss in some pH down and see what happens. At this point with only 3 weeks to go I'm not really all that concerned. Guano happens.

Not looking too bad I think for 37 days from the flip.

L8r

Very nice OldMedUser
Looking like huge dense and sticky quality medicine there
Alot of those off leaves on the potted plants should drop by harvest making an easier trim of more good stuff

 

[Far East Buds]

Oooh the DWC is looking sweet. For 37 days ?! Wtf...

No kidding there!