Rifleman's Roost Open 24/7: Perpetually Perplexed

[Rifleman]

A little bit of Dark Devil info tonight. Nos. 3 a day 4 have a tiny rootlet out of the basket and into the water already. And they haven't even broken the surface yet. Once they do pop up I think they should take off a bit quicker than what I've seen in the past.

Life Is Gooooood !!

 

[HemiSync]

A little bit of Dark Devil info tonight. Nos. 3 a day 4 have a tiny rootlet out of the basket and into the water already. And they haven't even broken the surface yet. Once they do pop up I think they should take off a bit quicker than what I've seen in the past.

Life Is Gooooood !!

What size net pot do you use or how many inches of hydroton do they have to push up thru?

 

[Rifleman]

What size net pot do you use or how many inches of hydroton do they have to push up thru?

Six inch diameter netpots, and they'll have to climb from the bottom of them. Approx fives inches. I took a look earlier today by removing hydroton by hand. Both 1 and 3(only ones I checked) were about half way to the surface.

Concerns ?

 

[HemiSync]

Six inch diameter netpots, and they'll have to climb from the bottom of them. Approx fives inches. I took a look earlier today by removing hydroton by hand. Both 1 and 3(only ones I checked) were about half way to the surface.

Concerns ?

No concerns, was just curious how far they would have to travel to get to the top. Amazing how strong these weeds are sometimes.

 

[Rifleman]

No concerns, was just curious how far they would have to travel to get to the top. Amazing how strong these weeds are sometimes.

Whew ! You had me worried. I peaked again this morning and they look to be half way through. Heads up.......?.......guessing Thursday morning.

 

[Rifleman]

Annnnnnnd this was my view this morning. I've got the light at max height now. AU1 is slowing down....she only grew 1.25 inches in the last 24 hrs. I realize this is a problem many growers would love to have, but it isn't that much fun. Any more growth and she will be sitting outside of the lights glow, or I'm going to break her neck and lay her head over to the side.



AU1 in the back has only ~2 inches before she is against the light hood.

 

[HemiSync]

I feel ya brother, been there done that and you are correct it's not any fun. Time to supercrop that girl.

 

[Rifleman]

I feel ya brother, been there done that and you are correct it's not any fun. Time to supercrop that girl.

I was hoping to just get her in, but she's not going to cooperate. When I cleaned the tent during the off season I removed everything. Putting it all back in I somehow managed to lose an inch or more of headspace. I've already had to loosen the vent pipes on the hood to ease a binding and gain a LRCH. Next step is use a yo-yo hanger to tilt the light up and away from her, I can gain an inch maybe 1.25 doing that. If she doesn't stop growing by Friday morning I'll rain down the mid-evil violence on her.

 

[Rifleman]

Stop,Stop,Stop,Stop ! Day 22 since the first pistils on the AUs and they both grew 1.5 inches since yesterday. I'm now using a yo-yo hanger to tilt the light on that side. We need an emoticon for "grrrrr" and maybe one for "arrrrgh".

AU1, 45.5" (+1.5" overnight) day 47

AU2, 52.5" (+1.5" overnight) day 47

SS1, 37.25" (+1" overnight) day 48

SS2, 34.5" (+0.25" overnight) day 48

I've been thinking about trying some defol this time around. Any thoughts about taking off every fan leaf with a stem pointing toward or connected to the main stalk ? Yep, anything aimed back in toward the middle, even the giant fans inside and low....I'm not one for whacking on my plants, so what say the masses ? Mistake ? Done it before ? Have at it ? Come on don't be shy, I'm an old curmudgeon but I'm asking for opinions so I'm not going to bite your heads off.

On a happier note; When I looked in on the new buckets this morning I found four Dark Devil babies about one rock deep in their baskets. If their heads aren't up by lights on this evening, they will be by tomorrow morning.

 

[SweetSue]

Stop,Stop,Stop,Stop ! Day 22 since the first pistils on the AUs and they both grew 1.5 inches since yesterday. I'm now using a yo-yo hanger to tilt the light on that side. We need an emoticon for "grrrrr" and maybe one for "arrrrgh".

AU1, 45.5" (+1.5" overnight) day 47

AU2, 52.5" (+1.5" overnight) day 47

SS1, 37.25" (+1" overnight) day 48

SS2, 34.5" (+0.25" overnight) day 48

I've been thinking about trying some defol this time around. Any thoughts about taking off every fan leaf with a stem pointing toward or connected to the main stalk ? Yep, anything aimed back in toward the middle, even the giant fans inside and low....I'm not one for whacking on my plants, so what say the masses ? Mistake ? Done it before ? Have at it ? Come on don't be shy, I'm an old curmudgeon but I'm asking for opinions so I'm not going to bite your heads off.

On a happier note; When I looked in on the new buckets this morning I found four Dark Devil babies about one rock deep in their baskets. If their heads aren't up by lights on this evening, they will be by tomorrow morning.

on the upcoming DDAs!

Cajun once shared with us the story of some professional cultivators that did extreme defoliation at least twice in the vegetative lifespan of their plants. We're talking no fans at all. He said they looked like ivy vines by the time they were through. In both cases they had almost a 200% increase in yeild.

He was certain that there was some secret they were using to keep the plants going, and if he knew what that was he never shared it, but I share this with you to illustrate that defoliation isn't necessarily a bad thing. Watch LA and his fluxing. Any and all get removed.

Think of it as an attack on the plant. Forget about how uncomfortable that makes you feel. What's the plant gonna do in response? What do these babies do when they feel threatened? They grow more trichomes with more powerfull oil. So what do you have to lose? Obviously you're doing something right to make them want to grow so aggressively. Assume that will translate into rapid recovery from the defol.

Just do it. They won't let you down. Nothing to fear Rifleman.


Good morning, by the way. I'm not even awake yet and you already have me smiling over the babies. I'm so glad I stopped here first today. Put this almost-birthday girl in the sweetest mood.

 

[Rifleman]

Since we're all visual creatures. Enjoy.

All photos are clickable for larger view.
AU1


AU2


SS1


SS2


Family Shot

 

[LEDBud]

Its a Jungle IN there ! Cue' the Monkey & bird calls

In regard to your defoliation question I have a idea

A side x side test

Perfect time for it with two of each strain going

 

[Rifleman]

Its a Jungle IN there ! Cue' the Monkey & bird calls
In regard to your defoliation question I have a idea
A side x side test
Perfect time for it with two of each strain going

I just had to open my yapper. I considered that with the six shooters Bud. They are homogeneous enough that a comparison could be made. The AU plants have too much difference. I suppose I'll see what happens next time I cruise past the tent and get an itchy snipping hand.

 

[Rifleman]

M6 gave up her life today. It's a sad day but I was too busy to continue screwing with her. This is her last photo, along with her non existent root ball. Definately my fault. I drowned her like rats on a sinking barge.






There are babies in the nursery, and I mean babies. The Roost is proud to welcome four new Sweet Seeds Dark Devil Autos. These are from fem seeds I produced last year. DD 2,3,and 4 all have a rootlet out of the netpot and into the solution already. No.1 doesn't, and it is also the one slightly lagging behind the others. Coincidence ? I reckon probably not. I'll be burying the rapid rooters all the way from now on. Fingers crossed first week growth is accelerated also.

DD1


DD2


DD3


DD4

 

[Lazarus13]

Hey man, i wanted to pop in and ask a question. When you clean your hydroton, how do you go about it? I've been doing a 2 or 3 week soak in pondzyme and then just a good rinse. Think thats good enough? Haven't had any issues so far but would like to avoid a potential future incident.

 

[SweetSue]

DD2


DD3


DD4

Welcome, little ones.

 

[Rifleman]

Hey man, i wanted to pop in and ask a question. When you clean your hydroton, how do you go about it? I've been doing a 2 or 3 week soak in pondzyme and then just a good rinse. Think thats good enough? Haven't had any issues so far but would like to avoid a potential future incident.

I must admit to being lazy Laz. I remove as much of the roots as I can intact. Then dump the pebbles into a box or bucket and hand pick the large pieces out. Then it's back in the basket, over a bucket outside, and I spay the water hose through them for about 3 buckets full, never filling it so much that the hydroton starts to float. Basically a long rinse. Part of my k.i.s.s. method.

Welcome, little ones.

 

[Rifleman]

I hated to do it, but didn't have much choice. The light is as far up as it goes, and then some thanks to creative hanging 101. AU2 was 53.75 inches this morning and firmly up against the light. She grew another 1.25 inches since yesterday. This isn't fun anymore.

 

[LEDBud]

That will teach it to be so tall , Never tried it but watched a great video of a training technique where you bend the plant over and tie it with a weight to keep it in place.

It was reported that doing this causes a stress response and the plant kicks into high gear , I believe as I have seen what just tying branches can do.

then again it would be hard to bend a plant in a dwc bucket

 

[nivek]

Ha, as the saying goes,, careful whatcha ask fer,, ha,, "please karma keeper, make it grand...."

I have broken/bent a few branches, well into flowering, whilst rearranging the plant,, it does not seem to mind, much,,sure is stretching tho,, wow,, some strains really do,, the mama thai I have,, Jack herer too, others as well,, this blueberry I have, and love to grow, its a stump,, short stump buds,, so different, so thick and compact,,

Life is like a box a chocolates, seems like

Cheers pa