Sweetsue's First Grow - Stealthy Trio of Autos Under CFLs

[COorganics]

It's like Christmas Eve for Sue over there.
You earned it my friend!

I've been impressed from the moment your seeds popped!

I recommend buying some herb so you can let things dry and cure properly... For the most part. Sample a little away, it's your homegrown!

 

[36Gr0w]

Make sure to take a small sample for you and dale. My bet it will already be the smoothest smoke you've had thus far. Resist temptation and keep with your curing plan as long as you can, it's worth it!

I should clarify, take a sample after its dried, I have no experience with quick drying or anything like that.

 

[Radogast]

Cool water is fine for both rinses, warm for the baking soda/ lemon wash.

Any plans for your fan leaves?

Do you have your new seeds ready?

 

[ClosedCircuit]

Where'd you end up deciding to dry everything?

 

[SweetSue]

I had a wonderful morning and will be working on my post today, as time allows. Pictures are loaded, just not put together in a narrative yet. I must stop to take my brother to an ultrasound appointment and then see Dale.

I leave you with this lovely sight.

More later. I promise.

It smells AMAZING!!!

 

[ClosedCircuit]

The train makes this 100x better

 

[SweetSue]

The train makes this 100x better

How right you are CC.

 

[SweetSue]

I'm standing in the cold waiting for a bus, thinking "I am SOOOO STOKED!!!"

 

[daTenshi]

Congratsss!!!

 

[Radogast]

No jinx now she it's harvested. So I'll guess 6 1/4 oz.

 

[SweetSue]

HARVEST

Last night I gave one of her leaves a kiss and thanked her for blessing my life with her presence.

I woke up at 4:30 AM. I made myself go back to sleep.

At 6:00 I got up and went straight to work.

This harvest report is as much about the art of DocBud's bud washing technique as it is the celebration of Buddha's ultimate gift. Let's get to work.

STEP ONE: Prepare the buckets.
Bucket #1 is food-grade white plastic. Into that goes 1 cup of baking soda.

Next up, 1 cup of lemon juice, NOT from concentrate.

It's cool the way it foams.

Begin to add water.

At this point I chose to whisk it all together before filling the 5 gallon bucket with warmish water.

The next two buckets are hot and cold. Just the hot from your faucet and the coldest from your faucet. It's not necessary to take this trouble. I liked the idea that a swish through the hot would wash off the first and the cold would set everything. Just a woman's instinct.

Everything is moved into the living room - my staging area. We're in stealth mode now.

Buckets go in position next to the drying rack.

The cutter and twine (loops already tied) are over by the closet.

Buddha's waiting silently in the darkness.

Time to get started. I reached down under the bottom and snipped off the closest branch, cutting right at the stem.

The first cut of your first harvest is a sobering moment. Expectations will now be confronted by reality. I'll be honest and admit that it made me pause for a moment. There was a palpable relief at getting the first cut done. Hard part's done. Slip a twine hanger on and hang her in the staging area.

Sun's getting ready to pop above the horizon. Let's keep the momentum going.

Branches are chopped and the sun is still rising. That went smoothly.

Everyone is just hanging around now, waiting for a trim. I'm encouraged by what I'm seeing here.

This beautiful piece is the main cola. Yummy!!! Time for some trimming.

Trimming for bud washing requires you to take off the fan leaves and anything obviously lacking in trichomes. Finish trimming will be done in two days after they dry out a bit. Doc has me convinced to reign in trimming. There's no need to force the buds to be something they're not. I like handling them as little as possible and as gently as can be accomplished. I believe this gentle handling is one of the reasons homegrown is so superior to cannabis bought on the street. Our goal is minimal trichome damage.

Oops! I was doing my best to avoid that. Looks like I'll be smoking some after all.

Trimming completed. On to bud washing.

I'll be working from right to left.

Let's start with a little one to get the feel.

Into the lemon/baking soda water.

My technique was to dip and gently twirl between the fingers for back-and-forth as I also did a gentle up and down. I used a slow count of 15 complete twirls and then lifted to drip.

Repeating that whole process in the warmer water (by now it was no longer hot).

Finishing up with cold.

When I began working with the longer colas it became obvious why Doc chose 5 gallon buckets. Plenty of space to dunk the whole thing without fear of damage to trichomes.

Dip....

..... and swirl. Buddha's final dance.

Before attaching the clothes pin I quickly wrapped the twine around the bar for extra security.

All done. That went quickly and smoothly. I could actually see the branches perk up while I worked. They look fresh and clean.

THIS is why we bud wash. The picture says it all. Zoom in and see the floating gnats. What you don't see is the dust and dander that dissolved. Yuck!

The harvesting/bud washing session is complete. Only clean up remains. It is now 10:30 AM. That time just flew by! I was totally immersed in the job and lost all sense of time.

Impressed myself.

I tell you honestly, everything left is covered with frosty trichomes. Yeah, surprised me too beautiful branches.

Here's a good look at the cross-section of the branches. I assume this is what the inner workings of a happy plant look like because this girl was brimming with life and vitality.

I close this segment with some pictures for Dale. He was insistent that his train be a part of the party.

I'll do the rest as a separate post.

 

[newoldguy]

Looking real good *two thumbs up*

 

[Radogast]

Congratulations on your first harvest grown from seed.

It's a beautiful thing!

 

[Graytail]

Heheh, nicely done, Sweetsue - "Queen of the CFLs".

 

[SweetSue]

Daily Update: Day 82, THC Bomb Auto

Now that Buddha has been harvested the lights belong to the Bomb. I'm keeping one cord over Buddha's pot for the living mulch, but all the rest got moved.

I think she'll finish up nicely now. She's surrounded in red spectrum, with just a touch of cool blue at this point. Looks like she appreciates it.

Today is Wednesday, so an enzyme tea is called for. Both pots still get equal portions. Just because Buddha is gone from the pot doesn't mean I can stop feeding the soil community .

She got her regular 1/4 turn and I was rushed to get going so I only added 2 cups of water to her reservoir. One of those days when it comes in handy to be using a SWICK. No worries about water. I can top it off tomorrow and no one's any worse for it.

It's been a busy morning. In the end I only snipped two small bits off. That made me proud.

Even quick dried Buddha's a delicious and potent smoke. She tastes like the best hash I ever had. Tastes like hash! Hits like hash too. Now I can place her perfume. Hash! Good quality hash. Dale's going to be so pleased. She was a strong buzz at two hits, but I kept going. There were moments when I took a hit and numbness occurred. I can't wait to try her cured. I had to stop at 6, and that's green. Damn.

When I get home this evening I will give it a better try. By this point I was rushed. Lots if running to get done today. That's ok. It's waiting for me when I get home. Buddha's little gift for making her harvest such an easy transition.

 

[Doc Bud]

 

[SweetSue]

Thank you one and all.

(takes a gracious bow. )

I couldn't have done it without the love and support of my esteemed cheering squad.

So many thoughts swirling around in my head now.

 

[ClosedCircuit]

Great job!

I'm glad you specified to be as gentle with trichomes as possible and to trim as little as possible. That attitude has really jived with me and will be doing the same thing! I hope you get some good smoke when its all said and done.

 

[Dutty Panty]

Congrats sue.

I was at a local dispensary today dropping product ran into a few guys bashing people with cfl grows. Pulled up your thread and they shut there mouth up.

You've made a believer out of me


Congrats!!!!!!!!!

 

[SweetSue]

Congrats sue.

I was at a local dispensary today dropping product ran into a few guys bashing people with cfl grows. Pulled up your thread and they shut there mouth up.

You've made a believer out of me


Congrats!!!!!!!!!

Yeah Dutty, and the best is still ahead. I think this grow should change many minds. You can't blame it on the lights anymore. As I move forward I need to upgrade some though. Eventually I'd like to get to LED, but I may do a T5 first.

Dale's getting excited about the next grow too. I'm ordering seeds this weekend and hope they get here quickly, but the maintenance of the empty pots doesn't change so it will wait until they come in.

Tomorrow or Friday I'll be doing the reset for Buddha's pot. I need to get some 1/4" hardware cloth first to sift vermicompost. Since the pot is in resting stage for a while I may do a comfrey drench too.

My next shopping list:
- seeds ( Bomb Berry Bomb Auto and another undetermined auto)
- 1/4" hardware cloth
- Agsil
- powdered coconut water
- neem/karanja meal
- alfalfa meal

I think that's all. It's a never-ending process.

Can't wait to get home.