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

[ClosedCircuit]

MMMmmmm just had and orange/cannabis leaf/spinach VitaMix shake as a morning cleanse as we call it. The breakfast shake will be another hour or so. Fresh cannabis leaves with organic oranges tastes so good and is so good for you.

I came here to say I plan to do a journal at some point here. I was intimidated when I first started in 2012 helping my brother with his grow while he went to Costa Rica for 2 months. He was gone before Thanksgiving and didn't return until late Jan. In December Our Gov Hickenlooper was forced to sign Amendment 64 What a thing! In this state the Gov MUST sign an amendment that was voted by the people. Oh I just F'n love that! It is so empowering, I imagined being next to him and grabbing his hand and forcing him to sign it myself.

It was immediately legal to be growing yourself when he signed it December 10 2012.
We have a "Vote for 64" yard sign that we plan to frame at some point.

After helping my brother we decided to grow ourselves and built a nice setup. I read Jorge Cervantes "Marijuana Indoor Horticulture" and then built a room in the basement. I found this forum and signed up and used it for information. So at some point I want to show everyone what I've been doing. Everything is on a timer except for water.

Sweetsue, Radogast and COorganics are inspiring me to do a LOS grow in the future perhaps I can begin my journal as I begin to look into LOS and maybe starting with a nice transplant into LOS for a mother though I am not sure how long a mother can be in LOS yet. Questions are already firing off.

By the way the use of the rice hulls seemed rather original to me - cool idea

We'd love to see what you've been doing.

 

[SweetSue]

Daily Update: Day 77 (THC Bomb Auto) & Day 76 (Buddha Magnum Auto)

Dale called me this morning at 6:30 to say they were sending him home. I assured him he misunderstood and that what the doctor meant was that he could be discharged into a rehabilitation nursing home, but he was insistent, so I gave the girls a 1/4 turn, quickly topped off the reservoirs (one quart each - no time to check the level), turned the fan on and dashed out the door to get to his side and calm him down. On Monday they will release him to a rehab facility. Everyone take a deep breath......

..... and have a nice, relaxing moment with the girls.

Ranger was right. The Bomb is ready. Overnight she's at about 30% amber, so if I can't get it done tomorrow morning she will be harvested on Sunday. I may wait until Sunday anyway because I never stopped to pick up a decent scale. You can't really tell from the picture since the light is so mellow and golden, but the pistils at her peak have begun to turn.

Just wondering, how quickly will trichomes turn? Should I be ok waiting until Sunday? What % of amber do you guys shoot for to get the best effect? Dale and I like a strong head high so I was thinking this side of 50%.

Let's take one more guaranteed look around her. If I take her Sunday morning there may not be time for many pictures. I've already warned Dale that I'll be late arriving on harvest day. Here she is.

I was trying to show you how encased with trichomes this interior bud was, but the glare of all that frostiness made it impossible to get focused!

Greytail, I came home last night intending to gently coax the secondary colas away from the main stalk, but they'd already done that on their own. Those of you with a trained eye will be able to pick that out of all this healthy growth.

I'm pleased to report that the secondary colas are matured all the way around. Surrounding the plant in light has been a good idea. Note to new growers: side lighting is mandatory for dense bud-filled colas.

Not to be entirely upstaged, Buddha offers these portraits of her own secondary colas. I personally love the star-shaped structure with curvy lines and luscious deep green leaves. She knows her turn to take center stage is right around the corner.

Her main cola is still putting out white pistils, although you can notice the older ones now rapidly turning rust-colored.

At least two more weeks with her. WooHoo!! This means I have time to order the seeds I want for my next grow. Since I made my wish list I've been to so many journals and seen so many beautiful plants that I'm going to have to rethink the choices. I wish I could get Carnival as an Auto. (sigh)

Here's the sacrificial lamb. If there's truly a Universal law that says you never get more challenge than you can handle, the Universe must think I'm stronger than I think sometimes. Our son texted his father today to inquire about his health. It was a brief and poignant exchange saying too little and too much simultaneously. He misses us and is so sad, not knowing what to do about the whole mess his family life has become. Too much sadness in a week's time and I can't stop crying. I can't believe how much I miss my boy.

I'm going to sit here alone in my apartment with a virtual fire crackling on the tube and fire this bud up until I can finally get a grip and keep on going.

Sorry to dump guys. Let me quietly medicate. There were some journals I was enjoying today that I wanted to get to later.

 

[Radogast]

You don't need a scale to harvest. It's the dry bud weight that matters.

Are you planning to bud wash?

 

[akisunni]

Hey Sue,

Smile, your son did call home... ... Here is to some GOOD Friday Night Vibes...

 

[ClosedCircuit]

You don't need a scale to harvest. It's the dry bud weight that matters.

Are you planning to bud wash?

I'm on the fence about washing...I have some "debris" we will call it on my plants so its probably a good idea but it just seems so wrong lol. Think its a good idea?

 

[ClosedCircuit]

You better watch out Sue. Two weeks into rehab and Dale is going to be rescuing cats stuck in trees.

 

[SweetSue]

You don't need a scale to harvest. It's the dry bud weight that matters.

Are you planning to bud wash?

I'm torn here Rad. On one hand there are many knowledgable people who are proponents, and one has to trust their experience and give them the honor of considering it openly, but something about it feels wrong to me. Then I look around and see the dust on the tables because I'm so preoccupied and I think ........ I would be wise to pick up supplies, if they're not already on hand. I had/have gnats too.

Which reminds me; since I added the drench with mosquito dunk packs my gnat population has been in steady decline. I still need to do the second application. I was going to do it every week but something happened last week that distracted me.

Good Lord! What a week.

Wait ....... One more.

There, that's better. There I am.

Do you guys realize there's no little emoticon for someone smoking a pipe? Am I really that out of touch?

Unofficial smoke report

Keeping in mind this is a raw, flash-dried desperate step to keep from spending the entire day in tears. Yes aki, he called. That's where I want to go with this. That's why I took the sacrificial lamb. So how was it, you ask?

First hit: There is no more satisfying high than one you grew yourself. I think that with every first hit from homegrown. You do too. Admit it. There was no harshness at all, despite my including the attached leaves, feeling sad about my son.

Second hit: A nice body rush - like the room contracted and expanded all at once. Went a little metaphysical on myself and that Mother Earth thing kicked in. I wondered if a well-loved plant might manufacture trichomes particularly geared to the gardener. Interesting shift there.

Third hit: I spontaneously imagined my son sitting on the end of the couch and had a spirited conversation with lots of tears about this shit. I want my son back. I want a relationship with him again based on joy and laughter instead of tears and sadness. Good perspective Susan, but wow - that was a lot to get done in ten minutes. This is getting interesting.

Forth hit: Dale got lonely and called, and we spent a half hour on the phone. It was mostly quiet time, but Dale's always been a man of few words. It's the being together that matters.

So I had to start all over again. The difference was I started this time already pretty buzzed. The first hit came with a great body rush. The second one I only remember giggling. (Sigh of relief.) You all came in at the third hit and I'm quite mellow after that forth.

This is raw, desperate Bomb, essentially a four hit high and I was seriously stressed. I look forward to cured Bomb and more of the customary peacefulness my home is known for. I should sleep well tonight.

Until tomorrow.

 

[SweetSue]

You better watch out Sue. Two weeks into rehab and Dale is going to be rescuing cats stuck in trees.

 

[Radogast]

I'm on the fence about washing...I have some "debris" we will call it on my plants so its probably a good idea but it just seems so wrong lol. Think its a good idea?

On this bud washing threads, the votes are about 50 for, 2 against.
Bud Washing

I personally washed with a 30 second swish in warm water, baking soda and lime juice followed by two 30 second rinses in cool water.

The results are awesome! The effort is minimal.
Those who know more than I, say drying and curing is more even after bud washing.

I've never found washing garden vegetables to be a problem, so I'm not concerned about washing garden buds.

 

[Doc Bud]

On this bud washing threads, the votes are about 50 for, 2 against.
Bud Washing

I personally washed with a 30 second swish in warm water, baking soda and lime juice followed by two 30 second rinses in cool water.

The results are awesome! The effort is minimal.
Those who know more than I, say drying and curing is more even after bud washing.

I've never found washing garden vegetables to be a problem, so I'm not concerned about washing garden buds.

I simply won't smoke unwashed indoor buds. Outdoor buds yes, but not indoor. Most household dust is skin....I like the idea of washing it all off. It's probably the single best thing I ever have or ever will contribute to the growing community, as everyone can benefit from it, and there's no downside to it, if done properly and dried in a proper environment afterwards.

Once you try it you never skip it. That's what everyone says.

 

[COorganics]

Was I for or against, I can't remember. I like smoking pet hair, fungus gnats dried exoskeletons, dust and debris. Not really, but I still won't dunk any of my prized buds in any liquid solution. I did try it, and life's foggy, but I think I couldn't tell much difference.

Time to try again in a 100 days with the goods maybe. It's only fair for me to do so.

 

[Danishoes21]

Im pro Bud washing! Specially after zooming 100X at the plants you find all kinds of weird particles and bugs. For me bud wash is a must, in fact think of it like its fresh greens coming from your yard, first thing you do before you eat your green, you wash'em lol

 

[SweetSue]

Bud washing it is. Danishoes, I laughed right out loud at your post, recalling the picture of the mite. ( hope that goes well for you - ugh) Thank you all for chiming in.

I haven't been that buzzed from so little consumed in a long time. Actually, since the last time we harvested. That was very heartening. And therapeutic. It lightened my mood, allowed me to confront the situation and reach some resolution with myself accompanied by a bit of self-awareness (almost spiritual in nature), and when I hit the bed I was out for 7 straight hours. Boy did I need that.

I grew these primarily for Dale, but every once in a while I am faced with the reality that they benefit me just as much. I'm about as healthy and strong as they come, but when you are responsible for keeping someone with this many life-threatening diagnoses alive, and all the craziness that comes with being the primary caregiver, it becomes a matter of mental health, doesn't it?

This plant is definitely ready. I'll take the time today to prepare for the harvest in the morning, beginning with a review of the steps to a successful harvesting, a thorough reading of the bud washing process, and a study of how to do a proper cure. You guys have seen the pictures of my first two paltry harvests. This girl is in another class altogether. I have no idea how long to expect the process of cleaning her up to take. Is it acceptable to cut, section, and hang without a through cleaning and then come back say, eight hours later to do a good trim? I have a hard time not being at his bedside early in the day. I was hoping to be able to finish the job in the evening. Any and all suggestions on making it a smoother process are appreciated. I was expecting to have Dale's help with the harvest and have lots of time to do it leisurely. I didn't come all this way to muck up the harvest.

What are your preferences for initial drying? Paper bags, screens, hanging? I can see benefits of each and I'd be interested in hearing the take from this group.

On my way home I'll pick up supplies for bud washing. Lime juice, huh? Fresh or reconstituted? I'll study the process. Getting excited now!!!

I'm also excited about the prospects for Buddha. I'll be able to concentrate the lights around her and we'll be able to watch her get super frosty before her own harvest. WooHoo!!!

I need to buy a brand new pipe before I smoke any more, so I can get a true taste of the end result. At the very least this pipe needs cleaned, but I have no idea how one would accomplish that. Anyone out there know how to thoroughly clean out a pipe? Wouldn't it be nice to have a Vape before Dale gets home? Hmmmm.

I'm in a much better mood today. I despise felling tragic. It is soooo not me in nature.

 

[newoldguy]

Yes, the caregiver must take care of their self. It does no good to anyone if you fall down too.

Cleaning the pipe depends on what it is.
I use meerschaums so I scrape out the bowl.
The plastic stem can be cleaned with pipe cleaners and rubbing alcohol, then rinse with water.
The screen I either replace if worn out or hold it in a flame until it glows
then take a knife edge and scrape the screen until clean.

 

[SweetSue]

Rubbing alcohol! That's what I was looking for. I need to get the stem clean. Thank you oldnewguy.

 

[nivek]

heya sue,, all the best from way over here to you and dale. i have decided to stop making decisions for myself regarding anything pot related. it is just too difficult for me,, do this, don't do that, maybe this way, or maybe that,, nope not anymore,, hurts..

i have decided to just do whatever you decide. even that decision hurt. i have come to trust your instincts and the latest one is the bud washing. i am looking a bit harder at that idea now. i will be extremely interested to read how you make out with the washing

a new pipe eh? have you ever made one? a very simple pipe can be made so quickly and easily with a toilet paper roll and a bit of tin foil and tape. real easy, and works like a hot damn too. cut a bowl size hole an inch from the end, cup the tinfoil into the bowl hole,, tape er up and poke a hole or two,, done,, fresh, clean, bong like,,

super job with your one plant sue, i so know it will be wonderful medicine for dale,, and, hey, we all need a little medicine to keep us sane,, cheers sue,, peace and all things good to you and dale

 

[ClosedCircuit]

Sue, gonna address a few of your questions if you don't mind .

For drying...what is your indoor RH like? I suspect you have it worse up there than I do in the Rebel Capital as far as how dry it is. If its pretty dry for then you might want to try what I'm going to do - which is to leave all the leaves on each branch save for some of the bigger fan leaves. That way the cuts will dry a bit slower. I'll be hanging them up to dry in a tote. I bought an 80mm PC fan that ill install in the bottom of the tote to pull air out, which will pass through a carbon filter sheet. I was going to buy a cheap humidity controller on Ebay but then the ole unemployment monster decided he wanted to party...so I scratched that extra cost. But the idea would have been that instead of having the fan run non stop it would only come on if the RH or Temp climbed too high in the box...keeping the drying environment consistent.

Then ill just trim it down when everything is dry. I bought a 12 pack of Boveda 62 RH pouches and will be throwing one into each jar.

Alcohol is great to clean with. If you have any stubborn bits add a bit of salt water and shake it around in there. The coarseness of the salt will help dislodge the gunk.

 

[ClosedCircuit]

And if you are looking for a new pipe but don't want to go the Vape route yet I have personally been eyeing these:

This guys glass is beautiful. Unfortunately, they wont let you sell water pipes on Etsy...but nonetheless it would be a one of a kind piece. His hammers really caught my eye. He doesn't seem to have as many products at the moment...he usually has these really beautiful small sherlock styled pipes that I'm sad are gone.

Also Purr has some really nice glass in the $50-70 range.

 

[Graytail]

That's a stone pipe? Just drop it into a sauce pan of boiling water - it'll come out clean as a whistle - no muss no fuss.

 

[ClosedCircuit]

That's a stone pipe? Just drop it into a sauce pan of boiling water - it'll come out clean as a whistle - no muss no fuss.

Didn't even think of that. Dang it Greytail, what have i told you about showing me up?