The Happy Cola Company's Official Ground Up Medical Cannabis Grow Op

[DeeCee112]

Man this is my absolute favourite Journal! If you had a "reality TV show" like every single program these days on HGTV, Discovery or History I would watch it religiously. Seriously, you got some myth busters type shit here.

Being a Millwright by trade myself I have a few varied skills up my sleeve but your ability to take an problem or improvement and cost effectively and efficiently solve it using readily available materials and skills in everything from electrical, pipefitting, welding/fabrication to even programming blows me away. And best of all you do not sacrafice quality on the end product. Were I younger and three or four kids less I would've loved the opportunity to come and work for you for a couple years just to learn.

OH and looks like you also grow amazing pot.

 

[The Happy One]

Thank you for your kind words! I am indeed "humbled" to the max!

 

[multiVortex]

Thank you for your kind words! I am indeed "humbled" to the max!

Are you humbled, or “humbolted.”

 

[cr8grow]

Man this is my absolute favourite Journal! If you had a "reality TV show" like every single program these days on HGTV, Discovery or History I would watch it religiously. Seriously, you got some myth busters type shit here.

Being a Millwright by trade myself I have a few varied skills up my sleeve but your ability to take an problem or improvement and cost effectively and efficiently solve it using readily available materials and skills in everything from electrical, pipefitting, welding/fabrication to even programming blows me away. And best of all you do not sacrafice quality on the end product. Were I younger and three or four kids less I would've loved the opportunity to come and work for you for a couple years just to learn.

OH and looks like you also grow amazing pot.

DeeCee...agree...and love the HO updates on grow success...setbacks and innovation. I cant touch the hvac and mechanical expertise...but do take away some learnings and have to keep rooting for this enterprise.

 

[The Happy One]

Time for an update, and it's gonna be a doozy, the kind I tend to dwell on a little too much truth told.
First off, It's a real sobering time for us folks at the Happy Cola. So much so, I might need to unpack this over the next few days, if not weeks, because there are a lot of unknowns.

We have issues, and we're not sure where we need to go, but we have to start somewhere, so today the decision was made to completely eliminate our entire strain, from the veg room to Flower Rm 1, a total of around 400 plants, give or take. That in and of itself is a hard pill to swallow, but it gets better. Let me explain.
For those who followed along with us through the good times and bad already know we've had to deal with a pest issue from the depths of hell, one so bad it took out our first two full grows. Truth told, it might has well been all three grows. The "Hemp Mite" issue that never went away isn't the only problem, though it's bad enough even though at great expense we've managed to keep them at bay, so to speak.

We've also had some pretty serious issues being unable to produce decent "repeatable" terpene ratios, or "smell appeal" and for those who are in the business, you already know nobody gives a hoot about THC levels these days....they want Terpenes, and lots of them, THC be damned.
So the last few weeks I have been traveling the local lands, speaking with as many successful growers what were willing to talk with me and offer their insight. After all, time isn't on our side, and with the millions of possible strains that may or may not be a "winner", we need a sure fire winner, and it isn't easy finding anyone worth finding, willing to share anything resembling a "secret".
One such guy who was willing to take this nobody called "The Happy One" into his world (thanks Max), was willing to offer up his opinion and then some.
*I need to say most of my life when I needed to do something I didn't have the skills or money to pay someone who did, I would usually research someone who had already successfully DONE what I was trying to do and do what they did. Max is one such mentor, and here is what he had to say, in the order I think I remember him saying them in.
1. Genetics. Genetics. Genetics. Max seems to really know his stuff, and freely admitted 75% of his "fly off the shelf bud" he grows is all genetics. The other 25% is just him giving his plants what they need. Even mentioned adding pricey things like "Terpenator, Sweet, ect. wasn't really required. Back to genetics.
2. Method of Growing. I've yet to find a commercial grower who grows using full hydroponics like we do. My friend is no different, so he couldn't chime in on whether growing in hydroponics was causing seriously reduced terpene ratios in our testing. Frankly, there is very little available in comparisons, though I did find one paper that claimed organic among others grow methods produced the highest terpenes, however on our 3rd grow our Fast Jack clocked in with a 2.21 terp ratio, not outstanding, but not all that bad either, so that was promising, and it was grown hydroponically.
3. Cure. He suggests hanging the entire plant upside down after harvesting. I agree. We had taken branch cuts and hung them. I think that dries them out too fast.
4. Lighting. He couldn't chime in on LED lighting in the flower room, as he uses conventional HPS lights.

Anyway, it's my belief the answer(s) to our problems are going to be contained within those four areas above, though I cant say for sure which, if any it is. My hopes are it simply being a matter of genetics.

It's late and I need some shut-eye. Tomorrow will be another depressing day, no doubt, as we have to hull out a lot of plants. Once the plants are all gone, we set off a series of nuclear bug bombs, sprays and treatments both indoors and around the perimeter of the building. Nothing lives. Once that's done, we wipe the gravel and the guts and the spit in the eye and the blood from our noses and move on.

 

[The Celt]

Morning Happy,

I should have thought of this earlier, but aside from the odd gnat infestation, I really don't think about pest control. When you mentioned terpene production WITH organics it came to mind.

An old friend who is no longer with us, Cajun, got to spend his last few years as a master grower and shared this tip with us:

Cajun's organic pest control and terpene boost

I have never tried it but it might kill 2 birds with one stone for you

 

[cr8grow]

THO...I admire the scale of your operation and have been following you since the beginning. My grows are four plants at a time all organic soil. Almost zero effort with the right light, nutrients and water...again at my scale. My properly dried and cured weed is the stickiest smelliest, potent and best weed Ive ever had. Genetics #1 yes...environment #2 and organic soil and nutes #3. To me its like buying a cucumber that tastes like nothing and growing one that reminds you why you garden.

 

[Southerncough]

Not the first time I've heard of Hydro growers struggling with terpines. They can get weight and THC but the flavors and aromas can be hit or miss.
Maybe try a side by side with hydro, coco, and organics and see if the same cut offers any improvements?
On the plus side, you can compost your biowaste and reuse as inputs/soil amendments that you don't have to buy.

 

[BakedApple]

THO I believe your best bet for the Terpene issue will be finding out if you are possibly low on a particular micro nutrient. It could quite possibly be that whatever nutrient line you are using just doesn't offer the micro-nutrient the plants need for optimal terpene production. Macro nutrients are a given, the NPK, as well as oxygen, carbon & hydrogen. It's the micronutrients that tend to get overlooked.

The reason I'm leaning towards a nutrient issue is this - a lot of growers choose to grow in soil vs hydro/coco due to the fact that they find the buds to be a lot "tastier" when grown in soil vs hydro. Which leads me to believe that the soil is giving the plants a micro nutrient that quite a bit of bottled nutrients fail to deliver. I will admit, this is all speculation and by now you may have figured out what your problem is but after going through your Journal I felt obliged to offer some insight as to where I felt you could take your investigation.

Another thing you may want to check is the Atrium lighting. Do these boards produce UV-B?

Either way, I hope the best for you and yours. I have genuinely enjoyed the read and seeing as you haven't updated in a few hope that doesn't mean anything bad. Here's to hoping to see an update SOONER than LATER.

 

[Southerncough]

I'm no expert but there just seems to be something missing in straight hydro with the relationship between the plants and the microbes where the plant signals what it needs and the microbes bring it to the root zone in exchange for sugar.
I'm a coco grower but still try to populate my media with worm castings and supplemental microbes to encourage this relationship. BUT as the OP said some genetics just bring the stank more than others. Sometimes you don't want the funkiest garden on the block if your trying to keep your personal grow stealthy in prohibition land. Sometimes you're a commercial producer in a market that demands it. So, fun times!

 

[420]

THO...I admire the scale of your operation and have been following you since the beginning. My grows are four plants at a time all organic soil. Almost zero effort with the right light, nutrients and water...again at my scale. My properly dried and cured weed is the stickiest smelliest, potent and best weed Ive ever had. Genetics #1 yes...environment #2 and organic soil and nutes #3. To me its like buying a cucumber that tastes like nothing and growing one that reminds you why you garden.

Great shot, what's the strain?

 

[cr8grow]

Great shot, what's the strain?

Cali Connection Corleone Kush...won some stuff here on 420 for my second grow. There were 4 phenos...one full purple that reeks of grapes and licorice. I found a few seeds in that one...plan another grow with those. A very heavy indica. Cheers

 

[DeeCee112]

@The Happy One how are things going!? Hope all is well over there my friend!

 

[cr8grow]

HO, was thinking about your built from scratch large scale grow op during a recent trip down to Claremore for our grandson’s graduation. I hope all is well and you found your star genetics and those damn hemp mites are a distant memory. Cheers

 

[DeeCee112]

HO, was thinking about your built from scratch large scale grow op during a recent trip down to Claremore for our grandson’s graduation. I hope all is well and you found your star genetics and those damn hemp mites are a distant memory. Cheers

I really miss these guys!

 

[The Twisted One]

I really miss these guys!

I sprinkled some fairy dust over your comment, then BOOM!
Your wish is granted...Maybe under a new name, but you are getting the very same bloke my friend.

 

[420]

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