Thirvnrob's Power Plant - TLO Soil In SIP Containers

[Thirvnrob]

And now we wait. Temp is 72° F & humidity is at 50%. Every tier is pretty full. This being the first time I’ve taken all of the buds off the stems, I’m not sure how it will affect drying time. Does anyone know?

 

[Azimuth]

Many growers in low humidity environments will hang the whole plant at harvest to slow the drying time down. You've gone the opposite direction and they should dry much faster.

 

[Thirvnrob]

Many growers in low humidity environments will hang the whole plant at harvest to slow the drying time down. You've gone the opposite direction and they should dry much faster.

I guess I should’ve asked how much faster it will dry. I seriously doubt I’ll ever hang a whole plant to dry again. I much prefer wet trimming. When trimming with scissors I can leave the buds on the stems, but with my mechanical trimmer the buds have to come off first. I’ll just keep a close eye on them…

 

[Azimuth]

I guess I should’ve asked how much faster it will dry. I seriously doubt I’ll ever hang a whole plant to dry again. I much prefer wet trimming. When trimming with scissors I can leave the buds on the stems, but with my mechanical trimmer the buds have to come off first. I’ll just keep a close eye on them…

Ah, gotcha.

 

[StoneOtter]

Awesome harvest Rob!

 

[Thirvnrob]

Awesome harvest Rob!

Than you sir!

 

[Thirvnrob]

And now we wait. Temp is 72° F & humidity is at 50%. Every tier is pretty full. This being the first time I’ve taken all of the buds off the stems, I’m not sure how it will affect drying time. Does anyone know?

I intended to include this pic…

 

[InTheShed]

Congratulations on the harvest and love that solo cola pic!

At 72% RH I'd keep the fan on high in there. The buds can't get lower than 72% so no worries about over drying them, but it also makes mold more of a threat.

 

[ReservoirDog]

Great grow. I wasn't able to follow real-time, but I'm making up for it by reading through the thread.

Couple of thoughts on the whole TLO/LOS, when to topdress, etc, etc....

Check out ''Mr. Canucks Grow '' Youtube channel. He uses ('sponsored' by) Gaia Green products and makes ultra-high quality (and funny) videos explaining and demonstrating use of the very same products, throughout his grows, albeit not in SIPS, not yet. (I give it 3 mos. max before he posts a SIP vid!) Nonetheless, my feeling is that you might get some things answered for you there in a convincing and entertaining way.

Worm castings. I realize you have some immediately available ferts in your mix but container gardens can really struggle to maintain microbe populations. Those beasties that are down there turning turds into mineralized plant foods, etc, need our constant support, even in SIPs. I would recommend a hearty dose of microbe-dense wormcastings in the original mix, then letting that mix sit a couple weeks in the watered SIP if possible (with a plastic or cardboard cover blocking light and retaining moisture. Keep the whole thing at room temp, minimum. Then, whenever you do topdress, include a generous portion of wormcastings. The castings themselves over some nitrogen but they contain phosphorous solubizing bacteria that'll feed your plants lots of P and micro-nutes. I also like to make table-top, wormcasting teas, in these large 2 gallon, black plastic bottle/cannister, like those ones the expensive supplement store sell men so they can get THIC! Check your THIC neighbour's recycling box on recycling day for those, they keep all UV out. Bubbling water and wormcastings in these for 48 hrs, with a little brown sugar, will explode the microbe population. Pour some on the top gently, slowly, but not enough so lots leaches quickly into the rez. It can wash unwanted biomaterial from the soil matrix down there, stuff that might start to putrify. Just pour slow. Another major consideration for microbe populations is temperature. So you'll wanna know what's the usual temp in your SIP rez? Is the SIP sitting on cold concrete? Just a few degrees F upward can really boost populations if you still have the 'ceiling' to do it.

Tons of biomass, stalks and leaves, is def a SIP feature, not a bug, but they are the support system for buds!

I'd apologize for the word walls, but I'll likely just do it again to someone else tomorrow...

 

[Thirvnrob]

Congratulations on the harvest and love that solo cola pic!

At 72% RH I'd keep the fan on high in there. The buds can't get lower than 72% so no worries about over drying them, but it also makes mold more of a threat.

Thanks Shed!
The temp is 72°f. RH Has been holding pretty steady at 50%. I did bump it up a bit to 55% to slow it down a little bit…

 

[Thirvnrob]

Great grow. I wasn't able to follow real-time, but I'm making up for it by reading through the thread.

Couple of thoughts on the whole TLO/LOS, when to topdress, etc, etc....

Check out ''Mr. Canucks Grow '' Youtube channel. He uses ('sponsored' by) Gaia Green products and makes ultra-high quality (and funny) videos explaining and demonstrating use of the very same products, throughout his grows, albeit not in SIPS, not yet. (I give it 3 mos. max before he posts a SIP vid!) Nonetheless, my feeling is that you might get some things answered for you there in a convincing and entertaining way.

Worm castings. I realize you have some immediately available ferts in your mix but container gardens can really struggle to maintain microbe populations. Those beasties that are down there turning turds into mineralized plant foods, etc, need our constant support, even in SIPs. I would recommend a hearty dose of microbe-dense wormcastings in the original mix, then letting that mix sit a couple weeks in the watered SIP if possible (with a plastic or cardboard cover blocking light and retaining moisture. Keep the whole thing at room temp, minimum. Then, whenever you do topdress, include a generous portion of wormcastings. The castings themselves over some nitrogen but they contain phosphorous solubizing bacteria that'll feed your plants lots of P and micro-nutes. I also like to make table-top, wormcasting teas, in these large 2 gallon, black plastic bottle/cannister, like those ones the expensive supplement store sell men so they can get THIC! Check your THIC neighbour's recycling box on recycling day for those, they keep all UV out. Bubbling water and wormcastings in these for 48 hrs, with a little brown sugar, will explode the microbe population. Pour some on the top gently, slowly, but not enough so lots leaches quickly into the rez. It can wash unwanted biomaterial from the soil matrix down there, stuff that might start to putrify. Just pour slow. Another major consideration for microbe populations is temperature. So you'll wanna know what's the usual temp in your SIP rez? Is the SIP sitting on cold concrete? Just a few degrees F upward can really boost populations if you still have the 'ceiling' to do it.

Tons of biomass, stalks and leaves, is def a SIP feature, not a bug, but they are the support system for buds!

I'd apologize for the word walls, but I'll likely just do it again to someone else tomorrow...

Thanks RD!
I do include worm castings in my base mix but I’ve never used it for top dressing.
Not sure what THIC is but where I live there are no recycle bins which annoys me, but that’s the way it is here. Anyway, I’m not set up to brew tea but it’s in my future. I do add Mammoth microbials to the water.
I do need something between the buckets & the concrete…

 

[Thirvnrob]

I guess I should’ve asked how much faster it will dry. I seriously doubt I’ll ever hang a whole plant to dry again. I much prefer wet trimming. When trimming with scissors I can leave the buds on the stems, but with my mechanical trimmer the buds have to come off first. I’ll just keep a close eye on them…

And the answer is: MUCH FASTER!
I kept each plant separate after harvest - two tiers each in the hanging basket. My gut told me to jar two of them yesterday, but I wanted to wash my jars so I waited till today. I missed the mark as they’ve been in the jars for several hours & they’re all below 60% humidity. I’ll add some Boveda packs but I think I missed the cure window.
So I went ahead & jarred the 3rd one today & after only 1/2 hour they were well over 70% , so they’re drying a little longer out of the jars.
I’ll give one smoke report now & one after I get at least 1/3 of it properly cured.
The total haul was 9.6 oz. I can live with that. The buzz is pleasant & not too intense. Conversation is easy & I really want to play my guitar but I’m having some dexterity & fatigue issues with my left hand, so I can’t. But I still want to. I’m relaxed, but not couch locked so I think I’ll badger my step son into playing (he’s really good) so I can sing. It’s just an all around good buzz.

 

[ReservoirDog]

Thanks RD!
I do include worm castings in my base mix but I’ve never used it for top dressing.
Not sure what THIC is but where I live there are no recycle bins which annoys me, but that’s the way it is here. Anyway, I’m not set up to brew tea but it’s in my future. I do add Mammoth microbials to the water.
I do need something between the buckets & the concrete…

when you do set up for teas all you need is an air pump and stone for the indoor 1-2 gal stuff. (btw THIC means muscular gym rats, they buy supplements in those huge black plastic ''jars'')

Then you can really stretch out that expensive MammothP by using it as the mother innoculation... add 50 ml, then 2 litre/quart non-chlor water, some brown sugar or molasses and bubble for two days and voila, you'll now have 2 litres/quarts of MammothP. Saves money. I do this myself and I also culture mycorrhizal, and a few other beasties.

There's also a lot more soil (LOS food) avail in a DIY false-floor tote-type DIY. Maybe that might help you keep more fertility in the pot from the start? Best to you and yours, mate. Thanks for sharing your grow.

 

[InTheShed]

Thanks Shed!
The temp is 72°f. RH Has been holding pretty steady at 50%. I did bump it up a bit to 55% to slow it down a little bit…

Oh yes, misread that. Thanks!

I missed the mark as they’ve been in the jars for several hours & they’re all below 60% humidity. I’ll add some Boveda packs but I think I missed the cure window.

Unless you're down in the low 50% range after sitting in the jars for 24 hours then they'll cure fine. And unless they're at 59 or 60% the Boveda's won't be of much use and can take a long time to move the RH need in a jar of buds. I add a piece of bread in there for a few hours and then remove it to see where the jar settles after that. Worked well on my turkey bag at around 55% to get them to 65%.

The total haul was 9.6 oz.

Nice haul, and it's only getting bigger next time with the lessons learned on this grow!

I think I’ll badger my step son into playing (he’s really good) so I can sing. It’s just an all around good buzz.

Sweet...a variety that makes you want to create music with family has got to be considered a win.

 

[Thirvnrob]

Unless you're down in the low 50% range after sitting in the jars for 24 hours then they'll cure fine. And unless they're at 59 or 60% the Boveda's won't be of much use and can take a long time to move the RH need in a jar of buds. I add a piece of bread in there for a few hours and then remove it to see where the jar settles after that. Worked well on my turkey bag at around 55% to get them to 65%.

I’ve heard that once RH drops below 60% the cure is over, but I’ve always gone through the motions of burping anyway& I’m doing that now . Your comment validates those efforts, so thanks.
Are the humidity packs better for longer term storage?

 

[Thirvnrob]

So…
As happy as I’ve been not being confined to tents, I’ve decided to give it another shot. Watering is so easy in the SIPs & the growth is so vigorous that I know I can fill up a 3x3 with one plant using a scrog. I feel like I’d get a better result by containing the light better. Knowing I’d need three tents to pull this off, I ordered a new tent from @ViparSpectra & I’m stunned by the quality of this tent. The reflective material in this tent is far superior to what I already have. It’s sturdy & easier to assemble. Maybe a side by side comparison would be in order. Both girls are getting the same par levels but the light in the ViparSpectra tent is at 40%. The same light in my other tent is at 80%, both hanging about 24” above the canopies. I have one Sour Diesel in each tent. Let’s see what happens…

 

[InTheShed]

I’ve heard that once RH drops below 60% the cure is over, but I’ve always gone through the motions of burping anyway& I’m doing that now . Your comment validates those efforts, so thanks.

Definitely not 60. I have heard below 55% as the point at which the microbes involved in curing can't survive, but I don't know if it's exactly 55 or what.

Are the humidity packs better for longer term storage?

Indeed. They're are designed for RH stability rather than RH movement. The buds should settle in a range roughly 2% higher or lower than the target (60-64% RH for a 62 pack). If your jars are well sealed you probably don't need them at all. I use them for safety's sake.

 

[StoneOtter]

So…
As happy as I’ve been not being confined to tents, I’ve decided to give it another shot. Watering is so easy in the SIPs & the growth is so vigorous that I know I can fill up a 3x3 with one plant using a scrog. I feel like I’d get a better result by containing the light better. Knowing I’d need three tents to pull this off, I ordered a new tent from @ViparSpectra & I’m stunned by the quality of this tent. The reflective material in this tent is far superior to what I already have. It’s sturdy & easier to assemble. Maybe a side by side comparison would be in order. Both girls are getting the same par levels but the light in the ViparSpectra tent is at 40%. The same light in my other tent is at 80%, both hanging about 24” above the canopies. I have one Sour Diesel in each tent. Let’s see what happens…

This is going to be fun!

 

[Thirvnrob]

Definitely not 60. I have heard below 55% as the point at which the microbes involved in curing can't survive, but I don't know if it's exactly 55 or what.

Indeed. They're are designed for RH stability rather than RH movement. The buds should settle in a range roughly 2% higher or lower than the target (60-64% RH for a 62 pack). If your jars are well sealed you probably don't need them at all. I use them for safety's sake.

I upped my game based on this response by setting a timer for burping & no matter what, I’ve been burping twice a day. Some of the jars are holding at 58%. I’m burping them once daily now. The smell when I go back into the room to close the jars is very telling. Post cure smoke report coming in about 7-10 days…

 

[InTheShed]

I find that it's much easier to burp in turkey bags, since they hold 3 jars worth (or more depending on the bag). The RH in my bedroom was low this morning so I just opened the bag, bounced the buds, waved my hand over it, and sealed it up again. With a jar the fresh air probably wouldn't immediately get all the way down the lower buds, but with them spread out in a bag there's lots of surface available.

The exchange of air is really all you need, especially if you're close to the risk of overdrying.