Ammonia Scent In Live Plant

[WickedWench]

1st, I apologize: I'm sure this has been covered elsewhere, but I'm striking out on search.

1st time grower of a single plant, "Precious". She's looking great and I'm hoping to stave off the frost and harvest in a couple / few weeks. (Growing on my deck in southern Vermont.)

My problem (or lack thereof) is this: The entire plant smells like ammonia when touched. I used FoxFarm Tiger Bloom when it came into bloom, but started flushing with plain water about 2 weeks ago.

Most of the info I've found via the Great God Google is about harvested weed and possibility of mold - only thing I've seen about live plants involves a cultivar known as "Cat Piss". No idea what this plant is - so that could be a possibility, but are there other possible issues? And - any chance that it will smell better once harvested & cured? It's really unpleasant.

Thank you for your patience and any advice!

 

[HigherTheHigh]

Take a look in your buds, spread them and see i there is any mold starting, take some pics aswell and other people will be able to help you.

 

[Why Doe]

What's the strain

 

[WickedWench]

Will do this week-end and thanks!

 

[WickedWench]

I don't know. First time grower - seedling was a gift.

Posting pics here - since another member on another post schooled me.

 

[Why Doe]

Very nice plant! I notice with my blueberry it has a weird chemical smell and at first it scared me but found out it was normal for the strain. You need to go through that plant and see if you have any bud rot. How humid is it there? You can buy a cheap black light flashlight to aid you in your search.

 

[WickedWench]

Well, not particularly humid - we're in Vermont and it's Fall. But what the hell do I know?

How do I recognize bud rot?

 

[Why Doe]

It should glow with a black light. At least that's how normal mold does! Visual it will look like gray or white Cobb webb

 

[Conradino23]

This plant looks like a sativa-dominant hybrid. Where does the smell come from? Buds? Leaves? Stems? Soil? How strong is it? Were there any chemicals that were used to feed it?

 

[WickedWench]

Thanks so much for the info. Will have to try to dig up a black light from somewhere. The preliminary exam I did of the buds appeared to be okay.

Is it "normal" aka "not a complete anamoly" for there to be mold on a living & apparently thriving plant?

 

[WickedWench]

I would guess the leaves primarily. I had to move the plant due to guests that I didn't wish to share Precious' existence with and of course, stirred up the plant on my body when I was dragging it to safety.

When I run my hands over the buds, which include leaves at this point - get that smell - quite strong.

I'm probably overreacting. My husband says it smells like pine to him. As a first time grower, I expected a far different smell, however.

Only chemicals were Foxfarm Tiger Bloom in soil - did not spray plant - and I've been flushing the pot for the last couple of weeks - knowing that frost is coming.

 

[Conradino23]

Ok it's just the terpenes that your plant is producing then. Indeed ammonia although not common is one of the perceived smells which usually owes its presence to abundant limonene content (you might look it up). And there's cat piss bud I confirm, which is an SLH pheno (SSH side). Pine smell is often present in cannabis as well. If you have problem with these aromas drop your bottle of chelates and start watering till the end PURE WATER only and monitor if this changes anything. What smell are you after anyway?

 

[WickedWench]

Will look up "chelates" after this post and check out limonene - told ya I"m a dumbass newbie.

Hmmm...smell I'm after. Well, no idea really. Guess I expected a hint of "rich aromatic pot smoke" smell - whatever that means. I rarely smoke - this plant is catering more to my interest in gardening than getting buzzed - not that I won't give it a try or several. I'm just concerned that it smells so "chemically" and unappealing. If it's normal - than all's well - and hopefully it will develop a better scent in the curing. (I just don't remember in my years of smoking - anything that smelled like this one.)

ANYhoo - will check out / interpret your post above and thank you! Appreciate the input!

 

[WickedWench]

So.....quick browse....(almost time for food & vegetation):

Fascinating info on the terpenes and potential aromas. I only wish mine would smell more like the unicorn's breath than its ass. I have grown a lot of herbs through the years and experimented with potpourris, body products, etc. - so I definitely enjoyed that read.

Chelates - hmmm....still kind of lost on that. My possibly incorrect interpretation is a nutrient to correct a deficiency? This plant looks better than all the assorted plants (of the floral & vegetable varieties) that I've got going on my deck - since I've babied it. So not sure what it would be lacking? Fed it some organic general fertilizer in growth phase - then switched to the Tiger Bloom when it started budding.

Hey - it's one plant and if it fails - not the end of the world, I guess. (Just wish it didn't stink.)

Thanks, Conradino.

 

[AnimaSola]

Cat piss strain has an amonia pheno, it kinda looks like it.

 

[WickedWench]

I flushed the hell out of it the other evening and was outside at 3:30 this morning and swore that it smelled almost citrusy. (Of course, that was from a few feet away and it may have been something else - but keeping my fingers crossed!)

Does the cat piss strain mellow out with curing - or always will have that scent?

 

[AnimaSola]

I flushed the hell out of it the other evening and was outside at 3:30 this morning and swore that it smelled almost citrusy. (Of course, that was from a few feet away and it may have been something else - but keeping my fingers crossed!)

Does the cat piss strain mellow out with curing - or always will have that scent?

I had one that smelled like burnt rubber, I think the cp keeps the smell even in the bag.

 

[Conradino23]

I flushed the hell out of it the other evening and was outside at 3:30 this morning and swore that it smelled almost citrusy. (Of course, that was from a few feet away and it may have been something else - but keeping my fingers crossed!)

Does the cat piss strain mellow out with curing - or always will have that scent?

Drop TigerBloom! As most bottled nutes the numbers are completely off. Keep using pure water and your smell should clear up and stabilise at something nice.

 

[WickedWench]

I think you're absolutely right, conradino. I flushed it again tonight and ran my hands over those sticky-ass buds and now they're definitely smelling almost sweetly piney.

Regarding the TigerBloom - is this still a good nutrient to use prior to flushing? (For next year's reference.)

 

[Scientific]

Cat piss strain has an amonia pheno, it kinda looks like it.

Yeah, I'm thinking this is one of the many normal cannabis smells. In any case, that plant looks great, so I don't think there's anything to worry about.

Blaming chelated minerals is barking up the wrong tree, I think.

I can tell you with certainty that limonene does not have an ammoniacal smell.