Backyard Cannabis Farming 2019: Episode 8 - Final Topping, Leaf Removal, & Safely Sacrificing a Male Plant
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Truth, Love, Respect, & Honor.
Wow! Those plants are so healthy looking, well done. I've watched the whole series except maybe for the first 3.. have to go back and make sure. Perfect timing for me since I was the recipient of 5 Panama Red plants.
First time growing, started them outside but they would never have survived the weather here. I made a grow space in the garage.
They need work. Learned a lot from your series and next planting will be much improved. Thanks for sharing.
Growing indoors is a whole different monster. Make sure you have your light cycles timed correctly for each stage of development, and isolate your plants as much as possible while still allowing them proper ventilation, humidity, and grow temp in your garage. I would definitely recommend checking out season 1 of this series. I explain in more depth about the processes since it was my first time recording it.
Feel free to post or send me photos if you have any questions or need advise. If I don't know the answer, someone I know will. Bless n' blaze up.
Don't know why the pics turned sideways but anyway, here's the situation and some questions churning in my mind.
Finally got to a place where I can give these guys some attention. These are just for my consumption unless I give some away if there's that much. In Co, you can grow 6 plants but only 3 can be flowering at one time.
I need to clean them up, top them, lollipop them, etc. They have stopped growing it seems.. know why from your video.. need pruning. I'll bring them up on the workbench one by one giving them a good look over.
Would like to transplant them if not too late. Some of the buckets are short of dirt and I added the wrong kind of fertilizer, too high on nitrogen. Wondering if the fan is too strong, have it on lowest setting. Some of the roots are above ground... soil too compact I think.
Using four T5 bulbs, 2 for veg, 2 for flower. I have them all on 24/7 to try and make up for it not being good sunlight. When it's time to go to the 12 hr schedule was planning to tarp the opening closed and put lights on a timer.
If it's not a bad idea, what I'd like to do is take the best 3 and transplant them in a diff container with better growing medium. Then take the best looking clone off the other two so they don't all flower at the same time. Besides, they're too crowded. I should be able to keep up on maintenance now.
I don't want to go to a lot of expense. I was thinking of 3 10 gal fabric pots and if I can get a couple of clones to grow, icing on the cake except did I hear correctly that plants grown from seeds are better quality?
Was also thinking of making some custom cedar picket planters. Made one 7 years ago that still producing for the friend I left it with when we moved. Kept the slats a 1/4 inch gapped and stopped the dirt from seeping out with a weed barrier cloth, they got good air, naturally bug resistant and pretty cheap.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it. lol should be fun now. tia
ok so first thing I am wondering is if those 5 gal buckets have holes in the bottom for drainage, bc they need those holes. You typically put a water tray underneath the buckets to catch the drainage. This is not necessary for fabric pots since they drain naturally without holes.
The soil being too compact is most likely a result of there being no perlite or hummus in the mix. A proper amount of perlite will allow proper aeration for the soil, and avoid nasty things like "root-rot". Its too late for the soil in there now but make sure your new mix has components for aeration when you transplant. I recommend Happy Frog by Fox Farms (already contains perlite in this mix). You will need about 3 bags per 45 gal pot so that will be 9 bags for 3 plants. They are about $10 a bag.
Based on your grow space, I would transplant those into 45 gallon pots (which is what I currently use outside) whether they be plastic or fabric is up to you, but either way make sure to pick up water plates for underneath the pots. You may be able to find some used on Craigslist or OfferUp since you are on a budget, just make sure you clean them thoroughly if you do.
You are also going to need at least one more light for when those get bigger... Another T5 could work but I would recommend going with LED lights since they are much more energy efficient and also provide a better spectrum. @JonYouDyer may have a product tip for the LED's. Also maybe something to look for used which may result in another T5 for now.
Ideally, you want to plant from your 1 gal pot into your final grow container with no intermediary, something to keep in mind for best results in the future.
As far as nutrients, stick with Botanicare or Nectar of the Gods. Both these companies keep it organic and natural - especially important for personal consumption, just follow the amounts on the label to a T, do a little math and make it right to avoid burn. I will always use Botanicare's Liquid Karma no matter what though... its just an amazing, unmatched additive.
I would go get all your materials, transplant them, water them (no feed), and then immediately top them and do any manicuring you think may be necessary right after the transplant so you do not have to shock the plant more than once. Then feed them a few days later when the soil drys up and it is out of shock. 24 hr light cycle is fine for now, and you can grow them out completely in those 45's since you control the light cycle indoors. Once you change the cycle to flower, make sure you give the plants two solid water flushings before you change to bloom nutrients.
Your plants have likely stopped growing bc they are root bound in those containers as the roots have no where else to grow. They need to be transplanted asap. Make sure you keep that grow space the right temp too, maybe get a thermostat to keep an eye on it. I think the fan is fine, and you will honestly need a little bigger one when your plants are bigger. Follow these steps and you should have some nice big juicy melons upon completion, as long as your roots do not get sick. If you spend the $250 or so necessary to do all this you will not regret it, and you will want to keep doing it.
Oh i see the water pans now, they are super transparent.. still wondering about holes on the bucket sides though...
Yep, got holes drilled in the bottom for drainage and using miracle grow potting mix. I poked holes in the dirt with a pointed pencil to aerate and it did help some. The T5 lights I already had from starting gardens from seeds so no expense there yet.
A 45 gal pot is about 2 ft wide, don't think I'll get 3 of them under that 4 ft light.
I've watched a bunch of vids etc to try to get up to speed and LED does seem to be the way to go.
That space is about 5 x 6, may need to use the whole space. Have some mylar to put on the walls...
Okay.. the pots and the medium I'll get ordered right away. The led light, yeah, could use some advice. 1 light for the whole space would be ideal as in simple like me. lol
BTW... I have keep forgetting to mention about those vampire plants. Kinda watching for them to walk off... don't turn your back on them. LOL
Thanks so much for taking the time to lessen the learning curve for me.
The reason I hesitate going whole hog is that I'm not sure the issues of heat, humidity, and air circulation can be solved in my garage located in the freakin desert.. yeah it's hotter than the inside of a cow (old saying of mine)
what do you use to shoot your videos.. tia
Just use both the T5 and whatever else you get and you will have plenty of light for those 3. You may want to look into getting some kind of small AC unit for that little space you are growing in. If you section it off with a white blanket or sheet, you will not have to cool down the whole garage if you are worried about it getting too hot. You will also need an additional fan which should be able to find used easy (keep them clean). Just pop open your grow area every once and a while so the humidity can escape somewhat.
Also... please do me a favor. Get rid of that miracle grow and never use it again. I mean that in the nicest way possible, but look up the ingredients and tell me if you want to smoke the products of those cheaply produced synthetic chemicals. Please STRONGLY consider purchasing Botanicare nutrients for you grow. You can get them in very small, affordable sizes too if you are on a budget.
Much love, and keep me updated with what you have going on here. I want to see you succeed now, and in all future grows. Bless & blaze up.
This is a process. There's going to be trial and error but I'm leaning heavily on your advice, my friend.
I have 9 bags of happy frog waiting for the 45 gal pots, saucers, and liquid karma to arrive on Sat.
First thing Sunday morning... can hardly wait. First thing I've really gotten to grow since we moved here 5 years ago. Used to have an organic garden
Even came with a caretaker. har I've been trying to stay as natural as possible ever since I discovered the depth to which we're being lied to. 2001
The person who brought the plants was a friend of a friend and offered to transplant them for me and said to buy 5 home depot buckets and miracle grow and he was like coming over the next day. When he came he was in an extreme hurry for some reason but he kind of hurried it I thought. I lost control of the situation, only myself to blame but looking back now I ask myself, "What the hell were you thinking!" lol Yeah, I'll get rid of the Miracle Grow, thank you kindly.
So then where do I put the plants.. moved them all around the yard trying to find a spot they wouldn't be seen and there was no place. Then I put them on the balcony off our bedroom and bought a privacy screen to go around the deck and thought I had it solved. But the wind and the hail and no direct sun till almost 11am looked like it was going to kill them. They gotta go inside somewhere.
I settled on the garage but now I had to move racks and rearrange quite a bit after I had just finished a year long makeover.
It would be fairly simple to frame that wall and I have all these 2x4s left over from taking the ridiculously huge shelf I built when we first moved here.
So much to think about, will have to address things as I run into them bam.
Really want to see this strain succeed. Old time smoke. I smoke weed because it makes me happy, kinder, the person I would've been if this world hadn't kicked me in the ass so many times.
Thanks for letting me share this experience with you, makes it all the more fun. Much love back at ya, my brother.
We'll see what happens now but 3 of the plants should have room to grow and now I don't have to worry about over watering.
Thanks for the kind offer. I'll get some pictures.
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