Blackwater first indoor grow

[Fiddynut]

Update and pics

Update and pics

Water and budswel last night for the girls. Saw a few tiny flying bugs again and even found one stuck to a trichome. Buds are defenatly swelling. Some hairs are receding and turning brown. I think they are at 61 or 62 day of flower. Not much to do but water and observe.

First 2 pics are of #1 and #2. I had to tie a couple of #1's side branches to the main stem it seemed like they were saging and might break. Buds must be gaining weight.


Now a close up of each top bud.



So I guess there's not much to say or do at this point. Just love them until they are done. I've been watching some YouTube vids on trimming techniques since this is new to me as well. Probably just something that takes practice and what not.
That's it for this update. Thanks for stoping by.

 

[pop_rocks]

lookin good as always, fiddy
yeah we are in the home stretch and the things to consider now is harvest windows and taking em down

good idea watching vids on trimming
lets talk about that today

do you have a set of nice thin tip scissors? i receomend getting at least a couple
i like the ones that are spring loaded
we will also need some trays or something to hold the branches in. i ike the wire mesh kind you would get at an office supply store, like for holding paper but i also have a couple basic trays, like for breakfast in bed
i also use a large plastic tub to catch all the sugar leaves
last i have a bunch of news paper on hand

i spread the news paper out all over the floor just to maker clean up a little easier and trim directly into the large plastic tub

i actually have three scissors i use at harvest
one is a kind of heavier pruning schears, this is for cutting the plants larger stems and branches
the second are just your basic scissors and the third, the fine tipped ones

most of the work is done with the large shears and the thin tipped ones
i know there are a lot of ways to trim and everyone has their own technique but im just sharing how i do it

first i go through and pull all the large fan leaves off by hand and toss them aside
i like to cut the plant into manageable sections, about one branch at a time wiht the large shears

i start trimming most of the sugar leaves into the tub and place the finished branches into a wire tray

the first time through is just to get most of the leafs that stick out from the bud
ill let them dry a few days and then before placing into bins to cure, i go over them once more, removing the individual buds from the branches and clipping any leafs i may have missed

its kind of tedious, but have some good music playing and dont be in too much of a hurry
if you only have a little while, just do a few branches and leave the rest for later
this is one part that mrs chciky really likes to help out wiht and i often let her do most of the trimming

how did the video break down the work flow?
some people like to hang the plants and let them dry some before trimming
if you live someplace really dry it might be better to leave the bud on the branches and not mess with the leaves at first
this helps to slow down the drying process
likewise, if you live someplace cold and damp, you probally want to get as much of the leaves off and maybe even trim the branches onto smaller sections to help speed up drying

i typically go for about 8-10 days here by the coast drying time then into containers for a cure

you will find that trim/drying/curing is an art all its own
if we were talking about ditch weed i would not put this much effort into the last step
but with the fine grass you have its worth all the extra effort to trim and age these beauties just right

sorry for the wall o text brother
im sipping a coffee and the caffine has got a hold of me!

 

[Fiddynut]

lookin good as always, fiddy
yeah we are in the home stretch and the things to consider now is harvest windows and taking em down

good idea watching vids on trimming
lets talk about that today

do you have a set of nice thin tip scissors? i receomend getting at least a couple
i like the ones that are spring loaded
we will also need some trays or something to hold the branches in. i ike the wire mesh kind you would get at an office supply store, like for holding paper but i also have a couple basic trays, like for breakfast in bed
i also use a large plastic tub to catch all the sugar leaves
last i have a bunch of news paper on hand

i spread the news paper out all over the floor just to maker clean up a little easier and trim directly into the large plastic tub

i actually have three scissors i use at harvest
one is a kind of heavier pruning schears, this is for cutting the plants larger stems and branches
the second are just your basic scissors and the third, the fine tipped ones

most of the work is done with the large shears and the thin tipped ones
i know there are a lot of ways to trim and everyone has their own technique but im just sharing how i do it

first i go through and pull all the large fan leaves off by hand and toss them aside
i like to cut the plant into manageable sections, about one branch at a time wiht the large shears

i start trimming most of the sugar leaves into the tub and place the finished branches into a wire tray

the first time through is just to get most of the leafs that stick out from the bud
ill let them dry a few days and then before placing into bins to cure, i go over them once more, removing the individual buds from the branches and clipping any leafs i may have missed

its kind of tedious, but have some good music playing and dont be in too much of a hurry
if you only have a little while, just do a few branches and leave the rest for later
this is one part that mrs chciky really likes to help out wiht and i often let her do most of the trimming

how did the video break down the work flow?
some people like to hang the plants and let them dry some before trimming
if you live someplace really dry it might be better to leave the bud on the branches and not mess with the leaves at first
this helps to slow down the drying process
likewise, if you live someplace cold and damp, you probally want to get as much of the leaves off and maybe even trim the branches onto smaller sections to help speed up drying

i typically go for about 8-10 days here by the coast drying time then into containers for a cure

you will find that trim/drying/curing is an art all its own
if we were talking about ditch weed i would not put this much effort into the last step
but with the fine grass you have its worth all the extra effort to trim and age these beauties just right

sorry for the wall o text brother
im sipping a coffee and the caffine has got a hold of me!

Good morning pop_rocks. Lots of great info in your post. Thanks a ton!
Here is the plan. I have 2 micro trimmers that I just got at the garden store. I also have a couple nice utility shears and a very small medical shears. The small one has very sharp point and blades are less than an inch. I will strip the fan leaves then cut the branch and get in between the buds with the small shears. I will have a helper for trimming if it goes down on a Sunday or if my bro if free on a weeknight if that's when there ready. Plan on listening to some tunes maybe start out with a GD show or two and move on to some NIN or something when I need something a little more upbeat. I also plan on not drinking when trimming to avoid getting tipsy and doing something stupid. Im not a drunk but like to have a couple drinks from time to time and I have a rule about not fucking with my plants when buzzed. With some practice I should be able to get most of it. When done trimming I will hang each branch from a cloths hanger in my tent. Going to keep vent fan and filter on and a small fan to keep air moving but not directly blowing on the buds. I have been reading that the buds are ready when slightly crispy on the outside and stem snaps rather than bends. Once dry I plan on doing some final touch up trimming and then separate the buds and put into jars. I will open the jars at least a couple times a day for the first couple weeks. If buds are not dry enough I guess I can leave them open for a few hours.
I'm excited and a little nervous at this stage of the grow. Other than having to go to work I plan on being around a lot during the drying process to keep a close eye on them.

As far as harvest window I am far less sure. The buds are defiantly fattening and the hairs are changing. It's hard to tell with my 10x loupe about the trichomes. I need to get a more powerful scope but might have to wait till next run for that. It seems like the trichomes are less shiny and have more of a white hue which suggests that they are getting cloudy but I can't see close enough to tell when just looking at them. I don't want to loose quality by chopping too early. I also don't want them to get over ripe and I do like a more energetic high. I have tried to research how to tell if there ready but the pics of different strains look so different and it's hard for me to tell. Going to keep searching and reading on this.

On a side note I have started a compost pile in my yard. It will have a couple months to cook and a lot of green plant material. I'm guessing that it will just go dormant during the winter freeze then wake up in spring again.
Thanks again pop_rocks for taking the time to post so much great info and for all the help!

 

[1990rhdcrxsi]

looking good

 

[pop_rocks]

it sounds like you have a solid plan
as teh buds dry the flower will shrink up a bit exposing more leaf
thats why on the first round im just trying to get at the major ones that are sticking out
when i snip the individual buds off the branch is when i do the final trim

i use a large baking dish with a snap on lid to put teh buds in to cure
i can fit a bunch in at once and its easier to toss them around so the dry more evenly
if you go directly to jar, be sure ot leave some space at fisrt so there is some air to absorb the moisture in the buds
when they have stopped sweating you can pack the jars a little tihgter

i think when to pick is one of the hardest things
like you said keep an eye on the trichs and when they are mostly cloudy wiht a fair amount of amber heads is when i go for it
its soemthing you just kind of get a feel for esp if you grow the same strain over again

any thoughts about what to do wiht the pile of trim and lower leaves once you ahev done harvest

pat yourself on the back,brother
you are really coming along

 

[Fiddynut]

looking good

Thanks crx. It's nice that you stopped by and checked out my first grow. I hope all is going well for you.

 

[Fiddynut]

it sounds like you have a solid plan
as teh buds dry the flower will shrink up a bit exposing more leaf
thats why on the first round im just trying to get at the major ones that are sticking out
when i snip the individual buds off the branch is when i do the final trim

i use a large baking dish with a snap on lid to put teh buds in to cure
i can fit a bunch in at once and its easier to toss them around so the dry more evenly
if you go directly to jar, be sure ot leave some space at fisrt so there is some air to absorb the moisture in the buds
when they have stopped sweating you can pack the jars a little tihgter

i think when to pick is one of the hardest things
like you said keep an eye on the trichs and when they are mostly cloudy wiht a fair amount of amber heads is when i go for it
its soemthing you just kind of get a feel for esp if you grow the same strain over again

any thoughts about what to do wiht the pile of trim and lower leaves once you ahev done harvest

pat yourself on the back,brother
you are really coming along

I think the two step trim will be best. For sure it will be easier to get the deep leaves once the buds shrink up a bit. I am thinking that I won't fill the jar more than 1/3-1/2 so they can breathe a bit.
I wish my eyes were better or I had a better scope. I'll keep looking at them close and under different light and see what works best.
I'm going to freeze trimmings and probably make ice water hash this time. I have a set of bags and have used them before so I think that's the plan. Might make some butter if I run out of my stash. In the future I want to make some good BHO. I have one of those vape pens and love the convenience of being able to get high anywhere with that thing.

Thanks for the encouragement and advise.
I'm as new to forums as to growing and I keep hearing about respect points or something. What is the deal with that? You certainly deserve them but I don't know how to give them out. I'm not very technical so forgive my computer illiteracy.

 

[GastroGrower]

Beautiful color in those buds. Excellent grow.

 

[Fiddynut]

Beautiful color in those buds. Excellent grow.

Hi GG. Thanks for stoping bye. I'm learning as I go and having a great time.

 

[pop_rocks]

love the bubble bags!
i run most of the trim through bags and even some of my older stuff

mrs chicky is a big fan of edibles so we make our fair share of butter too
im not too big on eating the stuff but hey, whatever makes her happy

let me know which you decide, or even both
we can share ideas on that too!

i kind of like the scales icon under where it says your name
im not 100% sure how it works but when you say thanks using the scale icon yuo can also type a message
it was cool when i saw my first thank you wiht a comment

 

[Fiddynut]

love the bubble bags!
i run most of the trim through bags and even some of my older stuff

mrs chicky is a big fan of edibles so we make our fair share of butter too
im not too big on eating the stuff but hey, whatever makes her happy

let me know which you decide, or even both
we can share ideas on that too!

i kind of like the scales icon under where it says your name
im not 100% sure how it works but when you say thanks using the scale icon yuo can also type a message
it was cool when i saw my first thank you wiht a comment

I got the bubble bags a few years ago for a gift and have used them with flower a few times. When some of the buds would get past there prime or when I had a lot of shake collected with all the trichomes that would fall off after a while.
How do you agitate your ice water? Some say use a gentile stir with a big spoon and others use drill operated paint mixers. I've heard that too much mixing causes plant to brake apart and makes your hash kind of harsh.
I like edibles but have to be carful not to overdue it. They can cause me to get super sedated and couch lock for 24+ hours. I ate a bunch at the Dead &co show and got super high to the point of being slightly uncomfortable for a short while. It also seems like I can't get a good high from smoking for a couple days after an edible binge.
I'm going to be watering tonight so I should post another update in the morning.

 

[Walt Jabsco]

Synthetic products have a good shelf life. Organics do not. With short veg times not much nutrients are needed. Organic nutrients will go bad before the next grow.

 

[Fiddynut]

Synthetic products have a good shelf life. Organics do not. With short veg times not much nutrients are needed. Organic nutrients will go bad before the next grow.

Thanks Walt. I think I will use synthetic nutes for my next couple grows. I probably should have just stuck with the fox farm synthetics. It's a lot to learn all at once to just get where I am on this first try and the experience has been great. I think I need to focus on watching and listening to what my plants want.I have a lot to learn and my goal is to grow organic. I have started composting and will be doing a lot of reading ad learning how to build a soil that works in my environment.

 

[pop_rocks]

i use one of those hand held egg beater things and a large wire whisk

over agitating the mix could def lead to more plant material being knocked loose
i feel the hand mixer is a little more gentile than the electric kind plus im afraid if i used an electric one i would shock the shit out of myself

yeah man, you ahve to watch out with those edibles!
ive been to the same places as you described from eating too much and it wasnt fun
plus i just like chiefin big clouds of smoke

looking foreward to the pic, can you grab a couple close-ups while you are at it
would like to see how far along the girls are

 

[Fiddynut]

Update and pics

Update and pics

Pulled the girls out and gave them some water and budswel last night. I will not be moving them anymore until harvest. As I was pulling my biggest girl out a secondary bud got caught on another plant and broke the branch at the main stem. I was very disappointed in myself. I was in a bit of a hurry. I should have tied her up with some support. I had been warned about heavy buds stressing and braking branches but had to learn the hard way. The rest of the plant is fine so calm down and no big deal.
Let's be positive and look on the bright side.
I got a chance to test and practice my trimming technique.
I will have an opportunity to test dry this branch to see how my environment for drying is. This will give me a feel for how the rest will dry in a week or two. It will also allow me time to make changes to the environment if I don't like how it's going.
I will have a chance to sample some of it before the rest is cut or dry.

Pretty uneventful other than the broken branch. I tied the other branches to main stem and tied the other plants branches to the bamboo supports. Buds look like they are expanding with new calyx and pistils. Trichome coverage is more complete than even a few days ago. Going to be keeping a close eye on them from here on out.

A couple pics of the casualty


Now some happier pics.

 

[pop_rocks]

doh!

man that sucks, but you seem to be making the best of it
what week is it in their flower cycle?
now you will know what early picked is like
mistakes happen and you just learn and go on

it looks like the rest are doing great and prob a few weeks away, give or take
like you said practice your trimming/drying and get ready to enjoy your own smoke!

 

[Fiddynut]

i use one of those hand held egg beater things and a large wire whisk

over agitating the mix could def lead to more plant material being knocked loose
i feel the hand mixer is a little more gentile than the electric kind plus im afraid if i used an electric one i would shock the shit out of myself

yeah man, you ahve to watch out with those edibles!
ive been to the same places as you described from eating too much and it wasnt fun
plus i just like chiefin big clouds of smoke

looking foreward to the pic, can you grab a couple close-ups while you are at it
would like to see how far along the girls are

Yea egg beater I never thought of that. Might have to find one of those somewhere. That seems like a great idea. Maybe I'll hit some yard sales this weekend.
Yep easy to eat too much at dead show, lots of people with cookies, brownies, Carmel, ect to sample. Ended up over doing it a bit with all the variety. The first set was kind of hazy.
My pics from last night were rushed and I didn't have good lighting. Will take more close ups soon.

 

[Fiddynut]

doh!

man that sucks, but you seem to be making the best of it
what week is it in their flower cycle?
now you will know what early picked is like
mistakes happen and you just learn and go on

it looks like the rest are doing great and prob a few weeks away, give or take
like you said practice your trimming/drying and get ready to enjoy your own smoke!

Yep I was pissed but can't get too down on myself. Will be more carful with them the rest of this grow and will do a better job of getting support for them before they need it in future grows. Live and learn.
I'm at day #64 of flower I think so hoping another week or so but can't rush them so just have to watch and wait. This test with the one branch should help me see if my drying set up is all good.
I'm really hoping to chop a week from tomorrow or Monday so I hope they are ready. I will have a couple days off to process them and keep an eye on how they are drying. If I don't see cloudy trichomes I will wait another week or two.

Thanks again for support and advise.

 

[Fiddynut]

More pics

More pics

I got a couple more pics this morning. It's going to be tougher to get good pics now that they won't be moved out of tent. I use to put them in my veg tent with t5 lighting which made taking pictures easy but now I have to take them just before/after lights on/off and use flash. The buds are getting frosty even compared to last weeks pics.

 

[pop_rocks]

oh man, these look great!
good job

you could prob pick them a week from monday if you wanted
i know people who pick when they look like almost what is in your pictures, so in a week you should def be good
you could also pick the larger main colas first and leave the lower branches in an extra week or so to ripen up

lookin good!