2nd MediGrow - White Widow, Blue Hash, LSD, and Red Dragon

[HighTech]

Hi there!

and this week has been unseasonably cold. A friend told me a trick to help keep the apartment warm til then: boiling a pot of water on the stove. Added bonus? Now my humidity in the tent is staying in the 60%'s! I only have to boil 2-3 pots throughout the day/evening to keep the apartment comfortable and the plants seem to LOVE it. They're all juicing up faster now. hehe

P.957

One thing i strive to do is heat the house in winter with the grow. That and the carbon filter is essentially keeping the air allergen free and i have terrible allergies.

Are you pumping the heat outside or into your apartment?

 

[Patient 957]

Are you pumping the heat outside or into your apartment?

Hi Hightech!

The tent is in the corner of my bedroom and I have the out-vent going straight up out of the top of the tent back into the room. It only keeps the bedroom warm, but that's fine by me and the cats have finally clued in to the fact too. hehe

Only two more days til the gas company arrives to connect me, plus the cold storm we had last week has gone - which has improved the entire ambient temperature of the apartment.

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Veg - Day 19

Veg - Day 19

Good evening friends,

I had to super crop the largest Red Dragon again today, so I wanted to show some updated shots. You'll be happy to see Runt is no longer the runt of the litter! hehe She is bouncing back with serious pacing.

The floor pattern has switched again and this will be the final positions since I am definitely going to force 12/12 this Saturday (which would be Veg Day 22 / Flower Day 1). The RD is stretching like an Olympic sprinter. LOL But it's a very vigorous plant now that it's healthy. I'm definitely glad I am vegging one more week. Thanks again for the advice/tip on that!

The Barney's plants respond very well to super cropping. I haven't had to SC the Dinafems since they're keeping a very dense nodal structure and layered leaf sets. Speaking of leaf sets, all my plants now have healthy 9-blade leaves supporting the growing shoot. Very very happy to see them catching up to each other.

The gas company arrived on time this afternoon and I had it cranked while I took my cat to the Vet. After I got home, less than 2 hours later, did it ROAST the apartment. LOL I'm loving the gas heater in this apartment...but as a result, my soil dried significantly by this evening and the leaves (as you'll see below) were starting to become taught from dehydration beginning. So, I fed them with balanced water tonight after taking the snapshots.

I'm very happy all the strains have survived my stupidity and seem to keep getting greener with each watering. But now I think I will have to water them more frequently (up til now they've been drinking only once a week; every 5-6 days). But to see THAT much moisture leave the plant and topsoil in just a few hours...time to start watching for a newer feeding schedule. hehe

Enjoy the shots!

(Remember the 2 weakest seedlings?)

(Runt is now Column A, Row 2)

(Back row - BH and WW)

(Multi SC's on largest RD)

(SC detail)

(White Widow)

(Blue Hash)

(2 in 1 pot)

(Spot pruning - will trim bottom 3rd's in WK3 of Flower)

Peace,

P.957

PS - Sorry that some of them may look a little blurry...but my hands shake lightly sometimes when I take pics with my camera. hehe

 

[Patient 957]

Veg - Day 21

Veg - Day 21

Here we are on the last day of Veg. I'm very glad I went the third week - thanks again to everyone who made that suggestion to me.

I also decided, on the advice of another patient, to top the tallest Red Dragon that has the multiple super crops. The formation the SC'ing gave the plant is so beautiful, really great pruning technique indeed. hehe (The pictures below were from before I decided to top.)

I am also giving them 24 hours of darkness tonight; some authors say a quick blackout (1-3 days) can actually help a crop's total grow time, so it'll be interesting to see if they all finish before week 10. But the main reason I'm giving them 24 hours of dark tonight as well, is that I want to see how the temperatures in the tent are at night when I have my heater on higher than during the day. That way I can make some better gauges at a happy medium on the thermostat.

Also, after discussing the condition of my soil I've decided to supplement during flowering with Fox Farm Tiger Bloom (but continuing the Kelp/B1 booster once a week and the Budswel starting in wk 3 or 4).

(the beauty of SC'ing)

(Widow)

(Blue Hash)

Have a nice weekend everyone,

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 1

Flower - Day 1

Hey everyone,

Just a very quick update with only two shots tonight. They just came out of their 24-hour blackout period officially starting Day 1 of Flower now.

I had to flush the plants this week as I noticed they were drying out and my buddy said it was from nute lock-out...so going into the blackout they were really moist in the soil. I was hoping the leaves would become more supple, and they look way better than I was hoping for. hehe

So now the ladies are out the gate. Will be a fun second run at flowering. Loving these plants...just goes to show ya the Barney's genetics can take a lot of abuse and still recover in a timely fashion and develop into a healthy plant.

Peace,

P.957

(averages during blackout)

 

[Patient 957]

FLower - Day 2

FLower - Day 2

I decided to trim the lower 3rd of each plant tonight after seeing how their growth pattern is developing. The humidity goes up into the 60% range during the light out phase, so I pruned to help get more airflow under and through the canopy.

I've also started putting the floor pattern in a fan-like distribution so the oscillating fan hits the plants evenly and thoroughly. I pinched as well as used my sheers.

Til next weekend's update...

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 8

Flower - Day 8

Holiday greetings to all,

Today starts Week 2 of Flower. The canopy has filled out throughout Week 1 and I will end up doing another round of pruning next week.

As you can see there's been some stretching by 3 of the plants, but nothing I'm going to worry about or try to control.

They're only drinking every 4-6 days depending on how warm the apartment stays at night...and all are deep green and I'm no longer concerned about the initial deficiencies delaying any more growth. As you can, the plants are filling the grow tent to the max.

Until next weekend's update, enjoy the rest of the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

(SC'ed and topped Red Dragon)

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 9

Flower - Day 9

Hey everyone,

Just a quick update post. I ended up pruning the bottom 3rd of the plants tonight as I have to change my schedule for this upcoming week. During the pruning I noticed that now my plants all have at least one set of pre-flowers growing; most have more.

I did another floor pattern switch to tweak the new canopy even better. I'm noticing that the LSDs, White Widow, and the Blue Hash are not drinking as fast as the Red Dragons. Tomorrow should be their next feeding/watering if the heavier pots lighten up more now that there's even more room under the canopy for air movement.

They're starting to smell really nice - nothing as far as final aroma, but very happy healthy growing plant smell...if that makes any sense. lol

Til next update...

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 12 - Final Pruning & Arrangement

Flower - Day 12 - Final Pruning & Arrangement

Hello everyone!

Turns out the plants have dictated to me as to when they wanted me to thin out the canopy. lol

Having been pruned not only helped lower the temp and humidity to better levels (75F / 55%), but I can now see through to the bottom of the tent / top of soil layers in every container / and better airflow from under the plants. In addition, it looks as though 80-90% of the lowest shoots all have some degree of both direct and diffused light through the canopy.

I am so shocked/happy with how the pruning turned out that I am leaving them in this final pattern. I have the 3 smallest directly under the hood and all the tallest remainders on the borders of the formation. Without the thickness in the under-section of the canopy, the plants now sit better in the tent as well - a much welcomed surprise! hehe

Enjoy the pics!

(tallest Red Dragon)

(SC'd/TP'd Red Dragon)

(Blue Hash)

(Weakest 2 on left - Runt on right)

(White Widow)

(LSD phenos)

(Shortest - White Widow)

(Staked this evening)

(Back inside)

Peace,

P.957

PS - GDP is a seriously beautiful indica.

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 15 - Week 3 begins...

Flower - Day 15 - Week 3 begins...

Happy New Year everyone,

Not much of an exciting week during Flower wk 2. Over the last few days, right after the pruning actually, the buds started to form and the branches started to strengthen from the increased mobility in the air from the improved airflow coming off the fan into the canopy.

Everyone's happy and healthy. Now that we are starting week 3, their next feeding will be both Tiger Bloom and Budswel. (I'll be feeding this combination every time I water until the end of week 6. Then I flush with water (pH-ed to 6.0) week 7 and forward.)

The White Widow is starting to position itself for a small stretch; I think it's supposed to be a late stretcher if I remember Dinafem's info correctly...either way, it's still a gorgeous plant. hehe

Really happy with the levels averages tonight: 73F/72F 66%. I'm able to stabilize the apartment's temperature and the heat in the tent...and I'm very happy with how I have everything set up currently. I think I found a happy "sweet spot."

Enjoy the pics, see you next weekend!

(White Widow)

(SC'ed Runt)

(LSD pheno #1)

(LSD pheno #2)

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 17

Flower - Day 17

Hello everyone,

Did a little more pruning tonight (very light) and rotated 3 of the plants a half-turn. I'm slowing their turns to allow the faster oscillating air to strengthen all the stems to prepare them for the upcoming weight gain (buds have begun).

My current measurements for my feeding schedule are not burning the plants at all...so I'm very happy to have found that balance early into flowering. Starting in week 7 I'll simply flush with balanced water.

I tried to take shots tonight to help show how I have the canopy spread out, some close ups of the "named" plants' health, and some shots showing how the canopy is lit.

Enjoy!

(Blueberry x Cali. Hashplant)

Runt (SC'ed only once)

(Weakest Two (RD left, LSD right))

(LSD)

(White Widow)

(WW - never bent - 7 sites)

(Light level in canopy)

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 19 - Pruning / Tying

Flower - Day 19 - Pruning / Tying

Hello everyone,

Tonight I pulled out some of the plants to prune the back row and after doing so I was happy to see my new levels in the tent:

(sorry for blur - shaky hands)

I am VERY happy to see the humidity finally stabilizing in the 50th percentile...right in time for the bud formation and explosion. hehe I have been spraying neem every 3 to 4 days and as a result I've seen no bugs or powdery mildew anywhere. Just to be safe, however, I will spray one final time on Friday evening which is the last day of Week 3...and have turned the oscillating fan up to high speed. Everything is looking very happy.

No aroma development yet, but the buds are starting to puff up. The "palm tree" pheno of the LSD (my nickname) is building its buds slower than the other pheno, which is keeping up with the other strains in the tent. Only about 2 full days behind in development between the two phenos, but this sort of variation is interesting to me.

Finally, I started using velcro strips to support/secure some of the branches and plants together. I only had to stake for 2 of the plants - the rest are all thick enough in their main stems (all thicker than my thumbs) that all I have to do is use the velcro strips to do figure-eight loops of cross-support ties.

I'm really getting excited about this grow. And feeling mighty proud of getting this far without any major disasters. LOL I'm looking forward to the pending aroma explosion.

Enjoy the shots!

(Red Dragons begin to grow trichomes already)

(Same RD as above)

(LSD)

(Blue Hash)

(BH detail)

(2 Weakest - LSD (tallest) & RD)

(Runt (background) and White Widow (front))

(Tallest LSD)

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 23

Flower - Day 23

Good evening everyone.

Runt has started her flowering period stretch (Run to the light Carol Anne!) and the largest LSD has grown so tall it's passing my light (which is as high as I can get it now - see below).

I'm very happy with how they're reacting to the Budswel. Soma is right, they get nice and gooey looking; and trichomes have now appeared on the White Widow.

Today was their next feeding, so you'll notice Runt's leaves starting to dip.

Finally, since the largest plant, an LSD, has grown beyond the light's canopy, I decided to stake it with a bend (not a super-crop) to stay as close to the light's plate glass panel before they'll start to burn. If the buds don't keep growing quickly (or at least keep pace with the rest of that plant's buds), I'll most likely have to top it at the node directly below the velcro strap (see pics below).

(trichomes begin on the Widow)

(Runt begins her stretch for the light)

(Blue Hash - my favorite of the crop)

(Blue Hash detail)

(Tallest LSD prior to bend)

(after the bend)

Have a good week everyone!

Peace,

P.957

 

[fatigues]

Great journal! Thanks for this. While the Blue Hashplant may be your fave - I'm watching the LSD plants especially closely as we are contemplating growing this strain next.

For a relatively inexperienced grower, it's clear that you've spent a lot of time reading and are playing this one "by the numbers". You appear to be reaping the rewards of paying careful attention and are obviously learning more with each passing week. Well done.

 

[Patient 957]

Thank you!

Thank you!

Great journal! Thanks for this. While the Blue Hashplant may be your fave - I'm watching the LSD plants especially closely as we are contemplating growing this strain next.

For a relatively inexperienced grower, it's clear that you've spent a lot of time reading and are playing this one "by the numbers". You appear to be reaping the rewards of paying careful attention and are obviously learning more with each passing week. Well done.

Thanks Fatigues!

One thing I'll say about the LSDs right away is that they LOVE TO STRETCH. lol They're listed as an Indica-dom in effect, but their growth pattern and behavior has been very sativa in expression. I had to cut two of the buds and leaf sets at the top of the lamp. They were burning last night when the light came back on. But the terminal bud for the largest LSD is still developing normally; already pointing back up to the light after the bend.

Thanks again for the feedback, I'm really starting to get excited about this grow. It's my first time using a grow tent and quality genetics...what a difference they both make!

Best wishes,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Flower - Day 26

Flower - Day 26

Hello everyone,

My smallest LSD (which is also the one closest to the lamp as well as the most under the lamp) started to develop trichomes last night during their dark period. It caught my eye immediately when I opened the tent to water tonight. hehe

Also, just wanted to make a quick note that since I now have two different people following to watch both of the Barney's Farm strains, I'll definitely make sure that on my weekend/weekly update post to include really good/clear close-ups of both strains for you guys.

ADDENDUM:

I ended up needing to flush tonight instead of feed. Even at my diluted levels, I'm noticing the Red Dragons are VERY nitrogen-sensitive. So after they recover from this current burn (albeit a very light one), I'll start feeding every other watering, and flushing on the alternate watering. Should help keep the levels even more balanced - at least that's my hope. hehe

(recovered LSD in background)

(SC'ed Red Dragon - 1 bend, 7 primary budding sites)

(Widow is stretching slowly and uniformly)

(Runt is now Wonder Woman)

Peace,

P.957

 

[fatigues]

Also, just wanted to make a quick note that since I now have two different people following to watch both of the Barney's Farm strains, I'll definitely make sure that on my weekend/weekly update post to include really good/clear close-ups of both strains for you guys.

Much appreciated; thanks muchly for that.

The thing which strikes me as so odd about the Barney's Farm strains is that the quoted dom side of the strains appears to bear no relation to plant height or leaf shape.

Barney's Farm LSD strain is supposedly indica dominant. Notwithstanding this, in the plants I have seen grown with BF's genetics, the leaves look far more sativa (indeed, classic sativa leaves) and the plant appears to stretch and grows very tall. Not very indica in appearance or height. It might be that the smoke is more body stoney and less of a head high, but... Well, it seems an odd way to market your strain.

Contrast this with Barney's Farm G13Haze. A supposedly sativa dom strain. Perhaps so. But for all that, the leaves look very indica and in every grow diary I've read on it, G13Haze grows very short and bushy. Not exactly the primary indicator of a sativa dom strain, is it?

*shrugs* Fucked if I know.

So bring on the show (and, ultimately, the smoke report) and let's see if we can verify the trend

 

[UnknownProphet]

I was lucky enough to find a single seed of the red dragon in a judges batch back at the HTCC in '08. The pheno I got was amazing and is some of the nicest looking final product I've ever come across indoor or out. It's a very under the radar strain but if you find anything even close to what I got I'd keep her. Oh and that's not photoshopped those are blue yes BLUE fan leaves.

Very nice grow thus far by the way.

ʇǝɥdoɹPuʍouʞuU

 

[Patient 957]

I agree!

I agree!

Much appreciated; thanks muchly for that.

The thing which strikes me as so odd about the Barney's Farm strains is that the quoted dom side of the strains appears to bear no relation to plant height or leaf shape.

I would agree with that 100% based off how different the seedlings were from the Dinafem seedlings (the two strains I have from them are both indica or I/S).

I could see a very young/green seed breeder getting their terminology reversed like that...but to some of the other breeders' credit, some vendors will say in the description that it will hit you like an X but grow like a Y. Perhaps BF is simply more concerned about describing overall medicinal effect on the user?

Either way, I agree with you. The Red Dragons are shorter than the LSDs in every case (unless Runt keeps stretching...but she seems to be slowing). The bud structure of the RDs, however, is very gorgeous. I can see the Utopia Haze influence in how the caylx clusters are starting to fill out. Very pretty strains to sit and study regardless.

Peace,

P.957

 

[Patient 957]

Gorgeous bud!

Gorgeous bud!

I was lucky enough to find a single seed of the red dragon in a judges batch back at the HTCC in '08. The pheno I got was amazing and is some of the nicest looking final product I've ever come across indoor or out. It's a very under the radar strain but if you find anything even close to what I got I'd keep her. Oh and that's not photoshopped those are blue yes BLUE fan leaves.

Very nice grow thus far by the way.

ʇǝɥdoɹPuʍouʞuU

Thank you very much! I hope my RD's will turn out even half that gorgeous looking. I'm looking forward to their aroma as well. I like the tropical/citrus spectrum...and I've heard very good feedback about its taste.

Peace,

P.957