What's new
  • Happy Birthday ICMag! Been 20 years since Gypsy Nirvana created the forum! We are celebrating with a 4/20 Giveaway and by launching a new Patreon tier called "420club". You can read more here.
  • Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!

Turning 75

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
Hi Ratz,
Happy Birthday a bit early...I turn 70 early next year. Been growing off and on since 1975. A long strange trip indeed. Just building a new room in a new location...man how many times have I done that?

Just read your seed technique. Hope they all pop. Had a buddy tell me recently that he plants 1 1/2" down to ensure that the shell halves are shed before breaking surface. I only go down about 1/2".

Hey...you have any pointers on old seeds. I know scarification...and soak. You go a full two days. Any H2O2 or bleach (tiny amount) to ward off fungi? I'm about a month away from seed sprouting.
Cheers Dude...and I'll raise a glass of wine later in honor of your tolerant wife...
JD

Have not had any luck in getting old seeds to pop!
Don't believe in bleach i think of it as a killing thing even though many use it power.
A 24-36 hour soak in distilled water with but a drop/cup of liquid kelp I prefer {Thrive alive green} 1-0-1
Most important is not letting them dry out in the rapid rooters.
A eye dropper of the same water that i soaked them in every 6-8 hours.
I know that there are many ways to get things done this is the STYLE that has stuck to me.
A few years back a friend I met on the internet said he had hundreds of old Afghani seeds back when Russia was in Afghan .Thinking 70 s
I know there are hormones one can buy to enhance germination but much of that stuff is only sold to labs and such.
The match box and sandpaper has never work for me as well.
Once they,the seeds DRY out I opine that not much can be done with them.
On all the afghan seeds that i tried to pop only a handful got big enough to do anything with and being their was both a male and female I made a bunch of seed and spread them far and wide .
Never heard much about them .
A personal grow of those seeds netted plants that seem to lack luster,strength and vigor.
Funny what one peep will swear is the best top shelved stuff another may think it sucks.
AS I said I look at a plant and think either SKUNK [sativa] or a Afghani [indigo] everything else is a hybrid I prefer 60-70% sativa's hybrids.
IMO if a peep goes from strain to strain he never truly learns his plant.But if he grows that same plant over and over he will see what crossing them over and over creates.
You become the judge.
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

DrDee

Member
Ratz,
Unfortunately my experience has been the same. It's not that the seeds are dead...but that they have gone into dormancy. And it seems like heroic measures are needed to get them to germ. About 10 years ago I experimented with a fairly complex method from a horticultural site. Fulvic acid, layering, refrigeration, no matter what I tried I couldn't get a seed to crack.

Reason I'm interested is I'm back to growing after 6 years off. I have loads of seeds but the newest are six years old. I'm gonna just scarify and use your 48 hours instead of 24 hours. Oh, and one hint a guy gave me is to screen the medium before planting the seed. So it is super fine to provide better surface contact (for moisture absorption). Easy to do and can't hurt. Gonna research the kelp thing first before trying it.

It would be really cool to have old school Afgan genetics. I love the way they grow. Never heard that old seeds can produce weak plants...but anything is possible.

I like sativas too and recently I received some old school Panama Red seeds. Only have 5 but I'm hoping to get a male so I can make some seeds. These are not old seeds...just old genetics.

Anyway...you take care. Enjoy life and keep growing,
Cheers,
JD
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Good to see your're still doing your thing Ratz.
It's always interesting to read your posts.
I've been doing so since the stinky days, hangin with the Rev.


I'll stop by periodically and see how your lil project is doing. I think I remember when you made the cross but I cannot be positive as it's been a few years. I'm pretty sure you sent me some of those C99 beans that I eventually killed. DOH!


Have a happy & wonderful birthday.


CannaB
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
mmmmmm.....wine. Doh!

Shes has a job in nursing so random testing keeps her at bay.

One thing is over the years it seems i over indulged in one thing or another.
It seems we like to be into something and want to change the way the world looks to us.
Take your pick it is endless.
Why is {normal out of the question} lol
First off I am a nonpracticing alcoholic now for some 27 years haven't had to say I am sorry since i put that brew down, BEER in my case.
So many of us go threw life looking to get fuck up.
WTF
I hated wine the most now give me some cocain ,now i can do anything better then you, give me some steriods and I'll bite the bumpers off of buicks.And so on .

Well i am @ 48 hours and 16 are stiring with only one poking it's head up.

The hypocotyl, or stem of the germinating seed, elongates and pushes the cotyledon above ground. The cotyledon is the part of the seed that forms into the first leaves of the seedling.

You may notice when the seed first pokes through the soil that its shape resembles a ‘shepherd's crook’. The plant does this to protect the cotyledons as they push through the soil, which is a process called skotomorphogenesis. Upon exposure to the light, phytochromes within the leaves trigger the process of de-etiolation. At this point, the ‘shepherd's crook’ will straighten (photomorphogenesis) and the plant begins to produce chlorophyll.

Got Technicolor on you.The only thing is it takes much of the young ones energy to get it head ,Cotyledons up and opened.
Always check that not only the seed casing has doped but also a membrane just might be keeping the cotyledons from opening. This usually leads to death but easily remove with a spray bottle of water to loosen the membrane and a pair of tweezers in pulling it off.
With 1 above the soil i turned my 400 W MH on ,nice blue bulb 7200 K that encourages grow in this the start of the vegetative cycle.
Even as the seedling stage of growth continues I now start thinking of the coming vegetative stage.
Remenber the relay race passing the baton only one more lap before the pass ,make sure its a clean pass..
The next 48 hours will give me numbers!
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
So here @ 68 hours now 56 has showed signs of life with about 30-35% standing tall.Still have some time on the clock so should reach my 58 prediction.
I turned my 400 W MH on and this will make them reach.
I had to help 3 of them with membranes keeping them from opening,they all thank me!
Can already see roots coming out the bottom of the rooters.
This tells me that getting them into some 16 oz cups is the next step.
I cheat somewhat here and use fox farm light warrior with a pinch of fox farm jump start 3-4-3 on the very bottom of the cups.Old habits die hard.
I have like 3 year old mychorrizae fungi spores so thinking that not going to do much for they have a short shelf life.
I'll get some new stuff when i get them into their 6 inch vegging pots in the next 12-14 days.
I pre build my pots in getting the microbe life all settled in and cozy .
I think a condominium with room service so they get to eating and shitting right away! Lots of tricks with layers and zones.

This birthing stage is exciting in watching the germination process with their first breaking the soil to fully opening up.It does make me feel like a expectant father filled with concern.
These seeds still have a lot of vitality but will make some new ones just to renew my stock.
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
So got all 58 of the babies into 16 oz cups.
I do put but a pinch of jump start 3-4-3 on the very bottoms.
I also place the rooters where some stretching will be accounted for,I leave some room to back fill.
I also start a recirculating fan at this time to strengthen their puny stems.
All are showing great vitality and will be in these cups 10-14 days depending how soon i can find the energy to pre- build 24 6 in. vegetative pots.
The sooner the better for the light warrior seed starter soil has no amendments at all.
They want some food around the 10 day mark.
Except for a pinch on the bottom they have nothing except I will mist them occasionally with a very light "Thrive alive"a kelp mixture of 1-0-1 Little ones love this IMO.
So whats better then having 34 plants to cull going into veg.
A chance to get lucky but after creating and growing my Skunk A Rella for 5-7 years maybe even longer, I'll have to look it up in one of my journals,I can pick out the strong ones.
If only there was a way to sex a plant from seed early on.Bait!!!
This is the reason that i go with numbers.
Start off with 50 or more, narrow it down to 24 only because this is the maximum number of 6 in. pots i can fit into my space, out of 24 looking for 10 females.
Only a few times did i not find 10 ladies out of 24 plants.
Did I tell you that I was a disciple of the Rev's for many years learned many a good thing from the Rev.
Is he still the grow guru at Skunk? I hope he is well!
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

Dropped Cat

Six Gummi Bears and Some Scotch
Veteran
It's posts like yours that reinforce my dedication to the plant, and the community.


Been toking for forty years, growing for ten, crossing for five.


My wife of twenty two years can drink me under the table,
but she also loves the flowers I bring her, both kinds, lol
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
It's posts like yours that reinforce my dedication to the plant, and the community.


Been toking for forty years, growing for ten, crossing for five.


My wife of twenty two years can drink me under the table,
but she also loves the flowers I bring her, both kinds, lol


Thanks for dropping bye!
It's my way of giving back to the community.
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

yesum

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Hey Ratzilla, how does the current smoke you have compare to what you had starting out? I know overall it is more potent now, but do you miss some of the old lines? I noticed Michoacan and it is a favorite of mine now and early 70's. Might be different than the one you smoked.

Just vaped up some Thai. All oldies here except C99.
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
Hey Ratzilla, how does the current smoke you have compare to what you had starting out? I know overall it is more potent now, but do you miss some of the old lines? I noticed Michoacan and it is a favorite of mine now and early 70's. Might be different than the one you smoked.

Just vaped up some Thai. All oldies here except C99.

I don't think that i could wish for better smoke .
Well maybe more potency but don't we all want that.
I did try and find when i first crossed two of my favorite smokes.
I got rid of a bunch of stuff and my notes now only go back to 2012 .
I did see a grow of SAR mentioned in that 2012.
A red hair skunk that kinda reminded me of a long lost Mexican sativa.
I wondered about how it got it's name of red hair being Skunk#1 was way redder.
It was a great tasting ,great producer but it did lack a kick.
My other favorite was C-99 a light producer but a nice kick.
This is the reason many crosses have Cinderella in it,as well as being a early maturing strain ,where the Skunk red hair was a full 10 weeks.
By combining the two Skunk A Rella now gets done in 8-9 weeks and makes rock HARD nuggets when cured.
I try for big cola's, Donkey dicks is what i call them but they only get grounded up in a grinder for my favorite way to enjoy is to roll a fatty.
Over the years with a few back crosses most of the ladies flowers now get purple ,black at around the 7 week.
I like everyone looked for the holy grail and went from one strain to another never really getting to know any of them well.
Decided i would get to know my hybrid strain well, almost no more surprises and think of her as TOP shelf!!!
This run i renewing my seed stash with crosses that will be made from seeds made in 2014 and 2016.
I feel that this is one of the ways to just knowing!

Today i made up my 24 vegging pots.
Here's what i do.

My veg pots are 6 in sq.I take my reused many times base medium mix and add some jazz to the bottom of the pots with extra WC, Coir, Perlite and diatomachous earth so it's a nice draining bottom ,I hate soggy bottoms!, to this i add some calcium bentonite clay and zeolite to raise the CEC.
I only put this mix on the very bottom of the 6 inch sq.like a couple of inches now I put what i refer as buried treasures ,or zones if you like.
I put a TBL of agricolas best dead center bottom 4-5-4 and put a ts of jump start in two corners 4-5-3 and organicare grow 6-6-5 in the other 2 corners.I cover this up with another inch or two of base mix.
I feel that these buried treasures gives the roots choices, if they don't like it they can easily grow around these zones.
I learned this from the Rev.
Having sq pots make this easy.
Now i place what the babies are in now 16 oz cups on top and fill in with my base mix.So when it comes time for the transplant i only need to remove the cup from the center of the sq pot and drop babies in and back fill.
Easy ,easy!
By building your pots ahead of time this gives the beastie population time to settle in and acquaint themselves to what is available to them.
I then sprinkle some neem cake on top to keep the fungus gnats population down and water this in with some rain water that has molasses in it.
I can always add whatever with top dressing ,I like alfalfa with other things in veg and kelp and other amendments during bloom.
I also make tea's and water with them.
Without pictures i can only hope to paint one with words.
I hope that you all get the idea.
RatZilla :tiphat:
Babies are on day 1 of veg and they are already reaching.
Now i am bragging.
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
Thanks for sharing Ratzilla. Im along for the ride.

cool thread, nice posts ratzilla.

I try to be entertaining.
The more the merrier.
So no one has answered my question about the Rev, I worry about him being he's so prone to catastrophes.
He is a fast burning candle! and wonder how long he will keep his light.
If anyone has contact with him say I wish him well,please.
LOL
I love that guy in a manly way of course!
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
For all practical purposes it's day 2 of veg.
Something new has appeared that i can't remember seeing before,one plant is variegated both its cotyledons as well as it first real leaves.
Different i think?
With 58 babies ,on day 2 i can already see the leaders emerging from the pack,some showing more vitality (growth) right from emerging, bigger,stronger, it shows.
I love the first real leaves pointing skyward like a bird in flight with it's wings at the highest point, just before they start driving downward.
I mean you don't ever want your babies to be eating lead paint or breathing in asbestos, RIGHT?
You got any babies steroids .
LOL
What i am saying is every loss will never be gotten back starting right from the very beginning.
Think of the race, think of a perfect baton pass.
I know these babies will start cannibalizing their selves around day 10-14 in these cups that is filled with fox farm seed starter (light warrior) which has NO nutrients in it except for that pinch of jump start .
So with pots already built knowing i'll have about 8-10 days to go,it's feeling good.
Thinking about using a new product on the wife's car. I am a amateur detailer and probably know more then most so called detailer.
For instance I think that the days of Wax's and Sealants will soon be over once the public learns about ceramic coatings.
Cool nano particles for sure.
So long Mr.wax.Hello Ceramic nano particles that last up to 2-3 years with one application.
But i digress!
Making a tea for tomorrow.
Mostly a biological inoculation if you will.
Worm castings ,some cow manure, a little molasses for a food source for the microbes that are in things like this need to eat and not least,Thrive Alive green, 1 ts/4 gallon the last time i'll use the thrive alive this grow.I also use a surfactant , Yucca is my choice.
I believe in making my water wetter.
I do all this with collected rain water ,i have a 55 gallon barrel with a air pump set up in it,it very seldom runs out.
I leave it bubble for 30 hours or so.
Hopefully good things will follow.
Can you tell that i'am a stoner!!!
Ratzilla :tiphat:
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
First off I am a klutz ,I spill things, knock over shit that isn't even there.
I also can't find things that are right in front of my face.
I just a messy ,messy boy so my wife tells me.
Well I just got new carpets in my house.
I also grow in my house. True I have a back deck with much of my stuff that i use for my hobby.
I did put down some of those 2 x 4 plastic pads ,you know the kind office chairs are made to run over in hopes of keeping it as clean for as long as i can.
But I know time will eventually be the winner when it comes to my clumsiness, but i am trying hard.
Today I took up all cups ,back filling to take up some stretching that babies tend to do but before watering,I needed dirt to do that.So I had to bring dirt in.
Whew!
Then i watered all cups @ 4 days, I did not realize how many 58 cups are after bringing water in then having a bucket for the drainage from the cups to take out.
After a simple clean up it looks like my carpets survived the day.I also have a dog and a cat so between myself and them ,i know it's only a matter of time.
I am in the race!
It took me 2 hours.
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

Ratzilla

Member
Veteran
Making a tea for tomorrows inoculation it's more then a feeding.
Tomorrow is day 7 for them,have i have them on a 4 day watering cycle.
So thinking right around the next watering they will be big enough and hungry enough to love their new homes.
I think of their new 6 in sq. veg pots as condominium with room service.
Everything they will want to get big and strong.
I culled a bunch, will be down to 46 so 14 plants were scrutinize and deem unworthy.Lots more to go.
I also see about 6 plants looking more indica then sativa and will do my best to go in that direction (but ultimately it's up to them) especially in making new seeds.
I TRY and let my plants be the conductor and with my role as a facilitator.
To digress i spent 8 hours on wifey car yesterday and still not sure it's any glossier.
It's hard to move a pinnacle.
RatZilla :tiphat:
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Do you prefer the BLD (indy) dominant plants?


What are the differences between the NLD (sat) & BLD (indy) plants other than leaf shape?
 
Top