Only the Strong Survive

Claude Hopper · Jun 18, 2017

I was off to a great start. I had an absolutely killer line up sprouted of Ace Seeds Malawi reg and fem, malawi x panama fem, violeta reg, Panama fem, panama haze fem, Tikal reg, Zamaldelica fem, Kali China fem, haze x kali china fem. I also had 1 of Soma's Amnesia Haze, a Sagarmatha Western Winds. As a special treat I had been gifted a 15 year old pack of and Paradise Seed's Sensi Stars and three of the 5 had germinated.

Then a vicious little ripper struck and this happened:

I then was faced with only about half the plants I'd been planning to run at 12-12 and less from the start. With fewer plants I kept them in veg for 1 month. Look at that Panama Haze in the back right corner. She's to my belt !

The tiny plant is the old Sensi Star - so very slow in growing, yet looks healthy. I also have one regular Malawi, the smallest of the Ace plants and a MalawixPanama - nearly as vigorous as the Panama Haze. My Kali China made it through the massacre and she's growing well along her cousin, a Western Wind. These are in the front, ww front right, KC the 2nd from right

Tomorrow is moving day, out of the 60 cm x 120 cm veg tent and into the open room where they will have 400 watt MH and a 600 watt HPS. If they really get out of control I will take up some of Terpene's great tactics with additional LED lights.

I've been drooling at everyone's great pics too long. Time to get cracking so I can finally try some of Tangwena's cobbing.

gorilla ganja · Jun 18, 2017

Ouch. Off to a rough start. Mice?? Little buggers

Best of luck with the rest and may all your Buds be Huge

Peace GG

k-s-p · Jun 18, 2017

Had a mouse a few grows back. Kind of felt bad about trapping the guy but as you say, only the strong survive.

Good to see you are still posting Claude.

Lester Beans · Jun 18, 2017

I have been there more than once with mice. Had no idea I had any mice until they decimated seedlings or dug and ate seeds on me. It is so very frustrating.

The survivors look great though!

Best vibes for a great grow!

Claude Hopper · Jun 18, 2017

It was just one mouse. I set spring traps and sticky traps and never caught him I'm hoping the cat got him but since I don't trust him either, I'm leaving the traps set.

Good to see you are still posting Claude.

Thanks! I'm here often but I only grow in spurts since I only grow for me and the mrs.

k-s-p · Jun 18, 2017

Peanut butter and cotton works a charm on the trigger :tiphat:

farmerlion · Jun 18, 2017

Claude Hopper, Sorry to hear about your little ones. I've never had a mouse problem but our cat did dig up several many years ago. We had a talk while he was air born. He took the hint and never went into my grow room again. Maybe he thought he was in litter box heaven. Losing the genetics sucks. But you can't get back the time you had invested and harvest dates are off schedule. Peace

Old Toker · Jun 19, 2017

Sad to hear about the loss of your girls Claude. However.....sounds as though you still have some fine genetics to work with. I can tell you from first hand experience that PH will grow tall. Good luck with the grow....subbed and excited. :tiphat:

Claude Hopper · Jun 19, 2017

I can tell you from first hand experience that PH will grow tall.

She's my wild child.

No worries about a loss of genetics. I have more seeds of everything but zamaldelica. I was a bit sad to see that the Regular Malawi and Sensi Stars were mostly lost. I'm pretty sure the remaining Malawi and Sensi Star are female. I was dreaming about the sledgehammer cross that could have been.

Claude Hopper · Jun 21, 2017

It felt good having some room to spread my plants out. They've got a good 2x3 meter space walled off with more available if needed. Now its time to start some LST but first one last look at them untouched:

Had to turn the carbon filter on last night after the mrs came home complaining of smelling a skunk. Funny, smelled like heaven to me. I rub a different plant stem each visit. The big surprise to me is that my sweetest smelling plant so far is a Malawi

I'm really happy with the soil mix of HP CC coir based mix blended with an equal part of Ocean Forest. There was a bit of leaf curl at first and some signs of a cal/mag lockout or deficiency. I added some more limestone and some cal mag and they seem to be doing well now.

Growing under the 600 watt Ushio. I'll move in the 400 watt MH later today.

orfeas · Jun 21, 2017

weird thing that smell bit...odours people smell...some smell this some smell that...as for me I can smell alright and I've got solid proof from being able to smell other scents like oreganon or tomato leaves and many more a common nose can sense...
However, when rubbing the stems of my plants I seem to get almost the same smell that of pine resin...pungent, agreable to the nose though...
I still wonder if my smelling is normal.. :biggrin:

Neat cave!

:tiphat:

Orfeas

Claude Hopper · Jun 22, 2017

Orfeas,

I love my little cave with its rough-split stone walls plastered over in white and its still visible axe scarring on the old timbered roof.

I'm lucky to be growing today. I know this after hearing Samuel Caldwells story about waiting for a house, and from seeing the great grower, Mayan, not able to have a garden now. For myself not long ago I wondered if I'd ever have the chance again. My wife had just gotten a new job - a good thing as we had been falling desperately behind. A week into the new job our car went down. I sold pretty much anything that wasn't tacked down to get our other car running.

We breathed a sigh of relief.

It wasn't a week before she called out with chest pains. We rushed 2 blocks to the hospital and after a few hours in the ER she was admitted for further testing. The next morning they told us it wasn't a heart attack or an embolism, but a spot was found on her lung.

At this time we were nearly broke but still had health insurance. To save for the trip to the cancer treatment center we scrimped on everything. That meant a lot of starchy -yet often tasty- dishes like sausage gravy and biscuits. Our budget was tight and there was no room for running lights and fans and all the other expenses of growing.

At the treatment center we went through two days of exams and meetings and then they took a biopsy from her lung. That didn't go well. Her lung collapsed and they had difficulty re-inflating. She was in intensive care for 3 days but we didn't mind, the growth was benign...and we were so thankful.

Every day since has been better. We have hope again and I can grow again

orfeas · Jun 22, 2017

Oh boy, I shiver even just at hearing people talking about neoplasms ... benign aye! That's the most relieving part of it...still you gotta be on your toes...

Enjoy your growing, my friend, but keep an eye on them bloody mice...last year I had a few seedlings nibbled away when I finally decided to treat the culprit with some nice glue and forgot me worries... :biggrin:

Orfeas

Old Toker · Jun 22, 2017

Claude Hopper said:
..the growth was benign...and we were so thankful.

Every day since has been better. We have hope again and I can grow again

Congrats CH to you and your wife. Tough times like you described help you appreciate the basics like good health and food. Good luck with the grow! :tiphat:

Samuel Caldwell · Jun 22, 2017

I'm glad to hear that your wife (and you) are doing better!

It's been a rough past couple of years here, too. Just gotta keep working at it, keep the attitude positive and hope for the best. Digging in the dirt always helps me. Best of luck to you!

farmerlion · Jun 22, 2017

Claude Hopper, I'm very happy for both of you. biscuits and gravy is one of my favorite meals. I try to find pleasure in the simple things in life. There are many more simple pleasures than big exciting moments in life. It keeps me balanced through the ups and downs. Peace

Claude Hopper · Jun 29, 2017

I'm surprised to discover that my lone Malawi just happens to have the prettiest floral notes. Its just started flowering so the scent will likely change. But right now it is a delightfully subtle fragrance.

Meanwhile, Malawi x Panama is in back right with the bright red petiole.

Front right is Kali Mist (sagarmatha's) the middle is Ace's Kali China (My favorite smoke) and on the left is my nicely behaved standard Malawi

Old Toker · Jun 29, 2017

Grow looks very healthy CH. I'm really looking forward to watching your girls develop...particularly the Malawi/Panama. Hope your wife is feeling better. :tiphat:

Claude Hopper · Jun 29, 2017

The mrs is doing great! Thanks.

particularly the Malawi/Panama.

This is one I have particularly high hopes for. She's nearly as vigorous as the Panama Haze but is kicking into flower much quicker than the PH. I've had plants with a bit of purpling on the petioles before but never so intense a red or crimson color.

My soil mix of equal parts Promix HPCC (Peat & Coir) and Ocean Forest was a bit hot to start. The plants are loving it now and are taking off with fantastic vigor.

Texicwaste666 · Jun 30, 2017

Claude Hopper said:
It was just one mouse. I set spring traps and sticky traps and never caught him I'm hoping the cat got him but since I don't trust him either, I'm leaving the traps set.

Thanks! I'm here often but I only grow in spurts since I only grow for me and the mrs.

I once had a mouse prob, and the last one was the female.I got her with peanut butter in a trap. I like mice, but I don't like MICE in my house. Plants looking nice.

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