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negatives DWC adventure....Blue Dream.

insomniac_AU

Active member
Hi all. You know, its hard to express my frustration here in words. It seems as though life has it in for me the last couple years. Maybe I am paying for all the nice life I have had in the past, not rich but nice none the less. Found mites on all my stuff today. Been fighting them and thought I had it handled but no....there everywhere. Moms, clones, flowering stuff....hundreds... This is like the last thing I really needed in my life right now.
I got like zero budget for fixes, nearly out of meds and not really sure if I can even get this crop another 3 or 4 weeks to finish. I made a big move last year and took a chance of a lifetime on working on a farm and mining crypto. Got scammed out of all my wages and the dude stole the mining rig. That was a real big set back for me emotionally and financially. Then not a week later I had one of my dogs die unexpectedly. My dogs are my life and another devastation for me. Now here I am a year later. I am unemployed, depressed and crypto mining is banned where I live as well as outdoor growing....I mean wow legal state my asshole. The 2 things that motivated me ever in life was weed tech and crypto.

Alright I had my rant. I am not looking for sympathy I just needed a place to vent my fucking feelings before I go fucking off the wall.
Just spent the last 7 hours bleaching and cleaning what I can. Throwing out clones and some moms. I am going to try to save my GG4 mom. I mean I have never had better and I cannot bear to lose it. No idea how I would even try to replace it. I have NO contacts in the weed game even though I am in a legal state.
So I load a bowl of the 3 year old outdoor I have and ponder what the fuck...
negative.
Man that's rough. Don't get too down on yourself. Life can just be like that. As you have found you can also have long periods of good things happening.
I think anyone who has grown for more than a couple of years has been there. The last time I had the Borg was 2015. I'm not trying to advise you but if it was me I'd nuke them from orbit immediately. Get rid of everything (with the possible exception of the prize mother) and fumigate and clean the whole set up. It sucks I know but if the techniques you use to get rid of the mites don't work you're just prolonging the time it will be till next crop. You've already lost the crop you have to decide how much time you're prepared to lose in addition to the crop. Smile mate, things will improve.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Drop your temps and humidity, if possible. Mites slow waaaay down on breeding in cooler environments. Sorry to hear the bug issues, I'd finish it, though it can be a hassle.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Thank you for the advice guys. I could run 1 light at a time. That would be the only way I could reduce temps. I will try to complete. Really need to get my head right. I have been struggling since that stuff happened and it is really holding me back. It was literally the first time in my 50 plus years that I was excited to get up and go to work, actually thrilled. I felt I had found my calling if you will. I need to toughen up and try to move on. I am finding it nearly impossible to find a job other than trimming. My knowledge is so far advanced beyond that...it is a bit depressing.
peace, negative.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
The cannabis tax...


Takes money from every paycheck, because the jobs you qualify for test for cannabis.

Takes money from you every month for grow supplies or to purchase cannabis off the street.
 
That update makes me sad I'm hoping it all works out for you man. For the mites you can wipe them out in flower if you're willing to spray every branch top and bottom every 3-4 days.

Thankfully blue dream refuses to mold mine does at least I foliar to the end with no issues.

It sucks realizing the ridiculous amount of work dropped on your plate but it's pretty rare to lose a crop to mites if you're on top of it your plants look alright
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
End week 6 of flower.

End week 6 of flower.

Hi all. Still hanging in there at end of 6 weeks. Plants look alright nothing spectacular. I think the bugs are slowing down the growth some. The Blue Dream is not really filing in. Just separate buds on stems but they do look and smell nice. It will be what it will be. I realize this will not be my best grow but I will finish. I am trying to keep my 2 moms healthy and rid of the bugs. Doing treatments every 3 days. If they do get clean by the time I harvest I am tossing it all. I will clean up and start again from my own seeds. A real set back but I am sick of growing with bugs. It depresses me every time I look at them. It makes me feel like a failure and I do not deal with that well. I have had to go back to some of my earlier grows and look at the pictures to tell my self that I can do good.
Hurt my shoulder for the like 4th time this year again yesterday and my knee is acting up again. All swollen and can hardly walk....Hurdles being put up against my well being every day it seems. Trying to keep a positive attitude here. I appreciate those who have commented and followed along.
Here is a couple shots from end of week 6. Dropped the Big Bud and started with the Overdrive this week. I am looking for a 8 to 9 week finish.
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Close up.
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Here is to having a good attitude day.:)
peace, negative.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Nice and frosty. You'll want to start cutting back on the ppm, they're a bit dark green. Nice and healthy though. :D

Watch your transpiration rate, because when the plants switch to oil production the nutrient strength will be too much rather quickly. Once your transpiration slows, pull some nutrient solution out and replace it with plain water. pH adjust and continue.

The goal is to keep your transpiration rate almost the same, as the plants want less and less food. You want everything to be a faded, gold/tan/brown/purple color at harvest time. Personally, I prefer it when the sugar leaves are dead right up to the outside of my flowers. Delicious. :)
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Thanks for that. Will keep all that in mind as this week moves along. Last week I let the nutrients fall in PPM as it drank/ate. I started at 1350 ppm and by the change out it was down to 500. I have done a lot better job at keeping them fed this round. My other 3 plants are starting to yellow slightly. Have a great day!
peace, negative.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
I cringe every time I exceed 750ppm. You won't see dark cannabis at 650 to 750, but you will definitely need a full pH swing.

The more balanced the nutrient profile, the less you can feed your plants without deficiencies. To feed the absolute lowest possible feed (highest quality), you **must** have a full pH swing in the root zone or you will definitely get deficiencies. ;)
 

insomniac_AU

Active member
They're still looking good mate. I think you're going to finish these no problem. I thought you were completely infested. My eyes aren't great but the damage doesn't look bad.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
They're still looking good mate. I think you're going to finish these no problem. I thought you were completely infested. My eyes aren't great but the damage doesn't look bad.

Thanks for that. Most of the damage is on the lower branches, all clawed up and such. The upper stuff is looking ok, just did not fill in great. Good trichome production and some nice smells though. I will get them to the finish but not the best.

Thanks for the advice on the ppms Douglas.Curtis. I do have a bit of adds in there that increase the ppm. I will be lowering it over the week and will keep a good eye on it. Have my Flawless Finish ready to go for the last week.
Thanks all for suggestions and advice.
Chilling out today and healing up with some real sweet GG4 shatter.
picture.php

peace, negative
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
End of week 7 of flower.

End of week 7 of flower.

Hi guys....limping in to the finish...lol. Just a week or so to go. Been checking trichomes and they are getting milky with just a couple turning amber. Changed out water and now down to 300ppm. It tapered down over the last week from 1300 to 300. Lots of hairs turning red, few still popping out white here and there.
Looking forward to having this done. The bugs are a pain. I am very limited in getting around now. My knee is like gravel on gravel(meniscus). Need to take a break from moving around so much. I am getting a handle on the bugs on my moms though so that is good. Really hope to save that Blue Dream and GG4.
Here are a couple of pictures...they are not great but trying to get this done none the less.
Blue Dream at 7 weeks.
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Tried to get a shot of the GG4...it is all I could get, sorry. She is yellowing nicely.
picture.php

Started flushing my 3 soil plants. Using Advanced's Final Phase @ 2ml per liter. Hope to get in 3 good flushes before I pull them.
Going to be taking a break at the end of this grow. Got to get some life stuff figured out. My knee is going to probably need surgery and I have some other health stuff to fix. Fun fun. Staying positive here though. Going to do a seed run next time. I have quite a lot from back in 2005. Be cool to see whats in there. I remember some dank shit. It will be like getting in a time machine. Woot!:woohoo:
peace, negative.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Found an example of one of my plants about 2 weeks before harvest. Once the plant stops physically expanding every day it switches to oil production and nutrient needs fade quickly. I'm usually around 500ppm at two weeks left to harvest when using a 1K HPS.

About a week before harvest I dump the weak nutrient solution left on my lawn or garden, then fill the res with pure r/o. Over the next 5-7 days the ppm will go back up to around 300 as nutrient leaches from the plants.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Thanks for the photo example. I am a bit late in getting this Blue Dream down in the PPMs. This knee issue is completely limiting what I can do. I am literally pulling myself around on the floor to do work here....and I have a shoulder issue... I mean I am doing the best I can. Got the PPMs down to zero this week and have gotten in a second flush to the 3 soil plants. They are all starting to color up and fade out. May have to go to 9 weeks to be sure we are flushed properly.
I had started some lettuce about a month ago for some fun. They have required very little work thankfully. Going to probably munch on them in the next week or so. In a DWC setup under a couple of 2', T-5's.
These are at 31 days old from seed.
picture.php

Thanks all for the comments and support.
peace, negative.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Awesome lettuce there! :)
I hear you on the mobility issues, and I hope they clear up a bit soon. I was using a walker to get around about 8 years ago. Not being mobile is soooooo time consuming. :(


I'd harvest by trichome amber % regardless of what point I was in the flush. Better a little harsh and ripe, than smooth and so overripe you're unable to stay awake. :)
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Awesome lettuce there! :)
I hear you on the mobility issues, and I hope they clear up a bit soon. I was using a walker to get around about 8 years ago. Not being mobile is soooooo time consuming. :(


I'd harvest by trichome amber % regardless of what point I was in the flush. Better a little harsh and ripe, than smooth and so overripe you're unable to stay awake. :)

Thanks for that...it is nice to have your own grown items to eat. I just started some strawberries as well. Trying to do a lot more of this. I am sure it is way more healthy for me.
The trichomes are about 80% milky, 10% amber and 10% clear. Getting right there real soon.
Peace, negative.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
I'd chop some of that 10% and label it. You may like it better than the later chopped stuff. :) I try to chop every new strain at 5%, 10% and 15% amber. :) Indoor anyway. I hear outdoor goes more amber before being fully ripe, just no experience in that department. lol


I'm sure you're going to enjoy it, either way. :D
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
End of week 8 of flower.

End of week 8 of flower.

Hi all. Gotten to week 9 now...wow. Getting close to done now, just letting them flush a bit more. I will start harvest this week. This is probably my worst grow ever. The combination of the bugs and my injuries have taken there toll. Going to be a pretty low yield and some is not the best quality. Not what I was really hoping for. Needed to get some good quality and quantity. I am going to clean up and I am going to grow from seed next time. Staying positive...kinda. It has really been a unbelievable year for me in a bad way. It is OK, better times are ahead I hope.
Here are a couple final grow shots. End week 8. Blue Dream.
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This is the GG4.
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My lettuce is raging along nicely. Ate some this weekend and it is very good. Going to harvest it this week. Only 34 days from seed and I have pretty good sized heads. 2 kinds...Baby Caesar and Igloo.
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Thanks everyone for watching along. I have learned a lot and appreciate the comments and suggestions.:tiphat:
Have a positive day. peace, negative.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Got to the end!! 9 weeks and harvest.

Got to the end!! 9 weeks and harvest.

Hi all. Made it to the finish with 9 weeks of flowering. Been trimming and curing over the last week or so. Real happy to be done with this one. Looking forward to cleaning up and starting over right. My 2 moms look great and no signs of bugs for a couple weeks now... Real happy about that as well because that GG4 is just awesome.
I have been sampling some early cured buds and the GG4 is real sweet. The Blue Dream hydro is pretty good...just very different than the GG4. More of a day smoke that keeps you up not down. The GG4 is pretty heavy. I had a crap yield from the soil plants, just way to crowded. I was pleased with the hydro yield.
Some interesting colors.
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So I had to get ready for trimming. Picked up a nice cookies cross concentrate and filled up a syringe of distillate with "Agent Orange" and got to work.
picture.php

Blue Dream hydro...9 weeks. Rough trim. These pictures really do not do the buds justice. They are really frosty. My back is acting up and these are the best I can get. Very fruity smell. Nice taste.
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GG4 soiless medium, 9 weeks. Rough trim. Nose turning dank reek....yeah baby.
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Not convinced with the use of all the adds I tried this run. I have more so hopefully a good run without bugs will be more informative on that. I used a few new Advanced adds that I had not tried before.
Thanks for all the advice and help from everyone. Last post for this diary.
Have a great and positive day.
peace, negative.
 

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