Why do you grow organically?

[Drewsif]

Grow organic so weed taste like Cannabis produce and not like Monsanto chemicals.

Didn't know I was growing organic by modern standards. Until i smoked hydro for the first time, i found what side of the fence i was on growing in leafy dirt with zero bottles.

So far nothing can compare to the flavor I took for granted so long. I find only 'organic' growers understand the plants well enough to produce what Im personally seeking from Cannabis. Not a picture to post on Instagram..

 

[Mr Jay]

Autos? Is the quality really there? For me I have zero interest in growing mediocre weed.

Why would autos not be potent? That's a myth leftover from the lowryder days. Autos are just as potent as photoperiod plants when they're well bred, that's a tested fact.

I grow crazy good autos, some people prefer it.

 

[Pwyll]

What about ruderalis?

 

[Mr Jay]

What about it? It got used for it's strong autoflowering trait and has since be bred until that is the only trait left.

Some companies are absolutely killing it in the auto world. I highly suggest you check out Mephisto Genetics. Those guys started humble on here and worked their way up to the dream. They breed some amazing auto plants.

Even some of the oldschool autos are amazing. This MI5 plant growing in tlo soil absolutely knocked it out of the park potency and flavor wise.

Obviously there are still lots of duds out there, but it's the same for regular cannabis. You have to seek out people and companies on their good and consistent reputation.

 

[Pwyll]

that is good news indeed. How long before autoflowers start winning awards in the open categories at all the cannabis cups?

 

[Mr Jay]

Already happening.

 

[Pwyll]

That is amazing. I had no idea. Where

 

[Mr Jay]

There's a very useful site that was made to answer questions like yours, I'll link you.

www.google.com

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Grow organic so weed taste like Cannabis produce and not like Monsanto chemicals.

Didn't know I was growing organic by modern standards. Until i smoked hydro for the first time, i found what side of the fence i was on growing in leafy dirt with zero bottles.

I prefer organic for my vegetables. Cannabis is NOT a vegetable, so I truly prefer hydro.

It's funny you mention flavor and aromas... Cleanly grown, properly done hydro is amazingly flavorful and aromatic. I'm talking, lick your lips 45 minutes later and go YUM! type potency of terpenes. I've had plenty of cannabis grown by people who don't understand the plant, it's crappy regardless of what style they used.

So far nothing can compare to the flavor I took for granted so long. I find only 'organic' growers understand the plants well enough to produce what Im personally seeking from Cannabis. Not a picture to post on Instagram..

See, again this is why I prefer hydro. I know exactly what I'm giving my plants and exactly how much they still have available to them. I've grown out genetics from other organic growers and they don't even recognize it when I'm done. The flavors and aromas are so much more intense it's a bad joke on their results with the same cut.

Are there organic growers out there who grow as well as I grow hydro? I'm betting there are. Have I come across any of them in the last 10 years, through 3 medical states and more than a thousand different sources of cannabis?

No. Definitely not. And If I haven't, it's likely you haven't either.

If the hydro you're getting is lacking, the grower needs to seriously up their skills. Properly done hydro stands out of the crowd, the same as properly done organic should. You'd swear my flowers were the best organic you've ever had, I've heard it many times before.

I can tell you honestly, I'm really looking forward to this changing, and the sooner the better.

 

[DocTim420]

LOL...Doug, it ain't the style/method that makes the difference; it is the gardener.

Proof: BOTH "hydro" and "non-hydro" flowers win cannabis cup awards, right?

Each style/method has advantages and disadvantages. But--let's take your approach for one second (style/method is what makes the difference)--

then in the world of "food"...all chefs would be using the same identical equipment,
then in the world of "music"...all musicians would be playing the same identical instruments,
then in the world of "cycling"...all cyclists would be riding the same identical bicycles,

Problem is...many enthusiasts have acquired the same identical equipment as the "pros"...but failed in duplicating or achieving "professional" results. How can this be?

The pathways from hydro stores are littered with know-nothings dropping big bucks on "professional" grow systems and then failing to produce a marketable product (much yet a cup winner). Hmmm...was it "equipment failure" or "operator error"?

An excellent gardener will usually achieve excellent results--regardless of style/method used. A novice gardener will always lack the experience (period).

 

[Pwyll]

There's a very useful site that was made to answer questions like yours, I'll link you.

www.google.com[/QUOTE

Yeah yeah. I checked on Breitbart. Comey is a liar and auto flowers win all the awards.

 

[Pwyll]

Proof: BOTH "hydro" and "non-hydro" flowers win cannabis cup awards, right?

There are thousand of cannabis cups. I've attended Amsterdam twice. As far as I could determine all winners were grown in soil from seed. Not many clones or organic grows. And of course, no surprise here, No auto flowers except in auto flower only classes.

 

[DocTim420]

There are thousand of cannabis cups. I've attended Amsterdam twice. As far as I could determine all winners were grown in soil from seed. Not many clones or organic grows. And of course, no surprise here, No auto flowers except in auto flower only classes.

Unfortunately the winners of various "cannabis cups" in the States appear to be mixed (hydro, soil-less, soil....clone vs seed)--probably a reflection of the different growing styles of "old world" vs "new world".

 

[Pwyll]

Unfortunately the winners of various "cannabis cups" in the States appear to be mixed (hydro, soil-less, soil....clone vs seed)--probably a reflection of the different growing styles of "old world" vs "new world".

Or a reflection of the fact that giving anyone 50 different pot products and 3 hours to judge them is Gaga. In Amsterdam the judges have weeks to test the product.

Interesting variety of winners you list. Everything but autoflowers.

 

[Easy7]

I think about ph a bit with organics. Cannot go wild with elemental sulfur or ph will drop. Don't want to use agri lime or ph will go wild and crazy upward.

There is a safe zone with organics and chems. Chems are so pure and potent that they can actually burn your flesh. Had some ph up or down spill and it wounded me.

I like crops I can walk away from for a week and be ok. Hydro needs at least twice a day interaction. Indoor soil truly requires once a day peak to sleep soundly.

Outdoor crops can go sometimes all season if prepped decent enough. Sure, the more ya work 'em to an extent of not over killing, the better it gets.

People like me see growing or taking care of plants and animals simply helping nature. Working with nature is easier than an entirely synthetic environment.

Outdoor organics can yield far more incredibly cheaper than entirely all too expensive and severely demanding indoor hydro. Youmdo 't require a billion different control gizmos that cost big money to do outdoor organic soil. The light outside is powerful and free, the weather regulates itself and the seasons don't usually fail. Even the water is most of the time free. The worms, the microbes, the glacier minerals are all entirely free with purchase of property and taxes.

 

[DocTim420]

Pwyll, if there is a list of winners detailing "seed" vs "clone" and separates "hydro" vs "non-hydro", and "indoor" vs "outdoor", that would be ideal.

But since there is a vast array of growers/gardeners--each having their own way of doing things, then it is logical to conclude their cannabis entries would be just as diverse (not skewed to one style over another).

Autoflowers...my opinion on that topic is simple: Great for those that prefer to let the "plant be in the driver's seat". The number of days a particular cultivar vegs in my garden is dependent on it's stretch characteristics--the bigger the stretch...less days in veg is required. I demand each plant to contribute 1/4 lb of marketable buds--and from experience, only plants with a certain girth and canopy coverage are capable of doing so. Hard to do that when the plant is driving the bus.

 

[Pwyll]

Also regular vs feminized would be useful. There is no list afaik. But the info was available. Btw it was the high times cannabis cup - many USA judges and entrants. Back then it was The Cannibis Cup. Like The Oscars.

 

[DocTim420]

I think the last feminized seed I bought was like 10 years or so ago. It was a Chocolope and she served me very very very well. I had a discussion with a knowledgeable old timer grower (his fingernails were permanently stained due to the years of soil work) and suggested to steer clear from feminized seeds--since they were "consumer driven" (personal satisfaction) and not "horticultural driven" (improving plant quality).

Consumers don't like the idea of growing a plant, to only discover their growing efforts were fruitless when the plant shows male parts and are instructed to "toss it out"...hence the market for "feminized seeds".

Regarding bud quality from plants sourced from "feminized" and "regular" seeds--my mind says "regular" should generally be better...but I offer no evidence or collaboration.

 

[Jhhnn]

It's remarkable the prejudice some growers show towards autoflowers. Having never grown or even smoked autoflowers they profess to have a valid opinion based on some sort of magical intuition.

Autoflowers are just different, just as organic soil & hydro in all its permutations are different.

When I came back to cannabis in 2013 after many years of being away I was already a reasonably successful outdoor gardener using organic methods, principally compost & trace element enhancement. I just carried what little I knew indoors & built on that. Eighths-n-Aces really helped with understanding how indoor soils are different. Not that I'm some sort of A#1 grower but I get solid results w/o constant attention & fussing. Once a batch is in their flowering pots & the blumats dialed in I barely have to pay attention unless I want to do so. No hand watering, no scheduling, no measuring, no mixing other than occasional teas & gnatrol. Floppity strains are a PITA because they require attention. I'm free to mostly do what I want in retirement while having plenty of high quality smoke. Overall, it's easily as good as anything I can buy at a fraction of the cost. The vast majority of work is upfront in creating the environment & successive batches of soil. I don't keep mothers or take in clones, the latter carrying risks I can easily avoid just growing from seed. I shut down entirely for 3 months last summer to keep the heat out of the house.

I'm just an old Hippie living the dream, a lucky psychonaut & survivor from the 60's.

 

[Pwyll]

I agree - feminization is another (potential) road-block on the path to the best possible product. I never heard of a ferminized seed being better than a regular female. More like Formula 1 than stock car racing. In the sense that the way largest market is for feminized, but (i suspect) most of the awards are for regular. Or do they have special feminized categories?