Jimmy Nugs - New UK member

[JimmyNugs]

Hey all here at MOP,
Am a Brit living in South Devon and have been growing for a 3 months.

Have a 4*4 and a 2*4 space.
Current grow consists of:
3 Amnesia Haze (@ 2% amber)
1 AK47 about 3 weeks from harvest
These are in soil

6 unknowns (4 on 12/12 - 2 on 18/6) from old bag o seeds I kept from a few years ago. 1 in coco, 6 in soil

2 Godberry - 1@ 1week, 1 at 4 weeks
1 Big Bud xxl - @ 4 weeks
1 kripple shock - @ 4 weeks
All in coco.

Have 3 x 300w blurples; 2 for tent & 1 for 2 x 3 and 2 x 50w T8 for seeds.

Trying to pull off a perpetual so I get a harvest every 2/3 weeks but this is only established recently.
Have a few new strains coming in shortly:
Hulkberry
Royal cookies auto
White widow auto
to add to the three NL autos that I'm gonna drop within the next fortnight.

Have managed the whole set up on a budget of mist and cornflake sunshine and a whole lot of head down ass up time in the books and forums as a lurker.

Have struggled with a number of issues: UK heatwave, insects, split stems, police etc, but despite a couple of fatalities, (3 girls have gone, but not forgotten ) have managed to get everything under control and am happy where i'm at right now.

Always happy to help if possible, am more than grateful for constructive advice.

I got into this because medication.

By this I mean I hated having no control over whether I was going to be offered **** or helpful weed and at what price and only if dealer xould be added. Since I use it as medication, the situation of being at dealers mercy wasn't good for me.
So decided a couple of months ago to take back control I was giving to someone who didnt care about my meds and start my own.

As of today, I'm in the final week (or so) for my 3 Amnesias so will be harvesting shortly and since I knew buggerall before hand i settled on expecting about 3 oz per plant - which I'm on target to do.

However, with my research and problems, i'm looking to get at least one water based system on the go within the next 4 weeks or so (depending on budget) which I'm looking to DIY it.

Think thats plenty for now but by all means ask away if you have questions or suggestions/help.

Be seeing you.
Be happy.
JN

 

[novitius]

Hey there Jimmy Nugs! Welcome to MP! There's plenty of experienced growers here who enjoy helping people. It sounds as though you have a good setup. DIY hydro is fairly inexpensive. My personal favorite is DWC. You just need your test equipment,a bucket, an air pump, air line and a bubble stone. PH up n Down and nutes and cal mag. You have to keep the PH in balance and monitor the PH drift. It's a bit more work than soil but you generally get a larger harvest. What type of water farming are you interested in?

 

[JimmyNugs]

Hey there Novitius, thanks dor the welcome.
Set up is getting there but not close to what i want. Guess that will come with patience, just like the harvest!
Did a little window shopping yesterday at pumps, buckets etc etc and though i can buy the same product for about £40, (which is still a budget buster for me) but reckon i'll do it myself so i can put some redundancy into it in case I decide to expand.
At the moment, I like rdwc but probably gonna go with a bubbler pot initially, once I get my head around the basics, I can see if that will give me the results I want or if I need to step up to another method: just gotta get past the fear of water everywhere...

 

[2RedEyes]

Welcome jimmy, there are several water farmers here...I do sort of water farming in coco chips when I’m growing indoors...
Wishing all the best on your grow!!!

 

[novitius]

It'll come together! Mine did piece by piece as needed. I've been looking into rdwc myself the last few days, trying to decide wether I want to jump into hydro again or stick with the soil. It's the maintenance of the sysytem that I am hinged on along with the cost of nutes.
Hydro is a fun way to grow. You'll quickly learn to identify ph signs. There are options for dealing with water. One is a drill pump, cheap and effective. Just keep your electrical plugs up high in the air and not on the ground. I used a kiddie pool once to guard against spills or leaks.

 

[Locked]

Welcome to MP.

 

[burnin1]

 

[hollowpoint]

Hi JimmyNugs...Welcome to MP

 

[JimmyNugs]

Thanks & hello all.
I like the hands on of soil, but like the feeding schedule of coco (cause i did what all growers do and over water the soil) since I've not had any results yet with coco, I cant compare to soil but with my first crop up for harvest, (with a happy expectation of about 12 oz from first grow) I'll have a benchmark by which to measure future grows by, whatever the method.

keep the PH in balance

Yeah, realizing after a few 'episode's just how important this really is.
I would say about 75% of new problem posts are PH based (guess, but heavy weighting in favour!)

coco chips

That's a curious thing, chips is not something I have xome accross, is there any specific reason chips ?!

It'll come together!

For sure.
Already have some plan formulating as to building some 'bays' maybe a couple for veg & auto with lights on their own schedules.
So if i adopt one of the water methods, I may have to build in a space for reservoir...
Time will tell.

 

[2RedEyes]

That's a curious thing, chips is not something I have xome accross, is there any specific reason chips ?!

I like’m because they drain well and you get lots of air around the roots...I only use it indoor in my grow cabinet where I have it set up as automatic feed three times per day...

 

[Rosebud]

Welcome JimmyNugs!

 

[CannabisKidPot420]

Hi Jimmy Nugs...
Welcome to MP

 

[JimmyNugs]

Folks. Thank you so much for the warm welcome: unfortunately family tragedy strikes when it feels like it.
Add to that a couple of visits by the boys in blue. Kinda kept me occupied.

**** behind me now and growing is back on my agenda.

Btw amnesia and the ak47 was magic. Also in amongst some unknown strains I found i had three purple diesels that were just excellent.

Ok so Bigbud xxl, Godberry, a bonsai purple deisel and a kripple shock all now in their final 3 weeks.
Will up pics a little later.

Thenks for the patience

 

[novitius]

Hey Jimmy, sorry to hear about the bad fortune. Good to hear all is getting better! Sounds like some good strains there.

 

[stepheneking]

Welcome! Good Luck!

 

[JimmyNugs]

**** comes round now and again, and we all gotta take a turn or two, i just hope I got a break due.

Ok so for those who read my original post, I'll post a little update to original grow specs: catch you up with a few developments etc....

Grow hasn't changed in size but has relocated the 2x4 is now a tent instead of a space, also its a little cooler than I'd like. But that aside, the environment is working and am starting to dial it in tighter and tighter.

The 3 Amnesias (being a 12 week flower) were culled within a few days of eachother and ran 4 ounces n change from each.
With the ak47 a further 3 (I had pulled roots when lst'g and fuked half the plant half way through veg)

My aim as a first timer was 10 zips total, I was v happy with 15 and from only 2 x 100w led's (2 from 3 - using 3rd in veg space)
My math is crap but that worked out at enough over (50% ish?!) the 'Gram per watt' to ignore that rule now
With the transition in location i've changed to mostly coco (70/30 pearlite) for girls now it's just a different way - It suits my more hands on approach to feeding but not giving up on soil just yet.

Ok grow two...
After the Amnesias n Ak, I had a load of unknown seeds which once they had come full flower turned out to be purple deisel and were very nice, but complications of the time caused them to be runty as ****. Mostly spindly and stemmy but what smoke did come off was good. I did take a couple clones and am running again with a little more tlc: the bonsai was the test to make sure it was just circumstances first time (not the plants genetics) and as a consequence of 1gal doing well i have the 2nd in a 25l airpot.

Which leads to the babies in my original post: all less than a month.

Godberry in a 12l airpot chosen purely for its taste but has half decent yeilds and the levels are good too.

Big Bud XXL in a 12l airpot originally selected for yeild.

Krippleshock also in a 12l airpot got this one for the chocolate flavour.

These 3 have been through the wars.
Original plan was to mainline and get an increase on the yeild though smarter training. Well the move followed by an accident or two for Godberry and krippleshock meant I lost half the stems (+mould took half remaining tops) and then they got trx shocked.
BigBud held out against the mold but also shocked. Thankfully an equalizing of the environment and a few doses of positive nutes meant they pulled it off and are now at about 3-4 ounce mark each so though initially I thought I was gonna lose them in pursuit of bigger yeild via HST, I managed to pull them back to a more than respectable yeild expectation given pot size and issues.

As mentioned from the purple deisel I had from grow two, I took a couple clones early in veg (my thinking was 'what if they are **** hot'?) Thankfully from the two, I did a check in a 1 gallon pot to verify it wasn't as **** as the mother ended up but environment that screwed them.
Well the 1 gallon is now in its last week or so and is a perfect miniature, so left clone two to mature better and have that one currently flipping yesterday. Have managed a good staked structure (mainline style) giving me about 16 tops on it in its 25l airport

I also have the clone from my best producing Amnesia - Princess Albert (who has also donated a clone) which has flipped 10 days ago. 10 weeks + to go, but still have some of the original left and it is smoking wonderfully.

So for bloom tent (1.2m sq) I have increased leds now equalling 3 lights for a total of 350w (actual) all full spec pinkish lights (blurples) And will increase to 400w shortly.
Flowering:
1 GB 3 wks left
1BBxxl 3 wks left
1KS 2 wks left
1Am 10 wks left
1PD 8 wks left

Ok, onto veg area... ahem.

Actually a 30x90 tentI have it open and have an extention on the rail so i have a 100w at the door and another about 8 inches fuether away simply to get all my vegging plants covered.

3 big bud clones couple weeks old and just coming back on line.
2 kripple shock clones, same age and condition
1 Godberry that is in a 20l pot about 2 weeks ago and is shooting up.

I also got a bunch of seeds from RQS (truly bad idea!) From over 15 seeds, have had no luck with them tbh. 4 from 15 survivors is awful and 2 of them (NL auto are ****). Long story short, they tried to help, badly, but i am not going back to them as quality was terrible.

So i have a hulkberry that is lagging quite badly.
A royal cookie which, a light landed on and took all but one stem at 5 weeks, I was gutted and almost threw it but is got a dozen tops now so will get some smoke from it.
And two NO autos one is .... Meh, the second is creepiest plant I've ever seen.
The fatalities:
White widow,
Hulkberry,
6 NL autos
& a second Royal c
Cookie - all never produced a tap root (reason why no more RQS)

Top PD in 1 gal pot showing its true genetics and under it is the krippleshock contrasting colours are so damn vibrant the pics are not doing justice

Big budxxl in this one - lot of space between internodes... Hmm, don't think I got the best from this one this time round.

Godberry (and my personal fav strain ever!)

And here is Purple Diesel clone nbr 2 looking like it's gonna do well for me compared to its Maw'. About 16 even tops

So anyone here that's you mostly caught up.
Will see if a journal is the best place for this to be added to and of course i welcome any and all feedback etc.

Cheers for swinging by.

 

[JimmyNugs]

Little update and a few pics

This is week 6 of flower and it's final week of my use of 'solid'. A cheap boost from eBay, I'm using for the BBXXL (3 treatments: once a week starting week 4, then flush - week 7 onwards )
I'm using Biobiz range (fish, grow, bloom, Top max and Heaven) and ONLY issue I have seen is slightly less dense when cured than I'd like (at least, it was on last grow).
Instead of a PK booster, I've opted for a tea which I make from molasses (I know - in coco its almost useless, key being 'almost'), kelp and epsom salts.
Using recommend dosages (from a wide selection of net advice) for each and give a 5 ml shot per litre.
Hoping combined treatment will supplement enough P & K to finish the flowers a little as Top max isn't like conventional flower finishers.

Purple Deisel (25l clone) has taken well to being flipped, has grown about 6 inches since flip (less than a week) and flowers sites already generating.

Amnesia in week 2-3 is doing really well, btw its in a mix of peat/coco/pearlite - so watering only every other day. With about 4 inches each for last couple weeks.

NOTE: I saw a video this week of a 1m sq tent with a single plant about a ft off the ceiling (6 inches from light) and although i see why, i dont want it.
I can get 4oz off a plant thats a quarter the size and a lot less hassle so am happy with my methods - bigger pots i have for PD and next runs (clones of BBXXL, Krippleshock n Godberry) may increase yield but as long as i hit 4 zips, I'll be happy!
I might change my mind tomorrow but for today, I'm happy with the girls.

BBXXL - Not as good a plant as i expected. Not bad though and has gone through hell to make it to maturity. But will modify its training in future clone grows.

Godberry side view of standard cola (about 10 inches tip to where the flower stops (I took a sucker branch for sample this morning and it's so close to ready.... smells soooo good.

Krippleshock looking and smelling lovely and sickly sweet.

Here you can see the KS bottom right, PurpD bonsai in middle with the Amnesia top right, PD creeping in top left.

Have flushed though today with my tea and will feed a 50% dose of bloom regime before lights out.

Tent pic

All happy as can be.

 

[JimmyNugs]

Small update here.
Ever so close to harvest now, most of fan leaves have been canibalised and the trics are all white, will pyll back on nutes a lottle now as they wont be getting used. Not a 'flusher' but will continue feeding lower doses of bloom nutes (and my home made pk boost) with a little more water until they finish. As all that went into these girls was natural and organic, I'm less concerned with salt/fert build ups but still want a clean product for storing.

The 25l Purple Diesel has grown about 6 inches and is showing about 24 manifolded colas (this was a grabbed opportunity) so since im 2nd week of flower i tool 3 sucker flowers and will use to clone: and when these 3 grow up, I will have them veg a week or two more than these in flower at moment (PD clone nbr1 was clone and test of genetics vs environment - PD 2 was a grateful chance to get a larger version of pd1 and in a form more likely to produce a decent yeild: assuming all things being equal, hoping for 6-8 zips though as with all my plants, will be happy with 4.
And to that end I built myself a little cloning box.
From a shoebox sized black box, a few 3 inch netpots, some Rockwell sheets, a fogger unit and some cola bottle bottoms individual domes.

A few minutes with a sharp knife and I have 6 sunken netpots under my twin t8 led rods, populated with:

NLAuto seed (avoid, these are crap!)
Kripple shock seed
Godberry clone
3 Purple Deisel clones
I'm theory, Fogger fills box and saturates the rockwool with highly oxygenated nutrient.

At least, in principle.

Noticed the nutrient warms a little with the fogger running but have placed on slate so temperature is an avg 12'c.
Fingers crossed thats not too warm.

Seeds and clones went in yesterday so will know it works when/if roots appear on clones in next week or two.

Fyi I used a homemade rooting gel made from natural honey, rooting powder and cinnamon. Just adding a little safe anti bac/fung to the mix.

Hoping this will provide a more reliable method than my previous hit or miss method.
Will provide pics later.