The Female Growers Group

[mojavemama]

Painterdude, White Widow is 60/40 with Indica dominant, so the leaves will be more on the wide side. I can't wait to try some WW on my next grow! Your WW picture is fantastic--looks so healthy. I'm drooling already!

TCB--what did the Mango taste like? Did it have a sweet, fruity taste?
How was the yield compared to other strains you've grown?

I'm really interested in hearing opinions/experiences with FoxFarm soils--especially Ocean. I can get it here occasionally, but it's about $25 a bag. I have found a local organic soil that is very similar in content that I've been using. But I've heard so many good things about FoxFarm Ocean blend, and had hoped to try it once I ordered seedbank seeds.

I'm growing 4 different strains right now, and it's really interesting how different each strain reacts to Ph differences and amounts of nutes. I've had to really custom-tailor what I give each strain.

I have had some constant problems with yellowing leaves on one strain, and even with flushing, watching the Ph closely, I ended up giving them all a shot of Ironite, which took care of the problem. I don't see many posts anywhere about using Ironite, but I've been relying on it here in the desert for a long time with my regular garden plants and flowers, and it never burns, so I figured, "Why not?" Fortunately, it worked.

I'm really excited to watch the progress of your White Widow, Painterdude.
I've never tasted WW. Heck, I've never tasted much of anything but bagweed, so I am hoping my own grow will give me some interesting new tastes and types of high. I have one Sativa only, and though I can't use it for pain control or sleep, it should be fun for a daytime buzz. I don't get to do that now, at $120 for an eighth, and have to carefully conserve every pinch for the medicinal value. Oh, to be able to just catch a buzz for the joy of it!

You all are so terrific here. Really, I have learned so much here, and met some wonderful people, and have appreciated all the encouragement so much. Some forums can be really nasty, and especially curt and sarcastic to beginners--even when they are obviously trying, researching, showing they are listening and applying what they have learned. I never worry when I post here on MP. It just feels like "home," and that I'm learning from very understanding, patient and compassionate teachers.

I'm a retired professional calligrapher, and I remember one of my mentors once said, "Teaching is shared enlightenment." I never forgot that, as it resonated so much with me--instead of a "them and us" approach, teacher and student,--learning then becomes a journey where the student learns from the teacher, and the teacher learns from the student.

Painterdude! How about drawing one of your fantastic modern-art pictures of your plants and posting it here? Having seen what you can do artistically with most any topic--and it blows me away, your incredible talent--I'd LOVE to see what you can do with a few marijuana leaves.

 

[mojavemama]

I'd love to have forum members share their experiences using Smart Pots.

My nursery pots are breaking down from constant handling and pressing tightly into a rolling garden cart. Because I do an indoor-outdoor grow, I am manipulating the pots twice a day, and they get some really hard handling.

The Smart Pots look like they would hold up better, be more malleable.
Does soil movement within a soft pot like this cause any problems with roots?

Do the Smart Pots hold water as well as hard-sided pots? Or do they dry out faster?

Do you need to change soil mixtures to change to a soft pot?

Thanks in advance for any enlightenment!

 

[UKgirl420]

hello mojavemama ,,,i havnt used smart pots ,,,but have you looked at the poly plant bags ,,,,they will withstand lots of handleing and are really cheap
starting from $1.90 for 12 for the 1/2 gallon going upto $10 for 12 ,10 gallon size ,,,eace:

 

[tcbud]

Mojave,
I am trying the Smart Pots in my current grow. I have used the plastic before this. The ones I am using are the 45 gallon ones. The husband has dragged one twice now that it has soil in it, no ill effects, no tearing or pulling the fibers. I am told by the "guy" at the hydro store where I got them that the roots will "air prune" and not circle around the outside like they do in plastic. I do not know if they dry out faster, as the weather here has been really soggy this last week. I even turned off the drip system and will turn it back on again on Wendesday. I have a moisture meter and will be checking on this comparing the two. The stuff feels and looks like really thick felt. It is black, yet the "guy" said that the heat disipates instead of transfering it (heat) to the soil. Those are the words that sold me on them, besides the size of course. I have a thermometer and will give it the test in July or August (the outside temps should be 90-100f by then). I wont be here to play much in the garden in the next six to eight weeks. Just be amazed how they grow each week.

As for the Ocean Forest. It is pricey (I pay, I think, $14 per bag) and I am 100 miles or so from where they make it. I used it with something called Happy Frog my first Grow. I was pleased but had nothing to compare it to. Last year I used a simular mix. Tho I used the Ocean Forest while the plants were seedlings last year, and I think they over nuted on some of them. I used Fox Farm Potting Mix this year and didnt have the problem of the brown spots, simular to the ones Painterdude has shown us on the last page here. So, I will not use straight Ocean Forest on Seedlings again myself. This year I am using a few different types of soil, some bought at a "WormFarm" down in the valley. Some bought at a comercial soil/rock supply place in Redding, and .....tada one smart pot has all Happy Frog Potting mix! That one, I am comparing the others to. I didnt get any Ocean Forest this year.......I dont think. All is organic, as I am trying to stay organic this year. I may have to add perlite tho, some of this soil looks pretty heavy.
Well, I hope more chime in on these issues of Smart Pots and Ocean Forest soil, as I am not so experienced as many here.

 

[mojavemama]

TC Thank you so much for the detailed response! I WAS very concerned about the drying out faster possibility, but then, the plastic gets so hot and that dries out fast too. I think next grow (with the clones I have already started) I'll try the Smart Pots as well as the poly plant grow bags UKGirl recommends. (Thanks, UKGIRL!) . I really appreciate the feedback!

TC, are you getting ready to go on the road for an exciting adventure? I'm drooling. I'm afraid to leave home now after my last vacation for a week, when I came back to all the drowned plants! Oh, to be in the Emerald Triangle and not have to worry about leaving them outside. Sigh...

 

[mojavemama]

I've read a lot of threads on adding molasses to feed the bacteria in the soil during flowering, but wondered if any people in our group have been doing this. Of course, the hydroponic store salesman wants to sell me "Sweet," but I already have old fashioned blackstrap molasses here and thought I'd give it a try. I have been giving the plants bacteria (Tarantula) all the way through veg stage, and into flowering.

Appreciate the sharing of any wisdom on this practice!

 

[UKgirl420]

I've read a lot of threads on adding molasses to feed the bacteria in the soil during flowering, but wondered if any people in our group have been doing this. Of course, the hydroponic store salesman wants to sell me "Sweet," but I already have old fashioned blackstrap molasses here and thought I'd give it a try. I have been giving the plants bacteria (Tarantula) all the way through veg stage, and into flowering.

Appreciate the sharing of any wisdom on this practice!

i use them mojavemama ,,,the same one you have ,,,every other watering eace:

 

[painterdude]

hey mojavemomababe.....thanks for the info on the White Widow's dominate traits...and $120 for an eighth is highway robbery....I haven't bought dope since it was $10 an ounce and it was Mexican mixed with lots of sand and dirt and a sh@t load of seeds.....

I also paid $14 a bag for my Fox Farm Ocean soil but they really screwed me on the timer, $18.....and I just found the same one for $8.99 in a builder's supply where we have been buying our deck materials...

I need to send you some pics of the wife's RAMP.....you might be able to get up there but it would break a sweat....

Here is a question for everybody, has any of you girls ever used Bat Guano rated 12-12-2.5.....it's from Peru and I got a giant bag of it from an Organic Cranberry grower.....

tcbud....I will try Fox Farm's potting soil next year, thanks

Love and kisses to all you guys, painterdude

So, I posted some pics, expecially the ramp for Mojavebabe and also a drawing for her.....sorry I don't do plants.....oh, does anyone know the reflective qualities of a GREEN BATHTUB?

 

[mojavemama]

Yeah, I know you do CARTOONS! And you have a lot of other stuff in your 'toons besides faces. I want to see a MJ leaf done painterdude style!!! C'mon, you know you want to try it....<G>

Love your pictures, the deck is exquisite--really nice wood, and wow, that ramp just makes me drool. Raku is a cutie, and your clones look great in the green bathtub. I wonder about the green, as you also questioned. I'll be interested to see what others may say about this. But for my money, I'd prolly just lay some white plastic on the bottom and sides and tape it up. Or maybe use a windshield sun screen (the silver kind with the bubbles) around the clones. With only three, you will fix something up that's reflective if the green tub doesn't cut it!

Did you find any mites on your plants yet?

 

[mojavemama]

Really exciting to see my first trichs without having to use the 30x loupe!
After all that waiting and nurturing through veg stage, what a thrill to see the daily growth and form of real buds! I'm in heaven....

 

[Colorado Lady]

Georgeous!!!!!!

And this is a question about loupes. I have a 10x, and need something stronger. These old eyes... Is a 30x stronger? I see you're using one.

Your girls ....Ladies, are beautiful. Makes all the work worth it don't you think

 

[mojavemama]

Thanks, Colorado Lady! Appreciate your kudos so much. First grows may make the experts groan, but for this newbie, I want to jump and shout!

Loupes: You can find them online very inexpensively. I got 3 of them in a pack for about $8.00, and they came as a 10x, 20x and 30x. I also have a 60x but man, you have to have REALLY steady hands to make that sucker work. Here's the URL to the place I bought them at online. They all work beautifully, and they shipped them the next day. There are 3 loupes for $8.00!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C9LG60/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Good luck, Colorado Lady!

 

[painterdude]

Hi mojavebabe and colorado lady.....went to the Amazon site and ordered my loops, got FREE SHIPPING BECAUSE OF FATHER'S DAY....gonna be here in a week or less....by by, painterdude

 

[mojavemama]

I've been told a couple of times that FoxFarm nutes need to be flushed every couple of weeks during flowering. Anyone here using FF nutes and NOT flushing every two weeks?

That's going to be really hard for me. I have to buy and carry 5 gallon jugs of water, and each plant is in 3 gallon containers. To flush, you use 3 times the volume of the container, right? YIPES! I can just imagine how happy my husband is going to be when I tell him he needs to get 162 gallons of water for my plants.

I wish I could use regular tap water, but it's very high in Ph. Adjusting the Ph is really tricky.

So, to flush or not to flush? Is it too late to switch over to nutes that don't require bi-weekly flushing?

If I make my hubby have to go out and get that much water, he's not going to be very supportive of my next grow. Help??

 

[tcbud]

Hello All,

I am back for a few days, and the thunder is starting to roar thru the mountains here. I have been at the top of a pass in the Serria Mountains for the last few days 6905 feet! Biking around and wondering why I couldnt get my breath....LOL. Finally figured it just might be the altitude. The Camp Ground is right on top of the pass. It gets real cold up there at night, so glad I have some body heat near by.

I put four Northernlights clones in the "smart bags" last Saturday, and I hear it poured yesterday. They drained well and I am impressed by that. The clones in those bags look good, the smallest (the ones I made myself) have doubled in size, tho they are still small comparatively.

Below find the view from my camp site last monday. The birds are starting to nest and the "birders" (called "Bird Watchers" in days gone by) will be filling this empty campground over the weekend to watch the birds start their nesting. This place is so wonderful, and the one "Birder" I have met, was real helpful and offered me much advise on "Bird Watching". I even bought the book he recomended. National Geographic Westeren Bird Book. I have always watched them around the house, now I think I have a new hobby! After growing that is. Now if I can just get a shot of a red breasted sap sucker.....

1. View from camp on Monday, you would think all that noise would disturb the birds or wildlife. The next evening a couger was spotted by the loader driver, in that same meadow!
2. a pic of a not so rare blue panted grey headed "birder", note the slow step this one is about to take. Also taken from my camp site.

More pics in the Show off your photos thread.

 

[painterdude]

GOT MY LOOPS TODAY.....sheeeeeet, can't tell the difference between any of them and the 20 power is real, real, real tiny......you gotta have a real small eyeball for that one, and they are made by our good friends in China....and with my shakes, they are almost useless......see ya all, painterdude

 

[4u2sm0ke]

I've read a lot of threads on adding molasses to feed the bacteria in the soil during flowering, but wondered if any people in our group have been doing this. Of course, the hydroponic store salesman wants to sell me "Sweet," but I already have old fashioned blackstrap molasses here and thought I'd give it a try. I have been giving the plants bacteria (Tarantula) all the way through veg stage, and into flowering.

Appreciate the sharing of any wisdom on this practice!

I use molasses all the time..here a good read 4u:ciao:

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5149


you plants looking great girl:clap:

 

[4u2sm0ke]

I've been told a couple of times that FoxFarm nutes need to be flushed every couple of weeks during flowering. Anyone here using FF nutes and NOT flushing every two weeks?

That's going to be really hard for me. I have to buy and carry 5 gallon jugs of water, and each plant is in 3 gallon containers. To flush, you use 3 times the volume of the container, right? YIPES! I can just imagine how happy my husband is going to be when I tell him he needs to get 162 gallons of water for my plants.

I wish I could use regular tap water, but it's very high in Ph. Adjusting the Ph is really tricky.

So, to flush or not to flush? Is it too late to switch over to nutes that don't require bi-weekly flushing?

If I make my hubby have to go out and get that much water, he's not going to be very supportive of my next grow. Help??

the way i flush my ff nutes is one time a month..and not like i do the final flush..i water back to back to back days..yes 3 days in a row straight PH water..helps pprevent nute lock from my understanding..but also have found that it is personal prefrence..hope this helps..:bong:

 

[4u2sm0ke]

GOT MY LOOPS TODAY.....sheeeeeet, can't tell the difference between any of them and the 20 power is real, real, real tiny......you gotta have a real small eyeball for that one, and they are made by our good friends in China....and with my shakes, they are almost useless......see ya all, painterdude

hey painterdude...how are you? Have you tried the radio shack microscope? i use it when checking trichs..I too shake a bit..but HIE shared with me long ago and ill share with ya...Take a clip on the lower part of plant..take inside and place on white piece papper..sit down comfy and view the trichs..it works for me..hope this helps

 

[4u2sm0ke]

I've been told a couple of times that FoxFarm nutes need to be flushed every couple of weeks during flowering. Anyone here using FF nutes and NOT flushing every two weeks?

That's going to be really hard for me. I have to buy and carry 5 gallon jugs of water, and each plant is in 3 gallon containers. To flush, you use 3 times the volume of the container, right? YIPES! I can just imagine how happy my husband is going to be when I tell him he needs to get 162 gallons of water for my plants.

I wish I could use regular tap water, but it's very high in Ph. Adjusting the Ph is really tricky.

So, to flush or not to flush? Is it too late to switch over to nutes that don't require bi-weekly flushing?

If I make my hubby have to go out and get that much water, he's not going to be very supportive of my next grow. Help??

Sorrry for all the post Ladies just haveing a good day no server busy so im takeing addvantage of it:giggle:

I too use Bottle RO water..i buy in 5 gallon jugs..but am now looking into the RO sytem at HomeDepot for 300 bux..i did my math last season i use over 400 in bottled water..so i may bite the bullet and get one installed at home..you may want Hubby to look into this 4u as well..take care and be safe my mojavemoma