BlueCollarBob- Bumbling Through My First Grow

[BlueCollarBob]

Nothing exciting to report, but I did chop Slurty, yesterday. The dry tent was full of Mostly Jet Fuel Odder Popz along with some Slurty and Sour Diesel. This was stuff I salvaged when rain and wind damaged some plants that I hadn't properly trellised. I did the salvage effort in two stages a few days apart. Half of the tent was dry from the first batch. So, I ran that through the bowl trimmer and into Grove bags. I'm calling this the mystery bag as I didn't separate the plants in the rushed effort to save them. I also didn't save the trim. Honestly, I am getting so much more than I need for personal use that I'll just grind buds for edibles. 12.6oz of buds went into Grove Bags.

This time, I washed Slurty . I chopped her before daylight and pulled the few remaining big fans off. I just used two bins to wash. One water and peroxide and one with water to rinse. I was surprised by how little this discolored the water. My wife even came out as I was finishing and asked if I had changed the water out. I hung that to drip dry while I bowl trimmed the mystery bag. I came back and did a decent wet trim on Slurty in the afternoon and hung it in the dry tent.

Around mid-week I plan to bowl trim what's left of the mystery mix in the dry tent and chop Sour Diesel. This Sour D is the most visually appealing of the four plants. It has larger buds. I have a lot happening this week and the wife and I leave for the beach Saturday. So, I think I'll probably just chop the best looking stuff out of the top. That will leave me with whatever remains of Sour D and Jet Fuel when we get back from vacation.

This was my first use of the bowl trimmer. I made the same observations that a lot of other people have shared: It's a time saver and it's not as pretty as a good wet trim.

I had sticky fingers and was in get 'er done mode, so I didn't take any photos except for one of Slurty that I sent to my daughter. I'm curious how this is going to smoke. Is doesn't smell like what I expected for 70/30 indica dominant. It smell super sweet like I almost want to eat it, but that is almost overpowered by a gassy diesel. I'm describing this horribly. All that to say I don't know what to expect, but hoping for good things. Might try a early sample tonight. Have any of you grown/smoked this?

 

[BlueCollarBob]

On planned harvests of my outdoor plants, I’ve been chopping early morning before light. I’m heading out of town for a week on Saturday and planned to harvest Sour D in the morning. There’s a frost forecasted overnight.

Anybody have a recommendation on harvesting tonight pre-frost or will it be okay and better to wait until morning?

Thanks, all.

 

[Stoneyluv]

On planned harvests of my outdoor plants, I’ve been chopping early morning before light. I’m heading out of town for a week on Saturday and planned to harvest Sour D in the morning. There’s a frost forecasted overnight.

Anybody have a recommendation on harvesting tonight pre-frost or will it be okay and better to wait until morning?

Thanks, all.

i have a frost warning tonight too, i didn't harvest mine yet.. if it's dry you can let it ride, if it's damp i'd pull it now. one night is not gonna make or break the smoke...

 

[BlueCollarBob]

i have a frost warning tonight too, i didn't harvest mine yet.. if it's dry you can let it ride, if it's damp i'd pull it now. one night is not gonna make or break the smoke...

Thanks. I think I’m going to wait. Bowl trimming half the dry tent that still has the salvage mystery mix, now. Testing the limits of my work ethic, already

 

[BlueCollarBob]

i have a frost warning tonight too, i didn't harvest mine yet.. if it's dry you can let it ride, if it's damp i'd pull it now. one night is not gonna make or break the smoke...

Over halfway there, tho:

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Slurty after a few days in the left side of dry tent:

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Getting a little taste of the Northern Lights here:

 

[Stoneyluv]

i'm not chopping tonight... i'll let her ride, weather guessers say full sunshine tomorrow!!!

had some lights here as well... very cool stuff!!!!




i'm intrigued by your trimmer man, that grill in unique to others... your rubber fingers look to be a different material as well.. got my ears perked!!

 

[BlueCollarBob]

i'm not chopping tonight... i'll let her ride, weather guessers say full sunshine tomorrow!!!

had some lights here as well... very cool stuff!!!!

View attachment 75648


i'm intrigued by your trimmer man, that grill in unique to others... your rubber fingers look to be a different material as well.. got my ears perked!!

I have nothing to compare the trimmer to, but can say it is a big time saver versus my few efforts of wet trimming by hand. That plate is for dry trimming and just sits on top of the wet trim plate. I’m going to try using it to wet trim a couple buds tomorrow, but I’m currently set up to dry hanging from the stem. If it looks nice, I might pick up one of those baskets to hang in the tent and see how that goes.

I’m going off of other people’s experience until I’ll get some time in of my own. I read somewhere that there might be some advantage to drying on the stem, but I see experienced people drying buds on racks. If there is a difference, I wonder if it would even be enough for me to notice, lol. I do know that I have a lot to learn and improve on. For right now, I’ll tickled that you guys have helped me grow something that is honestly far better than I imagined going into this first effort. Your guidance for dry targets has been key to this.

I was wondering if you’d be able to see the lights up your way. That’s pretty darn cool.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Silicone (I think) mat it sits on and collects the trim:

Wet trim plate:


Dry trim plate:


Stir fingers:


Sifted the trim through the trim bin:

 

[Zen_seeker]

On planned harvests of my outdoor plants, I’ve been chopping early morning before light. I’m heading out of town for a week on Saturday and planned to harvest Sour D in the morning. There’s a frost forecasted overnight.

Anybody have a recommendation on harvesting tonight pre-frost or will it be okay and better to wait until morning?

Thanks, all.

In May I soak the roots to save them. In this case I don’t think it matters if you’re chopping. But I’ve been wrong before.

I picked up a winter cover for some of our yard plants this winter. Got it out for my wee outdoor. Forgot to put it on last night.

Haven’t looked outside at her yet.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Getting a little taste of the Northern Lights here:

View attachment 75640View attachment 75641View attachment 75642

Where about are you?

 

[Zen_seeker]

i'm not chopping tonight... i'll let her ride, weather guessers say full sunshine tomorrow!!!

had some lights here as well... very cool stuff!!!!

View attachment 75648


i'm intrigued by your trimmer man, that grill in unique to others... your rubber fingers look to be a different material as well.. got my ears perked!!

It reminds me of a confessional screen I saw in a church once. I’m not catholic but as kids a buddy who is had me go check some things out.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

In May I soak the roots to save them. In this case I don’t think it matters if you’re chopping. But I’ve been wrong before.

You might be mentioning something completely new to me. What's the purpose of soaking the roots in May? I am chopping, though.

I picked up a winter cover for some of our yard plants this winter. Got it out for my wee outdoor. Forgot to put it on last night.

Nice! What did you go with for the Winter cover? I haven't researched good cover crops for my area, yet.

This first grow was in 100 gallon grow bags. For outdoors next year, I plan to go in the ground and really focus on maintaining living soil. A ground cover crop will be part of that, for sure.

Haven’t looked outside at her yet.

Sometimes they need some privacy, lol. Hope she's doing great.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Where about are you?

Southwest Virginia. Right at the VA/WV line. Closest thing to me of note in the Greenbrier Hotel. PGA used to host a golf tournament there. Now, it's a LIV tournament.

Weatherman got it right, we did have a frost last night.

 

[stonemason]

Southwest Virginia. Right at the VA/WV line. Closest thing to me of note in the Greenbrier Hotel. PGA used to host a golf tournament there. Now, it's a LIV tournament.

Weatherman got it right, we did have a frost last night.

Im Driving through your hood right now pretty part of the country.on my way to north Carolina for a wedding.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Im Driving through your hood right now pretty part of the country.on my way to north Carolina for a wedding.

Sweet! Would have been cool, if we had known in advance and you had time to stop and grab lunch or something. I’m heading to NC in the morning. Hatteras with the wife for some surf fishing and relaxing. We have family in the Winston-Salem area that we visit on holidays and stuff. NC has a lot to offer. Enjoy your trip and wedding.

 

[Max]

We had the aurora Australis putting on a show earlier tonite .was quite spectacular .i burnt my fingers with a joint watching it .

 

[stonemason]

Sweet! Would have been cool, if we had known in advance and you had time to stop and grab lunch or something. I’m heading to NC in the morning. Hatteras with the wife for some surf fishing and relaxing. We have family in the Winston-Salem area that we visit on holidays and stuff. NC has a lot to offer. Enjoy your trip and wedding.

Thanks man.havnt been to this part of country since I was a kid.i forgot how beautiful it is. We have family somewhere down in a holler in wv,can't remember where or if any of them are still alive .i wondered if any of you guys were down here,now I know.hit you up next time burn one or 10. We are only here for the weekend heading back to Indiana on sunday.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Thanks man.havnt been to this part of country since I was a kid.i forgot how beautiful it is. We have family somewhere down in a holler in wv,can't remember where or if any of them are still alive .i wondered if any of you guys were down here,now I know.hit you up next time burn one or 10. We are only here for the weekend heading back to Indiana on sunday.

Yep, that would be fun. Safe travels!

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Sour D got the quick and shaggy cut and joined Slurty in the dry tent




Close up of sift from last night:

 

[Zen_seeker]

You might be mentioning something completely new to me. What's the purpose of soaking the roots in May? I am chopping, though.

I planted my first outdoor last year before May 24th, typically our last frost period. One of the steps recommended is to soak the roots and ground around the plant(s). Let the plant soak up as much as they can to protect cells and keep the earth a tad warmer. Only tried this the last to outdoor grows so can’t say if it’s better or not but the plants made it.

Nice! What did you go with for the Winter cover? I haven't researched good cover crops for my area, yet.

These were on sale at three of our bigger stores so I grabbed two for our bushy low plants like lavender. But the small cannabis plant will be testing one first.

Doesn’t stop sun or rain but does help with wind and frost and stops snow.

This first grow was in 100 gallon grow bags. For outdoors next year, I plan to go in the ground and really focus on maintaining living soil. A ground cover crop will be part of that, for sure.

You want a monster like my last year plant grow it indoors after new years and put it outside as soon as the frost is past. Then LST and a top net. You’ll do great.

Sometimes they need some privacy, lol. Hope she's doing great.

She’s trying.

It was a toss it or plant it moment. @stonemason dared me to try and grow it late. So why not? I might get 1/4 out of her.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

I planted my first outdoor last year before May 24th, typically our last frost period. One of the steps recommended is to soak the roots and ground around the plant(s). Let the plant soak up as much as they can to protect cells and keep the earth a tad warmer. Only tried this the last to outdoor grows so can’t say if it’s better or not but the plants made it.
View attachment 75839

These were on sale at three of our bigger stores so I grabbed two for our bushy low plants like lavender. But the small cannabis plant will be testing one first. View attachment 75840View attachment 75841

Doesn’t stop sun or rain but does help with wind and frost and stops snow.


You want a monster like my last year plant grow it indoors after new years and put it outside as soon as the frost is past. Then LST and a top net. You’ll do great.


She’s trying.

It was a toss it or plant it moment. @stonemason dared me to try and grow it late. So why not? I might get 1/4 out of her.
View attachment 75842

Thanks @Zen_seeker! I hadn’t heard about soaking the ground before a cold snap. I do plan to start my out outdoor plants indoors, next year. I don’t know if I’ll be forward thinking enough to get them started in January. My gardening brain might still be in hibernation then, lol.

Those covers look perfect. Maybe that’ll be the key to finishing out the plant @stonemason talked you into starting late.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Those covers look perfect. Maybe that’ll be the key to finishing out the plant @stonemason talked you into starting late.

All our big box stores had them on sale. I didn’t save the cardboard sleeve with its name or I’d post it but here is a web pic. Mines just larger.

I was tossing it anyway. No one needed a clone at that time so I couldn’t give it away. She should be further along but it took her a month to shake off the shock of being moved outside.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Got back from vacation late yesterday. Feel like I'm ready for another vacation, lol.

Dry trimmed Slurty3 in the bowl trimmer. Filled a 1lb grow bag with 1lb... exactly. No messing around trying to hit that. It just happened that way. The small things trip me out, sometimes




A few fish from the trip:

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Dry trimmed and bagged Sour Diesel this evening. The bigger buds made this go pretty fast compared to the previous plants.Not that they were huge. Just a bit bigger than Butter Waves and Slurty. Ended up with 17.3oz of Sour D split into two bags:




I also found a branch of Slurty that I somehow overlooked in the dry tent. She gave up another 1.1oz.


Only thing left in the dry tent is Jet Fuel Odder Popz. That should be ready to bag next weekend. That'll be a wrap on my first grow. Then it'll be time to put a plan together and give growing indoors a shot

 

[BlueCollarBob]

So, I've been trying to follow @GrumpAzz as he addresses water content in his thread Grump's Blue Dream and GDP Grow . I'm looking to try some version of hydro for my first indoor grow and need to get my water straight, too.

Is there an existing thread dedicated to explaining what I need to look at for mineral levels, conductivity and whatever else?

I had my well water tested last year. I then installed a filtration system. Do I need to have the water tested after the filters?

Here's the test results directly from the well:

I installed filters in front of an existing and aging water softener. Sounds like I should have the softener in front of the filters? I ended up bypassing the water softener, because we didn't like the feel of the softened water and it also sometime tasted salty. The filters did address our iron and sulfur issues. Before installing we sometimes had the sulfur odor and had to use Iron Out to clean orange stains in the tubs/sinks.

Here's are links to the filters I installed:

iSpring WGB32BM 3-Stage Water Filter Triple-stage 15-GPM Mechanical Filtration Well Water Whole House Water Filtration System

PRO+AQUA PRO-WELL WATER Single-stage 10-GPM Mechanical Filtration Well Water Whole House Water Filtration System

 

[steamroller]

I think you need to test after your filters, before softener.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

I think you need to test after your filters, before softener.

That makes sense. I guess you could draw straight well water before filtration, if it was good enough. I'm having a hard time figuring what measurement to convert that conductivity to. Pre-filter pH is high.

As @Stoneyluv mention in his thread, rainwater is an option. I've read about some positives for that, but it sure would be nice to just run a fill line right to a reservoir. Maybe even have a level float and shut off valve.

If I get the water tested post-filtration, I need to learn what all to have them test for. I recall there being options when I had the well water tested.

 

[steamroller]

6.8 is not too high of a pH IMO. You should be able to manipulate it.
Your 244 conductivity equals 159 TDS.