True Confessions of an American Outlaw

[Bandit420]

Coming to you live from the heart of prohibition country where we speak in code, walk between rain drops, and cultivate the grass that grows between the cracks!

Welcome to my personal trichome manufacturing plant! This year however, I'm expanding operations to include peppers, cukes, melons, and fancy flowers not for smoking.

I'm about a month into this project so it's time for some catching up.
Everything is 100% organic so no checking or meddling with pH, EC/TDS or any of that stuff. Soil volume and stripped down water chemistry is all that's required.
Really the only numbers I ever pay any attention to is room temp and RH and read the plants to adjust. I do have a EC meter but I only use it to make sure my RO system is working like it should.
My water is also UV purified, heavily oxygenated, and stored in the room in a 55 gallon barrel.
The room's temp/rh monitor also reads CO2 but it's not like I'm gonna add CO2 tanks or anything like that if the number is low. I prefer fresh air, lots of it, and moving it thru and out very fast. I can probably turn the air over in this room in less than 3 minutes. Also in regards to air, I use so many fans it's like an air blender in there. Bud rot does not stand a chance of setting in with how I run my air.

My main focus is always on roots. Focus on roots then everything green comes ez is my motto.
Coiling and compaction are my sworn enemy which is why I use airpots and my new creation..newsprint lined custom made netpots for vegging plants. + with airpots it's nearly impossible to overwater and by week 3 I'm usually watering daily.
Big believer in using microherds and keeping them happy and partying. When it comes time for flower they get upcanned into 7 gallon ribbed containers to ensure a huge gas tank of food for the duration. This operation is about as close to *Just add water* as it gets.

Lights are 3 blurple LED Sun simulators w/ UVB, 4000K, 3100K, & Pure PAR interchangeable supplement lights depending on stage of growth.
Soil is Roots 707 for starting seeds & veg then Roots Lush for flower. The Lush also gets a handful each of Uprising Foundation & Bloom dry blends and my liquid nutes are Liquid Fish and Seaweed and Roots Trinity. Microherds are Mycos+.

Everything for weed is the same for the veggies until it's time for them to go outside. From there they go into Earthboxes loaded with used but reconditioned ganja garden soils and cheaper peat based soils I find at the nursery. The Earthboxes (AKA SIP AKA Sub-Irrigated Planter) are also equipped with autowaterers for set it and forget gardening


The line up



Command and control



Sun simulators



Going vertical





infancy

 

[Cool_Beans]

Everything in there looks happy, plus your setup looks fuckin rad. In!

 

[Bandit420]

Stepping outside






















Indoors as of today and things are getting rowdy. Time to start the mailine pruning on the cannabis and get some of these peppers outside

 

[Bandit420]

Everything in there looks happy, plus your setup looks fuckin rad. In!

Many thanks for the kind words CB and happy to have you looking in!!

 

[Moshmen]

Everything does look awesome! Gotta ask though what’s the paper for just to help hold media ? Or is there something to it ?

 

[Bandit420]

Everything does look awesome! Gotta ask though what’s the paper for just to help hold media ? Or is there something to it ?

Yeah to hold the medium so soil doesn't wash out and also reduce stress at planting. The paper stays on and the roots grow thru it. And once buried the paper become worm food then the worm poop becomes plant food. Same concept as fabric bags but it decomposes and is free

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

This is awesome, I gotta get @MrsSweetLeaf to take a look at this!

Gotta admit, I miss the muppet (was it the drummer) on your avatar.

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

Hey Bandit, I noticed you have a 15 gallon water barrel just like one that I have. How did you get that drain in the bottom without cutting the top off to install it?

Was wondering if they make those valves that can be installed from one side and not get any leaks. I would like to use this barrel the same as you are as a res top off vessel.

 

[Bandit420]

Hey Bandit, I noticed you have a 15 gallon water barrel just like one that I have. How did you get that drain in the bottom without cutting the top off to install it?

Was wondering if they make those valves that can be installed from one side and not get any leaks. I would like to use this barrel the same as you are as a res top off vessel.

I have a lot of polypro irrigation parts from when I was into hydro and building ebb & flow bucket systems so for that I drilled an 11/16th size hole with a spade bit and inserted a 1/2" rubber grommet in the hole. From there the petcock just pushes in for a nice leak proof seal without needing to cut the top off.
Here's the link to the same type of grommets I have to make it work.

https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Rubber-Grommet-fittings/dp/B00KI3VXVE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DO7R4AY3AF7K&keywords=hydroponic+barbed+fitting+grommet&qid=1681934357&sprefix=hydroponic+barbed+fitting+grommet%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1

However if I didn't have the parts I have and had to order new parts I'd opt for Top Hat style grommets due to the thickness of the plastic of these barrels. The grommets I have are for thinner 5 gallon bucket plastic and it works but if it was indoors with no room for error on leaks I'd go with the top hats

https://www.amazon.com/HORTIPOTS-Grommet-Rubber-Diameter-12mm-13mm/dp/B07MP3D9FY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RP4HYZ8Z9397&keywords=13mm%2Btop%2Bhat%2Bgrommet&qid=1681935152&sprefix=13mm%2Btop%2Bhat%2Bgrommet%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-1&th=1

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

Sweet, thank you!

 

[steamroller]

Going to enjoy watching this grow~!
Fine tuned machine~!

 

[stonemason]

Very inspiring dude looks great.just planted my seeds 2 days ago.the only thing better than great weed is great food.

 

[smoke]

Uniseals very similar to what Bandit posted, had the very same 15 gal tank and moved it around to different areas of the shop for at least 10 years. Threw it away 2 years ago. Lol

@Bandit420 i wish i had your energy everything is looking good. When you said above that your water is heavily oxygenated, are you talking air stones

 

[Bandit420]

Uniseals very similar to what Bandit posted, had the very same 15 gal tank and moved it around to different areas of the shop for at least 10 years. Threw it away 2 years ago. Lol

@Bandit420 i wish i had your energy everything is looking good. When you said above that your water is heavily oxygenated, are you talking air stones

Yes I use a dual outlet airpump and airstone plus I get some fluming action from the UV purifier...
Here's where water starts for me. Out in the backyard I have a garden hose plugged into an RO filter system and deionizer. It flows into a storage tank with a float valve shut off to prevent overflow. Inside the outdoor storage tank is a pump with an electric float valve that shuts the pump off when water is too low to prevent burning up the pump



When the outdoor tank is full I pump the water around the house via buried polypro tubing, thru the grow room's fresh air intake, and then it goes into the indoor 55 gallon storage tank to keep it at room temp.
In the tank the two outlets from the airpump feed into one air line and in the bottom is another pump to pump water thru the UV purifier. When it exits the UV it drops down back into the tank and when it drops it picks up more oxygen as it falls thru the air

 

[Stoneyluv]

ahhhh yeah!!! I'm in!!!!

good to see the name that fits ya!!!

wow bro your cukes are on a mission!! looks awesome!!

 

[Bandit420]

ahhhh yeah!!! I'm in!!!!

good to see the name that fits ya!!!

wow bro your cukes are on a mission!! looks awesome!!

Dang that was fast Brother!!! Feels great to be back in my old shoes and rocking the Burt avatar hahaha!
Glad you made it in buddy!!!

 

[Stoneyluv]

Dang that was fast Brother!!! Feels great to be back in my old shoes and rocking the Burt avatar hahaha!
Glad you made it in buddy!!!

i sat down at my computer and your email popped up five seconds later... i was like hell yeah!!!

 

[smoke]

ahhhh yeah!!! I'm in!!!!

good to see the name that fits ya!!!

wow bro your cukes are on a mission!! looks awesome!!

Welcome Stoney

 

[Stoneyluv]

Welcome Stoney

Thanks Smoke!!

i like the site, like the layout, features and options are badass.. especially the media!!

.
.
.

hey Bandit, did you see Belushi's growing show is back on? he's such a goober, dude makes me laugh all the time!!!

 

[Bandit420]

Thanks Smoke!!

i like the site, like the layout, features and options are badass.. especially the media!!

.
.
.

hey Bandit, did you see Belushi's growing show is back on? he's such a goober, dude makes me laugh all the time!!!

Not yet but I'll do a search and find it..Might already be on my DVR since I think I have it set for auto record. One thing I love about that show is where he lives. I'd kill to have that river on my property and sit out there with a bonfire.

Man the cukes are losing their mind! Had a thunderstorm roll thru last night and they're just going bonkers today. Spitin' out feelers and looking to grab onto the trellis. Also saw one already has a blossom!



Indoors there was no t-storm but a good dose of stinky fish & seaweed feeding got everything into overdrive the last 24 hours too



IDK about this little Can't Get Right though. If she don't get her shit together these other ladies will have no problem choking her out




And this is a little interesting development...My netpot & paper DIY airpot pepper plants are outgrowing the solo cup starts 2:1. All these peppers in the foreground were planted on the same day but the solo cup starts are slow AF.
As for those other peppers in the back and bulging at the seams with big ol fat leaves...it's time they get outta here and outside this weekend.
These ganja plants gotta get trimmed up too. They'll be on a water feed water routine every day until flower which will probably kick off in 10 days give or take a couple




And the crazy thing is I have these plants doing this at less than 30% output on the lights

 

[Stoneyluv]

Not yet but I'll do a search and find it..Might already be on my DVR since I think I have it set for auto record. One thing I love about that show is where he lives. I'd kill to have that river on my property and sit out there with a bonfire.

Man the cukes are losing their mind! Had a thunderstorm roll thru last night and they're just going bonkers today. Spitin' out feelers and looking to grab onto the trellis. Also saw one already has a blossom!

View attachment 974

Indoors there was no t-storm but a good dose of stinky fish & seaweed feeding got everything into overdrive the last 24 hours too

View attachment 975

IDK about this little Can't Get Right though. If she don't get her shit together these other ladies will have no problem choking her out

View attachment 977


And this is a little interesting development...My netpot & paper DIY airpot pepper plants are outgrowing the solo cup starts 2:1. All these peppers in the foreground were planted on the same day but the solo cup starts are slow AF.
As for those other peppers in the back and bulging at the seams with big ol fat leaves...it's time they get outta here and outside this weekend.
These ganja plants gotta get trimmed up too. They'll be on a water feed water routine every day until flower which will probably kick off in 10 days give or take a couple

View attachment 975


And the crazy thing is I have these plants doing this at less than 30% output on the lights

View attachment 978

wow man everything is exploding on ya!! well except for those solo cups... crazy how much better your printed pots are!! how much more soil do they hold than a solo cup?

man your controller looks different than mine, did you print an entire replacement enclosure for it?

.
.

how about the 14 and the quick reflexes!!! blowin by that whole mess flippin em all the bird at the same time!!!!! I'm not sure what is worse, Larson getting another dnf or the pole smoker winning. c'mon monster mile!!!

i hope your week goes smooth brother!!!!!!

 

[Bandit420]

wow man everything is exploding on ya!! well except for those solo cups... crazy how much better your printed pots are!! how much more soil do they hold than a solo cup?

man your controller looks different than mine, did you print an entire replacement enclosure for it?

.
.

how about the 14 and the quick reflexes!!! blowin by that whole mess flippin em all the bird at the same time!!!!! I'm not sure what is worse, Larson getting another dnf or the pole smoker winning. c'mon monster mile!!!

i hope your week goes smooth brother!!!!!!

I think what we're seeing there with the solo cups is something I've always held onto...When growing in soil, getting as much air to the roots as possible will get plants to perform as if they're in hydroponics. The solo cup plants are simply air restricted and take longer to dry out. The netcups with air wrapped around the roots will grow at a much faster rate with greater uptake in food and water because of all that access to oxygen in the root zone. Hydro vs soil has never been about nutes or water or system but always about oxygen to roots. Airpots, lined netcups, and fabric bags leveled that playing field.

My controller is the OG of controllers Man. I don't think the housings are 3D printed anymore like this one haha! Mine may have been the first one off the production line or at least first 100.

Man that was a real fun race to watch! That 14 was rolling until that mistake. And I just loved seeing the 21 in front of the pack. And Gragson up there too and then it all went to shit.
But it coulda been worse...for a minute there we had 8,6, and 23 in the top three for the checker. I was ready to put my fist thru the TV seeing those nozzles in the top 3. And yeah that asshat getting the win was a dud. Couln't even do a burnout. I bet they all passed aorund the delta 8 in the hauler afterwards.
At least Larson gave us our money's worth on burnouts last week.
BTW you hear Kyle Petty whining about burnouts last week? Man that guy just needs to STFU. Fans love the burnouts and if it torches a car, even better! I know I would'nt have a Zane Smith truck diecast on the way if he didn't burn it down at COTA!
Oh and speaking of diecasts...My signed Noah Gragson #9 Pocono Win diecast arrives today!! I can't wait to see if it comes with the flag taped to the windshield! I might have to get an air freshener that smells like vomit and Busch Light to complete it's authenticity.

Happy times this week! Workload is dropping like and anchor so time for more fun stuff at home!
Take it ez and have a great week Buddy!!

 

[Stoneyluv]

I think what we're seeing there with the solo cups is something I've always held onto...When growing in soil, getting as much air to the roots as possible will get plants to perform as if they're in hydroponics. The solo cup plants are simply air restricted and take longer to dry out. The netcups with air wrapped around the roots will grow at a much faster rate with greater uptake in food and water because of all that access to oxygen in the root zone. Hydro vs soil has never been about nutes or water or system but always about oxygen to roots. Airpots, lined netcups, and fabric bags leveled that playing field.

My controller is the OG of controllers Man. I don't think the housings are 3D printed anymore like this one haha! Mine may have been the first one off the production line or at least first 100.

Man that was a real fun race to watch! That 14 was rolling until that mistake. And I just loved seeing the 21 in front of the pack. And Gragson up there too and then it all went to shit.
But it coulda been worse...for a minute there we had 8,6, and 23 in the top three for the checker. I was ready to put my fist thru the TV seeing those nozzles in the top 3. And yeah that asshat getting the win was a dud. Couln't even do a burnout. I bet they all passed aorund the delta 8 in the hauler afterwards.
At least Larson gave us our money's worth on burnouts last week.
BTW you hear Kyle Petty whining about burnouts last week? Man that guy just needs to STFU. Fans love the burnouts and if it torches a car, even better! I know I would'nt have a Zane Smith truck diecast on the way if he didn't burn it down at COTA!
Oh and speaking of diecasts...My signed Noah Gragson #9 Pocono Win diecast arrives today!! I can't wait to see if it comes with the flag taped to the windshield! I might have to get an air freshener that smells like vomit and Busch Light to complete it's authenticity.

Happy times this week! Workload is dropping like and anchor so time for more fun stuff at home!
Take it ez and have a great week Buddy!!

i had no idea your controller was like that... you've probably posted more pics than you can remember of it and i've never taken notice.

no, i didn't hear petty. in fact when she is on i ad lib gibberish louder than tv making a fuck out of her all the time..... it's one of my fav racing pastimes!!! hahaha

he's just jealous cuz he don't know how to do burnouts, ya only get to do them when ya win!!!! larson has some of the best, he does donuts and unhooks the steering wheel and hangs it out the window while spinning it round and round... thats my favorite1!! he said he stole that idea from his sisters boyfriend and nobody was doing it in the cup so thats where it came from.

that's funny, an air freshner of vomit and busch light... something tells me those smells are one in same!!!

.
have fun getting dirty with your new soil!!!!!!!!

 

[Bandit420]

i had no idea your controller was like that... you've probably posted more pics than you can remember of it and i've never taken notice.

no, i didn't hear petty. in fact when she is on i ad lib gibberish louder than tv making a fuck out of her all the time..... it's one of my fav racing pastimes!!! hahaha

he's just jealous cuz he don't know how to do burnouts, ya only get to do them when ya win!!!! larson has some of the best, he does donuts and unhooks the steering wheel and hangs it out the window while spinning it round and round... thats my favorite1!! he said he stole that idea from his sisters boyfriend and nobody was doing it in the cup so thats where it came from.

that's funny, an air freshner of vomit and busch light... something tells me those smells are one in same!!!

.
have fun getting dirty with your new soil!!!!!!!!

Jeb Burton did the wheeless burnout after he won Xfinity Saturday and yeah it was baddasss!!!

I'm actually playing in all kinds of new dirt! The grocery store where I shop started carrying FoxFarm stuffs and it just so happens the grocery coupons on their app also work in the garden dept so $30 in purchases gets $5 off at the register and I used it on a huge bag of FF Koko Bop. Looks pretty good! It's a coco base with some goodies added. I think I see biochar in there too which is a surprise. Then I added the usual suspects like crab meal and other fixins.
The one bag fills two earthboxes so I'm trying it out there with some peppers. Got six into tubs today



BTW the milk cartons did pretty good



I don't like seeing this but happy I caught it in time before it got too compacted



My diecast garage is coming along but I realized it will need to be bigger for more cars on the way so I have to get more glass and figure out just how big I can make it.
I'd like to make it about 8 inches longer but may be forced to go 10 or 12 inches depending on the glass size I can get. Right now it's two 10x12 glass panels for the front so I'm hoping I can find 10x6 or 10x8.
Everything is black right now but that's just foundation to save on filament.
I'll print out white silk floorboards and wall skins and maybe add mirrors to the walls. Also want to print that NASCAR plate and maybe sink it into the floor or something cool like that. Each car will also sit on a lift made of color matching TPU and I'll add lights to the lifts so the cars glow from underneath. Then in the ceiling I'll add a color changing strip of LED.



And in the hippie lettuce garden I had to have at 'em with some snips and take them back a bit but also mainline the branching. They've outgrown these airpots, the soil is out of gas, and the plants are in dire need of upcanning so that new soil can't get here fast enough

 

[Moshmen]

I think what we're seeing there with the solo cups is something I've always held onto...When growing in soil, getting as much air to the roots as possible will get plants to perform as if they're in hydroponics. The solo cup plants are simply air restricted and take longer to dry out. The netcups with air wrapped around the roots will grow at a much faster rate with greater uptake in food and water because of all that access to oxygen in the root zone. Hydro vs soil has never been about nutes or water or system but always about oxygen to roots. Airpots, lined netcups, and fabric bags leveled that playing field.

My controller is the OG of controllers Man. I don't think the housings are 3D printed anymore like this one haha! Mine may have been the first one off the production line or at least first 100.

Man that was a real fun race to watch! That 14 was rolling until that mistake. And I just loved seeing the 21 in front of the pack. And Gragson up there too and then it all went to shit.
But it coulda been worse...for a minute there we had 8,6, and 23 in the top three for the checker. I was ready to put my fist thru the TV seeing those nozzles in the top 3. And yeah that asshat getting the win was a dud. Couln't even do a burnout. I bet they all passed aorund the delta 8 in the hauler afterwards.
At least Larson gave us our money's worth on burnouts last week.
BTW you hear Kyle Petty whining about burnouts last week? Man that guy just needs to STFU. Fans love the burnouts and if it torches a car, even better! I know I would'nt have a Zane Smith truck diecast on the way if he didn't burn it down at COTA!
Oh and speaking of diecasts...My signed Noah Gragson #9 Pocono Win diecast arrives today!! I can't wait to see if it comes with the flag taped to the windshield! I might have to get an air freshener that smells like vomit and Busch Light to complete it's authenticity.

Happy times this week! Workload is dropping like and anchor so time for more fun stuff at home!
Take it ez and have a great week Buddy!!

That Grayson car was almost worth more ! Lol no where to go but up

 

[Rootsruler]

I think what we're seeing there with the solo cups is something I've always held onto...When growing in soil, getting as much air to the roots as possible will get plants to perform as if they're in hydroponics. The solo cup plants are simply air restricted and take longer to dry out. The netcups with air wrapped around the roots will grow at a much faster rate with greater uptake in food and water because of all that access to oxygen in the root zone. Hydro vs soil has never been about nutes or water or system but always about oxygen to roots. Airpots, lined netcups, and fabric bags leveled that playing field.

My controller is the OG of controllers Man. I don't think the housings are 3D printed anymore like this one haha! Mine may have been the first one off the production line or at least first 100.

Man that was a real fun race to watch! That 14 was rolling until that mistake. And I just loved seeing the 21 in front of the pack. And Gragson up there too and then it all went to shit.
But it coulda been worse...for a minute there we had 8,6, and 23 in the top three for the checker. I was ready to put my fist thru the TV seeing those nozzles in the top 3. And yeah that asshat getting the win was a dud. Couln't even do a burnout. I bet they all passed aorund the delta 8 in the hauler afterwards.
At least Larson gave us our money's worth on burnouts last week.
BTW you hear Kyle Petty whining about burnouts last week? Man that guy just needs to STFU. Fans love the burnouts and if it torches a car, even better! I know I would'nt have a Zane Smith truck diecast on the way if he didn't burn it down at COTA!
Oh and speaking of diecasts...My signed Noah Gragson #9 Pocono Win diecast arrives today!! I can't wait to see if it comes with the flag taped to the windshield! I might have to get an air freshener that smells like vomit and Busch Light to complete it's authenticity.

Happy times this week! Workload is dropping like and anchor so time for more fun stuff at home!
Take it ez and have a great week Buddy!!

I am also a firm believer in healthy roots. I've always wondered what would happen if you stuck a bunch of airstones in the soil to oxygenate it. I would think that after a while the airstones will get clogged from the roots growing around it although I'm not sure if the air exiting would self prune the roots enough to keep them from clogging the airstone.

I have a 6" round airstone I used on one of my first DWC attempts. I might try sticking it at the bottom of a pot and burying it in soil to see what happens.

 

[Bandit420]

That Grayson car was almost worth more ! Lol no where to go but up

One of my favorite drivers for sure! I have his first win coming at the Chicago Street Race

I am also a firm believer in healthy roots. I've always wondered what would happen if you stuck a bunch of airstones in the soil to oxygenate it. I would think that after a while the airstones will get clogged from the roots growing around it although I'm not sure if the air exiting would self prune the roots enough to keep them from clogging the airstone.

I have a 6" round airstone I used on one of my first DWC attempts. I might try sticking it at the bottom of a pot and burying it in soil to see what happens.

I've seen that idea bounced around on forums from time to time. Seem to recal a guy using airstone rings to do it. I think it would be good in heavier soils but would have concern about heat. Some airpumps pump out quite a bit of heat while they work.
There's also things that look like screens for fabric bags to sit on so they're up off the floor and get air underneath. That's a really great idea too and kinda piggy backs off airpots and how the bottom screen can be elevated so there's always air under the roots

 

[Rootsruler]

 

[Bandit420]

Lots to unpack for this update....

How I like to see my roots after veg





Before and after a visit from the plant fairy





4 plants are in Coast of Maine Stonington mix and 2 plants are in Roots Lush.
Lush is a much lighter blend but I like what I see in the CoM. I can easily see Lush being my Winter soil and Stonington being my warm weather grow mix.
Both got additional Uprising Foundation and Uprising Bloom, crab meal, dry nutes mixed in and Mycos + watered in



Coolest paint scheme of the '22 season but bummer it didn't come with the flag taped to the windshield how it was for the burnout



Outdoors...



The island of misfit grow gear





Brewing a compost tea today for the cucumber tubs that are loaded with used pot farming soils. Using lobster compost, crab meal, and Uprising Foundation in a 10 gallon RO water brew
Everything is put in a HumTea ball, closed up, and I use a VermiT extractor to make my brews.





Plugged in and set for extract. Should be ready to use tomorrow




RAWLLLLLL!!!!!!

 

[moe.red]

Autopots offer an air system that goes in the bottom. Never tried it. They claim it is 20% faster growth I think. But everyone claims that about their product.

O2 in the roots is very much a limiting factor to soil grows.

Not sure what the best method for getting more o2 at the roots in soil would be. I would think pumping into the roots would cause air pockets that might make things worse. Be interesting to see one of you guys try it.