2025 fall/winter grow

[TomH]

Here’s a 12 day dry on crystalberry.

Buds are hard as golfballs, I’ll test it later today or tomorrow.

Looks great, smells great but not sweet like when growing. I hope the sweet returns with a good cure.

 

[TomH]

This is platinum GSC also on a 10 day dry.

Buds are a bit larger than crystal but not a solid. Not larfy, just not golf balls either.

I tested this one this morning.
Good smell, taste and smooth.
I’m looking forward to what a cure does. Smells good but not sweet.

 

[TomH]

Stickiest stuff I’ve ever grown, super stoked about that. I’m hoping that they smoke as well as they look.

 

[TomH]

Restarting Bruce banner.
Seed sewn 1/5/26.
Popped up 1/8
Will be moving to the foothills tomorrow and into a 15 gal sack in the tent.

I don’t actually remember smoking Bruce banner before but my daughter really likes it so here we go.

 

[steamroller]

Looking good for 2 weeks~!

 

[TomH]

Sitting in the tent but I won’t plant it until after the solo goes dry, Monday or Tuesday I suspect.

Bruce Banner, 60:40 sativa:indica hybrid.
Potentially 25% to 30% thc, I’m hoping for good terps too.

Planning for five to six weeks of veg before flipping.

 

[TomH]

Planted into the 15 gallon cloth container.
I dusted the roots with great white but it still got a little sad looking for a day or two.

Starting to perk up and showing nice growth.

Needs to be topped soon.

Grow baby, grow!

 

[TomH]

Today is my last day in the foothills for a week.
I’ll top the plant this morning at node 5 (If I can find it, the plant is really compact).

I watered her a couple days ago with yucca extract and some molasses. The root ball is still quite moist although the plant is starting to get perkier.

I’ve set the auto irrigation to water one time on Tuesday, by the time I return a week from tomorrow, it should be ready for an additional watering each week.

This plant seems kinda like it’s a beast, I’m guessing it’s going to get big, with the proper care. Fingers crossed.

 

[TomH]

Let the toppings begin!

Topped after node 5, clean cut no fim.

Peaking up under the skirt shows side shoots have already started, it’s probably going to get away from me if I’m not careful.

I’m trying full organic nutrients this round.

My water from the tap is 37 ppm with ph 6.8. I added a bit of silica and Epsom (I know, not really organic) because the water is so pure here.

Current plan is to flip in the first week of march, I’ll adjust the estimate based upon her growth.

 

[TomH]

I think Bruce Banner has settled into her permanent residence well.

Time to increase the irrigation, I return to the foothills Saturday, I’ll increase to two irrigation cycles per week, possibly adding more based upon her growth.

Flip is planned for early in the first week of march.

 

[TomH]

When I arrived in the foothills this morning Bruce banner was absolutely praying, it hadn’t had water since Tuesday so I gave it a couple 30 irrigation runs to prime the soil.

It immediately looked faint, like it’s about to fall over.

I don’t know if it’s a good time but I decided to cut off all the main fans and the lowest branch set.

It’s cheering up some but I expect it’ll take a couple days to fully recover from the defoliation.

Anyway, it’s got eight main branches that I hope I can keep to the same height for eight colas.

I’m hoping she cooperates.

 

[TomH]

Didn’t take long to get happy after the defoliation.

Absolutely perky this morning.

Actually looks bigger than it did yesterday.

 

[TomH]

My challenge (and has been for a while), I’m trying to go organic on the grow.
Pre-charged soil is a good start, but where I’ve “lost it” in the past is keeping the soil charged properly.

Last grow, my plant suffered right at the stretch, so I’m trying to add the organic top dressings before they are needed.

Mixed a dry Doctor Earth 2-2-2 + Marine Cuisine 10-7-7 (equal parts) plus a tbps of epsom and 1/2 cup of humic acid.
This combo was gently scratched into the top surface of the soil, will be watered in Tuesday morning.

I’m hoping this will take her through the next 3 weeks of veg, then I’ll mix some Doctor Earth Flower Girl 3-7-4 at flip.

I may manually water a few times with molassas a few times along the way to keep the soil activity going.

The delay for organics to get active at what messes me up.

 

[TomH]

This plant seems to love higher vpd. Running around 1.3 right now and shes just perky.
She keeps her composure well into the day too, she was at her perkiest yesterday just at lights out.

 

[TomH]

I’ve renamed Bruce Banner to Bree Banner, mainly because I don’t want banner throwing nanners so I want to keep her feeling feminine.

Bree is growing visibly by the day. At this rate of growth, she may need to flip before the end of the month else she may outgrow her tent.

I’m pleased with her growth.

 

[TomH]

holy smokes this plant is a racehorse.

I defoliated it Saturday, it looks like it needs it again already.

My plan was to grow out eight colas, but I’m wondering if a screen of green might be better??

At any rate, this girl’s got good genes, I hope I like what she produces

 

[TomH]

I took two piles this size, but it’s not as drastic as I thought.

It’ll probably need another shave in a week.

 

[TomH]

White tips,
Is this a burn sign or rapid growth indicator?

None of the leaf tips end up burned but they are white when they first come out.

I’m not feeding any actual nutrients, just soil food from organic nutrients and teas.

Do I need to back off the lights or just keep on keeping on?

Never done full organic, I don’t want to miss a sign.

 

[steamroller]

The growth looks normal to me.
I don't do full organic because I always spot things too late for organics.
You need to have the feed schedule down and not go by what you see.

 

[TomH]

The growth looks normal to me.
I don't do full organic because I always spot things too late for organics.
You need to have the feed schedule down and not go by what you see.

Yeah, I figure I gotta just keep feeding the soil,
I appreciate an extra set of eyes and opinions.

In the past, I started organic but would pull the plug and start normal nutes if something went bad.
I’d like to just gut check it out and let the plant select its own nutrients from a happy soil.

fingers crossed she stays happy!

 

[TomH]

This girl is growing fast.
I adjusted the rh down 5%, dropped light cycle from 19:5 to 16:6 in preparation for flipping at the end of the month.
I’ll drop two more hours off before flipping next week. That puts the plants at 14:10 which is about where my outdoor plants begin flowering.

I still need to support the branches before flip.

 

[TomH]

My math was off above

Light is 16:8 not 16:6 (unless I invented my own solar system )

 

[steamroller]

*maff...

 

[steamroller]

That puts the plants at 14:10 which is about where my outdoor plants begin flowering.

I agree and find at around 14 hours flowering does begin.
Be interesting to not go lower than 14 and see how flowering progresses.

 

[TomH]

Ca-mag requirements for oganics in flower?
I did put some dolomite into the soil mixture, that was built about 3 months ago and lived through some good rains.

Do I need to add anything at this stage (2 weeks prior to flip) to prepare for the calcium requirements in flower?

Oyster shell? Gypsum? Dolomite? I don’t want to have a calcium lockout, but don‘t want the plants to suffer from a shortage of some required nutrient.

Any organic soothsayers out there?

 

[TomH]

I agree and find at around 14 hours flowering does begin.
Be interesting to not go lower than 14 and see how flowering progresses.

I have wondered that as well? Easier to hit the DLI without overpowering the plants, but I don’t want to stress her out either.

 

[steamroller]

I will need to cycle out males and will probably try it at 14 hours as I want to turn the females back after sorting the males..
That won't count for much though.

 

[TomH]

Getting “under the hood” on organics leads me to believe I am good on available Ca material in the mix.

All the ocean based nutrients seem to have available Ca as does bone meal and rock phosphate.

In addition to the Ca, ocean based nutes also seem chocked full of required micro nutes. That stuff seems like gold standard!

 

[TomH]

Time to fish or cut bait.

Been vegging a little over three weeks in the tent.

I think it needs a good defoliation and flip.

I’ll top dress tomorrow with a 50:50 mix of flower girl and a 4-4-4 organic.

Plan is to drop to 14:10 tomorrow and 12:12 shortly thereafter (about three or f days).

 

[TomH]

When I arrived in the foothills. Grown significantly in just a few weeks.
Time to thin things out.
This is what I started with:



As soon as I arrived, I checked the soil (dry as a bone) so it was watered and then defoliated.

It seems to have responded by saying screw you, I’m going limp! And it did!



24 hours later, absolutely praying happy!



8 to 10 weeks is what all the docs say about B Banner strain

watching and waiting!

 

[TomH]

Mid morning, 80 degrees, 50% RH, I think that’s a VPD around 1.4 to 1.5 (depending upon actual leaf temp.
The chart I’m using is calculating a 2 degree leaf temp drop. I need to get my thermometer out there as I’ve seen leaf temps easily 10 degrees cooler than air temp before. But that was during manic type growth.

 

[TomH]

This is one of two of my favorite times when dealing with cannabis.

I love the flip look. Bright, light green apexes, looks bigger each day.

The other favorite is, of course, the smoking part

This does, obviously begin the stressful part, especially for organic growth.

To date, I’ve never finished a fully organic grow without depending upon chemicals to correct my lack of preparation.

So far so good, but will it stay this way? Time will tell.

Happy Monday all.
If you’re in the blizzard, stay safe. That thing looks horrible. To everyone else, enjoy your day.

 

[TomH]

Plant is looking very happy in its third day in flower.
Temps are maintaining around 79 to 81, RH in the 50% - 53% ranges.
The VPD chart I have assumes a -2 leaf temp (relative to air temp).
This plant is actually maintaining -4 degrees relative to air.

I believe this effectively reduces the VPD (less stressful) or perhaps a better way to look at it is more efficiency at the leaf surface.

At any rate, the VPD is around the 1.3 to 1.5 range, perhaps a but high but the plant looks thrilled with it.

The irrigation system is set to perform 2 waterings on Sat morn (one hour apart) and two on Tues morn (also one hour apart). Due to stretch, I’m expecting a temporary increase in water requirements. I’ve added a single irrigation on thurs. morn. That will be eliminated once the stretch is complete Or the runoff says enough!

When I defoliated it this past weekend, my GF said she could smell the plant on me, strongly.
I don’t think I’ve had a plant before that was that aromatic in the veg stage.
I might be in for a reeker!

 

[TomH]

Interesting observation from this morning during the irrigation cycle.

In the past, every time I water this plant, it goes limp. In veg, it would remain limp until the next morning.

This was just before the first irrigation since flip.



This is five minutes after first irrigation




By second irrigation, it had already recovered a little, but wept again with the second cycle.

But by two hours after irrigation:



I also was recording temperatures and rh hourly.

All morning around 79 degrees and rh around 50 to 53 percent.

Suddenly temperature is up one degree (solar heating of the lung room), but rh in the sixties percent range.

My hypothesis is that following irrigation, the sudden uptake of hydration overwhelms the leaf ability to expel moisture. It takes time for the leaves to respire at a rate that will support the additional water weight.

Just a guess, but it’s always shock to see it droop

 

[TomH]

Friday, Feb 27 is the last day of week 1 for this plant.
I’m not really detecting a stretch so much as just an overall larger plant.

I’m guessing that this week and next will result in more elongated main stems.

There are already some pistils showing up in the bud sites, but not looking like white puffs yet.

Color is amazing. I guess I’m amazed that I haven’t pulled the ripcord yet. Maintaining a pure organic environment, I’m hoping I can turn the corner into full flower phase without resorting to chemicals.

I’ll be leaving tomorrow for a week back in the Bay Area. Really curious how week 2 goes.

 

[TomH]

This is 30 minutes before irrigation.
She’s definitely thirsty.
She’s also stretching and a lot. 5 inches since last Saturday

Her color looks good, her stature looks a bit limp, but getting much bigger daily.

I’m now thinking I might need to break some branches when I get back to the foothills on Saturday. I’ll avoid breaking them if possible, but the wood hardens up quickly.

 

[TomH]

Week 2 of flower in the books.
It stretched and then some.

Getting close to the light on top

I’ve been really keeping it dry, but apparently it’s happy with it.

Temperature two hours after lights on, 72 degrees, 36% RH. A little arid but the plant is beefy and I’m sure it’s keeping its environment comfortable.

Buds are starting to appear, I really want to defoliate it again, but should probably wait till near the end of week 3.

Happy Saturday all, enjoy the sunshine if you can. Spring is technically here in California although it still gets cold overnight, it’s getting into the seventies during the day.

 

[TomH]

She perked up a couple hours after irrigation yesterday but really glows this morning after lights on.

I bent some taller branches yesterday and they are fighting it today.

More defoliation to go. Just a few things still in the middle I’d like to clean up.

 

[TomH]

Yesterday before 1st irrigation, I added some yucca, humic acid and molasses along with mykos.

Then top dressed some flower girl nutrient mix in.

I think I’m going to run out of tent before the grow is finished.

 

[TomH]

Getting big in the tent, I’m feeling like perhaps I should have opted for a SCrOg

The colas have just started building up and have about a foot before getting into the top light.

She’s loving the organic environment, I can’t find anything discolored, it’s a hulk shade of green which matches well with being Bruce Banner.

2.5 weeks into 12:12 lighting
Flower girl, humic acid and mykos is the food, every second week.

I’ll stop the nutrition load after the week six feeding cycle, just coast in on fumes and water after that.