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BlueCollarBob- Bumbling Through My First Grow

BlueCollarBob said:
I have read that they are edible, but never tried it. Knowing they aren't poisonous was one of the reasons selected cattails to try making FPJ. The smell of the nasty pond water in the roots turned me off, but they did smell crisp and clean when I pulled the hearts out of the stalks. I can get the cucumber comparison from the smell. Maybe next time I'll try it.
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Look into using banana peels. 🙂
 
BlueCollarBob said:
That's for when in flower, right?

PS- Your topping and fimming video that @GoodShit97 pointed me to was perfectly done.
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I've seen it used through both processes. I’ve never used it. I use seaweed and kelp and worm castings. I also use Dr Earths Flower Girl. It’s all organic too.
Thanks for the kind words on the vid. Was so much easier to show someone than to tell them 🙂
 
BlueCollarBob said:
Collected cattails to make fermented plant juice last weekend:

Cattails Inspector
View attachment 62914

Cleaned cattails befor chopping
View attachment 62918

I used 4lbs of chopped cattails and 4lbs of brown sugar. I ended up with about 1.25 quarts of FPJ. 1:1 may have been strong on brown sugar. It didn't take much to to super saturate and make shelf stable. Here's a pic right after super saturating with brown sugar.
View attachment 62922

Random pics from this morning:

Morning mushrooms
View attachment 62923

Butter Waves from above
View attachment 62924

Jet Fuel Odder Popz wants to go wide
View attachment 62925

I hope to do some low stress training and maybe some fimming this evening.
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Ya the fpj takes a little less sugar most of the time to render liquid 2/3 to half the wieght of material seems like the sweeter something is the more sugar it takes to get the fermented liquid. The fermented fruit juices usualy always use 1 to 1 sugur to material.some plants don't give up any liquid at all.for example cannabiss is like this, yarrow also.when I want to ferment a plant I know dosnt give out much liquid I mix it with comphrey half and half then do my ferment. that way the comphrey, that produces allot, jump starts the fermentation and osmotic pressure of the extraction,and I can get the hormones and nutrients I was after better than just using the low yielding plant by itself. Don't use pineapple it will fry your plants.pineapple is the only fruit I was warned not to use.looking great
 
BlueCollarBob said:
Thanks for the feedback @Rootsruler. I thought the plants were drooping because I took the pics at dusk. They've been reaching for the sky when the sun is up. What are the signs of heat stress? Do you have any recommendations on what I should be doing to help with that?
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If those were morning shots then you're good. I've noticed right before lights on or if otudoors at dawn the leaves will be droopy.
 
stonemason said:
Ya the fpj takes a little less sugar most of the time to render liquid 2/3 to half the wieght of material seems like the sweeter something is the more sugar it takes to get the fermented liquid. The fermented fruit juices usualy always use 1 to 1 sugur to material.some plants don't give up any liquid at all.for example cannabiss is like this, yarrow also.when I want to ferment a plant I know dosnt give out much liquid I mix it with comphrey half and half then do my ferment. that way the comphrey, that produces allot, jump starts the fermentation and osmotic pressure of the extraction,and I can get the hormones and nutrients I was after better than just using the low yielding plant by itself. Don't use pineapple it will fry your plants.pineapple is the only fruit I was warned not to use.looking great
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Thanks. I really appreciate you sharing your experience with KNF. I'm digging it.
 
Had an unfortunate casualty in the garden. I don't kill these, but he was dead when I found him. He somehow managed to get his head through some bird mesh and became entangled. Impressive that he got in that far. I had to cut him out and it was tight, tight, tight.

IMG_7201.png
 
Been a little busy and haven't been spending time gardening as much as I'd like. I did do some FIMing a few days back, after being pointed to @CannaGranny's nice "how to" video. I suspect I need to get in there and clean things up some.

I also used a tow strap and some manual grunting to space out the plants a little better.

I have some tall stakes and netting that I plan to set up and provide some support for the three younger plants. It is too late for that with Butter Waves, I think. I may have to at a couple stakes to tie her off to, if it looks like she needs support. I can also probable rig something up overhead and drop support lines to tie her off.

Something has been chewing holes in some leaves. I looked around and found some small green worms that sorta resemble inch worms, but are something smaller. They remind me of the moth larva that chew on cabbages around here. Slurty 3 has the most leaf damage. Jet Fuel Odder Popz seems almost untouched. I gave them a good dousing with Neem Oil shortly before dusk. I hope that helps. I took these photos after spraying the Neem Oil:

SD 07JUL24.pngJFOP 07JUL24.pngSlurty3 07JUL24.pngBW 07JUL24.png

I have a compost tea brewing that will be ready tomorrow evening. They really seem to love this stuff:
IMG_7225.png

It has been super dry here. I bought a cheap 1HP pump at Harbor Freight that lets me pump water from the creek without worry about running the well dry. I just used that for the first time yesterday and the whole garden started perking up.
IMG_7226.png

Work looks to be a bitch through Wednesday, but I'll have some daylight in the evening to work on things. As always, glad to hear any recommendations from you guys. Hope everyone had a great holiday and the new week treats you well...
 
BlueCollarBob said:
Been a little busy and haven't been spending time gardening as much as I'd like. I did do some FIMing a few days back, after being pointed to @CannaGranny's nice "how to" video. I suspect I need to get in there and clean things up some.

I also used a tow strap and some manual grunting to space out the plants a little better.

I have some tall stakes and netting that I plan to set up and provide some support for the three younger plants. It is too late for that with Butter Waves, I think. I may have to at a couple stakes to tie her off to, if it looks like she needs support. I can also probable rig something up overhead and drop support lines to tie her off.

Something has been chewing holes in some leaves. I looked around and found some small green worms that sorta resemble inch worms, but are something smaller. They remind me of the moth larva that chew on cabbages around here. Slurty 3 has the most leaf damage. Jet Fuel Odder Popz seems almost untouched. I gave them a good dousing with Neem Oil shortly before dusk. I hope that helps. I took these photos after spraying the Neem Oil:

View attachment 64862View attachment 64863View attachment 64864View attachment 64865

I have a compost tea brewing that will be ready tomorrow evening. They really seem to love this stuff:
View attachment 64866

It has been super dry here. I bought a cheap 1HP pump at Harbor Freight that lets me pump water from the creek without worry about running the well dry. I just used that for the first time yesterday and the whole garden started perking up.
View attachment 64867

Work looks to be a bitch through Wednesday, but I'll have some daylight in the evening to work on things. As always, glad to hear any recommendations from you guys. Hope everyone had a great holiday and the new week treats you well...
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Looking fantastic! Thanks for sharing this with us!
 
GoodShit97 said:
Captain Jacks DeadBug is my go to outside this year. View attachment 65014
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Perfect! I like that organic label. I'm pretty certain these worms are cabbage loopers. I've been using Monterey b.t. on my cabbages for those, but I'm nearly out. I'll look for Captain Jack's when I get to the store. Looks like it may be more broadly effective for some bugs that Monterey b.t. doesn't cover. Really appreciate the recommendation @GoodShit97 !

1720491811815.png
 
Just a quick update:

The Monterey b.t. seems to have done the trick for the worms, but the moths are still in there. The little green bastards are probably laying eggs. I hit three stores looking for Captain Jack's Dead Bug, but they were all out of stock. I ordered some concentrate from amazon, but it's not due to arrive until 7/25. I gave the whole garden a good drench with Neem Oil this evening.

All things considered, and acknowledging that I know nothing, they seem pretty healthy. I measured Butter Waves and she has just cleared the six foot mark. I actually think the younger ones are growing faster, tho. I keep procrastinating, but intend to get some trellis netting in there this week.

Like a lot of people, we really need some rain here. Pumping water from the creek to water the plants is working well, but even the creek is drying up. I'm starting to get some anxiety (ya'll have any recommendations for that 🤪) about the potential for our well to go dry. It hasn't happened before, but this is the driest I can recall. Come on rain...

Here's a crappy pic from mid-morning. Must have had something on my phone's lens:

14JUL24 First Grow.png
 
not sure if you're able to find thuricide BT that works great on worms and cats...

81uJiJP6rQL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
Those borers will fuck ur shit all up, from experience lol.

Watch out for wpm too

Gotta have IPM esp outdoors, learned that the hardway my first and only outdoor grow so far lol.
 
Observer said:
Those borers will fuck ur shit all up, from experience lol.

Watch out for wpm too

Gotta have IPM esp outdoors, learned that the hardway my first and only outdoor grow so far lol.
Click to expand...
Honestly, other than fear of the unknown as a first time grower, the powdery mildew is my biggest worry. We shall see...
 
@TomH's post about his plant's super fast recovery when it got thirsty in a cloth bag got me to thinking about things I already expect to change when growing outdoors next year. I tried planting some squash in 7 gallon bags., this year. They dry out too quick. I go through the evening ritual of watering and bringing them back to life. The squash I planted in the ground have flourished.

The 100 gallon bags I have the cannabis in have enough volume to hold moisture pretty well. I'm happy with them, but think I'll go in the ground with next year. Partly for security. They've grown more than I imagined and are more visible from the road than I expected. I want to move them to a more private location, anyway.

Right now, I think I like the way this guy digs out and lines a hole before filling it with a living soil mix. The video should start where you can see layout without having to watch the video:

 
Pruning outdoor cannabis plants


  • Improved Air Circulation: Removing excess foliage enhances airflow, reducing the risk of mold and mildew.

  • Increased Light Penetration: By trimming leaves and branches, more light reaches lower parts of the plant, promoting even growth and better bud development.

  • Enhanced Bud Quality: Redirecting the plant's energy towards fewer, larger buds improves overall bud quality. except, you may not want larger buds in a higher RH environment, unless they are of the "airy" structure variety.

  • Controlled Growth: Pruning shapes the plant, maintaining desired size and shape, crucial in limited outdoor space.

  • Disease Prevention: Removing crowded areas reduces pest and disease risks, facilitating early detection and treatment.

  • Harvest Timing: Pruning influences harvest timing, optimizing yield and cannabinoid production.

  • Training Techniques: Combined with topping or low-stress training (LST), pruning promotes higher yields and canopy uniformity.

  • Aesthetic Appeal: Well-pruned plants look neater and more visually appealing, ideal for discreet outdoor cultivation.
 
Observer said:
Pruning outdoor cannabis plants


  • Improved Air Circulation: Removing excess foliage enhances airflow, reducing the risk of mold and mildew.

  • Increased Light Penetration: By trimming leaves and branches, more light reaches lower parts of the plant, promoting even growth and better bud development.

  • Enhanced Bud Quality: Redirecting the plant's energy towards fewer, larger buds improves overall bud quality. except, you may not want larger buds in a higher RH environment, unless they are of the "airy" structure variety.

  • Controlled Growth: Pruning shapes the plant, maintaining desired size and shape, crucial in limited outdoor space.

  • Disease Prevention: Removing crowded areas reduces pest and disease risks, facilitating early detection and treatment.

  • Harvest Timing: Pruning influences harvest timing, optimizing yield and cannabinoid production.

  • Training Techniques: Combined with topping or low-stress training (LST), pruning promotes higher yields and canopy uniformity.

  • Aesthetic Appeal: Well-pruned plants look neater and more visually appealing, ideal for discreet outdoor cultivation.
Click to expand...
Yeah, those guys in the video are 2,800 miles away from me in the SF Bay area. Completely different environment from myself. Been a while since I've watched any of their videos. I think they prune more than that guy talking let on, tho. He doesn't grow or consume cannabis other than blending leaves into his smoothies, lol. I just like the idea of a dedicated in ground grow space outdoors. I also like the living soil approach.
 
BlueCollarBob said:
Yeah, those guys in the video are 2,800 miles away from me in the SF Bay area. Completely different environment from myself. Been a while since I've watched any of their videos. I think they prune more than that guy talking let on, tho. He doesn't grow or consume cannabis other than blending leaves into his smoothies, lol. I just like the idea of a dedicated in ground grow space outdoors. I also like the living soil approach.
Click to expand...
Not much to report other than a pretty good screw up I made. I've been keeping up with the compost teas and top dressings. The little green moths are back, so I'll be spraying everything with Captain Jack's Dead Bug tomorrow. I have been thinning out some fan leaves and buds that are not getting much sun. That's where I messed up. I took this pic around 8:30pm, so the light was fading:

IMG_7324.png

After taking the photo, i cleaned up some stuff and started brewing another tea. Before heading inside I reached into the front plant in the photo to snap off a small bottom branch. It was more substantial than I thought and I managed to rip off one of the main branches it was attached too. Plant looks like it has a big hole in it. I'm also worried about where it stripped the skin running down the main trunk. Worse things can happen, but I was pretty pissed at myself, lol.
 
BlueCollarBob said:
Not much to report other than a pretty good screw up I made. I've been keeping up with the compost teas and top dressings. The little green moths are back, so I'll be spraying everything with Captain Jack's Dead Bug tomorrow. I have been thinning out some fan leaves and buds that are not getting much sun. That's where I messed up. I took this pic around 8:30pm, so the light was fading:

View attachment 66857

After taking the photo, i cleaned up some stuff and started brewing another tea. Before heading inside I reached into the front plant in the photo to snap off a small bottom branch. It was more substantial than I thought and I managed to rip off one of the main branches it was attached too. Plant looks like it has a big hole in it. I'm also worried about where it stripped the skin running down the main trunk. Worse things can happen, but I was pretty pissed at myself, lol.
Click to expand...
I fill the limb with honey and tape it back together. Many many times it never knows its broke.
 
Yea I use tape too, never tried honey yet but tape works good. Another thing I like to have handy is a roll of garden ties (like a roll of bread ties). Ive used that to wind around bad breaks that tape wouldn't hold, I taped it first then wound with that stuff....took it off about 10 days later, looked like a surgeons scar... surprised the heck outta me
 
BlueCollarBob said:
Not much to report other than a pretty good screw up I made. I've been keeping up with the compost teas and top dressings. The little green moths are back, so I'll be spraying everything with Captain Jack's Dead Bug tomorrow. I have been thinning out some fan leaves and buds that are not getting much sun. That's where I messed up. I took this pic around 8:30pm, so the light was fading:

View attachment 66857

After taking the photo, i cleaned up some stuff and started brewing another tea. Before heading inside I reached into the front plant in the photo to snap off a small bottom branch. It was more substantial than I thought and I managed to rip off one of the main branches it was attached too. Plant looks like it has a big hole in it. I'm also worried about where it stripped the skin running down the main trunk. Worse things can happen, but I was pretty pissed at myself, lol.
Click to expand...
Beautiful plants man!!
I pick my one plant up by its stalk every night to carry it in the shed and I know one if these days I'm gonna regret the hell out of it
 
GoodShit97 said:
Beautiful plants man!!
I pick my one plant up by its stalk every night to carry it in the shed and I know one if these days I'm gonna regret the hell out of it
Click to expand...
Seems like they snap easier when I push down on them. You might be able to carry your plant a long ways lifting up on it. I'm kicking myself. Stupid impulse move to make one more quick prune. I had snips and alcohol pads in my pocket, lol.
 
CannaGranny said:
I fill the limb with honey and tape it back together. Many many times it never knows its broke.
Click to expand...
I'll keep tat in mind for future screw ups. We use a lot of honey, so I always have some on hand.

PS- I'm toying with trying to get set up indoors this Fall/Winter. Any reason I should avoid that Orange Widow for a first indoor effort? Sounds right up my alley.
 
MDK said:
Yea I use tape too, never tried honey yet but tape works good. Another thing I like to have handy is a roll of garden ties (like a roll of bread ties). Ive used that to wind around bad breaks that tape wouldn't hold, I taped it first then wound with that stuff....took it off about 10 days later, looked like a surgeons scar... surprised the heck outta me
Click to expand...
My wife says my memory sucks, the truth is I only remember important stuff... like this 🙂. I'll bet you that I add a roll of garden ties to my gardening supplies in the near future. Thanks for the sharing this patch.
 
BlueCollarBob said:
I'll keep tat in mind for future screw ups. We use a lot of honey, so I always have some on hand.

PS- I'm toying with trying to get set up indoors this Fall/Winter. Any reason I should avoid that Orange Widow for a first indoor effort? Sounds right up my alley.
Click to expand...
None other than she has some size to her. I did one plant in a 4x4 on scrog. She yielded 15 ounces dry! The buds were super large and I had to use a trellis net atop of my scrog table to hold them up.IMG_0856.jpeg
 
GoodShit97 said:
Depending on what you do for a setup I may have a light for you 😉
I have a Phlizon PL2000 for a 2x4 I will never use again.
Was only used like 4 or 5 weeks at 30ish%
Click to expand...
Thanks, man! I'm still in study mode. I've been watching what you guys are doing. The hydro set ups sounds sexy, but it maybe staying in soil is a good idea for people who are just starting out. I think I like the idea of ebb and flow. I'm not sure I want to do a lot of hand watering. So, probably automated as much as possible. I find the no veg method fascinating, but maybe not for a beginner? I was thinking 4 plants, just because that's the limit here and probably plenty for my needs. So, I'd want a 4X4 or 5X5 tent, right? Or, is it smart to start with a couple of plants in a 2X4?

Right now I'm "thinking". I'm really not set on anything and will be leaning on you guys a lot when it's time to narrow things down. Just soaking up what everyone shares here, for the time being.

If that light is something you recommend and fits the bill for how I should start out, I'm glad to pay a fair price and shipping.
 
CannaGranny said:
None other than she has some size to her. I did one plant in a 4x4 on scrog. She yielded 15 ounces dry! The buds were super large and I had to use a trellis net atop of my scrog table to hold them up.View attachment 66865
Click to expand...
Oh, wow! That's nuts. Now I need to go see if you have a grow diary. I don't think I've seen your full set up and approach to growing..
 
I guess I depends on how big you want these 4 plants to be.
I'd say a 5x5, 4x8, or 5x10, that way you can absolutely max out on 4 plants and grow some big ladies.

That's how Smoke does it, he has a 4 plant limit too so grows 8 foot monsters inside lol.
 
GoodShit97 said:
I guess I depends on how big you want these 4 plants to be.
I'd say a 5x5, 4x8, or 5x10, that way you can absolutely max out on 4 plants and grow some big ladies.

That's how Smoke does it, he has a 4 plant limit too so grows 8 foot monsters inside lol.
Click to expand...
Go big or go home, lol. Or, maybe that quick rotation with no-veg or autos. I don't know which direction to go, but I do have some room to work with in the basement.
 
BlueCollarBob said:
Oh, wow! That's nuts. Now I need to go see if you have a grow diary. I don't think I've seen your full set up and approach to growing..
Click to expand...
Bits and pieces of one’s. I get bored and forgetful as the grow goes along. I’m a 100% organic grower that uses the scrog process.
Simple set up. A five by five tent, a four by four tent, a two by seven closet. Spider farmer and mars hydro lighting.
 
BlueCollarBob said:
The hydro set ups sounds sexy, but it maybe staying in soil is a good idea for people who are just starting out.
Click to expand...
I started with Hydro. It was surprisingly easy to get a general grasp on. I believe there's a decent bit of detail on how I started and went about plumbing it in my journal named "First time". It's a long thread, but there are tons of answered questions and hidden gems in there.

Hydro comes with a little steeper start-up cost, but eventually you're only paying for water/electricity and nutes. I'm very glad I went this route. There are periods where I don't touch anything but the zipper on my tent for a couple weeks at a time, aside from filling the humidifier.

Granny is right, too. SCROGgin is badass. I used a 3x3 screen on my first two grows and yielded 12.5 and 14 ounces dried under a SpiderFarmer light. Great flavor and highs. Just keep in mind, she'll try to convince you to give it the ol' @CannaGranny SMASH. I was too hesitant and just spent a ton of time tucking shoots. Similar results, I imagine, with much lest time consumed on her end. Just smash them bitches. Simple and effective.

I'll be mainlining this round and am anxious to compare my results. Whichever path you choose, we got your back.

Odd little off-topic detail - when googling mailining techniques, after typing in mainlining, Google's top recommended search.... mainlining Ozempic.
 
GrumpAzz said:
I started with Hydro. It was surprisingly easy to get a general grasp on. I believe there's a decent bit of detail on how I started and went about plumbing it in my journal named "First time". It's a long thread, but there are tons of answered questions and hidden gems in there.

Hydro comes with a little steeper start-up cost, but eventually you're only paying for water/electricity and nutes. I'm very glad I went this route. There are periods where I don't touch anything but the zipper on my tent for a couple weeks at a time, aside from filling the humidifier.

Granny is right, too. SCROGgin is badass. I used a 3x3 screen on my first two grows and yielded 12.5 and 14 ounces dried under a SpiderFarmer light. Great flavor and highs. Just keep in mind, she'll try to convince you to give it the ol' @CannaGranny SMASH. I was too hesitant and just spent a ton of time tucking shoots. Similar results, I imagine, with much lest time consumed on her end. Just smash them bitches. Simple and effective.

I'll be mainlining this round and am anxious to compare my results. Whichever path you choose, we got your back.

Odd little off-topic detail - when googling mailining techniques, after typing in mainlining, Google's top recommended search.... mainlining Ozempic.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I found your first time diary. I'm looking forward to going through it. It starts of pretty interesting in just the first few pages.

I also looked up mainlining Ozempic. I could stand to lose a few pounds, but not like that, lol
 
Hell yeah. That construction phase was so much fun.

There's A LOT of off topic stuff in there that led to 50 or 60 pages, so don't hesitate to ask questions or for some clarification. We got your back.
 
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