Zen’s Winter Run 2025

Hey, I have my 12v fan with a transformer and I ordered a 12v timer $20. I have 3- 12" pizza boxes, My microplaner is in the freezer,
Nice! You’ve been busy.

I have vinyl gloves and parchment paper. I have a frozen water bottle to hold when I'm not microplaning my sht to keep hands cold,
I’m fairly confident the rubber gloves over winter gloves will work for hot and cold but I’ve never tried it with cold.

as I write this I remember I want turkey bags, cooking bags to work the hash in....Fridge is working well. timer should be here this week. I'll get it all working and start drying my hash....much longer a process than dry sifting I thinks, Margarita's are working well.lol
Ya it sounds more involved but I’m thinking you get more quantity this way. IDK

I noticed, when I checked my seed book to pick what I wanted this run, I might have something you mentioned.
 
20251001: Grease Monkey

A quick check this morning showed me a nice tail so into the soil they go. IMG_6661.jpeg

Hmm, turns out the other is split and bulging but no tail yet. So it gets more time. It was the smaller of the two seeds.

Had the pots ready since yesterday. Let them soak for a while then put them in the tray. All the water they lost they mostly soaked back up over night. IMG_6660.jpeg

These pots have everything already in the soil. It smells more like forest earth than peat if that makes sense. Earlier I sprayed the tote with the JMS spray but when I went to use it again it was off, had a funky smell so I dumped it out. Only lasts a few days and it’s been weeks. I did add a couple pinches of gypsum and epsom. Stick is in the empty pot.IMG_6662.jpeg

I’ll check the seed tomorrow. Keeping it on the hot water tank for warmth.

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Peppers, banana, bell, Thai and cayenne are turning red now as well as tomatoes. The big mammoth sunflower has finally opened too. IMG_6656.jpeg

Worms are wiggling along okay. IMG_6644.jpeg

Going to try and collect a culture with rice and the forest earth I have left. Wasn’t able to find cedar Saturday so I’ll try these tins my wife had with a cloth over the top and a elastic. IMG_6663.jpeg

Enjoy the warm weather.
 
Finally got around to trying to get an IMO collection.

Plastic is bad, but metal worked for Stonemason and I have that.
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Partially cooked rice NOT packed down to 2/3 of the container. IMG_6699.jpeg

Covered with tissue and an elastic. Excess was cut off before placing in the tote of forest earth.IMG_6702.jpeg

I’ll leave it for a week and let you know how it turns out.

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Checking the levels on the worm farm I noticed more castings are dropping in but also what I believe is an egg sack in the bottom left side.IMG_6671.jpegIMG_6672.jpeg

Good news. Means they are doing okay. 👍
 
Nice! You’ve been busy.


I’m fairly confident the rubber gloves over winter gloves will work for hot and cold but I’ve never tried it with cold.


Ya it sounds more involved but I’m thinking you get more quantity this way. IDK

I noticed, when I checked my seed book to pick what I wanted this run, I might have something you mentioned.
Oh I'm sure it will work, I have the vinyl gloves, I don't have rubber gloves and my gloves are too big. I need fine control over this operation, all boxes checked, all parts in place,, tools at the ready...assistance on stand by....then I'll smoke a joint and fk it up some how......I'm the guy that falls off bikes every time he rides now....remember that in future discussions. I didn't grasp things quickly before my recent head whacks and its not getting any better........I've seen video's of guys getting head whacked and learning a new language or become math wizzes or artists......I'm not seeing any of that yet....lol
 
A quick peek this morning shows the seed has a tail now. This is a smaller seed and the tail might be 1/8”. I’ll check again tonight.

The seedling pots are at 21* and 77RH over night.
 
20251002: Grease Money

Ones up! Moved to the top section of the tent. Just need the other one to get a longer tail. IMG_6726.jpeg

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Edit:
Checked the second smaller seed at 7pm. No noticeable change. Roots still wrapped around the side but sticks out now at least.

The tents up to 88%RH and 24*c. That’s with the hydrometer sitting on the pots. It’s higher now as I added the second seed and squirted water on the top to settle it in.IMG_6737.jpeg

If the little one fails I have one seed left to continue. The other ones already a little taller already but the helmet might be a problem.

So we’re off. 🏇
 
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20251003: Grease Monkey

Not much to look at yet. Ones only just planted and the other, although taller, still had the helmet on.IMG_6742.jpegIMG_6743.jpeg

Really hoping that casing doesn’t become a problem later.

Quantum board LED is set to the lowest setting and is at 6300 LUX at that distance. (I like 6000-8000 for seedling but 5000-10000 is typical settings.)

Temperature has stayed in the 22*-24* range. Humidity has been 85-99%RH. (Spike occurred after adding the second seed and watering it in.)

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Making a sieve set to catch the worms and separate the castings. Need to finish the lid and make another larger mesh screen or two. Plan to use it for all gardening needs.IMG_6741.jpegIMG_6740.jpegIMG_6729.jpeg

Just a larger and medium screen left to print once the lids done.

Black is PLA+ for the screens and shaking bin. Tan is PETG-GF and used as the collection bin and lid as it’s waterproof. (It’s that crappy Amazon PETG I grabbed on prime days. It SUCKS! Trying to use it up on things that don’t have detail and blemishes don’t matter.)
 
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20251004: Grease Monkey

Yesterday the helmet was still firmly attached but this morning I noticed it was just hanging on so I removed it. However the membrane was dry and keeping the cotyledon closed.

I sprayed it lightly with water and came back in a few minutes to remove it without issue.IMG_6761.jpeg

The other seed hasn’t come up yet but it’s only been underground for a day.IMG_6763.jpeg

So we’ll wait a few more days and see if I need to pop the last seed or if the small one gets going.IMG_6764.jpeg

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Making a sieve set to process and collect the castings. However the second screen started to smear the mesh so I had to stop the print. No idea what went wrong so I’ll have to deal with it later today. IMG_6757.jpeg

Never buy this crap filament. 78120556161__7B58BA03-B313-405F-9E9F-B6E01CCB7E4E.jpeg78120552656__9AEE8914-1D16-470C-A252-9B5ED467DFA8.jpeg

The lid looks like it was cut out of a damaged one side good plywood sheet. And that’s after a lot of cleaning and trimming. Justmaker PETG-GF just SUCKS!
 
Still waiting on seedling two to raise its head.

Decided today was harvest the worm bin day. It’s full and the cantaloupe and watermelon were gone.

Used the second bin to make a clean bed with a bit of the old soil for microbes. Added some watermelon, coffee grounds, eggshells and used tea leaves to follow.

Turned the bin upside down on the sieve and started putting worms into the clean bin. Lots of eggs to move over and a couple sawfly larvae I disposed of.

Then I moved anything too damp to paper tower to dry out. The rest I shake for the castings. IMG_6769.jpegIMG_6771.jpeg

Then I search for any worms that squeeze through followed by a hunt for egg sacks. I found 5 worms, 30 eggs and 3 sawflies. The rest is clean with a bit of crushed eggshell.
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Not a bad harvest for two weeks. IMG_6779.jpeg

I would have gotten more but I found bugs in the damp bottom bedding that was clumped. It usually means a dead worms inside so I let it dry out over night with a fan. When I pulled it open with the rest of the damp parts to sieve out came hundreds of bugs. IMG_6781.jpegIMG_6783.jpeg

Reached out to a couple buddies but didn’t get a reply before we’d had enough and just bagged all the remaining soil and bugs. Turns out they were soil mites just doing their thing. IMG_6784.jpeg

Not big on ANY bugs in the house but if any made it to the new bedding I’ll leave them going forward. To me they looked like aphids but I know they don’t live underground.

Ah well, live and learn.
 
Well my home indoor IMO collection isn’t going well. The first of three was checked last night. The top looked okay but the bottom showed multiple colours including a dark stripe that’s not acceptable. (Not the soil striping but the fuzzy dark areas.)IMG_6788.jpeg78140297704__2F59FF40-D70E-4DA1-85BF-76AAF7381BBF.jpeg

I’ll check one of the remaining two on Tuesday or Thursday.

Maybe I should use the rabbit pellets, they seem good to go as is. 😳IMG_6790.jpeg
 
Pretty sure these two IMO collections are bad. IMG_6823.jpegIMG_6824.jpeg

The second ones better just some dirt on the bottom. IMG_6825.jpegIMG_6826.jpeg

Checking with our resident expert to see if I can cut out and save anything. Stonemason said it was still good for JMS but might not be suitable for IMO after the first collection. We’ll see what he thinks.
 
Pretty sure these two IMO collections are bad. View attachment 115760View attachment 115761

The second ones better just some dirt on the bottom. View attachment 115762View attachment 115763

Checking with our resident expert to see if I can cut out and save anything. Stonemason said it was still good for JMS but might not be suitable for IMO after the first collection. We’ll see what he thinks.
Your diner looks off, If it doesn't pass the sniff test.......skip that I couldn't even sniff it without barfing.....there's no way in heck I could mess with that stuff, even looking at it is stomach souring.

I just dropped 6 seeds 2 Biscotti Skunk, 2 Blackberry Kush, from QCseeds & 2 Strawberry Purps??? from OLDCRO. My order from Capt Redbeards is lost in the mail strike via Granny.

It got up to 31C here yesterday, only 18C now. You are supposed to get a cold front rolling in soon I see a big band of crap headed your way now. I use this site for my weather info. Fking awesome site to watch weather patterns develop.
https://zoom.earth/maps/satellite/#view=50.4,-62.2,4z/date=2025-10-07,08:20,-3

Are you watching any Blue Jays? big game tonight in NY. I'd love to see them knock NY out in 3 straight games
 
Your diner looks off, If it doesn't pass the sniff test.......skip that I couldn't even sniff it without barfing.....there's no way in heck I could mess with that stuff, even looking at it is stomach souring.
After the first bite or two it’s fine. But you need salt, lots of salt. 🤣

I just dropped 6 seeds 2 Biscotti Skunk, 2 Blackberry Kush, from QCseeds & 2 Strawberry Purps??? from OLDCRO.
Sweet, this will be my first grow with OLDCRO’s controller. Looking forward to the extra light control.

My order from Capt Redbeards is lost in the mail strike via Granny.
That sucks. They didn’t even warn us this time, just walked out. They lost my sympathy this time round.

It got up to 31C here yesterday, only 18C now. You are supposed to get a cold front rolling in soon I see a big band of crap headed your way now. I use this site for my weather info. Fking awesome site to watch weather patterns develop.
https://zoom.earth/maps/satellite/#view=50.4,-62.2,4z/date=2025-10-07,08:20,-3
It was breaking records all across Canada yesterday. We had rain on/off most of the day. 70%RH in the basement.
https://zoom.earth/maps/satellite/#view=50.4,-62.2,4z/date=2025-10-07,08:20,-3
Are you watching any Blue Jays? big game tonight in NY. I'd love to see them knock NY out in 3 straight games
Wanted to but no. And they blew it. Lost 6-9.

Wife and I have been wiped out lately. Sore neck, sore stomach, my back, and she snored like a bear last night. Company coming for the weekend so got to get her chores done.

You watch any? I saw the highlights. We couldn’t catch the ball to save our lives. 🤦
 
Checking the seeds later this morning. They had cracked yesterday but no real tails. The cold returned last night. Even frost warnings right after record breaking high temperatures!

IMO into IMO2. Picked out most of the green and dark areas. The dark areas were probably okay after watching a few videos but I didn’t want to risk it.
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Mixed it equally with brown sugar. 50g/53g as I added a bit more sugar to top it off.IMG_6835.jpegIMG_6836.jpeg

I covered it for the day but will put a lid on today and stick it I the fridge. IMG_6839.jpegIMG_6840.jpegIMG_6841.jpeg

Worms are looking good. Melons all gone, just tomato skin left.IMG_6842.jpegIMG_6843.jpeg

They get into all three bins but go back to the main one for food and security. I just need to watch none are hanging out the bottom when I move or check things.
 
20251009: Grease Monkey & GG Berry #4

Put the three seeds in soil yesterday and hoped to see at least two up this morning. No such luck.

I bumped the LUX to 10,000-11,000 and put the heat mat under. Humidity is 87% and 23* in this section this morning.

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After seeing the longer tails I was sure they would be up this morning but the drop in temperature overnight might be a problem.
 
Worms are still alive, mostly. I found one, maybe two corpses in last weeks cleaning. But also found about 30 egg sacks.

I noticed they keep sneaking into the empty bins but head to the main one to hide/eat. So just to see what happens I left their next feeding in the top bin uncovered.IMG_6856.jpegIMG_6857.jpeg

Theirs usually 3 but two took off before I could get the camera. The last one hung around which is unusual.

Looking too damp this morning. Watermelon and cucumber made it to wet I think. Need to add some bedding later. IMG_6866.jpegIMG_6867.jpeg

The soil mites are still around after all. Gross but I’ll leave them. They are dealing with the tomato skins the worms leave behind.IMG_6868.jpeg

Next years cucumber seeds being harvested. Need to let them ferment a bit before drying and storage. The rest is worm food for later. 78164861591__664EE833-6909-46BD-9E0C-CF7C29C6D490.jpeg
 
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Amazon prime days seem a joke these days. I had my eye on a few cheaper things as did my son.

I wanted some more grow bags since they did well for my indoor and outdoor plants this last grow. Saw a mixed pack of 1100 for $24 and change. Well it ended up being $26 and change and that’s after a 10% discount. Son had the same experience grabbing more filaments. IMG_6827.jpegIMG_6828.jpegIMG_6861.jpeg

So screw prime days going forward. I only bought them because my son ordered something else.
 
Amazon prime days seem a joke these days. I had my eye on a few cheaper things as did my son.

I wanted some more grow bags since they did well for my indoor and outdoor plants this last grow. Saw a mixed pack of 1100 for $24 and change. Well it ended up being $26 and change and that’s after a 10% discount. Son had the same experience grabbing more filaments. View attachment 115897View attachment 115898View attachment 115899

So screw prime days going forward. I only bought them because my son ordered something else.
I can never get deals off Amzone, When I want something I buy it, no patients to wait for sales unless they are big ticket items. I compared some tuperware items Bandit picked up up off .com Amzone to our .ca....his was $20 odd, ours was $60 odd.....exchange is one thing but $40 difference is being ripped off up here.

I've never used the bags 1000 should last you a couple of years...eh?
 
I can never get deals off Amzone, When I want something I buy it, no patients to wait for sales unless they are big ticket items.
I never used Amazon until two years ago. Son started using it for his models and later for 3D printing accessories.

I find it’s worse than Canadian Tire. Raise the price a week before they put out the sale flyer then the sale price is the old regular price. 😤

I compared some tuperware items Bandit picked up up off .com Amzone to our .ca....his was $20 odd, ours was $60 odd.....exchange is one thing but $40 difference is being ripped off up here.
Lol, I had a look too. Not for weed but just for good fridge storage containers. Ya, not. Comes with the 🖕Canadian tax.

I've never used the bags 1000 should last you a couple of years...eh?
I hope it’s a lifetime supply, or close enough. I wanted smaller ones to make it a little easier for me when popping cannabis seeds. But all the deals were too high for the amount. Around $20 for 200, and black was at least double. So for a few bucks more I got a mix pack to play with and if it works out I’m done buying pots for years to come.

That’s the plan anyway…
 
I never used Amazon until two years ago. Son started using it for his models and later for 3D printing accessories.

I find it’s worse than Canadian Tire. Raise the price a week before they put out the sale flyer then the sale price is the old regular price. 😤


Lol, I had a look too. Not for weed but just for good fridge storage containers. Ya, not. Comes with the 🖕Canadian tax.


I hope it’s a lifetime supply, or close enough. I wanted smaller ones to make it a little easier for me when popping cannabis seeds. But all the deals were too high for the amount. Around $20 for 200, and black was at least double. So for a few bucks more I got a mix pack to play with and if it works out I’m done buying pots for years to come.

That’s the plan anyway…
When I was growing without a tent I bought a large bag of hair nets because I was moving around them watering and kept pulling hairs off my buds. Now I have a bag of a couple hundred taking up space. Not sure what I can use them for now but I gots them if I needs them.
 
When I was growing without a tent I bought a large bag of hair nets because I was moving around them watering and kept pulling hairs off my buds. Now I have a bag of a couple hundred taking up space. Not sure what I can use them for now but I gots them if I needs them.
Are they solid like at hospital or a net like food prep ones?

If like a net that’s handy. Use it for making teas. One should be able to go over a 5g bucket as a strainer or to make tea/JMS. Maybe even strain old paint.

If solid cloth I guess they could be booties too. 🤣
 
20251010: Grease Monkey & GG Berry #4

Another cold morning with outside at 5*. Tent seedling section is at 23* and 85RH. All the seeds are up, second GM just barely. I took off the GGB4 helmets. IMG_6884.jpegIMG_6885.jpeg

That’s it for now. To early to put the heat/furnace on so I hope it warms up.

The soil bags were soaked a day before planting. Then they sit until they drain off excess. Tip is like moist sand when I plant.IMG_6882.jpeg

They don’t get watered until dry or something changes. I check daily, more than once, to make sure not too dry or wet. Works great for clones but tricky with seeds especially when it gets cold.
 
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Are they solid like at hospital or a net like food prep ones?

If like a net that’s handy. Use it for making teas. One should be able to go over a 5g bucket as a strainer or to make tea/JMS. Maybe even strain old paint.

If solid cloth I guess they could be booties too. 🤣
They are hospital like. I still use one every now and then if I need to do work in and around my plants but not very often. I won't ever need to buy them again...lol...I'm losing it all off the top anyways.
 
20251010: Grease Monkey & GG Berry #4

Another cold morning with outside at 5*. Tent seedling section is at 23* and 85RH. All the seeds are up, second GM just barely. I took off the GGB4 helmets. View attachment 115991View attachment 115992

That’s it for now. To early to put the heat/furnace on so I hope it warms up.

The soil bags were soaked a day before planting. Then they sit until they drain off excess. Tip is like moist sand when I plant.View attachment 116015

They don’t get watered until dry or something changes. I check daily, more than once, to make sure not too dry or wet. Works great for clones but tricky with seeds especially when it gets cold.
I'm not far behind you on this new grow. I'll be checking my 6 seeds sitting in paper towels this afternoon. I should be planting today or tomorrow. Yes its getting cool here now too. 5C at wake up. All cats on our bed last night and this morning keeping us and them warm. I can handle it cool but our babies can't take it too cold. I may have to put our heat on at night if this cold continues.
 
I'm not far behind you on this new grow. I'll be checking my 6 seeds sitting in paper towels this afternoon. I should be planting today or tomorrow. Yes its getting cool here now too. 5C at wake up. All cats on our bed last night and this morning keeping us and them warm. I can handle it cool but our babies can't take it too cold. I may have to put our heat on at night if this cold continues.
Guess we are all on the same time schedule planted 8 tangerine dream yesterday!! Getting cold and damp here also have furnance turned on at 70 degrees i worked 40 years under ground in cold wet places one thing i wont do is freeze my ass in my golden years to save a couple of bucks. LOL
 
Guess we are all on the same time schedule planted 8 tangerine dream yesterday!! Getting cold and damp here also have furnance turned on at 70 degrees i worked 40 years under ground in cold wet places one thing i wont do is freeze my ass in my golden years to save a couple of bucks. LOL
Nice. Good to know I have company.

You and PC are a tad older and both in colder regions. We usually can go to the end of November. Longer if the weather cooperates. Winters are a lot better, less snow, and a bit shorter than when I was a kid.

My son and I run hot. I’d rather be a little cold than a little hot. So I just check with wifey every once in a while. One days she will stop saying she’s fine and that’s when the heat goes on.

At 2am with 4*c temps only bathroom trips where you need to sit down are really a discomfort. 🤣

What did you do underground, mining?
 
Nice. Good to know I have company.

You and PC are a tad older and both in colder regions. We usually can go to the end of November. Longer if the weather cooperates. Winters are a lot better, less snow, and a bit shorter than when I was a kid.

My son and I run hot. I’d rather be a little cold than a little hot. So I just check with wifey every once in a while. One days she will stop saying she’s fine and that’s when the heat goes on.

At 2am with 4*c temps only bathroom trips where you need to sit down are really a discomfort. 🤣

What did you do underground, mining?
Jackleg miner for about twenty years it takes a toll on the body but the money was good. Hourly wage ,pension, benefits for life medical dental drugs etc. plus bonus every month based on footage advanced . Earn about monthly wage in bonus every month. Than the mines went mechanized scoop trams, haul truck and mechanized bolters bonus was good but not as good as the jackleg days. Last couple of years ran the hoist transferring men and supplies under ground.
 
The deepest i worked was at the 7400 foot level. You can actually hear the ground working snap,cracle, pop, you get use to this over time.
 
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