The Musings of Serapis

[Serapis]

Here is the update I promised with a new pic... This is what the cuttings should look like. A couple of these came from LST branches, so the curve was there in the stem, those that are bent should start to straighten out.

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[plantvision]

Sorry did not mean to offend you, I have but most searches seemed so wordy and I did not understand.

 

[Serapis]

I wasn't offended..... I specifically kept my explanation simple for that very reason... I don't want to be wordy... I explained the process the best i know how, inactive THC is converted to active THC. Active THC gets you high, inactive doesn't. Is that what you are asking?

I use popcorn bud, trimmings, leaves..... everything on the plant at harvest. Most of the fan leaves are plucked before harvest and end up in compost pile. I like to use leaves at the top of the canopy. I hope this clears it up for you.

Sorry did not mean to offend you, I have but most searches seemed so wordy and I did not understand.

 

[Serapis]

yo!!! nice cloning contraption earlier.. see you got an ez cloner, awesome!! know a couple peeps that have them and love them.. @plantvision - i'm pretty sure what he's talkin about is the trim from his harvest or someones harvest..

lookin good serapis!

I'm not sure exactly what information he was asking. I feel bad that he thought I was mad or irritated, I wasn't. I just didn't have a scientific explanation for the chemical processes and I thought that was what he was asking about, that and what parts of the plant I'm using.

clones are looking good. Did you use a dome. If so how long?

No dome was used, but it looked like a close call to me at first. Check out pic numbered 8 and see that wilt? Pic 9 was taken today, after about 10 mistings... They could have provided a cheap dome and recommended that you only use it on days one and two... right now, i have a humidifier in the closet, because my humidity is in low 30's and cuttings' leaf tips show it. I understand the EZ Clone philosophy regarding not using domes, but I feel there are exceptions.

 

[stumps]

I never used one much. Now it's on until roots start. Maybe my RH is lower now. seems to stay 30-50.Real wet out side it hits 60-70 with the window open. I'm going to try the next batch without and see if they kick back on there own. Thanks.

 

[Serapis]

Trichomes form along the entire plant. You can even extract from stems I can go deeper into explaining my process, and this is as good a time as any i guess, I just packed a bowl and am relaxing.

When I scrog grow, I remove a lot of leaf below the canopy that I maintain. The canopy gets the light, anything under it goes. When i pull leaf during vegetation, I simply put it in the compost pile with grass clippings. It will decompose and be ferts for my veggie garden later. Now once I start my 12/12 flowering cycle and the plants begin to produce resin or trichomes, I keep everything that comes off of the plant. Keep in mind, I already removed most of the inert fan leaves and stuff prior to going into 12/12. But once trichs show up, I start a bag and i keep any cuttings or leaves that I pull. When I harvest, everything is used except for the stem and root ball.

I lay out newspaper and dry my trimmings and leaves. I toss pop corn buds on top of that to dry. I hang all of my buds to dry for three days before jarring and beginning my curing process. All of those leaves are going to produce hash, oil, butter and or tincture. This is the first time I've ever screened weed for resin and then used the same weed for tincture. I used a 40x scope and screened until about 40% of the resin heads were gone. If you have a good scope, check out your lower fan leaves and stuff next flowering cycle. You'll be amazed at where the plants will produce trichomes. I do not waste a single leaf of my grows. Early fan leaves are compost and flowering leaves are for tinctures and brownies.

lol, who knows.. everyone needs to know something.. i think he was just confused by 'plant material' and i'm guessing, like any other hash tincture or butter, u were using some good trim...

*toke* -peace

 

[Serapis]

Here it is Wed, not a single seed that I planted in STG cubes has germinated. I followed instructions to a tee, the heating mat is set to 78 degrees and there is no standing water. Cubes feel heavy with moisture, and I'm using a dome, in a dark room. How many days ago did I post I was starting these seeds? I think it's been close to 10 days now, 5 seeds of 2 strains.... I'm sick of synthetic starter shit... it never works for me. Last night, i placed 5 seeds in 5 cups of fucking soil.... let's see which sprout first....

 

[faithfulmastiff]

Here it is Wed, not a single seed that I planted in STG cubes has germinated. I followed instructions to a tee, the heating mat is set to 78 degrees and there is no standing water. Cubes feel heavy with moisture, and I'm using a dome, in a dark room. How many days ago did I post I was starting these seeds? I think it's been close to 10 days now, 5 seeds of 2 strains.... I'm sick of synthetic starter shit... it never works for me. Last night, i placed 5 seeds in 5 cups of fucking soil.... let's see which sprout first....

hi serapis, did you give up on the paper towel method, i thought you was sold on that idea, just curious

 

[Serapis]

It worked well for germing, not a single fucking one came up out of the Rockwool.... I'm back to soil for seedlings.... I'm over the bs of lost product... fuck the synthetics, my success ratio with them is nil to none... I'm fed up with it... I'm going back to nature, I'll grow soil moms and take hydro cuttings.... I'm sick of throwing expensive seeds away that never seem to germ or have the tap die when they do... I've read everything there is to read about germinating, don't over water, right temps, etc... Dirt has NEVER let me down....

And please don't think i'm mad at you, I'm not..... I'm pissed at tossing 4 Van Kush fem seeds, 9 mango regs, and now it looks like 5 more mango and 5 Dankee Doodles.... I'm so fucking raging right now...

so back to dirt for seeds it is..

hi serapis, did you give up on the paper towel method, i thought you was sold on that idea, just curious

 

[growmomma]

I almost bought some sure to grow this weekend at a hydro store, $7.99 I think for a 96ct. The store owner advised against it so I didnt get them, guess I'll stick to soil as well. That EZ clone does look nice tho, I gotta lil 8 site botanicare, this will be my first time cloning. Have you ever used this brand?

 

[Serapis]

I've heard complaints because of it's white light weight plastic. The water slimes up easily because light gets through, I've heard. No personal experience. And as far as seedlings go, I'll tell anyone that will listen to stay away from molding, wet, compressed peat pellets, heaving rock wool, and now, the inert, useless STG cubes.... I figure two more days, I'll start breaking into them to see wtf happened...

I almost bought some sure to grow this weekend at a hydro store, $7.99 I think for a 96ct. The store owner advised against it so I didnt get them, guess I'll stick to soil as well. That EZ clone does look nice tho, I gotta lil 8 site botanicare, this will be my first time cloning. Have you ever used this brand?

 

[TheLastWood]

I have the 25 site botanicare and hate it. Paint it black or do whatever u have to to keep the light out n u should be good.

Serapis, I have 100% success with paper towel method, then put into rapid rooters. There great. They hold the perfect amt of moisture, are all organic (made from jungle compsot) and have benefical organisms too.

 

[growmomma]

Thanks. Yea I was afraid of that, o well a little cheapy to learn w anyways lol. So far we've managed to stay away from the methods u mentioned above, guess we'll stick to the coco/soil until it fails us. Have 5 WW from the tude that are doing good. Still terrified of the TD tho lol.

 

[Serapis]

I have a pack of them and i have some holders on the way, just some cheap 6 cell seeds starters that the plugs should sit into... that is the very last synthetic I'll try... And even then, it'll only be 2 seeds from a 10 pack... I've lost all faith in the synthetics for weed seeds... I'm sure they work fine for other applications, which i'll soon find out..

I have the 25 site botanicare and hate it. Paint it black or do whatever u have to to keep the light out n u should be good.

Serapis, I have 100% success with paper towel method, then put into rapid rooters. There great. They hold the perfect amt of moisture, are all organic (made from jungle compsot) and have benefical organisms too.

 

[growmomma]

Out of curiosity, have I just been lucky so far w soaking n then straight to soil? What are the cons to this method, why does it seem few go this route?

 

[Serapis]

I think it depends on grow styles and techniques... I just recently switched from soil to hydro, 2 grows ago, so i naturally got rid of soil in my nursery as well.... I've had nothing but problems since.... and it isn't a learning curve thing, how hard can it be to place 5 seeds in 5 pre-soaked cubes and provide warmth and darkness? The problem is in the medium itself. I have a brand new bag of Jiffy seed starter mix and a new pack of 20 ounce solo cups.... My success rate should be back up to 80-90% soon enough....

 

[growmomma]

Alright...as I could prob pick your brain for hrs, last noob question (for today anyways lol). We are going from soil/coco in the small tent, to hydroton in the veg tent, to coco coir in the flower tent. Will this add more stress? Too many transplants/mediums?

 

[Serapis]

I'm going to say no, that it will not. This is a versatile weed we grow. I've seen it take a lot of abuse, including broken stalks, and the plant always makes a comeback unless the grower over reacts and kills it. Just be careful with the roots when you move them, and consider adding some B1 SuperThrive or Thrive Alive to their water when you do. You won't even see a shock response.

Alright...as I could prob pick your brain for hrs, last noob question (for today anyways lol). We are going from soil/coco in the small tent, to hydroton in the veg tent, to coco coir in the flower tent. Will this add more stress? Too many transplants/mediums?

 

[Serapis]

To those of you that like to follow my grows, please let me apologize up front. I suffer from ADHD and anxiety, and at times, my mind works at high speed and i tend to trait over to other aspects of growing, like cloning, or going outdoors with plants. I have been negligent with my grow updates. I thought i would take care of that today with some new pictures and updates on the plants.

The Pineapple Express was started from seed right before Christmas. Unfortunately, I only had T8's for lighting, but it has done well enough to survive to make it to the tent. I was very extreme with defoliation on the plant, as i wanted to FIM it and focus on branches, the kind that produce bud. I removed EVERY leaf from the main stalk, up to about 2 nodes from the tips.

The plant looked very thin after that and I thought maybe i had over done it. Next I applied some LST training to the main branches and I let it go from there. Monday night, I took 15 nice cuttings from her, and they are on day 2 in the new EZC (EZ Clone). Once those root, the 8 best looking ones will go onto my Ebb & Flow under my new T5's. The next 5 will become DWC plants in 4" net pots, under T8s. The last three will get potted in soil and taken outside to grow. Here is a pic of the Pineapple Express.

She is currently at 1100 ppm and loving it. I've observed slight tip burning on a couple of tops, but other than that, she is drinking more nutes than water, so more power to her. I had a Bubblegum take me to almost 2000 ppm before and that was scary. However the plant was in a ScrOG and it eventually provided nearly 10 ounces of good bud. I allow the plant to tell me when to increase or decrease the nutrients, by observing the ppm swings from day to day. My previous grow was strictly Flora Nova Bloom food, however this time, I'm saving that for flowering and I'm getting aggressive with vegetative fertilizers this time in an effort to increase yields.

I'm using Fox Farms Grow big and Big Bloom right now, and I'll introduce Tiger Bloom about two weeks before flowering. If the EZC does what i think it'll do, I'm not going to need a dedicated mother plant.

Another strain I have growing is a BF Vanilla Kush. It is about 4 weeks from germination and was just added to the MH bulb in the tent about a week ago. I did a FIM on her yesterday to encourage branching for cuttings later. I've heard awesome things about this strain, and I plan on growing it along with PE for variety. I've not had to remove any leaves from the plant yet, because it is perfectly symmetrical and it's not full of fan leaf like the PE was. I also like the color of the foliage, it is not as lush and dark as the PE, but rather more refined, smoother looking. the leaves appear to be velvety and fleshy as well, a kush trait perhaps? This is my first one.

I'm a big fan of ScrOG grows, because of the potentially larger yields. However, I'm going to be moving in another direction soon, with perpetual cycles and a ScrOG type set up will only slow it down. I own 5 Waterfarms and i plan to start using them in cycles. I currently have a single mango in one under T8's but the sex is unknown. I believe in karma and I hope i have enough karma points to warrant a female in it's future.

Thanks for taking the time to read about my grow and my ideas for the immediate future. As always, I'm open to jokes, criticisms, suggestions, comments, back slaps, REP, likes, etc... this thread only works if we all participate. If you are new here and reading along, please don;t be shy, post your thoughts, questions, etc. It's the only reason I enjoy RIU, the interaction with other growers and readers.

Peace!
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[growmomma]

Im SO glad you posted this update, I had been wondering abt the status of your current grows. As for the ADHD/anxiety, no apology needed IMO. As I too have suffered from this since as long as I can remember. Also my husband's bi-polar, first time I showed him your fogponic cloner he was searching for his keys and heading to Lowes! Needless to say I stopped him, hell he's already invested several grand. Anyways, I wont ramble lol. But Im excited to see the PE and the Van Kush, I almost ordered the VK instead of the dreaded TD with that last order from the tude. Maybe I should go ahead n order now, hopefully all the rowboats have returned to the UK lol. Oh well, I thank you for all your advice, and look forward to your future musings.