20 yrs ago I grew Cannabis in the back yard and basement.
I learned the ins & outs of hydroponics, trial and error, lots of disappointment.
White flies, Aphids, pest control was always the worse to remedy.
Learning to monitor the ph levels and feed cycles... all of this was loads of fun but sometimes a little tough.
I grew mostly Indicas, some hybrids. I had learned to take cuttings years earlier when I had my 'Phototron' (sold in an ad in Penthouse and High Times magazines).
I hadn't taken the opportunity to grow my favorite plant for a couple decades; this spring I decided to give it a new go, this time without the power guzzling high pressure sodium lights, instead using the newer tech LED lights!!
Yee ow!! Love those little boogers!!
The entire endeavor would've been a total success if not for a decent paying gig that came my way right after I began the grow tables. I could not turn down the money, so I decided to split my time best I could.
From mid May till very late June, all was fine and dandy till my work deadlines came due and a crunch began. Sat at my desk 18hr each day for a few days trying to deliver half the work at the first deadline. Took my mind off the crop.
Ph levels quickly dropped to extreme acidity, temps inside the grow tent reached 95degrees F... very crappy conditions.
When I noticed the ill effects, the majority of the Northern Highlights was dying quickly. Everything including the main stems was losing its green. King Tut on the other hand looked like it didn't care about the extra acid or the high temps.
The Northern Highlights also developed an extreme spider mite infestation; each and every plant on the 7ft X 3ft table had webs covering practically everything.
I recalled the aphids and white flies from the 90s, to clean up the pests I used a safe form of bug poison made from plant resins. The same stuff still available WIPED OUT the spider mites in a couple applications.
And the hydro store suggested adding some good bacteria (Bacticillis) to the feed tanks, the roots need this the same was we need cultures of germs in our intestines, symbiotic relationships with microbes keep us healthy. THis also helped bring them back to some semblance of health.
By late July, the halfway point in their flowering cycle, the sick Northern Highlights began showing signs of stress.
Late Aug, a couple weeks prior to the 8 week mark, they were fully ripe. And giving up the ghost. Turning tan again, leaves gone, even the buds were showing signs of drying on the plant.
I finished my obligations with the paying job and began trimming the early ripened 'crap'.
I had no hope for any kind of quality. Fully expecting immature garbage, I finished it up, and waited for the WAY healthier and vivacious King Tut to begin to ripen. The shadier portions looked iffy but the tops were ROCKIN.
It was an honor to trim and prepare such gorgeous tops. The Tut table was only 3ft x 3ft, so half the number of plants.
I quickly realized I had double the amount of (what I expected to be) garbage.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Tutankhamon is 70% sativa (lots of skunk and derivatives) with a base of indica from mostly Afghan Kush lineage.
Northern Highlights claimed to be about 60% sativa added to a Northern Lights #5 indica base.
Now that I've had the past week off to test.... and test.... and test....
I can give the readers a fairly comprehensive review of the high.
All in all, I wouldn't recommend growing NHL due to its susceptibility to disease (Im not the only one I know who had health problems with the strain, others I gave clones to report similar). It ripened early but VERY WELL. After about a week of curing, the high was an initial strong indica punch with a smooth relaxing sativa buzz echoing for a couple hours. Very nice, but I've gotten uncontrollably sleepy nearly every time I dose. I keep toking on it however, because of the super nice NL#5 initial punch in the consciousness... pow! Love it.
I will need to try Tut again, now that I have Nefertiti seeds as well, I'll do them simultaneous. Each related, sativa dominant, tight nodes, bred for indoor... as far as sativas are concerned, the tight nodes and squat size are a major plus.
This particular Tut harvest is maybe 85 - 90 % ripe. Even though, its got an exemplary sativa relaxation effect. Doesn't make me sleepy, calms the nerves (helps immensely with the bi-polar personality snags) and still packs a bit of an AK puffy face watery eyes tingly skin feel.
I like the indica punch so its a welcome initial stupor. After 20 - 30 min, ahhhh, nice and relaxing. Time to kick it in the lawn chair with an ice cold tea.
Next up:
Germinating now, I have...
- Dr Krippling's "Incredible Bulk" (some of the phattest / heaviest branch breaking buds on Earth)
- Northern Lights x BigBud (a previous heavy weight record holder)
- Sweet Seeds brand of "Blue Berry" (from the 90s, one of my all time faves... mostly due to the honest to God Blueberry flavor!!!
- and "Dark Devil Autoflower" (this one will be set outside as soon as the 24hr light gives them some size)
I've been buying only feminized seeds so far, and I am very pleased with the results.
I'll be producing more female seeds from the next go around, I do not like spending my BTC, on seeds or anything.
And when I do the fem-seed thing, I'll document it and post. Its easier than you may expect... :)
Mother Plants after cuttings taken twice.
First bunch I traded to my dispensary for an ounce of top shelf.
Second batch I kept and grew.
SEA OF GREEN, packed in a bit tight, the overall efficiency of space utilization is a major win for a cramped indoor grow
rooms. Here they are at one month since rooting, avg about 8 - 10 inches tall. A week later I set these to flower at about 12inches avg.
Another view of the young Tut.
Early on, the leaves appear to be full on indica, not the case...
The sickness has spread, foreground is the NHL. Buds here are fully ripe, some are over ripe.
In the background Tut stands taller and is healthier.
This was the final day for Tut. I had problems with the drip emitters, about half if them were showing signs of finishing (due to being dry at the roots apparently) so I bit the bullet and finished the grow.
The NHL had lots of popcorn buds. I didn't have much hope for the quality but MAN did it ever surprise!
I got about 10 oz, I expected more like 20. If the mites/acid/high temps could've been prevented...
and this is about the same weight, 10 oz of Tut. Way better looking, a decent sativa effect... just not my favorite type of high.
For a sativa dominant hybrid, decent enough.
Should've had another 2 weeks ripening though. Seems a bit premature.
I honestly CAN'T WAIT to post the next go around.
The Incredible Bulk bud is certain to impress. I grew Big Bud back in the 90s, Bulk should put that to shame!
Glad to be back on Steemit!! Been away a bit long... Peace out yo!