BlackJack Grow 1st time grower

You got a beautiful canopy Very nice, even across the top so lighting is even, real nice.

Lookin good there for a 1st timer, glad to see it

I usually just water as usual and make sure you have some run off

Just flush with water the last couple weeks and your good

today is day 49 and ending 7 weeks,there filling out now for sure

snew said:

You got a beautiful canopy Very nice, even across the top so lighting is even, real nice.

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I have one girl on the right side of the tent that is about 2 inches taller the the others.It is a different phenotype.I could tell from like 3 weeks in veg that it was different looking then the others.its more stretchier and less bushier.Longer node gaps on the main stem.It also has less top colas then the rest,it only has 2 top colas where the others have 4 or more.It is also the least mature of the 5 as it has no orange hairs at all,and the other 4 do.

grow2smoke1 said:

The part of this grow that has me the most worried from no experience is the curing and drying.I've read a few methods but they different so much I have no clue what to do.If someone can tell me an easy way to cure and dry it would be appreciated.I need to know the specifics,how long in the air proof container,how long out of the container and for how many days.I really want my smoke to taste great and burn smooth,dont want to fuck it up at the very end

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No worries - if you can make it through the grow, you can dry and cure, too. Here's what I do:

1.Gather your equipment first, and lock the doors. Equipment I use:
-Powder free latex gloves These really help, you won't believe how sticky your fingers get without them, makes it harder to work.
-Clean, sharp scissors or trimmers I use a small pair of hair cutting scissors, they're usually sharper than cheap scissors. You'll want one larger pair as well, so you don't ruin your good ones cutting through thich stems.
-Hangers, string, whatever you're hanging your buds on. I use hangers myself - but you can use something else.
-Clothespins For attatching your buds to the hangers/string.
-Razorblade For scraping off the resin on your scissors periodically, they get too gummed up to work. Don't forget something to put that scissor hash on! I use a small porcelain saucer.
-Small boxes/Newspaper Line the little boxes with newspaper, put your smallest non-hanging buds in this in a single layer.
-Gallon size freezer bags I put my trim in these for Gumby hash.
-Trashcan/bag For trash - makes cleanup a little easier.
-Masking tape Easiest way to mark off your different strains, if you so desire.
-Radio/drink You're gonna be in there awhile!

2.Set up everything in your desired area. Lay newspaper in front of your (and anyone else's) workstation, for catching trim as you go.

3.Each person get a plant and set in front of them.

4.I've found it a bit easier to remove the large fan leaves first - not the smaller ones, as these often have trichs on them, suitable for the trim pile. Easiest way to remove - grasp stem close to the main stalk (support stalk in other hand if it feels like it wants to bend) and make a quick, downward pull - it should come right off. If that isn't working for you - there's always your scissors. I put these big ones right in the trash.

5.Start wherever you like - I usually remove the smaller outer branches first. Cut off your chosen branch. Finish any leaf removal needed - smaller trich-laden leaves on your newspaper, for hash. Pluck tiny, wispy budlets for your hash pile. Moving up, trim any buds you think big enough to smoke (I usually go anything larger than the end of my pinky). Trimming tip: if you look at the bud you're trimming from underneath, often you can see the stem of the smaller, pesky leaves, that you can't see from the top. Usually a small snip with the tip of your scissors will allow you to remove the entire leaf, instead of trimming each blade individually.
Small buds for your box can be clipped off at the stalk, they each have their own little stem - pop 'em right into your popcorn box. Larger ones - I trim about even with the bud - no need to remove the tiniest leaves.

6.You're down to your "hanging" buds on the stem now, right? Notice that aside from your main cola, the smaller buds grow in pairs or triplets around the stalk. You can leave each pair (or triplet) on the stalk, and cut the stalk instead - leave around three inches of stem to hang with - any more and you are increasing your drying time. (Most of the moistuire stays longest in the stem) Do the same with the colas. I just flip it upside down, and use a closthepin for each bud. Make sure they aren't touching!

7.Put your trim in the gallon bags if you're making gumby hash or cannabutter. If you're doing something different, you'll need to dry that out first, same way as the popcorn buds.

8. Hang your boxes as well.

9.Put a small fan blowing on low in with the buds.

10. Clean up the area - you're done!

Check the buds twice a day, morning and evening. Stir any box buds gently. They'll be the first to dry enough to cure - usually in about three to four days. You want them to feel crisp on the outside, but not crumbley. If you don't wait for that crisp feeling, they will be much much wetter than you want, in the jars. Feel the larger buds as well - same feeling on the outside, but you also have stem to check. If they bend without breaking at all, it's too wet still.

I use glass jars to cure in. Doesn't really matter what kind, so long as they have a tight lid.

Once you have bud in jars (this will be staggered because of the different sizes) you'll want to burp it twice a day at first. Don't pack them full - leave a quarter of the jar empty at first. Open the jar (wait a second before sniffing, that first puff of plant gas is icky). Move the bud around, turn it, make sure it isn't molding. Let it sit open for ten minutes or so. Reseal, repeat in the evening. As they get drier, you can cut back to once a day, until they are dry enough not to mold.
Usually takes mine about five days for the largest buds to be dry enough to jar - may be more or less, depending on the temp and humidity in your drying area.

Hope all this helps.

grow2smoke1 said:

...what is the odor level like when drying??if its strong,then i have to harvest all at one time and dry in the tent where the carbon filter on the exhaust fan is.If its not too strong then i can chop whats ready and put in my closet to dry and let the bottom buds finish before chopping them,which is better to me,but i only get one shot at it,i either chop all or i hope for not much of an odor while drying and let the bottom buds finish while the tops dry in my closet.

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Yes - the smell after chopping is very strong - if that's a problem, you might wanna do the whole plant rather than stagger it.

ahhh day 50 of flowering and the start of week 8,I got 14-18 days left till harvest.My hairs are still mostly an off white color,2 plants have got orange hairs on all buds,while 3 dont seem to have them on the top colas,but do on the lower bud sights. Kinda weird.One plant the leaves are curling and have yellow streaks running down the veins of the fan leaves at the top,the bottom leaves on that plant are green and fine as are all the other 4 girls.Seems kinda weird how this one plant the leaves are looking so much different then the others.I'm sure this is some kind of nutrient defecincy or nute lock.I dont know,it doesnt bother me any,everything else looks good but 10 leaves or so on 1 plant,no biggie.I've never done this before but ive bought over 100 lbs of weed in my life,and by the looks of these girls,it sure does look like there is 2oz per girl,have to wait and see.On my next pics i do i will take some of the yellowing leaves on that 1 plant.

thanks alot doe,that gave me alot more insight to harvest then i had,especially with things like razor blades and saucer and all.
I have been following unity's black jack grow that he finished,and im sad to say im about 8 days behind what his buds looked like at the start of week 8 and he finished at 10 1/2 weeks.So it looks like im looking at 11 1/2 weeks for me,a week longer then i had thought.by the looks of his pics the orange hairs get very thick and abundant,I havn't seen that yet.

when im trimming, i always get goo on my arms, no matter how careful i am. it comes off surprisingly easily with vegetable oil on dry skin, then lots of soap on the oil. that way you dont need to bathe in rubbing alcohol.

Just started this strain, about 2 weeks in from seed popping. This BJ seems like it's going to be a slow grower. My first with this one. Is this correct, it takes awhile for this one? Thanks for any replies to my question. Sorry don't mean to butt in or change the subject. I'm still pretty new myself.

yes it grows slowly in veg in soil,and takes about 11 weeks or so

grow2smoke1 said:

yes it grows slowly in veg in soil,and takes about 11 weeks or so

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OK thanks! Way slower than my WW grow I finished up a while back.

Day 53 or 8 1/2 weeks.Lower bud sights seem to be maturing faster then the top colas,this strikes me as odd,i would of guessed it was the other way around.(not saying the lower sights are bigger,im saying they are more further along with hairs changing colors) I have 2 girls with vertually no orange hairs on the top colas but they do have them on the lower bud sights.These 2 girls are lagging behind the others and will cause this grow to go longer,now im looking at 11 1/2 weeks.Might have 21 days to go.2 of my girls are looking great mature wise,lots of orange hairs on all bud sights.Then i have 2 that have no orange hairs on the top colas,but do have them on the lower bud sights.And on my last one,she is in the middle of the other 4,she has some orange hairs on the top colas and lots on the bottom ones,but not as much as the 2 best and nothing as bad as the 2 worse.She is the middle child,lol......

2 different things are going on with the leaves,on 2 of them,the top fan leaves are getting more and more yellow running thru the veins of the leaves and dont look healthy,this is happening only on the very top 4" of the plants.The other 3 have wonderful healthy green leaves and the top fan leaves are actually pointing up to the light.My light is 12" away.
Think tomorrow when i water im going to go straight water no nutes.

Looks good! I have learned you can't always count on the color of the hairs. Shure does look good man!

day 54 of flowering
bought myself 2 nice pairs of scissors for harvest today.I also ordered more ocean forest soil for then next grow.All my seeds have arrived from attitude and another sight.

those look delicious. first time grower, too? i'll be watching your future grows for sure. are you planning on harvesting according to trichome color? i think thats the way to go, especially from seed, as they will all have a couple days (sometimes weeks...) difference in time to maturity.

wow looks awesome + rep

For your first grow, that is freaking nice man. +rep

I do have a 30x magnifier,i looked yesterday at a leaf under it and the trics were clear.I'm expecting 77-81 days,its day 55 today.This is my first grow so I'm going to do my best to harvest at the right time.The buds are getting bigger,it just weirds me out how some of the plants the tops are still white/off white hairs with no orange,and other plants have tops with quite a few orange hairs.I'm not experienced with what a ready to harvest bud looks like,im also wondering when does all the white hairs turn green is that during drying and curing,or does that happen before harvest caus there still really white looking,kinda oily or greasy looking.

When i move this summer into a house instead of an apartment(OH YA THE $700 A MONTH IVE BEEN SPENDING ON WEED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS IS NOW GOING TO GO TOWARDS ME RENTING A 3BD HOUSE SINCE STARTING IN 3 WEEKS I NOW SMOKE FOR FREE),i'm going to get the 6x6x6 tent with a 1000 w light and have both tents going.That would give me enough weed for a year if i did that,and in the big tent I can fit 18 plants,and you can bet It would be 18 different strains,I love a selection.The next indoor grow is ready to begin as soon as these are chopped and done drying(I will be drying inside the tent with lights off and air exhaust with filter on.The next grow in this tent is going to be
Bubbleicious,Red Dragon,LSD,Violator Kush,LA Confidential and Kings Kush all seeds in hand.Cant wait to start my guerilla grow May 1st I will be germinating 3 Alaskan Ice,3 Super Lemon Haze,3 Kaya Gold,and 1 Afgan Kush.Then May 15 into the ground they go.
So ya I'm hooked on this growing stuff,lol....not looking to sell any of it either,i'm a conessiour.Nothing would make me happier then to have oh say 20 different strains to choose from when I want to smoke,instead of what ever garbage the local dealer has.

The buds usually keep kicking out new hairs all the way through, some more than others - it's one of the reasons you really can't go by the hair color for when it's done. But any that are white still will change color while it's drying.