Season Two Notes ... Equipment, Paint, Lights ... Love

This season began with a re-model of the 28 square feet beneath my loft bed to a full 56 square feet.  Took me two days with the help of two friends.  This will allow me to grow an average of 20-40 plants per season and have room to stagger the growths and increase the volume of cannabis three to four fold.

The twelve plants this first season produced a bit more than 18 ounces on my first novice season - I made many mistakes, destroyed a full tray of six different strains by being an idiot.  Horrible loss that set me back a good month.  Now, going into Season Two, my training and skills have creating improved - still more to learn and you can do it with me - and we'll have fun doing it.

Fixing the germinating problem took a little research and I found the answer and call it Cary's Easy Grow Method.  The water/towel system is a winner and honestly, I am looking at 15 seeds germinated this way - out of 15 - a 100% germination rate.  Before I figured out this method the best I got was 2 out of 5.  And I thought that was good.

Repainted the entire Alcove a sugar white latex enamel, including the floor.  Did this twice in many areas I knew would probably see water or moisture.  I dallied with the idea of painting the floor with a rubber paint made for just this type of purpose but at $150 a gallon requiring 3-6 coats just seemed a bit much.  I've never leaked water before and not likely to do so again, barring an accident.

All the changes required new drapes and curtains.  Walking into the big room and turning to the Alcove it is there with floor to ceiling midnight blue drapes.  They hang beautifully and cost me about $30.  I kid you not.  Bought on Amazon Prime daily sale (got 2 of the the Mars Hydro 600W lights for $99 each, free shipping.  Retail - $400 each.) and had them in hand the next day.

The drapes are California King size flat sheets.  I wanted a beautiful effect for little money and floor to ceiling pole was 112 inches.  The sheets were 114 inches, a full inch taken up by the pole's width and 3/4 to 1/2" drag on the bottom.  Gorgeous.  Closed you see a soft light hue from the grow.

When open you still don't see the bed or get a good look at the garden because I put in two sets of curtains, upper and lower.  Upper, like a train berth, midnight blue and lower to shield the garden and reflect light back into it - hospital white curtains.

When those two curtains are opened and the full Alcove revealed you see the bed 10 feet high and as many as 40 cannabis beautiful healthy and forest green.

Anyone I don't know who comes into the apartment would have no idea there was a grow going on and the general reaction is always, "Oh my God, how beautiful is this?  Have you lived here long?  Oh ... look at that, this is beautiful, look at that view!"  Takes about twenty minutes before they discover the grow.

To top the Alcove off with even more awe-effect I strung tiny star lights, each the size of a rice grain, strung on fine copper wire and controlled remotely all the way around the border that separates the wall from the curved ceiling.  8 colors, 8 modes from romantic to 'turn the damn light on'.  I make sure they are on before guests arrive and the entire look has that 'wow' 'amazing' factor - and "LOOK at those plants!"

Let's get going with Season Two

For Season Two I will stagger the start and growth of the plants and will nip the tallest and healthiest at the 7th node.  That will keep them small and force their stems to each act as a main kola.  I decided on these strains this first planting:

Group 1
6 Purple Kush (an absolutely beautiful fat sassy heavily laden it looks purple)
5 Gorilla Glue BMT #4 (this year's grand prize winner)

To be followed 15 days later (April 15th) with:

Group 2
5 Gorilla Glue BMT #4 (for a total of 10)
3 Skunk (yes, auto-flowered)

Grand total this half planting:  19  out of original 20 seeds.  9.5 out of 10 very good = Primo!

Group 1 - all Purple Kush have been transferred to final 16Gal felt pots.  5 GGBMT have also been transferred to same size pots.  As of this date (Monday, May 8, 2017) the PK's are under two weeks from Vegetative stage and in excellent shape and the GG's, could just be their breed, but lanky, a couple with yellow spots on lower leaves (very normal) - may be susceptible to mold or fungi.  Sprayed with Nemo, good at this stage, for protection.

Group 2 - started 15 days after the above, April 15th, and today they remain in cups waiting another two weeks to be placed into the Felt pots.  All doing well.

I did have an accident or two, knocking a cup to the floor but in each of the two cases I was able to improve upon their lives by ginelrgly transplanting into better conditioned soil and soaking her through with a bit of plant shock nutrient.  Today the Lemon Haze, the slowest and puniest of all and hurt in a tragic fall, has come back to life and looks like she likes the new digs and special attention.

Group 3 - started on May 1:

7 Mega Jackpot
5 Caramelicious
5 White Widow Extreme

Total this group:  17 plants
Total in all:          36 plants

In the kitchen garden, which is a terrace outside the kitchen, stand 4 outdoor strains three in bud, one turned out to be male (Barry White standard) and he flowered and lo and behold, I've got a plethora of seeds resulting in hybrid auto-flowers: Amnesia Berry and GG Berry, GOG Berry.  New seeds acclimated to this growing environment should produce very well.

Grand total of plants:  40

Check back again soon for another update on the garden!