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All good, just given them a spritz of antifungal. I use a very weak solution of water and pre-emulsified neem oil. Seems to be working, along with humidity control. I will be switching over to flowering this weekend as most plants have already topped half way. There won't be enough room for them all, so I'll be moving some to the veg tent, or just leave them outside for some natural flowering. I'm not taking any clones, or even topping/fimming/stressing etc. This because a) I'm lazy b) in a hurry for some buds c) have been so impressed with the purchased clones, I'll probably just do a different strain of those for next grow.

A very big thank you to those who bought passes or entered their bud. Judge passes sold out a few days ago and we have 20 cultivars entered. A bunch of judged have have come from America, Holland and Canada. The support from local brands and international brands has been amazing. Looking forward to meeting some of you there.

Another week gone by, quite happy with the progress

2019, Graspop fest Belguim via Amsterdam. Loaded up with stash from many shops, wide selection, some of the strongest flowers ever: Columbia. Rental car for the trip, Slayer, Lamb Of God, Slipknot, Gojira, Phil Anselmo, Kiss, White Chapel, Aborted, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth etc in one weekend. Maybe next year.

Organic Tent™ is a go! Four ZxP plants have been transferred into the 1.2x1.2 tent and I will be running a 18/6 light schedule to keep the plants in veg so I can train them up. I also threw a nice helping of mycoroot right where I transplanted them into the pots and just watered with plain water as a first watering. I will give them a few days to just settle in their new spots then I will make some chops and top all four. I have done 8-branch manifolds quite successfully in the past when I was still doing DWC so I think I may just do the same with these four under a net and see what happens. I am also making moves in my veg tent. Seeing as I want to do all plants in the big flower tent all at once instead of staggering them 6 at a time, I need to start developing mother plants of the strains I want to do so I can take the 12-18 clones required all at once. Then thereafter, I will be able to just simply take clones from the plants in the big tent before I flip them to flower, or just continue with the mothers. I'll decide closer to the time. So far, I have potted up two ZxP plants to be mothers for future clones, then I will do the same for the winning pheno of the KmintZ clones, and then lastly the Wedding Cake that is still sitting in the propagator.

I discovered that after smoking weed, I'm just a machine in bed, as strange as that may sound. I even decided to ask around and read on the Internet why this happens and it turns out I am not the only one. It is true that marijuana has an effect on libido at https://www.smokeandpoke.com/blog/how-does-marijuana-affect-sex-drive/. I can't tell you in words how great it was, so now I only do it when I smoke.

Welcome to the thunderdome, boijies. In this diary I will be recording my grow for the year 2022, blunders, wins, alas. I have recently made some very nice improvements to my overall setup since my last diary and I think equipment wise there won't be much else to upgrade, so from this point on the focus is going to be on refinement of the setup, efficiency of the process and perfecting the strains in my stable. Speaking of strains, my stable/veg tent currently consists of the following strains which I have collected over the years: Zkittlez x Purple Punch - Ripper Seeds (ZxP) KmintZ - Ripper Seeds (KM) Gorilla Zkittlez - Barneys Farm (GZ) Aurora Indica - Nirvana Seeds (AI) Grand Daddy Purple - Blimburn Seeds (GDP) Tortoni F1 - Totemic (T1) Wedding Cake - 1000 Hills Nursery (WC) A solid seven strains. At the moment if I wanted another strain, I would try my best to swap it out rather than accommodate it. The space in the veg tent is comfortable enough to hold at least one mother plant of each strain, enough plants for the next round in the flower tent, and also enough unrooted clones to replace the plants that go into the flower tent. It's called perpetual growing, china. The veg tent is a 1.2mx1.2mx2m LiteHouse LITE grow tent with a 120W QB LED (set to 80W) at about 1.2m high from the ground, light schedule is 18/6 from 6pm to 12pm. I have found this to be the sweet spot all year round for all the veg plants, mothers, clones, they all good. I can get my plants to a nice 1m height before popping them in the flower tent. In addition, I also have a 59W 4 inch extraction fan set on low which exhausts air from inside the tent to outside the room through a window. The window has a custom fitted duct port which allows the room to remain sealed even with the exhaust venting outside. Lastly I have a 425W heat panel which I fixed to a wooden frame to allow it to sit upright at the back of the tent. This heater is connected to a Sonoff switch which is connected to the WiFi and regulates the heat within the tent automatically at a minimum of 22C. The average currently is about 25C (mid Jan) but sometimes, especially with the rains lately, the temp can dip but it will never dip below 22C in this tent. Humidity sits at an average of 70%. The flower tent is a 1.2mx2.4mx2m LiteHouse LITE grow tent. I have also upgraded to AutoPots. From what used to take me 1-2 hours every 2-3 days to water my plants by hand now takes me 20mins once a week. This has been an absolute gamechanger as I can now really focus on timing my veg tent and perfecting the strains going into the flower tent. Not getting absolutely sticky with resin every time I water is a nice plus too I have harvested 6 plants (ZxP) once already about two weeks ago as a test run using the AutoPots. I have another 6 plants (ZxP) currently going which are due to be harvested by the end of this month and I have also just recently planted 6 more ZxP which are the younger looking plants to the left of the flowering plants. First impressions have been fantastic. Compared to using fabric pots, I can see all the benefits and more. I have also installed each AutoPot with an airdome and I pump fresh warm air to the root zone for 12 hours a day following the same time as the light time schedule. I can see the same kind of growth that I used to see back when I grew using DWC. When I investigated the roots after the first harvest, the airdomes were just smothered in healthy white roots. Very nice. Unfortunately, I recently discovered that my pH pen was whack and I fear the last harvest may have been deficient during the ripening stage due to incorrect pH of the feeding nutrient. This will be one area of focus going forward to improve the overall grow. I have also invested in two new 35W Sansui Box Fans which I have attached to the ceiling of the flower tent. I had a few spots of bud rot due to the fokin heavy rains in the Highveld this Summer so improvements needed to be made to make it through humid times. I obtained a 450W GMC 26 Litre Dehumidifier that I keep running within the grow room outside of the tents. From these upgrades, my flower tent humidity has gone from 70%+ to sub 49%. I can also run my 62W 6 inch extraction fan on low (same setup as veg tent i.e. exhaust outside via duct in window) just to simply move stale air from inside the flower tent to outside and slowly bring fresh air in via the gaps in the door to the room through negative pressure created from the flower and veg tent fans exhausting air outside. The lighting power is three 240W QB LEDs (set to 160W) that I pair with 6 plants each on a 12/12 light schedule from 9pm to 9am. Initially when I transplant into the flower tent I will start at about 60cm from the canopy and over a week or two move the LEDs closer to about 30cm to the canopy. I find this enough to give the plants used to the higher light intensity without having to change my wattage settings every time I do a transplant. The idea is to grow and harvest in sets of six. Each set of 6 AutoPots have their own 46L reservoir containers so I can regulate the food to each set of six independently, which allows me to do plants at different stages and also different strains. Harvests are also only 6 plants at a time and not a solid 18 at a time. I am still getting the timing right to get a harvest consistently timed between each other, so that will be fun also to figure out. Something like once a month or so would be hot. The flowers have gotten big enough in the last few harvests that they flop around like big 'ol dicks, so I will be adding a net across the tent after I have harvested these last 6 plants and have planted new plants into all the empty AutoPots. Tying up the buds has been a mission so I'm hoping the net will help in that regard. I haven't gotten a chance to fully utilise the nets yet so that will be a first. In the empty set of six AutoPots I have at the moment I will be doing a round of Gorilla Zkittlez. To replace the current 6 flowering ZxP that will be harvested soon I have 4x KmintZ which are being grown for the first time from seed and are the latest addition to the stable. I will also substitute 2x ZxP plants to total that set of 6. The KmintZ are a supposed 'upgrade' to the lineage associated with ZxP, so pairing them shouldn't be a problem. I just recently took another batch of ZxP clones to replace the Gorilla Zkittlez when those harvest. After that however, it's a roll of the dice. Maybe we decide together what comes next from the stable, maybe I throw a dart on a board, who knows. Whatever is decided, I need to take those clones in at least 3 weeks time from now in order to be ready to plant into the flower tent come harvest time. I'll have a good idea of how to really time everything perfectly as we go so that as I harvest I already have a batch ready to go to replace those plants. Right now, taking at least 6+ clones every 3 weeks has worked out quite well. When I have things dialed in, I will write up a rough formula for all to enjoy! Or perish! It's ya boi. ***Harvest Dates - Weigh-Ins*** 2022 05 January - 87g ZxP 18 January - 136g ZxP 28 February - 257g ZxP 04 March - 173g GZ 12 April - 65g ZxP 12 April - 159g KM 06 May - 188g ZxP 12 May - 215g WC 06 June - 168g ZxP 27 August - 796g ZxP 21 October - 377g ZxP - 80g WC - 135g OMG 28 November - 827g ZxP

My best grows were ones I posted up here, and while recent grows were ok, I know I can do better. Seeds are a mixed bag of leftovers and freebies. 3x Caramelino by Victory seeds. 3x Special Crystal Haze fb from biltong&budz. 3x Trump’s cookie jar by President seeds. I am slightly reluctant to post this before the seeds have actually popped, as always, pre-pop anxiety.

A silhouette of Sea Point skyline with Cape Town Stadium on my tent.

Hahaha, sex is definitely better after smoking. My friends and I ended up on this topic briefly a week or two ago and we agreed that sex is better after smoking.

Show me the way

Here's a picture update of the plants in the flower tent; KmintZ ZxP x2 ZxP x6 Wedding Cake Overview

This man knows

Day 34 Had to drop a net down past the top colas. I can just see they'll be flopping all over the place pretty soon. Otherwise after 2 weeks of pollination, seed development is well under way. 36 days to go

Lots to update! I have switched my lighting schedule around in order to have my lights-on during the day instead of at night. Our house has gotten a solar power upgrade recently so I'd like to take advantage of that to offset the electricity costs. I can accommodate the additional heat during the day now so it's a win. I have cleaned up the bottoms of the ZxP that went in last week and I have also switched the reservoir tap on, so auto feeding from here on. While I was at it, I also put the Wedding Cake plants into the flower tent after a preventative treatment of spinosad. They will be top fed for a week then the reservoir will be put on for them as well. Veg tent is looking kinda empty now! I will take the Wedding Cake clones in a week after they have settled in the flower tent for a bit. I have finally finished trimming all the ZxP lower branches from the drying tent and have added them to the total along with the tops. The total for the last batch of ZxP was 257g. So the ZxP harvests in order have been 87g -> 136g -> 257g. All 6 plants each. I think that's progress! Although the yield has increased, I have a mega bunch of popcorn nugs, not including the tiny nugs I just decided to throw into the trim bin for making extracts. I would like to work towards developing the buds more independently on each plant and have fewer lower branches. I think my scrog net game has also improved somewhat as well! We will have to wait until the big 'ol flops start flopping to test it out.

3rd place prize. Hand blown by Praxis Glass

Jisis

Here's some of the entries for this year's cup

The list of sponsors is amazing! Cannot wait for an event like this to take place in JHB!

So stoked for this! Got my judges ticket and lungs ready

Super stoked to confirm that Greenhouse Seed Company has joined as a main sponsor. Arjan will be there to judge and say a few words. The Dab Star crew will also be there and a few more international guests are expected. A very big dankie to all of the sponsors who have jumped have helped make the cup a reality, as well as the entrants who are putting their buds to a trial of faya. Dab Star Greenhouse Seed Company White Glove Botanicals Wicked Imports Qure Analytics Dagga Pharmacy Marijuana SA Breaking Dabs The Green Affiliate Cannaclone Herbal Preserver ExploGrow Gro Hydro Green Smoke Room Honourable mention to Praxis Glass who are blowing some amazing prizes.

So much life happening that giving more frequent updates on the garden is a mission. The 4 veg girls are on day 21 of flower today already. This is a strawberry Sugar cookies run, with a ssc clone reversed and dropping first pollen today. Tortoni #1, Quattro Kush F3, Ssc, and a Cheese getting pollinated. Pretty excited to combine the ssc and the tortoni... 2 of the frostiest cuts that have been hunted and grown out over the last 2 years. Tortoni Strawberry sugar cookies Cheese Quattro Kush F3 Reversed Ssc

Finally got round to re-potting all the plants. As indicated by root circling, could have probably done so a bit sooner. Next time I get clones I'll put them straight into big pots. Jet Fuel Clone (was the damaged one) Special Crystal Haze (... is essentially Super Silver Haze) Special Crystal Haze Jet Fuel Clone Jet Fuel Clone Special Crystal Haze All in all there's now 8 plants. I haven't yet decided how many plants to flower, depends on how big they get over next couple of weeks.

Many moons ago...did the UK working holiday thing with my two brothers, we've always been best mates. Got introduced to hashish, had it every which way you could imagine, from straight joints to hot knives to japanese fontains and then this crazy aussie oke produces this frozen carved rock pipe from the deepfreeze. Later found out its called a chillum. Better be right with your stuff if you want puff on that thing. We traveled and worjed all over. Harvested hops in Canterbury, met up with some awesome ppl from canada, aus, poland and rsa, we were a lekker group. Did a lot of funky stuff together. Ever seen 8 peeps hotboxing a two man tent.... 20years later we still laugh at that one. Most brilliant time spent with awesome individuals. Remember parking on the hill in Edinburgh waiting for Elton John to open at the Edinburgh castle. We munched some bread with cheese and drank wine for dinner, after there was a friss cone going round before we went in. Music was beyond anything.... It was an epic, crazy ass time with some of my best memories.

Most of my most memorable moment have come when smoking with friends. Just laughing and them asking me what drugs did you spike the weed with.

Ja checked that episode. The oke was blitzed as faaark haha! Excellent Youtube channel. Same here. Back in the days when toking garlic chillums with the seasoned okes on, as they used to call it, "higher grade". Same vibes. Electric vision and diiiik laggies that lasted for hours. Good times!

first thing that comes to mind, first time I smoked obviously one never parts with that memory, but there's no big story around my first time. second that comes to mind. the highest I have ever been, I have a couple stories, but a hand full of them start with smoking a chillum with some rastas. especially those hash chillums.... dear god.... puff puff puff puff puff till you get a big cherry going then take the biggest hit of your life, will make your vision blurry for a few seconds as you try with all your might to not cough and let the smoke out slowly and little bit at a time, otherwise you risk a cough you gona cough for hours. seriously, fuck any extract or any "pure" whatever, smoke a chillum with the rastas you'll forever know what being high really means. when you have to walk away from the crowd to get fresh air, you turn back to look at everyone and it's like you lost your perception of depth and you seeing double, almost feels like you could pass out at any moment. couple deep breaths of fresh air and a sip of water you'll be good and higher than you have ever been, no doubt. I remember watching the Ganjier on youtube, they discuss all kinds of things for Cannabis connoisseurs. The host Derek Gilman had Frenchy Canoli on, THE hashman! Frenchy packed a hash chillum, this is the only episode Derek actually had a time out after the hit he blew out the smoke and immediatly handed off the chillum! that man was wobbling in his seat feeling like he is about to fall off the side of the planet. hahahahah I am telling you guys, if you have not experienced a proper chillum smoke, it's a bucketlist thing. you'll have a new respect for cannabis and how powerful it can be. Dereks chillum hit at 22:30

Day 45 Seed set is good. Clones have been vegging 4 weeks and are pretty much ready to move into Flowering in a week or 2.

Veg tent update. I have taken 6 clones of the Wedding Cake mother. I made sure to take some chonkier clones this time around and I left a little bit more foliage on them. I also gave the Jiffy pellets a little squeeze to reduce the amount of water in them. The KmintZ plants seem to have sprung back from their deficiency. The marks of the deficiency are still faintly visible but the new growth and the overall health of the plants are much better. I also potted them up into slightly bigger pots as they were getting really thirsty, I was beginning to water them nearly everyday. I still have four ZxP clones taking their time to root, followed by another 6 in the center propagator. Please, clone gods...just, please give me a chance.

Day 33 Pollination done The veg clones are doing their thing. The quattro Kush reveg leaves are fat

I am busy harvesting the ripe ZxP that have been ripening up for the last week where I have also cut off the water supply for the last 7 days. The buds are looking real good. I am about half way through the chop and I am on a break. Here are a few pics of the preharvest:

I spent the rest of the day trimming a harvest I had drying for the last week. This was the first run I did in the AutoPots and consisted of 6x ZxP. I won't sugarcoat it (although there was still plenty of sugar), but there managed to be more bud rot again, but it didn't spread. I think it developed as far as it did while flowering and mostly stayed at the center of the buds most affected. I'm going to be honest and say I probably lost half the yield to bud rot. The buds mostly affected were the large, main colas () positioned at the tops of the plants. I don't think I had very good ventilation in the tent at the time. I've managed to save a good portion of buds so not all was lost, but we gotta get this shit pristine now. The unaffected buds are frosty and nice, I managed to get about 2/3rds of a 3 liter jar. I am going to log the weight of all my harvests for the year and present a grand total, try and set myself some baselines/future goals.

It's literally raining once every second to third day here in the Highveld my dude it's the first Summer in the last 7 years that it's rained this much according to my memory. Usually it will piss down in the first few weeks of Summer and then chill out to like once a week or so. My RH is at least sitting at a constant 50% inside the grow room now but I was a bit late in sorting that out to prevent any rot on the flowering plants right now. These flowers are on exactly week 8 of flower now and I've just finished a flush, so I'll be harvesting what's survived within this week.