Getting ready to quit for good!

Guys thanks for the great advice. I feel like I'm missing some small step that's screwing things up, but I just can't for the life of me figure it out. The herb allows looks fantastic, but the taste leaves a lot to be desired. I was using Clearex for multiple grows but I stopped using it and switched to plain water thinking maybe that was causing the bad taste (I was basically trying to change everything from the water to the grow media to the nutes, assuming one was the culprit). I knew from all the reading I've done that the drying process is the one of the most difficult aspects of the grow, but I thought I had a good handle on it. When I dry I was cutting the buds from the plant and hanging them from string that I had set-up in a large box. After 6-7 days when they were fairly dry on the outside I would put them into plain brown shopping bags until the stems would snap, then into the mason jars. I was always trying to keep the RH between 55-65% and the temps between 65-75. I do have a couple of humidifiers that I use in the winter. Crabbyback I think I will try your way of hanging the whole plant, you may be on to something. I also have bubblebags that I use to make hash, but that also taste crappy. I really don't want to switch to soil, maybe I'll try one more grow in fall and hope for the best. Crabbyback and Foothillsfarmer thanks for taking the time to try and help I appreciate it.

I hope you try one more time. I made the very same damn mistake on my first grow! Some of that grow is still sitting in my stash cab. Nobody here likes it. Its destined to become canna caps.

After depressing results, I searched for all drying info I could find. Books, net, etc. I found somewhere (:stoned:) a logical explanation for what was occurring. The stems and trunk act to slow down drying of the buds. Fast drying just pulls the moisture in your buds out but traps clorophyll and other yuck in the buds. Slow drying pulls moisture and bad juju out of your buds in stages. Anyway, I wish I could remember where I read that but, the light went on for me. Next grow, I did 4 WW. The drying took weeks at 50% RH, at around 65F, in the dark, with minimal air flow and the plant intact. I didn't even remove the big fan leaves (made for terrible trouble manicuring :(). After sufficient cure for WW (2 months in my book) it is some of the most awesome tasting pot I've had. :woohoo: Unfortunately, I haven't had quite as good a luck on subsequent drying attempts, but practice makes perfect in this game.

I just know this will work for you.
:Crabby goes off crossing fingers, chanting encantations, etc:

I just bought some myself, just haven't used it yet. I was going to try to cut down the amount of time that I starve them in trying to flush the nutes. The way I understand the chemistry of Clearex, I can't see it adding to the bad taste at all.

If you will research drying and curing here at cancom and using other resources, you will find not everyone is agreed on the principle of flushing or how to do it perfectly at end. I thought I'd experiment a bit with one plant each grow.

Do it, dude!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GanjaDude

Well guys I know I haven't been around for a while but just wanted to give you an update on what's been going on. Since my post in Dec. about my hydro weed tasting like crap, I've had 2 more grows and both have ended the same way. The herb looks amazing, but taste like crap! Two entire years, a couple thousand dollars and more hours hauling water up and down stairs than I care to remember and I'm still smoking s**t. I tried the good advice from the generous members here and changed from Hydroton media and got myself an RO system. I thought after my last grow that my problem was that when I was flushing I was using plain RO water and that I should have flushed with water that was PH adjusted, but that didn't solve the problem.
About my only option now is to try a soil grow or just quit altogether. Because of where I live there is no option to just buy the dank stuff, it's always below average stuff that cost from $300 to $400 an OZ. The last time I smoked really good stuff was 25 years ago in college. I thought growing my own would finally fix this problem, but I'm an idiot! Thanks for letting me vent I feel better.:mad:

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What strain or strains are you growing ?
After reading all this again haevest is not a problem. Sounds like a strain related thing. You are curing right and flushing and it is not your plants dying.
Have you tried a strain that is more neutral in smell, like big bud ?

Loc Nar in the last couple of years I've tried
Joey Weeds Ak47xC99
Serious Seeds Bubblegum
TGA's Pandoras Box
Dutch Passions Master Kush, White Widow and Blueberry.
Crabby, the one thing that makes me think it might not be the way I'm drying is that every time I've made bubblehash it also tasted crappy and that's made right after harvest.

I do recall reading that you should also cure your hash for taste and smoothness after pressing but before smoking. I don't know if that is true, or if it includes bubble hash :jointsmile: and I can't site a source because I've got short term memory problems :D.

You seem to have come to your own conclusions regarding the problem, so I'm not sure what else I can offer other than "good luck".

Crabbyback I really haven't come to any conclusion, in fact after reading your advice I figure it can't hurt to try one more time. I'm going to try harvesting the way you do, but I'm wondering if maybe I should do this last grow in soil. Also I think I'll try Loc Nars advice and try growing Big Bud. The more advice I try, the better chance I have for fixing the problem. I don't grow in the summer, it's too hot so my next try will start at the end of Sept. I'll post again and let you know how I make out. Thank you again for the advice.:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GanjaDude

Loc Nar in the last couple of years I've tried
Joey Weeds Ak47xC99
Serious Seeds Bubblegum
TGA's Pandoras Box
Dutch Passions Master Kush, White Widow and Blueberry.
Crabby, the one thing that makes me think it might not be the way I'm drying is that every time I've made bubblehash it also tasted crappy and that's made right after harvest.

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Wow, you should of gotten some real tasties from that bunch. haven't had the blueberry or bubblegum but working my way there. The widow should of been stank for sure. Just had some that was good and stinky and then some not so good from same grower.

Going to have to read back through now. This should not be happening.

I don't mean to be personal but.

Are you taking any meds that might effect the taste of things ?
Or does other weed you have gotten taste OK ?

We are getting older.

start a grow log, youve come this far. let us help you on ur last run side by side monoymono :hippy:

maybe it grows to long or not long enough

or maybe its real good like everybody loves my stuff but to me its just homegrown man

Loc Nar I'm not an any medication, I've given the herb to others who like the high but agree that the taste leaves a lot to be desired. Where I live it near impossible to find the great dank stuff, so the only choice is average at best and that doesn't have the crappy taste like my weed. One thing I have noticed is that before I harvest if I touch the buds or even some of the leaves, the smell on my fingers is sweet like I remember great herb is supposed to smell. That's why it's so disappointing waiting the 3 months then drying and curing for at least another 3 or 4 weeks only to get the same crap smell and taste. And this has gone on for 5 or 6 grows! What sucks even more is every grow I end up with 6 or 7 oz of stuff I really don't want to smoke.
I think I will try Crabbybacks method of drying the whole plant, but what I'm on the fence about is should I try soil this last time. Phatsesh I'll see if I can get a camera and maybe do a grow log on the next grow. As always every ones advice is appreciated.

I would do a soil grow to compare. At this point you have nothing to lose. And you know how to finish.

If the buds smell good fresh when touched then they should end up that way. Wish I could say what it is. You sounds like you got your shit together. It just ain't happening in the end product.

Sorry just thought of a friend on Key-lation to remove crap from his blood and clean it. He said everything tasted like metal. He lost a good bit of weight.

Very strange this problem is.

Dude,

This is due to the water you are using. TOO much chlorine and hard metals in your water. Switch to distilled water, and then use cal mag (yes, everyone who is posting on here...I am saying to use cal mag).

And you need to be flushing with this water too. I had this problem once when I lived near the California Delta. The local water came from our delta tributary that has had chemicals and electrical plant wastes dumped into it over that last 600 years.

Do remember in school they used to tell us, "You are what you eat." Virtually the same thing. This is just my 2 cents on this!

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Happy Growing :hippy:

-Martyr Projekt

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That definitely could have been the problem my first year because I used tap water that had a TDS of 110-120, but for the 2nd year I purchased a RO system which I've used for the last 12-15 months. Also I'm adding CalMag with the RO water. I keep the PH between 5.8-6.3 and change the 12 gallon res every 10 days. I feed the plants just ph adjusted water for the last 10 days and change that plain water every 2 days. Thanks for the input.

Your last post threw up a whole lot of red flags to me. You said your lst 10 days is PH adjusted water...and you are using a reverse osmosis filtration system.

Glad to see you are using cal mag, that helps. But, this is my concern. It sounds to me like "YOU" are adjusting the Ph of your water. Instead of using water that is PH neutral like distilled water. The point of the 10 day flush is to use ZERO chemicals. If you are using ph up or down at all...it defeats the purpose. And, this would account for your plants not totally flushing the nutes out of your system.

I would also clean my res...before flushing. I actually have a res for flush that I will use at the end. Keeps the added chemicals from building up in your res floor. Just a thought!

I would even change the water 3-4 times over the 10 days of flush. I would buy distilled water instead of "treating and adjusting" your water. It will make a difference.

Unless, I am totally baked and misunderstood you. LMAO! :D

Don't give up broseph, it is time to hunker down and not end up like all those tools on craigslist selling their gear. There is always answers to every problem. And, if you're in Cali...I can give you my information, and I am always glad to give advice. Although I am growing for the first time indoors, sometimes there is a mistake being made somewhere that two stoned minds can figure out better than one! :jointsmile:

peace brotha...and good luck on this next one. You will for sure be an expert once you get yourself dialed in!

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Happy Growing

-Martyr Projekt

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martyr a couple of grows ago I was just flushing with the RO water and nothing else but I had read somewhere that you should flush with PH adjusted water. It kinda made sense to me because I know that the plant can't take in nutrients if the PH is too high or low, so I thought maybe if the plain water was PH adjusted it would flush better.

I am going to try just distilled for the last 10 days now thanks for the idea. I scrub my res after every change, but to be safe it couldn't hurt to use a clean new for the final flush. Dude, you live in heaven on earth being in Cali. I'm stuck living in great state of Mass. which feels like East Germany from the 60's. Think of us trapped behind the iron curtain next time you smoke a fatty.:(

One thing I just struck me after reading a post from Tinytoon on a different thread was that I have been using 1" Rockwool cubes that I then transfer to 4" ones. I have been rinsing them out and then using them and not soaking in PH adjust water, could that cause the crappy smell and taste?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GanjaDude

One thing I just struck me after reading a post from Tinytoon on a different thread was that I have been using 1" Rockwool cubes that I then transfer to 4" ones. I have been rinsing them out and then using them and not soaking in PH adjust water, could that cause the crappy smell and taste?

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I don't think so. That would just make for unhealthy plants early on because you might be chasing your PH up or down. We saok them to get them adjusted to our PH liking. You would have known if that was your problem and only till they got adjusted.

how long do you flower for, each strain? 10 % amber may be to much if your shooting for that

what dont you like about the flavor of each, is it the same? is it metalic, dry,
grassy?

I think you should give up and give me your stuff :thumbsup:

I usually flower for 8-9 weeks on average. All my seeds tend to be indica dominant. I'm having a tough time trying to describe the smell and taste. What ever I'm doing wrong effects every harvest, it all reminds me of a grassy hay smell. Believe me if I could find a safe way to do it I'd send you a big bag! Hell I don't want it.:)

i dont want the weed man i want the gear when u quit :cool:

what were your avg. temps?

Phatsesh the temps range from the low 70's to mid 80's. I only grow from Sept. to May.

To bad, I would like to try it. It would be the only way to compare to anything else. Or some one could send you a bud to compare with but then you would be really pissed if it was good.

It just sounds really dry to be smoking like that.

when my temps rise above 80 to much it seems to take longer to mature

do you or did you have bugs?

all sorts of stuff can cause probs, i grew outside most of my life until i moved into an apartment and then learned indoors. it took me almost 2 years to work out the kinks and get what i wanted, with help from other growers and now that i got it, eengh its whatever, kinda time consuming id quit but the dispensary cant dupe my quality

excellent flavor is a technique that alot of growers cant accomplish, i go to alot of different dispensaries here in cali and some of the buds are good but even fewwer are excellent, and most taste the same, either smooth and plain or flavor masked by nutes.

I have yet to grow hydro but have always heard that it lacks the flavors of soil

ganja,

I hear you on living behind the iron curtain. I have not always lived in Cali. Try to flush next with just distilled water...this way it is nuetral water, not requiring ph to be adjusted. I am wondering about your reverse osmosis system, why would it need to be ph adjusted, when the point of those systems is to create neutral filtered water.

it sounds to me like the water you are using is filled with chemicals and chlorine. Not to mention thousands of other harmful things. There was an story in US today saying that when tests of local water supplies were done that high levels of anti-depressants, estrogen, and a multitude of other harmful chemicals were found in the tested water supplies.

Based upon that...the only true way to insure pure water is...distillation, if living in those areas.

Just a thought,

Martyr Projekt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phatsesh101

when my temps rise above 80 to much it seems to take longer to mature

do you or did you have bugs?

all sorts of stuff can cause probs, i grew outside most of my life until i moved into an apartment and then learned indoors. it took me almost 2 years to work out the kinks and get what i wanted, with help from other growers and now that i got it, eengh its whatever, kinda time consuming id quit but the dispensary cant dupe my quality

excellent flavor is a technique that alot of growers cant accomplish, i go to alot of different dispensaries here in cali and some of the buds are good but even fewwer are excellent, and most taste the same, either smooth and plain or flavor masked by nutes.

I have yet to grow hydro but have always heard that it lacks the flavors of soil

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I would bet most of what you see in the dispensaries is hydro but grown for the quick cash crop it is for meds. The medicine isn't about taste or flavor so no one worries about it.

On the other hand our grow that is very simple with few additives. The last bach smoked like someone smashed your brains out with a ripe Papaya. I can smell it down the block. LOL We have hawaiianxskunkxbigbud and redbud and nothernlights. All have there own smell.

It's always better when you grow it.

If you can taste nutes it was not flushed right.

Martyr you make a very good point about my water. I thought it was fairly good because the TDS was only 110ppm. Then when I could not figure out my problem I purchased the RO System. I thought an RO system just removed as many contanimants as possible, I didn't know that the water was also PH neutral.

I just tested my RO water and it had a PH of 3.7 maybe the water is my issue.

Phat I have never had an bug problems. I was under the impression that everyone one this site and dozens of others were growing fantastic bud easily, but after reading you last post maybe it's not as easy as I thought.

My next grow will be soil and I'll flush with distilled water. If I try enough of the sound advice I received here one of them is bound to fix the problem. I would like to thank everyone who attempted to help me with my problem. I wish I could have you all over for a smokefest--when I fix the problem of course.

But the rewards are worth the effort.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GanjaDude

I just tested my RO water and it had a PH of 3.7 maybe the water is my issue.

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Neutral should be 7.0 ph. Both my distilled water and R/O are about 7.0.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LOC NAR on probation

Neutral should be 7.0 ph. Both my distilled water and R/O are about 7.0.

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I agree with loc nar here. Your PH is whacked. I think we have identified this as your problem, without even seeing pictures. Get distilled water asap, and add cal-mag to it. You will love the results with the grow, and also with your flush when doing strait distilled water that has no Ph up or down added.

3.7 is like acid water. Your poor babies. Get them fed properly. I wish you would've posted on here prior to struggling for over a year. These guys talk me through everything, even my paranoia! :stoned:

My advice is this. Document your next grow with a forum log. We will walk you through it all, and help you get the best buds possible. Even when I grew outdoor, this forum was always there to help with anything that came up along the way. All of these guys here have great advice and have mountains of experience with indoor hydro and soil.

Start from the beginning with every little detail for your rig, soil, ph levels, runoff ph, light schedules, etc. We will have suggestions and walk you through it! Just remember that even the most experienced and tenured horticulturists fuck up. So, be prepared to make mistakes!

Oh yeah, invest in a camera, this will help us all in diagnosing issues, and getting you on your way!

---------------------------------

Happy Growing :hippy:

-Martyr Projekt

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:postgood: martyr

Ganjadude, I hope you will keep us updated on your trials and results, whatever they are. I would be interested in the outcome. Again, best of luck.

While researching the flushing, drying, curing subjects, I found a few posts (Stinky's was one) that mentioned you should stop all N two weeks before flush. So you stop N 4 weeks before harvest but continue to feed everything else until the 2 week flush time.

Stinky says excess N during bloom causes harshness, which is mostly what I'm experiencing.

Thought I'd let you know in case you hadn't run across that tidbit of info.

Crabbyback I did not know that about cutting out the N 4 weeks before harvest. I did cutback on the nutes for the last couple of weeks before the flush.

I use Pure Blend Pro Bloom for the veg which has 2.5% N. I guess the only way I could make sure that the N is totally stopped 4 weeks before harvest is to switch to a 3 part nutrient regiment like GH.

I've never used another nute besides Pure Blend, I guess my question is how would I control N? Also since I will be trying soil on my next grow do you have any suggestions or recommendations for nutrients? I was planning on getting some of the Foxfarm soil, I hear that's good.
:thumbsup:

I didn't know about stopping N 4 weeks before harvest either, so I'm excited to try this my next grow. I have some residual harshness that I would love to get rid of.

Now I'm excited that you didn't know this either. Are you growing right now? Can you test this soon? :D

GDude, you need to turn on your reputation so people can rep you. Its under the User CP tab up top. :stoned:

I didn't even think about you using a one part feed. I don't know how you'd do it with that product.

Recently, I'm using a 3-part from Humboldt Nutrients but I'm still evaluating them. I have used Advanced Nutrients in the past and really liked them. Everyone says they are overpriced. I don't know the PureBlend line. Have you been to their website to see if they make a 3 part or a complementary product to what you are using with bloom nutes only? If you like the brand, I'd try that.

Fox Farms is supposed to be the bomb. Just be really careful with the FF Ocean Forest soil. Lots of folks burn their plants with it.

Now that I will be growing with soil I think I'll find a new nutrient solution, with a 3 part solution so I can control the amount of NPK applied. Crabbyback because I live in the Northeast I suspend growing in the summer (don't want to leave A/C's running while I'm at work). My next grow will start at the end of Sept. FYI all the crappy tasting weed I have is now in it's 5th day of water curing. I hope that may make the herb a little more palatable for me. I'll let you know how the water cure turns out.:cool:

Hi, sorry you're having taste problems. For what it's worth, I keep my drying room temp as close to 50 degrees as possible and let em hang for about 2 weeks. Then I cure them in plastic shopping bags which are put inside brown paper bags rolled halfway down. I open em up once a day to let the gasses and any excess moisture escape. It's always been bagseeds so nothing super tasty but still nice and earthy(outdoor organic). If I can wrangle up enough glass jars this year I'll eliminate the bag curing method since I seem to be the only one using it. Read it in HT about 10 yrs ago. Glass is just so much nicer.

Good luck dude!

I just thought I'd throw out I celebrated 420! I trust there were others out there enjoying the sunshine as much as I was ;) It feels good to know people across the globe are feeling good right meow.

Happy 420!

ummmm...:wtf:4/20...In September?:wtf:

Did I miss the memo? :stoned:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by washburn

I just thought I'd throw out I celebrated 420! I trust there were others out there enjoying the sunshine as much as I was ;) It feels good to know people across the globe are feeling good right meow.

Happy 420!

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Me thinks Ya need to fix your Calendar your like 4 and 1/2 months to late dude. ahhh nevermind But then Heck Everyday should be 4/20 day