L.S.D. 5 Plants from 5 Seeds.

OK. I put some of "My picks" up. It's been harvest week. Now It's clean up, dump and wash the pots are next. I'll post pics of how I reclaim a lot of medium. I just turn he pots on their sides and a lot of perlite mix (see last week) falls off the roots. I'll show pics of how I transplanting my clones into the new pots and then into the grow room. I'll be busy. See ya Chuck. >Reclaiming medium, (see pictures) I flush for 14 days, and 3 days of dark with no water. So the medium is well flushed and somewhat dry. I clean up and then spoon off the top 1 inch, to get rid of algae and salt buildup, then turn the pot on it's side and the medium will fall off the semi dried roots. Some pieces the roots will hold on to some medium but most fall of. Pull the root ball out and more will fall off the roots. I put some landscapers felt in the bottom of the pots and the roots love it (see pictures). The only thing that is thrown away is the plastic bag of landscapers cloth. The root balls are taken to the municipal composting and turned in to soil. I'll reuse half of the reclaimed medium with new medium for the next group of plants. The rest is dried and will be used in the greenhouse next year. When mixing new medium take care not to breath the dust. I use a large garbage bag to mix my medium. Put measured medium in the 1/2 full bag add some water to control the dust, gather the top of the bag, blow extra air into the bag then gather the top. I roll the bag over my shoulder while holding the bag closed with my hand. Repeat 10 times or so and the contents will be mixed and damp. >I hang the wet trimmed stocks and the buds for 3 days with a small fan moving air about the room. And the way I dry them is in a paper bag. There is a gas that is released by the drying buds that will cancel the bitterness of the dried bud with an improved taste and smell of the finished product. The old hippies said " you need to put the buds in the middle of a bushel of straw, that catches the gas and holds it in place and the straw wicks the moisture away". A paper bag works just fine. It holds the gas in place and wicks the moisture away. The bags are hung for 1 week, No looking, or you'll let the good gas out. Don't put too much in the bag. I try not to go past the top of the triangle on the side of the bag. I try to shape the buds inside the bag into the shape of the closed bag. Hang the bags on the same line you used to hang the cut branches, with 2 clothes pins, with the small fan still blowing. Always label every thing as you go. >The way to tell when the bag and buds have dried enough: is after hanging the bags, push up on the bottom of the bag with 1 finger. You should hear a soft crinkle or two but with all the moister in the bag it won't make a lot of sound. If you do that day to day you'll hear the bag make more noise. When the bag is quite crinkly and you hear the small sugar leaves scrape on the inside of the bag, it's time to look . After opening the bag you'll see some shrinkage,, pull the buds apart gently and look in the middle. It's up to you at this point, the buds may have to be hung for a few more days. When that's all done I put everything into mason jars. >Repotting clones into the flowering pots. Preparing pots. See pictures. I attached tomato cages to the pots. It's awkward to wash the pots, but really helps the rest of the time. I line the bottom of the pots with landscapers felt (different than landscapers cloth). When the pump is on, the felt is filled with water. When the pump stops, the felt quickly drains of water but is still damp and doesn't dry out. the roots love that area (see pictures). With the water going on and off, it acts like a pump. Used air is pumped out and good air is pulled in after the water drains. I feed the plants 3 times a day, but leave a couple of hours of light, to dry the pots enough to turn out the lights (less mold problems that way). >Repotting clones. See pictures. I fill the bottom of the pot, up to the top of the felt with reclaimed medium. Years ago I thought about my waste and thought I'd try to reduce it. With letting the plants dry in the dark period I found some medium poured off easily. I thought I'd try, and this is what works for me. There is already friendly fungus and microbes in the used medium, I don't have to try so hard to get new cultures going. Next get your plant ready. See pictures: If you take off any branches and bury the stock you will get roots out of that stock If its a tall plant dig down a bit, if its a smaller plant just place the root ball on the reclaimed medium. Fill up with new medium. Leave 2 inches at the top, that will be filled with reclaimed medium. Label everything. >Back in the main grow room. Next week I'll show you my equipment in the grow room. Chuck.