Widow Hunt

Hi all,

After growing out some DJ blueberry that had no blueberry and some Seni Skunk that contained no skunk I got to wondering if any of the strains I remembered from my youth still existed out there.

This got me thinking about white widdow as this was a staple during the mid/late nineties for me and whilst the smoke itself was never amazing the high always was. So, did some reading, learnt a lot about who said what and made the decision that whilst a few people claim to have the OG widow genetics it seems that only Shantibaba can actually flesh out the arguments with at some validation.

Whilst digging around I also found a quote from him on an old forum that said the prize winning pheno show up in around 1 in 50 plants.

So, I did the only logical thing to do at that point….

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… and bought 150 seed over a few actions via the site. 😁

Now, I’ve got no real experience in pheno hunting a strain and have limited space to grow but this is how (I hope) it’s going to go.

My grow space will allow for 16 plants in 7.5l fabric pots (SOG style) but as the seeds are regs I need to account for males in the seeds pop. Using no logic whatsoever, I decided to pop 25 seeds and hope that I get around 16 females and after 24 hours soak in water and 24 in paper towel and a sandwich bag 25 seeds had sprouted.

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They were then transferred into rootriot cubes and this was them a few days later….

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Just before being put into a 50:50 mix of soil supreme and perlite mix with some added PM granules. This is them at just over three weeks since popping

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As you can see, fair bit of variation in the plants and they will stay in those pots until they have built up a solid root ball and then straight into the 7.5l pots, vegged for a week or so before being flipped.

All males will be removed and any plants that go over 10 weeks will be discounted too. Once this cycle is complete, clones will be taken from any girls that show good form and we start again from seed, rinse and repeat till all the seeds are done.

Logistically, I’ve no idea how this is going to work being as it’s probably going to be a two year or so project and keeping clones from each round could prove to be a challenge but will just face those problems as they appear.

Think that’s it for now, mainly going to use this thread to try and keep track of the chaos but looking forward to others coming along for the ride too!

Take it easy,

TK
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the kind words, good to have you on-board. I'll try and update as much as possible but due to life commitments probably going to be around once a week unless anything exciting/disastrous happens.

@Swifty - I took a quick look at some of your work, very impressive. I like your idea of using long planters with multiple plants. Got me thinking about if i can use that here!!

As for an update, at just over four weeks, not much change really. Everything still looking OK, this is my first time using LED's for veg and was a move i was forced into as it now seems next to impossible to find CFL's. It's been a bit of trial and error with lamp hight and intensity but think i'm starting to get the grasp of it and the plants don't seem to have be adversely affected

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All plants are now showing roots at the drain holes but will probably keep them in these for another week to build a solid rootball before moving them into their final pots. Currently they are on a diet of 2.5ml Root Stimulator and .5 ml Old Timer Grow per ltr of water will stick with that till i start seeing any yellowing on lower leafs.

On reflection, I think waiting till the end of flowering to take cuttings and then trying to re-veg them is just going to be a massive headache so i now plan to take cuttings once they are in their final pots and have shown sex. Not sure how I am going to juggle that at the moment but likely is going to involve getting another 2x2 tent to keep the clones/mums in.

Starting to think i may have bitten of a bit more than i can chew but i guess time will tell.. :LOL:

Thanks again for joining the ride, until next time..

ATB

-TK
 
OK, this is my first time using LED's for veg and was a move i was forced into as it now seems next to impossible to find CFL's. It's been a bit of trial and error with lamp hight and intensity but think i'm starting to get the grasp of it and the plants don't seem to have be adversely affected

stupid european law thank the bitch vandelayen

the same impossible to buy turbo neon and hps you have to do stock i have buy 12 turbo neon
 
Hey, @Tommy Ketchup if your space allows, you might want to keep any stwllar males you pop. With 150+ seeds you cpuld find a few elite females and maybe even a few elite frost males. If u saived the 3-5 frostiest best smelling males while u hunt, you cpuld open pokinate your elite females with your elite males and have a lofetime of emergency seeds incase u ever lose your female. Just my two 🪙
Good luck and may the Frost be with you!
 
@Swifty - I took a quick look at some of your work, very impressive. I like your idea of using long planters with multiple plants. Got me thinking about if i can use that here!!
It works great for me Tommy K.
It is easier to keep your plants healthy (roots can run out further) and you can grow more in the same space.
Downsides are feeding (sometimes you have to compromise, heavy vs. lighter feeder in the same pot) and overgrowing (smaller plants from the start could get overgrow. I do plant the biggest in the same pot and the smalles also.

I also find keeping motherplants a bigger struggle, it's not easy to keep so many plants alive until you tested them after a good cure.
Here you can see my way, works but takes dedication to keep them healthy.

Posts#204, #208 and#210.

https://mrnice.nl/forum/threads/the-shack.18760/page-11

Hope its helps and good luck!
 
Hi All,

Apologies for the lack of update, had to go away for a few days with work and came back to some pretty strong N/Mg deficiencies

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So have potted everything up into 1.5l pots as a intrim to hopefully get them back to full health before going into their final 7.5l flowering pots. TBH i kept them in those starter pots for way too long but it looks like they're starting to bounce back and all 25 plants are still alive...

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They're starting to put out a few smells already, mainly tropical fruity but a couple have more earthy/incenses notes to them so keen to see how those ones progress.

Will probably keep them in these for a couple of weeks or until there are a good amount of roots showing at the bottom of the pot. Not ideal but it is what it is, trying to keep this diary true to form, warts and all.

Think that's about it for now, will try and get back to updating once a week again.

Take it easy!

TK
 
Hi All,

Plants seem to have bounced back pretty well, this is the majority of them after a good watering…
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And this is my current favourite for no other reason that I like the fan pattern and it is the first confirmed female! 😍

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And a group shot of them all shoved into the 2x2. Still 25/25 doing well!

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80% of the plants are already showing roots at the bottom of the pots so, will probably leave them in situ till they next need a watering and pot them up and flip them over!

Right now they’re on 2.5ml Root stimulant and 1ml BioBizz Grow per litre of water.

Will update again as they go into their final pots.

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

-TK
 
Hey @Tommy Ketchup nice job so far with the Widows. An absolute legend! Have you noticed any insects or unexplained leaf damage? The close up photo you sent is a bit out of focus, but I'm fairly certain that I see some Thrip damage on those fan leaves. Perhaps it was just water on the leavew relfecting oddly, but.... I'd give each plant an individual inspection and really look for damage that might be insects or see if u can find traces they left behind. It would be horrible for the populwtion to exolode once you are in flower and can't spray anything on them anymore. Perhaps you coukd get benifitial 🐞? Anyways. Keeo up the good work. I cant wait to see your ladies frost up!
 
Hey @Tommy Ketchup nice job so far with the Widows. An absolute legend! Have you noticed any insects or unexplained leaf damage? The close up photo you sent is a bit out of focus, but I'm fairly certain that I see some Thrip damage on those fan leaves. Perhaps it was just water on the leavew relfecting oddly, but.... I'd give each plant an individual inspection and really look for damage that might be insects or see if u can find traces they left behind. It would be horrible for the populwtion to exolode once you are in flower and can't spray anything on them anymore. Perhaps you coukd get benifitial 🐞? Anyways. Keeo up the good work. I cant wait to see your ladies frost up!
Hey Diesel!

Thanks for the heads up, I’ve not noticed any critters but you’re right, that does looks like thrips!

Will give them a good going over later and get out the neam oil if needed .

My last grow was a constant battle with red spider mite and still have some of the natural predators leftover so might throw those in for good measure too as I definitely don’t want to have that fight again!
 
Hi All,

Just a small update to keep things moving...

All plants are now looking much healthier....

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And the one i previously marked out as my fave due to it being the first confirmed female is now throwing out some absolutely huge fan leafs....

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Not sure the photos do her justice but the biggest leafs are around 7 inches broad.

So far we have 3 confirmed males (who are about to get the chop) and two confirmed females leaving 20 left to still show sex. I think if i were to flower these plants now i would run it to a world of pain trying as i have very reduced ceiling high (about 1.8m from floor to the LED) so, the plan now is to wait for them all to show sex and take cutting of the females and then run a propper SOG/ScROG from rooted cuttings to try an keep things more manageable. Have bought a second 2x2 tent to help with this and keep a bonsai mother of each of the females.

Ever get the feeling you've bitten of more than you can chew?!

Take it easy, all!

-TK
 
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