My first grow around the equator

Hi. This is my first time attempting to grow anything.
I joined this platform for the sake of documenting & learning because I found out a had a lot to learn. I’m about 4 months in now. I’m growing in the ground outdoors in the equatorial region where the photo period is approximately 12/12 all year round.

Since it’s my first grow, I didn’t feel the need to spend money on seeds yet. I also did not know a reliable website I could order seeds from who would deliver to me here in West Africa (so if anyone has recommendations, I would appreciate it as I would like to be more specific on genetics on my next grow). I had been collecting seeds from the cheap poorly grown cannabis easily found around here, so I germinated a few of them. I had about 5 plants in the beginning which happened to be all female luckily, but I uprooted other plants leaving just one.

It’s a sativa, probably a landrace. (The locals don’t know the names of the strains from around these parts).

I didn’t spend money on fertilizer either because I’m working on a tight budget for this experiment. I have laying birds though, so I made a habit of adding poultry manure in little quantities once in a while.

I didn’t know growing a wild strain outdoors would take so long. Four months in now, & it’s been flowering for like a month & a half. I’m not sure when it will be ready for harvest.
I had to prune the top when it suddenly began to stretch after the rains stopped & I began watering by myself. Even after pruning it’s about 5”8 right now. I also noticed quicker growth in the buds few days after I pruned the top off the collars.

I’ll update as I progress, & would also appreciate helpful tips from more experienced growers.

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Cool grow! Good luck and I’m watching.

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Welcome to the community !not sure if ILGM ships to your area or not but would be worth a try good company to work with. Good luck

Welcome to the community of growers

Welcome to the community and forum @OOrogbo. I spent 3 months down at the VMF in South Africa this year. I didn’t try the “Bush Weed” as they referred to it as there. I know it wasn’t the best quality but it did smell decent.

I don’t know if ILGM ships to West Africa but you can look at Attitude Seed Bank. I’ve had 0 issues with them and they have a wonderful X-mas Special going on right now.

Btw outdoor grows take longer than indoors. Your plant looks pretty good. :+1:

So I harvested a few days after I made the original post because I noticed the pistils started turning brownish red. Didn’t have a magnifying glass so I couldn’t do a trichome check.

I opted for dry trimming method because humidity was beginning to drop. I trimmed after drying for a week then put them in jars.

What I got wasn’t so good. The buds aren’t dense at all. Most likely because I didn’t train the plant properly, I just let it grow. Also I didn’t feed the plant which is probably why it doesn’t smell & look like what I’m used to.

The buzz isn’t so great either. I barely feel any cerebral high, but it gives me some serious munchies. I can at least use it to treat my poor appetite.

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All a learning experience.

In my opinion you harvested way too early, hence the lack density and buzz.

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Thanks, I considered that too. I growing a new plant now. It’s an Amnesia. My target with is 6 months. I’m growing in a pot this time & I ordered some nutrients. My original choice of nutrients was GH Flora series, but I couldn’t get it delivered here so I opted for Dyna-gro Grow & Bloom which is salt based. Will get a magnifying glass before the plant is ready.

That will have to be a pretty strong magnifying glass, I believe X60 is the minimum you need.

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You need a Jeweler Loupe. I tried a magnifying glass and couldn’t see a thing. You can see trichomes on a 30x magnification but 60x is way better. I don’t know if you can get one in Africa but you could check a Jeweler store and see if you can see if they will sell you one.

Thanks. & I can get anything here, provided I go to the right place. Please check out my new topic.

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I have and already posted there. I had a blast in South Africa for 3 months. Since it’s legal there, you could smell it being smoked all over Tzaneen. Especially at the bus stops.

Yeah S.A is cool. Wanna try growing the Durban poison in the near future.

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I don’t have that strain so no clue what it’s like. And yeah, SA was pretty cool. I lived on top of a hill working with Vervet Monkeys. So I got to see the tail end of summer and it was so damn dry there. We had to make fire breaks it’s that dry there. As you already know.

Even went to Kruger National Park. Saw the Big 5. The Rhino we couldn’t get a clear shot and on the final day we had a female leopard not even 10 meters from us. Awesome experience I had.

I want to go back. Even with how poverty stricken it is there, I can say everyone I met was very welcoming to me as an American. People think they have it tough here and I laugh. Because they don’t know what tough is.

I did enjoy the pack of Ramen Noodles calles Durban Curry and I fell in love with that flavor profile.