Disclaimer:
This post is about medical/recreational cannabis.
I recommend you don't use it.
It could be illegal in your country.
Be careful!
First Application
12 days ago, I noticed a handful of aphids on my plants and wrote about it.
I applied a diluted brew of black tea and tobacco with a spray-bottle.
I was very hesitant about the tobacco. When I checked 2 days later, I could not see any aphids.
I was kinda busy and did not really check thoroughly again.
Until the other day, when I found hundreds of them.
Tobacco
I was very concerned about the tobacco.
I don't think it's a good choice.
'But it's organic, bro!'
So is cobra venom.
Organic, but lethal in tiny amounts.
Didn't expect to refenrence my last post about these principles so quickly.
I would not even mind the aphids all that much - The plants seem to power right through it.
But the plants start to become really sticky now and I don't want to smoke bugs, stuck to my weed.
Second application
After spotting the aphids again, I used black tea and left the tobacco out.
I made a strong brew and applied it undiluted on the underside of the leaves.
For a few days now, every morning, or when I find the time.
Checked this morning, could not find any. I wonder where they went, tbh.
I dont think spraying any such liquids on the buds is good.
It might seriously hurt my harvest.
Anyways:
black tea seems to work
Future Plan
From now on, I will cultivate my cannabis alongside thyme, lavender and other plants like it.
Since I now have to check the plants on my balcony all the time anyways, those herbs are no real extra-effort.
Herbs are always good and healthy anyways.
They can protect my cannabis with their presence, provide some aroma to fried eggs, and could also cover up the cannabis stank some.
Other than that, I can see the flower buds swelling up daily.
From here on it's mostly about choosing the right time to harvest.
I did not want to brag about my gardening skills before I had picture-proof of my plants.
I know how to grow cannabis. Which isn't actually that hard.
I can probably harvest these in 2-3 weeks (?)
Drying and curing is the thing I am afraid of.
Drying and Curing
I am not much of a terpene guy.
The way I smoke my cannabis, there isn't much of a bouquet.
To be honest, I mainly want it to be potent in cannabinoids.
When it comes to certain flavors, I like 'stank' weed.
I think the fruity, citrus flavor is weird.
Then again, the way I smoke, I don't taste much of it.
I am not a connoiseur, at all.
So, if anyone knows of procedures to speed up drying and curing and to prevent mould during that process, I am all ears.
Important: Extracts which use a solvent are still illegal here.
Which would include all edibles...
The whole law is silly and I think I know why: Corruption. (shocker, I know)
Maybe I'll write about that next.
TL;DR:
Black tea helped well against these aphids and did not seem to hurt the plant.
I'll try companion plants next, as preventive measure.
How would you process these after harvest?
PS
Should I buy a macro-lens for my phone and take shots of the trichomes and other close-ups like aphids?