First "Living Soil" Run (Gelato Auto)

Long time no see GrowDiaries family. Starting my first run with Sohum's Living Soil. I made a center hole through the entire pot with Fox Farm's Light Warrior, so my autoflowers have a chance to grow up a bit, before their roots branch out into the living soil. Before transplanting each Rapid Rooter plug, I sprinkled 2 tsp of Myco in each hole. After transplant, I watered each plant with 2 cups of pH balanced water. Plan on doing water only. With a weekly dose of Recharge, and possibly a top dressing for flower. Day 2 -Watered both plants with 2 cups of pH balanced water. Day 5 -Watered both plants with 2 cups of pH balanced water. Next watering we will be adding Recharge into the mix and up our water to 3 cups. Day 7 -Watered both plants with 3 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge.

Day 10 -Watered both plants with 3 cups of pH balanced water. Day 13 -Watered both plants with 4 cups of pH balanced water. Also placed stake in both pots and began LST. Ordered some barley straw for a mulch covering, as my soil is drying quickly and I want to keep those microbes nice and alive! Not much to say about this week, other than good growth to start with! When I ran bottled nutrients I would start to see issues 3 to 4 weeks in, so we'll see if I run into that issue with living soil. 🤞

Day 16 - Watered both plants with 4 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. I guess when I did LST adjustments yesterday, I slightly cracked the main stem on both plants...So growth may slow down a bit, but still they are really healthy, with good growth. Plus the Recharge (should) help them bounce back. Leaf tucking adjustments were made as well. Day 19 -I did some LST adjustments yesterday. Watered both plants with 5 cups of pH balanced water. Also top dressed about 1"-2" of straw mulch on both plants to help keep the top soil moist so those microbes can thrive!

Day 22 -Start of week 4! Watered each plant with 6 cups of pH balanced water. Day 25 -Watered each plant with 6 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. Day 28 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Had some runoff...not alot but I've heard it's bad with organics, since it leaches from the soil. So I let each plant soak up the cup or so of runoff. Also running into some discoloration on some lower leaves. Rest of plant is healthy, so I'm wondering if I should top dress with my bloom nutes now? It could just be because both plants are so bushy, it's just dying because lack of light. I dunno. ---Also changing this week to flowering as she started flowering super heavy around Day 25ish, and is rapidly stretching and getting bushier.

Day 31 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Removed all LST ties since the canopy on both plants are pretty even. Going to be top dressing next watering. Day 34 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. Also removed straw mulch, then top dressed with 2.5tsp of Terp Tea Bloom, a cup of earthworm castings, and then placed the mulch back on top of everything. Also defoliated some lower bid sites and plucked off leaves that were dying from lack of light. If by week 4 of flower these ladies aren't showing any issues with the nutrients, then I'll go ahead and add another 2.5tsp, but will only be adding that, as it's too late in flower to add earthworm castings.

Extremely pleased with Sohum soil so far. Really low maintenance. Normally I run into issues with my plants around this time mark and these ladies ain't skipping a beat! Now the dry ammendments will take about a week or so to break down, but the plants seem happy at the moment. So I don't see why they would mind another 2.5tsps in the 4th week of flower. Day 37 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Day 40 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Plants still look pretty healthy, a little nutrient burn, so I'm not going to give it that other dose of flower nutes next week. Not that they look bad with nutrient burn...I just don't want to overdo it.

-Day 43 Watered both plants with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. I picked up a sprayer because I think I'm watering too quickly, which I think is causing these deficiencies. I'm seeing minor deficiencies pop up, but then again, I think that comes back to my watering habits, which is making my pots bone dry. Cut off some lower growth and placed on top of mulch. Also the lights were extremely close and as you can see in some of the photos, there is quite a bit of bleaching of the leaves, especially towards the top. Coupled with the dry top layer of the soil and the pots not being thoroughly watered, I'm sure that's where my deficiencies came from. Once we get this sprayer watering down making the soil evenly wet, I'm sure we'll be back on the right track! Regardless...still the healthiest group of ladies I've had the pleasure of growing. -Day 46 Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. These ladies love the sprayer, and so do I! Minus the fact that it takes longer to water...🤣 but its keeping my top soil much more moister (paired with the straw mulch) than before, and that's exactly what I'm looking for! Now some of the leaves that have issues, I'm monitoring but I truly think it was because of my watering habits, since I'm use to bottled nutrients. But, the leaves that were having issues, dont seem to be getting better, but the progressiveness of the problem has halted. I will however be adding another top dress next watering, even though I previously said I wasn't going to, and then after nothing but the occasional Recharge! -Day 49 Kinda hoping these gelato dont turn out like the one before where I wasn't left with any smokable product as it didn't have any Crystal's whatsoever. But there's still plenty more time to prove me wrong....watered both plants with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Added 2.5tsp of Terp Tea Bloom as a top dressing, the last top dressing, and then covered up the dressing with more straw mulch, and watered thoroughly.

-Day 52 Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. Picked off dead leaves and added them to top of the mulch. -Day 55 Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Both plants are starting to really stack, especially #1. Plants still dont have a bud smell, but trichomes are starting to show. Also going to check plants every 2 days, and watering them with 6 cups, as they're some pretty heavy drinkers!

Day 58 -Ended up watering today, since the tent has been cooler. Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Day 61 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water.

Day 64 -Start of week 10! Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. Picked off dead leaves. Day 67 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Picked off dead leaves. Day 70 -End of week 10! Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water.

Day 73 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. This will most likely be the last dose of Recharge for Plant #1. Picked off and cleaned up all dead leaves. Plant #1 should be ready for harvest in 2-4 weeks. Plant #2 has atleast 4-5 weeks. Day 76 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Picked off dead leaves.

Day 79 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Picked off dead leaves. Fingers crossed, we can harvest #1 in two weeks. Day 82 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Water was dosed with 1tsp of Recharge. Plant #2 was fed water with no Recharge. Picked off dead leaves.

Day 85 -Start of week 13! Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Picked off dead leaves. Plant #1 looks great, but I'm afraid Plant #2 is going to turn out like my first Gelato (no buzz, no smell). But I'll keep her going and if worst case...I'll turn her into butter. Just probably won't order this strain again. Which is surprising to me, because I've loved each strain from Fastbuds. Plant #1 will be harvested towards the end of the week. Day 88 -Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Picked off dead leaves. Going to harvest Plant #1 most likely after one more watering. Day 91 -End of week 13! Watered each plant with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Normally it would be time for Recharge, but since both plants are in the "flushing" stage, they won't be receiving it. Picked off dead leaves. Harvesting Plant #1 today. Plant #2 will likely be harvested in 2 weeks, unless her leaves dying off starts to effect Buds.

I'm adding harvest photos from Plant #1 to this week and once we get our final harvest total I'll do a harvest update with photos of both the plants and their fruits. 😍 Day 94 -Watered Plant #2 with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Picked off dead leaves. Placed Plant #1's buds in jars to start curing.(last two pictures of this week) Total harvest for Plant #1 was 3oz 18.5g. Day 97 -Watered Plant #2 with 8 cups of pH balanced water. Picked off dead leaves.

Plant #1 yielded 3oz 18.5g Plant #2 yielded 4oz 8.2g Buds are smokable but you have to smoke about 3 times the amount you would normally get a buzz off of.