EarthBox [LOS] - Seedsman - Black Sugar

Introduction - Week 01 Summary - Ensign’s log, personal entry, This week’s log was created in an effort to keep a somewhat complete grow reference for this attempt. This was therefore created well after I started my initial re-logging again (a good month or so). I never stopped trying to grow and continued to take photo logs as I failed/learned, just got too lazy/demotivated to write about them all (enjoyed the logging process, but was over logging about failure after failure). This log entry will focus mainly on one plant (the front one in the EarthBox). There are missing entries and details (although relevant) may not be exact. See Week 05 for the introductory week of this grow. Also check out my first grow (over 2 years ago) to learn how this journey to my first harvest all started. Now onto this week’s grow log! Ensign's log, stardate 99932.66, This is the beginning of a new grow attempt! Mid week I decided to do another seed soak. This will be attempt #44. By the end of the week, she was already planted into the EarthBox! [START OF WEEK 01] Day 01 - Monday - 05/02/22 - Total Days: N/A ----------------------------------- Daily Averages - Temps: 75.9°F - Humidity: 58.1% - VPD: 1.27kPa ----------------------------------- [No Relevant Log Entries For Today – See Day 04] Day 02 - Tuesday - 05/03/22 - Total Days: N/A ----------------------------------- Daily Averages - Temps: 75.0°F - Humidity: 56.9% - VPD: 1.27kPa ----------------------------------- [No Relevant Log Entries For Today – See Day 04] Day 03 - Wednesday - 05/04/22 - Total Days: N/A ----------------------------------- Daily Averages - Temps: 76.5°F - Humidity: 58.0% - VPD: 1.30kPa ----------------------------------- [No Relevant Log Entries For Today – See Day 04] Day 04 - Thursday - 05/05/22 - Total Days: 001 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages - Temps: 76.2°F - Humidity: 62.1% - VPD: 1.17kPa ----------------------------------- - [Supplemental Entry]: This will be grow attempt #44. --- Attempting to grow another seed of some ‘Black Sugar’ by ‘Seedsman’ (bean 00 of 20). --- Unlike the last attempt (which was planted into a 1/2 gallon pot), after germination, this one will be planted straight into the EarthBox. This will be the final home for her and won’t be transplanted anymore. --- My previous attempts at direct sowing (attempt #00) ended in failure due to a lack of CO2 (Dammit Ensign). --- But this time will be my first attempt at direct sowing under growable conditions (I think, damn the ventilation paradox). --- The soil is reused BuildASoil (BAS) Artisan soil. The EarthBox has about 1 cubic foot of BAS 3.0 along just under half a cubic foot of BAS Light. --- To prevent over-watering, the EarthBox’s 3-gallon reservoir does have an overflow. --- To start the seed germination, going to be using the ‘cup of water technique.’ --- At it’s absolute basic, this is simply soaking a cannabis seed in a warm cup of distilled water (water temp around 80F-85F). This cup must remain in the dark and undisturbed for about 3-5 days (sometimes sooner). That’s it. --- I achieve this using a shot glass, a plastic black bowl, and a heating mat (with thermostat). For added insulation (which helps to stabilize temps), I am also using a few towels and a piece of scrap foam from a carbon filter box. This setup has evolved over time and took a few failed attempts to get the full process down. This is not a perfect setup, but works for me. --- Anyways, prior to the bean soak, I cleaned a clear shot glass and filed it with 25mL of distilled water (not even PH’d) and set it aside. - [19:43]: Time to start another bean! --- Selected a bean at random (basically the first one to pop out of the container) and dropped her into the shot glass. --- This seed floated. --- To maintain a warm environment, used a towel and heating mat (mat is under the towel). --- A thermostat is used to control the heating mat and have the probe placed under the towel right next to the shot glass. - [19:44]: Placed the shot glass on the heating mat. --- The starting temp was the current room temperature (which was at 76.8F). --- Covered the shot glass with a plastic black bowl. --- Covered the bowel with a towel. --- Covered the towel and bowel with a piece of foam. --- Lastly covered the foam with a towel. - [19:46]: Set the thermostat to 90F --- Based on prior experience with this particular setup, I know that there’s about a minus 5 degree difference between the thermostat setting and the actual water temp. So to achieved the desired 80-85F (target range), for my setup, I had to set the thermostat to 90F --- Now the waiting begins! Day 05 - Friday - 05/06/22 - Total Days: 002 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages - Temps: 76.1°F - Humidity: 62.0% - VPD: 1.16kPa ----------------------------------- [No Relevant Log Entries For Today] Day 06 - Saturday - 05/07/22 - Total Days: 003 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages - Temps: 76.2°F - Humidity: 62.1% - VPD: 1.16kPa ----------------------------------- [No Relevant Log Entries For Today – See Day 04] Day 07 - Sunday - 05/08/22 - Total Days: 004 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages - Temps: 74.9°F - Humidity: 62.0% - VPD: 1.12kPa ----------------------------------- - [10:07]: Checked on the seed soaking in the cup. --- Nice! A tap root was just emerging. --- Time to plant! --- Planting her directly into the EarthBox. --- This EarthBox is filled with soil of both the BAS 3.0 and Light blends. I initially filled the EarthBox back in June of 2021 (wow time flys). --- I am using a living mulch in the form of cover crop (BAS White Dutch Clover and along with a bit of BAS 12 Seed Clover Blend). The clover is mainly there to help keep the soil biology alive. Plus over time, clover is a good nitrogen fixer which is essential for healthy plant growth. --- I am also using (BAS) rice hulls as a top mulch. The clover can easily grow through it while also providing a bit of extra silica as the hulls decompose into the soil. - [10:11]: Filled a measuring cup with 1/3cup of water. --- Added 1/64tsp of the following: ----- Quillaja Saponaria Extract ----- Horticultural Aloe --- Added 1/32tsp of Mycrobe Complete --- Mixed the solution and set it aside. - [10:21]: Before digging a hole, I sprayed the area with a bit of distilled water. --- I just wanted to wet the top soil a bit. --- Then made a shallow hole. --- Well not even a hole, I basically pushed the rice hulls and cover crop aside to expose the fresh top soil. --- Sprinkled in 1/64tsp of Great White. --- Sprinkled it only in the middle area where I planned to place her. The goal was to have the mycorrhizae inoculant to be in direct contact with her tap root. - [10:29]: Time to plant! --- Using a clean dab tool, I gently scooped her out of the shot glass. - [10:30]: Laid her gently onto the top soil just above where I sprinkled the Great White. --- Her tap root was placed sideways. --- Using surrounding top soil, I gently covered her with a layer of soil just enough to block any light (less than 0.25" layer thick). --- Gently patted the top soil to seal her in. - [10:32]: Time to water! --- Using the solution that was prepared earlier, I gently poured it over the area where I planted her. --- Done! - [20:50]: Decided to increase the light intensity. --- The previous value was at 90PPFD - [20:58]: Lowered and re-angled the light a bit. --- New tent readings are 170PPFD [END OF WEEK 01]