Autos: Tropicana Poison XL & Black Jack

15/02/2023 Only 2 of the 4 seeds have germinated... So 2 varieties left, 1 x Tropicana Poison XL Auto and 1x Black Jack Auto, hopefully I'll got them big! Note: sorry, no time for more details, but I'll edit this comment later. See VEG Week #2

21/02/2023 The most relevant news is the unexpected germination of a seed that escaped and fall within the clay... I didn't manage to find it and put it in the rock-wood cube. I gave it lost. Unbelievable but true. Thanks to the answer at my question about this situation, I could make my mind and decided to let them grow as is without moving the 2nd Black Jack auto and risk roots deterioration. So #1 is the tap hole and the rock-wood cube and the #2 is now well out through an side hole meant to receive a tutor. It's my second grow and I'm not familiar with any technique but I guess I will have to do some LST and bending's to avoid competition for light and give them space, maybe sacrifice some branches? Will see. !!!!!!! I have one doubt, though. I see diaries that tells the day #number rather than the date, but what can I consider the Day 1 of vegetation? !!!!!!! ### Now, I'll tell a bit about the automation. Note: I use to have 2 USB Hum and Temp sensors and an USB 4 power socket connected to a computer. Due to the old age of this material and the lost compatibility of hardware and software for recent operating systems I decided to stop the headaches of having a virtual machine and an unreliable automation. I search and found Chinese gear than can all be controlled from a mobile app. This is totally in the IoT cloud movement. I don't really like that all the devices are connected through WiFi and send states or receive triggers to and from a cloud server, and you can follow and program only from the app connected to the server. Also the devices do not have a memory, so if there's a power outage and your not at home, they do not recover the previous state. But on the other hand, you can always monitor and act on the devices wherever and whenever you mobile internet connectivity and your home internet connection is up and running. Devices and setup - Main socket, mechanical master switch, with 4 sockets. #1 plug in the exterior smart socket #2 plug in the interior smart socket #3 unusable, because of #4 device size #4 plug in the traditional mechanical timer, and have it set to 18h ON for the Lumatek light - Exterior smart socket #1 unused #2 automation always ON, plug in the Air pump. This mechanically is always ON #3 unused #4 with sensor automation, plug in the heater (it has also a mechanical switch always ON, half power 500W and the fan speed to 50%), it is located outside and a tube is sending the warm air into the tent by the 100mm hole. #usbs, automation always ON, only the sensors are connected, all in one with Temperature, Humidity, CO2 and other indicators (PM2.5 and others I don't know really what they provide...). No calibration, so I have to be confident and believe their values. - Interior smart socket #1 with sensor automation, plug in the extractor it has (no switch, always ON), the fan is outside and the air it PUSHED through the carbon filter. I know I'm loosing efficiency BUT as the tent is only 60x60x160, the volume to extract is way lower than the capacity of the fan, AND I gain precious space inside the tent, specially to rise the lamp up to the top! #2 with timer automation, plug in the water pump. This pump is always ON. #3 unused #4 with sensor automation, plug in the humidification (it has a mechanical switch, always ON and the amount of fog is set to approx 2/3) #usbs, automation always ON, only the 2 usb fans are connected, good speed, silents. Automation rules: - when temperature is below 23, Heater ON - when temperature is higher than 24.5, Heater OFF - when temperature is higher than 24.6, Extractor ON - when temperature is lower than 24, Extractor OFF - when humidity is lower than 55, Humidification ON - when humidity is higher than 60, Humidification is OFF - when humidity is higher than 65, Extractor is ON - the water pump is set to ON, with 4 timer range, 10 minutes every 6h (3 times a day, 1 time at night) 22/02/2023 - I feel I have an issue with the Black Jack auto. It stopped growing. I must take a look at the Ph, maybe lower the EC as it has rised to 0.6, too much at this stage? - the two Tropicana Poison XL are looking good, the unexpected is developing faster. The conclusion is that I didn't like the rock-wood cube, they seem to have green areas now, like algae, to much water retention? As the unexpected one is in better condition, I will probably think seriously to put the seeds directly in the clay next time!!!! But I would have to find a way to avoid them to fall to much down the upper pot. 24/02/2023 The issue with rock wood is confirmed and the conclusion is definitive. Look at the #3 how beautiful she is! Ok, I've checked my pH today and has jumped to 7.9 in 2 days, anyway I had to make some adjustments on feeding proportions so I took out 10L, prepare the new "soup" set the pH to 6 and add it back to the tank. In 12h, 2 watering cycle, it will have mixed with the upper tank, and will be able to adjust EC and or pH. With MyPot system, there's always a buffer due to the 4L upper tank!

28/02/2023 The unexpected plant is most beautiful! On has really an issue and does not seem to develop 05/03/2023 Now getting faster for the "siblings", the unexpected still ahead, does not seem the same variety though. The third seems to begin to develop but something wrong for sure. Will ask a question about it, I fear there's an illness and wouldn't want it to propagate to the others!

11/03/2023 The siblings are competing, so I decided to take out some leaves and bind the main stems. I could see some roots getting out the top tank to the bottom tank. As they were close to the fans and in the back of the tent I realize I could turn 180º the top tank so they are now closer to take care of them. Bad me, during the binding I break the main stem of one sibling, the one in the right place.... not all, around 50%, I tried to bing back and get the injury to pressure and hope that growing hormones could repair it! The third one is now starting growing, but slowly. I'll finally let her in place, will see.

18/03/23 Day 32 incredible change in 1 week. Even the little one has evolved nicely, will not give good results but I'm happy with it, just to get another strain to taste. The highest is the unexpected germinated seed. Obviously the "siblings" are competing for space but with LST I got them with more room, today I did try to defoliate a bit more. I had 2 accidents, biding the main stem, but it seems to repair and get stretching again. Lucky on that one. Binding a branch I broke it and decided to sacrifice it.

25/03/2023 By the end of week 6, after reading about defoliation I realize I was too cautious and that I could go further more and remove up to 20% of leaves, beginning by all the bottom fan leaves without problems. Will let a week of peace for them to recover. I made more bindings on secondary stems to get them more to the exterior. Maybe on both techniques I went too far, I don't know... Also preparing the last soup I made a mistake.... just controlled the pH, 6.2 was perfect, no adjustments BUT EC was 2.7, 6L were added to 6L that were at 1.4, so they were exposed at EC 2.2 and in question of minutes the leaves went curving down! I quited 3L and added 3L of fresh water EC 0 the day after, and it came back to EC 1.7 Not sure if that's the reason but the evolution in 4 days has been incredible. I begin to clearly need 6L refills every 3/4 days. Is that they drink that much? I've read water needs are higher in flowering and all that goes to the buds, hopefully true, though.

02/04/2023 Day 46 Buds are growing. Unexpected girl is taller but has stretched a lot. And the little girl stays little (not sure yet but I think it could evolved purple, will see). The middle one, is perfect, might give good buds. Will buy Ripen to add from next week. No idea how many weeks are left, drop a comment if you have one yourself?

06/04/23 Day 50 I'm quite happy despite the beginnings and doubts. For sure I did well to not cut the unexpected plant that germinated within the clay and get out close to the normal place with her sibling! 08/04/2023 I begin to lower the EC to 1.3, 75% light. I started with GHE Ripen.

10/04/2023 Day 54 I've been adding Ripen in the mix lowering Flora Bloom. Started at 1.4 EC. Added 4 to 5L of water to refill the tank lowering progressively the EC, today 1.2 EC. Will follow the strategy till Thursday, then will empty the tank, and fill back with 12L and only Ripen, for 1 week. Then 3 days with GHE Kleen.

18/04/2023 Day 62 After one week of lower to 1.2 (week 9) I'm now refill the tank with only water and lower the EC to 0.6 by sturady. Then I will empty the tank and use Kleen only. Cut is schedule for Tuesday 25 Past week I forgot to mention I had a paranoid crisis, and I cut the smallest one, buds where strange, I had serious doubt it was an hermaphrodite and the others were pollinated! This was also because looking at the pistils some of them were not entirely turning orange but only the tips and while the buds was getting fatter I thought it was because of seeds formation! Finally I don't know anymore, and will it matter now, can't do nothing more that harvest, dry, curate and check if I have seeds, hopefully not too much. 19/04/2023 Day 63 More pics with day light. Note I'm also at 50% of light power. I took again a pic of the bottom of the plants and deformation of the Mypot upper plate. Amazing how it's the unexpected germinated seed within the clay that develop more! Many thanks to those who convinced me to let her grown, it saves this round! Will try to get the weight of each plant, but my guess is that this plant will represent 2/3 or 3/4 of the dry results!

21/04/2023 Day 65 We are almost there, I can see pistils are quite mature now, maybe less on the top, but that's fine to me. Tomorrow will I will begin the Kleen for 3 days and harvest on Tuesday 25. 23/04/2023 Day 67 Now 100% with Final Clean (TA), EC 0.2 (because it mixes the remaining last nutrient mix from the upper tank 4L against 12L in the lower tank) I've just realized I messed up with the Diary weeks, can't be at Week 11 yet, on day 67. Hand the week showed on Diary cover is even set to 12. Not sure if I could set 10 to this one too. Will try anyway. => no, I can't go back, I would be able to set 12, good when you're late in publishing though..

25/04/2023 Day 69 I cut the "twins" and finally discovered the inside of the DWC MyPot. I took lots of pics so you can see the unexpected plant of the seed that I lost in the clay and then germinated anyway and found an awkward path to the surface through a tiny hole! Unbelievable! I also found that the watering tube from the pump had moved during manipulation, don't know for how long it has been pressed between the upper and lower parts on the DWC. Pretty sure for that final plants had received less or no feeding solution, and the use of Clean might not have been efficient. I guess it's also the reason why I found the white (?) on the top of the clay, salts and something else, because of lack of watering. Will come back in 3 weeks, will be dry and then I'll can trim and weight. And smoke, yeah! Not expecting much and could be hard to smoke if the cleaning was not efficient. Anyway, the next one will be better!