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I use my own variation of the paper towel method. I've tried direct sow but have issues getting my seeds to sprout. I get almost 100% success with my variation of the paper towel method so I stick with that. I start by putting my seed into a cup of plain tap water for 4 to 24 hours. I remove the seed when it sinks. I poke it under the water every few hours. This Strawberry Milk and Qookies F2 seed sunk in 4 hours.
Next I put the seed into a plastic baggie with a combination of an unbleached coffee filter and a paper towel. I then put the baggie into a DVD case and place it next to something warm. I check it after 24 hours using a flashlight and shine it through the baggie. Once the seed has sprouted an inch or so I put the seed into a soaked peat puck and into either final pot or a big solo cup with potting soil. This seed went into a peat puck and into the red solo cup, filled with potting soil and with holes on bottom. I made sure to give the potting soil a good soaking before putting the peat puck in. I will not add any water for at least 5 days. I want the roots to have to reach out into the potting soil. I will closely monitor the moisture level by picking up the solo cup and seeing how heavy it is.
At this point of the grow I do not add any nutrients or amendments. Whatever nutrition is in the potting soil that I put in the solo cup is more than enough to get the seedling going and until I up-pot.
Pics of tent included. I like to use filtered air passively intake through the 6" ducting. Enters tent at bottom, exhaust via AC Infinity S4 inline fan using a scrubber.
Week 1 went pretty smoothly!
On day 1 the light intensity was set to 35% at a height of 34 inches. That resulted in a bit too much stretch for my liking so I lowered the light to 24 inches on day 2 and increased the intensity to 50% as well. That seemed to tame the stretch. This first week is all about letting the seedling do it's thing on it's own, so that's what I try to do.
I did water the plant once this first week, on day 5. I used plain tap water and applied toward the edges of the cup in hopes that the roots would reach out better. I like to use a pump sprayer for almost all of my watering needs. I watered about 8 oz.
Week 2 will be a big week as I will be transplanting from solo cup to the final pot, a tall 5 gal fabric pot, packed with Michigan Made Mix (M3) Supersoil.
Week 2 went very well. I transplanted on day 9 going from a red solo cup to a tall 5 gallon fabric pot. I prepped the 5 gal fabric pot by filling it with Michigan Made Mix (M3) super-soil and wetting/mixing the medium every few inches. The soil was moist completely throughout. This was the only water the pots got all of week 2, its all they needed. I also used some Real Growers Recharge when transplanting, placed in the hole right before transplant (about a teaspoon). Normally I use DynoMyco at transplant but I am all out, but that's ok Recharge is a good product too.
I check in on the tent daily at the same time just to make sure nothing weird happens, and to snap a few pics. Comparing each days pics shows how much growth you've experienced in 24 hours. It also provides a record for future grows. I find it quite useful comparing current grows to past grows on specific days, especially with autos. Gives you an idea how you doing with growth on your auto. Staying on top of autos is super important because you are on the clock and can't veg to perfection like you can with photos.
Week 3 should be another big week. I think I will be topping this auto and her tent-mate, a first for me. I've topped photos in the past but not autos. I am aiming for topping at day 19ish.
Until then... stay shiny!
Week 3... It's been a busy week! On day 18 I stripped the 1st node from the plant. Then on day 20 I topped the plant just above the 6th node. I used the roll off technique to top the plant, which is basically just using my finger to "roll" (break) the top of the plant off. I did not use scissors, which is new for me. In the past when topping photos I would always use scissors. This is the 1st auto I've ever topped, we'll see how it goes.
Watering was completed on day 16 (~40 oz) and day 19 (~60 oz). Some great growth this week and she looks happy and healthy.
Cruisin'
She didn't miss a beat after topping on day 20.
Watered on day 23 with 1/2 gal tap water, 1 teaspoon Recharge, and 1/4 teaspoon Quillaja.
Watered on day 27 with 3/4 gal tap water and 1/4 teaspoon Quillaja from BuildaBloom.
Other than that, just checking in on her daily.
Another week down and another smooth week. She's not quite filling out the bud sites like her tent mate and is quite shorter too. I may have to prop her up next week because of the difference in height. 1st amendment of the grow happened this week, explained next..
I top dressed with Coast of Maine's Fish Bone Meal on day 31 using about 8 teaspoons. l mixed the fish bone meal with a few handfuls of m3 supersoil before top dressing and also scratched in that mixture to the top few inches of soil. (got those techniques from CoM). After topdressing I watered it in with 1gal of tap water mixed with recharge and Quillaja.
She was growing quite condensed so I did a round of LST with garden wire on day 33, pulling the branches down and making the tops mostly level. I included a before and after pic. It looked like it helped the plant significantly the next few days.
Hopefully I'll get to upgradey light to my xs2000 next week but we'll see ...
Until then, stay shiny, keep growing, and keep learning!
Week 6 went well. On day 38 I had to lift up the whole plant with a bucket since her tentmate stretched so much more. Luckily the bucket lifted her the perfect amount.
The smell is setting in and smells fantastic.
Just like her tentmate she's getting some fade on leaves, and it's way too early for that!
She got watered twice this week, about a gallon each watering, plain water. The dry amendments from last week's top dressing need some time to break down.
Other than that not much else to report. I've got 3 photos started so that I can get a jump start ony next grow.. a Lemon Jeffrey Fem from Irie Genetics, a Cherry Sherbert Fem from Pure Breeding, and a Super Lemon Haze bag seed.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Week 7
Another week came and went. The smell is really starting to set in and she smells just like the Queen's Banner I grew a while back. Stay tuned for a better explanation on smell.
I'm still hoping she swells up some more, she's definitely been taking her time with that. She was watered twice this week, about a gallon each watering.
I added a decent amount of BuildaBloom by buildasoil to one of the waterings. Measured out about 16ml and added to the water before watering. I definitely waited a week too late adding the fish bone meal a couple weeks ago. I am chasing now for sure!
It's all good, things are still going fairly well and the plant is packing on the weight.
'When everyting Irie everyting go twing twing'
Week 8 arrives. The smells are so inviting and fragrant. She's finally bulking up too.
I'm still chasing her because I topdressed a week too late earlier in the grow. Yeah the leaves are getting to be in rough shape but the flowers are looking beautiful and packing on size and trichomes.
She got another feeding of BuildaBloom by Buildasoil this week. Added about 16ml to a gallon of water and watered in. She was watered twice this week, one of those time with the BuildaBloom.
Approaching the home stretch, here we go!
Browncoatgrows
