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From Glass to Grass... germinated seeds to 100% FFOF in starter tray & dampened down with RW.
Equipment Rundown:
Situation:
Only 2 of 3 popped soil. Phenotype "A" is much more aggressive than "B". Upon Investigation I believe the heat mat killed "C" by overheating? Luckily I only lost one and removed that heatpad pronto!
Light Schedule:
~19/6 with Simulated Sunrise/Sunset (details in photos)
VPD/Humidity:
I set the app at keeping VPD at .5 and make sure that this is THE #1 priority (Love that the AC Infinity app does VPD calculations so you don't have to).
I'm using the 69 controller pro + which gives an incredible 8 ports for my equipment, which in turn has made it a breeze to get the environment that I want and gives me control to everything on the fly).
Temperature:
Note*** The air outside the tent is drier and cooler ~69°/45%. And minus the handheld size portable heater, Temps are achieved by flexuating Intake/Exhaust ratios. Lighting bumps the temps to perfection by day, and Darkness/humidity brings down the temps at night. Only on the windy nights do I turn on the heater which is perfectly sized and the output is perfect for slowly heating up and maintaining ~72° within the automation parameters.
I fine tuned the rest of the automations for maximum energy efficiency while maintaining a steady airflow.
I have an 6" Intake setup at the bottom of the tent so that the coolest air flows in and 6" Exhaust running horizontal to minimize heat loss running out. The 2 oscilating fans from AC Infinity integrate using the "UIS" platform and are used for circulation.
For the time being I have one fan off oscilation and fixed directing the fog off my continuous humidifier towards the plants (Speed 6 works best). While the other is Oscilating actually doing the better part of circulating the air.
They're setup with Temperature and humidity thresholds so they ramp up and down throughout operation and work very nicely utilizing the transitioning buffer.
The small flex in Temps are directly attributed to me obtaining maximum efficiency and is a compromise I was willing to make.
I don't believe it'll have a negative effect, in fact it'll probably make my girls more robust as times goes on. Like wind on the stalks makes a healthy crop.
Water:
A major part in simulating an outdoor grow indoors IMO is the NEED for natural rain water.
I've been harvesting rural midwest rainwater & lucked out with a few moderate rainy days in December.
I love how easy it is to put up and tear down the whole system, takes less than 10 minutes. From gutter to garden, I was able to fill my 50Gal trash container with the 2 days of misty rain! PH ~5.2 when testing collection bin with test strip. This should last me awhile (I'm hopeful it will carry me through til the next rain, & hopefully I won't be stuck melting snow 🤣🤪)!
Potting Up:
As far as life after the dome goes, I always pot up when the canopy leaves diameter is just slightly smaller than that of the pot.
I like using Styrofoam cups at this stage for several reasons. There's plenty of flex and I gently squeeze them once the medium starts drying to minimize compaction, It is super easy to make drainage ports using the cherry of my smokes & when I go to up-pot... everything slides out ever so nicely.
The medium I'll be using at this stage is 4 parts Fox Farms Ocean Forest and 1 part perlite.
I prep by getting the Styrofoam cups ready. Make drainage ports, mix up the medium and fill it about 3/4 full and place it in a glass baking tray (solid base help prevent accidental tipovers).I take my filtered rainwater and saturate it. Then I take an empty starter tray pot and use it as a mold so that my up-pot sits centered and flush with minimal compaction withthe perfect hole ready to go. Then I place it in the tent to acclimate.
I make sure the medium that the plant is in dries out until it's slightly moist under the surface.
Efficiency Report:
Electric bill this month after 3wks of running the tent and distiller was cheaper than expected and lower than the previous year. Temps range in between 72-78 during the day and 66-72 at night.
Not only has growing made me a happy camper, but it also is translating into money & energy savings. Which is a major part of why we grow in the first place.
***Note to community... I'm new here and I have a tendency to really dig in. In fact I just seen this site for the first time yesterday, so I'm essentially backlogging here. There's many things I would've documented that I unfortunately didn't. Still early though, I'll be better going forward!
Also, I see too many post that leave me with so many questions... and a lot of really good ones I'm trying to learn from!
In that same breath there are some tools and testers that I don't have (ie TDS, soil PH meter etc) so please forgive me! I'm literally starting from scratch on a tight knit budget and recollecting what worked for me in the past while taking in some pointers along the way.
If there's anything I can do to improve my grow (within budget) to increase yield and/or potency while keeping my all natural simulation intact... hit me up, anything helpful is much appreciated!
***Note to self... need heat pad with thermostat controller, it should be a crime to sell them without one 😂. Also tent has proven worthy of holding humidity so no starter tray next time. No worries, more room for the others... lesson learnt.
Preface:
Been a little over a decade since my last grow. Wife, kids, LAWS and life kept me at bay waiting patiently for this day.
I'm not gonna lie. The setup I chose for my current circumstances is a lot more cramped than I'm used to. I'm old school closet with CFL & HPS bulbs. 3x3 is just soooo small so that has been #1 on my mind as far as concerns (more height than anything).
Hopefully where it falls short in size and power- the energy savings, grow techniques, advanced automation and the targeted spectrum supplimental lighting will more than make up for this and still end up with a bountiful crop. This is my hopes.
I know the fundamentals of the game don't change, so I'm excited to see what magic happens here.
Anyways, I've had everything lined up waiting for the golden date of Dec 7th (Ohio goes legal) since it passed the ballot - 3 times is the charm I guess?
This is one of 3 strains I'm running this cycle. Due to limited grow space... this will be a seed to harvest grow.
I have 3 goals. 1st keeping it 💯 natural... 2 having fun doing it with minimal stress to myself and my plants, and 3 to not overcrowd the very limited space I have.
I believe, like my past grows, Everything else good will follow. I'm ABSOLUTELY STOKED! A new chapter in life has begun.
Note: I just registered here yesterday after discovering this awesome community. So this portion is being backlogged.
I'm gonna post the equipment and supplies I'll be using in the photos with links. I aim to get a full ROI within 1-2 grow cycles.
Humidifiers are temporary and will be replaced by a T7 once it clears backorder.
The ReptiTrip kept beeping everytime the outlet controller went on and off. So I gained access to the PCB and desoldered the "Buzz" speaker. This of course voids my warranty but my sanity stays.
I will update any new equipment/materials/supplies if necessary. If there's better places to buy some of this or if you have questions about anything (ie what I like, don't like, or what could be better)... please note it in the comments!
As far as germination... I simply placed seeds in a shot glass in a dark spot @ room temperature and waited for the taproot tail to get around 1/2" long. This method worked well for this. I had to use a combo of this and PT on the others.
NOTE*** This is a 2 day partial week - just the taproots.
Christmas Week...
I'm trying to keep better logs, as this is my first journal ever, off a decade hiatus as mentioned in last week's post. Plus it's been busy with festivities and gatherings.
I love how detailed everything is and the community here seems makes it feel like a high school reunion. Thanks! I just wish that there was a section dedicated to medium choice. I see you can add it through the nutrient section... but that goes into the nutrient calculation which in turn throws off the ratios.
Nothing major this week other than I began to slowly introduce "Grow Big" and I've tweeked out the sunrise/sunset to have a more natural progression of brightness throughout the day.
Anyways, back to the grow. Updates to follow!
Start of week,
Girls still looking really good, very slight fading of green on first set of 🍃 (overexposure to light?)
I've been keeping things a little brighter than most would recommend to limit stretching while keeping a very watchful eye as I'm doing it. Even had the brightness set 10 for a couple of days to aid with this.
Now I'm ready for them to actually grow out, so I've dialed back to 4 which puts off similar glow as my CFL does according to the LUX app I'm using while maintaining a 30" clearance.
I've started to feed in some nutrients to the roots with "Grow Big" using 3/4tsp per half gallon.
And at night continuing the foliage feed every other night 1/4tsp per half gallon.
Can't wait to see what this week brings!
(Update: Brought sickness & humor)
12/30/23 Added carbon with homemade device... All seems well.
12/31/23 New Years Eve... sick as shit, all I'm doing is topping off humidifiers and snapping a quick group photo.
1/1/24 Introduced Big Bloom, phasing out Grow Big (I'm an idiot... and already fd my all organic grow with this, glad I caught this early on! I'm used to FFOFB but not their ferts... I assumed FF was 100 organic company. My assumption, ignorance and lack of due diligence are to blame).
Started LST on Phenotype "A".
1/2/24 Transplanted into 3 gallon fabric pots utilizing some premium mycorrhizal from Trifecta. Super fun process when you're sick and cannot concentrate. The things parents do for their children!
Speaking of children... if you have kids in legal state/territory do you conceal your ops, be straightforward and honest, or just go with it as it is what it is?
So far I've chosen the latter while locking down the zips. Surprisingly, none of the kids have batted an eye or seem to notice this 3x3 enclosure in my cave.
They certainly haven't said anything about it as of yet... but... after transplanting to the 3 gal pots, I didn't have room for my homemade CO2 delivery system.
So I took it downstairs to clean it up and stash it for the next time I may need it (probably won't since I got a generator on order).
Well here I am carrying this thing to the sink and my daughter looks at me and says "Are you Breaking Bad dad? Mommmmm... Dad's making meth!"
My wife lost it and if I would guess she peed a lil bit while exhibiting hard core laughter, as I stood dead in my tracks absolutely dumbfounded, sick & at a total loss of words.
1/3/24 Feeling great again finally. Last 3 days were rough. Honestly, I credit my quick recovery to this venture. Focusing on keeping the girls in prestine health translated into Focusing on my own damn nutritional intake.
Normally Nugs, Nyquill and Tylenol are my go tos. This time I kicked it with Nugs, citric fruits, greens, broths and lots of water.
Anyways, I've sprinkled a handful of earthworm castings from WIGGLE WORM over the root zone in each pot. Watered down and back to the waiting game.
On a side note... this website is wonky since they updated it. Germination rates aren't what they showed beforehand, I can't arrange photos by dragging them anymore as well. Seems like a rollback is due til @GrowDaries can sort out the bugs!
The start of this week brings day 17 veg.
1/7/24 is the 1 month marker since I initiated the seeds to soaking.
I cleared out the tent, removed the 2 humidifiers & replaced them with the T7. It's a powerhouse of a cloud maker. Had to dial It's maximum back from 10 to 6. LMAO on 10 looks like a cryo chamber with the fog coming out the zipped zips.
I couldn't ask for better results so far, given all the years it's been and all the very new and "modern" tech really help to ease the workload.
I know it's not the perfect grow, but the more time moves forward, I feel like I'm getting everything tweeked in better and better & I'm learning from my mistakes.
Had to tackle a mold gnat problem that was introduced with the new soil used to repot.
Caught it early. Household H2O2 diluted with distilled water 1:3 ratio worked wonders. I like this method... seems to really scatter the adults out of the tent better than neem and also takes care of any nests that may exist.
Also removed several tie downs to encourage strength and stretching at the top a bit more. It's a rotational process.
1/10/24 Nothing major... some minor defoliation to shine some light in on Phenotype "A" which is my complete tie down experiment. I'm really liking how it's forming. Just a repeat of letting loose to stretch the tops and tying down to focus on inner growth.
1/12/24 A rinse and repeat of LST training now going in on Phenotype "B". Everything is looking good ar this point. Still trying to rid off a few remaining Fungus Gnats.
Also raised VPD to .7 slowly from .5 from last week.
1/13/24: Phenotype "A" defoliation to make way for the continual winding. I'm pacing this to my Gold Leaf grows. Which is painstakingly slow in comparison (heard this changes during flower). "A"'s inner growth is transforming nicely 👌. Counting 10 branches + top so far.
Phenotype "B" I'm just furthering out basic LST. My goal here is to try to tame it while "A" get caught back up, which shouldn'tbe long at all 🤞. "B" is definitely my go getter at this stage (minus the mystery strain I just topped that's rocking them all).
Another handful of wiggle worm castings for the top soil. Also, I forgot to mention I planted some White Dutch Clovers as a companion a few days ago. They're starting to pop up as well. Better late than never.
1/14/24: Nothing major pretty boring and cold day. Expecting spike in this months utilities due to the sub-freezing temperatures that are supposed to last throughout the week.
That's Ohio! Collecting rain last week, watching snow this and bunkering down the next.
Also MacGyver'd a permanent fix for the CO2 line which turned out really well. Next grow I plan on investing in a CO2 controller. Until then I'm guesstimating based on bubble rates and volume all controlled through the 69 pro +.
At this point, I feel confidence building and everything is automated very nicely. Got bell curves with trigger points, sunrise/sunset, humidifier that's spot on. Now isn't the time for complacency though... still got hurdles to jump through that's for sure.
1/16/24: Lowered Lights to 36" (-12") & continuing out LST on "B".
1/17/24: Basins filled, These will be the ast good pics of the week as I'll be away for a few days. Final spot with a 5 Gal pot (FFOF:WiggleWorm:Perlite / 4:1:1). I plan on working bat guano, blood & bone meal into the top soil upon my return next week.
1/18/24: Separation anxiety starting to set in 🤣😩. My first 24 away!
Spent the beginning of this week catching up from my 4 day absence.
The gradual defoliation when using these lst techniques definitely makes for a slow and steady grow and definitely isn't pretty at first... but my vision isn't in the now, it's what's to come.
So the break down on the Phenotype "A" strategy. Complete Tie down by staking it as it grows. Started LST on it super early (see prior weeks). Short internodes has been KEY early on and humidity levels spot on for maximum flexibility.
As it's grown, the top naturally wants to bend towards the top light. This creates a natural curve in the stem. As each node grows I pin it down twisting the branches so that they're running level with the ground. The fan leaves of the upper nodes get tucked below the lower growth. When the fan leaves begin to obstruct the path of my spiral, off they go. Rinse and repeat until ready to flower (when canopy synchronization is met between the plants).
Phenotype "B" Strategy is simply LST to open up canopy promoting inner growth while limiting height.
Being forced to start early with short internodes because of my experiment with "A" has created a really nice looking bush.
I expect the following 2 weeks to begin to show the fruits of my labor and the plants beginning to really flourish and filling out instead looking so butchered lol.
Without risk, there's no reward and no lessons learnt.
I really wish I made a journal for the Gold Leafs (leaves? Eh whatever) as I'm experimenting with my first bonsai and it's been a fun experience thusfar.
Blood & Bone meal added to top soil.
LST going really well.
1st full month of growing under utility billing cycle. Hard to judge consumption, bill is 25% higher than last year. Having that said... we've been experiencing colder than normal temperatures and the air has been super dry as result.
The 4 humidifiers around the house and the 1 for my grow room have been running around the clock as well as the distiller and heat. So a spike was expected considering the mild winter we had last year.
Something I forgot to mention in last week's post is that I have been flexuating light intensity. I don't want every day to be the same. Doesn't feel natural.
This seems to encourage a balance between stretching and actual growth. Hopefully maximizing the potential with the variety of breeds and techniques I'm using for each individual plant. I'm shooting for an even canopy within 2 weeks without a need for a trellis.
I'm trying hard to avoid the need for Scrogging. Not because I'm against the technique, but to be able to have plant mobility.
I like to rotate pots to "steer" the plants, prevent roots growing into the wicks of the bases, and for airflow in tight spaces. Scrog would make achieving all this near impossible.
So the plan is strong limbs and suppliment support w/ bamboo (Subject to change).
Been a busy week, and sadly this isn't my full time job.
Plan on switching to flower right before I head out for business for a week. But before I leave I'm gonna grab some cuttings just in case there's something special here.
Been teaching my wife what to look for and how to maintain in my absence. And she freaked out when she accidentally ripped a fan leaf on "A". I laughed. I'm just happy to have her help.
As far as maintenance for the week, continue out LST and defoliation. Trying to keep 3 nodes only at the tops for now with the exception of a few strong lower nodes that really boosted up and seem worthy of keeping.
I'll have to see how yields compare between A and B.
B is what I consider basic LST and it's a tried and true method, so I made sure to use this method for at least one plant per strain - 3 in total. And it's working exceptionally well in the 3x3. I like how it fills in 2 months time from seed drop.
Method used for A would be excellent for lower ceiling heights, or greatly extended veg cycles. Excited to see the final results between the 2, but going forward basic LST will probably be the choice for this tent.
Just makes more since, unless I get really fat colas with A... then I may reconsider. Seems like it may be impossible to sync it's canopy by Thursday. No sweat... I can elevate it from below if needed.
This is the last week of veg...
Filling up the 3x3 very nicely 👌.
This week I'll be pruning one last time to rid the energy suckers and to grab some clones just in case something special lies within... give a day to recover, then I will reluctantly scrog with hemp string so that I can match canopies with phenotype A.
My cloner is a simple home made device using a pump and hose with self tapping sprinkler nozzles submerged in a 30gal tote, 2" cloning cups and collars with H2O balanced out at 6.2. Added a minute amount of clonex nutrients (not gel) to the . This method worked wonders in the past and I expect same results.
I'll also be adding in a mini dehumidifier to help control night time moisture levels.
My UVA beams will be set to level 1/10 once flowers start showing & I will slowly introduce it starting with 1 minute every 45 min. From there I will judge by eye whether to back off or keep going with it.
No nutrients this week or next except the natural organics that already lie within. Then I'll kick off flowering with top soil suppliments on week 2 of flower with some additional cal-mag.
Also during week 2 of flower I'll be brewing a custom tea for week 3 in an oxygenated 5 gal bucket (banana peels/Alfalfa/Algae/worm castings). That is if life allow for it.
Got some personal things that are #1 priority at the moment. Wife's grandmother (94) has fallen deathly ill. So really at this point things are subject to change. I ask for prayers for our family and understanding that there may be delay and gaps as we go through this.
Here on out, I'm not labelling photos on strain since nothing can moved. Refer to prior weeks or spot the stretchy ones. Phenotype "B" in the back right and Phenotype "A" in the Front Left.
Since I only journaled SLH... For those interested and who haven't been following, The girls up front are authentic Gold Leaf from original breeder ILGM and the girl in the back right is unidentified found in a bag of some killer smoke. Also, side note, I may have scored with a seed found out of top shelf dispensary out of Michigan of Pineapple Muffin!
Anyways, I added the 2nd dose (first one during veg), of bone meal to suppliment soil & gently squeezed the pots to counter top feed compaction (I've done this weekly btw). Moved my supplimental lights up to final destination and now prepared for full flower.
Phenotype "B" is properly tagged as it's a "b"east of a stretcher at this point. It definitely has the thickest trunk as well.
Meanwhile Phenotype "A", I'm still expecting to produce the largest and densest colas. I'm familiar with SLH and it's general characteristics so I'm pretty confident this will be the case.
I noticed I like to predict a few weeks in advance. Like goal setting, but playing by nature's rules. Sorry it's a habit, but I love to see how in tune I still am after all these years.
I expect "B" to stretch another 6" before full flower has set in & "A" maybe half that at 3".
I noticed that the main LED that came with the tent combo in tandem with the IONBEAM bars x8 (16" & 11" kit of 4, the 16" set is powered by a Universal Power Supply backup battery unit in case of an untimely power outtage!), does an excellent job penetrating light to lower bud sites and so far see equal flowering results.
I'm still baffled by these LEDs... so far I'm glad I decided this route vs OLD SCHOOL even though it's been a learning and experimental process for myself. But as of now, I'll leave my final judgement for harvest and the first taste trial cause that's where it ultimately counts.
I know I went way out of budget these last few weeks, but I'm in this for the long haul. The UPS, S16 unit, dehumidifier(s), Supplimental Heater, Bone and Blood meal, Cloning equipment, etc have put me down another grand or so. Fingers crossed that this grow nets me some good top shelf with some serious weight for a 3x3!
I'm also still continuing the sunset/sunrise adaptive brightness with the brightness jumping levels every 10 minutes all the way up to level 9/10 (90min), and waning down in the same exact fashion except reversed. Update: Supplimental Lighting still on this schedule but updated main lighting to have 6hr sunrise/sunset with max 10 right at the center of the 12hr day (6hrs=360min/10levels = 36 min cycles).
I added 10 min buffer on each end of the day when going into flower. In short I'm technically running a 12hr 20min light cycle, to compensate for the sunrise/sunset simulation.
Pretty sure these girls are now all stretched out... if not... they need to be 😆.
Now cruisin' on autopilot.
UPDATE 3/4/24
"B" is blowing my mind... everything's else seems on par but she's very robust nearly tripling her size. Think I've successfully maximized this tent. Time for these ladies to bulk up!
Update 3/8/24
Installed 2nd layer of trellis, since these ladies decided to really stretch out, specifically the SLH.
Wow, what a way to welcome me back it's been far too long... 3 weeks of flowering and these ladies have been keeping me on edge with their height proving me wrong almost every step of the way it seems.
Let's hope we can avoid a 3rd trellis!
I've personally never had any past grows with SLH have this kind of stretch. So this is still blowing my mind and it's limited to the SLH, others are very much normal in behavior.
Other than that I'm following the nute schedule with big bloom and cal-mag. Debating on whether to defoil this week or next... or forgoing it completely. I'll give a few days into week 4 before I make any decision.
Phenotype "A" is officially out of control. Only thought I have is It's a product of tying down from early on. Like I said and shown in veg, she eventually burrowed her trunk into the soil.
Sis stopped stretching about a week ago.
I'm letting it ride for now, but any signs of light stress and Imma have to do something.
I thought about a slow winch type of LST. But that's an awefully thick branch. I know it's late but she's a been a banger thusfar, maybe a super crop. Unless anyone has a better idea?
Anyways, it's strangely exciting. I find myself eager to open the tent in the morning to see what happens next!
3/19/24: 3rd & final trellis installed for support purposes only.
3/20/24:
Down to ~1.5" clearance! Crazy 🤪 I'm still rolling with it...
3/21/24 - 3/22/24:
Out on business
Still cruisin on autopilot. Can really see the Super Silver Haze genetics shining through. Never had a crop stretch out like this 😶🌫️, has to be more than difference between phenos, my overhead fixture is beyond maximum height for the tent & now that's she's filling in... 😵💫😍
Countdown has begun...
Down to nothing but rain water and shine!
Looking like all plants may stagger one another for a proper harvest to my liking. Plan on taking down when I hit between 5-10% ambers.
Smells fan-flippin-tastic!
First of the bunch (Gold Leaf - no diary) might come down this upcoming week!
Anyways, not much longer to go with this grow. 1-2 weeks max. Thanks for checking it out and following along!
So many of you have great grows as well. Awesome to see so many unique approaches... so I'm wishing everyone the best. Love ya'll.
Here we are just cruisin into the final week and I'm stoked on how these girls developed. Upper tops gonna be great for later in the day while mid section should be perfectly ripe and the lowers good for the head.
I've already made it up in mind my 4/20 is the day! For the first Legal Grow in Ohio, this is the icing on the cake! I'm also gonna partial harvest some on the 18th so I can do a slow quick dry to have some legal homegrown for the 20th! Then off to watch Jim Breuer from Half-Baked in CBUS! Best 4:20 EVER is on the horizon... it's gonna be epic! Happy Days are almost here!
Let me throw in a few more exclamation marks as if I aint got enough!!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately I wasn't able to keep it going for a 4/20 harvest and the girls came down on 4/16 ripe and ready, which ended up being for the better as it allowed room to lower the lights to finish off the other 2 strains in the tent.
Due to this I cleared my closet and they spent the first 3 days curing there with humidity around 55% and Temps around 65.
As far as wet weight... I only weighed what I planned on freezing for Rosin. That ended up being 80.1g from "A" and 57.55g from "B" of untrimmed buds. This will NOT be included in the total net weight when dried.
Back into the tent on day 3 to finish up drying at a targeted VPD of .7 which is roughly equating to 67° @ 55% RH. Should be finished in 7-9 days total. Then a trip to trim jail before the cure cycle begins.
@GrowDiaries I'm trying to understand why we measure grow space in squared units vs cubic? Especially when running with supplimental side lighting.
Anyways, my first diary is nearing it's end and it's been an exciting experience to document a grow from start to finish.
Wishing the community the best and HAPPY 420!
CRANKSTER_420
