This week the plants health have been steadily improving since being transplanted to larger pots. The plants seem to be growing faster as the roots work slowly work their way into the new soil. I do have the par meter back this week so I was able to take some readings. Everyone in the 4x8 was coming in around 250-300 PPFD which is what I consider an optimal range for the veg cycle. The HLG blackbird is on 25% power draw pulling about 150w from the wall. When I was researching this light, I saw it was intended to be used from about an 18-24 inch distance. Which is awesome for me because I have a pretty short tent. So I definitely don't need a light intended to be hung high. One cool thing about being in a shorter 6 foot tent is, I seem to get fairly good ppfd even using less power with my lights. That is pretty much the only nice thing about being in a shorter tent! 😅 But we'll take it!
This week I defoliated all plants and gave them a 1/2 tsp per gallon of water dose of Bullet Proof SI (Silica) by Cutting Edge solutions. I took off a lot of leaves in the center of the plant or that were getting bunched up. I've also been gently bending some branches back to encourage somewhat even growth. My last harvest is almost fully cured now and is smoking really well. Here in a week or two I plan to transplant these plants into their final 15 gallon grassroots fabric pots.
Ethos: Lilac Diesel #22 (x) Grandpa's Cookies #7- This Plant is honestly kind of an ugly plant in general! It reminds me a lot of another diesel plant I worked with my first run. Sourheads did turn out to be very smokeable bud so I won't let its "weeping willowy" looks make me too upset! This plant has had a little trouble adjusting to the moisture levels of the new soil and appears kind of over watered after it's silica watering today. I'll back the water off with this one and see if it can kind of balance it out. It's leaves are clawing a little. It is kind of a lankier, taller plant. I have been training it's two main branches outward, to try to encourage it to get a little bushier. This has been working slowly. But these branches may need topped next week, to encourage the rest of the plant to catch up. It's stalks are very dark and it's leaves are also a pretty dark shade of green nothing else seems desperately wrong with the plant. So I'm hoping it's just genetics.
Mosca Seeds (x) Tiki Madman: Raspberry Ripple #1 Clones- The Number One clones have been growing super evenly this time! The one plant of the number ones that was having the worst deficiencies looks like it's slowly making a comeback. I figured it was just tapped out and root bound in its old pot. They needed the defoliation the most as they were getting bushy and I wanted all of it branches fully exposed so the even growth could continue. These plants have been praying more since transplant and look they are about to fill out the 4 x 4 trellis nicely.
Mosca Seeds (x) Tiki Madman: Raspberry Ripple #2 Clones- These clones are looking really healthy despite only going into 1gallons during transplant. I can't wait to try these plants out in 15 gallons instead of 5s. I plan on defoliating these better this time right before the flower flip. Last time I defoliated my number ones well. But got a little lazy on the number 2s. I ended up paying for that in the trim room and also lost a small bit of density!
Here in the next two weeks I'll take a few clones from my Ethos seedling and toss the healthiest one in my mother tent. In case it's worth keeping! Until next week Happy Growing and Happy Living! Thank you for checking out this entry of my growdiaries. -Starfish
good job bro keep going. i can see the purple colors are coming out . you are one of few persons i saw to do cover cropping beside main plant you did great job dude your terpens will flow
@Grower_Of_Persia, the cover crop seemed to really help even the soil out. I noticed it helped keep this layer of moisture in the top soil and keeps it from getting hydrophobic. Thank you for your feedback and checking out my grow diary!