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It's been a while since I've grown from seed, and during my last house move I sadly lost one of my two prized cultivars, my sweet lemon-y Ghost Train Haze. So, having finished setting up my tents in their new home, it is time - time for a new phenotype hunt. I'm hoping to find a good replacement for my lost Ghostie, and I'm also growing some Dutch Passion Desfran for their apple-y goodness.
They were started with a 12 hour soak in tap water with a bit of Real Growers Recharge added (1/4 strength), then put in starter cups with coco coir until they're germinated and strong enough for a pot-up into their final containers with a living soil mix of coco coir, compost and worm poop. The final containers will be 0.5 gallon pots, to keep the plants small (it's a phenotype hunt, I only need a taste of each).
I will be using the "syn-ganic" method: grow medium will be soil but due to the small container size they will get a lot of their nutrients from Real Growers Grow Dots.
Update: after 4 days all seeds have germinated and the cotyledons are opening and turning towards the light. A sprinkle of Grow Dots will see them through their first week at least.
No major issues to report during week 1. Seedlings seem healthy overall.
One of the GTH is a bit faster in growth but also quite a bit stretchier than the other three. I've put a toothpick / mini stake in the soil next to her just in case she needs support (although at the moment the stem is still, er, free-swinging).
And two of the Desfran are a bit lighter in colour than the other two, so I've given them another sprinkle of Grow Dots to prevent them from falling behind.
They're all getting a shot glass full of light Recharge (half strength) every day. PPFD is at about 300. Circulation fans alternate between 2 and 4 out of 10.
Seedlings are doing well, been potted up into their 2L containers with plenty of compost, worm poop, and grow dots. And I probably should have done it even earlier seeing the way they perked up following the transplant.
The runts have been catching up - Desfran #4 is now one of the better looking ones in its batch, and GTH #4 has weird leaves but will likely grow out of it.
Now it's a waiting game until they're big enough to take cuttings.
The Desfran are quite happy and growing well, but for some reason the Ghost Train Haze are not growing quite as well and look rather unhappy - they also seem to have a nitrogen toxicity whereas the Desfran have a lush healthy green.
I've increased the light intensity by a bit for the next week in the hope that they start feeding more. I would like to take some cuttings next week, so I need them to do better if I want to take the cuttings all at the same time.
I could easily take cuttings from the Desfran by now, but the Ghost Train Haze are still too weak. They have picked up a bit since last week but growth is still very slow.
I moved the Desfran into the back and the Ghost Train Haze to the front, just to better see what's going on.
Topped the Desfrans this week as it was more than about time to do so. The cuttings are currently rooting.
Thankfully the Ghost Train Hazes are showing some healthy growth again, so next week they can be topped as well.
I will likely stick to 2 colas with them while the Desfrans have enough of a headstart for 4 colas.
I've also added a fill-in plant (different cultivar) in case the Ghost Train Haze runt doesn't grow much beyond this.
Ghost Train Hazes were doing well enough to take cuttings this week, but all plants were fighting some issue with the soil.
They are recovering after an extra dose of Recharge and a bit of a one-part nutrient and had the damaged foliage removed today.
Did a bit of supercropping on some of the branches of the two tallest Ghost Train Hazes to rein in their stretch.
If they all look happy next week I'll flip them to flower.
Last week of veg for them, except for the two runts these plants have recovered sufficient growth to be flipped to 12/12.
At some point I'm going to add a UV light bar, but there's time until they show flowers.
First week of 12/12, stretch is only just beginning. Trimmed some of the lower nodes tonight but leaving them alone otherwise.
The runts aren't moving, I wonder if they would respond to some additional nutrients. The first three of each strain are looking fine.
I decided to remove the GTH runt because she wasn't growing at all and not going into flower either. The Desfran runt did start stretching a little and is showing bud development so she gets to stay.
They're developing some smell this week, and I'm glad I didn't chuck the Desfran runt because it smells delicious. It may turn out a keeper if the yield isn't catastrophic.
Smelling nice every time I open the tent. Pretty sure I already know which Ghost Train Haze I'm going to keep. 😋
The Desfran all smell nice but different, will likely need to cure a harvest to see what's what there.
I may simply run the Desfran again, I've got 4 healthy clones in veg and can't yet decide on one of their mothers. One smells of licorice, another like Granny Smiths, the runt indescribably sweet ...
On that note, the Ghost Train Haze #2 is very citrus and coca cola. The other two are just a bit citrussy but weaker. This race is already over, the #2 clone(s) will go into the stash grow tent ASAP.
Two of the Ghost Train Hazes now need staking, they're a bit floppy. All of them are quite leafy. One was smelling strongly of lemons, now another one has started smelling like that (although not quite as strongly).
The Desfran are looking like they're going to be ready in 2 weeks (8 weeks flower) but the Ghost Train Hazes will probably take 2 more.
Chamalla
