Double Grape - HLG QB V2 R-Spec

WEEK 3 BEGINS * Got a little confused about how often to post, so this week is starting a bit late. I now have it figured out. * Just posted a temporary picture of my growing library. As you can see, they go back to 1978! What's on your shelf? * "Marijuana Garden Saver" is highly recommended. It is my go-to book for any problem I may have. I see that there is now an updated version available on Amazon (https://amzn.to/39YDmkT). DAY 17: THE GARDEN CALLS * Do you also find it a challenge to stay out of the garden? I know it doesn't need anything more than topping up the humidity tank, but I still visit very often. * After checking the humidifier and if it needs water, I am resolved to keep it closed until tomorrow morning. * These things happen when you enjoy your hobby. DAY 18: WATERING DAY * Watered with 1L tap water pH'd to 6.5. Three days since the last watering. The pot was essentially dry, the bottom was only slightly damp. * I used my 500 ml squeeze watering bottle, see the picture. I use this because it gives me better control over where the water goes. Since no runoff is one of the key principles of Super Soil, I water over a period about an hour-long, while doing other things. The result is evenly saturated soil with no runoff. * I am very pleased with the ability to see the temperature and humidity without opening the grow chamber. This means fewer fluctuations in temp and humidity. * ==> I am waiting for it to really take off. It looks very healthy, but it not exploding by any stretch of the imagination. Waiting is difficult. When it does get a bit bigger I will start LST. <== * I am allowing the plant to grow to the light. I haven't moved it since I moved it down to 24 inches early in the grow. Based on published data, this should give me about 470 PPFD, appropriate for vegetative growth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PPFD REQUIREMENT BY PLANT STAGE Source: Horticulture Lighting Group Max: ~1,000 Flowering: 400-800 Extended Veg: 350-500 Vegetation: 150-400 Seedlings: <100 Source: MIGRO Video Too High: 1,000-1,500 High Growth: 750-1,000 Medium Growth: 500-750 Low Growth: 250-500 No Growth: 0-250 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DAY 20: CRITICAL ADJUSTMENT TO THE LIGHT * I highly recommend this video: "Cannabis Lighting Myths and FAQs with Dr. Bruce Bugbee" found on YouTube at https://youtu.be/ID9rE5JewVg * Another great short video is this one from MIGRO: "Best Grow Room Conditions For Maximum Yield - Light (PAR), Temperature and Air (CO2)," also on YouTube https://youtu.be/0WzwQkeY-nE * Since my temperature and humidity are under control, I lowered my light from 24" to 18" and watched the plant closely. I estimated that the PPFD would increase from about 400 to nearly 700 PPFD. In particular, I was looking for any signs that the lower and therefore stronger light was causing problems. Indicators would be: => Upraised leaves => Tip burn => Yellowing at the top of the plant => "Nutrient deficiency" due to the plant "overeating." (See the first video for an explanation.) * In less than 18 hours I noticed tip burn on the upper leaves, so I moved the light up to 22" and the problem did not get any worse. The lesson? Adjust the light with great care. * Humidity is stable in the range of 53% during the day to about 70% at night. (The night figure is a little high.) For my own reference, to get these readings the machine is set at 70% with a speed of 2. I will lower the RH once the plant gets into the bloom cycle. * I am excited to see that the plant is starting to grow rapidly. In the last 24 hours, it has put on nearly an inch. It is now about 4.5 inches tall. DAY 21: JUST 1 LITER TAP WATER, pH 6.45 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WEEK THREE IN REVIEW - LST BEGINS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * The plant has the shortest internodal distance that I have ever seen in a plant. It is only about 4.5 inches tall but has about four nodes on it. Not sure what to make of it. * I just started LST today, Day 22. I am using an aluminum stake that I crafted for this purpose. I'm looking forward to seeing the plant's response. * I am not as excited about the external humidity gauge as I was when I first installed it. It simply doesn't seem to provide meaningful readings. If it was consistently a fixed percent off from the internal readings, I could deal with that. But it seems to be all over the place. I'll continue to watch to see if it will add value to the grow or not. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ==> Am I seeing the beginning of flowers? When do Double Grapes normally start to bud? <== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > I'll be back this weekend with the first report from week 4.