✋Wk 4: Woe and wonder, nutrients, and water source.
👉This week has been a week of woe and wonder. This phase of veg is a true wonder as each time I peer into the tent the plants are noticeably bigger. The woe part of the week was when I mixed a batch of nutrients and did the math in my head. I avoid getting high before mixing batches because I have made stoner errors in the past...but this time I was straight...just forgot that I don't do math in my head very well. So I had the ratios of the mix for the one gallon plant off. The pH was in range and the EC was weak, but for two ingredients I put too much, which altered the prescribed ratios. I fertigated in the evening with the new batch and checked on the plant 3 hours later. It was obvious it was in distress as it was drooped down not reaching for the light. I immediately checked my recently created batch notes and sure as shit...I still cant do math in my head. I also dont recheck my math. It was a batch of 2.5 gallons so...yeah...simple math and I have a super computer in my hands...I just wish I could have said that it was because I was high.😼 I immediately gave the plant a rinse. 1.5 liters of 6.0pH .44ms water (added armour si and cali-magic only), then another liter of the same rinse water. In the morning the plant was looking better, but not 'perked-up'. I fertigated with 1liter of low EC nutrient solution and a .5liter of normal strength. By the evening the plant was perking up almost all the way, so i gave it was normal strength solution. By next morning it was back to vigorous growth, except the fully formed leaves all looked slightly shriveled and deformed. New growth was back to vigorous. No discolorations in the leaves have appeared as of yet. I expected to see discoloration in damaged leaves by now, but this was a nutrient ratio thing, so now I have some research to do. I know what ratios were out of whack, so maybe I will find out why my plant reacted to it as it did. Or Ill get really bored and start watching videos on u-tube about dash cam crash compilations.
👉Week 3 nutrients for both plants. The 3 gallon plant is on day 28 today, and is 4 days older than the 1 gallon plant. the one gallon plant is on day 24. The one gallon is twice as big and 2 nodes ahead. The 3 gallon is short and its leaves are very pretty. Ive increased the 3 gallon nutrient strength to the mid-upper range of the EC recommendation of the growers choice flora series drain to waist chart and getting the full line of nutrients. The 1 gallon is getting the low end EC range of the nutrient mix recommendation of the same chart, but only getting the simple program of nutrients plus amour Si and Cali-magic. The 3 gallon has needed 1 rinse to drop the runoff ec, to range of the inflow. The one gallon has maintained an even run-off ec compared to the inflow.
👉I am using RO water made by an industrial grade RO machine. I mule the water from the facility to my home in 2, 6 gallon water storage containers. Currently I am using about 6 gallons a week (plus wife's coffee). The waters Ph is 7.4 and the EC is 4micro Siemens. The water is very reactive in this state, one drop of pH down will send the pH to 4.3. Even after adding Armour si and cali-magic the pH is very reactive to small amounts of pH buffer solution. A nutrient batch is easily adjusted for pH once all the ingredients are mixed in. I mix enough solution to last for 3-4 days. The pH usually drifts upwards as the days go by but not a lot. The nutrient tank is starting to get the funky smell by the time its empty. I disinfect and rinse the nutrient containers between each batch. I disinfect the water jugs once a month.
👉For the coming week I look for more wonderful surprises every time I open the tent and see they've gotten bigger! I will switch to week 4 nutrients. I will also start procuring all the things I need to make a one week automated fertigation system. I will have to go out of town for work for one week (2 weeks from now) and will have the nutrients delivered from a storage tank thru a timed valve and some soak-er tubing. Ive set up similar outdoors with pressurized water source. This will be gravity fed. I just need to keep the plants moist for the week without starving them. I will still get runoff and have a wet-vac on a timer with the suction hose in the run-off tray. I have a WiFi camera to monitor from anywhere and my wife has agreed she will help me if something simple is needed to be done. I should have it assembled by next week and start testing it then. My goal is to make sure if it leaks at any place it will be contained.
Really nice job! Your attention to detail and description of your experience provides great information for others. Great harvest and great looking plants. Now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor!!
Amen brother. You're doing an awesome job!! Your buds look great and yes, this is a healthy distraction from the more distressing things going on in the world. We're all entitled to happiness and this brings healing to so many of us. Better days ahead. Peace.😀
Great Work! Thanks for such a detailed diary...I know it takes time and effort to upload all those pictures and maintain a diary. Just starting germination my Growers Choice Cream, I'll be sure and refer back through out my grow. Cheers!
@Psilocubensis, Thanks! Both plants here have large base stems, and their branches are the sturdiest of the few plants Ive grown since starting this great hobby. Im sure it has more to do with mother nature than my handy work.
I found you because of comments you made towards DoctorPhilGood and yes there are actually a "group" of us who don't believe in flushing and I/we don't do a lot of Defoliation. Your totally right about people taking it too far and hurting their numbers. Anyway gonna follow along now and see how she turns out for you.
@@ATOWN, Thanks! I like to pretend that I know what I'm doing, but I am always learning and hope that one day my plant will grow good big buds that can win the blue ribbon at the county fair.
Some massive colas on that lady. Beautiful ones too. Spectacular work growmie. Keep doing what it is you've been doing and may the ganja garden gods give you good fortunes until the end