Second grow here and first try with autos. The first grow with photos (Critical + and Critical Widow) have been a good learning experience but the yield was disappointing. So why not try autos instead since it's quicker!
After a couple days in a glass of room temp water and 3 days in little peat pellets the 4 red poison and 3 sweet cheese have been repotted in 9l pots and tucked in the grow room. I use biobizz light mix and the grow room is a probox 80*80*160. Since it is winter I am not using the cooltube and I have added an ultrasonic humidifier to compensate the dry heat from the light.
Comments and advices are more than welcome as we go :)
I am almost finished my very first grow.. Red Poison also. It is a very hardy genetics because I made many mistakes and it survived. I have a grow diary if you want to check it out and I'll be following yours.
@Hellhazard,
I looked at your diary, they look fab despite the not so redish color ! I've read that a big temperature gap between day and night may help. Looking forward to see what yield you pulled and if the final color gets any different.
@Lamainverte, To be honest, my two plants are not nearly as Red looking as Sweet Seeds advertise. They are slightly purple but I do notice them getting somewhat darker with growing age... I don't think I'll end up with that colour when finished unfortunately.
phosphoric acid is supposedly a better PH Down and is found in most hydro grow stores. the rust spotting seems to be from PH fluctuations in medium with sweet seeds genetics, it happened to me with RedPoison and Black Cream but not Bloody Skunk although all are treated the same. The genetics are strong vs nutrient imbalances but not against PH fluctuations. I also found with my PH pen that the bottom of the rootzone will have a very low PH by the time budding starts. Im not sure if it is just the way the plants grow normally causing such low drops (5,1) or if its from using PH'd nutrients... I always pour mine mixed at 5.8, tested and true.
Advanced Nutrients has a rootzone tribe of beneficial microbes/fungi/bacteria if you decide you need rootzone help ( voodoo juice, piranha, tarantula )
My black cream still hasnt changed colours yet.
@Lamainverte, I purchased a BlueLab soil PH pen. It measures liquids and soil PH.. Its a bit more expensive but does both.
Also from what I have read, the plant itself will change the PH in the rootzone as it grows... More reading needed.
@Hellhazard,My local grow-shop sold me some Hy-pro pH down. I just double checked the content and it is actually made of nitric acid. It should have been alright but since the first ph lock during week 5, the soils pH has been up and down for no reasons. Not fully controlling my climate (a tad too cold) surely didn't help also.
Thanks for the tips, next grow I'll buy a digital pH reader (much faster and easier to avoid pH fluctuations I suppose).
Looking great! might be good to add some silica for strengthening branches. Feed your Girls with Fiji bottled water on one feed - Has natural silica in it! One other tip: Had a friend who ran chicken wire SCROG and found the wire cut into branches. To remedy it, he picked up some of the spray can rubber stuff from home depot (like spray paint but it sprays rubber) and he coated both sides of chicken wire and never had problems again!!
Hello la main verte ! Good job so far ! I was curious about that red poison, I wanted do grow some so i'll folow you to know more about that strain. I'm curious about your nickname too , are you speaking french ?
@OutForRealbeanCarib972, Thanks dude. I am curious too, I want to see some red but I am not expecting too much. So far I'd say the strain do not need much nutes but is resilient despite my poor climate control. However that's only my second grow so I guess I lack comparisons. Yes I do, French grower here. Why ?
@Lamainverte, If the pots are sitting on a cold, warmth sapping surface like concrete it will cause what looks to be a Calcium issue. Put a styrofoam sheet under or in the bed of the tent bro... I had to do this for the same reason.
@Hellhazard,I realized that too after a couple weeks unfortunately. I've insulated the bed of the tent with cardboxes and styrofoam but I keep having troubles with cold/ph induced deficiencies. (Cal, Mag, P). So far I kept the damages to a minimum with a couple slight pots rinsing,amendements and less nutes. Pictures coming up.
Looking good, so far! Have you used chicken wire before for scrog? Everything I've ready says that's a big no no, since the sharp wire will cut into the plants as they grow into it. I'd spend some time and make a net with string, if you can. You'll also be thankful with the flexibility of the string since it's not fixed in one place.
@gdogfunk, First time ever honestly. I am not too convinced either ahaha. No hardware store where I live so it is either with the chicken wire either all natural. I'll see as it grows and maybe I'll just sit on it :/
Looking great to start! Love that you're using BioBizz Nutrients!! I run with them on all my grows and my Girls absolutely love it! The only thing I add besides BioBizz's normal schedule of nutes is 2 tablespoons of Expert Gardener Time-Released 12-10-5 w/ Zinc fertilizer at Week 3 and then again in 1st Week of Flower. Great work getting these Ladies Going, and Happy Growing 👍
I personally wouldn't do HST with autoflower genes. When the time comes.. Try LST, way less damage and it works instantly. Within hours you'll see the leaves turning back toward the light.
@Hellhazard,I used LST on my previous grow. It works fantastic! I just wanted to give it a try with the plant natural shape. Only slight HST (pinching/bending) on the tallest stalks if the canopy gets uneven when the stretch hits. Thanks for the advice, I'll try to keep it to the minimum.
My Red Poison curled leaves like that when it was overwatered. Are you only using a High Pressure Sodium lamp? It seems your plants are behind in growth at this age, but look healthy😊 anyhow!