Plant Day 1/1 (Happy New Year's Day!)
This is my first attempt at growing multiple plants at once. I am currently in the home stretch of a Seedsman Hindu Kush Auto. I prepared three 5-gal pots and a 3-gal (?) pot by drilling many holes into the bottom and sides of the pots for drainage and aeration. I am experimenting with lining the interior of the pots to help with drainage and aeration, and to prevent soil loss through the aeration holes and large premade holes in the bottom. In one, I lined it with plastic window screen, in the rest I used metal. Some are better lined than others, with one that is kind of pulled away from the sides of the pot. This one I'm seeing if it can mimic a fabric pot or if it will dry out too quickly.
I prepared what I had left of some Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil, adding perlite in a 3:1 ratio soil to perlite. I added roughly 1 Tbsp powdered to help with its high acidity (I checked it previously). I also am trying out a new soil, Coast of Maine Stonington Blend. I've heard good things and can get it about the same price as FFOF. I have 2 pots of just COMSB, 1 pot of FFOF, and a pot mostly FFOF and a top layer of COMSB. I watered these down with pH 6.7(ish) RO water, being careful to not have runoff with the COMSB. I let these sit overnight in my 2x2 tent under the HLG 100.
I soaked some Jiffy pellets I had, but they didn't expand a whole lot, so I soaked some extras. I let them get saturated, then squeezed the excess water out and opened them in a bowl and broke them up. I made indentations in the potted soil and filled them with some of the pellet mix. Then I dropped the seeds in, covered them, spritzed the top of the soil, and put jars on top. I usually use cut plastic water bottles, but I only had one at the moment, so mason jars will do for now.
Germ Day 3 (1/3)
Patiently waiting for the first signs of life. I pull off the domes a couple times a day and lightly spray the soil under it. I also spritz the inside of the domes for a little extra moisture. Hoping to see some popping by the end of the day or tomorrow morning.
Germ Day 4 (1/4)
We have our first sprout! Barney's Farm Dos Si Dos is the first to pop her head up. Hoping the rest are right behind her.
Germ Day 5 (1/5)
Well 3 of the 4 have sprouted! Still waiting on the RocBudInc to pop up. I got nervous and uncovered that one a little. I got down to where I could just see the sprout and it's coming. It was kind of deep, hoping that is what the hold up is. Hoping she pops her head up by morning.
Germ Day 6 (1/6)
All ladies are above ground! I'm going to keep the domes on for awhile. Once leaves start coming in I'll start adding some Roots Excelurator to the water.
Might I suggest a fulvic/humic/seaweed supplement just a ml or two per gallon. It should help keep things soluble. And definitely check your ph pens calibration.
Good luck!