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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.
Week 1 (1/10-16)
Day 1 (1/10)
Well, IDK when to actually start "veg day 1", but I'm starting it today. These ladies were planted as seeds on 1/1, into broken up peat pellets set within the substrate. All girls sprouted between 1/4 & 1/6. Last night I finally got the humidity up enough to take the humidity domes off of them. I also gave them their first real drink of water, making sure to stay at least an inch away from the stem when watering. I gave each roughly 1/8 gallon of water (~500 mL) with some full strength Roots Excelurator (1 mL/gal). So I mixed up a 1/4 gallon with 0.25 mL Roots Excelurator and split it between the girls.
Day 2 (1/11)
Gave them another drink today as they were super dry. Well, all but the Roc's Auto Mix, it was still pretty moist. I split 0.25 gallons of water (pH ~6.5) with 0.25 mL of Cal-Mag & 0.25 mL of Roots Excelurator between the 3 that needed some water. I left the Roc's alone for now.
Day 3 (1/12)
Gave some more water today. I watered them all the same as yesterday, with Roots Excelurator and Cal-Mag. I split a quarter gallon between them all. It's not enough to soak the soil, but hopefully enough to keep them on track. I want to wait just a little bit longer before I give them a full watering. I worry with them being so young that a full watering would keep the soil wet for too long and not allow the ladies to have a little dry period. But what do I know, I'm very much so still new and learning.
Day 4 (1/13)
They were dry again today, so I gave water with some Roots Excelurator. Seems like they will need some water every day until they are big enough to really soak the pots. Idk why, but the smaller pot with the RocBudInc. lady only needs water about every other day. This one, she stretched up a little too much and toppled over. I have her propped up now, hoping she gets strong enough to stand on her own soon. I think that being in the shorter pot kept her a little too far from the light, as well as I think my light was a little too far away to begin with.
Day 6 (1/15)
Gave them all another drink today with Cal-Mag and Roots Excelurator. The Roc's Auto Mix has been holding her own weight, but I still have her supported.
Week 2 (1/17-1/23)
Day 9 (1/18)
Ladies are doing good. Gave them a big drink this morning, about 1/4 gal each (except for my 2 gal pot w/ Roc's Auto Mix) and avoided runoff. Gave them some Cal-Mag and Roots Excelurator.
Day 11 (1/20)
Girls are doing good. Need to get LST started in the next few days
Day 12 (1/21)
Watered them down this morning, well except the small pot with Roc's Auto Mix. That one stays moist longer than the others for some reason. I noticed my white widow was starting to yellow a bit between veins, so I assume a magnesium deficiency. When I watered her, I bumped up the Cal-Mag a bit (2 mL/gal). I started LST on the Roc's Auto and the white widow. The other two are still pretty short and it made me nervous to try. I'll give them another few days. I also might move them into the big tent and hope that the reds in the QB96 can get them to stretch a little so I can work with them.
Day 14 (1/23)
The ladies are doing good. I finally got a new humidifier, as the one I had required a filter to run and they only last about 2 months. I got an ultrasonic one from a thrift store for less than what a new filter would have cost me. It's working out just great. The white widow really shot up a bit, I think she's gonna be a gangly one. I started LST on the dos si dos and the gg#4. I'm going to really try and work on my LST technique this go around. They'll be ready for water tomorrow.
Week 3 (1/24-1/30)
Day 15 (1/24)
Watered all but the Roc’s Auto, she still had some weight to her pot. These ladies are really bushing out. I’ve made a conscious effort to work on my LST skills and I think it’s paying off.
Day 16 (1/25)
Watered the Roc’s Auto today. Even though she’s in a smaller pot, she dries out slower. Usually ready for water a day behind the others.
Day 19 (1/28)
Holy hell these ladies are growing. The white widow is big and gangly, but working with her is much easier than the others. I'm definitely regretting not filling some of the pots a little more with soil, as it is getting hard to get in under the leaves to water. A couple are showing some pistils, so this weekend will be the move to the big tent. They all got a drink of water this morning, with a little Cal-Mag. I've been retying them almost daily to try and get the most out of them that I can. They are all taking to it really well, and each has many more sites opening up and coming out.
Day 21 (1/30)
Well it was getting cramped in the 2x2, so I moved the ladies into the 4x4 under the QB96s. I've been working hard on LST, retying daily and situating branches to provide the most room and light. Pistils are showing on almost all of them, but I will continue LST for a bit longer if needed. I also clipped a few leaves on some to open them up and let more light get in there. I of course saved a leaf from each and put them in a book to press. One day I'd like to make a big framed collage with them all.
Week 4 (1/31 - 2/6)
Day 22 (1/31)
They girls are all tucked into the big tent. I've got both QB96's going, each run off of their own HLG-185 driver. Yesterday after moving them in, I started the lights pretty dimmed, maybe ~30-40%. This morning I bumped them up to about 75%. Once flowering gets underway, I'll crank them up and max them out. Speaking of flowering, Roc's Auto Mix is ahead of the others. She's just starting to thicken at her bud sites. I'm sure the rest aren't far behind. They got a drink today, with some Roots Excelurator. I'm really surprised the White Widow and Roc's Auto Mix are going strong, they are in Fox Farms Ocean Forest. I haven't added anything other than Roots Excelurator and Cal-Mag so far this grow. I'm keeping an eye out for any deficiencies, but so far so good. I'm hoping the other two will not need anything, as they are in Coast of Maine Stonington Blend. Again, I'll keep a close eye on them. I'm hoping my days of Cal-Mag are over. I was using RO water, as I don't trust our tap water. We recently got a Burkey water filter/purifier and I used water from it today for the first time. It is supposed to remove chlorine, antimicrobials, etc. but leave the minerals present. Idk, we'll see. I'm still continuing the LST, retying them pretty much daily. The White Widow has really long branches, hoping they strengthen up are and able to hold some big buds.
Day 24 (2/2)
The ladies were ready for another drink this morning. I gave each a 1/4gal with some Roots Excelurator. And of course, sat and retied all the branches down
Day 26 (2/4)
Retied the girls this morning. I'm still very surprised that they are doing just fine without nutes, other than the Root Excelurator added in.
Day 28 (2/6)
Well I must have just spoke too soon. Roc's auto mix is starting to show some lightening up in a few leaves. She's in FFOF soil with just a little Coast of Maine to top it off. Surprised she has gone this long without issues. At the next watering, I will start using some House & Garden nutes I have. Probably will start her on "flower week 1" at 1/2 strength. Debating on if I should go ahead and start the White Widow as well, as she is also in FFOF. The other two are looking great, the Coast of Maine that they are in is still going strong it seems.
Week 5 (2/7 - 2/13)
Day 31 (2/9)
Ugh, I did them dirty. I watered the other day, and was thinking that for just getting water and Roots Excelurator they were doing great! Shortly after watering, one started to yellow. Then another, then another. Well I had JUST watered them so I figured they could hold out until the next time to start nutrients. Well they yellowed pretty quick, but hopefully I got them nutes before they got too bad. So, I got almost 30 days in FFOF & the Coast of Maine Stonington Blend. I really expected the COM to go longer, definitely longer than the FFOF, but they all started showing deficiencies right about the same time. So I went ahead and started nutrients on all of them, using House & Garden nutes & schedule. I started them all at 1/2 strength "Flower Week 1". The white widow is still taking her time to get around to flowering.
Day 33 (2/11)
They were ready for water this morning. I watered all, with a little CalMag added (1mL/gal) because I'm not sure how much minerals are left after running their water through a Berkey filter before using. I have officially stopped retying down branches, but have left all the ties that are on them.
Week 6 (2/14-2/20)
Day 36 (2/14)
Gave them all nutrients today. Still trying to get a handle on the nitrogen deficiency without going overboard. The last time I gave nutes it was Flower Week 1 at half strength. The yellowing slowed but overall the plants were lime green. This round I bumped them up to Flower Week 2 at 1/2 strength, giving them an increase in the base nutes.
Day 38 (2/16)
They seem to be getting back on track, slowly but surely. The white widow's outer branches are hella tall. I really want to bend them down but idk if it's too late to attempt as I worry about breaking them.
Day 40 (2/18)
Gave them water this morning. I went easy on it, only split about a gallon between them. I want them to get some moisture but dry out quickly so I can give them nutes again. The yellowing seems to have stopped, or at least really slowed. I raised up the light over the white widow, at the tops of her tallest branches were getting droopy and I think it was from being too close.
Day 41 (2/19)
So when I got home last night, they were looking pretty pathetic. Roc's auto seemed to yellow more, and the others seemed lighter green. Even though I had just watered that morning, I rolled the dice and gave them nutes. I bumped them up to Flower Week 4 on the schedule, at half strength. That way they got a big nitrogen boost, and started the Bud XL. This morning they seemed more perky and hopefully happier.
Week 7 (2/21-2/27)
Day 43 (2/21)
They got watered this morning, about a half gallon each. I added in some Cal-Mag because there were some rusty spots starting up on some leaves again. I thought that using the Berkey water filter would help alleviate the need for the Cal-Mag, but it seems that it is still needed sometimes. I also added in some Mammoth P. I'm still struggling with the Roc's auto, she has diffuse color loss but is still hanging in there. Can definitely tell she is lagging behind now, the dos di dos and gorilla glue are starting to thicken up at the bud sites while the Roc's auto seems to have stalled a bit. The white widow is just doing her thing and taking her time.
Day 45 (2/23)
Well, I think I f'd around and they got lock out. After watering the other day, I looked more into it and realized that this is probably the case. Today I will run a bunch of water through them and try to get them back on track. When I give nutes, I will probably stay in the flower week 4 at 1/2 strength.
Day 46 (2/24)
So, I kind of flushed them all last night. Each got about 3 gallons of pH'd water ran through them. I'm really hoping it helps, but we will see.
Day 48 (2/26)
Gave them water with some nutes this morning. Each got a 1/2 gal of water, with Flower Week 5 nutes (soil a & b, bud xl, and top booster) at 25% strength. I went ahead and moved on to with the nutes because I was starting to worry about having low phosphorus. They seem to be on the up and up after the flush the other day
Week 8 (2/28-3/6)
Day 51 (3/1)
The ladies are still trucking along. The smaller ones are hanging in tough, the flush seems to have helped a bit and they don't seem to be getting any worse. They are thickening up decently. The white widow just keeps getting taller and taller with lots of bud sites. They'll probably be ready for some water tonight or tomorrow.
Day 53 (3/3)
Ugh, they are still looking pretty bad. The white widow looks the best, but probably because she is behind the rest on flowering. I've contacted House & Garden to see if they can help me out with the nutrients and what I am going wrong with.
Day 55 (3/5)
Gave them nutrients this morning. My poor gorilla glue has been taking the most of the beating. Barely any green left to her :(. I gave them each 1/2gal of water, with some molasses plus nutes.
DogterB
