Grow Journal

[Demar]

The Don't Do It This Way Grow

.Seeds used, Who knows...I had purchased some type of purple auto, and got 5 free seeds with it. I think they were some kind of Cheese but can't recall if they were auto or fem or what? Planted 2 of the purple and 2 of the other and the purple didn't pop..So I'm growing the Cheese unknown...

. Soil used was Miracle Grow mixed with 5lb bag of worm castings and about 1/4 cup lime. A little bit worried about this because from what im reading it could end up hot but hoping that the worm castings mellow out the Miracle Grow some. dug a hole where my sprouts will go and lined it with only Worm castings on top of my mix, so tiny plant won't be subjected to Miracle Grow right off the bat.

.Sprouted seeds via peat pucks in a small covered green house, took less than a week. The peat moss pucks get fat with water added, so I figure I can place them in big pot pretty quick because the roots won't break through the peat for awhile, giving the plant time to grow a bit before hitting the worm castings.

.Started sprouted plants in big pot on November 22. 18 hours timer on lights in grow tent, with small tub of water to the side to provide humidity bump. Boosted pot up higher towards lights. I had a small fan on the floor of the grow tent and had the tent zipped up tight to keep it warm inside. after a couple weeks, I put the fan into the intake hole to draw in fresh air because it looked like it might be getting to warm inside or I was getting signs of nutrient burn not sure which. After further research pretty sure it was nutrient burn. Watered 2 times with distilled water and let them go. Watered a couple more time with regular water making sure not to over water. Feeling like if I can get them to veg state the nutrient burn will stop.

.On December 11th, 2 days short of 3 weeks, I noticed the plant going from seedling looking, to more the look of a plant. Trimed off lower nutrient burnt leaves, plants looks great. One looks better than the other. Might be to close to light so moved back down.

.December 12th, Did first top on main cola.

.December 14th noticed tips of leaves drooping, did some research and could be to much nitrogen. Recommends flushing, I used Miracle Grow so this may be a problem. I flushed with 7.2 ph water till run off and they perked right up. Did some testing after reading the site, people harping on PH. I got a good PH meter and tested distilled water and tap water both were high, like 8.5 or more. Going to use a tiny amount of vinegar to bring the water in range and start watering with that.Plant stems have tripled in size in a weeks time now about the size of a pencil. A couple of tips are showing burn signs, which I am sure points to nutrient burn. I used Miracle Grow and Worm castings so there is a lot of nutrient, plus I did a cal mag watering. Next time use less Miracle Grow and more castings and pearlite or go with another medium like Foxfarms etc.

.December 16th day 25, plants look good even with the minor showings of nutrient problems I listed. I have a better light coming but wondering if I wasted my cash since these things look pretty good so far.

.December 17th day 26, deflated 3/4 of the big fan leafs and did some secondary topping. Spent a little time getting a gallon of water to proper PH, will add Cal MAg and something with Potassium to it but far from time to water since I flushed to run off a couple days ago.

.December 18th day 27, defoliation seems to have helped a lot. A lot of new growth all over plant. 2 set's of big fan leafs on both plants blocking light, I will take these off tomorrow. Humidity is holding at 50% and Temp 77. Not going to get a humidifier involved for fear of mold. Moved tray of water closer to fan, so breeze from it might increase evaporation and increase humidity.

.December 19th day 28. Took off the tops big fan leafs.

.December 20th day 29. New light is awesome! All leafs look good, new grow looks good. There was 1 fan leaf that had some spots up top, removed it all other leafs look real good. Made up a gallon of PH balanced water 6.3 and added Cal/Mag and some other nutrients, going to water lightly today with this mix then wait a couple days and water with plain balanced PH Tap water.

.December 21th day 30. going to do some (LST) Low Stress Training on the plant that's stretching, pull it away from the plants that is more bushy. Going to water with lightly with PH 6.5 Tap water to wash out some of the feeding from a couple days ago. Pic below is (LST) beginning.

.December 23th day 32, watered with PH balanced tap water and tied down one more (LST) branch.

.December 25th Day 34, Merry Christmas! Added my 300w led to the mix. I now have a 1200w (256w actual) + the 300w that came with tent not sure what it's actual is but I'm up around 62ish watts per sq foot. Going to flip to 12 & 12 today because of space issues, need space for buds to grow and if I wait to much longer I will be growing buds into the lighting system. Being my first grow, this will give me an idea of the entire process, I can see already I need a taller tent, better grow medium and better light setup. But all in all this has been a fun deal, even though I did a lot of things I wasn't suppose to including Miracle Grow, more than 1 plant in 1 pot, so far its been fun and seems to be going ok. My Christmas Tree below!

.December 26th Day 35, Running out of grow tent room, in a 2x2x4 tent and if my plants double in flow stage they will be into the lighting system. Going to flip today to 12 /12 lighting period, to start the flowering stage. Starting now will allow the plants some grow room along with some minor (LST) I should be ok as long I don't wait any longer to flip to 12 /12. I watered with Cal / MAg and Bloom nutrient prior to flipping 12 / 12.

.December 27th Day 36, Looking good. Everything looks thicker already. Heat in tent is up trying some adjustments. Running now in the mid 90's,,, was before new fan running at 77.... so may end up opening bottom flaps we will see. More to come!

.December 28th, Day 37 I did my venting late and the lazy way and had to re-do it. Now it's right with fan mounted inside and up top. Doing this corrected the problem and some..now holding at 73 degrees. If I put a filter in front of the intake it bumps up temp 1 degree, so I am good now

 

[brillbilly]

Good diary n info!...It's all about trial and error,but the end result is what counts..Quality v Quantity is a hard balance to get.!..Looking great though! ..ps..personally i would never use miricle grow as it's linked to monsanto!..https://seedworld.com/monsanto-and-scotts-miracle-gro-expand-long-standing-partnership/

[Demar]

December 31, Day 40. Watered lightly with Bloom Nutrients, Did some Low Stress Training (LST). Able to confirm at least 1 of the plants is surly female.

[Demar]

Jan 1,2019 Day 41. Watered lightly with Tap / pH balanced water. Come on flowers!!!

[brillbilly]

now she's staring to plump up, good to see she's female....Awesome!

[brillbilly]

Jan 2, 2019 20:36:16 GMT 10 Demar said:

Females gota have have em

We have some info on sexing ya plants here if it helps criticalbelievers.proboards.com/thread/4540/tell-plant

[brillbilly]

Jan 3, 2019 1:26:27 GMT 10 Demar said:

Thanks, I do know what to look for just haven;t yet seen the one plant show it's gender yet. I have a x60 microscope for the phone helps a lot, will help for harvest as well

Just tell it not to be shy in comming out, we live in a world now where any Gender is fine lol

[Demar]

.Jan 3rd, 2019 Day 43, Watered pretty good with bloom nutes. Need to lay off watering plant looks wilted more than normal. Going to add a little note in here about (LST) Low Stress Training, it's basically just gently bending branches over and holding them down, so the plant doesn't grow to tall. Well I use pipe cleaners because they are cheap, but you need to be sure to tie off good. I drill holes in my plastic pot or pierce my cloth pot, then bend the pipe cleaner over onto itself and twist it onto itself. If you are not securing your tie downs very good you will soon see the power of the Pot plant. They will straighten out pipe cleaners and stretch string. So tie everything down solid but be careful not to damage skin of plant.
My last attempt at (LST) was not real good and most my plant branches worked there way out of my anchors and the plant stood back up lol. Re-did the tie-downs and the plant didn't like all the handling, hope it bounces back. Another lesson learned.

.Jan 4th, 2019 Day 44 Still has a wilt look this morning going to go an extra day with no water see how things go.

[Demar]

.Jan 5th 2019, Day 45 Watered early and it was dry, plant looking wilty again after watering will check on it later, may trim some bigger limbs to help the lil guys out. Afraid the dual plants may have become root bound, since in same pot. Later in the day the plants looked better, I defoliated several big fan leafs to help other parts out might do more of this.

[Demar]

.Jan 7th Day 47.  My growth seems to have halted after doing the last (LST) wondering if I stressed the plant, or is the plant's becoming root bound? Or am I missing some nute....Going to add some nutes today and see what happens, also going to do something to ensure it's not wind burn stunting them. May Top 2 tallest colas to help smaller ones out. Both plants are female.