Rookie's Journal

[duner]

okay, so i figure that i would share this for other rookies. i have never grown anything. hell, i can't even grow a beard, but i don't like dealing with the uncertainty, availability, and potential legal consequences of buying grass. plus, i really don't like that my ex is my hookup, so i am going to start, or try to start, growing my own.

my philosophy is to learn to do it right. i am interested only in personal use and want to eventually get to the point where i have a steady supply of fresh dope. i know i am going to make a lot of stupid and rookie mistakes, but i plan to learn. i hope to eventually develop a system where i have three rooms (one flower, one mother, and one clone). like i said, i do not need quantity, so i think (hope) that one flowering plant, one mother, and a few clones will be in constant rotation. while i am not rich, money is not my major concern. i believe in spending money on and buying quality important things (pot, food, shoes, etc.)

so far i have purchased:

400w HPS light that also came with a 400w mh lamp ($250)
carbon filter (75)
40 lbs of miracle grow potting soil (20)
indoor/outdoor thermometer and humidity sensor (15)
tray of 36 peet starters (3)
oscilating fan (20)
2 gallons primer (30)
1 gallon flat white (6)
30 seeds (150)
Medical Marijuana Horticulture (20)
BOG's book (20)
Other Growing guides and books (25)
assorted other shit like tweezers, pots, spray bottles, etc. (50)

*prices are approximate* so don't bitch at me for paying too much. i don't care about that. however, if you have any advice or can see mistakes i am making feel free to let me know.

i have painted the walls of a secret room measuring about 12X8X6' high, hung the light above a small table, blacked out a window, and hooked up the carbon filter, but it's noisier and noticible, so i think i might move it up and out of sight so at least it isn't visable. not that this is an area i expect people to see, but due to my line of work i don't think there is such a thing as too secret.

(9/20/06)

seeds have arrived!! i have ten seeds each of Burmese, Fast Girl, and Northern Lights. I figure I'll start with the Northern Lights - I've read they are a pretty *easy* strain and since this is a total learning experience i want easy.

tonight i will soak the Northern Lights seeds to start germination.

wish me luck. i am going to need it.

[buffoonman]

Good luck. I'm sure though BOGs book will guide you throw your grow.

[M4N14C42O]

Sounds like your well on your way, read those books front to back a couple of times (or come read the forums.....tons of material plus you get to see people make mistakes and correct them or not correct them.....kinda helpful) and you should have a good grip on atleast what your doing for the most part! ;) When in need i always find helpful advice from the hipsters ;) So good luck and can't wait to see the updates!


- 42o -

[duner]

(9/21) day two

after soaking seeds for about six hours (couldn't wait any longer ) i put them in peat cups and watered them with a 2% fungicide and covered the tray with a plastic cover to keep in heat and humidity. i put them under the 400w mh bulb about 27 inches away. i know i could use floros but i didn't as i don't have floros in my grow room.

temp is running in the high 80's with about 55% humidity which i understand is pretty good. it was a little warmer, but after turning on the fan and exhaust it cooled off about 5 degrees.

i came home from work at lunch today to check on my little bitches (i'm hoping) and everything was okay, or looked fine. temp and humidity is steady.

tonight after work i can already see two white growths - i hope this is good and not the tap root growing in the wrong direction.

i have a bunch of pictures, but am having camera issues (i'm an f'in techno-tard). once i get it figured out i'll post them.

so, how much longer before i smoke some of MY OWN DOPE?

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey Duner!

A lot of people would kill for a growroom that big!!! Don't worry too much about the noisy carbon filter - the DAZZLING lights and the pot plants would probably give the secret away anyhow!! LOL The plants will need air "in" and air "out" ventilation, have you got that covered? You have about a month before you will need to add nutes, have you already sorted that out? Get a ph tester, a cheap one is ok to start with. You will also need to figure out some way to adjust the lights height as the plants grow (chains and "s"hooks work great). About the only other thing I might add; is that your room is so large you might want to "sub-divide" it or put some "reflective walls" around your table to conserve stray light energy (cardboard, painted white, is better than nothing).
Oh yeah! And a camera, everybody will be wanting to see pics from time to time!
You seem to have thought this through pretty well!! So I wish you the best of luck as the "Learning Experience" continues!

[T.H. Cammo]

Don't worry about the tap root, if the seed is pointing the wrong way, the tap root will just hook around and go down. Don't touch it with your bare finger (although I have and nothing bad happened).

[duner]

day two - continued

this is fun shit!

okay, so i moved the carbon filter out of the wall and up between two joists. it can still be heard when you are nearby, but it's outta sight - "you're high. i don't hear anything."

i now have three sprouters and i can see that they are hooking around, so i'm pretty happy about that.

i do not have in ventilation since my room is in an old farm house that is drafty as heck. if it becomes necessary (how will i know) i can always drill holes in the walls but then i'll have light leaks - as of now i have no light escaping the room

i think i'll build a knee-wall this weekend to minimize lost light (thanks t.h.) - i had been planning on dividing the room later - probably after i figure out what i am doing so i can with BOG's constant harvest plan, but since i will be the sole consumer one plant should last me a couple of months unless i start smoking a TON more, which is always a possibility. i have a sad feeling i might be throwing marijuana away - maybe i'll just start dropping it around the city for people to find - a charitable act if you will.

i have chains on my light so raising and lowering it is a sinch.

as far as nutes go, i haven't given it much thought, but i was looking at BOG's book tonight and thought i would see about ordering what he recommends online. i've perused the aisles at wally-world but since i don't know what exactly i am looking for as far as ingredients i think it will be easier to simply buy the brands BOG suggests.

they have pH testers at walmart?

[duner]

day three:

all ten seeds have sprouted and six are showing seed leaves already. i still have them in the peat pellets - when should i move them into pots? is it still too early? should i just take the plastic cover off the tray? i recall reading that if they stay under the plastic too long they can start to rot, but i can't seem to find where i read that or remember how long was too long. anyone who can help with this?

today i bought a ph tester and two garbage cans that i filled with water so i can use room temperature water instead of cold. i also moved my light and table up against a wall to contain light and will build a knee wall tomorrow or sunday.

so far, all seems to be going well.


here's what i have so far - http://i10.tinypic.com/2lc5vvd.jpg
temperature is steady at about 88 degrees and humidity between 52 and 55%.

[M4N14C42O]

when im germing i use a plastic wrap over the top of the pot........once it sprouts i keep the plastic wrap on for another day or two......and straight to the 400W MH they go........of course the light is kinda far away at first but you just progressively move it down towards the plants until your at optimum height. By progressively i mean start out with it atleast 2ft above them then every day or two lower it a couple inches until you get to the point where your as low as you can go without burning the plants. As far as putting them in pots.....im not sure 'cuz i always start them in pots so can't help out there. But im positive someone else will be able to help ya out with that. Congrats on all ten sproutin, sorry i have a horrible memory, but are you goin to have any pics??? Either way keep up the good work!


- 42o -

[M4N14C42O]

Oh nevermind i just read one of your earlier posts and noticed the camera troubles thing ;)

- 42o -

[duner]

here's a pic of my table and light.

http://i9.tinypic.com/3ymhi60.jpg

[duner]

Day Four:

i've made some (more) modifications to my grow space. I built a divider - basically a four foot wall and painted it white. it really traps in the light, so i will have to keep a hold of the temperature to make sure it doesn't get too hot.

from behind the wall: http://i9.tinypic.com/33dghol.jpg and http://i10.tinypic.com/2vt40ef.jpg

i can slide the wall to access my plants http://i9.tinypic.com/311nz95.jpg

as you can see - if you're following this - i also moved my light to take advantage of the corner to box in the light even more. if i can control the heat i will probably also build a wall across the table to trap even more light.

so far, so good. i have what look like eight HEALTHY sprouts and two that appear to be fighting for a good root. the sprouts are starting to show true leaves and are about an inch in height. i still have them under plastic. i'm thinking they will be ready to put into pots in a couple days or so. http://i9.tinypic.com/48503o1.jpg

[T.H. Cammo]

Dude - you gotta make your pics smaller!!! It's like I'm a blind man trying to feel the Statue of Liberty!!!

[duner]

i told you i'm a techno-tard .. . how do i do that?

[duner]

and who you calling dude?

[T.H. Cammo]

I've never used jiffy-pellets/pots but I would take them out of the plastic container as soon as they sprout to avoid damping. The sprouts that look good and strong can be put (jiffy-pot and all) into pots right away. As long as the roots aren't showing yet there's very little chance of any "transplanting shock". Little sprouts are actually pretty tough - but sensitive to light! That one looks pretty skinny, second from the top on the right side, it might not make it! Try to keep the stems up off of the moist surface of the jiffy-pot without any pressure or force, maybe just slip a piece of plastic baggie in between - the stem can rot through and die real quick at this stage.

I'm sorry! Dudette, is that better? I don't know how to make them smaller either! You either reduce the resolution on the camera down to 680x420 or something to make a smaller image file or else you put the image into Paint and reduce it there - I'm not sure?

[duner]

okay - heading into the garden and putting all pellets into pots. . . . then off to bed.

thanks for the help.

[duner]

day five:

on the bright side: i built kneewalls to enclose my space a little, temp is constant at about 82 degrees and humidity at about 50%. i've put all the peat pellets into pots and removed the plastic cover.

on the down side: it looks like i have one for sure death and two more little ladies who seem to be struggling against joining their sister.

however, that still leaves a possibilty of seven old fashioned man-hating feminists. yea, i know there will be a number who will bow out and grow dicks when the going gets tough, but i really only want one good bitch out of this first grow.

here is a pic taken at the end of day five. is the size better? i might have figured out how to resize. . maybe not.

note the dead one in the upper right. http://i9.tinypic.com/2hx6844.jpg

can't really tell from the pic, but they are about an inch and a half in height.

as a rookie i want to water, but my reading and research tells me to wait. i would appreciate any help on knowing when to water.

[duner]

okay, i have been informed that i fucked up by using miracle grow for a medium due to its lack of magnesium. . . so that sucks - i don't really know what it means in the long run, but . . .

from what i have been told by a helpful board member is that i should use jacks classic fertilizer to make up the difference, but i also understand (or think i do) that it is too early to use any fertilizers. . .am i correct here? i had planned to mix up BOG's soil mix when i transplanted from quart pots to 2-gallon (10 gallons of feeding type potting soil, 3 cups of blood meal, 2 cups of bone meal, and 1 gallon of perlite). i was planning on doing this around day 21 or when my plants start getting rootbound in their current homes. . . will this overcome my magnesium deficiency or do i need to do something earlier?

here on day six i have ten seedlings (apparently death has not come yet) - a couple look pretty scraggly and twisted, but who knows. i removed one wall i had put up to trap light in order to allow more air movement from the fan to improve stalk strength. they range in height from about 1 inch to 2.5 inches.

i have misted them but not watered the soil as it still appears to be wet from the transplanting on day four. . . does this seem okay?

by the way, the help i have received on this forum has been awesome. thanks to everyone who has posted advice both here and in pm. i really appreciate the help.

[M4N14C42O]

Hey duner!

Yes, miracle grow is not a good medium to use for marijuana plants. Not just for the magnesium, but just in general IT IS NO GOOD FOR GROWING POT. Some people will argue but its just way easier to not use it.

Now im not real sure if that will fix your deficiency, but im sure T.H. or someone will stop by your thread and be able to help ya out a bit better in that department.

As for the scraggly ones.........they probably wont make it.......but this early on you could plant a couple more seeds to make up for the scraggly ones and they would only be a couple days behind your others.

As for your soil........when i have young plants like yours i just wait until the top (visible) part of the soil is dry, and then i water the next day. Seems to work for me. Just remember it is alot easier to fix underwatering rather than overwatering ;)

Other than those things just keep up what your doing and just keep reading reading reading.....never can have to much information. Keep up the good work and keep the updates coming.


- 42o -

[duner]

i'm actually not too concerned about deaths. even if i only get two females to harvest i will still likely have more grass than i know what to do with. i figure even if i increase my intake by two i'll still only smoke an oz a month .. . this first grow is simply to learn and harvest something. . . you know?

[T.H. Cammo]

Okay Dudette!
Hang in there!!! Glad to see that you are taking this so well! I have said this before, I don't know how many times - the first grow really is a learning experience. Part of the problem is in keeping all the ducks in a row! I try to keep track of quite a few threads all at the same time - that means a lot of rereading, refreshing and checking back in the thread for info just to remember who and what I'm responding to and "where they're at" in terms of progress. It can, and does, get confusing at times. PM's can be a distraction because there is no "thread" to refere back to in the responce window.
I remember at one point I wasn't clear if you were just feeding with MiracleGro (I offered "Jack's Classic" as a better balanced trade-off); or if you where growing in MiracleGrow Potting Soil (in which case I recommended adding Epsom Salts). At least that is what I intended to do!!!
I'm really sorry that I got my wires crossed about the early stage you are in - yes, you are absolutely right - it's too early to add any extra nutes yet! I would add about a Tablespoon of Epsom Salts per gallon of water ASAP, at least once before you transplant; and then not worry about it afterword. Let the soil get fairly dry (light weight) first so it will soak all the way in. BOG's mix has good organic meals in it so everything should be fine afterwards.
You probably don't really have a Mg. deficiency yet, but waiting for it to happen just makes you anxious. And like M4N said, don't overwater! I know it's easy to do, but babies hardly use any water. As long as they look happy, don't water 'till the pot feels light!!!
I hope that puts us back on track!!!

[ConRev]

hey duner, what a sweet little niche you got there for growing!! I'm on a learning grow myself. Just want to make it to harvest, nothing more, nothing less. I'm doing the opposite of what you got going: shwag seeds and stuff I got laying around. But I'd gladly trade places with ya! Conrev

[duner]

i suspect i will have fur deaths. i think the seeds "heaved" in the peat pellets. i'll get some pics later today, but what i see is the stalk is not going into the soil, but rather is trying to stand on the end of the tap root which is not strong enough to support weight of the leaves even at this early stage. when i mist they collapse. maybe i'll try to support them with toothpicks to see if i can salvage them. i don't need them, but it's a good opportunity to see if it is possibleto bring them back from the brink.

the other six starts are beautiful and growing their second set of true leaves. i have the light about 22 inches from the tops of the plants, but will likely move them an inch or two closer today.

thanks t.h. i watered yesterday, so i'll go with the epsom salts on the next water in about three days.

pics coming tonight.

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey Dudette!

I just wrote a really great post for your thread here - then my 'puter "burped" and, in the blink of an eye, it was gone!!! What it boiled down to was two things:
1. You probably don't need to mist so much. Let them dry out more, I'll bet they'll be happier!
2. It sounds like they're not rooting into the peat-pots properly. How did you plant the seeds into the peat-pots (some details)?
That's the down and dirty of what I wrote - I'll check back in later and fill in some blanks!!!

[duner]

i simply put the seeds in and poured water on the pellets. i don't think i'll use them again. instead, i'll just start in dirt (not miracle grow) - see, i'm learning already.

here's what i was talking about - the stalk is not in the dirt http://i9.tinypic.com/2e66cxt.jpg

here is a group shot on day 8: http://i10.tinypic.com/29konrl.jpg

a close-up of what i presume to be a healthy girl: http://i10.tinypic.com/2ahs4yh.jpg

by the way, are my pics smaller?

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey Dudette!

Okay, so it sounds like your peat-pellets came with a ready made hole in the top. If that's true - do they swell shut before the sprout clears the surface. Or does the stem grow out of a "loose hole"? I'm thinking that the sad looking stem didn't have any proper support at ground level and just started growing crooked because it wasn't anchored or supported well - so it just fell over. If you can keep it dry by lifting the mid section of the stem off of the moist surface it might survive and stand up! Maybe put a plastic bottle cap or something under it to keep it away from direct contact with moisture.

[M4N14C42O]

Hey there Duner,

I had my babies in the same exact pots as yours are in ;) And i would say the same thing as T.H. looks like they didn't have any support as they grew through the pellets. Don't give up on em' just see what they do.........other than that your little babies look happy and healthy. Keep on keepin on.

- 42o -

[duner]

Day 12:

I added 1tbs (as per advice) per gallon of water when i watered today. It is the second time i have watered since placing peat pellets into the miracle grow.

Group photo: http://i10.tinypic.com/2dtvgw2.jpg

i still have ten plants alive, but four are not doing too well due to the poor rooting in the peat pellets. I am trying to lift the limp and twisted stalks out of the soil in hope they will straighten. http://i10.tinypic.com/40lq681.jpg and http://i10.tinypic.com/4cuskrc.jpg

they are starting to look like the real deal. this next pic is big, but please take a look at it and tell me if i need to be worried about the splotching on the leaves? is this normal, or a concern? http://i9.tinypic.com/4ct1jjl.jpg

conditions in the room are very steady with temps during 18 hrs "daylight" at about 80-84 degrees and down to about 70 at "night". humidity is running constant between 53 and 58 percent. plants are ranginf from 1.5 inches to almost 3 inches.

[buffoonman]

Did you say there now in Miracle grow soil? If so don't add any feed as miracle grow soil has a lot already in it. M.G. can be a little strong for small seedlings and can cause blothcing on the leaves. As long as the blotches don't get to bad don't worry, as the plants get bigger they need the extra nutes that are available in the soil and the blotching should stop. At some stage its a good idea to add some magnesium (Epsom salts) as Mg dosn't have much in it. No need to do it yet though. You can grow big plants with MG but most growers will tell you Organically grown stuff tastes better and is friendlier on the enviroment. Saying this my last crop was grown in Mg and was just fine. Good luck with your grow.

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey B'man!
Yeah! The first potting was in MG soil - repotted with BOG's organic mix soil added. I may have jumped the gun a little by advising to add Epsom Salts already, but I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. Cheers!!!

Hey Dudette!
I think that's about about all you can do for now; except getting those "lazy" seedlings to stand up on their own. Be alert so the "sharp" edge of those metal pieces doesn't pinch into the tender stems!! If they survive, it should only take a few days for the feeble stems to become vigorous at this early stage.
The spotting doesn't look too bad - but we want it to go away!! Hopefully it is just a very mild case of nute burn; so that as the plant grows - it will grow out of the condition.
So we'll just wait and see!!! Keep us posted!!!

[duner]

question about transplanting:

day 14

I just took measurements of all seedlings

#1 - 2" height 4.75" spread
#2 - 2.5 X 5
#3 - 2.5 X 5
#4 - 2.5 X 7
#5 - 3 X 3
#6 - 3.5 X 6.5
#7 - 3.75 X 5.5
#8 - 3.5 X 6.5
#9 - 3 6.X 5
#10 -2.75 X 6.5

plants 1-3 are the ones that were being braced up due to the weak stalks, but are now standing on their own.

Transplanting Question - when i was labeling and measuring my seedlings i noticed i can see roots in the vent holes on the bottom of my pots. i thought i would be transplanting in about a week (at day 21 or so), but now i wonder if it is time to transplant into the 2 gallon pots in the next day or so? The plants look fine other than the blotching in the previous photos. Does anyone have advice on this?

[rangerdanger]

If you can see roots in the drainage holes, it's time to transplant to a bigger container.

[T.H. Cammo]

Yep!!! Time to repot! They grow like weeds don't they? Glad to hear they're all standing up on their own!!! After repotting, as the plants get bigger and the roots spread out into the organic soil, The blotches should not appear on the new growth - it may take awhile.

[duner]

shit. that means i have to go and write a rubber check for some soil tomorrow. oh well.

i watered with a half-strength mix of grow fertilizer today.

[buffoonman]

I know everybody says it but testing the ph of your soil is a good idea as if its out it can cause allsorts of problems that can be mis diagnosed for something else.

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey Dudette!

What B'man just wrote reminded me of something that hasn't come up yet - flushing! With chemical nutes (MiracleGro) you should flush your pots about once a month - with organic nutes it isn't really necesary, or desireable. Now you will have some of each!!! ??? Just something to think about!

[duner]

day 16

transplanted all ten plants into 2-gallon pots. they take up a hell of a lot more space now. i hope my light (400w) can still provide enough sunshine. i was checking out some stats from BOG and see that i can veg for about five weeks in these pots and go to flower without another transplant. what are the thoughts on this? remember i'm not looking for a huge yield as there will be no profit. will potency be effected?

flushing? that's just running a shitload of water through the soil, right?

[T.H. Cammo]

"transplanted all ten plants into 2-gallon pots. they take up a hell of a lot more space now. i hope my light (400w) can still provide enough sunshine."
Once the males have been identified and removed there will be plenty of room for the females. You have enough "good light" to cover about 8 square feet.

"i was checking out some stats from BOG and see that i can veg for about five weeks in these pots and go to flower without another transplant. what are the thoughts on this?"
Contradict BOG - are you kidding? LOL As long as the plants are showing "maturity" they are developed enough for the flowering cycle. The reduced veg cycle (smaller size) just makes it possible to operate in a confined space. Now would be a good time to start learning about cloning (taking cuttings) - you can eliminate the males altogether and just reprocuce your best female plant/plants by using clones.

"remember i'm not looking for a huge yield as there will be no profit. will potency be effected?"
Little if any!!! It is mostly a matter of maturity and proper care. The genetics determine the overall potential of the plant - what happens after that is up to you.

"flushing? that's just running a shitload of water through the soil, right?"
Yeah, more or less! The purpose is to leach out the chemical salts left behind by chemical fertilizers (MiracleGro) before they can build up to a toxic level.

[duner]

got a reliable ph meter today and my soil is running at about 6.8, which i believe is good.

weird thing - when i transplanted into the 2 gallon pots the temperature has decreased by about 8-10 degrees (from around 80-82 to about 72). i'm not sure why since i figure larger plants and more soil would hold more heat. could the shade on the temp sensor from the plants have this large of an effect?

so far they are looking pretty good and starting to spred out nicely and the stems appear sturdy with the oscilating fan blowing on them to simulate wind. the grow room is smelling delicious and the carbon filter is doing the trick so far, but i imagine the smell will increase quite a bit as the plants get bigger.

CLONE QUESTIONs: i've started work on a clone cabinet. at what point should i take clones? when i go to 12/12 or do i wait to determine sex first? does it matter? i don't have the money to buy another ballast, so how long can i grow clones under cheap florescents?

[T.H. Cammo]

[QUOTE=duner]got a reliable ph meter today and my soil is running at about 6.8, which i believe is good.
Probably good enough for now - as a first timer you have plenty of other things to worry about!!! Actually the soil ph goes up about one point during the course of a day. If it starts out a little low and ends up a little high - that's cool! If you will be adding a nute and water solution that is a little low in ph everything should balance out ok! It doesn't need to be perfect for a first timer, just try to keep it reasonable.

could the shade on the temp sensor from the plants have this large of an effect?
It shouldn't! Try moving the sensor around to different areas and see if you get different results. The sensor should only show a radical change when close to the light. Maybe your new transplants haven't warmed up to the ambient temperature yet!

the grow room is smelling delicious and the carbon filter is doing the trick so far, but i imagine the smell will increase quite a bit as the plants get bigger.
Oh yeah!!

CLONE QUESTIONs: i've started work on a clone cabinet. at what point should i take clones? when i go to 12/12 or do i wait to determine sex first? does it matter? i don't have the money to buy another ballast, so how long can i grow clones under cheap florescents?
You take the cuttings to make your clones before switching to 12/12 - just be sure to tag everything so you know which clone came from which plant. There is a real good "Sticky" that explains everything about cloning by Meangreen - I think it's in the Techniques Forum!!! Compact flouros are ideal for vegging clones - with enough light they can stay untill they get too big to handle!!!

[duner]

day 17

plants look healthy and seem to be thriving in their new pots.

http://i12.tinypic.com/3009xxu.jpg

close up of one of the thicker stalks http://i12.tinypic.com/2r26fjs.jpg

the three plants that had the taproot problems seem to be doing a nice job of correcting themselves: http://i12.tinypic.com/2ik9s37.jpg

can i start misting them with a grow solution or is it still too early? i am planning on watering on tuesday with a pure blend grow mix in the water (1 tsp per gallon).

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey Dudette!

Yeah! Now, that's what I'm talking about - Happy looking plants!!! Looks like the yellow blotches are history!
By the way; are you taking notes about how each plant is doing? Kind of a diary that includes measurements, comments, treatments, appearance, "spots", waterings - whatever? This kind of information is far to tedious to remember (bit by bit); but can be invaluable as something to refer back to. Just tag each pot, 1-10, or, A-J, or whatever, and refer to them individually.
Yeah, you can start misting them again. Do they really need a "growth solution"? Here's what I'd do: mist half (A-E) with "grow solution" and mist half (F-J) with plain water - see if it really works!!! Just don't overdo the misting, excess moisture and humidity is not a good thing!!!

[duner]

day 18:

taking your advice t.h. I mixed up a solution of diluted pure blend grow formula and misted plants 1,2, and 3 and stayed with straight H2O on the rest. if i notice a markable change in the three i'll spead it around a bit.

i took measurements last night and all of the plants have grown about two inches in height since the last measurement (five days and one repotting ago). they have also spread out to between 9 and 10 inches across. is this how you measure, or is there some other way?

i've been reading where plants will about double in height during flower, so i am thinking i should go to flower when my plants hit about 15 inches. does this sound about right, or should i wait longer? what will the benefits be other than a higher yeild? i guess what i am saying here is that i want to get some buds without shortchanging myself too much. from what i understand, i could go to flower right now if i wanted, but the plants don't look as if they could support too much bud weight. thoughts on this?

[duner]

day 19 -

the plants look great! i rotated them and misted (#'s 1-5 with nutemist). they really are growing like weeds - anywhere from 1" to 2.5" a day.

since all the plants seem to be healthy i am going to start playing with them a little. i don't really know what i can do other than play with the nutes and try lst on some. time to start reading some more. any other suggestions?

still looking for answers in last post as well.

thanks.

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey Dudette!

Sounds like everything is pretty well under control (fingers crossed)! Indoor plants tend to be more "frail" looking because they're not exposed to the full outdoor "toughening" experience. Wind and rain can really give the main stem and branches a workout - the exercise makes them stronger and thicker!!! That's part of what the circulation fan's job is; to wiggle the plants a little as they keep the air stirred up! Another thing you can do to "exercise" them a little is to "dance them around" when you are rotating them - we're not talking whiplash here; just something like a good, occasional, gust of wind might deliver! Indoor plants are often so frail that they need bracing to support the buds during flowering (that's always an option).

Yeah! Measuring the height and width is important so that you can manage every square inch of indoor space in the most efficient way possible!!! The condition of the leaves and the overall size of the plant, at any given time, are the best indication of how well it is doing!
There are so many variables to consider about when to go to flowering mode! The basic rule of thumb is that HID lights will only "penetrate" about 30"-36". Allowing for "doubleing size during flowering" - that makes 15"-18" the right size to start flowering. Another thing to consider is the "maturity" of the plants; I wouldn't put the plants into flowering mode untill they show "alternating nodes" as a sign of maturity, regardless of their size! I believe putting imature plants into flowering increases the chances of getting Hermies, I can't proove it; but I believe it!!! This is where using clones comes in handy - they are sexually mature at a smaller size - so they are more flexible (timeing wise).
Using the LST method is a good way to experiment on part of your plants - they will spread out and take up a bigger "footprint". So I recommend the "arena" setup. Put the LST'ed plants in the center with the taller ones around the perimeter allowing better light distribution. The taller plants will "lean in" so give them a "half turn" rotation to keep them growing straight.
All strains don't double in size during flowering, but I would say to start flowering as soon as they start alternating nodes just to play it safe!!!

[duner]

day 20 -

group picture: http://i9.tinypic.com/2vbs9j8.jpg

can you tell which plants struggled to seed? i haveto look at numbers to be sure. they look pretty nice to me.

tomorrow is feeding day. i thought about doing it today, but decided to give them another day to dry out before feeding them with pure blend grow at full strength. i'm not certain yet, but the misting with pure blend appears to be helping the plants who are getting it, but i'll give it another couple of days to see since all plants will be getting a dose tomorrow. i might keep food from one plant just to see the benefits. i do have ten to play with here, so i might as well take advantage of the learning potential.

i've been doing some reading on scrog and have a question: what do you do if you start weaving branches and have to get rid of a male plant? is it dificult to remove the males without hurting the females? or will i be able to determine sex before this becomes an issue?

more pics:

http://i10.tinypic.com/2wmfiut.jpg

http://i10.tinypic.com/2wozm9x.jpg

[M4N14C42O]

"i've been doing some reading on scrog and have a question: what do you do if you start weaving branches and have to get rid of a male plant? is it dificult to remove the males without hurting the females? or will i be able to determine sex before this becomes an issue?"

I've heard of people doing scrog and getting males.......they said it was a bitch to get them out but you can do it...just alot of work. This is why most people who do scrog, usually use clones. You might be able to keep them short enough to see pre-flowers then start scrog.......but i haven't tried this method yet so im not too sure how well that works. Im sure T.H. will be able to help ya out a bit more there.

As for the nutes......i know its tempting to give them full strength.....but i would start off with AT MOST 1/2 strength, if it were me i would start out at 1/4 strength, just to make sure as to not over fert them. Just give em' a couple feedings at 1/4 or 1/2 strength and if they take well to it and it looks like they can take more, than start feeding more. Just my 2cents.

Other than that your plants are looking happy and healthy! Keep up the good work!!

- 42o -

[T.H. Cammo]

Hey Dudette!

What M4N said is good advice! First about the nutes. The makers of nutes tell everyone to use a maximum amount of their products - so they can sell more and make more money! Here's what they don't tell you:
1. Cannabis seeds are packed with natural nutrients that will keep the seedling happy for the first 3-4 weeks. Most growers make it a rule not to add any nutes untill week 4; and then only in incremental steps (as the seed reserve peters out). This prevents nute burn and allows a smooth transition, avoiding stress.
2. Nurtrients are designed to work well with soiless mixtures; soils that have no nutrient value at all! A full dose of nutes equals 100% of the requirements for a big plant. Some directions don't make that clear, and some (supplied) feeding scheduals are overly aggresive. Remember that you still have MiracleGro supplying some chemical nutes (25%?) and the BOG mix soil is supplying some organic nutes (50%?). If you add full strength nutes that would be 100% + 25% + 50% = 175%. That's not good - that's nute burn all over again!!!
3. Many growers find that that their plants thrive on less than full strength nutes. The soil composition and strain have a lot to do with it, but some growers never use more than 1/2 strength nutes - and they do just fine!!!
4. As long as the plants are healthy and happy looking and keep growing; they are doing fine. Don't overcomplicate your first grow by pushing to hard!

Like M4N said, I would also start adding the nutes at 1/4 strength. You could add an extra "pinch" of nutes with each application to make it a little stronger than the last one! That way; at the first sign of nute burn you just back off a notch!!! As the plant grows a little - you add a little more!! Once you get the hang of it; it just becomes natural!!! Another thing to keep in mind is that, indoors, the goal isn't so much big plants as it is small plants that utilize the available space more efficiently! Growing monsters indoors is a whole different ballgame!!!

About the scrog. Some people "weave" and some just keep the branches below the sceen (using ties) and let the leaves grow through. One way is harder to do, the other way is harder to undo!!! It can be a pain in the ass to remove the male plants one way or the other. That's why female clones make it so much easier! Doing a scrog can get a little hectic for a first time grower. If you wait till your next grow to try it; you can have clones ready and more time to reseach and plan it through!!! In the mean time, if you're getting antsie to try something, I would recommend the LST method - Low Stress Training. In case you're not familiar; that's tying the individual plants down, more or less, horizontally in an effort to produce a lower, denser, canopy. The results are similar to scrog but each plant is treated seperately.

[duner]

day 22

thanks mn.

i guess my confidance is growing like my plants. i don't know if it's just me, but my babies seem awfully bushy compared to some of the pics i've seen of 21 day old plants. this is good, right? or is this just indicative of the strain, northern lights?

i watered and feed pure blend grow formula and i started an experimentation process.


i have ten plants.

plants one - five get misted daily or twice daily with a 1/8 strength pure blend grow.
plants six - ten get misted with pure h20

plant one - no ferts measures 6" in Height and 12.25" across
plant two - 3/4 strength of PBG 4.5H 9.5 Tied Down (LST)
Plant three - 1/2 strength PBG 5 11
plant four - 1/4 strength PBG 6 11 LST
plant five - 1/2 6 12 LST
plant six - 1/4 6.25 10.5
plant seven - 1/2 5.5 11.5
plant eight - 1/4 6.25 10.5
plant nine - full strength PBG 5.5 11.5
Plant ten - 3/4 6.5 11

full strength = 1 tsp pure blend grow formula per 1 gallon of water.

i didn't have to work tonight since it's snowing like crazy, so i went ahead and tied three of the plants down. i'm not really sure what i was supposed to do, but i simply looped some twine around the upper part of the stalk and pulled it over tying it to a screw in the side of the pot. i guess i'll learn soon enough if i hurt them.

is there anything to consider that i might be missing?

kind of weird how all spaces on this old farm are considered for grow spaces. i'm thinking i am going to convert an old cabinet in the barn. it's about 40 inches X 40 inches and about 14 inches deep. i figure it will be perfect for three to four plants which is what i want to do after i do this grow to learn. pricing mylar on ebay for the cabinet. since i won't have a lot of height to work with i was thinking i would cut holes in the bottom of the cabinet to place the pots in making them stick out of the bottom. space will likely still be small enbough to require cooling, though.

i figure i have about two more weeks of veg before going 12/12 on these northern lights. i remember reading that someone said they give the plants 36 hours of darkness before they turn on the lights for 12/12. any thoughts on this?

[Smils]

Yeah , me im missing you need a friend to help you smoke it !sounds great, A freind
of mine gave me six seeds and all i know is its "sticky", after reading your thread i may have a bash at growing the lil buggars . gl with the rest of your grow....

[duner]

Day 23

discovered a setting on my camera i didn't know i had.

#1
http://i9.tinypic.com/2gy9hk8.jpg


#2
http://i9.tinypic.com/4bykoi9.jpg


did i fuck this one up by snipping the fan leaf?
#3
http://i10.tinypic.com/46ze7bk.jpg


#4
http://i9.tinypic.com/49a5qj8.jpg

[duner]

by the way, are my pics still HUGE?

[Smils]

Ya the pics are huge , you can use free software like irfanview to size pics ect, nice pics tho

[duner]

question:

what are the negatives of not taking out the males IF i want seeds?

[M4N14C42O]

well you'll pollinate more than likely your whole grow.....a better way to do it and still get some good female bud is to put your male in a seperate area, even a window, just so it gets its 12/12......collect the pollen off the male and pollinate a select plant or two. This way you will still have some bomb female buds with some OK smoke with seeds......just a thought.

- 42o -

[duner]

correct me if i am wrong here, but spiders are not anything to be afraid of, right? i remember reading that they are predators and kill eat bad bugs. does this make sense?

[duner]

i answered my own question: page 368 marijuana horticulture (bible) "Spiders are predatory and eat other insects. If you see a spider in the garden, let it help you!"

having ten plants on my property is making me paranoid. i don't like being paranoid, so after this initial grow i will be paring down to micro grows. i've been working on a cabinet the past couple of days that should be about perfect for a small veg chamber and a flower chamber that will fit up to three plants. height will be a bit of an issue, but if i keep the plants low and provide plenty of ventilation i think it will be able to make a grow of it.

nothing to report on the plants, really. they look, and smell great.

[duner]

well, i couldn't wait any longer. i switched to 12/12 today and replaced the mh bulb with a hps. harvest should be in mid december if all goes well. plants are ranging from 10 to 15 inches with most of them around 12. If they double in height i am going to run into problems with my ceiling height and will likely have to get rid of the table.

i read where i should keep the humidity below fifty percent during flower, but when does this become an issue, so i know when to kick on the dehumidifier?

i love the way the skunky smell hits me when i walk in the front door, but i ordered an ionizer to be safer.

can't find my camera so i don't have any pics, but believe me when i say they are gorgeous!

[ConRev]

time for updates!...!....!....!....

[duner]

update coming tonight!!

[duner]

day 40 or so and day seven of 12/12:

i still have ten plants ranging in size from 13 to 20 inches in height. they look and smell great. after a week of 12/12 i have identified at least four for-sure females, but haven't been able to say if any are males with enough confidance to through them out of the garden.

i turned on the dehumidifier to keep humidity below 50% and right now the room is running fine at 46% humidity at about 75 degrees with the lights on and dips down to about 60 with the lights off. it's getting cold here, but the dehumidifier keeps the heat up nicely when the lights are off.

damn camera took a hit (fell off the counter) and is out of commission for the time being, but other than that negative the growing experience is going great.

i'm starting to plan for the next grow and am hoping to start it within a couple of weeks so that my light never cools off between harvests.

really not much to update since it's going exactly as i had hoped: perfect!!

[duner]

removed five males.

[ConRev]

yeah perfection can be kinda boring. i was downright giddy when i had a cal def a few weeks back. luckily i have gnats to keep me busy. you really got the temps/rh dialed in. here comes the best part of the trip...

btw those pics are awesome. don't downsize in the future! I love how they just jump right out at ya...

[duner]

day 49

out of ten seeds i have four females that have been on 12/12 sixteen days and are really starting to bud. two of the girls were topped once so i have a six potential colas. i am really starting notice a lot of flower growth on the plants - i can't believe how beautiful they look or how easy this has been so far.

when i started this grow i said i would be happy with a single female, but i have to tell you it wasn't easy tearing six plants out of the garden. it makes it easier knowing i will likely never have to buy grass again. with my job, this is really huge.

i have been able to control conditions pretty well with humidity between 40 and 45 percent. temps are just under 80 with the light on and down to 62 or so at night, and i think i have conquered the odor issue with an aquarium stone and pine sol. amazing how i spent $75 on a carbon filter, another $80 on an ionizer, and solved the problem for $1.95. that is a lesson learned.