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You are doing great,I would look into covering the top of the trays with something to stop light getting to the roots.Some plastic strips with slits cut in so you can slip them around the stems to cover the roots from light getting in.But everything looking good.Happy growing, PEACE
Thanks for dropping a comment crazywill.
Word for the word of greatness!
To be honest I haven't considered the light and the roots combination.
I was originally going to use a sheet of Correx with circles cut, then drop the net pots in the holes with the lip of the pots sitting on the sheet of Correx. I can't remember why I didn't... probably laziness or something to do with being intoxicated at the time.
Is it important to cover the roots?
Ok, so if replicating nature is what one should aim for then I can understand that roots do grow in the dark and under ground in 85% of cases. I wonder if I just answered that query?
Cheers for giving me something to think about, and feel free to offer other suggestions.
Good Afternoon mari_jane associates...
I need to grow more pot. I'm bored of this single hydro life. I desire seeing to the needs of more than one hydro grow. I won't go on as I'll be seen to be common.
I've not had to do a lot. The joy of growing in soil and having to constantly shuffle those 15L pots about during watering and seeing to dead leaf routines are out the door. This method is so less demanding on the physical front. It's boring lol. Multiple hydro systems spread a week apart would be more interesting as there would always be varied work to be done. I'm not trying to make it my job, just hold the element of interaction I so desire :)
I'm currently sitting outside the garden listening to the humm of all the extractor and series of pumps. I've just ammended the mix in the reservoir. The pH was a little high as was the EC which was around 6.5/2.2.
I partially flushed again, emptying around 15L-20L then topping off with tap water. I only had to pH the solution because the resultant EC was 1.5, adequate for this stage. So upon leaving the reservoir the readings were EC1.5 and pH 5.7. As soon as the solution was corrected, as if timed, the pump kicked in and flooded the top trays. All good.
The leaves on the plants appear to be quite dark green. I understand this to mean that they are feeding very well. I compare dark green leaves to a podgy belly after eating. The leaf tips are now showing subtle signs of over fert. I guess it is over fert any way, I'll take a few pix shortly. The tinge in the tips and the 2.2 EC reading kind of make sense to me as well as considering the dark green leaf colour.
I'll have to pay more attention to the feeding sched.
I am now able to see nice amounts of resin forming on the leaves. I've had to be a devil and scratch and sniff... Well rub and sniff, and the aromas are beautiful. The pistils are quite long and very erect. The formation of the buds, imo, are almost as good as I can expect without veg time as such.
I'm not too impressed with the main stem structure. Maybe because there are only 2 fans in the room and there are other plants requiring wind might add to the reason why my stalks haven't built up. To put it simply, the fans have probably spent most of their time blowing on the soil potted crop as oppose to the hydro sys.
Now to bugs. I've just spotted an infestation of spider mite on one leaf, so I've mixed some SpiderMite Control, as purchased earlier, and I'm goint to apply a nice dose in no matter of time. Bugs are such a problem at this time of year. I won't use the bomb as there aren't any flying insects around and I would wanna waste it by not killing the mites.
What else? Not much else really! I'll get on with the last few tasks and get those images online. Stay Tuned!!
I've taken a few pix for all our enjoyment.
1. The current leaf condition which appears on all plants
2. Took one out from near the front from modelling purposes. Might be G13 strain?
3. View from the top, just a plant near the front of the tray,
4. Another top view.
5. Side on
Next!!!
A few for, because I'm happy...
1. Baby Bud
2. Random Roots after a flood
3. Buddd
4. More Baby Budddd
I should also have noted that my reservoir temperature seemed to be pretty low when I put my hand in it earlier. I've decided to put an aquarium heater in there to keep the nute temperature at a level more appreciative to the plants.
I've sprayed the girls with a 500mL diluted mix of SpiderMite Control. I may have to do this more than once before the end of the week, but this just adds interest to the hobby. I don't think there is any more info that I can add at this time as I've covered everything. Tune in soon for the DL on my 1st propper hydro attempt.
Here we go again.... This time however there are newer events to report.
I forgot to turn on the flood pump again!!! This time I left it for 48hours before realising what was happening. The reason so much time passed was because I was so busy yesterday I lost track of time and didn't manage to look in on the girls.
Today I was disappointed to see the after effects of no water for such a long time. The leaves were of an even deeper green than I'd like to see. I decided to flush the system as it was around that time again. I drained the reservoir and refilled it with 70L of pH balanced water.
As soon as I switched the system back on with just the water the drooping plants sprung back to life within 15minutes. All was not lost. I decided to leave the system flooded constantly for 4-5 hours with pH balanced water. I then returned and switched the pump back to timed intervals. All looked much better.
I will continue with pH balanced water for a couple of days. I'd be happy to see the shade of the leaves to lighten up. I may flush for longer if necessary before commencing Overdrive.
Tune in again!!
Your roots look very dark brown. They do not look healthy to me. Are you using anything like hygrozyme or anything to help your roots stay healthy?
High Chabnoc, thanks for dropping a comment.
Yeah the roots are a little brown. I think they could be becoming melanated?
As someone else commented earlier raising the point about the top trays not being covered and the roots being exposed to high intensity light for extended periods. A side effect of not covering the roots could well be a colour change... Not sure what other visuals would surface..
Another reason why the roots are brown could be due to the fact that that pic was taken immediately after a flood. If you look close you can see a film of water and nute solution on the surface of the roots. The reservoir solution is very dark in colour because of the additives. I'm sure that the H2 Humic Acid is almost black liquid in its container. The roots might be stained? My 60L mixing bucket is stained from H2 Humic.
I'm not using hygrozyme. I used Voodoo Juice once per week for the first 3 weeks. I've been told that plant root development stops near on 3 weeks into bloom.
Hope my answer provides adequate info.
They are doing good and you are on top of thinks as well.If you cover those trays so the roots are in the dark they will be more white in color and healthier.Dark brown roots is not only stain from nutrs but root rot.They should have a little more root mass growing out the sides of the pots.How big of a airstone do you have in the res?more o2 in the water and covered trays and thoses grils will faten up real fast.Keep up the good work.Peace