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Hey everyone.
Long time watcher, first time do-er here. I have 4 plants going on which i grew from seed. Its been about 9 days since they sprouted.. For the first week, it was under a 22w 6500k flouresent lamp. I dont know how that affected it...but i dont think it was good, because it hasnt really done much since i put it under the hps.
Here are some pics!
I'm growing them in a closet, 2.5 x 2.5. I know i have four. but i plan to shrink that down to two or one once they xes.
I used potting mix similar to miracle grow potting mix. I dont like the proportions of fert in it...it seemed to be lacking in P but i did it anyway.
Im going to line the room with reflective film too...baby steps.
So im having a little issue with these plants...they look kind of stringy to me im not sure if its cuase they were under a 22w light for a week...or if they're roots are just growing under the hps.
My only other problem is temperature. I can't cut ventilation holes into the closet but i have 3 small fans circulating the air. The biggest problem is this small hps...putting off all this heat. The temperature at the plants is going up to like 90 degrees!
i froze 2 litre bottles and put them in there with the fans and that brought it down to 80...but its hard to keep it like that.
Anybody have good temp/vent tips?
hey if you dont mind.. can you post the mistakes you've made along the way so i can learn more things on what not to do.. i'll keep reading..
I dont know the mistakes i've made yet. I will sertainly post them...and i hope people will help me with suggestions and stuff! i def. need it!
not even a small hole for a PC fan?
i use 2x150watt hps and a PC fan was able to cool one of them, with both i needed more air going out.
90F is too hot, is there any incoming air?
No, no incoming air. thats my problem. I just dont have the tools nessiary to provide that for a few more days. Im afraid to make ventilation on account of smell though.
believe me the smell will get out regardless of what you do, infact it will build up in there and really start to stink the place up, is there a door to this setup you could leave open but a few inches?
this is probly the biggest issue people have and there really is no way around venting the area, is there a reason why you cannot cut a hole in the closet somewhere....even the roof of the closet with a fan pulling out would help you greatly.
the reason i can't is due to tools right now. im working on it in the next coming days. I've been able to keep the temp to about 80 degrees. Thats close enough for jazz right now.
Im finishing the closet setup, ill show some pictures later.
okay. down to 81...lets hope i can keep it down there. I might just have to start keeping the door open or something...i hope not.
Oh, and when y'all measure temp, do you tend to take the temp from right near hte plant...or the average temp of the room? i have my meter about 6" from the plant.
my setup is always at 80-84F and no problems so your safe right now :)
sweet! thats kind of a relief actually. i just know that 90 is dangerous.
I've been regulating the temperature with ice, so i guess i'll just be workin hard.
I wish i could figure out why my plants didn't look so good though.
the leaves have been getting less green more yellow...especially the veins. They're like yellow lines
Ok for starter your CFL will be the best thing to veg your plant, HPS are more for flowering, but the one CFL one do jack to 4 plants. Using CFL's bush them out more and if you place them 2 inches above the plant won't stretch and therefor have good stem growth too.
Your problem with yellow veins etc. will probably be from lack of phosphorous or general minerals. Try to give them a little but definitely not to much, you don't want to go down that route trust me!
i would keep them under cfl...but unfortunatly its only 22w. screw that!
use both?
the yellowing is most likely the soil you are using, MG soil just isnt that great for herb plants plus it usually has some sort of ferts in it which isnt needed for the first 3 weeks or so.
what i would do is find some organic soil at a flower shop, should cost no more than 5-6 bucks a bag, and transplant them into the new soil, if your careful and dont mind taking the small risk i would break off all the old dirt from the roots before i placed them into new pots that way you know the old ferts are no longer present.
when my cab was running in the 90's my plants didnt look that great until i was able to vent the area better which is what it sounds like in your situation, they do grow in high heat they just take a lot longer than normal and give off a shitty appearance.
was you able to obtain any tools yet?
get more pics up too.
damn. i just bought a huge bag of MG soil to transplant them into!
whoops. Guess ill try to return it and get something more organic. Thanks invision. pics soon...
bah. i messed up the pictures. ya'll gotta wait til sunday now. sorry
In the mean time, Im going to buy some top soil and peralite to make my own potting mix and then transplant the little guys. Does this sound like a good idea? its hard to find a good soil....i just returned my MG soil. Does my mix sound good?
Also....whos got fert tips? for veg, i've seen So many different things. I read that lower N is good for temps above 80. that would be me....i think i might just go to a hydro store and get some veg nutes and some superthrive.
Coments well accepted.
Superthrive is good, remembers its very concentrated. Get some Neptune Fish fertilizer it does wonders!!
ditto...Neptune or Mermaid Fish/Kelp Emulsion
for veg you can use anything with a higher nitrogen level than the others (N-P-K) and Neptunes Harvest makes some of the best if not the best nutes you will find,thier seaweed mix is some good stuff and great for veg and micro nutes.
gonna look into that fert! thanks guys. I already bought some cause my local hydro store was closed for some reason....tell me if these work:
I got MG liquid feed 12-4-8, and Vigoro Root Stimulator (for transplanting) 2-5-2.
Hey all!
long time, no update (with pictures at least)
I transplanted into bigger pots. Im not worried about them being big enough because i only intend to have one (or two) plants in the end of this grow.
After transplanting them, i watered it with the Vigoro Root stimulator 2-5-2 Fert. I hope this is a godo thing lol. I havn't used the MG 12-4-8 fert yet...cause everyone always talks bad about MG. So ill wait to hear comments. Key: its MG liquid feed All Purpose Plant Food. 12-4-8.
I've got these plants on a 5 day water cycle, i hope this is enough. I dont think im watering them enough thtough...im gonna wait 3 days and see how the soil is.
Anyway, here are some pictures....let me know what you think cause they are looking kind of droopy (im assuming from the root shock?)
Wow looks like the beautiful start of an excellent grow :). Your plants look really good to start, I have seen alot worse plants survive and yes maybe the plants have been stressed abit from transplant, but dont worry they should perk up a bit soon.
I really like your grow cab, lovely reflection :)
Good luck!
{edit} I don't know anything about MG so sorry can't help you. My fert is 6-5-5 and its fine for me.
hey Stangle.. u mind telling me exactly wut your soil mix was??... this is going to be my first grow this summer and im trying to findout all different kinds of soil mixes i can use
Stone: Thanks! im glad to know they at least look ok....im so scared to kill them i fear im over nurturing. lol I like the closet too, its really small...perfect for 1 or 2 plants. ;-)
Kaj: I used ACE premium potting mix initially, but transplanted them into pots full of Scotts preimium potting soil (which seems better). My only regret is not putting any perlite in them...i feel like they hold too much water and don't drain well...
Anybody know how i can help this? it seems imposible to add something at this stage to help drainage.
yea.. i also regret not putting in perlite :(.. w/e tho.. i only used 6 out of 40 seeds
im going to plant a few more seeds this friday
I forgot perlite too. Just make sure you give them a good water every 3-5 days or so depending on when they need watering (you have to wait till the pots are lighter in weight). Make sure you don't do little and often as the water just sits at the top and roots turn upwards.
Can you get us some more close up piccys of the plants?
The plants are slowly growing.....Pics later.
I need to figure out a way to get em some nitrogen...thinkin about diluting some urine...heh.
I ordered some of that Neptune fert. hope its good, should be here soon...maybe ill just wait for that.
Here you go :)
Solution to fixing a Nitrogen deficiency
Avoid excessive ammonium nitrogen, which can interfere with other nutrients. Too much N delays flowering. Plants should be allowed to become N-deficient late in flowering for best flavor.
A goof solid N-P-K ratio will fix any nitrogen deficiency. Any chemical or organic fertilizers that have Nitrogen in them will fix a nitrogen deficiency., Peters all purpose plant food 20-20-20 is good, Miracle grow All purpose plant food, Miracle grow Tomato plant food, (Only mixing at ½ strength when using chemical nutrients, or it will cause nutrient burn!) as well and blood meal! If you need to give your plants a quick solution to nitrogen and you want to use blood meal, I suggest making it into a tea for faster use, where blood meal is slow acting, but when made into a tea it works quicker! Other sources of nitrogen are dried blood, Cotton seed meal which is slow acting, Insect eating bat guano which is fast acting. Bone meal which is a gradual absorption when not made into a tea.( also excellent source of phosphorus). Fish Meal Or Fish Emulsion is a good source of nitrogen and is medium acting. Worm castings, which is gradual absorption. Seabird guano, All purpose Millennia Seabird guano, Orginal Seabird guano All Purpose, Crabshell ,which is slow absorption. Fox Farm Grow Big, which is fast acting. ( can bring down your ph as well)
Here are a list of things that help fix a Nitrogen Deficiency:
Chemical Nutrients
Advanced nutrients Grow (2-1-6)
Vita Grow (4-0-0),
BC Grow(1.2-3.2-6.5)
GH Flora Grow (2-1-6)
GH Maxi grow (10-5-14)
GH floraNova grow (7-4-10),
Dyna gro Grow (7-9-5)
Organic Nutrients
Dr. Hornby's Iguana Juice Grow (3-1-3)
Advanced Nutrients Mother Earth Grow (1.5-.75-1.5)
Earthjuice Grow (2-1-1),
Pure Blend Pro (3-1.5-4)
Bone Meal(0-10-0)
Blood Meal(12-0-0)
Fish Emulsion (5-1-1)
Seabird Guano (11-13-3)
Crab Shells(2.5-3.0-.5)
Pure Blend Grow (0.4-.01-.5)
Marine Cuisine (10-7-7)
MaxiCrop Seaweed (1-0-3)
Super Tea (5-5-1)
Mexican Bat Guano (10-2-0)
Sea Island Jamaican Bat Guano (1-10-0)
Kelp Meal (1-0-2)
Seaweed Plus Iron
Neptune's Harvest (2-4-0.5)
Alaska Start-Up(2-1-2)
Bio-Grow (1.8-0.1-6.6)
Age old Grow (12-6-6)
AGE Old Kelp (.30-.25-.15)
Neptune's Harvest (2-4-1)
Maxicrop Seweed(.1-0-1)
METANATURALS Organic grow (3-3-3)
METANATURALS Organic nitrogen (16-0-0)
So adding anyone of these above should fix up your nitrogen deficiency! Nitrogen deficient plants usually recover in about a week, affected leaves will not recover.
well i got neptune harvest. hope it works!
pics as soon as possible...
SS: thanks for the info! that has been driving me nuts for a week. THANKS
One thing i dont understand:
This neptune harvest...why is it so good for nitrogen at 2-4-.5 when others have much higher nitrogen content? This seems to be phosphurus heavy...
I don't understand either, I think it's because its organic so it doesn't have any other crap in it, but only the good stuff?
It bloody works though lol i need to get my self some of that!
neptune harvest is the best stuff you can buy, i got some a few weeks ago to try it out and have fed my plants with every water to see if this will burn them and they look better than any grow i have ever done.
i started by using just a 1/4 of what the directions say per gallon the first few times and now they are taking it at 3/4 strength no problem, plus its alot harder to nute burn with organics.....smell like ass though
Well there you go, while we are on the subject, where would i get it from as I live in GB?
well, i orderd mine on the internet. You could probably too. I ebay'd mine. although, it was the only one on the list...free shipping however, only 10$
its made locally where i live so i get it for 6 bucks a bottle....bargain :thumbsup:
hey, thats awesome! its pretty cool stuff...smells like fish tank!
Anyway, heres an update.
They've started to grow a big, gettng over that root shock.
I used the Neptune nutes in the watering yesterday at about 1/3 strength with 1/8 strength root nutrients. Today they are looking pretty good.
Here's a couple of pictures...let me know what you think!
Its weird, under my HPS the plants look light green, almost yellow. Take it out under natural light, or incandescant light, and the plants are the most beautiful deep dark shade of midnight green.
They are coming along nice mate good luck :)