The experiment...going wrong?

Right so new enough to the whole thing, i.e. site included so dunno if this is posted in the right spot or whatever but have a few bag seeds and did the whole germination in the paper towels and two popped the shell and I in turn popped them in some compost soil for seedlings and covered it with clingfilm...:) so I was thinking happy days ...however the first seed which is now about 5 days post germ has sprouted which (I am pleased to inform peeps about) but the tip is brown and since day one of sprouting has shown no real growth...its under a cfl on its own and on an 18/6 cycle but no growth since then really and no intial leaves just a green shoot!:( should I be worried and counteract with some more experienced suggestions or should I give it more time? Its only bag seed and I had about 10 but like a little plant would be cool...perhaps it gets to cool at night and I am not maintaining a constant temp?

anyhow the other seed I have just potted after germ and the waiting on some action with that...
So I am bored waiting so i got the rest of the non-germinated seeds and popped them in the water and most sank...so surely that means the testa has been broken down and they are good to go ...I have risked potting them too and just have them covered with cling film and in the room now too...(currently down about a day). The last two seeds that didnt germ i put in a glass of water and put away in a cupboard and well unsure what to do with them now!? I have to go away nxt week on this college thing so ill be away for five days and i'll get someone to water and whatever and I can pick up some stuff if I need it to grow the seeds. Its only bag seeds...not expecting anything major but a plant or two would be nice:D
Im not going to go mad out expensive just need a discrete way to get these seeds to grow and maybe the seedling to do something other than look miserable!:wtf: Any suggestions for cfls or equipment on a small scale would be appreciated!
PEAS OUT!:rastasmoke:

seems to be a slow reply rate here...anyhow...got through it on my own have tWo plants going now...approaching a week old.:D having a window grow and then perhaps a guerilla grow outside when they are big and strong!:thumbsup: but like just wondering what is the earliest I can see sex? going to start a grow log and post a few pics to show whats going on in a few days!

PEAS OUT! :hippy:

If you are going to be in-n-out with an inconsistent schedule, your chances of success diminish to nil. Growing cannabis is a hands-on obsession. (hobby)

Depending on someone else to properly care for your plants doesn't usually work so well. Rarely do they have the skills nor incentive to pull it off.

If after your trip you plan on being around for a few months straight, I'd recommend you start a shopping list for nutrients and equipment, and keep your eyes open for quality cannabis genetics. Bagseed often comes with someone else's headaches bred into 'em. For instance, commercial growers are usually less inclined to cull an unseen hermaphrodite, which weakens genetics over time (successive generations) and creates substandard bagseed. Regular bagseed is usually a good way for you to form the basics. But just like a potential girlfriend, bagseed often come with 'baggage' and can be a handful.

Perhaps start reading some grow logs just to get yourself familiar with the terminology, growing processes, basic growing skills. Studying the indoor growing forum, basic gardening forum and FAQ's till your eyes bleed couldn't hurt, either. :thumbsup:

If signing-up for college, how about a couple of horticulture or plant biology courses...?

oh man dont get me wrong, maybe I emphasised my "noobness" a tad too much ...I have a few years done in college and many apl modules under my belt. The fact however remains that getting my hands on equipment or even seeds is difficult for me until I am back to college in the fall.:( Having said that I have two ten day old...most likely indica strain plants growing now and about my trip ...well was just for five days ( it was a botanical, geological and zoological survey of a diverse landscape as part of my thesis) I have read a lot on weed and my general knowledge isn't bad. :cool: I'm around for the rest of the summer and ill most likely do an outdoor grow even with the unpredictable temperate climate and associated risks of mould. Evidently I was just looking for some feedback and I'll take you suggestions into account! Thanks again for the reply! I'll put up a grow log after I sex the plants ...until then PEAS OUT :hippy:

Well, RT is as good as it gets around here so if he replies you are lucky.
I am not as experienced but did make lots of mistakes so here are a few tips.

Starting:
Read the FAQs here
Buy a good MMJ book and read it

Babies/Clones:

Don't overwater
Too much light isn't good either, work them up to full sunlight
Don't feed much at all
Keep the roots warm to encourage growth
Buy a cheap timer and put your plants under a timed light, light variation leads to failure.
Do start in small pots in weak soil nutes and buy beneficial root microbes to let the roots start nicely.
Do monitor PH obsessively.
Avoid Miracle Grow and Bayer products

Veg:
Do put them in nice big pot
Don't overfeed
Don't overwater
Dont get them hotter than 100 degrees or put them in shade
Neem often
Keep area clean and dead plant material out of pots
Don't foliar feed unless you feel lucky

I use molasses, dried blood, and bone meal and no expensive nutes.

Flower:
Never foliar feed
Buy and deploy some ladybugs weekly
Buy the spray that makes caterpillars guts stop working and use it
put copper tape at the base of all plants and planters
let roots go through wet - almost dry cycles to control root rot
stop any feeding 2 weeks before harvest and flush plants with lots of waterings

Drying
Don't put flowers in jars too early
monitor plant drying
cure in glass jars

Ahh. In that case I'd remove the cling wrap, too. :thumbsup:

Wasn't trying to brush ya off, per se, but some come in thinking that a little pot of soil and a window for light...and monster meds suddenly appear.

EB Gordo has ya on the right track.

Only thing I'd really add from there is the need for ventilation and circulation. Ventilation to remove old hot air, circulation on the ladies to strengthen the stems and provide fresh air to the foliage and soil.

Water ph is pretty important, might want to check local water quality reports (online) and see what's been done to to the water and the ph.

Miracle Grow isn't bad, and a few of us can talk you through the basics if that's your choice. As with any nutrient, medium, technique...it just takes getting used to, and knowing your plants.

cool beans thanks for the replies, I will surely be taking this into account come September for my indoor grows :thumbsup:
As for now the growing will be done outside as after all this is still an experiment for me as an outside grow, not really interested in huge bud or mad harvests...just want to learn the ropes before I get proper good seed and stuff. As for pests outside I'm kind of worried now that you have brought up ladybirds as the aphid population might be pretty high...so I will def invest in something to stop them spreading although any of the other vegetables and plants seem to be coping well ...slug pellets is something I will need when I transfer outside too. I have a bit of time though because my seedlings are just approaching one week old. Guru men thanks for the advice, watch this space!
PEAS OUT!:hippy:

Looking forward to seeing your successes. :thumbsup:

You are in very good hands here.:thumbsup:

I'll jus' add one hint.
Many types of Aphids are ranched by ants!
On your plants!
How rude!:mad:

They actually carry wingless aphids up the stalk to the tender leaf, and let 'em "graze".
They turn the sap into "antcandy".
That is, they excrete a honydew that the ants harvest.

Easy thwart?
Get some tanglefoot and make a 1/2" band of it around the base of the stalk.
That stops the cowpokes.
The ladybug larvea can then munch the winged aphids un-molested by the min-paniolo. (ants)

Got some outdoor, DWC, 5 gal. buckets going and the aphids got thick!:(:mad:

I will not use neem, even in veg., so I ringed the bucket with masking tape and coated the tape with tanglefoot.
When it gets covered with coco, or bugs, I jus' strip it off and replace it.:cool:
One week later, can not find one aphid, or ant, on da plant.:jointsmile:

Best of luck and aloha

Weezard

crazy thing the ant thing was mentioned to me by my lecturer last week and he said they were farmers and its just hitting home to me as to what he meant! That tanglefoot is a good plan think I will defo put it into practice. :D When the plants are worth showing i'll post a few pics! ;) Until then...


Peas out people! :hippy:

Neem seems pretty safe and is used in lots of stuff.
It seemed to kill a fungus my dog had on his back too.

I did burn plants with too strong a dose or in too much light but it kills insects, fungus, and mites and is food safe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eastbaygordo

Neem seems pretty safe and is used in lots of stuff.
It seemed to kill a fungus my dog had on his back too.

I did burn plants with too strong a dose or in too much light but it kills insects, fungus, and mites and is food safe.

---

I don't dispute any of that including the plant burning.:D

But it is like using a shotgun where a flyswatter would suffice.
Kills the ladybug larvea too, and they are friendlies.:(

"Use of broad-spectrum pesticides will kill beneficial insects, leaving plants open to attack from pests
Continual use of any pesticide will eventually induce pesticide resistance in pest species"

[align=left]"There is no doubt that beneficial arachnids and insects closely related to
sensitive pest species may be injured by horticultural oils. Not only will they
suffer from contact toxicity, but their prey will be less available after treatment,
affecting their ability to survive and reproduce."[/align]

[align=left]That said, with me, it's a personal preference.
Call me picky, but.
I do not like the smell, or taste of neem.
And I am, in the end, the end user.:rastasmoke:

Aloha,
Weezard[/align]

I dont understand why people are so against miracle grow... When I was extremely tight on money I grew the ganja in MG with MG nutes. Works fine and the bud was good. Takes some fine tuning and adding a bit more perlite to the soil but its good and cheap.

I've been trying to point this out for years. I'm guessing that a few old-timers on other sites have had a hard-on against Miracle grow for years, and have imparted that misconception to many other's. Most likely was a Canna or Advanced Nutrients guy trying to pimp the virtues of their mix over MG's.

Kinda stupid slamming something as crap, when there are so many success stories from those of us that have used it, or still do. Personally, I'd pull into question the validity of everything else a guru like this spouts. (I did...and ended-up here)

Were my soil to skyrocket in price, I'd definatelly switch back to the MG soil. The All Purpose liquid nutes I'd still use if pressed, but have never tried flowering with an MG nute.

ok here is some of the bag seed...as expected very untrustworthy stuff but two plants...may aswell give them a chance before I get serious and buy feminised seeds...I have them inside until they get strong enough for outside! Peas out :hippy:

Thats a good idea... making sure you can run the plants all the way with bagseed before buying seeds. Ive seen many posts of people starting off by buying seeds and killing them all from lack of knowledge. Your youngins are looking good! Im assuming they look a bit yellow because of the lighting in the picture...

Hey Rusty... When I used the MG bloom the buds were not very hefty at all, but the flavor and smoke were good. Its nice to know that if things turn for the worst that I can always go spend 15 bucks at a department store and have enough soil to run some plants and enough soluable MG nutes to last almost forever. (still have mine and they look like they have never been used!)

MG also makes perlite that has some nutes added. I used it mixed with MG potting soil and Scotts premium potting soil with great results.

It had been a long time since I used miracle grow but I tried a little experiment recently and picked up a couple bags. I was at Walmart and noticed the MG was all 6 month release. A while back I had ok success with MG 3 month release but not the really great success I came to have with other soils. So anyway, I got the 6 month release thinking they no longer made the 3 mo release and boy did it end up screwing up five northern light girls; I mean totally screwed them over.

Beware, the 3 month release MG was problematic but the 6 mo REALLY sucks.

Man, I had no idea that mg could be such a headache! :D anyhow should be fine wont be using it....yeah the pics GetThisOrDie are off my phone cam...its only 3.2 mp so yeah no the best colour and it was a night! I can assure you they are a lovely green and perfectly healthy from my extensive knowledge of youtube vids! :D anyhow anyone have any suggestions on when to repot or should I go straight to outside....Its just its really wet outside at the moment...ad i'm thinking i should wait until they are stronger! :thumbsup:
PEAS OUT :hippy:

re-potted the bigger one...looks good in the bigger pot and this way it can establish itself a bit more before I put it outside! :) anyhow was looking for some potting soil from the seeds that didn't grow and that I didn't look at in ages and guess what...a seedling...god knows how long its up but its at least four days and imo looks dead...popped in the light anyhow just to see what will happen but i'm not hopeful! :( But as you guys say better to make mistakes now with bag seed rather than later with feminised plants! :D I'm looking for an outside spot at the mo...slugs everywhere and good weather inbound! :D repellent will be a must have. :thumbsup:
PEAS OUT! :hippy:

So plants are coming on really good particularly the older one but i'm a bit worried I have some heat burn...or maybe lack of N?:wtf: ...don't think it could be nutrient burn because they have had little or none apart from the potting soil they are in?! Pics coming later on... have a little purpleing of the stem but surely it a bit early to be lacking in phosphorus ? thoughts and opinions appreciated! :thumbsup: PEAS OUT:hippy:

"I'm looking for an outside spot at the mo...slugs everywhere "


For slugs, and snails
You might try some wide masking tape covered in tanglfoot and wrapped around the pots.
(First, wrap, dem smear, it's messy stuff)
I use it to stop ants but have had no slug damage since I started.
Guess da slimey no like da sticky.:cool:
I did consider sprinkling a li'l salt on da TF but it seems to work without that.

Aloha,
Weezard

alright so here are my plants...bigger one is three weeks today and the smaller one is about 17-18 days old? :wtf: everything seemed to be going fine until this morning I noticed the yellowing of the lower leaves on the younger smaller plant and it also droops at night...but perks up in the morning :wtf: something the other plant does not do!?

Without perlite or vermiculite to lighten the medium and provide air pockets, the medium can get muddy and suffocate the roots. This condition will lock-out any moisture or nutrient uptake. The soil might be holding the moisture too well.

What kind of medium (soil) are you using? It looks rich, but incomplete. ;)

Its a sphagnum moss peat with added nutrients and a wetting agent so yeah sounds about rite what your saying:thumbsup:...aeration maybe an issue...the only compaction would have been from the watering I gave it after I re-potted ...but as you can see from the other pic the second older plant is doing much better but then again each plant is different! :D There is nothing really I can do about it at the moment is their? Suppose i'll just keep a close watch on it for a while! :cool: What about the bigger plant , think its good enough to brave the outside yet? :D
PEAS OUT! :hippy:

Just being aware of the problem helps you keep an eye on 'em. Perhaps adjusting watering schedule would be a benefit, but that depends on local conditions, dry times, plant uptake...
I'd also transplant a tad early into their next pot, with perlite or vermiculite added to the mix. :thumbsup:

Peat is very acidic. Did you mix your own? (is the soil ph buffered?)

I've found it's easiest to use a commercial potting mix, rather than to mix your own. Consistent, cheap and reliable. (or they wouldn't be in business for long)

no I didn't mix my own its a commercial batch!(for seedlings and such ...so it says anyhow! :thumbsup: wouldn't trust myself to tell you the truth!:D Is vermite expensive or would I be able to get it in the local garden centre? I mean I was planning on going all natural and planting out in the wild fro a proper outdoor grow! :wtf: But i'm still open to suggestion! The yellowing hasnt gotten any worse today so i'll keep an eye on it now. Great sunny weather and heat at the moment should boost growth
peas out :hippy:

Not sure just how long the buffering capacity of seedling mixes lasts. But I'm pretty sure they are buffered to a lower ph to begin with, and the ph crashes when those buffers run-out. My guess is that the manufacturer adds just enough limestone to last a seedling till it's first transplant into a longer-term mix. (perhaps a couple of weeks...?)

Likely best to save what you have for germinating seeds, and get some 'regular' potting soil for the rest of the plant cycle. Better particle size for maturing plants, too.

I prefer perlite, but both are usually available at most nurseries.

Personal Opinion Section:
I have no problems with using organic products if they are a cheaper product. But to me, going organic is secondary to what works, and what I can reasonably afford. You don't need 10 different bottles of organic crap to grow quality meds.

yeah looking more closely I reckon it is slightly alkaline! There is added lime in the potting soil but yeah probably should invest is some larger structured stuff! :thumbsup: keep you updated
PEAS OUT :hippy:

ok people, here is how it is...going to replant into open ground within the next week and the area im going to plant in is peaty and almost surely acidic and lacking in many nutrients so I'm thinking...bring soil to it and plant it in it:D I have uploaded the latest pics the older one is showing some lightning of the older leaves and the younger one (by four days or something) is still showing the yellowing of the lower leaves. I know you rusty reckon its a soil problem and your almost certainly right but I would like an op on the other one as the lightning of the leaves is in the upper leaves with the bottom ones unaffected. Opinions and thoughts appreciated! :thumbsup:

Peas out!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Weezard

"I'm looking for an outside spot at the mo...slugs everywhere "


For slugs, and snails
You might try some wide masking tape covered in tanglfoot and wrapped around the pots.
(First, wrap, dem smear, it's messy stuff)
I use it to stop ants but have had no slug damage since I started.
Guess da slimey no like da sticky.:cool:
I did consider sprinkling a li'l salt on da TF but it seems to work without that.

Aloha,
Weezard

---

Since iv put steel wool around my plants and kept the weeds away, notta snail. These damn things eat very fast and gave me to many problems so i was told sand paper, egg shells or anything rough they do not like. Bingo, steel wool wrapped around the plant stops them dead as they are very fragile, so one poke an there off to die. And a rat or mouse will not chew it, great to put in the creaks in your house. Goggle steel wool an rats, its interesting:thumbsup:

SeeYa:rasta:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LetsSeeYa

Since iv put steel wool around my plants and kept the weeds away, notta snail. These damn things eat very fast and gave me to many problems so i was told sand paper, egg shells or anything rough they do not like. Bingo, steel wool wrapped around the plant stops them dead as they are very fragile, so one poke an there off to die. And a rat or mouse will not chew it, great to put in the creaks in your house. Goggle steel wool an rats, its interesting:thumbsup:

SeeYa:rasta:

---

Good idea!
Seems it would rust pretty fast outdoors though.
Do they make stainless steel wool?

I did use it for rats in California early 90s.

Just know that all rats are not created equal.
Ca. roof rats will eat yer steel wool and shit ball bearings.:D

Had one chew his way through some fine wool, so I replaced it with the heavy duty, coarse, damn near barbed wire, rough grade.
Ripped his way through that too!
Why?
To steal and eat Jalepeno peppers!:wtf:
Dis guy was tough.

Aloha,
Weeze

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Weezard

Good idea!
Seems it would rust pretty fast outdoors though.
Do they make stainless steel wool?

I did use it for rats in California early 90s.

Just know that all rats are not created equal.
Ca. roof rats will eat yer steel wool and shit ball bearings.:D

Had one chew his way through some fine wool, so I replaced it with the heavy duty, coarse, damn near barbed wire, rough grade.
Ripped his way through that too!
Why?
To steal and eat Jalepeno peppers!:wtf:
Dis guy was tough.

Aloha,
Weeze

---

Damn Weeze id hate to run into that rat in a dark ally:wtf:..

Your right about the rust and looked all over to see if it would hurt my plants, but didn't come up with anything. But i read that a rats teeth can grow 3' a year so thats why they chew so much. Im sure my plant would get iron from the steel wool, but unsure of dose while mixing solubles.

But haven't seen one snail, oh but the one on the outside of the barrier:jointsmile:

:rasta:

Hemlock Stones:
"You see Watsit, a rat must chew.
If they don't chew, their teeth grow through their brains and kill them!"

Watsit:
"Great Scott, Stones! How the deuce do you deduce all dis?!


From Firesign Theater's "Great Rat of Sumatra"

We're about to see if steelwool will keep rats out of Mango trees.
I'll slap 2 strips of masking tape 'roun' da trunk, smear 'em wit Tanglefoot, and use that to attach a steelwool skirt.:)

I'll keep ya posted.
Weeze

..there's an old adage about how to kill a rat:

1) Trap the rat.
2) Put rat in sack.
3) Beat sack with axe.
4) Pour gasoline on beaten sack and set on fire.
5) Mix ashes of rat and sack with concrete.
6) Drop hardened concrete in deep part of ocean.

Meanwhile, whilst you're doing this to Daddy Rat, Momma Rat just had a large litter of baby rats to replace the one you finally managed to kill. They're persistent little buggers... almost as good at survival as humans...

I hope the steel wool skirt works for ya, Weez... and you can find stainless-steel wool if you look fer it!

[tip o' the hat to RAH--hope I remembered his rat-elimination method rightly!]

lol that reminds me of a story!

I was in walmart one day and someone is screaming saying they saw a rat... sure enough there it goes under the big long furniture display racks.

Here come all the employees in the building (seemed like it) to start pulling out EVERY single piece of furniture and throwing it on the floor. Women are screaming, men are throwing furniture boxes, and im sitting on the bench laughing.

So they finally manage to get the rat to come out and BAM!! Some old lady smashed it with one of those rolled up area rugs they sell... Hope that one didnt come back out to be sold!


by the way weezard,

I would chew my way past steel wool for jalapenos as well! My favorite...


:jointsmile:

Aloha, thebeat.


In your abscence,
we have been ratting about in your thread, brah.:)

We miss ya bro, how goes da grow?
No wanna hijack, but it's been a little slow.:D

So?

Great story GTOD, I can just about see it! :thumbsup:

Weezard

sry man ...I have been lingering around in the shadows here! :jointsmile: have some new pics but think im gonna take some more and give a more accurate portrayal of my endeavours! Have some in the nxt few days. Working hard on weekends so dont get much time cus they are away from the house at the moment! :cool:
Peas out! :hippy:

It can be done. A grow outside, from random bag seed. Watch out for frost. Thats your only issue. Show it love and care and attention. I ended up harvesting early but still lots of bud. When dried I had a nice three ounces. :jointsmile:

Yum times, anywho...sorry fro the lack of pics but here is one. I am doing a new grow inside soon.