PurpleRoot's first grow log

[PurpleRoot]

Day 14

Soil Grow
I started with 8 plants, am down to three going strong. 2 more appear to be on their way out. You can imagine my shock when I learned the soil I was using was 4 years old!!!! (I gave very specific orders to get soil from the store, however, my other half was telling her girlfriend who was like "oh hey, don't buy soil, I have a unopened bag!"..... ya 4 years old, with 5/8 DEAD!!!) So the three that are left will be transplanted into larger pots in a week or two if they keep up and don't die.

So I'm assuming that is the reason I had stunted/no growth.... grow room conditions are as followed:
Temp: 77-83
Humidity: 40-45
Water pH: 5.75-6.00 adjusted to 6.50-6.75
Light: two 85w dual spec lighting (one cool one warm) approximately 2-3 inches from the plants
Vent: Osc fan blowing into larger open room
Nutrients: none

Hydro
I just set up my hydro system. I had germinated 5 seeds using the paper towel method. Once the seeds broke open, I transplanted into pre-soaked/rinsed rockwool. Rockwell cubes were then placed back in the grow dome on heated mat. 24 hrs later transported rockwool to hydro chambers with hydroton, 12 hrs later 2/5 have sprout. (QUESTION: At first I thought the roots had come out of the rockwool, however, the "root" turned green. When plant popped out the stem had a crink in it with the "head/ two leaves" facing the ground, will they correct themselves?) Hydro resevoir has plain water (6.00 pH) Seedlings do not have direct light, but are in the grow room with indirect light. Once each plant has sprout and is approximately 1-2 inches tall I will begin 1/4 nutrients.

If you observe any mistakes or have any suggestions during any step of my log, please feel free to tell me. I'm always up to suggestions from those more experienced.

I have included pics of my hydro and soil babies. Happy growing.... or at least attempting!:wtf:

[PurpleRoot]

Soil Grow:
So the two I thought were going to die did in fact die... so I'm left with 3 seedlings/ plants (see pics in album) that are growing. Plants are just being watered at this point.

Grow room conditions:
Temp: 78-80
Hum: 48%
Light: 2 85w, 2-3" from plants, 18/6
ph: 6.5
nuts: none

Hydro Grow:
One of the six seedlings head got caught and ripped the head of the plant off... so I removed and have began germinating new seeds to replace. Two seedlings are doing good, approximately 3" with good leaf development. On one of the plants I observed that the first two leaves are pointing downward, the next two however are fine and appearing to be growing ok? Are the first two leaves supposed to turn down? I also added 1/4 nuts to my resevoir. Ph is 6.00. Hydro system is under the same light schedule as the soil grow.

pics in album

[PurpleRoot]

Plant ages:
The one soil plant that is doing really good with multipal levels of leaves sprouted on august 31, so it is 17 days old...

The two smaller soil plants together popped on 7th of September so they are 10 days old....

and last but not least the two hydros popped on 13th of September so they are 4 days old....

Two of the hydro plants have been sowed in the rockwool, however have not sprout yet. There are two open pots with no seeds/ plants in them. I have four seeds germinating, since 09/16/10 @ 7p, I plan on germinating the two strongest in rockwool then placing in my hydro. I know the plants are various days old, and I'm sure it will be a pain in the future with them being different ages, I am using bag seed and have been having problems with getting seeds to turn into seedlings/plants... I do like the practice though. I find that by going through this trail and error period has allowed me to gain some experience in growing. It allows me to diagnose a problem, then attempt to fix it, not always successfully! Each step is begining to fall in place as I find what works and what dosent!

[canniwhatsis]

Sounds like your pretty much on the right track. Don't fret over the differing ages Unless your going to attempt a SeaOfGreen style flowering (you need the canopy to remain even for this style of flowering)

Personally I've got 2 separate areas, one 18/6, one 12/12, so I'm running a perpetual grow, and all my plants are separated by about 3 weeks. When I'm ready to harvest one, I have another that's ready to go into flower, then I take cuttings and start to root a clone for the new generation! :jointsmile:

In an ideal perpetual grow, if growing just one strain, you'd have 8-12 plants in flowering (depending on bloom time) You could start a new plant every week,... and harvest one plant every week!




P.S.
As far as editing your post, it's only an option for the first 10 minuets after you post,... there's a little scissors icon next to the "Quote" "Quick Reply" icons in the bottom of the post.

[PurpleRoot]

Soil:
3 plants, plants between 14-20 days old. The leaves on the larger plant are finally growing in pattern, and not random little/big leaves here and there, it actually looks like a plant now:thumbsup: Two of the plants have flyin stuff still, I tried a soap solution for a couple days, might have to do it for a bit longer. Goin to hydro store tomorrow will be looking for neem.
Temp: 79
Hum: 48
Light: 2 85w cfl, will be switching to mh/hps 400w when all plants get a little bigger
water ph: 6.5

* I've also been reading a lot about co2 and attempted to make a yeast/sugar generator with a soda bottle. I know there is ton of debate as to whether or not it is worth the time money or effort. I have a small grow, so it is easy to control. I'm actually testing two hydro plants, A + B. A will be treated with co2 by means of a soda bottle, tube, and plastic cup. The tub and bottle is connected to the plastic cup that acts as a dome over the plant. I will apply this dome for 4 hrs a day. B will be the control plant and will be allowed to grow as is. I'll report my findings and include photos.

Hydro:
Hydro plants are doing ok. Right now I have two growing strong, a seedling that just opened, a seedling with a stem and its seed totaly on the head with NO indication its coming off..... and two empty slots. I have two seeds germinating in rockwool at the moment. *IF* they take they will be introduced into the system. I'm finding I have more problems germinating in rockwool vs. soil. Lots of root rot, heads decaying off, etc... sloppy messes, so I'm guessing too much water so I've been restricting that and making sure I'm not going crazy. Over all grow is going better. I am interested in getting good seeds just to see if that at all makes a difference. Cause honestly I've probably been through about 30 or so seeds/seedlings with only 7 viable ...... for now..... plants, this is bag weed so I'm sure the genetics are not the best.

Any comments or suggestion are always welcome

Pics in album

[PurpleRoot]

So I got my 400w mh/hps system today. I set the light approximately 14" from the top of the plants with my mh 38k lumes.

I also got my reem oil for my flying friends....

I decided to try foxfarm for my soil grow. I got ocean forest soil to transplant, and grow big, tiger bloom, and big bloom. I further bought the three "additional" products for their complete feeding program.

My hydro grow will be botanicare products (pro, karma, sweet, aqua, clearex).

I just dumped a good amount of $$$ on-top of the already $$$ I spent. Now if I can just figure out how to make it all work..... I'm starting to get majorly stressed, I feel like I keep forgetting stuff..... AND when one of my plants isn't doing good, I freak, I need to take a valium or something....

Two of my soil plants were underwatered I believe. I went to bed and they were fine, woke up and they were both on the ground!!!! so I watered and proped up with toothpicks, the stems can stand on their own now, however the leaves are still sagging.... <<<< are they gonners?

I am determined to make growing work! I'm worried about buying seeds online, though I wish I would. I have enough stuff to make a decent crop, now all I need to learn is how to do is do it! Hopefully not wasting all this money on bag seed for no reason..... but I guess I'll learn soon

[canniwhatsis]

Better to learn and F up on free bagseed than drop a few hundred on bank seed just to have em all die!


Neem will kick the shiznit out of mites,... but your flying freinds? (Thrips?) It doesn't seem to have "Much" effect,... get some Fox Farm "Dont bug me" spray,.... it knocked all the thrips out of my indoor gardens (MMJ, and Garden Vege) in 2 applications!

[tikiroom]

I agree get all of these learning curves out of the way with the bag seed, then spend the bucks on good genetics.

[PurpleRoot]

ok so its been about 24 days since I germinated my first seed. Saddly, there are plants of different ages growing in my grow room. I have 12 spots in my grow, currently so far i have 7 plants with one germinating. If the last germination works he/she will be the last plant for this grow. Most of my plants are two weeks old, theyre about 3-4" with 2-8 leaves on them. I've looked at pics of plants two weeks old and theyre all larger then mine! So no one has answered in a month, do my plants look average for their stage of growth? I've seen mega-monsters in two weeks and I only have little babies still.....

SOIL:
plants are ok right now, started them on ff grow big and big bloom, according to their feeding schedule. One of my plants has tiny brown spots on them, I think it might be from misting the room and water droplets landed on them, there is NO brown spots on the new leaf growth.

HYDRO:
Have two plants doing great. I have 4 in germination phase. Today is a resevoir change...... joy......

SOIL PLANT PROBLEM:
I have flying bugs in two of my soil cups, I've treated with one application of neem oil and soap, theyre still flying around. I have done research into neem oil. It claims the oil makes the bugs "forget" to eat, drink, sleep, screw, etc. So the directions report to apply for about a week. I need to get rid of these bugs before I can introduce these plants into my main grow room..... pain in the ass.... apparently the soap is supposed to kill soft bodied creatures......


pics in album!

[tikiroom]

Your plants do look like they have been stressed and are growing slow. This is why it is best to start with bagseed. Eventually you will find your rhythm, and learn alot along the way.
I do have a couple suggestions for your hydro setup though. First off those tubs are not light proof, if you were to hold the tub up to a light and look from the inside you will see this. Wrap the tub with some black duct tape or something else that will block all light out of the root zone/reservoir. This will help prevent algae growth and root rot. Second is get a water thermometer, and make sure the reservoir temp stays below 80F. (68F is ideal temp) Third is you want to get that rockwool down lower and completely covered up. Wet rockwool and direct light is a good recipe for algae growth. One last suggestion would be to start using Hygrozime in the reservoir, because you may already have some root rot. The Hygrozime worked awesome for me in getting rid of the dying roots and promoting healthy new growth. Also try to keep your hydro ph between 5.5-5.8.
Hope some of this helps you out.
Happy growing :smokin: