Between the change to a hydroponic method for at least some of your plants and the increased amount of light, you will have that plus faster growth.
Between the change to a hydroponic method for at least some of your plants and the increased amount of light, you will have that plus faster growth.
- Thread starter
- #422
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
TS: I appreciate that you aren't mad at me for disagreeing with you. Advice from growers of your calibre are so much help to old timers like myself, who grew up with soil grows and cheap off-the-shelf fertilizers. 
I will consider another brand IF
1) It is carried in my stores
2) It is economical to use
3) Doesn't require a complicated 3-part usage schedule.
I will consider another brand IF
1) It is carried in my stores
2) It is economical to use
3) Doesn't require a complicated 3-part usage schedule.
AKroughneck
New Member
Alaskahermit's First Bubbelicious Grow
So the 5 gallons of GH floranova I bought is a Monsanto product now?
Sent from my iPhone using 420
So the 5 gallons of GH floranova I bought is a Monsanto product now?
Sent from my iPhone using 420
Yea... I keep a shop vac plugged in over in the corner of my shed. It's use is quite common as I tend to be a bit oafish.
Soon you'll have holes in all your buckets and you'll have to use a piece of duct tape.
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- #425
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
Here is a tour of the grow room as of today.
Hempy in progress. There will be a lot more water in the bowl when I wash the next plant.
Hempys in one grow area.
Don't know why this one rotated. All I did was resize.
Hempys in flower
And a shot of BBL #4 in flower. No room to tie down the two outer branches, but there are three more with flowers in the middle, down low. They just took off for the sky on their own.
Three OGKs, now 5 months old, still in juvenile pots. These will go into hempys, of various sizes, however I can stretch what I have left.
Hempy in progress. There will be a lot more water in the bowl when I wash the next plant.
Hempys in one grow area.
Don't know why this one rotated. All I did was resize.
Hempys in flower
And a shot of BBL #4 in flower. No room to tie down the two outer branches, but there are three more with flowers in the middle, down low. They just took off for the sky on their own.
Three OGKs, now 5 months old, still in juvenile pots. These will go into hempys, of various sizes, however I can stretch what I have left.
Well done AKgramma. Jump right into the water! 
- Thread starter
- #427
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
I figured, as long as I had this big bag of Perlite in my tiny grow room, I had better use all of it. At least all my old clones will get up-potted! I pretty much cleared out one veg unit! And the waste baskets are the right shape and size to use all my space efficiently.
The bins were great, while I had just a few plants, but the poor juveniles got stacked up, waiting for room. Now everyone will be happy.
The bins were great, while I had just a few plants, but the poor juveniles got stacked up, waiting for room. Now everyone will be happy.
- Thread starter
- #428
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
Just had a thought... where the HELL am I going to put them all when they grow into the 4 gallon containers?
I would be far more likely to be "mad" (okay... mildly annoyed
) at someone who unthinkingly agreed with me than I would be at someone who, after thinking about it (whatever the topic happened to be), chose to disagree. Besides, it's difficult to learn new things if everyone just thinks (or "thinks" ) the same thoughts/ideas/concepts.I am certainly no expert.
Not a fan of mail-order, I take it? That does present a challenge. Especially since I have no idea where you live exactly (nor would I wish you to divulge such personal information!), lol.
There are acceptable one-part nutrient products, and some of them are said to be fine for cannabis and its specific needs. Or, at least, one part for the vegetative phase and one part for flowering (which I suppose would still qualify). But there really are a couple of good reasons for the existence of multi-part nutrient products. Generally, those with three parts have a grow, a bloom, and a "micro" component. The micro is added to the water first, because it contains ingredients that will mix with the other ingredients and form insoluble (IOW, will not dissolve in water) compounds otherwise. One can actually see them precipitate out of the solution in many cases. This is probably especially evident with hydroponic nutrients, because they must supply everything that a plant needs. Having a separate grow and bloom component is helpful not only because cannabis' nutrient requirements differ from one phase to the other, but also because its needs vary somewhat from one strain to another. Therefore, with multi-part nutrients, one need not settle for something that is "good enough" but can, instead, get the most out of each strain/plant that their amount of light and other environmental conditions allow that plant to deliver (in terms of yield, potency/effect, flavor, and aroma).
I realize that mixing nutrients can be a RPitA. I have been wondering (for I am no longer so young, myself
) if there might be a way to rig up dispensers of some sort. Not a costly automated dosing system (there are already such products - and they work great - but who wants to spend $100+ on one when that will buy a month's or more worth of groceries?), but just something that a person can use to aid them in mixing their own. Like... Well, I once worked at a place that used chemical products (NOT for growing plants, lol, as they would kill them deader than last Christmas) which came in 35-gallon and 55-gallon drums, and we had these hand pump gizmos that sat in the drums. Push down on one and get a measured amount of product. Obviously, we are not dealing with containers of that size - and those devices wouldn't give a specific enough measurement. But it would be nice if a person could "push down" one time for a young plant, twice for a medium-sized one, and three times for a "tree" (or one which was a nutrient hog). That'd be a lot easier for folks with physical limitations (/age) than having to measure out two or three different (relatively) tiny amounts. IDK, I'm just rambling.As I previously mentioned, I no longer recommend General Hydroponics nutrients in general. However... Several years ago, a thing called the "Lucas Formula" was popular (and I suspect that some still use it). The original recipe used two parts of the GH Flora three-part nutrient product line. That simplified things. There was a later modification specifically for coco growers that used a slightly different ratio along with a little bit of a calcium/magnesium product (or Epsom salt if one had water that was already loaded with calcium), due to the unique characteristics of coco coir when used as a medium. But the reason that I bring up both GH and the Lucas Forumla is because there is a version which uses one part of General Hydroponics' two-part FloraNova series - simply add 8 ml per gallon of water and feed, lol. IIRC, that was said to be the easiest way to use "Lucas" - but not the cheapest. For cheapest (at the time, anyway), it was recommended to use a dry GH product called MaxiBloom (there is also a MaxiGro), which comes in 2.2-pound packages, a 16-pound bucket, and also some rather large sizes. I think the general "Lucas" recommendation for that was add 7 grams per gallon of water (as it is a dry product, some people would mix it into a cup of warm water and pour that into the rest of a gallon of water - maybe so they didn't have to shake it much, IDK), then adjust the pH as per normal.
I don't think that the Lucas Formula provided a perfect ratio of nutrients for all strains/plants - and that opinion seems to be shared by others who have since "moved on." But it was simple, easy, and many people undoubtedly still use it. And as for cheap, lol... I just saw the 2.2-pound package advertised for $14.75 ($6.70/pound) and the 16-pound bucket for $67.85 ($4.24/pound). There are just shy of 454 grams in a pound, so mixing at 7 grams per gallon means that a little money goes a long way. However, you might have to order this product off the Internet (or email GH and ask for a sample - which might be enough for a small grow (or two)). I live in a smallish town and have seen it in the past at one of our nursery/gardening (NOT "hydroponics" - which we don't have) stores, but if you live in a very rural area this might not be the case.
BtW, I bet the strain you are growing would work in "hempies" made from 2-liter pop bottles if you were willing to "lollipop" your plants (trim off the undergrowth and extra stems, so that you are left with just one (or very few) stem(s), so that the plants could be placed much closer together). How many of those bottles do you suppose you could pack into your flowering room at one time, lol?
Yep <SIGH>. It's a shame, too. General Hydroponics was probably the first major hydroponics nutrient that didn't actually require ordering all the individual ingredients from a scientific supply house and making it yourself. A lot of people thought he was anti-cannabis. But he actually got his start way back in the 1970s. He had established personal connections with renowned botanists and chemists, and he was mixing up his own nutrients to grow cannabis on his back porch, lol. A coworker said, "Hey, that stuff is so good, you ought to quit your job(*) and start selling it to other growers."
(*) At the time, he was employed by the National Lab at Berkeley. Only the best and brightest have ever had the opportunity to work there (although the joke about having to have a PHD to be a janitor there is... just a joke :rolleyes3 ). He was a technical and scientific coordinator and participated on numerous projects, including cryogenics for particle accelerators, both geothermal and solar power projects, magnetic fusion and superconducting magnets. So, while this hydroponics / cannabis stuff isn't exactly rocket science, lol...
He has several patents to his name. I strongly suspect that his perceived anti-cannabis stance stemmed from the reputation that his products had (at least at the time) for being some of the best things that one could possibly use to grow cannabis with, which by inference sort of gave his company a bit of a "murky" reputation at a time when many - not just growers but even completely innocent gardening store owners/employees - were being hassled, raided, arrested, prosecuted, and persecuted... which was also a time when Larry was trying to get people to grow their edible fruits and vegetables with his products (a use for which they work very well), sponsoring many projects throughout the world and especially in places where the ground was polluted and not the best choice for something to grow one's food in, and... having his products be used by the folks at NASA. So he meant his products to be used for more than "just" growing cannabis. And he was undoubtedly annoyed when those products were mentioned in conversation and the response was, "Don't people use that stuff to grow dope with?" when his main goal was (IIRC) to help create a world in which we could actually feed everyone, and do so whilst lessening the impact on the environment. But he knew all about our favorite plant, lol. I mentioned that he has multiple patents. Some of those are related to his work in hydroponics and plant nutrition - but at least two of them relate to the transdermal delivery of cannabis.
As far as I know, the rumors that surfaced 20+ years ago that he was one of the "anonymous" authors of a few articles that appeared in High Times back in the '70s/'80s... are unconfirmed.
Err... I'm rambling again, aren't I?
- Thread starter
- #431
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
TS: If I were to order nutes off the Internet, it most likely would have to be in dry form to save in postage. A lot of companies still think Alaska is an International postal destination, and charge a horrendous amount of postage, or don't mail to Alaska at all. I looked and saw that SNS is all liquid, and, altho I prefer liquid concentrates, if its going to go through the postal service, I prefer it be dry.
BTW, go ahead and ramble. I enjoy the education!
BTW, go ahead and ramble. I enjoy the education!
- Thread starter
- #432
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
duplicate post deleted
- Thread starter
- #433
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
OGKs in hempy. I just finished using up the vermiculite. Didn't have enough for the final 4 gallon basket, so used a 2 gallon snack jar instead, sprayed black. I was a tad short, so I used aquarium gravel and Perlite for the reservoir and Perlite, vermiculite, and a few scoops of my soil mix to fill the jar.
I think that will work, even tho the small one is a bit of a mix of mediums. Mostly Perlite-Vermicultie, though.
I now have no stunted juveniles left. I hope the baby clones survive.
I think that will work, even tho the small one is a bit of a mix of mediums. Mostly Perlite-Vermicultie, though.
I now have no stunted juveniles left. I hope the baby clones survive.
- Thread starter
- #434
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
OGKs in hempy. I just finished up the vermiculite. Didn't have enough for the final 4 gallon basket, so used a 2 gallon snack jar instead, sprayed black. I was a tad short, so I used aquarium gravel and Perlite for the reservoir and Perlite, vermiculite, and a few scoops of my soil mix to fill the jar.
I think that will work, even tho the small one is a bit of a mix of mediums. Mostly Perlite-Vermicultie, though.
I now have no stunted juveniles left. I hope the baby clones survive.
I think that will work, even tho the small one is a bit of a mix of mediums. Mostly Perlite-Vermicultie, though.
I now have no stunted juveniles left. I hope the baby clones survive.
You are definitely making progress! I had a little setback because I measured twice before I cut once... but forgot to measure my ceiling height, lol.
I probably would have tried to figure out a way to leave the soil out, since cannabis grown in soil has a different optimum pH than when it is grown in coco or other soilless/hydroponic medium. But it will probably be okay.
If they don't, remember that you can still take cuttings (and root them) even when the "mother" is in the flowering phase. They might take a little longer to root, and you might see some odd looking leaves at first, but it's no big deal.
NOTE to SELF: The next time you refuse to kill any spiders inside your home for an entire year, or even to remove their egg sacks because you always heard that they were great insect killers... be prepared to eventually encounter hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny little baby spiders everywhere, to the point that the "loose hair" you see dangling from your forehead... is a web strand with a baby carnivore hanging from it.
- Thread starter
- #436
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
TS: My soil mix is mostly sand and vermiculite anyway, so the 2 gallon jar only got about 1 cup of actual Black Gold potting soil. I don't think that little is going to hurt anything. I had to get the medium hihg enough to support the plant.
When I washed the OGKs I discovered why they were so small at 5 months. Altho their roots were long, the root mass was about half of that of the BBLs. They were healthy, tho. I expect the OGKs in the 4 gallon containers will take off and become nicer plants than their mother ever was. The 4 gallon is 30% bigger than I have ever used before.
The grow this year, so far is superior to last year, because I have added more lights and a regular feeding schedule, once a week. This is the MG all-purpose liquid diluted to about half the strength suggested on the bottle. Even then, in soil, I water first, then top off with about a quart of nute water per adult plant. So I'm really not giving them much. The next watering 2 days down the line washes the nute formula to the lower part of the "pots".
I imagine this system will work for the hempys, esp with the reservoirs. that will hold the nutes longer. I'll make a change, tho. I'll give the nute water FIRST, then water, so they get that first dose quickly. What I am using now are 3x the height of the former bins, so I have to take that into consideration when feeding.
For those of you who contemplate transplanting from soil to Perlite, it works, even when you vigorously swish the roots around in water to wash the soil off. My transplants were 5 months old, and didn't suffer so much as one leaf lost. No wilt, either. They took to the Perlite-vermiculite exceptionally well. Even the first one I did in all Perlite never skipped a beat.
TS: Yes, I have cloned even in flower successfully. I used to clone in soil, so I had to watch for mites or mold when the cuttings took weeks to root. Lost two whole batches over winter, but come Spring, cloning was very easy. And I'll have a lot of large, healthy plants to clone from this time. Hoping to keep the OGKs going for another year at least.
When I washed the OGKs I discovered why they were so small at 5 months. Altho their roots were long, the root mass was about half of that of the BBLs. They were healthy, tho. I expect the OGKs in the 4 gallon containers will take off and become nicer plants than their mother ever was. The 4 gallon is 30% bigger than I have ever used before.
The grow this year, so far is superior to last year, because I have added more lights and a regular feeding schedule, once a week. This is the MG all-purpose liquid diluted to about half the strength suggested on the bottle. Even then, in soil, I water first, then top off with about a quart of nute water per adult plant. So I'm really not giving them much. The next watering 2 days down the line washes the nute formula to the lower part of the "pots".
I imagine this system will work for the hempys, esp with the reservoirs. that will hold the nutes longer. I'll make a change, tho. I'll give the nute water FIRST, then water, so they get that first dose quickly. What I am using now are 3x the height of the former bins, so I have to take that into consideration when feeding.
For those of you who contemplate transplanting from soil to Perlite, it works, even when you vigorously swish the roots around in water to wash the soil off. My transplants were 5 months old, and didn't suffer so much as one leaf lost. No wilt, either. They took to the Perlite-vermiculite exceptionally well. Even the first one I did in all Perlite never skipped a beat.
TS: Yes, I have cloned even in flower successfully. I used to clone in soil, so I had to watch for mites or mold when the cuttings took weeks to root. Lost two whole batches over winter, but come Spring, cloning was very easy. And I'll have a lot of large, healthy plants to clone from this time. Hoping to keep the OGKs going for another year at least.
Wow!
I really need to get off my ass and write some letters.
Lol. I did not, at the time, realize that many nutrient companies routinely give away samples. It's better, if a person cannot afford nutrients and wishes to try for some, to contact one company, wait for a response, and then contact another if they have no success with the first (and so on). IMHO.
- Thread starter
- #440
AKgramma
Well-Known Member
Again rearranged veg areas to maximum my use of space. Much easier with the waste baskets than with the bins. I learned , using the bins, that I had the headroom to grow in taller, narrower containers.
I've mixed up two gallons of nutes, since the hempys will require more liguid to get to the reservoirs. I read on Tead's journal, that he uses 1/2 gallon for each plant. I used only a quart in each soil bin, after a thorough watering. New medium, new methods!
I've mixed up two gallons of nutes, since the hempys will require more liguid to get to the reservoirs. I read on Tead's journal, that he uses 1/2 gallon for each plant. I used only a quart in each soil bin, after a thorough watering. New medium, new methods!