Alexjay's Confusing Grow!

[Alexjay]

Hi guys.
Some of you may have already helped me out in other threads, but hello to everyone else!
I decided a few weeks ago I'd take the plunge and try a little grow myself...

So I picked Royal Queen Seeds Easy bud to start off with. Easy right... Well, I've had a couple of problems already!

Indoor grow still in veg stage, been going for around 3 weeks now.
Started off as seeds, sprouted in a dark damp paper towel and the seedlings were grown on my windowsill.
The light I'm using is a 125w cfl in a small bedside cabinet space (grow tent still in the post!)
Cheap pots no drainage (sorting this tomorrow!!)
No airflow / fan (in the post!)
Soil cheap - Westland Multi Purpose Compost With John Innes - 50L at Homebase -- Be inspired and make your house a home. Buy now. (first one I found)
Water straight from tap (no idea on pH)
No pests, no ferts, lots of watering issues!...

So as you can see, lots of brackets, lots of mistakes, lots for newbie-ness. Shame on me!!!! lol

I've done so much reading up that everything ended up contradicting the other, so I decided to call 420 my home and take advice from this place and this place only! Anyway on with the photos!

So these were the earlier days, I think maybe a week after peeping through the soil...

But then I did a noob. Overwatered one and it started to turn a little brown! A quick repot and careful watering later.... (have never removed leaves or stressed the plant on purpose!)

We're back on track, right? Oh apart from it's sister decided to grow in a strange shape....

So another week or so passed, I kept the watering to a safe level due to my mistakes and having sealed pots... Saw some decent growth and the strange growing one went crazy and sprouted fan leaves from everywhere....

This weekend however was a turn for the worse
I watered Friday night, and the soil seemed very dry Saturday day time, and it was quite hot in my little cabinet... So I re-watered...

Poor little fella is fighting, lack of airflow, too much water and to close to the light stung her. Thanks to all in my previous threads for pointing bits out to me, feel free to help in here too

Her sister currently looks like this.....

And this is their temporary home until the tent arrives...

I've got to say it's been pretty fun so far! Ups and downs but it's all really enjoyable and interesting.
Thanks for reading this, I'm open to all advice from you guys and hopefully we can get these into happy little budders!!

 

[Mello136]

First post!! I hope older grower can still see behind me or i'll have to move. You'll be fine Alex. Looks like a great veg box. I don't see holes in the box for air flow, you need it. Also, you can start LST'ing them for bigger yields. Info in my sig if you need it and you definitely need to have drainage holes in the pots or water will just sit in there with the roots too long and drown them.

 

[Emilya Green]

Good job on starting the journal, and now we will all be able to see the full lifespan and progression of these plants, all to be able to better help you if you get into trouble again. I look forward to watching both you and the plants grow, and to see your garden flourish!

I mentioned pH on the other thread and even though I knew it wasn't the problem this time, I do want you to think about getting a way to measure and adjust your pH. Your little plant's needs right now are primarily nitrogen and they are able to get that easily out of your soil throughout a wide range of pH levels, and rarely do pH problems show up in early veg because of this. As the plant matures however, her nutritional needs also get more complicated, and the mobility of nutrients becomes an important consideration, making it more and more important as time goes on to adjust all fluids to the proper pH.

That's all I can offer right now... be patient with your babies while they recover from the sealed container problem, and I am sure you will be well on your way to a successful harvest. Good luck!

 

[veinz]

temp to high

 

[Emilya Green]

temp to high

I have to also agree with this... temperature is your secondary problem. Optimum temp is 79°F... Much over 85° and you are pushing it.

 

[Alexjay]

Thanks for the replies fellas.
Drainage holes are now sorted! Managed to pick up some bigger pots for their final homes too, think they're about 8".
I've removed a drawer from the cabinet for temp air flow until my fan arrives, and it seems to have cooled things down a bit too!

Also had a little go at LST'ing, how's this looking?

They still seem to be growing despite my accidents!!

 

[Mello136]

Fantastic job AJ!!! Glad you got the heat and drainage situated. What size pots did you pick up?

 

[Alexjay]

Hi Mellow I think they're 8" pots.
I'm flying abroad for a week today so I repotted them yesterday! Looking healthy now I think?

 

[Emilya Green]

I would have filled the container with soil, but very good... looking much better!

 

[Alexjay]

Hey guys! So I'm back from my trip. First thing I do is look at my babies and wow! They've done lots of growing!

Really pleased with how their coming along!
They've developed some slight discolouration on a few leaves tho. At first I thought it was because they got too close to the light, but now I'm thinking lack of nutrients?
I have some advance nutrition big bud but little scared to use it at the minute incase I'm wrong, what do we think?

 

[Emilya Green]

I see heat stress... lots of it. I see no indication that you need nutes... I see instead what looks like a magnesium deficiency... let's get your pH locked in to the right place before you start adding more complication to the mix. 6.5 every time.

 

[Alexjay]

Ahh okay they grew very close to the light, shall drop them down again. Surprised at how quickly they're growing to be honest, didn't expect it!

My water is nearly bang on pH 7, will dropping it help with the magnesium deficiency?

 

[Mello136]

6.5 is the ideal, so yes, drop it some. At 7 your loosing out on 2 important minerals. Here is a chart to help you out a bit:

 

[Mello136]

And I think that is a heat problem again, they were smaller the last time we adjusted this issue. After the adjustment they grew plenty and now they need more air circulating in order to avoid the heat stress. Adjust this and see how they respond and report back here to let us know. The clawing up of the leaves let's us now this. It kind of mimicks a nute problem sometimes.

 

[Mello136]

Also, those containers need more soil for the space the roots are going to need to grow in there.

 

[Alexjay]

Excellent advice again guys thank you. Should have an update mid week
Got my fan set up on a timer, spent a little more money on bits n pieces... All the new growth is looking healthy again! Pop back in a few days!!

 

[Mello136]

See you then!

 

[Alexjay]

So my little guys have finally moven to their proper home!

New 6" fan for airflow, topped up the pots with a little extra soil, n hopefully got the pH right with a little pH down from the aquatics shop!

New growth is looking pretty healthy I think?

Also planted a new seed, it will have to go in the small cupboard when the other two eventually flower but hopefully I won't screw that one us as much haha!

 

[Emilya Green]

new growth is looking good! little tent looks good too.

 

[Alexjay]

So my plants are autoflowering variety, and I can now see the little white sugary pistils coming through.
Should I be switching to my 2700k bulb and going 12/12?

Seems a little early cause the plants are still rather small?