Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

Looking good Antics - nice comeback !

Just checking in, since my first harvest is done and you gave me a LOT of help along the way. I have to say, between the OJT, and all the help, the second grow is not only looking much better from the get-go, but I'm having fun with it also.
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

Glad the new growth is continuing mate. I'm currently waiting on my seeds to pop right now, so I can start my grow ^.^ Swing by and check it out mate!
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

jinn said:
Sweetsue you can use organic nutes too, Like BP has their standard hydro lineup, and a organic kit too. Great for hempy grows. And coco/perlite comes out alot cheaper than soil does.
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My interest lies in creating a living organic soil that will grow the plant instead of me trying to feed the plant. For me that means nothing packaged in a bottle and sold as nutes. It's not an elitist viewpoint, just an expression of what my grandparents taught me about organic gardening and the uses of ACTs and natural, organic amendments. It's really almost like growing soil as a pet (this idea really appeals to my husband, the frustrated zoologist who raises carnivorous pitcher plants like pets). I'm romanced by the idea of soil that doesn't get tilled and grows stronger with each grow. The initial investment in LOS pays off when you get it going and won't have to do more than the occasional SST or ACT, mulch and top dress, using plant materials I gather on my walks through our town and vermicompost I harvest from the worms that recycle my kitchen waste. The simplicity of this approach resonates with the aging hippie I proudly identify as. I suspect that the financial investment going forward will diminish to the point that it becomes negligible. I'm new at this, so time will tell.

Then there's the fact that the harvested cannabis is absolutely incredible in taste and potency and never has to be flushed. Just cut, dry, cure and medicate.

Not to disparage an alternative approach that others are satisfied with. This is my personal choice. I love the smell and feel of a healthy soil. I find mulch that looks like a forest floor to be a thing of beauty. I've always been an artist and texture, color, line - these things excite me. The idea of worms helping to grow my cannabis excites me. The entire process involved in the soil food web fascinates me. I guess I'm a bit weird like that, but hey, that's ok with me. :laughtwo:
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

Your new leaf growth looks promising Antics. Question: do you always top off the soil as the plants grow? My understanding is that this would interfere with the growth of the plant. Stem is vastly different from root and is meant to be above the ground level. My approach was to gently tip the plant out of the pot, add more soil to the bottom to lift the plant, then gently sift and pack in around the edges to fill the open space. Essentially a modified transplant. It's important to try and time it so you're ahead of the root growth spreading to the sides of the pot, and the better quality the soil the better your results, but I've had great success with it both with rescued house plants and the two cannabis plants I rescued this year. It's always been my practice to try to fill the pot to the top from the beginning.
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

as an indoor grower, I cannot make my own soil, but I am firmly in the organic camp and will not use synthetics at all. I like the idea of recycling the soil I use, but I thought that was a big no-no from what I've read on here - guess I'll have to experiment..
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

theengineer said:
as an indoor grower, I cannot make my own soil, but I am firmly in the organic camp and will not use synthetics at all. I like the idea of recycling the soil I use, but I thought that was a big no-no from what I've read on here - guess I'll have to experiment..
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I'm curious as to why you can't make your own soil? I'm an indoor grower as well, three stories up in a tiny apartment, and I'm cooking soil now.
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

BlinKey said:
The second picture looks like a bonsai, Bonsai Cannabis :) Your new growth looks very promising. Hope all will go smoother from now on brother!!!
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Equanimity said:
Strange, the word Bonsai popped into my head as well when I saw that pic.



Regarding the Myco, I put it in before the seed went in, I'm not sure what kinda results you'd get this far in, since it can take a few weeks to colonise the soil/coir, so i wouldn't really suggest it for this grow unless your transplanting, and in that case I'd say prepare the pot, with the myco, and let it bed in for a week before you transplant (I've never tested this though)
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I seem to have that effect on them.. my last plants looked very much like bonsai trees too lol.
Hmm if it's something to add before planting, then I think you're right and the results might not be what I'd want, so I'll probably just wait until the next grow. Thanks man! I figure I can get the mycorrhizae started when I plant the seed in my starter pot, and by the time I transplant the mycorrhizae should be ready in the final pot.

Regor said:
Looking good Antics - nice comeback !

Just checking in, since my first harvest is done and you gave me a LOT of help along the way. I have to say, between the OJT, and all the help, the second grow is not only looking much better from the get-go, but I'm having fun with it also.
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Thanks man! I'll head over to your new grow now to check it out :thumb:

jinn said:
Glad the new growth is continuing mate. I'm currently waiting on my seeds to pop right now, so I can start my grow ^.^ Swing by and check it out mate!
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Same here brother! I'll head over to your new journal and sub up so I can follow your progress :thumb:

Sphnx said:
Duuude that new growth is looking great!
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Thanks man!

Sweetsue said:
Your new leaf growth looks promising Antics. Question: do you always top off the soil as the plants grow? My understanding is that this would interfere with the growth of the plant. Stem is vastly different from root and is meant to be above the ground level. My approach was to gently tip the plant out of the pot, add more soil to the bottom to lift the plant, then gently sift and pack in around the edges to fill the open space. Essentially a modified transplant. It's important to try and time it so you're ahead of the root growth spreading to the sides of the pot, and the better quality the soil the better your results, but I've had great success with it both with rescued house plants and the two cannabis plants I rescued this year. It's always been my practice to try to fill the pot to the top from the beginning.
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No, this will be my first time topping off the soil. I've seen several growers say that with younger plants that have stretched, they can bury the stem up to where it needs to be, and the stem will just push out roots, so I'm kind of assuming the case would be the same here.

Tipping the plant out of the pot is probably not an option, this is about a 5.5-6 gallon pot, with 5 gallons of soil in it, I would bet money that attempting that would cause the soil to break apart, and tear my roots to shreds.
I normally fill my pots within 1-2" of the top, allowing that extra space for flushing, but I have room for a few inches of soil that I planned to add later on, so this wasn't accidental lol.

skunnymonster said:
The recovery looks good buddy, the only advice I'd offer would be to remove all the damaged leaves :)
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Sphnx said:
Agreed :)
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Thanks, but disagreed! What would the reasoning be for removing damaged leaves, other than aesthetics? It was always my understanding that as long as the leaf was alive, it was beneficial to the plant. The leaves that are damaged now, it's only damage to the tops or edges, and the majority of the leaf is still alive and I assume functioning properly.

And as of this morning I have lowered the light to a height of 22.5" /57cm. I didn't plan this height, that's just where the light ended up lol. TopLED suggests a height of 18-24" for Veg (45.75-61cm)

I saw no curling since removing the 'bag shield' yesterday, so I'm taking another step forward to get everything back on track.
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

Looking better Antics glad you didn't give up, when you get farther down the road and you look back your gonna get a real good feeling, I know I do when I go into my room. It's like wow you have come so far almost a shame to chop you guys lol.

ON ANOTHER NOTE BOYS AND GIRLS DON'T FORGET TO GET YOUR ENTRY INTO HERBIES THERE DOING ANOTHER GIVEAWAY THIS MONTH WOULDN'T WANT SOMEBODY TO MISS THERE CHANCE AT SOME FREEBIES, GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

Kola320 said:
Looking better Antics glad you didn't give up, when you get farther down the road and you look back your gonna get a real good feeling, I know I do when I go into my room. It's like wow you have come so far almost a shame to chop you guys lol.

ON ANOTHER NOTE BOYS AND GIRLS DON'T FORGET TO GET YOUR ENTRY INTO HERBIES THERE DOING ANOTHER GIVEAWAY THIS MONTH WOULDN'T WANT SOMEBODY TO MISS THERE CHANCE AT SOME FREEBIES, GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL
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Thanks man! I hate giving up and admitting defeat, so I keep going and work my hardest until I either succeed, or I'm out of options.
And so far, it's looking like success :thumb:

Thanks for the heads up on the contest! I'm entered :rollit:
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

Hey Antics

Firstly I take my hat off to you for sticking with it and documenting so well. I must admit I haven't read all of the posts, just skimmed through.

I thought I would share some finding with you. I'm sure you may have come across this information either in a previous post, or somewhere else, but I thought i would share it anyway, just in case.

I have very hard water where I am from (0.5-0.6ec) and normally there is enough Cal/Mag in hard water that you do not need to supplement, or this is the advice that I got from web searching. But this information applies largely to Non-LED grows.

KingJohnC first bought it to my attention that when growing under LED the plants will require more Cal/Mag, something to do with nutrient uptake and plant perspiration ;) so this time around I have been adding 1/2 strength Plant Magic MagneCal+ (except in later flowering I went to full strength) and the difference is definitely noticeable, I had far fewer problems and deficiencies through the entire grow. I didn't see any sort of deficiency until later flowering, I then upped to full strength and that also went away.

This may help, or it may give you something to think about. Best of luck

Happy smoking my friend ;)
 
re: Antics Perpetual Learning Experience

Antics said:
Thanks, but disagreed! What would the reasoning be for removing damaged leaves, other than aesthetics? It was always my understanding that as long as the leaf was alive, it was beneficial to the plant. The leaves that are damaged now, it's only damage to the tops or edges, and the majority of the leaf is still alive and I assume functioning properly.

And as of this morning I have lowered the light to a height of 22.5" /57cm. I didn't plan this height, that's just where the light ended up lol. TopLED suggests a height of 18-24" for Veg (45.75-61cm)

I saw no curling since removing the 'bag shield' yesterday, so I'm taking another step forward to get everything back on track.
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For sure man! It's just habit for me to pull the damaged leaves, the plants seem to respond to it in a positive way. It's kinda like having a burnt limb cut off. It won't ever heal and it just feels better to be missing that part that was causing the pain (from what I hear... have a couple friends that have gone through some pretty gnarly accidents. It's the only thing I can really compare for that situation)

Best of growing to you my friend. Positive vibes your way all day brother.

Much love
 
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