Aspen's Alaskan Purple In Soil - 2022

[lootznbootz]

Thanks man, I always appreciate your insight and advice!

Speaking of, how about a SOG in a 3x3? How many plants do you suggest, how big of a pot? I already have a five pack of 3 gallon fabric pots, I'd just need to get more drainage trays if I were to use all of them. Do use netting like in a scrog? I'll definitely be reading up on sogs now.

I’ve never done a sog before unfortunately so I don’t have answers based on experience to give you.
I’ve toyed with the idea in the past and I think I arranged 9 1gal pots on my 3x3 floor.
My pots are in use at the moment otherwise I’d spread em out for you to show you.
3 gal fabric pots may do the trick but prove to be a tad bigger than you would like.
But I guess if you’re flipping them on the smaller side 3 gal could be just enough to start in those pots and ride them out to the finish.

Whenever I’ve envisioned a sog it would be ideally grown in solos then up pot to 1 gal and flipped soon after keeping an eye on space around each plant and doing what’s needed to train only the ones growing too tall but again this is all just how I see it in my head.

I’m SURE in your reading you will find much more technical and practical answers.
I’m always down to help out or at least get the conversation started ti get the ideas flowing

 

[Azimuth]

My understanding of a SOG is to bypass as much of the veg time as possible in order to run more rounds per year. So, with seeds, grow them until they are sexually mature and flip them. You end up with essentially just the top cola.

The challenge with seeds is that they can be all different heights which makes maxing out your lighting tough, but with clones that part's a bit easier.

 

[AspenCultivator]

Hmm yeah, I'm not sure I'm into the idea of a proper SOG by definition then. I've always gravitated towards bigger single plants.

For now, while I read and watch videos on it, I'll plan on having the two alaskan purples and the 3 blueberries and leave it at that. It'd be 5 plants in a 3x3 (if I keep the purples). Once the seeds arrive I can make a determination. At any rate, I won't be stuck with battling old seed and I'll have a much more powerful light so hopefully things will start cruising.

 

[Azimuth]

Sounds good. And be sure to properly store your new seeds once you get them. Here's how I do mine.

 

[AspenCultivator]

Sounds good. And be sure to properly store your new seeds once you get them. Here's how I do mine.

Thanks Azimuth! I came across that post (maybe you posted it in another journal somewhere) and I realized right then I was storing them completely wrong. I do have some amber jars kicking around not storing anything so I'll put the new seeds in those and in the fridge asap!

 

[AspenCultivator]

Day 30 - Water and Feed
Hello everyone and Happy Monday. The cups were ready for some water today and since they didn't get fed last watering, they got fed this one. I also spent considerable time rearranging the tent, running wiring, velcroing wiring, and getting everything ready for a new lighting system and new seeds. But before all that:

Mixed up 1/2 gallon of 82*F water with full strength week 2 Fox Farms dirty dozen:

Big Bloom - 15mL
Grow Big - 2.5mL
Boomerang - 2.5mL
Kangaroots - 2.5mL
Microbe Brew - 2.5mL

PH: 6.4
PPM: 738

Surprisingly I didn't need any PH down at all this time which is cool. I even double checked the calibration just to make sure and it's still dead on. Watering was done same as every other, slowly, 10mL at a time. They both took 80mL to get a bit of runoff, which is again the same as all the other times.

Growth is still slow, and #1 has slowed down considerably. #2 is developing nicely. I can see that the light was too high a few weeks ago as the node distance on both between the 2nd and 3rd nodes is a bit stretched. However this seems to have been corrected as I did get the lights down to 18" and further node development is quite compact.

Alaskan Purple #1 Day 30

• AspenCultivator
• Dec 26, 2022

Alaskan Purple #2 Day 30

• AspenCultivator
• Dec 26, 2022

Alaskan Purple #1 and #2 Day 30

• AspenCultivator
• Dec 26, 2022

New tent arrangement

• AspenCultivator
• Dec 26, 2022

I couldn't be bothered to take a better pic of the tent, but there's no more shelf unit in the back so now I have plenty of room to run at least 3 plants. I should be receiving the KS2500 in 2 days so of course when it's in and up I'll grab a better pic.

Lastly, the 3 blueberry seeds I started soaking yesterday have made their way into a papertowel and in a plastic bag on top of my heating mat inside the tent. The bag is covered with foil so the beans are in total darkness. Two of them had cracked with a bit of tap root showing, and the third sunk but didn't appear to be open. I suspect all 3 will be in nursery cups tomorrow morning.

Thanks for coming in! We're getting ready for some big things...but in the meantime we have two extremely slow alaskan purples and maybe 3 new sprouts to watch.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the mosquito bits worked really well last watering. I'm only seeing 12 or so gnats on the yellow card, and today I didn't see anything buzzing around the tent as I was moving everything around. I do believe our gnat problem has been corrected for now.

 

[Azimuth]

How are your temps, high and low for a typical day?

And also how are you determining when they need water?

Edit: NM. I see you answered both questions already on the previous page. I'm just trying to think of what's holding those things back.

 

[AspenCultivator]

How are your temps, high and low for a typical day?

And also how are you determining when they need water?

Edit: NM. I see you answered both questions already on the previous page. I'm just trying to think of what's holding those things back.

I'd love to know too! Literally the thing I keep coming back to is old/improperly stored seed. The enzymes inside the cotyledons and inside the seed husk just weren't viable due to the storage conditions (which will be rectified moving forward when the new seed comes in). And that's what the seedling uses to feed itself before the first set of true leaves come in. That's the only thing I can think of.

The blueberry is old seed as well, so I am most likely going to feed them very very early. Well, that is, if they pop. If they can get above ground I'll probably feed from the first set instead of waiting.

 

[Azimuth]

I can see old seed being a start-up issue but once they're growing the environment and nutes should kick in. Maybe they're just begging you for a SIP.

Anyway, hope you get things turned around. Your 80* temps seem fine although mid to high 80*s are preferable and it looks like you're maxing out at just about 80*F. Anyway you can get that up to 86ish?

 

[AspenCultivator]

I can see old seed being a start-up issue but once they're growing the environment and nutes should kick in. Maybe they're just begging you for a SIP.

Anyway, hope you get things turned around. Your 80* temps seem fine although mid to high 80*s are preferable and it looks like you're maxing out at just about 80*F. Anyway you can get that up to 86ish?

Lol maybe so on the SIP. Now that there's room in the tent, it wouldn't be difficult to put one together and see what it can do. Gives me something to think about, anyway.

As for the temp...maybe. I have a plug-in heat thingy for use under an office desk. I can take a look at it and see if it'll be good to put in the tent. It's electric and I'm weary of putting a heating element inside the tent. I'm not sure if it has a thermostat, auto shut off, etc. I'll take a look.

I had some blurple strip lights for each shelf and now that they're out of the tent my max temp is 75, not 80 like it was. Perhaps with the new light I'll get some more heat. I can either hang the driver outside of the tent or just put it inside. Once it's up and in the tent for a couple of days I can see what everything stabilizes at. I appreciate your input!

 

[Azimuth]

As for the temp...maybe. I have a plug-in heat thingy for use under an office desk. I can take a look at it and see if it'll be good to put in the tent. It's electric and I'm weary of putting a heating element inside the tent. I'm not sure if it has a thermostat, auto shut off, etc. I'll take a look.

I grew in a cabinet in my basement for a whole and had to use a small electric heater during the winter. The one I had had a thermostat and worked pretty well in that small space. There was an automatic shut-off if the heater was jostled.

Perhaps with the new light I'll get some more heat. I can either hang the driver outside of the tent or just put it inside.

Leaving the driver in the tent could help. These plants will grow in lower temps but growth definitely slows way down.

 

[AspenCultivator]

I grew in a cabinet in my basement for a whole and had to use a small electric heater during the winter. The one I had had a thermostat and worked pretty well in that small space. There was an automatic shut-off if the heater was jostled.


Leaving the driver in the tent could help. These plants will grow in lower temps but growth definitely slows way down.

I have a Honeywell HCE311V that does have all that so I could put it in the tent and see if it'll heat the space.

You know, I got to thinking about something that hasn't really been talked about in this journal yet: grow light. I've mentioned what it is, but haven't actually dived in to the particulars. The light pictured in the tent in the update today is an HLG100V2 3000k spectrum. There are only 192 LEDs in the whole thing and draws only 100w from the wall. I'm curious if the 3000k spectrum is what's holding them back? Typically you'd want a higher kelvin (4 or 5000k) for germination and veg, and I'm not sure my light even has those temps. I remember specifically buying this light to supplement a previous HLG light only during flower, not power the entire grow by itself.

So that makes me even more excited for the new light to come in because it has all kinds of IR, red, 3000k, 5000k leds. In fact it has 576 leds and pulls 250w from the wall. Perhaps with the higher temp leds (5000k) there might be some improvement? At the very least once the new seeds get in I'll know I have fresh seed and one of the best lights for a 3x3, so we should be set.

 

[AspenCultivator]

Hmm, alright @Azimuth I've read through a lot of the SIP club thread and honestly, idk why I wouldn't go for it. Can I ask you some questions here? I'm going to keep reading the main thread so if I run into the answers I'll edit my post.

I'm in a 3x3 and would like to grow at least 2 plants in this tent, in 5 gallon buckets. In a bucket that size are 2 plants going to be too much?

Edit: I've made it to page 20 now and definitely want to use 5 gallon buckets. Just 2, if my tent is big enough. The plan for now is to get 2 five gallon buckets then 2 five quart buckets for the res. 1/2 PVC for the fill tube, using a coupler. Hydroton only in the spot where the overflow is, otherwise packed with soil up to the res, then firmed normally.

I'm sure this has been asked in the thread but for the sake of asking it anyway, am I still good with Fox Farm nutes? One of the main things holding me back from entertaining the idea is the fact I already have soil, nutes, and fabric pots. I'm already gonna be in trouble telling the Mrs. I need more 'stuff' for this grow, and if I can't use the dirty dozen nutes I bought we can forget about it haha!

Along with that, how exactly would I convert the nute schedule over to SIP land? If the synth nutes are fine (honestly I just want to use them up then switch to something else later) the schedule is feed every other watering. But if the plants need water once a day, are you feeding full strength every other day?

That's it for now...I think the idea at this point is to get some solo-sips going for the blueberry (thanks for the explanation on those Azimuth!) and start getting material together to build 2, maybe 3 of them. Thanks for all your help

 

[Azimuth]

Can I ask you some questions here?

Of course. Fire away.

I'm in a 3x3 and would like to grow at least 2 plants in this tent, in 5 gallon buckets. In a bucket that size are 2 plants going to be too much?

That's going to depend on how long you veg for. I flower two at a time in a space that's 3' (1m) wide and tall x half that deep in 2 gallon buckets. I veg for 6 weeks. @Buds Buddy is going to do one plant in a 4x8 I think and plans to veg I think he said 8 weeks.

The plan for now is to get 2 five gallon buckets then 2 five quart buckets for the res.

You can do it all in one bucket. In fact I've converted all of mine over from the false floor design to the inverted, dome style because I get better roots that way. But both styles grow great plants.

am I still good with Fox Farm nutes?

Yep. Bring your nutes and your mix with you as the SIP pot seems to work with most combinations.

Along with that, how exactly would I convert the nute schedule over to SIP land? If the synth nutes are fine (honestly I just want to use them up then switch to something else later) the schedule is feed every other watering. But if the plants need water once a day, are you feeding full strength every other day?

You'd just do it the same way you'd do it in a normal pot. In early veg I don't fill the reservoir but try to just give them the amount they'll use over 2-3 days. I use a dip stick to judge the water level. So, whatever your normal schedule is will translate over.

That's it for now...I think the idea at this point is to get some solo-sips going for the blueberry (thanks for the explanation on those Azimuth!) and start getting material together to build 2, maybe 3 of them. Thanks for all your help

Happy to help. I'm just trying to spread the love for these things. They've been around for decades and for the life of me I can't understand why they're not more popular. You'll see what I mean once you get going. You just became a better grower simply by switching pot designs, and literally doing nothing else.

Welcome aboard. I know you'll enjoy the ride!

 

[Buds Buddy]

Of course. Fire away.


That's going to depend on how long you veg for. I flower two at a time in a space that's 3' (1m) wide and tall x half that deep in 2 gallon buckets. I veg for 6 weeks. @Buds Buddy is going to do one plant in a 4x4 I think and plans to veg I think he said 8 weeks.


You can do it all in one bucket. In fact I've converted all of mine over from the false floor design to the inverted, dome style because I get better roots that way. But both styles grow great plants.


Yep. Bring your nutes and your mix with you as the SIP pot seems to work with most combinations.


You'd just do it the same way you'd do it in a normal pot. In early veg I don't fill the reservoir but try to just give them the amount they'll use over 2-3 days. I use a dip stick to judge the water level. So, whatever your normal schedule is will translate over.


Happy to help. I'm just trying to spread the love for these things. They've been around for decades and for the life of me I can't understand why they're not more popular. You'll see what I mean once you get going. You just became a better grower simply by switching pot designs, and literally doing nothing else.

Welcome aboard. I know you'll enjoy the ride!

8-10 week Veg. But, I'll be using a 12 gallon SIP I make.
My opinion is.... If you use a 5 gal. bucket you should Veg 5-6 weeks only feeding once per day. But once you flip to flower start filling the res. twice per day. That will fill a 3x3 & yield anywhere between 12 - 20 oz. depending on strain.
12 has been my minimum & 20 was my max in a 5 gal. SIP.

 

[AspenCultivator]

Of course. Fire away.


That's going to depend on how long you veg for. I flower two at a time in a space that's 3' (1m) wide and tall x half that deep in 2 gallon buckets. I veg for 6 weeks. @Buds Buddy is going to do one plant in a 4x4 I think and plans to veg I think he said 8 weeks.


You can do it all in one bucket. In fact I've converted all of mine over from the false floor design to the inverted, dome style because I get better roots that way. But both styles grow great plants.


Yep. Bring your nutes and your mix with you as the SIP pot seems to work with most combinations.


You'd just do it the same way you'd do it in a normal pot. In early veg I don't fill the reservoir but try to just give them the amount they'll use over 2-3 days. I use a dip stick to judge the water level. So, whatever your normal schedule is will translate over.


Happy to help. I'm just trying to spread the love for these things. They've been around for decades and for the life of me I can't understand why they're not more popular. You'll see what I mean once you get going. You just became a better grower simply by switching pot designs, and literally doing nothing else.

Welcome aboard. I know you'll enjoy the ride!

Wow, thank you Azi. I sincerely appreciate the time you spend answering everyone's questions. I made it to page 37 (couldn't stop reading it until 330 this morning lol) and saw where you made the design changes so thought an inverted internal res seems the way to go as opposed to a wick foot. I can also do the dome style cheaper than the false floor so it makes sense.

Good deal on the nutes...we've got the green light for the materials needed to get these buckets built so that'll happen today or tomorrow.

8-10 week Veg. But, I'll be using a 12 gallon SIP I make.
My opinion is.... If you use a 5 gal. bucket you should Veg 5-6 weeks only feeding once per day. But once you flip to flower start filling the res. twice per day. That will fill a 3x3 & yield anywhere between 12 - 20 oz. depending on strain.
12 has been my minimum & 20 was my max in a 5 gal. SIP.

Hey Buds, thanks for coming in and sharing your knowledge! I'm not really understanding the feeding portion though. My particular feeding schedule says to feed twice a week, every other watering. I'm not seeing how to translate that to feeding once per day in veg then twice per day during flower. Can you elaborate on that at all? Maybe I'm just missing something simple.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Wow, thank you Azi. I sincerely appreciate the time you spend answering everyone's questions. I made it to page 37 (couldn't stop reading it until 330 this morning lol) and saw where you made the design changes so thought an inverted internal res seems the way to go as opposed to a wick foot. I can also do the dome style cheaper than the false floor so it makes sense.

Good deal on the nutes...we've got the green light for the materials needed to get these buckets built so that'll happen today or tomorrow.



Hey Buds, thanks for coming in and sharing your knowledge! I'm not really understanding the feeding portion though. My particular feeding schedule says to feed twice a week, every other watering. I'm not seeing how to translate that to feeding once per day in veg then twice per day during flower. Can you elaborate on that at all? Maybe I'm just missing something simple.

What nutes do you use ? In a case like that, I'd fill the res with nutes & when it empties fill it with water. Just back & forth... nutes, water, nutes, water, etc.
For about 2-3 weeks you'll only be filling the res every 2-3 days. By the end of week 3 you'll be filling the res daily. By week 5-6 you'll be filling the res twice per day. When you feed twice per day, I'd keep it nutes twice that day & water, twice the next day.... back & forth.

 

[AspenCultivator]

What nutes do you use ? In a case like that, I'd fill the res with nutes & when it empties fill it with water. Just back & forth... nutes, water, nutes, water, etc.
For about 2-3 weeks you'll only be filling the res every 2-3 days. By the end of week 3 you'll be filling the res daily. By week 5-6 you'll be filling the res twice per day. When you feed twice per day, I'd keep it nutes twice that day & water, twice the next day.... back & forth.

Currently I have a new set of Fox Farm Dirty Dozen. It's pretty much their entire nute line, including water solubles. Minus wholly mackeral and kelp me kelp you. I'm seeing how a lot of people are gravitating towards LOS so perhaps when these nutes are gone I'll look more into building a soil etc. But for now this is what I've got.

Perfect explanation on the back and forth, that's what I needed to read. Especially feeding twice a day then just watering twice the next day, absolutely makes sense now. Thank you so much!

I just got back with some supplies so I'm going to get building and have some pics up later today. I'll post it over in the #SIP Club as well for feedback! I also may have a Blueberry update later, we'll see!

 

[lootznbootz]

If you're going to do the 5-gal bucket and inverted style the gro bucket inserts save the time on DIY its 45bucks for 3 inserts on the zon
If you need a project then definitely build your own and could be cheaper yes.
just a thought.

 

[AspenCultivator]

If you're going to do the 5-gal bucket and inverted style the gro bucket inserts save the time on DIY its 45bucks for 3 inserts on the zon
If you need a project then definitely build your own and could be cheaper yes.
just a thought.

Yeah, costing it out it's probably cheaper to get the inserts if/when I do this again. I went to the 'local' hardware store because I'm impatient and didn't want to wait for shipping on the inserts. Not that anything is going into them anytime soon...but I got the itch to build, so I built lol. Had I gone into a bigger town to a chain hardware store I could get the cost below the inserts, but all well. It was fun to build them! Pics and write-up coming after this.