BakedArea 2nd Grow Season 2020: Multiple Strains

[BakedARea]

And yes, when you drench, any channels that have opened up in the soil and the sides where the soil has pulled back, will quickly shunt that water down to the bottom without giving the soil a chance to start swelling up with moisture. In a cloth container it shoots out of the sides at various points too as those deep channels lead the water quickly down toward the bottom where it finds its way out before getting there.

Thank you for a couple things. Firstly...helping me identify a typo. Fixed it! Especially since I cannot edit after the 2 hour mark. Torments me still that I spelled cultivar incorrectly and posted it. Haaa haaa haaa.

Secondly for the reminder and tips about the watering process. Considering I did a poor job this morning and how they used it up today, it is safe to assume I can give them a proper drench tomorrow morning?

 

[Emilya Green]

Thank you for a couple things. Firstly...helping me identify a typo. Fixed it! Especially since I cannot edit after the 2 hour mark. Torments me still that I spelled cultivar incorrectly and posted it. Haaa haaa haaa.

Secondly for the reminder and tips about the watering process. Considering I did a poor job this morning and how they used it up today, it is safe to assume I can give them a proper drench tomorrow morning?

yes, that should be fine, and then once finally saturating the soil, use that as a new baseline in order to figure out how long your wet/dry cycle actually is.

 

[BakedARea]

So I gave the girls a nice and slow drink on Tues. Sure enough, almost as soon as the water hit the surface, it would start draining out the bottom. I went slow and kept working the outer section of the pot. It took a few times doing this before seeing the drainage slow down a bit. It was at that point that I think the soil was saturated. I didn't quite get the soil exchange I should have. I think I still went too fast with the watering. The Purple Punch was already looking droopy this afternoon and the soil was quite dry. That still seems like that was too fast to get dry. I feel like I drenched the soil well enough but now I am doubting myself. The other plants were maybe 1 day away from being dry as well.

So I decided to water & feed them all tonight. I got home from work and I could take my time with the drench. I got myself a beer, some fresh flower in the vape, turned on some Groundation, and then prepped my water. I took my sweet ass time and just enjoyed the process of caring for them. I put them inside a tray this time so that I can observe the amount of water coming out versus what I was giving them. I gave them the first slow drink and then went to prep my bbq for some smoked chicken. Came back and gave them another go around the edges of the pot. I walked away and started prepping some veggies. Went back and watered them some more but this time hitting the center area.

After I was done watering, I started doing some gentle coaxing of any branches that had tops growing on them. Trying to do very low stress until they get transplanted. I also ended up having some extra drench water so I added a little molasses and yucca extract and made a diluted foliar spray. I sprayed all of my cannabis plants and the rest of the garden and fruit trees. Here is a quick shot that I was inspired to capture while watering. I hope you all had as nice of a day that this Romulan did!

Purple Punch was looking sad though...

 

[BakedARea]

Here they are after a couple days from the last watering. I need to get updated shots of all their root balls in a couple days to determine if I should pot them up yet. I'm thinking the PP, Romulan, and GG4 may be ready in a few days. Just a guess though. I don't know their root growth tendencies yet. And with each variety, it can be different. Anyway...updated pics.

Strawberry Banana

Do-Sa-Do #1

Romulan

Do-Sa-Do #2

Purple Punch

Gorilla Glue #4

 

[Canadadoes]

Looking good BA! You’ve had some good advice. Things are coming along nicely. Plants look they are praying to the sky. Great job!

 

[Emilya Green]

I need to get updated shots of all their root balls in a couple days to determine if I should pot them up yet.

That would still be simply guessing. By looking at the outside wrapping of the roots, there is no way to visually determine if that is a solid rootball all throughout. The only way to correctly determine if it is time to uppot (without seeing obvious stress indications in the lowest leaves) is by monitoring water usage. When the wet/dry cycle gets down to 1-2 days, the container size has stopped being an effective buffer (allowing you to walk away for 2-5 days at a time) and it is time to uppot. For the plant to be able to drain the water this efficiently, the roots will have grown to fill that container and then it is time to move her to a 3-5x bigger container, and start this process all over again.

Better roots produce bigger fruits!

 

[BakedARea]

Looking good BA! You’ve had some good advice. Things are coming along nicely. Plants look they are praying to the sky. Great job!

Thanks! Just trying my best to listen to what I read here and from awesome advice like below.

That would still be simply guessing. By looking at the outside wrapping of the roots, there is no way to visually determine if that is a solid rootball all throughout. The only way to correctly determine if it is time to uppot (without seeing obvious stress indications in the lowest leaves) is by monitoring water usage. When the wet/dry cycle gets down to 1-2 days, the container size has stopped being an effective buffer (allowing you to walk away for 2-5 days at a time) and it is time to uppot. For the plant to be able to drain the water this efficiently, the roots will have grown to fill that container and then it is time to move her to a 3-5x bigger container, and start this process all over again.

Better roots produce bigger fruits!

Got it! I am certain you have mentioned that before in your multiple posts about watering and helping people throughout the years with this. LOL. I warned you though...I'm a bit thick upstairs

So regarding their wet/dry cycle which I have been attempting to journal, we are definitely at 2 - 3 days currently with PP, GG4, and the Romulan. Probably 3-4 days with the other three. I was going to give them all of them a compost tea drench today in the early evening. I figured after another full day of sun, they would definitely be thirsty. I opened up their greenhouse and that beautiful aroma was strong. You mention that in your post, that they tend to do that just before wilting and getting really thirsty right?

Should I consider repotting the 3 that are at 2-3 days? Or give them this last drench and then uppot?

That is another topic (compost tea) I am still ignorant about but trying to get better at understanding the intricacies of different brews for different stages. I really need to get it figured out and ensure I'm not wasting ingredients or brewing the wrong type of tea. And noooo Emilya...I haven't got the book yet. Can't you just come and do it for me instead?!

 

[Emilya Green]

Should I consider repotting the 3 that are at 2-3 days? Or give them this last drench and then uppot?

I find that after a good tea (a good recharge of the microbes) a growth spurt is usually seen, and I would be that you are right at that point where this spurt will take you over the edge and your water usage will be right where you need it to be for transplanting. Watch carefully that you don't miss the first time the plants can do this rapid use of the water, because after that your roots are starting to run into constrictions, and you are hitting a point of diminishing return. I made the mistake for a while of trying to wait till the plants "consistently" used the water at that faster pace, and it just doesn't happen... things start to slow down a bit if you wait too long.

 

[BakedARea]

I find that after a good tea (a good recharge of the microbes) a growth spurt is usually seen, and I would be that you are right at that point where this spurt will take you over the edge and your water usage will be right where you need it to be for transplanting.

That makes me want to uppot them at the end of the day and then drench them. Am I reading your response correctly? I should uppot them today? My instinct is telling me yes but my insecurities and trying to not stress them too much is telling me no. Haa haaa.

 

[Emilya Green]

no, that is not what I recommended. Let the roots grow after the drench, then transplant... assuming of course that the resulting growth spurt reduces the wet/dry interval to something less than 2 days.

 

[BakedARea]

Got it! I will wait. Thank you again @Emilya

Here is where I am with my tea at the 24 hour mark. I was planning on drenching them all around 5 or 6pm this evening.

I would appreciate your insight on my current recipe. Logic is give the soil a bunch of microbes and a nitrogen boost.

Current brew recipe for 20 gallons (whole veggie garden, fruit trees, flowers, and of course the cannabis) - Also going to make a foliar spray.
8 cups of vitality compost
4 cups of worm castings
1/2 cup concentrated compost starter (experimental ingredient to introduce more microbes)
2 cups Hi-Brix molasses
2 cups Alfalfa Meal - 2.5-0.5-2.5
2 cup Kelp Meal -
⅓ cup Bio-Live - 5-4-2
⅓ cup Vegan Mix - 3-2-2
⅓ cup neem seed meal - 6-1-2
⅓ cup Bat Guano - 9-3-1

 

[Emilya Green]

looks like good stuff and pointed right at veg, I would use it.

 

[BakedARea]

looks like good stuff and pointed right at veg, I would use it.

Thanks again. I hope you understand the importance of reading affirmation/confirmation that what us newbies are doing is going in the right direction! Much appreciated! Have a safe and blessed day.

 

[Emilya Green]

Thanks again. I hope you understand the importance of reading affirmation/confirmation that what us newbies are doing is going in the right direction! Much appreciated! Have a safe and blessed day.

Part of the reason that I do what I do, year after year, month after month, grow journal after grow journal. I would have appreciated the same thing when I was new.

 

[BakedARea]

These two I have not shown updated pics of. I messed up and left them in a spot outside where they got way too much sun after the transplant. They have been inside under lights the past week. I'm thinking of dedicating these two for the new indoor grow. If I do, I will keep them updated in a different indoor journal. I have never done indoor so it will be a variety of photos and autos.

The worst of the damage on the Venom OG. Should I just trim it off so it can be done with it and focus on growing instead of repairing?

Love seeing the new growth in the past couple days. Makes me feel better that she's recovering already.

Strawberry Cheesecake took the biggest amount of stress from the transplant and being left in the sun.

Happy to see this new growth on her too though! Should I trim off all those bad leaves?

 

[BakedARea]

I know I know...MORE?! Well, I couldn't pass up this opportunity when I got the update that my local dispensary got a new drop of clones from Dark Heart. I had been looking for GMO Cookies and it finally dropped locally! A 20 minute drive instead of 3 hours! I just had to get one. I experienced sticker shock at the price of the cut but I did it anyway. LOL

I picked these up on Sunday. I have not transplanted them yet. That is scheduled for tomorrow. I wanted to give them a few days to acclimate to their future home in the garage.

Vanilla Frosting intrigued me so I picked up a cut of this as well.

 

[BakedARea]

A few updated pics of the others. I decided to start some LST a couple days ago. I had been gently bending branches by hand for the past week and they were responding well to it. Decided to bend a few a little further and use some wire to hold them. If anyone sees bad techniques, please let me know.

I will be hand training a couple of them to see how they end up looking. My initial thought is that I won't be able to keep up with their growth rates. I will do my best though. They will at minimum get adjustments twice a day so we shall see.

They are already due for more water tomorrow. They are really starting to suck up water but still at 3 days of their wet/dry cycle. So no transplant yet.

Strawberry Banana

Do-Sa-Do #1

Do-Sa-Do #2 - I will be hand training this one. Been bending a few times a day for the past few days. Been also gently opening up the tops with my fingers.

 

[BakedARea]

I got the GMO Cookies and Vanilla Frosting transplanted today. Let's see how quickly they bounce back.

GMO Cookies

Vanilla Frosting

 

[BakedARea]

I could use some wisdom folks. This has popped up the last couple days. My initial thought is something was a bit too strong with their last foliar spray which was Wednesday. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

Romulan

??? I have no idea.

Burnt tips

GG4

(Below)
This seems to be something else. I have seen this pop up before but I'm not sure what it is. Don't understand why the leaves split like this. At first I thought it was caterpillars but I checked and saw nothing.

Burnt tips

 

[BakedARea]

Round 2 of pics and problems...

Do-Sa-Do #2

Do-Sa-Do #1

Strawberry Banana