CoffeeShopSeeds Sponsored Grow: Emmie’s Huge 1 Month Interval Constant Harvest

[Emilya Green]

ZAAP! Ouch...

Agreed, understood, respected and appreciated, each reasons why I promised my ask would be brief, I acknowledged the discussion did not belong here and then said...

... then suggested my own, and where to find it. Which, is exactly what happened. Nor was this topic the core of the post, thus a person could be forgiven for wondering, was there some other offence I am guilty of?

You are fine RD, we have no problem. You asked, I answered, as it should be. I would even be willing to talk about it in private, but i refuse to lose any more friends because of a public disagreement over how to use a nutrient system.

 

[bluter]

i refuse to lose any more friends because of a public disagreement over how to use a nutrient system.

smart lady.

 

[Trala]

I'm converting my houseplants over to them as well. I'm even trying an aloe plant with great results. I always thought they liked a drier soil, the grow label on the plant even said to let it dry out between waterings but I potted up two identical size plants a couple of months ago and the SIP plant is easily twice as big as the other.

It could just be that I really suck at watering and the SIPs are covering for me.

Good morning Azi

My driving force isn’t to grow large plants, more to grow healthy plants whose size suit my purpose for it. I found I constantly missed watering the plants on my front and back veranda. The self watering pots give me a few days grace lol.

The only area I don’t feel I struggle in is watering. You guys would die if you saw me lol I waterboard my plants like I hate ‘em.

 

[Emilya Green]

No news yet on the two still underground. Today I did get 3 more sleds built, so now these 3 starter tubs are even and on wheels. After sliding them onto the sleds I realized that the tubs were a bit light, and found surprisingly that they each took about 3 gallons before runoff. There weren't any plants using that water, so that is how much was evaporating from the system in the last 2 weeks.

By the way, I love the cinches that these cloth bags have, so that I can curl that outer edge back over the soil to keep the edges tight. This is an interesting and much appreciated feature.

 

[Roy Growin]

No news yet on the two still underground. Today I did get 3 more sleds built, so now these 3 starter tubs are even and on wheels. After sliding them onto the sleds I realized that the tubs were a bit light, and found surprisingly that they each took about 3 gallons before runoff. There weren't any plants using that water, so that is how much was evaporating from the system in the last 2 weeks.

By the way, I love the cinches that these cloth bags have, so that I can curl that outer edge back over the soil to keep the edges tight. This is an interesting and much appreciated feature.

I'm sorry to have to ask, but could you recap what you're doing?
Is that cloth pots of soil with perlite/air gap at the bottom, with a res at the bottom so it's pure capillary action?

 

[Emilya Green]

I'm sorry to have to ask, but could you recap what you're doing?
Is that cloth pots of soil with perlite/air gap at the bottom, with a res at the bottom so it's pure capillary action?

Hi Roy! I would be happy to recap. Yes, this is pure capillary action, watering mostly from the bottom. The only time I will top water is when adding GeoFlora Nutrients to the top once every 2 weeks. These are 7 gallon cloth containers filled with brand new Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil. I took a hand sized divot in the middle of the planter and planted my seedlings in Fox Farm Happy Frog in that divot, after lining the bottom of the hole with @DYNOMYCO .

The SIP containers are 17 gallon tubs with the lids cut down so that they fit inside the tub as a false floor. I have 6" drain pipe set vertically under that floor to hold the weight and provide me with approximately a 6 gallon reservoir down below. 7.5" pieces of drain pipe were packed solid with soil and covered with a nylon stocking to hold the soil in place, and these two pieces stick up through 4.5" holes drilled in the false floor to be my wick feet. Soil barrier fabric was put into place to keep soil from falling through the 8-10 1" holes drilled in the false floor, and soil was added right up to the level of the wick feet so as to level out the planters and provide for a more even water exchange. The planters were pre-watered to runoff at the same time the rez was initially filled, so that the water flow connection was made from top to bottom.

The seeds were started in cups of water for 24 hours, then moved to paper towels in plastic sandwich bags on a temperature controlled seedling pad set to 75 degrees. When tails appeared, they were planted directly into the 7 gallon containers, where they will live the rest of their lives. At some point in the future, the entire containers will be moved to similar 17 gallon sip containers, but with only one wick foot, putting each plant in its own individual tote on wheels so that the plants can be separated a bit to eventually go into bloom and to be able to take advantage of twice as much rez per plant.

 

[Azimuth]

Good morning Azi

My driving force isn’t to grow large plants, more to grow healthy plants whose size suit my purpose for it. I found I constantly missed watering the plants on my front and back veranda. The self watering pots give me a few days grace lol.

The only area I don’t feel I struggle in is watering. You guys would die if you saw me lol I waterboard my plants like I hate ‘em.

These things seem to grow bigger, healthier plants whatever the pot style that is used. I suspect it has more to do with allowing the plant to reach its genetic potential without improper watering being a hurdle. But, whatever it is, I still have yet to hear anyone who has switched to these types of pots regret their decision. Such a simple thing, but really works well.

The key seems to be the built in air gap, not the water reservoir. As such, I think these pots are misnamed. Because if it was the water reservoir one could sit their cloth pot in a tray of water and grow great plants, which we all know ain't gonna happen.

And I think we are all trying to grow happy healthy plants, and we try new things that fit our grow styles and personalities. Once you find your successful combination things get really fun really fast. Different strokes, and all that.

Waterboarding.

 

[Roy Growin]

Hi Roy! I would be happy to recap. Yes, this is pure capillary action, watering mostly from the bottom. The only time I will top water is when adding GeoFlora Nutrients to the top once every 2 weeks. These are 7 gallon cloth containers filled with brand new Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil. I took a hand sized divot in the middle of the planter and planted my seedlings in Fox Farm Happy Frog in that divot, after lining the bottom of the hole with @DYNOMYCO .

The SIP containers are 17 gallon tubs with the lids cut down so that they fit inside the tub as a false floor. I have 6" drain pipe set vertically under that floor to hold the weight and provide me with approximately a 6 gallon reservoir down below. 7.5" pieces of drain pipe were packed solid with soil and covered with a nylon stocking to hold the soil in place, and these two pieces stick up through 4.5" holes drilled in the false floor to be my wick feet. Soil barrier fabric was put into place to keep soil from falling through the 8-10 1" holes drilled in the false floor, and soil was added right up to the level of the wick feet so as to level out the planters and provide for a more even water exchange. The planters were pre-watered to runoff at the same time the rez was initially filled, so that the water flow connection was made from top to bottom.

The seeds were started in cups of water for 24 hours, then moved to paper towels in plastic sandwich bags on a temperature controlled seedling pad set to 75 degrees. When tails appeared, they were planted directly into the 7 gallon containers, where they will live the rest of their lives. At some point in the future, the entire containers will be moved to similar 17 gallon sip containers, but with only one wick foot, putting each plant in its own individual tote on wheels so that the plants can be separated a bit to eventually go into bloom and to be able to take advantage of twice as much rez per plant.

Got it now

 

[Emilya Green]

I did some further clean up tonight and worked with the mylar a little bit. It does look better in here now! I added some more on the back wall (behind the camera) too to increase the overall reflectivity of this room.

 

[Emilya Green]

Veg Room #1

Well, we still have 2 no shows.

Those two did stay in the paper towels longer than the rest, one barely with a foot and one with a quarter inch tail. We will wait a couple more days and then I am going to start a couple more of something just to fill in the gap.

The 4 that did come up seem to be thriving in the always damp soil. I turned up the light a bit because they are reaching.

 

[Emilya Green]

I think that it is time to call the 2 missing O. Gelato's and start a couple more plants. I have put 2 Candy Dawg seeds into water to start that process.

Notes so far regarding starting seedlings in the final SIP. As compared to wet/dry cycles in a solo cup, I am seeing very slow initial growth. I don't think the seedlings are overjoyed about their situation and they have paused, so as to adapt to the life they have found themselves in.

I think we can do better. These next two seeds are going to get their starts in solo cups and I bet I can catch up with these that are in the SIPs. Sipping might be fine after a core root system is first built. We will be talking about this more as the evidence starts to come in.

Emmie... always the skeptic.

 

[Azimuth]

I think that it is time to call the 2 missing O. Gelato's and start a couple more plants. I have put 2 Candy Dawg seeds into water to start that process.

Notes so far regarding starting seedlings in the final SIP. As compared to wet/dry cycles in a solo cup, I am seeing very slow initial growth. I don't think the seedlings are overjoyed about their situation and they have paused, so as to adapt to the life they have found themselves in.

I think we can do better. These next two seeds are going to get their starts in solo cups and I bet I can catch up with these that are in the SIPs. Sipping might be fine after a core root system is first built. We will be talking about this more as the evidence starts to come in.

Emmie... always the skeptic.

I've found the same thing. @ReservoirDog disagrees with me on this point but I find starting them in the final pot, but treating them like a normal plant to start seems to work better, at least for me. So, no filling the reservoir for new seedlings. Instead I water them lightly like I would any other seedling until they get a bit established. I do put a little water in the reservoir for the roots to find as they get down there in a few days. Then I water a little from the bottom for a few days and only then do I soak the upper soil to get the wicking action started.

They've always seemed to look very overwatered to me if Istart them right out, guns blazing.

But I do think starting them in their final pot and not trying to transplant gets them off to a faster start. There is a 2-3 week transition to the SIP pot no matter when you do it, so I like to get that adjustment period out of the way right up front.

 

[Papa OG]

I had this exact idea in my head. I had looked at your sip system and others. I like the fabric planters. Just noticed this journal, I have a lot to read. I don't know how you do it em!

 

[Emilya Green]

But I do think starting them in their final pot and not trying to transplant gets them off to a faster start. There is a 2-3 week transition to the SIP pot no matter when you do it, so I like to get that adjustment period out of the way right up front.

I'm going to watch this next round very carefully but I don't think I saw a 2 to 3 week delay in starting after transplanting into the sips. It was only a couple of days before they started aggressively praying and they haven't stopped since.

 

[Azimuth]

I'm going to watch this next round very carefully but I don't think I saw a 2 to 3 week delay in starting after transplanting into the sips. It was only a couple of days before they started aggressively praying and they haven't stopped since.

Interesting. It could be that I grow in smaller containers and the 'perched water table' concept may come into play. I've now grown a few in clear 'take-out' containers so I can watch the roots make their way down to the reservoir, and the 2-3 week time frame has been pretty consistent for me to get them to take off. The roots find the water well before that, and the upper vegetation looks healthy, but the new growth is delayed for some reason.

 

[Emilya Green]

Wouldn't you know it? Literally the day after I start valuable new seeds, one of the A.W.O.L. O. Gelato plants is coming up. I think maybe its sister is also stirring up the soil. LOL It looks like I am going to have 2 extra plants in veg, certainly not over my legal limit, but it means that two more SIPs will need to be built. I will have room for it since the Purple Kush are finishing up, but it forces new plans to be made. The name of the game in this garden is "flexibility."

 

[Emilya Green]

Here we are 2 days later, and you will never believe it... the third O. Gelato has come up! This just shows you... never give up on @CoffeeShopSeeds !

The early risers are starting to kick things into gear now and we see the first leaves starting to rapidly grow and the next set of leaves are coming in. My theory, and I may be anthropomorphising here, but just like we see Autos stall in this first week, I think we are seeing these plants, having found non standard conditions, needing to take a moment to sort things out before sending out roots with a plan to deal with the moisture situation. I think that in a wet/dry situation the plant knows what to do, its prime directive is to send out more roots, so that is easy and the wet/dry cycle sets the plan without any thinking. I submit that these plants starting out in the large SIP had to first develop their core, its brain if you will, its center where that spark of sentience exists. I believe that this happens in that first bundle of roots that develops right below the soil, in that tangle where all the other roots come from. Once it develops enough awareness as to what is going on, the plant forms a plan and then gets going in earnest.

As luck would have it, the two new Candy Dawg seeds look like they are active too. They are in a paper towel at this moment, in a plastic sandwich baggie and on a 75° heat mat. I will be moving them to cups of Happy Frog in the next day or two.

 

[StoneOtter]

I'm in! I have to try this! Thanks Em! SIP here I come!

 

[Emilya Green]

This afternoon we had to have a stuck helmet head operation on the new seedling, and I think it was a success. The Candy Dawgs have not put out tails yet, so we are still waiting.

 

[Emilya Green]

Veg Room #1 has had an addition... a cup of Happy Frog labeled as Candy Dawg. The tail was about a half inch long, so it was planted a half inch deep in HF with @DYNOMYCO layers in two places in the cup. The rest are starting to grow a little more seriously, albeit with a very waterlogged look to them.

Please excuse the dead batteries... the camera eats them like candy and I neglected to clean up before snapping the picture.

Happy Halloween!