Colombian Andes Greenhouse SIP CBD Auto Grow

[Azimuth]

Could be genetics and the mix of sativa/indica and the response to temps, with sativa plants liking warmer weather generally. Is that plant a different percentage mix that the others?

SIPs resolve the watering issue that is the main cause of stunting, but it's not the only factor. Environment, nutes, light, etc. all come in to play as well.

 

[CBDMed]

Could be genetics and the mix of sativa/indica and the response to temps, with sativa plants liking warmer weather generally. Is that plant a different percentage mix that the others?

SIPs resolve the watering issue that is the main cause of stunting, but it's not the only factor. Environment, nutes, light, etc. all come in to play as well.

Siiii......
Well, I thought I should plant more ABA, and see if it comes up good this time.
At least maybe I will have a little bit more of a "constant harvest" because of that?
"All things work together for good...."

 

[CBDMed]

Bad news and good news. Bad news first.
I woke up dreading this. The carnage was pretty bad.
I held little funeral services for all but the best of the existing Auto Blue Ace (which I left as a "reference standard") and then plucked, and had a bite of salad.

After it was done it was a relief--so while I was feeling plucky, I also decided to pluck the small 00 Northern Light CBD, to make a clean sweep! (This leaves three very healthy and vigorous teenagers growing).
I could snip the tips on two of the three (and the third can get her clip after Sabbath).

I am soaking one Phoenix Cannabis Seeds "CBD Auto", just to see what it is like. It seems like a nice 1:1, so we will give it a try, and see what comes up!
It will be a quick soak (maybe 8-9 hours), but that should be enough. I (actually) plan to fill the res, and hand water juust enough, until they are weaned, and are able to start drinking on their own (since that seems to be the point of the exercise?)...

I guess we will see how this experiment does:
So right now it is (everything from a sponsor):
3 healthy and beautiful 00 Seeds' Northern Light CBD Autos (and I am super excited about these! )
2 Purple Kush 1:1 (and one is going into pre-flower, and I can see node 5 but I don't want to cut when there are pistils, so I bent her over for some LST).
3 Delicious Candy (Cheese) at their 4 nodes. No pistils yet, but one of the girls has "that look"... so probably LST for them.
1 Auto Blue Ace (I left the best one of the "winter planting" as a reference marker)
7 new Auto Blue Ace (this time started right, on heating pads)
3 new 00 Seeds "Afghan Mass XXL" (and we will see how much CBD they have, and what "XXL" really means [at least in terms of my grow])
plus, 1 Phoenix Cannabis Seeds' "CBD Auto", which I hope to get tucked into soil before dark.

So now I have more of a "constant harvest" setup!
And I also found some delicious 1:1 concentrate (until my harvest catches up), so everything is good here! I just got to learn how to wean some girls off my sprayer bottle as soon as I can.
It is all good learning here! And all the girls look so healthy, and green!
Happy happy! Happy!

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Buenos dias Columbiano! Sorry to hear of the mix of good and bad but I ultra excited. Sorry I have fallen behind recently. Whenever you need help with the app lmk

 

[CBDMed]

Buenos dias Columbiano! Sorry to hear of the mix of good and bad but I ultra excited. Sorry I have fallen behind recently. Whenever you need help with the app lmk

Hey Krissi! Thank you!!
I am sorry to hear you were sick! I hope you are feeling better now!
Thanks for the offer. I hope to take you up on it soon.
First I need to figure out a way to hang some light bars, or build some light stands.
I hope you feel 100% soon.

 

[CBDMed]

It's pretty bad when you have to remind yourself to update your own thread!
(But we are still running here.)

The existings continue to grow. They look way healthier than any previous grow.
The Afghan Mass XXL's are all coming up. (One is still showing her neck, but we expect to see her face probably tomorrow.)

And in the meantime, I cannot seem to find a reliable handyman anywhere, so the greenhouse is presently on hold.
We can grow other stuff on the roof that does not need a greenhouse.
I can scavenge the plastic pipes and make stands in the veg and flower rooms.
And, since I've got lots of space, the house is still cold, and electricity is cheap here (if not stable), maybe I want to put in a 12-12 flower room upstairs
And then just run indoors for now?
And if I do that, actually, I can plant photos also....

 

[CBDMed]

Good morning, all!
We have 3 Afghan Mass XXL autos up!
As an experiment, the reservoir is full, and the soil looks dam ('cuz I hand watered to here).
I will monitor them closely, but I hope to NOT top water it beyond this point (and we will see how they do!).
I saw before how fast and how deep the roots go when the girls are still in their coty's, and I want to see if they can drink on their own from here.
("Grow little girl, grow!")

PS, does anyone know what the little green rocks are in this allegedly organic mix?? (There are two of then near the top of the photo, in the center-right-half.) Thanks!

 

[Azimuth]

PS, does anyone know what the little green rocks are in this allegedly organic mix?? (There are two of then near the top of the photo, in the center-right-half.) Thanks!

I'd guess perlite that has been exposed to the light while wet and is now supporting an algae colony. Are they pretty light like the white ones?

 

[CBDMed]

I'd guess perlite that has been exposed to the light while wet and is now supporting an algae colony. Are they pretty light like the white ones?

Good question.
I could not find the ingredients on the bag (welcome to Colombia!!), so I checked their website:
>> "This substrate is composed of: coconut substrate, vermiculite, perlite, zeolite and earthworm humus."

I took a picture with my electron microscope phone, and although it seems kind of fuzzy, the white perlite chunks seem round and lunar-surface-like (kinda like perlite), whereas the green Zeolyte seems to have smooth, flattish surfaces.
(Guess I could'a answered my own question!! Oy....)

I wonder if they charged the Zeolyte first????
Anyway, no matter, there is only about a Solo cup's worth, and all the rest of the bucket is supersoil.
The older girls all have roots in the reservoir, so I think the younger girls should be just fine.
They seem to be growing ok. (Not monsters like some people's, but I hope not too bad for a noob....)

I fill the rez and top-water them UNTIL they break surface.
I have not top-watered anything since they broke surface.
Everyone seems to be happy. No signs of water wilt, or anything.
I am hoping this is the quickest way to get them to sip water on their own (and we will see how they do long term, as compared to other strategies...)

 

[cbdhemp808]

A little algae on the surface is no biggie. Maybe something to be concerned about if the whole surface was sprouting a layer of algae.

 

[InTheShed]

I thought Zeolite was the stuff they put on turf to absorb the smell of pet urine! Funny that they put it in fake grass and real dirt.

 

[CBDMed]

A little algae on the surface is no biggie. Maybe something to be concerned about if the whole surface was sprouting a layer of algae.

Good to know! Thanks, CBD!

 

[CBDMed]

I thought Zeolite was the stuff they put on turf to absorb the smell of pet urine! Funny that they put it in fake grass and real dirt.

Siiii.....

 

[CBDMed]

Hola! I am seeing some of the girls turn lighter in color.
Is this perhaps the CalMag issue that was discussed in earlier SIP threads?
(And if so, is it ok to add CalMag to the reservoir?)

Also, if it is CalMag deficiency (and I had a problem with that with this soil before), how would I amend the soil, to fix the problem?
Further, I am a little confused. WHY is my supersoil hypothetically throwing a CalMag deficiency when it is the standard SubCool's Supersoil?
Thanks!!

 

[Azimuth]

Hola! I am seeing some of the girls turn lighter in color.
Is this perhaps the CalMag issue that was discussed in earlier SIP threads?
(And if so, is it ok to add CalMag to the reservoir?)

Also, if it is CalMag deficiency (and I had a problem with that with this soil before), how would I amend the soil, to fix the problem?
Further, I am a little confused. WHY is my supersoil hypothetically throwing a CalMag deficiency when it is the standard SubCool's Supersoil?
Thanks!!

Lighter color could be N. A calcium deficiency would appear as little brown spots on the leaves which it don't see on yours. I would add any amendments or additions right to the soil, and get them wet if they are dry amendments.

Who knows about your soil. You added a ton of rice hulls which could be stealing N as the microbes start to break them down. Just like baking a cake. If the recipe calls for all purpose flour and you use bread flour instead, you shouldn't be surprised if you get a different result.

 

[cbdhemp808]

I have a hunch your plant may be thirsty, but it's only a hunch. Also, I'm trying to understand why it's so compact. Yes, perhaps N deficiency, but why?

 

[Azimuth]

I have a hunch that plant may be thirsty, but it's only a hunch. Also, I'm trying to understand why it's so compact. Yes, perhaps N deficiency, but why?

You don't like my 'rice hulls stealing N from the soil to break them down' theory?

Kind of like you don't bury wood chips in the garden or you get N deficiencies.

 

[cbdhemp808]

You don't like my 'rice hulls stealing N from the soil to break them down' theory?

Kind of like you don't bury wood chips in the garden or you get N deficiencies.

You're probably right on that. But yes... it's common knowledge not to incorporate non-decomposed organic material into garden soil. Now the question is, are rice hulls similar to coco coir in that they are more-or-less inert in this respect?

From NIH.gov:

During the composting of raw rice husk (initial pH-7.1) in the earliest stage, the pH value decreased to 6.1 due to production of organic acids derived from the intense fermentation. Afterward, the pH began to rise and reached 8.6 at the thermophilic period.

Apparently coco coir doesn't have this type of pH fluctuation.

fiberdust.com claims:

The coco husk has a neutral pH and will not “steal” nitrogen from the soil and surrounding plants.

Perhaps lignin content is the key factor. Lignin is the "woody" substance that doesn't rot easily.

Lignin content:

rice hulls - 20-25%
sawdust - 30%
coco coir - 42-46%

 

[CBDMed]

Lighter color could be N. A calcium deficiency would appear as little brown spots on the leaves which it don't see on yours.

Ahhh, ok! Good to know!
Thanks!

I would add any amendments or additions right to the soil, and get them wet if they are dry amendments.

Ahhh, ok, thanks!
Well, I also have some liquid Grow fertilizer. Could I water with that, to add N?

Who knows about your soil.

Haha, true!
But things do seem to be growing better this time, than last time.

You added a ton of rice hulls which could be stealing N as the microbes start to break them down.

Ahhh, I thought the rice hulls were more or less inert???
(Oy....!)

Just like baking a cake. If the recipe calls for all purpose flour and you use bread flour instead, you shouldn't be surprised if you get a different result.

Siiii.........

 

[CBDMed]

I have a hunch your plant may be thirsty, but it's only a hunch.

Yeah, except I just topped off the reservoirs like two days ago.
The top of the soil looks dry because I am not mulching, but once the little babies stand up, they stay standing up.

Also, I'm trying to understand why it's so compact.

Well, it is a Northern Light cross.
When I grew NL before, it only got maybe half as tall as the other india hybrids.
The irony in this grow is that the NL CBD's are the tallest, most vigourous plants I've got going!
(Got to get me some more of those seeds....)

Yes, perhaps N deficiency, but why?

That is an excellent question. I wish I knew the answer!
What kinds of things can cause an N deficiency?