FelipeBlu's Auto Jack & Kryptonite, PSMini LED, Root Pouch, Recipe 420

Thanks guys.

Nothing much to report today - just chugging along in early veg. Will probably have to tighten/reset strings for LST.

Shed, I've been thinking about your reply. You wrote that the pH of the soil can't be changed. This is probably true of the macro components of the soil - bark, peat, coco, etc. But one reads all the time about the pH getting out of whack, pH lockout, and growers having to flush the pot to remove excess nutrients and restore proper pH. So there appears to be some basis for considering that the pH in the mix is variable, and can be adjusted.

So I get back to the apparent pH gradient that likely exists in the media, not from changing the pH of the components, but from the ionic composition of the moisture retained on and between soil particles. This is the nutrient solution, resulting from the leaching of minerals in the upper portion of the pot (lower ppm, higher pH) being concentrated lower in the pot (higher ppm, lower pH), that the plant actually uses, which is not the same as the nutrient solution going in. This is similar to how natural soils develop, with rain going in and reacting with organic acids (from decomposing veg) near the surface, then this solution leaching minerals, which accumulate as a lower layer (caliche in some areas).
 
Thanks guys.

Nothing much to report today - just chugging along in early veg. Will probably have to tighten/reset strings for LST.

Shed, I’ve been thinking about your reply. You wrote that the pH of the soil can’t be changed. This is probably true of the macro components of the soil - bark, peat, coco, etc. But one reads all the time about the pH getting out of whack, pH lockout, and growers having to flush the pot to remove excess nutrients and restore proper pH. So there appears to be some basis for considering that the pH in the mix is variable, and can be adjusted.

So I get back to the apparent pH gradient that likely exists in the media, not from changing the pH of the components, but from the ionic composition of the moisture retained on and between soil particles. This is the nutrient solution, resulting from the leaching of minerals in the upper portion of the pot (lower ppm, higher pH) being concentrated lower in the pot (higher ppm, lower pH), that the plant actually uses, which is not the same as the nutrient solution going in. This is similar to how natural soils develop, with rain going in and reacting with organic acids (from decomposing veg) near the surface, then this solution leaching minerals, which accumulate as a lower layer (caliche in some areas).

You obv know more on the subject than I do, but did you test the pH of each layer of soil going in? Most soils are pre-pH'd to the 6.7-7.0 range unless your are blending your own. Also I do want to correct the flush reasoning. I have never read anyone flushing to correct pH, only PPM. pH lockout is usually corrected by changing the pH of the nute water, which makes different nutes more or less available depending on the chart, or by amending the soil (blending something into the top layer like lime) to correct the actual soil pH.
 
Thanks Ptero!

Just a LST update this afternoon. On the Kryptonite, the string right below the 3rd node had gotten slack. So I removed it and put a new string just behind the 5th node.

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On the Jack Herer, the growth above the 3rd node was going vertical. Since it’s currently too far from the edge to effectively use string, I resorted to my other instrument of bondage - a baling wire stake.

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That’s all for now. Thanks for visiting. Please let me know if you see something I may have missed.
 
Okay, time for a quick recap of what experiments are underway:

1. Transplant (K) vs starting in final pot (J) - K didn’t seem to miss a beat, even with some root pruning. At 2 weeks, J is still pushing out the 4th set. At 2 weeks, K was a little ahead, pushing out the 5th set. At this point, transplanting doesn’t seem to have much of an adverse effect, but we will wait to see if yield appears to be negatively effected by roughly transplanting an Auto.

2. Nutrient supplementation (J) vs Water (K) - On this one, I will continue to use ProteKt on both, but adding D-G Grow during Veg & D-G Bloom during flowering to J. So far, J has received 2 feedings (Days 9 & 12). Too soon to tell, but although there are no signs of nute burn, there has been no sudden growth spurt either. As above, J is one node behind K at 2 weeks.

3. Topping vs LST only: I think 2 experiments are enough. I decided not to top this time.
 
Update from fiddling with LST this afternoon. Tightened string under 5th node, added a string to pull a 5th node fan down, tightened one of the stakes, and some tucking:

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And for Jackie, just a little snugging up the stake:

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Have an excellent evening!
 
Far out! More graphics! Thanks Shed!

I had my eye on the tall one, and was intending to start bending it over today. The two lower stems looked a little too tender to manipulate yesterday. I already accidentally broke off one of the second node stems while I was tightening a string.
:thedoubletake: :sorry:
That was quite upsetting, so I'm being a bit more cautious.
 
Following Shed's suggestion, I spent some quality time with Miss K this afternoon. I'm still feeling the loss of that little 2nd node stem, but its twin seems to have really taken off, so maybe there will be some consolation. Anyway, that tall stem got bent in the opposite direction than the main stem. The two 1st node stems will be trained flattish between the 2nd and the 3rd nodes, which are currently going straight up. They will get to feel the string later today. The 4th node stems are still too small to train, so I pulled and tucked the nearby fan leaves as best I could.

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And Miss J is feeling a little pull too. Interesting how much larger the leaves are on J than K.

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Ooh that 180º pull on K was a bold and risky move, but well executed. The stems on that plant are really thick so I can see why one broke! Pull the sides down before they get too stubborn to bend. I have read that bending before watering makes them more pliable if that helps.

The pliers nearby to remind them who's boss is an excellent touch!
 
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