First Grow 12/12 No Mercy Style Skunkberry 400W CMH

[Setting Sun]

They're looking pretty good.

Just use those straws (thanks andy) until the stems thicken and you should be good to go.

I've seen seedlings in worse shape recover.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

Thanks SSun! I hope they recover too! Andy's idea is a great one. I also found a old piece of glass I put over the tub to act as a half-arsed humidity dome. It's not a perfect fit but perhaps with the humidifier and the glass they'll get a better chance.

And since I'm a guy who likes lots of pics, I took more! I also gave them a touch over 2 cups of water because the top 4-5 inches was bone dry again. One of my biggest kids also needed a straw today, so that's all but 1 with a straw.

So now back to waiting. I hope to see some positive signs by friday since that'll be almost 2 weeks and in theory they can show sex by 3! Although I suspect I won't be seeing much by the end of 3 weeks. Oh well, grow and learn that's what it's about!

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

Please be careful doing this. For one, the light from the CMH will be refracted by the glass and can cause hot spots or diminish the intensity of the light, depending on the quality of the glass. Secondly, even though low humidity is a concern right now, air circulation is equally important and without sufficient air flow, and you gone most of the day, the environment under the glass could quickly become welcoming to fungal attack. It's a tough balance to achieve and these little seedlings would not survive damping off. Be watchful.

I took the glass off when I got up. The temp and RH under the glass was at it's normal 85 degree's and 30-32% RH. The kids seem to have done okay under glass.

Yeah, that low RH is hurting you right now. Seedlings need moisture in the air until a good root mass is established. Due to low RH, you are challenging yourself, because in addition to raising RH, you have to maintain it there as well, since seedlings are not going to tolerate large swings in temperature and humidity. I must say, everything is looking good. Do what you can to maintain a higher, steady RH and lower temps, and keep some air circulation going, so the seedlings can get out of their 'casts' ASAP.

Yeah, I don't know what I can do to help with the RH, the humidifier goes the full 12 hours and empties itself. I have noticed this morning that there is some signs of leaf curl on a few of the kids.

I'm not sure if this is natural or not, but so far it's only a couple.. Perhaps it's not exactly a curl but a twist?

The first two weeks is always slow. In the next two weeks, usually, you can expect exponential growth. Have your camera ready!

I know you're in 12/12 from the onset, but plants still enter a vegetative growth stage for ~ 3weeks despite the lighting cycle. You are not doing anything wrong, and your plants are growing at a normal, healthy pace. In fact, around this time, there should be enough development below the soil surface for a conservative, root zone feeding.

How far is the light from seedlings now?

It's about 18 inches now. A conservative root zone feeding? You mean it may be time to crack my bottle of Iguana Juice? Woohoo!

Well now I'm late for work!

Thanks!!

Indicana.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

I could have sworn I posted last night.. I must have hit a wrong button.

Thankfully I saved a copy.

Hi all!

Well tonight the kids look okay, the soil is getting dry faster now, it's already dry 3-4 inches down but I figure the kids must be doing some growing underground cause they don't look like they're lacking for moisture and the probe reads plenty in the bottom 4-5 inches of a bed that only 8-9 inches deep. So I foiler fed them their SeaTea and refilled the humidifier incinerated and inhaled a distant cousin of theirs and am now sitting back and watching. I'm predicting they'll need another 2-4 cups of water either tomorrow or the next night and I'm thinking of giving them a weak 10-20% shot of Iguana Juice. I wasn't expecting all those seeds to pop so I only used 1 bag of SeaSoil but I have 11 plants which is actually kinda freaking me out a bit cause I swear I had only germed 10 seeds, but I could have misscounted.

I'm also mulling over building a DIY Co2 generator, the ole bottle sugar and yeast kind.

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

Just a quick update, all is going well enough. I had to stake up all the kids and they got their first feeding yesterday and seem to like it. Despite my newby nerves I can't really complain considering they were beans going into paper towel only 16 days ago.

So here's a couple pics, one of the whole family and the 2nd of my biggest likely boy at 3.5 inches tall!

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

I think you look right on pace for ~two weeks bro. Lookin' good! Now, watch the next two weeks - exponential growth. My favorite time in a plants life cycle is weeks 3-4. At this time you can really get a good peak at desirable traits.

You're not kidding, I was admiring the kids tonight and snapped another family portrait and then looked back at the pic I took just 2 days ago.. I can't believe it's the same batch of plants! Of course, that's also part of the fun of the 12/12 from seed method.

And that's really friggin' weird man, 'cause I can only count ten in the earlier pics, and now there's abviously 11. Spooky. Halloween be approaching...say it like a Pirate.

It's weird! I also noticed when poking around the kids that there's a new growth formation showing up on some of my plants!!

That's the best view I can get of the little thing. Looks like they're going to start showing me sex PDQ, but god my old eyes can't make out anything yet! Now we'll start to see the consequences of the stress I put them under earlier, how many out of 11 will be males? God I hope I don't do worse than 50/50..

Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[Setting Sun]

They're looking nice!

I like tubs full of dirt

speaking of which, your roots would have lots more room if that tub was filled up to the top.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

They're looking nice!

I like tubs full of dirt

speaking of which, your roots would have lots more room if that tub was filled up to the top.

Yeah, that was simply 1 bag of soil 1/2 bag of Perlite and 1/2 bag of Vermiculite. I figured that's 42 liters of soil for what I though was going to be only 8 seedlings. NOW I wish I'd slit a 2nd bag and filled it.

I'm thinking of trying individual container growing though, simply because it'll allow me to move plants around easier, rotate under the light, ect. I have also been reading a lot on Coco and it seems to be a cool and easy (especially for a compulsive water'er) method for someone to get into hydro. Maybe I should try a coco bed!

I gifted off half my left over seeds leaving me with 8 so maybe next round I'll fill the tub and see how 8 do in it. I'm also thinking of starting in small cups under a humidity dome for the first week or 2 then transplanting.

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

I wasn't going to update until the light came on tonight but since I was home I looked in on the kids and by and large they're looking good! 25% nutes every other watering seems to be doing wonders, I may up it to 50% tonight...

Except I have noticed a few 'marks' on some of the leaves and now I'm gonna have to prowl the pest and disease threads and plant abuse threads to see if I have anything to worry about.

I hope it turns out to be nothing! Anyone have any ideas?

Indicana.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

Okay, I admit, I'm sometimes excitable.. I'm sorry.. But my eyes aren't the best and I can't resolve detail until I take a photo of something and blow it up.. I'm mistaken branching for pistils in the past.. But can someone tell me if I'm seeing branches or balls?

This is my largest plant and the one I'd suspect of being male first. None of the others are showing growth I can't identify, but if this is sexing then it's just about on schedule at Day 23.

Those are leaves! I'm getting good at spotting leaves!

I can't figure these out.. yet. Maybe I just need a day or two more of growth (they're just exploding with growth!) before I can identify them. But I'm blazed so I'm excitable!

Indicana.

 

[OldMedMan]

I'm with you Indicana
That big one looks suspicious. Two or three days will tell I think.
Your grow is looking very good and green and it should reward your efforts.
I've been watching and I like your style Bro
Good job

 

[Indicana Jones!]

I'm with you Indicana

Thanks!!!

That big one looks suspicious. Two or three days will tell I think.
Your grow is looking very good and green and it should reward your efforts.
I've been watching and I like your style Bro
Good job

Yeah, it does look suspicious, 12 hours later it still hasn't revealed is secrets to me!

And another one is behaving suspiciously too!

And this one is to early to tell, but they are all 3 of the biggest in the tub. And they're starting to get crowded in there, pulling a male.. or two will at least give the others some room.

Perhaps by Monday I'll have some sexin' going on! Woot woot! That'll make it a good Thanksgiving especially if one of them turns out to be female! My next big source of anxiety is the female to male ratio.. Hell females period have always been a source of my anxiety!

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[AmGrowR]

Th@t first pic is def. m@le. I didn't see @ny def. signs of sex on the other pics, though. Good luck m@n!!! Get some fem@les!!!!

 

[Indicana Jones!]

Th@t first pic is def. m@le. I didn't see @ny def. signs of sex on the other pics, though. Good luck m@n!!! Get some fem@les!!!!

Hi AmGrowR, thanks! I think the first is a male too, but neither my eyes nor my poor camera have the resolving power for me to be sure. I think I'm going to have to let the plant mature a little more just to be safe. Several are now showing some signs of sexing but I can't seem to get any good shots lacking a macro lens, the auto focus hunts but can't find a focus point that will let me get in good and close.

Oh well, even if they are males a couple more days to be sure won't hurt anything.

We'll see what's what tomorrow when the light goes out again, maybe another 12 hours of growth will reveal a secret or two!

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[greenblood]

Good luck finding females. This is a fun style of growing to follow. Here's hoping for a heavy harvest!

 

[Indicana Jones!]

Good luck finding females. This is a fun style of growing to follow. Here's hoping for a heavy harvest!

Thanks Greenblood!! It is a fun way of growing I think I'm going to do some more experimenting with the 12/12 method both in soil beds and individual containers. Some of the more interesting data coming out on 12/12 grows is that some of the purer indicas don't do very well but the hybrids seem to love it. Seems a little hit or miss with sativas from what I hear so far.

As for sexing it's the new grower anxiety, every one fears missing a male and every noob fears it twice as much! However with the help of a cheap hand held magnifying glass I think I'm pretty sure I'm calling 2 males and 1 female at this point. I saw on one plant a few flecks of snow white, and under magnification they looked like wee tiny white hairs.. I'm thinking pistils but it'll be a few days before they're big enough to photo.

I think I'll pull the boys tonight when the light comes on.

Thanks!

Indicana.

 

[Indicana Jones!]

Well the big moment has come! Well big for me, I pulled my first 2 suspected males. Well I'm convinced they were males at any rate and there's no undo button!

Here are a couple shots of the first one..

And a few of the 2nd boy..

However there is light at the end of the tunnel! While I can't be sure yet on any of the others there is one that I'm thinking may be female.. It has some nice white hairs.

The next few days should tell on a few others! I can't wait!

Indicana.

 

[Tunes420]

congrats on lady Looking great

 

[Indicana Jones!]

congrats on lady Looking great

Thanks Tunes!

Things are rolling along. Sexing has finished so now I'm only left with females.

Originally Posted by Andy Botwin:
I'm going to guess lucky number 7, for no good reason. Yes, you will have seven females, I can feel it. I think they look healthy and haven't been stressed to any great extent.

And Andy is da man! 7 it is! Woot woot woot!!!

There continues to be small signs of stress here and there. Mostly heat and low humidity related stresses but a few signs of other ills lurking. But it's only here and there on the odd leaf so I think things are still progressing towards a happy ending!

The tallest girl is now 12 inches and the runt is 9.5 inches. I'm guessing that another week or 10 days will see an end to the stretching and then budding can start!

Thanks for the support and help everyone! I gotta now figure out when to start adding flowering nutes to the mix!

I'll be back! It's friday night and I've earned a little quality time . Cheers!

Indicana.

 

[AmGrowR]

Hey Indic@n@!!! Conr@ts on the lovely l@dies!!!! Up until now h@ve you just been w@tering without nutes??