Hello everyone. I started this grow back in January and I started a journal right around that same time. However, someone took issue with my user name and my postings were all deleted. Anyways. It took my a while but I am back. Here is a short summary:
I have 5 total plants: Two Dr. Joint Lowryders and three Emerald City Seeds Bubba Cheese, all are autos. The Bubba Cheese were all regular seeds, but I was lucky enough to go 3/3 on ladies. Four are in 5 gallon smart pots while the fifth (one of the Lowryders) is in a Home Depot 5 gallon bucket. Soil in straight Fox Farms Ocean Forest and nutes are a mix of FF Big 3 with some Overdrive and Rhino Skin thrown in for some added strength and bigger buds.
I am growing in a 4x4x7 (maybe 6.5) Millard grow tent with two PlatinumLED 300W lights. I started with one 300W and quickly realized it was not enough and added a second by the second week. Lights have been on 24/7 since mid-January, but I am switching to 20/4 or 18/6 when my digital timer from Amazon comes in.
The three Cheese were planted on January 6 while the two Lowryders were planted the following week on January 13. Before planting in soil, all seeds were germinated in paper towels. All 6 of my original seeds germinated, but I broke one of the Lowryders when I was moving it from paper towel to solo cup.
The FFOF burnt all five seedlings, but they all recovered nicely.
I started following the Fox Farms feeding schedule at week four, but using about 1/3 of the recommended dosage. I am now on a full bloom mix, but still running at 1/2 strength because the ladies are not showing any sign of nutrient deficiency (that I can see).
Pictures from this morning are below. The three individual plants are the Bubba Cheese, and they are all coming together nicely, putting out large amounts of beautiful white buds. The Lowryders are in the back of the tent and I was just too lazy to crawl in the tent and take some pictures. I will fix that later today when I water/flush the plants. The fourth picture is the full tent, light on, and the fifth picture is one of the Cheeses. Forget which one.
The Cheese turned 6 weeks (42 days) today and have really started packing on some pounds. They put a short burst of growth late last week, but no upward growth since then.
Lowryder are 5 weeks today (35 days) and they could not be more different. One is low and bushy while the other look just like the cheese. Genetics are fun.
Moving forward, I am ordering a second tent, this time 4x2, that I am going to power with a PlatinumLed 450W. I am going to run the 4x4 tent around 20/4, with between 4 - 6 autos at all times, and two photoflowers vegging for at least a month each before the photoflower get moved over to the 4x2 flower tent. I am not trying to set up a constant grow, but I figure I can keep good every product moving from the autos, but let the dedicated veg tent produce some longer growing Indica types and focus a bit more on the medicinal side than the entertainment side.
What I will do different next time:
1. I loved growing in FFOF but didn't like the seedling burn. Purchased Kellogg's Patio Soil (Home Depot house brand) for my future seedlings. Have two going right now and they are not showing any complaints. Will pot in FFOF when I transplant to their final homes. I am going to start cooking some custom blend super soil, but I am not there yet.
2. Final homes: I used 5 gallon smart pots but didn't fill them all the way. It now looks like the soil is compacting and the pots have even less volume of soil. I already ordered 10 3 gallon smart pots. I will probably run my autos in the 3 gallon smart pots and the photos in the 5 gallon. All filled to the top with soil.
3. Records: This is my biggest place I can improve. I need to take better records. End of question. I plan on designing an excel template I can use to track time, water, and feedings. If anyone already has such a template and is willing to share...
4. Pictures: Get a better camera and take more pictures with and without the lights on.
5. Organic: I eventually want to go full organic, but I am not there yet. Will get a few basic grows under my belt and see where I go from there.
I plan on updating this journal weekly as this grow finishes and fingers crossed I will get a solid yield with solid strength.
I currently have two Nirvana Medusa sprouting (and they are looking beautiful). After about another week under my CFL's they will go into the 4x4 for a nice long veg. When the Medusa are ready to flower, I will buy the 4x2 and Platinum 450. But that is another grow log.
I placed an order last night for 6 more autos. I should have ordered those seeds a month ago so I could have better planned maximizing empty space in the grow room, but just another lesson learned. I feel pretty good about my plans for dual vegging/flower tents and I just need a few grows to dial in.
Finally, I good bro of mine is a professional grower from CA. He grows organic in soil and takes an amazing amount of pride in his work. He has been in my ear daily on this grow, telling me what to do (even when I used non-organic Fox Farm nutes and I think he wanted to punch me), and any success I have here is due to him. Thanks CA.
Nate
I have 5 total plants: Two Dr. Joint Lowryders and three Emerald City Seeds Bubba Cheese, all are autos. The Bubba Cheese were all regular seeds, but I was lucky enough to go 3/3 on ladies. Four are in 5 gallon smart pots while the fifth (one of the Lowryders) is in a Home Depot 5 gallon bucket. Soil in straight Fox Farms Ocean Forest and nutes are a mix of FF Big 3 with some Overdrive and Rhino Skin thrown in for some added strength and bigger buds.
I am growing in a 4x4x7 (maybe 6.5) Millard grow tent with two PlatinumLED 300W lights. I started with one 300W and quickly realized it was not enough and added a second by the second week. Lights have been on 24/7 since mid-January, but I am switching to 20/4 or 18/6 when my digital timer from Amazon comes in.
The three Cheese were planted on January 6 while the two Lowryders were planted the following week on January 13. Before planting in soil, all seeds were germinated in paper towels. All 6 of my original seeds germinated, but I broke one of the Lowryders when I was moving it from paper towel to solo cup.
The FFOF burnt all five seedlings, but they all recovered nicely.
I started following the Fox Farms feeding schedule at week four, but using about 1/3 of the recommended dosage. I am now on a full bloom mix, but still running at 1/2 strength because the ladies are not showing any sign of nutrient deficiency (that I can see).
Pictures from this morning are below. The three individual plants are the Bubba Cheese, and they are all coming together nicely, putting out large amounts of beautiful white buds. The Lowryders are in the back of the tent and I was just too lazy to crawl in the tent and take some pictures. I will fix that later today when I water/flush the plants. The fourth picture is the full tent, light on, and the fifth picture is one of the Cheeses. Forget which one.
The Cheese turned 6 weeks (42 days) today and have really started packing on some pounds. They put a short burst of growth late last week, but no upward growth since then.
Lowryder are 5 weeks today (35 days) and they could not be more different. One is low and bushy while the other look just like the cheese. Genetics are fun.
Moving forward, I am ordering a second tent, this time 4x2, that I am going to power with a PlatinumLed 450W. I am going to run the 4x4 tent around 20/4, with between 4 - 6 autos at all times, and two photoflowers vegging for at least a month each before the photoflower get moved over to the 4x2 flower tent. I am not trying to set up a constant grow, but I figure I can keep good every product moving from the autos, but let the dedicated veg tent produce some longer growing Indica types and focus a bit more on the medicinal side than the entertainment side.
What I will do different next time:
1. I loved growing in FFOF but didn't like the seedling burn. Purchased Kellogg's Patio Soil (Home Depot house brand) for my future seedlings. Have two going right now and they are not showing any complaints. Will pot in FFOF when I transplant to their final homes. I am going to start cooking some custom blend super soil, but I am not there yet.
2. Final homes: I used 5 gallon smart pots but didn't fill them all the way. It now looks like the soil is compacting and the pots have even less volume of soil. I already ordered 10 3 gallon smart pots. I will probably run my autos in the 3 gallon smart pots and the photos in the 5 gallon. All filled to the top with soil.
3. Records: This is my biggest place I can improve. I need to take better records. End of question. I plan on designing an excel template I can use to track time, water, and feedings. If anyone already has such a template and is willing to share...
4. Pictures: Get a better camera and take more pictures with and without the lights on.
5. Organic: I eventually want to go full organic, but I am not there yet. Will get a few basic grows under my belt and see where I go from there.
I plan on updating this journal weekly as this grow finishes and fingers crossed I will get a solid yield with solid strength.
I currently have two Nirvana Medusa sprouting (and they are looking beautiful). After about another week under my CFL's they will go into the 4x4 for a nice long veg. When the Medusa are ready to flower, I will buy the 4x2 and Platinum 450. But that is another grow log.
I placed an order last night for 6 more autos. I should have ordered those seeds a month ago so I could have better planned maximizing empty space in the grow room, but just another lesson learned. I feel pretty good about my plans for dual vegging/flower tents and I just need a few grows to dial in.
Finally, I good bro of mine is a professional grower from CA. He grows organic in soil and takes an amazing amount of pride in his work. He has been in my ear daily on this grow, telling me what to do (even when I used non-organic Fox Farm nutes and I think he wanted to punch me), and any success I have here is due to him. Thanks CA.
Nate
...Just always have a plan to cool it. I am happy (sure gov is too) we helped prove they work and work well. It's funny what being able to use that par can do. I am sure platinum is happy too. He's cool.
