Day 35 - Last Minute Call From the Governor ...
A few days ago, I decided to wait until Day 35 to decide on pulling the gangly low-node Purple Lemonades.
Right after making that decision wouldn't you know, Purple Lemonade #1 jumped into flowering. I'll take "fear of death" as a motivator any time.
On the other hand, PL#2 is lagging.
In all fairness, Critical Purple and Gorilla Glue are not in flower yet either. Although, they are busy making noticable flower making areas.
This "live-or-let-die" decision was made easy because I had 2 more seedlings in the wings. Although, I may be back to one seedling if my Cheese XXL doesn't improve (pics to follow).
Now Let's get to some Other Grow Notes:
Retreat on the Recharge
(1) I gave them their first Recharge this past Friday PM.
(2) I may have screwed up the Recharge Application by applying with the current nutrient mix.
I'll explain. Remember I am growing in AutoPots, so the lower section of my pot is damp with nutrients at all times. Normally, this creates a beautiful homestasis. The top part stays damp too, but a lot less damp. Roots are free to head South for food when needed. The top roots stay in a nice enviroment, never drying out, but never overwatered.
Well, this genius decided to turn off the valves to each plant's reservoir (at the pot). Then drain the nutrient-lled water from all 4 AutoPots, then top off with another 2 liters from the master reservoir. This gave me a liter for each plant when I returned the Recharged Nutrients back to the pots.
On paper this is a great idea. Yet it wasn't a good idea by giving a litter of fluid to the top of the pot.
Oh, it gets worse. You see, I only took out about 500 ML of nutrients from each pot's rez. Yet, I put back in a liter.
But wait, there's more. Once the excess passed through the coco, I drained the excess and put it through the coco again, while trying to add to places that looked dry on the surface. I wanted the whole pot to enjoy the lovely Recahrge Spa Tratment.
On the other hand, I just created an extremely damp environment in the coco. Now, I have "air" being pumped into the root zone, so I don't fear root rot (yet). Plus my rez always has something in it that attacks the cause of roor rot.
Nevertheless, the roots are having to deal with a lot more moisture then they are used to having around the roots.
Only one plant (Gorilla Glue) showed over-watering signs, curled and downward pointing leaves.
What's the Lesson Learned? :
Next time, I'll drain the individual pot reservoirs, then only apply 500 ml to mostly one area. Since using a smaller amount, I'll repeat this once a week moving around the plant each time to a new location. That way, over a month's period the whole circumfrence of the plant will have gotten the Recharge to its "zone."
Mainly, I won't keep draining and re-running the liquid over and over trying to make each zone all Recharged up. My thinking is that if only applying Recharge to only 25% to the pot, some of the microbes will go out and explore other areas of the root zone. If not, in a week their root zone neighbors will get their dose of the dark-water goodness. Plus, I won't over saturate the whole pot and it will stay mostly as AutoPots naturally do - more moisture a the bottom than at the top. The extra fluid will be in a finite water column.
Finally, if any of the poured Recharge makes it down to the reservoir that's ok too. It won't be enough to mess with the "waterline" each AquaValve allows for. So, after about 20 minutes and checking gravity's work, I'll turn the valves back on and let the reservoirs fill up naturally. If there is some of the Recharge mixed in with the newly-added nutrients ... it's all good.
Bottomline: "Too much of a good thing = a possible bad thing." ~~ Wise Old Navy Guy
Next Notable Happening: Bottom 1/3rd Day
I decided to do a first Bottom 1/3rd Removal Day after I took these iPad pics. You'll have to wait until tomorrow. : )
Until, I've added graphic to help grease your imagination.
