Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style


Hi Folks

This weeks update, sorry it's late...Monday was too busy and I was having terrible server trouble last night, I hope it works today.

Since I've been mixing ro/tap the girls are much happier

Aurora Indica... has shown great improvement

she's still got a couple of bad leaves, but overall she looks better

I know these leaves will not improve, but I don't see any new signs of this anywhere

a few bad leaves got plucked, at this point they were just sucking energy away

a closer look at her new growth, you can see she's much healthier than she was 2 weeks ago

opposite end

you can see some nice growth on her branchs in this pic from below

from above, after training

Blueberry Gum...she's still my problem child, this girl just has not been right since she popped. I've taken a couple clones from her, maybe I'll have better luck with them...unless it's genetics. This is her good side

and this is the side that just doesn't seem to grow well, you can see where she spontaneously topped herself when she was only a couple weeks old, and everything on this side seems to wrinkle/twist up and die off, or I pinch it off because it's not growing right, and if you're thinking it's because of light issues...I pull these girls out and rearrange them every other day when watering, so that can't be it.

White Rhino seems to have suffered the least of the three seedlings from any lack of cal/mg

but she is a leggy girl, I don't know what I'll end up doing with her for flower

Northern Lights x Big Bud is growing well, not affected much by cal/mg def, I think she looks healthy. Sorry, only this one pic, and it's not a very good one.

Blue Widow clone is still the smallest of all in the little veg room, but looks healthy. I took pics of my process with this one...here, you can see her reaching for the light, all her branchs curving up

from the other side. You can barely see, I've watered to the point of excess in the dish, I've been letting them sit in this for anywhere from 15-60 minutes, branchs bend a lot easier afterward

I had to find another way to pull the branchs down, the branchs are too long and the pots are too small to continue using bag ties/rubber bands, and sooo many ties get in the way of watering...so, my buddy suggested weights on hanger hooks, but they fall off too easy if bumped, so, I cut some ties in half and shaped them in an "S", this way I can squeeze the ends tight so they won't fall off, seems to be working

after soaking, I tip the pot sideways into a clean dish to catch the runoff for data, checking both ppm/pH

these show her new jewelry...kinda looks like ornaments hanging on a xmas tree

I can see already, I'm gonna have to find some heavier washers so I don't have to use so many. It's been a few days and they seem to be doing the trick...no damage that I can see.

And the latest addition to the garden...Blueberry Gum clone, clipped and put in water 8-3, roots and potted 8-20

you can see, with this cloning method there is no yellowing or wilting of new growth, all of her leaves are still healthy and she's producing 5 fingers even after all the trama...I really like cloning this way, it works every time.

I uploaded almost 50 pics for this update and had so much trouble last night...I'm going to do this in two posts. Bigger veg room up next...

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoy



Sq

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

Hi Folks

Part 1 posted with no issues, so after folding #1, swapping #2, and starting #3 loads of laundry and a quick check of the girls...lights just came on, I'm back to post part 2

I forgot to post a group shot of the small veg room in part 1...things are getting tight in here

The big veg room

Wonder Woman...I chopped her good again this week, first two are before

next two, after

trash...this is the hardest part for me, I want to cry everytime I have to dump a pile like this

4 days later, I can't believe how quickly she recovers after trimming

Northern Lights x Big Bud

from below

after some trimming and training. Sorry, my photo skills sucked this week

Blue Widow

The benefit of letting them soak a while before bending...a 90 degree bend, no damage

and two small Wonder Woman
a

b

I hope to turn the HID on soon, the weather is getting cooler now and I think it's time...I'll veg a couple weeks under the bigger light before flipping. I'm getting impatient now...it's time for some flowers

ok, that's it. Off to finish the laundry and start dinner now...homemade beef/barley stew, yummm. It's been a while since I made this and I love it.

Thanks for looking...hope you enjoy


Sq

 

[Xlr8]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

I LOVE the 3 part nutrients from Blue Planet, but I must confess that using straight RO water in my system, some plants will need cal and/or mag. So, I use 5ml per gal cal/mag supplement in addition to my RO water and BPN 3 part. Only certain strains seem to need it, but they are all happy getting it... . In theory it shouldn't be necessary but some strains/phenos just seem to have much different needs for cal and mag. Grow style, PH, grower error (mine) probably all play roles as well. I've needed Cal/mag with RO water and other nute lines too. Corey's has plenty of both in relation to other nutrient profiles, so my takeaway has been that a little cal/mag is probably always appropriate with RO water and hydro, with the exception perhaps of DWC.

Really glad they are perking up for you Sqwheels!

 

[BigIrishDoode]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

i want some stew! sound scrumptious i love soups/stews im a crock potter , funny thing is its been a while till my gf/wife made some crock roast the other day i ate till i was gonna bust!! and leftovers are MINE!!! lol
the ladies are looking good, i never need cal/mag since my water is so hard you have to chew it! but i did once when i was afraid of it and was using r/o i needed it, im thinking the bbgum has a deformity in its stem perhaps thats preventing that side from getting all it needs to grow right, but givin the quality of the genetics, i think the clones will be fine, and the mom may eventually outgrow the problem, i dont see it having any effect on the medicine in the end, that rhino is a lil beast! but the meds will rock i got a few nugs from Cali back in 06 killer stuff! i bet your chompin at the bit to gitchosum PHAT nuggyz blowin & sho'in in there!! you gonna flower both zones? can you imagine? wooooo! have you thought about a tent? im lovin all 3 of mine, i thought they were "we todd did " b4 i had one,but now i see the power they possess !!! just thought i'd bring it up for your consideration
all in all sqwheelie ya got da boxz a rokkin' im loo kin fwd to the flo show! sorry or my lingo im in a jolly mood our move is close to over and im so lookin fwd to starting all my projects (remodeling)
have a happy jappy flappy defo not crappy day!!!
&flower power!!

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

Hi X,

I with you on the 3 part BPN, I love them too...I think the girls love it too. Live and learn/grow and know, with the whole cal/mg thing. I'm just glad it was such a simple fix. They looked really bad, and I want to flower in a couple weeks...I agree with the certain strains need/use more, or maybe it could have something to do with stage of life cycle...those affected the worse were the youngest, grown from seeds. Everything else I have is older/cloned...hmmm, something to think about. What do you think?


Sq



bid,

OOhhh man!!! It was sooo good, we just finished eating. Leftovers for days...your gonna have to fight me for 'em

"water so hard you gotta chew it" eh? I didn't think mine was until I started growing...it's pretty hard 260-320ppm 8.7-9.2pH. That's why I cut it with ro. I want to know "what" I'm feeding, my ro/tap mix starts @ 90ppm and close to neutral pH, add 3 part Elite in equal amounts 5.7 - 5.8 everytime. The girls are now growing good...in a week or so I'll add some HID and they'll be thriving I can't wait to flower. No, I won't flower both rooms, I'll put the biggest girls in first, let the others veg a little longer...I'll probably end up moving them back and forth to the room with HID for part of the day too, just to help them put on some weight. I've also got to replant...NLxBB and BW need a 9" pot and all the others are in 4" so they all need to be repotted...I might even repot the big WW bonsai ... she's covered with bud sites, literally hundreds of them.

I think the same thing about bbg...it's my fault from way back when I popped them. They all looked weird because I left them on the cable box for 24+ hrs too long...had a crew of friends here remodeling my bathroom that w/e and forgot them, my bad. Oh well, I'll grow her out and see what I can get off her...her clone looks really good, I think.

I haven't seen a tent I think is user friendly to me. I've looked at several in my local hydro shop and they all have a lip at the bottom that's right in my way for getting up close. The closet works great...my next investment is gonna be LED's I think. Just gotta find something I can afford.

Thanks for looking in...Have yourself a happy not crappy day too...you're so funny

Sq

 

[OG13]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

Plants are looking great Sqwheels, glad you got the calmag rolling. Your "age of plant" may be correct, seedlings grow a tap root and may have a "weaker root system". By that I mean not as extensive as the "old mothers" (I'll call them MILFs, sorry). The milfs may be able to extract what they need from the perlite/fertilizer residue, due to extensive root networks, while the young plants don't have as many "rootlets" in contact with the growing media. Sure wish you could do a small screen (tomato cage or something) on each pot before flowering.....I know it would be difficult to move around and lift, but would give better support for the massive buds you will be growing this fall. Tomato cages are on sale right now..... Have fun, enjoy the coming season.

 

[Xlr8]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

Hi X,

...those affected the worse were the youngest, grown from seeds. Everything else I have is older/cloned...hmmm, something to think about. What do you think?


Sq

Good question. Perhaps OG13 is on to something as far as root networks, and I'd say that sure makes sense. Corey from Blue Planet Nutrients probably can answer that one - he really has an impressive knowledge of plant nutrition. I really just wanted to chime in with my experience because I think that for some reason, with certain strains, it's tough to get enough cal & mag in RO water from base nutrients (by no means just BPN). I'm not sure if grow style matters a little or lot in that equation, or what other variables might be at play, but wanted to share what I've observed.

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

OG - X,

Thanks for chiming in...on everything. your knowledge base and experience is much more extensive than mine I seriously appreciate all the info

OG, what you said about the smaller root system is kinda what I was thinking too, made sense to me...only the seedling were really showing signs, but I'm sure if I had let it continue it would have manifest in the older girls too. I saw a few small spots on a couple of others, here and there, could have gone unnoticed for longer... it was because of the babies that I picked up on it early.

X, Like you were saying...they all are happy to have it, so... It's probably a good rule to make sure you're giving some kinda ca and mg supplement when using straight ro. In my case I'll just mix ro/tap...KISS

I'm a little curious...Corey, If you see this...what do you think?

 

[Blue Planet Nutrients]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

The typical ppm of calcium that works for most plants is around 140 to 200 ppm. Some need more, some need less. Mg is around 50 ppm for most plants in a hydroponic nutrient solution. If using the Micro at 10 to 12 ml per gallon, that provides approximately 150 ppm Calcium and using the grow and bloom at 10 ppm each (Crazy Growth) provides about 60 ppm Magnesium. The 3 part provides enough calcium for most plant species. The best and most widely used compound for addition of calcium to any fertilizer is calcium nitrate which is the main ingredient in the MICRO. Calcium uptake is also greatest in the presence of Nitrate (NO3-).

Calcium (Ca2+) is moved into the root via passive transportation. Which means that it moves into the roots when water moves into the root. THere must be calcium in the water. Therefore, if a plants roots are sitting in a container of aerated water constantly than even a lower strength nutrient solution will suffice because as long as the pH is in the correct range and the plant is transpiring, calcium will be taken up. That is why I like DWC so much.

When using soil-less growing mediums or a flood table, ebb/flow, etc hydroponic system, the plant roots will not always be in contact with a nutrient solution. Especially if using plain water or flushing. Which means that there will be times when the plant is taking up water that contains no calcium or when it does get a blast of nutrient solution, there may not be enough taken up by the plant before it is drained away back into the reservoir.

The characteristics of the growing medium can also influence the uptake of calcium. Since Calcium is a positively charged cation (Ca2+), It binds tightly to the negatively charged sites in the soil....google "cation-exchange capacity" if you want to know more about that. Calcium uptake is also effected by the presence of other cations, especially the 2+ charged cations like Magnesium but also Potassium (K+). Potassium is used in the greatest amount compared to other nutrients in just about every plant species. Most nutrient solutions for growing cannabis contain in excess of 300 ppm K+ because potassium is so important for the development of buds and so many other critical process in fast growing plants. But, Excess potassium can cause a calcium deficiency because a build up of K+ (or other cations like magnesium) in the growing medium, hydroton, etc... can restrict the uptake of Calcium at the roots due to an ionic imbalance.

You see, there are cations (positively charged) and anions (negatively charged). A nutrient solution must be ionically balanced in order for the uptake of each nutrient to be taken up in the correct amounts.

There are other reasons such as large amounts of calcium is usually required to detoxify large amounts of heavy metals like Zn, Mn, etc... and excess of those in a growing medium can effect calcium uptake as well.

That is why I personally prefer DWC because there is never any build up in a growing medium except for the little amount of hydroton that keeps the stem upright...which is insignificant. The roots always sit in nutrients and have access to them at all times which promotes rapid growth. The nutrient solution is frequently changed which provides excellent control over pH, resets the ionic balance at each res change, and the roots can literally be rinsed off with clean water, it is like starting over every time and solving problems is so easy.

I hope this provides a little insight into calcium nutrition in plants

 

[Blue Planet Nutrients]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

Another tidbit: Since Calcium is Passively taken up into the plant, an underdeveloped or small root system can restrict calcium uptake due to the fact that there is just less surface area where calcium can be absorbed. I suggest increasing the level of the MICRO relative to the other 2 parts to help correct a calcium deficiency. The MICRO is really the base of the 3 part.

I will be launching BPN Cal-Mag in about 4 weeks as well as a liquid seaweed vitality booster, a new bloom booster that promotes the early development of bud sites, a B vitamin supplement, pH UP/DOWN, and a badass micronized mycorrhizae that is awesome in hydroponics!!
I will be putting a package together with a little of everything that will push grow ops to their absolute limits. I can't wait!!! BPN is also getting a totally new look with new artwork and a website upgrade. I have been bustin my azzz

 

[SurfBuddy]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

Another tidbit: Since Calcium is Passively taken up into the plant, an underdeveloped or small root system can restrict calcium uptake due to the fact that there is just less surface area where calcium can be absorbed. I suggest increasing the level of the MICRO relative to the other 2 parts to help correct a calcium deficiency. The MICRO is really the base of the 3 part.

I will be launching BPN Cal-Mag in about 4 weeks as well as a liquid seaweed vitality booster, a new bloom booster that promotes the early development of bud sites, a B vitamin supplement, pH UP/DOWN, and a badass micronized mycorrhizae that is awesome in hydroponics!!
I will be putting a package together with a little of everything that will push grow ops to their absolute limits. I can't wait!!! BPN is also getting a totally new look with new artwork and a website upgrade. I have been bustin my azzz

And that is why Corey is the man and BPN rocks! I love the previous post's in depth explanation of Cal uptake too.
+reps

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

SB, Absolutely Agree 420 %

thank you Corey for such an indepth look at this...you've given me/us lots to think about/absorb...and some more research too. The new products sound very useful...can't wait to see them. Sounds like you've been a busy busy bee Now I sound like my Gma.


Sq

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

Hi Folks

Did y'all miss me? I skipped last weeks update...too busy Labor Day w/e to do anything but water. This w/e I spent all day Sunday transplanting to 5" pots...Also switched out the cfl's for the 400w MH. I only took a couple before and afters...

Awaiting transplant

the MH sure makes it brighter in here...they are gonna love this

the girls in the small veg room are so big I had to put so more light in there, too much of them was unlit

In the big room... A shot of each
Blue Widow

Wonder Woman Bonsai

Northern Lights x Big Bud

A smaller Wonder Woman b...cloned from the bigger one

Another NLxBB...cloned from the bigger one

Various clones...I looked tonight just before lights out...all but one have roots now

the little Blueberry Gum I clipped 8-3 and planted around the 20th

and White Rhino...

this girl is stretching more than any of the others...and most of her growth is still symetrical. She was UBT'd to 6 nodes long ago, and the growing tips pinched on her longest branchs...strange thing, one of those tips produced 3 new branchs, it might have been 4 but it looks like I pinched a little too much...what's up with this I wonder? Do true sativas grow like this?
this pic 8-30

the next ones are from today

Sorry...I didn't realize this one was so fuzzy until I posted it

this last one shows some shinny spots, this is the smaller NLxBB, but if you look hard they all have a little bit of this...I'm not sure if this is residual effects of the ca/mg def I was having or if it's something different... ...do tell

The temps have been good here for a couple weeks...days have been in the 70's and nights in the 50's. My plan is to slowly increase their nutes, let them veg under the MH for a couple of weeks and then switch to flower it's about time

Thanks for looking...hope you enjoy



Sq

 

[Blue Planet Nutrients]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

NIce, very nice...

Have you checked for any pests in your garden? I am not sure if that is a nute deficiency. I can't tell 100% though.

 

[BigIrishDoode]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

i really hate to say this but itlooks like spider mite damage, get out your magnifier and check the backsides of all the damaged/off looking leaves for those lil bathturds!! i hope not but it looks familiar...

 

[BigIrishDoode]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

is it in both plant areas? hopefully im wrong, have you ever had them before?

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

bid...I've had spider mites before...I haven't had any in more than a year. The pic is poor, it doesn't show how shiny this is...it kinda reminds of slug shine, ya know the glistening trail they leave? only this is not moist, it's dry and doesn't appear on the reverse side.

They get moved around regularly for light purposes...I've had them all out, repotted all but the biggest WW within the last week...I haven't seen any kind of bugs.

I'll inspect closer but I'm sure it's not mites...I know what they look like, is there something smaller than mites I should be looking for? (I'll get my magnifying glass out) something that leaves a splotch of shiny milky stuff? Something common to MJ

Corey...with the last two feeds I've given a little extra M...currently ROT 99 + 10 M, 7.5 G, 7.5 B / gal = 918ppm 5.8pH, no adjustments, and the "out" numbers just keep climbing. they are between 1100 - 1400ppm with 5.8-6.2pH. and when I give just ROT pH'd to 5.6 - 5.8 the "out" numbers come down, generally by 200-300ppm, but the pH rises. At the risk of sounding like the village idiot...I still don't get why this is/or how it works.


Sq

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

OK, I found bugs

little white things...can't see them unless I use the magnifying glass...gotta go figure out what the hell these things are and how to get rid of them...I don't know where they came from. I haven't been anywhere and I rarely let anyone in there...WTH up with that?


Thanks bid...I didn't see them. dammit,,,bugs again...shit!


Sq

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

OK, I've got thrips...any suggestions...

Please...Thank-you

on to more research.

Sq

 

[sqwheels]

re: Sqwheels' Garden - Bonsai Style

I've done some research... Spinosad, apparently is an organic spray that will kill them. They have a short life span and I should treat every couple days for at least a week. Monterey Organic Garden Spray was recommended...Only problem...I can't find this spray in town, only online.

I won stuff from SNS that says it'll kill thrip, but it also kills a bunch of other stuff...and doesn't have spinosad in it...I don't want to over treat, (does that make sense) with a harsh chemical if I don't have to.

Off to research a little more...thanks for looking