Stick A Pineapple Where The Sun Don't Shine - In A Grow Box!

[santb]

Whew. Got that out of my system.
For now.
Still having a few computer/time/laziness/busy-ness issues but I have some photos to go up.
Upcanned the other day to a cup-sized pot. The seedlings seem to be going slowly. Almost 2 weeks now and they are still quite small. Hope I haven't screwed them up somehow..
They were 24/7 until Wednesday (when I upcanned), so that may have been too long and they needed a rest. I set the lights to the GLR schedule, 12 on; 5.5 off, 1 on, 5.5 off. Will see how they go over the weekend. They weren't root bound but the roots were starting to gather in the bottom of the tiny plug-pot, so hopefully they'll kick off over the next few days..
One of the seedlings could be the Tut after all... One of them has much more jagged first leaves than the other now, where as they were looking identical until now (to be expected, I guess, at this stage), so we'll see.
Otherwise, nothing to report. Still trying to get my downstairs sorted out, so I should have the cab relocated by the end of the weekend. Not a huge job in itself but everything is being re-arranged down there, so it's all on the floor at the moment! Almost finished, actually, although you'd never know it if you saw..

OK. Back later with the pics! Cheers!

 

[santb]

Ok so been flat out last couple days; it would appear that my earlier appraisal of being "almost finished" downstairs was MASSIVELY inaccurate.
But, I'm getting there. Frankly, I'm a bit OCD when I'm doing this sort of thing, and I like it perfect.
Perfection only usually lasts a few days, before the tools that get used and not put back properly, along with the empty stubbies, dirty rags and miscellaneous bits and pieces start to pile up on every available surface... In 3-4 months, I'll be cleaning up again.
Just not re-arranging...
Until the shed gets built!
Photo time. Although not much to look at, I got some upcan shots as well; help add some content!

Cab has been moved; was the first job this morning. Didn't look at the plants as I was trying to keep em in the dark but this arvo they were looking good. No photos of this... Tomorrow morning.
Some definite growth. One of them has got some pretty droopy first leaves but both have their second set through and growing, and they are drinking so will water again tomorrow. I used the soil mix with the extra perlite but also some extra coco and EWC for the first upcan, I also added a few fert pellets, broken up into 2-3 small bits, and dropped this on top, then covered it all with a thin mulch of coco to try and keep the perlite under control in the small pot. Watered in with a quarter dose each of Go-go Juice and liquid gypsum/lime(cal/mag). Plain water tomorrow..
So, based on a 30-second look on my way up to eat tonight, the GLR schedule seems to be, at the very least, having no ill effects.
The PC (I think!) appears to have almost tripled in size in the last 24 hrs, whereas the first 2 days after re-pot they did nothing, which would be normal anyway.. Droopy Leaf has about doubled, so at least she's not dying yet.. Both are noticeably greener also.
Cool, so that's it for that.. Bludging tomorrow, so will get new photos up about mid morn... Having that hour of light in the GLR dark period is very handy for that extra bit of access, I will say that.
Til then!

 

[santb]

End of week 2/Day 14 from sprout.

Just a few quick shots from this morning. Good improvement in growth; they seem to be pretty healthy.. The unknown strain, droopy leaf on the right, is looking better from last night. Both pots were pretty light, although I would've liked them drier sooner. I want to water every couple of days to increase nutrient movement, with a once per week semi-"flush" of fresh water only.
As of next upcan there will be no more extra coco, only extra perlite, to at least 50%. Might be straying dangerously close to a "soil-less" mix, given the already high coco content of my mixes... I guess I'm still going for that organic, semi-hydro/faux-hempy style I've got in my head.
I'll put 20-30mm of straight coco in the bottom of the cloth pots; to provide a "wick/res" and ensure thorough drainage, which will be sitting in a deep drip tray. I can also bottom-water this way, and while I will never leave the pots sitting in four inches of water or whatever (like I could outdoors, where evaporation is my friend and humidity is not an issue), the perlite can soak up any remaining run-off, giving the roots plenty of nooks to go for, and, with the general increase in perlite, allowing me to maybe be a bit more aggressive with nutes (when I eventually buy some!) for flowering..

Sorry; just re-read all that, and realised I just explained to you all how pots work...!
Who sends me my honorary degree??
Well, hopefully you get what I mean... I won't rely on the soil to do everything for me, is the point, but I can still keep it organic-easy..
Probably just shoulda said that in the first place.
Good segue to the photos. I'll shut up now.

These two are the PC:

These are Droopy Leaf, AKA '?' Sorry for poor quality.

 

[santb]

Hey guys..
Sorry been away again.. Busy still; getting a bit done so it's a good thing..
Got some photos from the last few days. Gotta try and get them in order if I can.
They are growing VERY slowly. Not sute what has gone wrong. The one on the right ("?") seems to be stunted for some reason, and the PC is about twice as big but SLOW.
Third set of leaves are coming up now but it's almost week four and I'm worried now. Might try to pop another seed..
Both seedlings have been in identical environments and conditions. "?" showed some burnt tips already, tho' I know there is less N in the pot. PC looks healthy enough, just small for the age.
Turned the lights on to 16 on/8 off, hoping that a bit more light and heat might kick them off... We'll see.

These are in order, from the 14/9/16 to this morning, 20/9/16.
Gave a very light feed today of some fish based fert and have been watering every 3 days.
Hope they come back! Was hoping to flip in 3 weeks.. Gonna have to keep fingers crossed that at least one of them grows a bit in the next couple weeks. Wanted to have topped by now...
Ah well... Mite try to pop a White Widow seed; or maybe my last Choc Mint OG... Might get some more seeds at xmas time, so I'll def be getting more Choc Mint..
Chat soon! Will try to get on and say gday tomorrow...
Cheers!

 

[TheBlaze]

Yeah, Blaze; you just had a daughter!! Be careful.. Not to mention my 2yo niece..

Us modern, sensitive-type blokes are very aware of the fine line between humour and abuse. Jokes about a girls "power tools", for example; or about how some of us may have a 'tool for you to practice with' could be inferred as sexist, misogynist or just plain degrading. There was even a few "elbow grease" jokes (seen those photos of guys elbows that look like cleavage etc?) I coulda thrown in..
But I'm a responsible, enlightened, modern man, and I thought that the readers imagination would insert the obvious jokes as and where necessary..


Also, that bikini shot I saw of Cannafan a few months back popped straight into my head, so; you know... Input overload!
If you missed it, guys, you really missed it!! Talk about power tools! That bikini was a weapon of mass distraction; those were some instruments I'd like to dial in; it was two of the....

Whoops. See how easy it is slip on that slope...?

Not sure how I missed this, or the bikini photo. I need to be more active here. Seems it pays off.

 

[TheBlaze]

I'm not sure about the deficiency, but there seems to be some over-watering happening. Maybe let them dry out some?

 

[santb]

Cheers, Blaze. Good to see you.. Hope all is well with the new family!!
The medium is very free-draining. In a couple of those pics in the middle, the droopy leaves on both were UNDER watering. The pots weighed nothing, and the next day, the plants were perked back up.. That coating of coco on the surface is only 5mm deep.. The mix is about 60% perlite..
I am a bit baffled. These seeds popped well, and started pretty strong, so I'm gonna assume it was something I did wrong, only I can't for the life of me think what..
I've been very light on feed (maybe part of it?) and careful with the water. I WANT to be able to water more; to feed more, which is why so much perlite this time. The one re-pot was smooth and easy. Roots were good, if not out of control, starting to gather in the bottom. Seems like the roots stopped growing after that, so maybe I watered in too much kelp (I'm using quarter strength everything, BTW, hoping to avoid this very issue!!)or something; or something I'm using is past it's use-by-date..
Still using the small LED but nodes are so tight it can't be not enough light... Too much light?
I don't know! Just when you think you're on the right track.. The only change between this grow and the last soil-mix-wise is more perlite, so I'm buggered if I can work it out.. New "nute" is GH Vegan FloraBlend; maybe it's 'off'?

 

[Billyjack]

I always have issues with seedlings under LED so I use T-5/8 until they get a bit bigger. I either get super tight nodes when vegging or huge stretch. I also seem to get better better seedling growth under the T-5/8. I am a big fan of the Hempy pots,, almost impossible to over water. I do not recall if you mentioned what your PH is when you feed, what is PH? I have had issues keeping my PH down with coco but then again, my growing skill is less than most.

At this age, they need some food and I like 1/4 strength.

 

[TheBlaze]

Stupid question time: I assume this is an organic grow? Just asking, because if it is, I really can't give any advice as I have no experience with organic.

 

[santb]

Cheers, Billy! Yeah, this is a new thing for me, the LED, or otherwise.. I was wondering about the tight spacing on such small plants..
And, yeah Blaze, organic. Just more perlite... Was thinking that that would encourage quick growth..! Wrong! I mustve had too much of something; maybe EWC. Can get a bit gluggy when wet. That would also explain (maybe) some potential over-watering symptoms..??
Just totally guessing, so...
Will get a new seed started tomorrow. If it pops this week, then I might get rid of the obviously stunted "?" one..

 

[Billyjack]

Cheers, Billy! Yeah, this is a new thing for me, the LED, or otherwise.. I was wondering about the tight spacing on such small plants..
And, yeah Blaze, organic. Just more perlite... Was thinking that that would encourage quick growth..! Wrong! I mustve had too much of something; maybe EWC. Can get a bit gluggy when wet. That would also explain (maybe) some potential over-watering symptoms..??
Just totally guessing, so...
Will get a new seed started tomorrow. If it pops this week, then I might get rid of the obviously stunted "?" one..

If you have the room, I would suggest keeping the stunted one just to see how things turn out. When I germinate, I always wait until the seed just cracks and then plant it. I dont wait for the tap root to extend. I always worry about damage to it.

 

[santb]

Hey guys; slack as usual lately but this time there's a good reason: these plants are pretty much a bust. Neither has grown a bit in over a week. The following photos were taken last weekend, and they look exactly the same today, except a bit paler..
Not sure what I did. Must've been a bit rougher than I thought during the re-pot. Looking at those little root ball photos; they looked so healthy and ready.. Cab temps are good (19-29C) and RH is stable at 40-60%. I gave a very weak feed; maybe too soon.. Whatever happened is academic now, cos they're dead in the water. I'll keep em going, cos 1 gram is still better than 0 gram so who knows...?
The worst thing is that I wasted such a great thread title on this non-event!
In total desperation, I've thrown most of the rest of my seeds in, thinking if I can get 3-6 viable plants to veg properly for 2-3 weeks, I should still end up with a couple ounces for xmas.. 2 of those have sprouted so far. I direct-sowed 4 of them, just to eliminate and excess handling by me, and on has already failed. The rest have cracked, waiting for them to poke their heads out.. Another one of 2 in a paper-towel sent out it's tap root today. Definitely need more seeds. BITTERLY disappointed in the previously-bitched-about seedbank, and I'm also starting to believe all the bad things you read about Barneys Farm genetics... Oh well..
Pics:

I put the black cloth over the dome just for the first day, then changed my mind. I've been putting them out in the sun when I can, riding the razors edge between moist and too moist. Still cool-ish here at night, but getting warmer fast. These will essentially 12/12 from seed, that's why I planted so many...won't be big yielding plants, so I can get away with a few more...

On another note, and a good example of how easily distracted I can be; I put my downstairs cleanup on hold for 2 days (still not finished! Many little side projects!!!) when I started thinking about a stash spot for all the pot, plus all the assorted bits and pieces that I really shouldn't be leaving laying around..
So I converted a filing cabinet drawer into a locker by putting a lid on the inside of the drawer..

Notice to the right all the timber that used to be walls in here. Gotta get rid of that this weekend..

I left a couple inches at the top to put 'stuff' in... At just a glance, it's just another drawer filled with crap.

That last one is with a fabric handle. Gotta make up a spring-loaded catch/lock that I can totally conceal by running along the inside or the lid, and operate with a piece of cord/whatever hanging out the back... Would never stay hidden from a pro/cop but it will stop prying eyes or young hands (my niece) from finding things they shouldn't...
Cheers!

 

[TheBlaze]

I feel for you bud. We've all been there. I know them feels bro.

Hang in there. Things will get better.

 

[santb]

Cheers, Blaze..
Yeah, it's all part and parcel of growin stuff, I guess.. So many fails from a particular breeder, tho.. Can't all be me, or 'usual' fail-rates... From my 13 or so Barneys seeds, I've got 3 plants, plus the one stunted PC here.. Less than 50% success. Greenhouse not far behind that.. That being said, I have 3 total Unknown seeds sprouted; one is the original "?" of this thread, and is very small.
Which brings me to the good news. I have 4 new sprouts! An Arjans Haze #1 freebie that I got has popped and is above ground now.. It was the tiniest MJ seed I've ever seen.. Was shocked to see it actually sprout! At least one, possibly 2 of these will be Tuts, which is great, and the other COULD be a Pineapple Chunk, keeping my precious title relevant!
The last one is my last Choc Mint OG. I'll be buying more of this one no matter what, so not worried about losing it now.
So we're up and running again, albeit about 5 weeks late. Was originally planning on flipping about now or next week!
So while these plants will not be quite the '12/12 from seed' that would be a worst case scenario, they will only get 2-3 weeks before flip now.. I need it all in jars by xmas day in case of visitors! Not so bad, cos at least they should be mature, and it won't be such a waste of the first 2 weeks...
I'll repot a week before flip, and if I think I can get away with it, I'll top them all as well. Otherwise, they'll be getting the heavy-bondage treatment, so I can get the light nice and close this time, see if I can't increase bud density, maybe get a bit more value for the small yield..
As a bit of a bonus, the original two are growing again. Paradoxically, the smallest, most stunted one, "?", is now pushing out it's 5th node!
Funny old plants; just goes to show they are pretty tough.
Still won't get much more than a gram of her but her (both of them) display of sheer gritty determination has stayed the executioners sword...(for now. I can be a bitter, vengeful cabinet-God.)
If they put on enough weight in the next week, I'll risk topping them too, since they are already kinda write-offs anyway. (Don't make it easy on myself, do I?... Can't help it..)
Pics:

From yesterday. Choc Mint OG in the red, all sprouts looking good so far. But they always do! The originals behind are over 5 weeks old!
But they are looking a touch bushier; a touch greener.. There are new roots growing out the bottom of their pots, too, so hopefully they will be ok for a while. Don't wanna disturb them again but they will need to be upcanned for flower.... Only 3ish weeks to flip, so will leave for now and let them grow...

These are from this morning. New sprout appeared yesterday morning; Arjans Haze #1.. Could ruin my flowering plans (I think it can be a 10-weeker) but again; it will only be a small plant, so not too worried yet..

So that's the current line-up. Thinking of sprouting one more but at a point of no veg time for it assuming a week to pop/sprout, so probably not worth it.. Haven't many seeds left, now, so hoping Herbies got some good xmas deals on this year... And they are delivered to where I am, the notoriously difficult State of Queensland. C'mon, Herbies!!!
Bonza at least had a good delivery system, even if it was unnecessarily slow and apparently completely un-tracked, which is surprising considering the relative... umm.. Let's just say that their care level seems to be 0.
SO!
Back in business for now..
I'm kinda on a bit of a comic book kick at the moment... Thanks to attention span issues, I tend latch onto things and everything else falls by the wayside!! I'm online a lot still, just not here! I will get around and visit, I promise...
Meanwhile, check out: Everything with Deadpool in it. It's awesome!
But also: I'm reading the complete Marvel Civil War story and it's really good.. Also, check out Saga; Preacher; Bloodshot; Batman (of course); Rai; Archer and Armstrong; Powerman (Luke Cage to you who have internet TV) and Iron Fist (also has a show)....
So much interesting stuff goes on in these alternate universes..

 

[santb]

Almost forgot.. A medicinal cannabis user-friend of mine txtd me this today...
Had to laugh, cos she's NOT a stoner and this is such a stoner thing... Except I never thought of it my self...!

 

[GrizzWald]

Lots of plants.. Are some saying "feed me" or just lighting? Looking good mate... Don't know if I'd smoke oscar though..

 

[santb]

Ha cheers, Grizz.. Yeah a lot but they will be small. I won't even count the stunted ones anymore, cos they'll probably just be bud-on-a-stick type plants and I'll just let them do their thing.
If they are the ones you mean might need food, then i think I already over-did that part! But they are just recovering from whatever stunted/shocked them, probably me over feeding, over-watering, and being too rough during upcan (even tho I though I wasn't doing any of those things!) and they will need a water tonight, so I'll give them a very weak feed and see how they respond.
If one of them (the biggest?) makes a full recovery and goes nuts in the next week or so, then it will be another cramped cab...
It's a risk I need to take; and what the hell. All part of the learning experience. Bottom line is I want weed, and the risk is the same for 1 plant or 5 for me, so if I have to deal with another tricky-humid grow due to over-crowding, and maybe waste a few seeds, then so be it.
Hopefully I'll end up with 2-4 zips of new gear for chrissie, and mission accomplished. Still have a few seeds left to get me started next year, and if no xmas visitors are expected then I'm gonna throw my last two auto seeds in over the summer to see how the cab goes in the heat.
On the plus side, my air-extraction upgrade seems to be spot on... Cab environment is stable. Big spike in RH yesterday due to it pissing down with rain on and off all day, but otherwise it's all good at 40-55% give or take... It's been very dry here recently, with only the occasional shower and a bit of rain yesterday.. But still quite cool at night. The fans are much more efficiently dealing with temps at just over half-speed, which is approx 100CFM; cab is 35cft (18-29C in an admittedly empty cab), so I'm hopeful at full blast they will keep summer temps under control. The autos will be my canaries, since they will be less hardy, and I don't care about them as much... Unless I REALLY need the weed! Fingers crossed for this grow!! Again!!!
I worked out I was using my hygrom/therm wrong.. I now have the probe down in the air-intake cavity as close to the outside of the box as possible, and the unit inside the cab.. My 'in' and 'out' readings are now much more accurate (took me a while to work out that the probe was for outside...yeah, I know...)

 

[GrizzWald]

You live in house or unit/apartment? Yard? Are you able to throw a flowering girl/s outside and either leave or put into shed/house at night? Bush nearby? If have to throw away, plant it somewhere good to leave. Out front of public library or entrance to hospital, let them learn and heal from it, lol.. Or cop shop

 

[santb]

That's a good idea... The local Police micro-station.. Not in front but nearby, where you can see it.. I wonder how long until someone noticed it..
Got a yard but too sus. There's no natural cover here. Used a shade cloth greenhouse last year; got a few to grow.. But with the indoor here, I made a deal with myself. No more plants outside if I'm growing inside. Some one sees it; cops come here, find cab.. all over. I little paranoia goes a long way in this game..
It'll be cool.. 3 weeks veg, the 5 should be manageable at least.. I probably COULD plant one out of sight, but it would be in the shade all day.. Might be worth a try if I can hide it. Shade grow.

 

[Billyjack]

Somewhere else on this site, I saw a picture of someone who plants outside who adds silk flowers to camouflage the plant. You could do that and some LST.