Tremane's Soil Auto Critical Journal 2013: First Ever Grow - Low Budget

T

tremane

New Member
Hi,

I'm new here and new to growing, so please be gentle with me :thanks:

Strain: Auto Critical Feminised Seeds
Cannabis genetics: Big Bud x Ruderalis
Type: Ruderalis x Indica x Sativa
Built-in bedroom closet grow
Medium: Canna Terra Professional Soil Mix
11 litre square tub
# of plants: one
CFL: 1 x 105w daylight 6400k
Natural ventilation - carbon filter fan for later stage growth
Nutrients: Bio Biz Bio Bloom (not yet used)

Planted one seed into well watered medium in 11 litre square tub, as read that autos don't like to be moved. Put under 24 hour cfl and sprout popped through exactly 3 days later. Switched to 20/4. Having read up more, I realized at around this point I should've bought a 2700 rather than a 6400k cfl for bud production as there's no veg stage but she seems fine with the one I have atm.

Unfortunately I didn't take photos til day 13 (see below) but she's been fairly trouble-free despite a *very* budget set up.

Day 13
(Pic taken just before moved cfl up a bit)



I should've painted the closet before I planted but had run out of cash lol! So, as it's only one plant and one cfl I lined the closet up to a metre high with foil. Next grow will make sure I've painted it flat white before I start. I also made a homemade reflector for my cfl but they don't teach you how to do that when I was a girl guide ... also not easy when the darn cfl is SO big :winkyface:

Day 16 - today
(After the closet "mini makeover")



The light makes her look a bit yellow in the close-up, she's more the colour of the outer leaves in the other shot in real life.

I've found that the Canna Terro Pro *really* retains moisture, it's still damp and haven't watered since day one, so it's probably a good thing that it's packed with nutes. I've got Bio Bloom for when she needs some.

More to come as she grows :love: ... any pointers and constructive criticism welcomed.
 
One thing I had noticed is that during the 4 hours the light's off, there seems to be some transpiration which would indicate that there's too much water? There are water droplets on the end of quite a few of the leaf points. Not sure how though as haven't needed to water in 16 days. Not sure what the humidity is as haven't got a meter?
 
Saw you were new to the site, as am I. Nice little lady you got started there. The stagger on your leaves is very precise =P. You shouldn't have so much moisture as to cause "dew". It might cause mold, and mold is a jerk. What is your temp at during the day vs lights out?
Also look up "topping" your lady. You can create a lovely little canopy that way and utilize your light, cutting away at the undergrowth and using those cuts for clones.
 
sounds like you have a ventilation problem. If you havent watered for 2 weeks of more and its still wet you will soon suffer root rot. The air in your grow space needs replacing every 3 minutes. If your water stagnates in the soil it will turn rancid. After two weeks that plant should be on its fifth set of leaves and be a lot bigger. You realy need to exhaust I think. A thermometer/hygrometer is a must when growin weed, you neeeeed to get one, they are not expensive and it will be a real investment.
 
Thanks guys, really appreciate the advice and yeah I was worried about the dampness as she was starting to look overwatered even tho I hadn't watered her. Totally agree that ventilation must be the problem, so have now got a fan in there and cracked the closet door open - would that work as a budget option for now? I felt the soil this morning and even a few inches down it was much drier, to the point that I think another day or so and she'll need watering. The fan is one I bought years ago and has an ionising function, would that be useful at all?

I didn't realise how cheap thermometer/hygrometers are - have ordered this one as the cheaper digital ones had mixed reviews - Indoor Green Plastic Round Dial Thermometer Hygrometer Measure: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors ... think it looks okay?

Will also have a search on here about topping her, not worth taking clones tho as she's an auto :)

Thanks again both of you for the advice :thumb:
 
Day 19 photos (click on thumbnails for full size pics). I accidentally knocked some of the lower leaves when moving her around yesterday, sorting out the fan etc and bent one over and managed to put a small hole in another two :oops:

Can you see what I mean about the looking overwatered? There's a bit of leaf curl on some of the leaves, but it doesn't seem to have got any worse since yesterday.

Close up



Set-up showing fan



With tape measure to give an idea of size

 
Thought i read that temps should be around 75 and R-H around 30 - 40....:peace:
 
Hi tremane,
temps around 23 C, RH 40-60%. Your not far off. RH over 75% and you risk the dreaded mold. When flowering the RH needs to be lower. I wouldnt top an auto flowering strain cause your gonna lose yield, after topping the plant takes a week to recover and with no veg youll lose your main cola and just get two weedy ones in its place. You could just bend it over to make it bushier, then she wont need to recover and you get the same results as topping without the loss in yield.
You should realy think about getting a warm white 2700k cfl for the flowering, maybe combine it with what youve got, more light=more bud, she wont flower well with just a cool white 6500k cfl.
Let her dry out properly before you think about watering, over watering is a cannabis killer. Water when the pot is light and the soil feels completely dry when you stick your finger in to the second knuckle.
Your doing fine, just ask us if your worried about anything. Take it easy dude, see you around.
 
Thanks again for the advice :thanks:

I've put the heating back on again, so hopefully the temp in there will go up shortly too. I'm also hoping that part of the reason the humidity is around the 60 mark is because of the fan drying out the soil a bit more - it makes sense that there'd be more air moisture while it's doing that but will keep a close eye on it. I've read that there are granules you can get to put in a container in the closet that should soak up moisture, if it creeps up I should be able to get some on next day delivery - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0017RPIKM/?tag=420magazine0f-20

I did order a 105w warm white 2700k light from ebay and it should be here by the weekend/beginning of next week. Good to know that it's ok to combine it with the current light, as that was going to be my next question lol.

Thanks again :thumb:
 
:thumb:
 
Bit the bullet and tried some gentle lst, think she's looking better already. Still waiting on ph soil tester and 105w 2700k light but both should be here in the next day or two. On advice, I took down the foil - didn't want to cause more problems for myself.

Day 22 side shot

green_day22a.jpg


Day 22 from above

green_day22b.jpg
 
How did this grow turn out?

We would love to be updated with some pictures and info! :blushsmile:

How about posting a 420 Strain Review?

If you need any help with posting photos, please read the photo gallery tutorial:
Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

I am moving this to Abandoned Journals until we get updates.

Thanks and hope all is well in your world.

Love and respect from all of us here at 420 Magazine.
 

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