Vortex's Lab: 4x4 Secondary Garden & Experimental Thread

[multiVortex]

Try not to get too worried about shifting positions in the tent. In the wild, a plant is always facing the same position it sprouted and continues to grow in. As the plants get bigger, you can adjust so no one is crowding the other one too much, but other than that, let nature take its course.

Absolutely. Will be moving more for ease of care than plant needs. Taller, longer in the back. Shorter, quicker in the front.

Blue is the longer flowering time. Even as an auto she's still her 9-week self, with many going a week or so longer even. Pair that with the Mx Air that's just under 2 weeks behind, and they should work good in the back.

The shorter up front will work good too, if the light needs to be a different height than the back panel.

Middle is a free for all, and gets it from both sides. Should be a good spot for the crack baby.

 

[multiVortex]

Nothing much happening today so far. I did get down and get Six's reins adjusted last night, but that's the extent of it. Nothing to really be done at the moment.

Lemmy is at and passing the edge of her little pot. I plan to let her go a few inches past, maybe 3 or 4, since the pot is only a 3gal.

Everybody else is good. Blue is really showing her sativa background. Not near as bushy as the others, but that's alright. She's really open, and in good shape to produce the goods.

The Chica will be getting her first go at bondage probably mid-week. Letting those nodes get a tick longer though. Still a little short, but will be ready pretty quick. I could now, but it would need a delicate touch. No sense in taking the risk of snapping the main node when it won't hurt to wait a few more days.

 

[multiVortex]

Need to again adjust the straps, just 2 days later.

It could wait a day or so, but really it's easier to go sooner so the branches are more flexible.


The Chica will also be getting her first straps today as well. Seeing her this morning, it's time. She's came on into veg like a champ. I will be getting her strapped up, then moving her to the back corner as previously discussed. Should balance things out better in the long run.

But before all of that fun, gotta finish up some work for the day, then clear some feckin snow.

I know, I know... move to where the heat is.




From check-in this morning:

 

[multiVortex]

Kind of tough to tell with the angle of the pic above, but the Chica (front left) is almost as tall as the blue dream (back right) already.

Other than Blue, you can't tell the other 3 got a defol recently. Guess I'll add that to the list for when I can hobble down there later. Feckin snow.

 

[multiVortex]

Thinned up Lemmy and the crack baby pretty good this evening. Holy crap they were getting awful bushy, and I just trimmed them a few days ago.

You can see the difference from the pic above, which was just this morning.

Gosh, looking at the pic, I swear Lemmy put on leaves in the time between finishing the trim this evening and the few minutes later when I took the pic.

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

Thinned up Lemmy and the crack baby pretty good this evening. Holy crap they were getting awful bushy, and I just trimmed them a few days ago.

You can see the difference from the pic above, which was just this morning.

Gosh, looking at the pic, I swear Lemmy put on leaves in the time between finishing the trim this evening and the few minutes later when I took the pic.

Music to my eyes!

 

[multiVortex]

Round 1 of breakfast for the girls is soaking in as I type. Will go back for round 2 after bit.

Six, Blue, and the crack baby will take about 1 1/3 gal, while Lemmy will swallow about a gallon in her 3gal pot. All at the 6g/gal level of megacrop.

The chica also had breakfast, but she's at the 4.5g/gal mark as she's a tick behind the other girls from her late sprout. I'm not completely sure what she's going to do. She's sativa, no doubt (and obviously in the literature on her), and I noticed last night when I was applying her initial LST that she's starting to show some wisps already.

I figured it would be another week to 10 days for her to do that, considering where she's at in veg.

She may end up being a tall, thinned out girl. Guess we'll see how things go.


Although this does remind me that I need to get on the ball and get my UV lighting going....

[time is passing, but you wouldn't have known that if I didn't type this...]



Alrighty then, that's that. I got on a side track and I'm glad I did. The UV strips I had in mind are on sale for $40 off ($99 vice $139.) Two of them will be on the way shortly.

What specifically? California Lightworks SolarSystem UVB 24w. This is a T5 bulb unit, and each bulb should last about 8 grows, maybe 9.

Has a 4x4 coverage at 36", so with lights at 18" - 24" once flowering is in full swing in the ol Lab, two should cover it.

These will run in the last couple weeks of flower for an hour or so mid day, and that is it. (Initial ramp up of a couple days at 15min, 30min, 45min, then an hour for the remaining time.

I may have to adjust them mid cycle, but not 100% sure on that yet. Have to figure out how to best position them around the two light panels. Where are those? They both are hung so the length it left to right. One light is centered 12" from the back, the other 12" from the front, as each light covers a 4x2 area.

There is room to either of a lights 4 sides, but will need to map it out a bit. My thought right now is to have them in the center, and angle them just slightly towards the front/back. Other option is to put them on the outside and angle them towards the center. I guess another option would be to mix the two above. One at the back and angled to the middle, with one in the middle angled towards the front. (Or a reverse of that, even.)

Now by "angle" I mean slightly tilted, by 15* or so.


We'll see what's what when the time comes I guess.


With the light in my RDWC tent, these will fit right between the strips, and I think we'll be just fine in there.

 

[multiVortex]

Here we are, just 16 hours from the defol yesterday. Looks to be excellent recovery.

I also spread out Blue a little more. There are a couple rogue nodes on her that are going every which way but loose. I took some mason line and went around the sticks, giving a nice edge line to tuck under as needed. And a few did need it. I also super cropped a node that was shooting above the others. I think she may be spread enough now, but may need one or two more depending on her stretch.

 

[multiVortex]

And in less than a day, things are already turning back up to face the light and keep going.

Yesterday was the final increase in lighting, and both are running at 100% now. That tent is lit up AF, I tell ya.


The crack baby is close to the edge, and on it in some spots now. Only a few more tie downs for her it seems. The same goes for Lemmy, too. Although I'm letting her extend past her container edges a bit, since it's a smaller one.

The Chica is rolling, we'll see how she does.

Six has really thickened up the last couple of days. I need to bring her out and give her some proper, detailed attention. That will be put on the schedule for this evening, as will be a game of musical chairs.


I will note that from this angle Blue looks a little thin compared to the other bushes going on. She definitely is to an extent, but the angle makes it look much thinner than she really is. Looking down from the top, she's in great shape for the light and getting it done. Enough so that she was relieved of about a dozen fans yesterday. Mainly ones that were blocking sites and wouldn't tuck away very well. Although 2 or 3 were those "backward" facing ones from the training.


Now on these girls I want to make a note. They are quadlined, or at least I'm trying , but there are a couple minor exceptions. The biggest thing is I'm not taking off any nodes. I'm letting them all go hog wild. I know a lot of people at least take the ones coming off the bottom of the parent node, but I've left those too. Mainly because they haven't really been in the way, and if I can keep them and they will make it to be part of the canopy, I'm cool with that.

I need to get some form of support ready, one way or another.

I have (4) 2x2 scrog supports, but those are earmarked for the RDWC. I thought about one of the stretchy nets, but with a slightly staggered harvest coming out of this, it might be more of a pain than it's worth. I could make more individual supports, but end up in a similar issue as with the net. We'll see I guess. I'm open to suggestions, though it may end up being bamboo sticks, mason line, and yo yo's as needed.

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

I need to get some form of support ready, one way or another.

I have (4) 2x2 scrog supports, but those are earmarked for the RDWC. I thought about one of the stretchy nets, but with a slightly staggered harvest coming out of this, it might be more of a pain than it's worth. I could make more individual supports, but end up in a similar issue as with the net. We'll see I guess. I'm open to suggestions, though it may end up being bamboo sticks, mason line, and yo yo's as needed.

I go back and forth with this in my mind for my next run. Im going to scrog it...no Im not going to scrog it. The one thing that keeps making me say no, is that once the buds are commited to the scrog, moving the plants is a fahgetaboutit. Problems arise, and I dont like that limitation.

 

[multiVortex]

I go back and forth with this in my mind for my next run. Im going to scrog it...no Im not going to scrog it. The one thing that keeps making me say no, is that once the buds are commited to the scrog, moving the plants is a fahgetaboutit. Problems arise, and I dont like that limitation.

Definitely. That's why I prefer to have a screen for each plant. Like (4) 2x2's, one for each plant. In a 4x4, that's about what each one is getting anyway, so good enough I think. Now if everything was the same strain and coming down at the same time, sure, a big screen works. Of course you still can't take one out if you're in pots.



So the game of musical chairs has begun!

No filter, and straight Budget LED...

And the safety filter:

So here's what happened when the music stopped:

• Top Left: Lemmy (Lemon Drop, aka: Super Lemon Haze)
• Top Right: Blue (Blue Dream'mattic)
• Center: Chica (Mx Airlines)
• Bottom Left: Six (Six Shooter)
• Bottom Right: Crack Baby (Green Crack)

Not that you can really tell, but Lemmy got yet another trim job and her restraints adjusted a bit. Damn she's got nodes upon nodes upon nodes. Here a node, there a node, everywhere a node node. Hence why she bushes up so much I guess. Kind of like Rusty and putting in a dollar, got a car; it seems like I clip a fan and get another node.

She also got another gallon of grub. She might have made it to morning, but whatev. She needed it, she got it.


Crack baby got her a little trim up and retie as well.


Chica had a slight adjustment to her bonds, but nothing serious yet. Maybe half an inch worth, but while I had her in my hands, might as well.

Finally, Six got the brunt of the lovin tonight. She was bushing up really thick, and being in the back corner hadn't quite had the full training attention she needed. Needless to say, she's thinned out a good bit, and stretched across as much as reasonably possible. Some places look a little thicker, but that's the bottom fans providing a backdrop underneath.


With the exception of the Chica, the girls are pre-flowering like mad. Lots of sites popping, and new ones daily. At this point, I think they're as spread out enough, and I'm going to just let them all stretch up and up. Obviously a few minor exceptions may creep up, but for the most part (Chica aside) I think we're good on the major training.



One big lesson learned with this grow so far though. That is, "Don't get distracted and neglect training in veg."

I wouldn't say I neglected the girls, but I was definitely preoccupied trying to sort out the initial install/setup of the RDWC. That time put into that meant less time/focus on these girls, and their training could have been better in several places. They haven't ended up bad by any means, but it would have been much, much easier to keep up with it every other day as they vegged. Going 4-5 days in between, and then only giving them the basics, can catch up real quick. Especially with autos, as they're going to do what they're going to do. At that point you end up with a few heavy rounds of bending and defol, plus nodes going wild.


Lots of flower sites though, and they're all getting a good dose of light, and at least most of each plant is pretty even. There are a couple slightly taller spots here and there, but not much. Those most likely will get a supercrop if they get too far ahead.

 

[multiVortex]

The last few days I've been thinking about watering. More specifically, making it a little easier on both the plants, and me.

I'm not currently looking for a permanent solution, but something just for this run. Something I can put together from what I have laying around, and go from there. Do I have anything laying around that would work?

Why yes, I think I do.

What I have is some leftover pieces from when I put in micro sprinklers and drippers in some of my landscaping. This includes some 1/2" tubing, as well as some 1/4" tubing, drip emitters, etc.

I have several dozen of these emitters, and they are flow adjustable. I'm thinking I can run a main 1/2" line into the tent. I can then branch off to each pot with 1/4", split that with a tee, and run 2 emitters per pot. If I space them right, I can keep from spraying directly on the main trunk, and get pretty good coverage in the pot I think.

I've thought it over pretty well, I think, and should be able to pull it off without much extra. I also have some inline valves, which I'll use to turn a pot on/off. This way if one is good, I can turn it off while the others soak. If I add the valves, which I also have, then the 1/4" lines will have to be accessible from a good spot so I can adjust.

Or if 1 or 2 pots need it, I can keep the others off. Like right now, it looks like Lemmy and her 3gal pot is ready for a daily buffet and she's drying out quick.

The others are 7gal, and able to go 2-3 days pretty easily still.

I thought about drip trays and other things, but this makes the most sense to me. I can reuse most of the stuff I'll be using for this, so that's a plus. Coupled with already having it, I think we're on a winning track.


Watering plan would be to gently soak it for a few minutes then stop and wait a few minutes. Rinse, repeat, until pots drip.

 

[multiVortex]

Well, I'm halfway there. I have 9 emitters on tubing. Why 9? I've decided to go with 2 for each 7gal pot, and 1 for Lemmy in her 3gal.

I've taken a run of 1/4" into a tee, then added 8" to each side and added a dripper stake.

I now just need to attach those to the inline valves. The inline valves will be punched directly into the 1/2" main coming from the submersible pump.

Unfortunately, that's as far as I'm going to be able to get today, and will have to actually hook it all up Saturday. Oh well, such is life I guess.

Gotta water today, and not enough time between taking breaks and when I gotta jet outta here for some commitments this evening. Booooooo.

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

The last few days I've been thinking about watering. More specifically, making it a little easier on both the plants, and me.

I'm not currently looking for a permanent solution, but something just for this run. Something I can put together from what I have laying around, and go from there. Do I have anything laying around that would work?

Why yes, I think I do.

What I have is some leftover pieces from when I put in micro sprinklers and drippers in some of my landscaping. This includes some 1/2" tubing, as well as some 1/4" tubing, drip emitters, etc.

I have several dozen of these emitters, and they are flow adjustable. I'm thinking I can run a main 1/2" line into the tent. I can then branch off to each pot with 1/4", split that with a tee, and run 2 emitters per pot. If I space them right, I can keep from spraying directly on the main trunk, and get pretty good coverage in the pot I think.

I've thought it over pretty well, I think, and should be able to pull it off without much extra. I also have some inline valves, which I'll use to turn a pot on/off. This way if one is good, I can turn it off while the others soak. If I add the valves, which I also have, then the 1/4" lines will have to be accessible from a good spot so I can adjust.

Or if 1 or 2 pots need it, I can keep the others off. Like right now, it looks like Lemmy and her 3gal pot is ready for a daily buffet and she's drying out quick.

The others are 7gal, and able to go 2-3 days pretty easily still.

I thought about drip trays and other things, but this makes the most sense to me. I can reuse most of the stuff I'll be using for this, so that's a plus. Coupled with already having it, I think we're on a winning track.


Watering plan would be to gently soak it for a few minutes then stop and wait a few minutes. Rinse, repeat, until pots drip.

If the water your using is hard, you have to be careful with those clogging up. Granted, it will be over months of use and it wont sneak up on you. I just know that my Arizona landscaping has taken many hits from clogged emitters, but the water there flows hundreds of miles down canals and is brutal.

 

[multiVortex]

I switched to RO a few weeks ago. Not a drop of regret about it.

 

[multiVortex]

Trying to think through what I can (reasonably) accomplish today on the auto-watering contraption. Balancing breaks during the day and whatnot, and still getting a reasonable amount of (real) work done. Not an easy task, especially with any excitement on getting it set up.


The girls got their feed yesterday, and all is well from that. Lem's going to need it again this evening most likely. She'll be dry and ready by then, if she isn't already. She's really taken to the drink as she starts popping the goodness.

Had I known she was going to do so well, let alone pop at all (if anyone recalls that crap) then I'd have saved a 7gal for her. Oh well, it is what it is and I'm happy to at least get a sample from her at all.

 

[multiVortex]

Well, here we go. 'Tis the season, so in all its cheesy glory, "Do you see what I see?"

There's the girls.

Top L: Lemmy
Top R: Blue
Bot L: Six
Bot R: Crack Baby
Cent: Chica


First up is Lemmy, our "Auto Lemon Drop", which is an auto of Super Lemon Haze. She is the surprise guest, and wasn't planned for. She just happened to pop up after just over 2 weeks had went by and I had written her sprouting off. She is also the only girl in here that isn't from FastBuds. However, if this is any indication, I may look to this one again if it's any good at the end. She's been a grower, no doubt. Now if only the seeds were more reliable.

She's pre, and coming along. There are TONS of sites all over her, and keeping them open to the light has been... trying. She just had a defol 2 days ago and it doesn't even look like a dent was made.




Next up, Blue. She's our FastBuds Blue Dream'mattic.

She may seem a tick thin, but from the top she's well proportioned. She has quite a few sites in there for her size, and it will be fun to watch them pop. She's very open in the center, and well on her way to greatness it seems.




Next, we have Six. She's our FastBuds Six Shooter. A heavy, heavy indica that will be good for a nighttime KO punch.

She is in need of yet another adjustment to her bonds, and with this round or maybe one more, should be well to the edge of her pot (if not a tick past, even.)

I had planned to have her as well as some GDP for the nighttime strain. I'm not sure the GDP will be able to join her as soon as planned, so hopefully she produces some nice bud. She's on her way at least.



Our fourth girl is... the crack baby. That's right, it's FastBuds own Green Crack.

She's starting to get her sites together, she's trained out to the edge of her pot, and has the nice openness to her center. She doesn't quite have the number of sites showing as the others, but there's more to her than this pic will lead you to believe. I don't think she will have quite as many as the others, but still more than it looks from this pic. She's got time and still getting her cards in order.



Finally, we have our Chica. FastBuds Mexican Airlines. A sativa combination of Colombian and Mexican origins, she's apparently good for the creativity and giggles. Sounds like a good time to me.

She's already a big girl, and a couple weeks behind the others. That's alright though, she'll get there. This pic is just after having her bonds adjusted. I'll snap another one this evening for a comparison shot of just how quickly these amazing plants bounce back from a little LST.

She was fed yesterday at the 5g/gal mix stage. (Per gallon: 5g of MegaCrop, 5ml of CalMag, 5ml of Protekt.)

She was also given a little bit of extra from the 6g level her sisters are at, and hasn't skipped a beat. This is good news, and means no more special mix just for her. Everybody is on the same page from here on out.

As the other girls are at least into preflower, I have backed off the calmag slightly, but kept the protekt at the same level. I had 6ml/gal of protekt, and 3.5ml/gal of calmag. Enough nitrogen from the calmag to keep the ratio to potassium in check, but also to cut the N a tick and allow for a little more K. I also measured out the MegaCrop to 6.25g/gal, if we're nit picking. Regardless, all is well with the girls, and they're very, very happy under the dual 250w Budget LED's. They're both cranked up now, and fully rocking. Depending on the specific plant, they're 18"-24" from the canopy, and we'll be moving those up, as needed, from here on out.

Lemmy is our "oldest", and at the 50 day mark above ground. Blue and Six are at 45, and the crack baby is 42. Brining up the rear is our Chica at a young 32 days.


On another note, it sure would be nice if the pair of UVB lights I ordered at the start of the week would ship. Not that they are needed right now, but it would be nice to have them available and ready, as well as to figure out the best placement in the Lab for them.


And there we have it. Next up will be tackling the watering system. Not 100% sure on the "res" for it, but I have several 17gal totes sitting around. I think I'll use one of those and add an airstone to keep the water fresh. Combined with a little hydroguard, just to be safe. (Might as well use it, the gallon I opened is only good for 6 months, and for just the RDWC I won't use near all of it by then. )

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

The Green Crack has caught my eye....

 

[multiVortex]

My pic skills aren't being put to good use, but the crack baby is gettin a trunk on her. Her and Lemmy both have a good one going. In the pic of the crack baby above, that bottom set that is running up and down is almost as thick as a bic. She's been eating her wheaties for sure.

That's one of so many fun aspects of it all. Watching how each plant grows and does its thing. They all have good, solid stalks, but these two are just a bit more. Like go to 11 vice just 10 kind of thing. It's 1 louder.

Tell ya what though... that Chica is going to get thick. She's as thick as the rest, and behind them 2 weeks. I have a feeling she's going to be a big, big girl, and I'll have to make sure to keep well on top of her LST or I may be in for it.

 

[multiVortex]

Well... furk.

The first go at automated watering was for shit. Put 2 emitters per pot (Lemmy got 1, since she is in a 3gal) and they barely dripped with a 400gph pump.

Sooooo.....

I fed Lemmy, who was starting to droop a tick, and called it a night in the Lab.


Then I did some more digging, and some more. Finally came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth screwing with, and hit up amazon for:

8" drip trays.


Will be easy to install. Just take the drippers off and the lines hook right to the tray. Tray takes the water and spreads it out across the top of the pot. Good nuff, and will be here Tuesday. My guess is they show up right after I head out for the evening.

Might have to get someone to grab them for me, so they don't get snacked up by some derpy idiot.

Either way, hope I get them put in before Santa shows up and I have to share the goods.