Winging It In Winter By The Window: Soil Auto Grow

[Jon]

Thanks Skottelgoed. My lights also emit some heat. I downloaded a room temperature gauge phone app. I'm sure it's not going to be 100 % accurate but it's got to be within a few degrees I should imagine. I am getting a reading of 22 C (72 F) inside and it's quite a cold day I think. We got some rain today. Did you?

If it's really cold outside and it's 72 where your plants are and that's as cold as it gets, why worry about heat? You are 100% fine in the 72 and up range for seedlings. Honestly, I know you put a lot of thought and effort into this, but now that your ambient temperature is revealed, I for one think you'll be just fine without any type of heat mat or anything else. Just two cents.

 

[Carmen Ray]

If it's really cold outside and it's 72 where your plants are and that's as cold as it gets, why worry about heat? You are 100% fine in the 72 and up range for seedlings. Honestly, I know you put a lot of thought and effort into this, but now that your ambient temperature is revealed, I for one think you'll be just fine without any type of heat mat or anything else. Just two cents.

Thanks Jon. It does get colder but I remain hopeful. Temps do dip to single digits some days. The heating mats with either timer or thermostat would be great to have for those days. I have them on my list of things to buy when I can. I just checked. I'm not using a lot of electricity for my light, so I have some extra to turn on the room heater if it gets too bad.

 

[Carcass]

I agree with @Jon - 72f should be fine for seeds and the plants, and I don't think intermittent lower temps will hurt anything, as long as it doesn't stay cold for days on end.
My outdoor autos are doing fine with nighttime temps in the low 40's, and daytime temps barely above 60f 3or 4 days a week.
I'm going to sound like an old fart saying this,(because I am one ) but back in my day, we didn't have no heat mats, and we did alright!

 

[Skottelgoed Spons]

Like jon said 22 is perfect. The heater is actually fine for those colder days. I for do not really have issue with heat as my grow space is a 100 x 90 wooden box I built and it is standing close to the geyser. So that helps during the cold days.

 

[Trala]

Morning Tra, How's night shift? I knew you meant "on" and not "no" lmao @ deeveeeight

Hi Carmen

It’s been a long day, that’s for sure. Night shift was good tbh. On with a fun crew. I haven’t slept since yesterday and I’m feeling faaaaaked! I stupidly got my hair done after my nightshift, my hairdresser opens his salon for me an hour earlier, so I go from work to my hair app. I don’t know why I insist on doing it to myself every 8 weeks either! It’s madness!

I hate that moment when you’re sitting in the hairdressers chair, cape on and you really see yourself in the mirror and you can’t help but wonder if you always look this ugly! Lolllllling!

 

[Carmen Ray]

I hate that moment when you’re sitting in the hairdressers chair, cape on and you really see yourself in the mirror and you can’t help but wonder if you always look this ugly!

Hi Tra, I'm glad your shift was with a fun bunch. I hate the hairdressers... worse than dentist! I went through an entire summer with shit hair. I last had my short hair cut in September and the woman did such a terrible job. She was a new (to me) stylist and she clearly was horribly under-skilled. She gave me short back and sides with a feathered top... It will take several more months before it gets to anything that can be shaped by someone with skills! I hope you get a good sleep in after your long day zzzzzz
PS I have a wide mirror opposite my bed so I get the shock of my life every time I look in that direction

 

[Carmen Ray]

Not sure what to do here. I didn't have anything to make drainage holes so I stabbed a screwdriver and got this star shaped crack which was fine until the roots started growing out the bottom. I have cut away the flaps that would have caused damage. Will the roots be damaged if I don't up-pot now? I know that @BooWho2 you don't up-pot until you top. I was hoping to leave the plant until then but is it a problem that the roots are now growing out the bottom? I need help making this decision please.

 

[Azimuth]

Can you take an identical clean cup, cut some slits with some scissors, and then slide that one out of the old and into the new?

Edit: And those roots look enough established to up-pot if your next pot up is ready.

 

[Carmen Ray]

CK - day 17 AG, up-potted to 4L bag
20 cm (7.5 inches) wide
Thank you Azi for the confirmation. I felt it was time to up-pot and she seems unfazed so far. The next up-pot will be when I top her and hopefully that won't be for a week or more?

I don't feel right about putting the plant into bone dry soil so I wet it to run-off and and squeezed it until it was as dry as I could get it. I stood her cup shaped roots upright and filled in around her with similarly slightly damp soil. I have not watered yet and don't plan to today.

 

[Jon]

Not sure what to do here. I didn't have anything to make drainage holes so I stabbed a screwdriver and got this star shaped crack which was fine until the roots started growing out the bottom. I have cut away the flaps that would have caused damage. Will the roots be damaged if I don't up-pot now? I know that @BooWho2 you don't up-pot until you top. I was hoping to leave the plant until then but is it a problem that the roots are now growing out the bottom? I need help making this decision please.

I've had this happen before. Here's two ideas:
1. Simply wet the whole medium when it's all the way dry, and "up pot" it into a fresh Dixie. No harm no foul.
2. If you sit the cup on a flat brick it will make the swirl in the bottom just like it would have, but it has to be flat stone.

 

[Azimuth]

Your roots are strong enough now to handle proper watering, which is to thoroughly wet the entire medium and then let it fully dry out before watering again. If it takes more than three or four days you can lightly water just the top roots to keep them engaged until the lower roots drain all the water.

When she up-pots, @Emilya thoroughly waters the new pot to merge the old soil with the new, and she details her watering techniques in her watering thread.

 

[Carmen Ray]

I agree with @Jon - 72f should be fine for seeds and the plants, and I don't think intermittent lower temps will hurt anything, as long as it doesn't stay cold for days on end.
My outdoor autos are doing fine with nighttime temps in the low 40's, and daytime temps barely above 60f 3or 4 days a week.
I'm going to sound like an old fart saying this,(because I am one ) but back in my day, we didn't have no heat mats, and we did alright!

Thank you Carcass. It's good to know that you have had success growing with low temps. I think that we briefly discussed this in an earlier conversation and that is what gave me the confidence to do this. PS I think I also might be an old fart

Like jon said 22 is perfect. The heater is actually fine for those colder days. I for do not really have issue with heat as my grow space is a 100 x 90 wooden box I built and it is standing close to the geyser. So that helps during the cold days.

Thank you Skottelgoed. That geyser sounds like a good heating device.

Lavender Best - day 2 AG (yesterday)

 

[StoneOtter]

Nice new babies Carmen!

 

[Joe Brewster]

Hi Carmen or anybody else if you can solder or find somebody who can , I picked up these temp controllers on the e bay for a few dollars Haven't had any problems with them so far. you can use them to control heat or cooling. This one Canadian Growers Group & Friends I wired up with a plug & socket , so I can use it with anything
To save money, some things like my car warmer I just wired it direct to the heater & used the cord I cut off to power the controller

They work just as good as the $50-60 inkbirds my mom bought , even hold the setting when unplugged

 

[Carmen Ray]

Your roots are strong enough now to handle proper watering, which is to thoroughly wet the entire medium and then let it fully dry out before watering again. If it takes more than three or four days you can lightly water just the top roots to keep them engaged until the lower roots drain all the water.

Thank you Azi. I will keep this in mind. My sense is that it will be a few days as you say 3 to 4, before I need to do any watering and I will remember to do a bit at the top if necessary.

Nice new babies Carmen!

Thank you Otter ! I am celebrating this birthday big time after losing the other seeds, although the NBA Diesel is hanging on and trying to put out a set of leaves. They are microscopic lol

Hi Carmen or anybody else if you can solder or find somebody who can , I picked up these temp controllers on the e bay for a few dollars Haven't had any problems with them so far. you can use them to control heat or cooling. This one Canadian Growers Group & Friends I wired up with a plug & socket , so I can use it with anything
To save money, some things like my car warmer I just wired it direct to the heater & used the cord I cut off to power the controller

They work just as good as the $50-60 inkbirds my mom bought , even hold the setting when unplugged

Brewsterman thanks for the idea. I am as un-electrically minded as it is possible to be so DIY electrics and me are a no no, but it looks good for those who can solder and do wiring!

I've had this happen before. Here's two ideas:
1. Simply wet the whole medium when it's all the way dry, and "up pot" it into a fresh Dixie. No harm no foul.
2. If you sit the cup on a flat brick it will make the swirl in the bottom just like it would have, but it has to be flat stone.

Sorry for the late reply Jon. I felt it was right to up-pot to a 4 Litre plastic bag this time. I think I may be seeing pre-flower (?) so I am hoping she holds off until her roots have spread out into the new bag. I hope I haven't made a mistake but I did not want to have to untangle roots from the sharp bits of the solo cup.

PS She is whiffy

Thanks for visiting my journal

 

[InTheShed]

a 4 Litre plastic bag

Since it's a grow bag do we assume it has drainage holes at the bottom?

 

[Carmen Ray]

Since it's a grow bag do we assume it has drainage holes at the bottom?

Thanks Shed. It had biiiig holes and I duct taped them up and then stabbed around the bottom with a fork. It drains fine I thought the holes were too big? Hang on, let me show you.

 

[InTheShed]

Thems some big holes for indoors! Good idea with the tape and fork.

 

[BooWho2]

. I was hoping to leave the plant until then but is it a problem that the roots are now growing out the bottom? I

Hi Carmen. I don’t think it’s a problem having the roots growing out the bottom of your cup (mine usually do) but I always have a red or dark colored cup that the clear cup is sitting in, to protect the roots from light. I don’t know who showed me (likely @InTheShed or @Carcass) but I take scissors and cut little slits (4) at the bottom corner edges of the clear cups for the water to drain, and roots always grow out of that. You should probably be just fine with your transplant - autos have improved a lot just in the 2 years I’ve been growing them and yours looks very hardy!

 

[Carmen Ray]

Hi Carmen. I don’t think it’s a problem having the roots growing out the bottom of your cup (mine usually do) but I always have a red or dark colored cup that the clear cup is sitting in, to protect the roots from light. I don’t know who showed me (likely @InTheShed or @Carcass) but I take scissors and cut little slits (4) at the bottom corner edges of the clear cups for the water to drain, and roots always grow out of that. You should probably be just fine with your transplant - autos have improved a lot just in the 2 years I’ve been growing them and yours looks very hardy!

Thanks Boo! I have the cup in a black plastic sleeve and then inside a big coffee mug for balance, so the roots are protected from the light. I read about making slits in the sides but this plastic is very hard and I don't have plyers, so I just stabbed into the bottom. I was worried the roots would become entangled around the sharp bits and then be damaged when I took her out of there, so that's why I did it now. It's some hours later and there is no visible shock, so I feel confident I did the right thing in the moment. Do you see pre-flowers on there? How long do you think she has to go before she sends out pistils? She is 17 days above ground.