Winging It In Winter By The Window: Soil Auto Grow

[BooWho2]

Hi Carmen. Sorry about the seedling issues, it does seem that there is Something in the soil causing it. Perhaps you could set the BB pot on a paper towel (or cotton one) to help wick away some of the water? Like Trala said, you got this.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Hi Carmen. Sorry about the seedling issues, it does seem that there is Something in the soil causing it. Perhaps you could set the BB pot on a paper towel (or cotton one) to help wick away some of the water? Like Trala said, you got this.

Thank you Boo. They're these pots and I have a fan on them. They aren't wet enough to wick so I am hoping it's a transitory droop. I think the BB looks happier today than yesterday, the leaf issue not withstanding

 

[BubbaKush909]

HI Tra, I grow a bonzai which hardly ever gets any water, and outdoor potted plants which get water daily in summer and are over-watered by rain in winter. I think the trouble is that I watered the plants to run-off too soon. I have confused myself with information over-load. I am freaking out because I can't seem to retain information that I read. I have copied notes from @Jon's instructions but my notes stop before the up-pot. Watering has become a fucking nightmare.

Hi Azi. I use a living organic soil that is premixed and laboratory tested. I told Jamie (the manufacturer) that several people suggest calcium deficiency, and he responded by shaking his head and saying it is quite incorrect to use synthetic nutes in his soil. He doesn't agree with the calmag diagnosis. I just have to wait it out and hope it improves, as there is nothing to be done at this time.

Good morning Carmen! Welcome to my world, I've been so twisted around with watering I had to take a step back and just try to do what I thought was best.

Plants that young shouldn't be showing calmag issues imo, mine never appear until at least 2 weeks into flower.. I'd just stay the course and hope she grows out of it, which she most likely will. My soil says the same thing but I'm not convinced, I'm adding calmag to all waterings once they're in flower. @Emilya says calmag is not chelated so it should be ok to add to our soil and doesn't need to be ph'd.

Hang in there Carmen, you'll get there! Hope you have a great rest of your day!

 

[Jon]

Oh no... that could very well be. I up-potted them yesterday into slightly moist soil, and gave them their first water today. I was careful to water them around the outer circle into a moat. I didn't give them much, possibly 1/2 L into each 5 L pot but it did run-off. I have been following instruction by @Jon, but my notes don't include the up-pot. I lost track and improvised. Damn, I should have asked

@Carmen Ray - it looks worse than it is. I suspect @InTheShed is right on. Do yourself a favor. Put away the watering can. Leave that plant alone until it’s as light as a feather. Then water the edges to runoff. You’ll be fine. In the meantime, the rust issue and the repeated problems you’ve had with this soil tell me it’s maybe time to try something else. Try Sohum if you want living soil. Or ProMix. Or go basic Fox Farms soil and Geo nutes, that’s an excellent combination. Yes?

 

[Carmen Ray]

@Carmen Ray - it looks worse than it is. I suspect @InTheShed is right on. Do yourself a favor. Put away the watering can. Leave that plant alone until it’s as light as a feather. Then water the edges to runoff. You’ll be fine. In the meantime, the rust issue and the repeated problems you’ve had with this soil tell me it’s maybe time to try something else. Try Sohum if you want living soil. Or ProMix. Or go basic Fox Farms soil and Geo nutes, that’s an excellent combination. Yes?

Jon we do not get those products in South Africa.

I will continue to use Jamie's soil as I have used it in the past without a problem and I know of no local growers who have problems with it. I suggest that this is an environmental issue causing nute lockout, probably a watering issue or else the cold weather we are having or both. I don't think the soil is too hot or the problem would have showed up earlier in the life cycle of the seedling. The Wedding Cake is not as badly affected.

I have put the watering can away already, thank you. I have found the dipstick method most effective for discovering water retention in soil and I shall water the feeder roots as Emilya suggested, rather than watering to run-off any time soon. The roots are simply not ready for it.

 

[BubbaKush909]

Morning Carmen! Where in SA do you live? Another one of those places I've always wanted to see but most likely never will lol... have a great day!

 

[Jon]

Jon we do not get those products in South Africa.

I will continue to use Jamie's soil as I have used it in the past without a problem and I know of no local growers who have problems with it. I suggest that this is an environmental issue causing nute lockout, probably a watering issue or else the cold weather we are having or both. I don't think the soil is too hot or the problem would have showed up earlier in the life cycle of the seedling. The Wedding Cake is not as badly affected.

I have put the watering can away already, thank you. I have found the dipstick method most effective for discovering water retention in soil and I shall water the feeder roots as Emilya suggested, rather than watering to run-off any time soon. The roots are simply not ready for it.

Ok Carmen do your thing. I tried.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Morning Carmen! Where in SA do you live? Another one of those places I've always wanted to see but most likely never will lol... have a great day!

Hey BK, I hope you are having a great Friday so far... where do these weeks go???!!!

I live in a suburb of Cape Town, which is possibly the only city and province of South Africa still functioning properly! Unfortunately this country has gone to the dogs. For example, we have ongoing nationwide "loadshedding", which is a euphemism for rolling blackouts at present, twice to three times a day for 2.5 hours per time, meaning our economy simply can't function. How do you run plant in those conditions? You don't unless you have generators. Apparently it takes time to turn machines on or off . They say it will take over a decade to repair what is broken, but there are also saboteurs who deliberately break infrastructure, and others who steal metals to trade for their drug habits, so it feels like a losing battle. It's a disaster zone. Education has failed. The majority of youth between the ages of 17 and 35 are unemployed and will never have a job in their lives. Thank you to the African National Congress government for systematically looting and destroying an entire nation... it's still worth a visit but you have to watch your back all the time. I think the USA advise citizens not to travel to South Africa... oooops you unintentionally touched a nerve... I'm bitter about the government, who are still in power and still corrupt. They are trying to take our property rights away from us!!!
Still, I do manage to have great days and thank you for the good wishes Sorry about the rant.

 

[Carmen Ray]

I used a filter on this bud to make it look like an oil painting.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Not at all! If that's how it came across I apologize. I do know how to grow plants and I need to listen to my experience is all; and I have a hard time telling people that. This is only the second time I have started cannabis seeds directly in soil, so it was good to follow along, thank you. All my previous starts were either in peat pucks or in those cups that biodegrade. I conclude that I like the direct into soil method better. I did lose you on the up-pot but no serious damage was done, so it's all good

@Jon, I am sorry you feel slighted. Perhaps you hadn't read this yet.

 

[StoneOtter]

Hi Carmen, I feel your pain. Seeing a plant do what we don't understand is perplexing. I'm not sure what I see but I have experience with similar things. Growing in LOS has its nervy times.

What I do see is very healthy new growth. That is something on the plus side. It tells me the plants may have been getting their roots together and had more growth than they could handle at the time. Now they have come to be able to handle it. That's what I tell myself anyway and this may be what's happening here. I have faith that in my soil is everything the plant wants and needs. I believe your soil is capable too! Keep a close eye on it over the next few days is my thought.

 

[Trala]

Ah girlfriend you make me lol properly... thank you! Yes, it does feel as if I have become water obsessed. I am going to try to find my zen with this

I did the exact same thing when joining. I forgot I’ve literally been snapping branches and growing plants my whole life. I made my MJ plants into complex operations when really they are the simplest plant to grow, if you have growing experience. The nutes are the hard part, because you are wanting to speed up and control both growth and seasons.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Hi Carmen, I feel your pain. Seeing a plant do what we don't understand is perplexing. I'm not sure what I see but I have experience with similar things. Growing in LOS has its nervy times.

What I do see is very healthy new growth. That is something on the plus side. It tells me the plants may have been getting their roots together and had more growth than they could handle at the time. Now they have come to be able to handle it. That's what I tell myself anyway and this may be what's happening here. I have faith that in my soil is everything the plant wants and needs. I believe your soil is capable too! Keep a close eye on it over the next few days is my thought.

That's so encouraging Otter, thank you I think that the BB has outgrown the leaf thing as it hasn't spread any higher. The droop has lifted significantly too. I feel hopeful that it was a minor glitch.

I did the exact same thing when joining. I forgot I’ve literally been snapping branches and growing plants my whole life. I made my MJ plants into complex operations when really they are the simplest plant to grow, if you have growing experience. The nutes are the hard part, because you are wanting to speed up and control both growth and seasons.

Thank you so much Tra, I needed to hear this! I knew going in that I had very specific conditions and constraints, so I chose living organic soil because I didn't want to have the added complication of synthetic nutes. That's why I am so invested in my los process this run. The only "nutes" I add are a humic / fulvic acid combo, and kelp extract, and also microbes.

Thank you for the feels, friends

 

[Carmen Ray]

Saturday 25 June UPDATE

AUTOS

Caramel King 54 Days AG, 35 Days In Flower 31 cm tall / 12 inches tall

Watered with nutes to run off 3.5 L / 1 gallon 17th June

Watered 2L on 21st

Watered 2L on 25th

These are bud pics. They are at different stages of development. Some are ripening and others are still quite immature. They are pretty airy. But, they are pretty.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Update continued...

Lavender Best 39 Days AG, 16 Days In Flower 42 cm /16.5 inches tall

Watered with nutes to run off 3. L / 0.79 gallon 15th June

Watered 2 L on 21st

Watered 2 L on 24th

PHOTOS

Bruce Banner 2 21 Days AG, 13 cm /5 inches tall

Up-potted to 5 L / 1 Gal 21st

Watered moat to run off 22nd. (too wet)

Wedding Cake 21 Days AG, 13 cm /5 inches tall

Up-potted to 5 L / 1 Gal 21st

Watered moat to run off 22nd. (too wet)

Thank you for your interest and encouragement those who visit, and have an awesome weekend!

 

[BubbaKush909]

Morning Carmen! Nice pics! Your Lavender is basically my target size for autos, if they get that big I'm happy. Your Caramel King reminds me of my Strawberry Banana, which is just a wee bit bigger. The leaves don't look that great but the buds are gorgeous and covered in goodness

I've read stories over the years about SA. Seems to me you're in a bad place historically, stuck between the terrible injustices of the past and the current reverse injustices. Seems like eventually we'd all learn we have to live together but I see no signs of that happening anytime soon.

I read a fascinating book years ago, I'm not sure but I think it was called 'In the Footsteps of Man' or something like that. It opens in SA with the identification of the Taung child by Professor Dart at Witwatersrand as the first missing link, Australopithecus africanus. If I ever got there I'd love to go see some of those sites. Perhaps the original incubator of us.

Have a great rest of your day and keep up the great work!

 

[Carmen Ray]

Thank you BK! I'm watching this Lavender stretch and she seems to keep on going. I actually have a question for @InTheShed in this regard. The main branch is much lower than the others, at about the same height as the lowers which I left on. It's stacking up fuller than the other branches by far. Should I have done / would you advise any additional work on this plant in terms of training?

in a bad place historically

That sums it up well.... and now another power cut, Viva! If you ever do make it here, I hope you will tell me you're coming and we can have a smoke sesh if you're in the neighborhood I haven't been to the Cradle Of Humankind yet myself. It must be extraordinary. There is so much beautiful country to see.
Have a great day yourself BK!

 

[InTheShed]

The turnaround on your plants is a sight to behold! I know it's a tough way to get to success but it sure looks like you've made it.

And I don't know if it's your plants or photography skills (or both), but you always have such pretty flower pics!

I actually have a question for @InTheShed in this regard. The main branch is much lower than the others, at about the same height as the lowers which I left on. It's stacking up fuller than the other branches by far. Should I have done / would you advise any additional work on this plant in terms of training?

The top often ends up with the biggest flower but I would just keep it where it is now and let the plant do its thing. It takes a long auto veg to get the lowers as big as the top. Still, you have definitely increased your yield with the training.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Thank you Shed! Yes I do feel as if things are good now with the plants. My babies are starting to get tall, so action must be taken soon. I will up-pot to 20 L / 5 gal bags as soon as the space becomes available. Right now I could fit a third but not a fourth, so they will remain in their 5 L / 1 gal pots until the CK harvest in early July. I was thinking to bend the main over again like I did with LB, and avoid topping due to time constraints. I will have to do my best to train the branches out adequately in the July month before flip. In fact, I think I must bend those tops now, looking at them...

pretty flower pics!

Thank you so much I am an absolute sucker for flowers. I love em.

Here's the familam post-bends

I learnt from @StoneOtter's feed that there are peaks and valleys and hot spots in the lighting, so have made my light all slanty to increase and improve the footprint for the flowering plants. The left vegging plant is in a hot spot and the right is in a valley on the outer edge. I need to keep alternating their positions so that they get equal lighting.

Bruce Banner 2

Wedding Cake

Apical cola developing on Lavender Best auto even though it is tied right down

Finally, Caramel King auto nearing the end of bloom with airy a.f. buds, but also sticky a.f. buds. Considering this is my first effort at an auto and her problematic start, I am quite pleased.

Thank you again to those visiting my grow and for the tips, advice and discussions.

 

[StoneOtter]

Carmel King is a sweetheart of a plant!