Yankeetoker's 2nd Grow Attempt - 2016 - All Advice Welcome!

[Radogast]

Yankee I don't have a clue what PJ would have told ya to do and I really wish PJ would check in... I have to admit I am starting to be a bit concerned... Several folks have tried to reach him to no avail and he disappears sometimes but not like this.... Rad should be able to walk you through a good mix... I wish I could... I just do what I have been told by PJ... I know you should be able to just do a few ammendments on you veg soil and come up with a good bloom soil... Everything that is in my veg soil is in my bloom soil with just a few more things added.... I'm sorry I really wish I could be more help but this just isn't in my pee brain of knowledge...

I bet you there is more in your brain than you admit.

Are the ratios of peat/perlite to compost/worm castings the same . . . or . . . is there more compost/worm castings in your good bloom soil?

I'm thinking you suggest a few amendments that PeeJay suggested, call it a recipe, and someone take it to SweetSue's 'Building a Better Soil' thread for review. Building a Better Soil - Demonstrations & Discussions of Organic Soil Recipes

When the master goes on vacation, the top students must become the master

 

[Radogast]

Good morning...

Plant #1 looks tallish - Where do we stand on topping your plants?

 

[Dennise]

There is not a lot more perlite... the veg is 6:1 and the bloom is 5:1 but I add additional worm castings... more compost....yum-yum....and azomite... Then I add only to the bloom soil Rock Phosphate and bat poop.... The Yum-Yum is organic nutes of course so I know that is not of issue to you because you are using the Lobster stuff but I don't know about the compost... I would assume that is figured in the Lobster stuff and I just feel like I am comparing apples and oranges... PJ soil mix as I am using it is more than likely already on that thread but if you would like to post it up I will be more than happy to type out the exact recipe for you but honestly... I don't think one has much to do with the other... but again... I just don't know what the Lobster stuff would replace in the soil I use or how to measure it if I did... I'm simply not much help here.......

 

[yankeetoker]

Yankee I don't have a clue what PJ would have told ya to do and I really wish PJ would check in... I have to admit I am starting to be a bit concerned... Several folks have tried to reach him to no avail and he disappears sometimes but not like this.... Rad should be able to walk you through a good mix... I wish I could... I just do what I have been told by PJ... I know you should be able to just do a few ammendments on you veg soil and come up with a good bloom soil... Everything that is in my veg soil is in my bloom soil with just a few more things added.... I'm sorry I really wish I could be more help but this just isn't in my pee brain of knowledge...

You and the gang have helped me more than you know. I'm confident that we'll get these girls where they need to be!

 

[yankeetoker]

Plant #1 looks tallish - Where do we stand on topping your plants?

I was looking at some of the photos from Smokeater's journal, and I think I have an idea where to do the cut. I will take a close up of her when I go check in a little bit so you can see what I see.

Also, I attempted some LST , but the plant wasn't as "flexible" as I thought so I stopped tugging on her (I was afraid I would snap the stem).

 

[yankeetoker]

There is not a lot more perlite... the veg is 6:1 and the bloom is 5:1 but I add additional worm castings... more compost....yum-yum....and azomite... Then I add only to the bloom soil Rock Phosphate and bat poop.... The Yum-Yum is organic nutes of course so I know that is not of issue to you because you are using the Lobster stuff but I don't know about the compost... I would assume that is figured in the Lobster stuff and I just feel like I am comparing apples and oranges... PJ soil mix as I am using it is more than likely already on that thread but if you would like to post it up I will be more than happy to type out the exact recipe for you but honestly... I don't think one has much to do with the other... but again... I just don't know what the Lobster stuff would replace in the soil I use or how to measure it if I did... I'm simply not much help here.......

In the original soil that I made, there was a lot more in there than just the lobster compost. I know off the top of my head, there was kelp meal, earthworm castings, and Espoma Tomato-Tone fertilizer in there as well. These amendments along with the Lobster Compost made the soil way too hot for seedlings.

I do have worm castings and azomite. The Yum Yum I don't have since I would have to have it shipped. Maybe Radogast can think of something that can be substituted for it.

This is the original soil that I made....too hot for seedlings.

This is what the girls are currently residing in.

 

[yankeetoker]

Radogast....here are some close ups of Lexi

 

[Radogast]

In the original soil that I made, there was a lot more in there than just the lobster compost. I know off the top of my head, there was kelp meal, earthworm castings, and Espoma Tomato-Tone fertilizer in there as well. These amendments along with the Lobster Compost made the soil way too hot for seedlings.

I do have worm castings and azomite. The Yum Yum I don't have since I would have to have it shipped. Maybe Radogast can think of something that can be substituted for it.

This is the original soil that I made....too hot for seedlings.

I don't know too much about this stuff, so I suggest you post that recipe - and a list of amendmends you have on hand - on Building a Better Soil - Demonstrations & Discussions of Organic Soil Recipes

 

[Radogast]

I think you could either 'Top' or FIM Lexi.

If it were me, I would chose the FIM line.
If it doesn't work you get those two nice branches below the 'Top' line - same as the 'Top' line.
If it does work, you stimulate those two nice branches, plus whatever emerges from the cut at the FIM line.

Anyone who knows better, feel free to correct me It's just a humble opinion.

 

[yankeetoker]

Radogast....

I'm no expert, but could I then clone the top after the process? I have some endomyco on standby...lol

 

[Dennise]

Lordy I feel so useless here.. I don't top my girls either.. I do a lot of LST...

 

[Dennise]

This is what I'm going to do... In the morning when I can get to my computer. I'm on my phone right now It would take me all night... But it has the 3 stages baby... Veg... And bloom... And that way you can take a look at it and see if you can mix and match to come up with something that will work... We'll figure something out for you......

 

[yankeetoker]

This is what I'm going to do... In the morning when I can get to my computer. I'm on my phone right now It would take me all night... But it has the 3 stages baby... Veg... And bloom... And that way you can take a look at it and see if you can mix and match to come up with something that will work... We'll figure something out for you......

Not worried, I know you guys will get me where I need to be.

 

[Radogast]

Radogast....

I'm no expert, but could I then clone the top after the process? I have some endomyco on standby...lol

You can indeed clone what you top.


For clones, I have more success with a minimum 2-3" of stalk without leaves - so I would wait several days to grow Lexi's leader into a taller clone.

You could grow her 6" more and have a lovely clone that could be rooted directly in soil (with mycos)

If you could drop down a node, that would make a good clone but I think it would force your new growth all the way down to the soil line - I don't think Lexi would like that much. It would slow her down too much.


Disclaimer: I've only done 40-50 clones. My knowledge base is limitted.

 

[Radogast]

Lordy I feel so useless here.. I don't top my girls either.. I do a lot of LST...

I'm envious. I've just started to LST regularly in the last 3-4 months. I like the results, especially when I LST wierd looking clones.

Some girls do well on nothing, some on topping, and some seem to demand LST.

Of my 6 girls in Late Veg:
1 is natural, 1 is only topped, 2 are topped once then shaped by LST, and 2 are topped, LST'd and stem crushed.

 

[yankeetoker]

I'm learning so much from you guys. I really want to work on LST with my girls. My space is limited, so I really need to keep them from being too vertical. I will look at them and attempt to top on Friday or so.

Radogast, do you think the original soil I made would be too hot if I say cut the compost to 1/3 part and let it cook for about a month?

 

[Dennise]

Yankee here's a pic of what I do to my girls with LST....

 

[Dennise]

Baby soil:
2 gallons Promix HP
2 quarts Perlite
1 cup compost
1/4 cup yum-yum
3 TBSP mycorrhiza

Veg soil:
6 gallons Promix HP
1 gallon perlite
3 quarts worm castings
6 cups compost
3.5 cups Yum-Yum
1 cup Azomite
2 Tbsp mycorrhiza

Bloom soil:
15 gallons Promix HP
3 gallons perlite
1 gallon worm castings
3 quarts compost
2 quarts Yum-Yum
3 cup Azomite
1.5 cups Bat guano
2 cups Rock Phosphate


That is the recipe from PJ for my grow... I have not had to add anything but water the entire grow... I don't know how to relate any of this to the things you are using but hopefully it will help to figure it out........

 

[yankeetoker]

Baby soil:
2 gallons Promix HP
2 quarts Perlite
1 cup compost
1/4 cup yum-yum
3 TBSP mycorrhiza

Veg soil:
6 gallons Promix HP
1 gallon perlite
3 quarts worm castings
6 cups compost
3.5 cups Yum-Yum
1 cup Azomite
2 Tbsp mycorrhiza

Bloom soil:
15 gallons Promix HP
3 gallons perlite
1 gallon worm castings
3 quarts compost
2 quarts Yum-Yum
3 cup Azomite
1.5 cups Bat guano
2 cups Rock Phosphate


That is the recipe from PJ for my grow... I have not had to add anything but water the entire grow... I don't know how to relate any of this to the things you are using but hopefully it will help to figure it out........

Thanks, Dennise! As I look at your list, I see Promix HP where I was using peat, I have some EWC, I just need to get more. I will do some research, but I think the Lobster Compost can be substituted for the compost and Yum Yum that you use. I have some azomite and myco. I need a substitute for the bat guano though.

Radogast, feel free to share your thoughts...am I on the right track?

 

[yankeetoker]

Yankee here's a pic of what I do to my girls with LST....

Will be heading to the dollar store tomorrow for pipe cleaners and safety pins!