First Time Grow - Strain Unknown

[lukass18]

I'm over dropping $50 every 3-4 days on an 8, so I decided to give growing a try. My plan is to order some feminized Northern Lights seeds. I had been collecting bag seeds for a little while and managed to save 7. 4 were from mids and 3 were from good mids. I figured I would see if I could do anything with the bag seeds to give me some experience before I spent the cash on Northern Lights seeds. Honestly I didn't expect any of the seeds to take off but, all 7 germinated. I started germinating the 3 better seeds a day before the other 4. The 3 are, what seem to be, healthy seedlings. The other 4 are just starting to peek through the soil.

Current setup, seedlings are in a burpee germination kit that I got for $11 from target. The medium is burpee "super growing pellets" which is a seed starting soil with coconut fibers (which i'm assuming is a small amount of coco coir). I have two 13 watt 6500k/daytime cfl's over the 3 seedlings.

The 3 seedlings have only been in the daylight for about 24-36 hours.

Grow plans
grow lights: 2 40 watt (150 watt equivalent) 6500k cfls per plant for veg and three 40 watt 2700k bulbs for flowering.
grow medium: 65% coconut coir 35% perlite
nutrients: lucas formula adjusted for coco and calmag or epsom salt (not 100% sure when to start these. I was thinking 1/4 of the recommended amount after the first week? Any suggestions?)
grow space: discreet grow in 2 huge totes stacked with a lid and a bottom cut out to double the height.
Accessories: : two 120 mm computer fans, one intake other exhaust. Will add more fans if heat becomes an issue. mylar lining in totes.

A few questions if you're bored and feel like replying:

Current ph is 5.8-6.0 which is perfect for coco but not so good for soil. If I'm moving them to coco in 3 days should I avoid trying to raise the ph since it may shock or overwater the seedlings?

The burpee germ kit compartments are about the same size as a measuring cup, maybe a cup and a half. Is this enough volume for the roots if I plan to move them to their final growing medium sometime Friday, when the first seedling popped through the soil on Monday?

Or, is this too soon? Is the plant too delicate for this much trauma? Do they need more time in the seedling pots?

I plan to grow in 65% coco coir and 35% perlite. The seedling pellets are some type of soil with a VERY small amount of coco. Can I simply put the apple size chunk of soil that the seedlings are growing in directly into the coco/perlite mix? (I'm assuming yes since some people mix soil/coco/perlite)

When I put the seedlings into bigger pots I plan to switch to three 40 watt (150 watt equivalent) bulbs...one per plant. After another week or two I will add three more 40 watt bulbs, totaling 2 lights per plant. Since the cfl's
emit little to no heat, should I just go all out and put 2 40 watt bulbs on each seedling now or is it overkill for now??

The lights are about 1-2 inches from the lights, while I'm home should I go even closer and keep checking every 2-3 hours or is 1-2 inches fine?

Lastly, since I'm dealing with bag seeds and may get 7 males or herms, I do not want to invest a ton of time (really want to get started on the northern lights seeds). I was considering a SOG style grow since it would be very frustrating to veg for 30-45 days then flower to find I have 7 throwaways. Any thoughts on this?

Any help is very appreciated!

Pics in a minute

 

[lukass18]

This is actually the smallest of the three, popped through the soil sometime in the middle of the night last night. Looks good I hope. The biggest one has a stem about two times the length of this one.

the light looks like its a ways from the seedling because of the angle. Light is about 1.5-2 inches from plant.

 

[Dasher]

Tote Bags lol but a tents a tent. kudos m8Times are tough, Grow hard

 

[KingJohnC]

1) i would leave your ph at 5.8-6.0
2)i would transplant your seedlings when they have established roots
3) seedlings require little light to grow and your at a good distance already. you could add more bulbs if you like, just watch the heat and raise the lights or you may get heat stress.
4) wait until your plants can provide clones and mark each one distinctively. take clones, root the clone and put the clones into 12/12 flower to determine sex.

subscribed

 

[lukass18]

Thanks for the input KJC! I'm experiencing the taco curl effect on two of them, one being the biggest/fastest growing seedling.

Read on the forums and a lot of people saying the cause is likely heat stress. Lights were never closer than 1-1.5 inches, probably more like 2 inches. 13 watt cfls. I have had them in a 24 hour light cycle, planning to give them a 4-5 hour break each night to see where that gets me.

Other than the first true leaves curling, the plants look very healthy but they have seemed to stop growing. One has very wilted/curled leaves and I fear it may die.

Definitely not over watering.

Pics in a minute

 

[lukass18]

This is the healthiest of the 4 bag seeds that came from the mids. The other 3 i had issues with the seed shell not coming off. I got them off the other three but the membrane remained intact which still kept the cotyledons together. I was able to get the membrane off one and it opened almost immediately to the light.

This is the healthiest of the three other bag seeds (different strain) I planted. Its leaves are nice and green. Stem is a little purple, read this is often normal but also may be a phos or mag deficiency. Not sure how normal the purple stem is, both healthy plants from two completely different strains are a little purple.

Does this look to be an appropriate size for 4 days old?

Also, concerning watering, I transplanted to coco/perlite late last night with a flush and then distilled water. As you can see in the pic the top of the soil is already drying out. Do I wait till tomorrow or water again tonight?

This was my fastest growing plant, stem was about an inch or two ahead of the rest. The first leaves are beyond taco'ed, shriveled up almost nonexistent. Is this plant salvageable or do I dump it now?

 

[lukass18]

oh and, the plant that is still in the germination square, the tap root is already coming out the bottom after only 2 days. Do I transplant now or wait?

 

[KingJohnC]

1) i would back off the lights i think the heat is curling your leaves and drying your soil out. back it off to where you can place your hand underneath the light but you cant feel the heat coming off it.
2)wait until it has roots coming out from the sides all around it to transplant

 

[lukass18]

1) i would back off the lights i think the heat is curling your leaves and drying your soil out.

I was thinking this but I'm using cfl's which I can touch the bulb for 5-10 seconds before it gets warm. Is there any chance the seedlings are doing this due to a lack of light? I just realized the two healthy plants are under 40 watt cfl's (one per plant) while the two that are rapidly shriveling up are under 13 watt cfls (one per plant).

2)wait until it has roots coming out from the sides all around it to transplant

the germ kit its in now has only one hole in the bottom :-(

 

[lukass18]

Ok so now all but one of my plants have the same symptoms.

Out of the first 3 I planted one is still looking very nice with the first leaves growing, nice vibrant green.
The other two the true leaves started to shrivel (upward taco style) to the point where they are almost nonexistent...they started as nice green leaves and grew some before this. The plants look a little darker than the vibrant green healthy plant but other than that they are not drooping nor do they look different than the healthy plant.

Out of the other 4 I planted, 3 sprouted with the seed shell still on. They didn't make it. The last of the 4 was my only other healthy plant as of this morning. Today I got home from work and its starting to shrivel/taco upward like the others. I did notice the shriveling true leaves are yellowing only in the center down the length of the leaf.

Don't think its overwatering because I haven't added water since I planted and the plant has been healthy till today. But, I took a pinch full of soil out of the side of the pot and squeezed it together with my fingers and it is still very moist...as in water droplets form on my finger. Again, other than that this plant still seems to look healthy.

Really wish I could figure this out.

Still considering the not enough light issue but I'm a first timer and don't know if this isn't even a consideration.

 

[KingJohnC]

sounds like heat stress, but without a photograph i am guessing by how you describe the leaves.

 

[GreatLife4All]

Subscribed - put up some pictures so that we can see what might be the issue.

 

[Mono]

Sounds like you have it going on buddy, good move on the grow.

I'm subbed, + reps

 

[Truth Seeker]

Is this grow still alive?

If so, please update us with some pictures and info.

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.

 

[lukass18]

Sorry guys, no it is not still going on. Only been in my current state for a short amount of time and I didn't realize how harsh the penalties were for growing even one plant. With a professional career, a wife with a professional career, and a little one on the way I had to pull the plug. I couldn't put both myself AND my wife in that situation!