GrowDad's Blue Berries & Super Skunk Grow 2020

[JimJonesJr]

Day 12

Morning folks... Wakin bake this morning has got me really high.

You know I am not sure if it's the weed or just me, but watching the ladies grow is, while enjoyable, drives me nuts. I always seem to be meticulously inspecting each young lady. The slightest changes I start to freak out. For instance I noticed that two of the fan leaves (originals) are turning weird... All the other leaves are fine. I'm trying to tell myself that things will occur and I may be just over analyzing.

Does this happen to y'all?

We all freak out from time to time but with a community like this it makes it a little easier to get help with things. Your young plants are looking good. Enjoy the grow.

 

[Growdad420]

We all freak out from time to time but with a community like this it makes it a little easier to get help with things. Your young plants are looking good. Enjoy the grow.

I appreciate you Jim many thanks.

 

[Growdad420]

Day 16

So I went surfing through all of @Emilya's posts for the umpteenth time and it never fails I continue to learn something from the Ganja Queen herself. Now let's get into the update.

Temps: 78
RH: 50%
PH: 6-6.5
Pests: None


Now back to my learning. I learned today from @Emilya that if you want to be a boss, nute like one!
My girls have been in FF OC soil and I was not feeding them a thing. Surprisingly they did well.

This afternoon I checked on the ladies and some have some discoloration in the leaves, I will let see for yourself in each picture.

Karen (BB) - Surprisingly Karen has no discoloration and seems to be fine.

day 16 karen.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 9, 2020

Blueberries

Sassy (SS) - Here is some of the discoloration on her leaves..

day 16 sassy.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 9, 2020

Super Skunk

Runt (BB) -
The Runt has a bit of discoloration as well.

day 16 runt.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 9, 2020

Blueberries

Lass (SS): She too has discoloration

day 16 lass.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 9, 2020

Super Skunk

All in all, I think they are nice and bushy. The discoloration scares me, but I think it is due to lack of nutes which they all just got a full 16 oz drink w/nutes. (Week 2 according to FF schedule is where I am starting)

I would greatly appreciate your evaluation ahem... (Queen @Emilya) or anyone else who has an opinion it is greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Emilya Green]

I am concerned about that yellowing in your new growth... it is more excessive that what we would normally see. Since it is at the top, and not the bottom leaves, we know it is not a mobile element that is lacking, it is one or more immobile elements out of the 17 that these plants need in order to grow correctly. The pattern of the yellowing does not follow any specific deficiency that I can see, and that is why I think it is a general overall hunger rather than one thing being missing.

Knowing that it is one or more of the immobile elements (the plant cant move it around inside of the plant) it narrows down our possibilities a bit. These are generally the things that are going to be supplied by your nutrients and only in trace amounts in most soils. This yellowing is telling you that the soil and your roots as they have developed to this point are not able to keep up with the needs of your plants to supply the top growth with what it needs and seeing where the deficiency is showing, we know it is not Nitrogen, Potassium or Phosphorus (the mobile elements) or Magnesium which is a semi mobile element, that are the problem. It is time to fertilize. They should start looking better after that first feeding. I suspect that more than anything, your plants are craving iron at the moment more than anything else.

 

[Growdad420]

I am concerned about that yellowing in your new growth... it is more excessive that what we would normally see. Since it is at the top, and not the bottom leaves, we know it is not a mobile element that is lacking, it is one or more immobile elements out of the 17 that these plants need in order to grow correctly. The pattern of the yellowing does not follow any specific deficiency that I can see, and that is why I think it is a general overall hunger rather than one thing being missing.

Knowing that it is one or more of the immobile elements (the plant cant move it around inside of the plant) it narrows down our possibilities a bit. These are generally the things that are going to be supplied by your nutrients and only in trace amounts in most soils. This yellowing is telling you that the soil and your roots as they have developed to this point are not able to keep up with the needs of your plants to supply the top growth with what it needs and seeing where the deficiency is showing, we know it is not Nitrogen, Potassium or Phosphorus (the mobile elements) or Magnesium which is a semi mobile element, that are the problem. It is time to fertilize. They should start looking better after that first feeding. I suspect that more than anything, your plants are craving iron at the moment more than anything else.

That is what I suspected, and that is why this belongs to you.

GQ.JPG

• Growdad420
• Sep 9, 2020

All Hail.

 

[Emilya Green]

As I was scrolling through on my way up to the top of your posting, I noticed in some of your past pictures that this problem has been developing over time. I see the same yellowing, earlier. This makes me very curious, since early on, N is the primary need and should be easy to get no matter the pH... but these other elements not so much. Tell me about the water you have been using. Have you adjusted or measured the pH?

 

[Growdad420]

As I was scrolling through on my way up to the top of your posting, I noticed in some of your past pictures that this problem has been developing over time. I see the same yellowing, earlier. This makes me very curious, since early on, N is the primary need and should be easy to get no matter the pH... but these other elements not so much. Tell me about the water you have been using. Have you adjusted or measured the pH?

Yes, I have a Apera Instruments AI209 Value Series PH20 Waterproof pH Tester Kit.

The water I have been giving is Tap waters PH down to originally to 6.6 but the other day I lowered it down to 6.2.

When rain water is collected, I use that. It has been tested at 6.3 PH.

Mostly thou it has been tap water.
The tap water naturally out of the tap is PH 8.4 so I take it down quite a bit.

Thoughts>?

 

[Emilya Green]

Yes, I have a Apera Instruments AI209 Value Series PH20 Waterproof pH Tester Kit.

The water I have been giving is Tap waters PH down to originally to 6.6 but the other day I lowered it down to 6.2.

When rain water is collected, I use that. It has been tested at 6.3 PH.

Mostly thou it has been tap water.
The tap water naturally out of the tap is PH 8.4 so I take it down quite a bit.

Thoughts>?

I suspect that this explains the lack of uptake response on some of the immobile elements, from early on. 6.6 pH is not the correct pH to adjust to in a soil with a strong upward drift such as FF. When you water at 6.6, the drift quickly moves the pH of that column of saturated soil out of the soil pH response range, since the base pH of that soil is up around 6.8 pH. Any element that is more mobile at the low end of the scale, is going to be hard to pick up and guess where most of the heavy elements are most mobile? Yep... at the low end of the scale. I always found that adjusting all fluids to 6.2 pH in FFOF allowed my soil to drift through the entire range of 6.2-6.8 pH, and my plants stopped having any deficiencies at all. Before I started pH adjusting low in that soil, I had a persistent and confusing molybdenum deficiency at the end of each grow... and adjusting down from 6.3-6.5, down to 6.2 pH, solved that problem from then on.

 

[Growdad420]

I suspect that this explains the lack of uptake response on some of the immobile elements, from early on. 6.6 pH is not the correct pH to adjust to in a soil with a strong upward drift such as FF. When you water at 6.6, the drift quickly moves the pH of that column of saturated soil out of the soil pH response range, since the base pH of that soil is up around 6.8 pH. Any element that is more mobile at the low end of the scale, is going to be hard to pick up and guess where most of the heavy elements are most mobile? Yep... at the low end of the scale. I always found that adjusting all fluids to 6.2 pH in FFOF allowed my soil to drift through the entire range of 6.2-6.8 pH, and my plants stopped having any deficiencies at all. Before I started pH adjusting low in that soil, I had a persistent and confusing molybdenum deficiency at the end of each grow... and adjusting down from 6.3-6.5, down to 6.2 pH, solved that problem from then on.

Thank you. You are the best! I will make sure all drinks are at a level 6.2 PH. Hopefully that solves the problem.

 

[StRoostifer]

Pulling up a bean bag if that’s ok. Girls are looking good and you’re already getting great advice from Emilya so you’ll be just fine.

 

[Growdad420]

Pulling up a bean bag if that’s ok. Girls are looking good and you’re already getting great advice from Emilya so you’ll be just fine.

Welcome rooster

 

[Growdad420]

Day 18

So back on day 16 I gave my girls a drink with Nutes. Next morning on Day 17, they looked noticeably better. Then and what did my dumb-ass do? Gave them another drink (heavy handed pour) of water (luckily without nutes.)

Those 3 outta the four ladies did not appreciate my messing up their happy hours making them drink more than they wanted.

I checked in on the like I do every morning, and I see the clear indication that they had a bit too much to drink.

So I created a chart on the wall because tracking my watering schedule. I didn't do that before because I thought: "its not that hard to remember when I last fed and watered"... but then I got high.

So after a heart to heart over a cup of Joe and a few hits from the bowl, I think we made up. But they told me they needed their space, I am a bit to "clingy".

So i'm gonna let them sit amongst themselves for a few days and see if they dry out a bit. They should be right for a feeding once they dry out and we'll see if they forgive me... LOL

Once thing is for sure, they already smell fantastic. Being 18 days in an their aromas are what keeps me "Clingy"!
My dog joins me when I pay the ladies a visit. He first just sat outside the room, but then he started to smell the ladies and he now comes in and sits inside letting his nose go crazy. LOL

I can only imagine the smell when they are in flower...

 

[Emilya Green]

My dog loves it in the grow rooms with me. I have to watch him though, because he has been known to nip off a leaf or two ... he loves it when I trim and let him have a few. Then it is heavy nap time, for it clearly affects him strongly.

I would like you to read my watering articles. There are two of them, one for those who uppot and one for those who dont, but the main one should be read to get some of my basic principles. This will help a bit with the when to water and how much to water with.

That being said, later on in the grow when we have established a watering pattern in a particular container size, it is very easy to get confused as to when to water, especially when running several different plants at several different places in the grow cycles within garden, and I would be lost without my calendar. I know I am stoned most of the time, so I can't count on my memory, and I write everything down, like when I watered, what I added... etc.

And when you get into flower... imagine walking into the garden of eden. The smell is intoxicating as is the oxygen that they put out. I just love sitting in the grow room during bloom!

 

[Growdad420]

My dog loves it in the grow rooms with me. I have to watch him though, because he has been known to nip off a leaf or two ... he loves it when I trim and let him have a few. Then it is heavy nap time, for it clearly affects him strongly.

I would like you to read my watering articles. There are two of them, one for those who uppot and one for those who dont, but the main one should be read to get some of my basic principles. This will help a bit with the when to water and how much to water with.

That being said, later on in the grow when we have established a watering pattern in a particular container size, it is very easy to get confused as to when to water, especially when running several different plants at several different places in the grow cycles within garden, and I would be lost without my calendar. I know I am stoned most of the time, so I can't count on my memory, and I write everything down, like when I watered, what I added... etc.

And when you get into flower... imagine walking into the garden of eden. The smell is intoxicating as is the oxygen that they put out. I just love sitting in the grow room during bloom!

Thank you, I have read them both and after reading them it is actually harder than I thought just following your methods. Not that it is hard per se but it's more like me being a helicopter parent always wanting to fight the urge to just let them be and trust the method. I have been pouring the water around the edges but the struggle I think I have was not writing down the type of watering I was doing, and when I was doing it. Like when I did a surface water versus outside ring watering to the full saturation.. the moist meter I think is inaccurate therefore I think I have to let them show me when they need a drink. The puff of fragrance they exhibiit when thirsty is a problem for me as they are already stinky and has had too much. When it dries out a bit I plan on a full sat with nutes then I can control the cycle from that point.

What do you think of this approach?

I have to stop being a helicopter farmer!

Thanks

 

[Growdad420]

All the plants have about 5 to 6 sets of branches and each set of those two sets of branches . All lass is now 5 1/2 inches runt is 5 inches sassy is 5 inches tall and Karen is 4 1/2 inches tall. I am being conservative with the amount of growth because I haven't count the all but they are so bushy!!

 

[Emilya Green]

The biggest struggle for most people is believing that the plants enjoy going as dry as I propose in my method. Many people also do not trust my method for deciding when it is time to uppot, by watching the wet/dry cycle, but once people start using my method and see its results, I tend to get new references to my watering articles in their signature lines. There are hundreds of them out there, and there is a reason for it. The method, once mastered, works.

Moisture meters do not work except to tell you one thing... where it is wet. If you stick that thing down in the soil, at some point it pegs out to the right, indicating wet. This is the top of the water table... it actually is wet. If you can find this reading anywhere above the last inch of the container, it is NOT time to water yet.

Take some time to learn how to properly read that meter and understand what it is telling you. Moist simply means you havent gotten there yet, keep going lower. If you can get that figured out, that will work well for you and will be much more reliable than the perfume pump method... most guys cant even tell the difference between that push and the normal plant smell, while most women are surprised by it the first time it happens. I myself do not look for that as my indicator though... I have a good idea what my wet/dry cycle is doing, confirmed by occasional lifts of the containers, and I go by visual clues as to where the leaves are ... and whether they are hanging below the horizontal in the lower growth. I can usually walk in the room and tell you which plants are thirsty and which will be thirsty 12 hours from now. You will get there too, but for now, that moisture meter is your friend.

And, once my plants have established their cycle, I do not hover over them... I actually let them go completely for 2-3 days at a time, just glancing at them once in a while. If you find yourself needing to putter with something every day, you are not doing this right... sort of like fishing, if you are constantly moving around and doing things, the fish ignore you.

 

[Growdad420]

The biggest struggle for most people is believing that the plants enjoy going as dry as I propose in my method. Many people also do not trust my method for deciding when it is time to uppot, by watching the wet/dry cycle, but once people start using my method and see its results, I tend to get new references to my watering articles in their signature lines. There are hundreds of them out there, and there is a reason for it. The method, once mastered, works.

Moisture meters do not work except to tell you one thing... where it is wet. If you stick that thing down in the soil, at some point it pegs out to the right, indicating wet. This is the top of the water table... it actually is wet. If you can find this reading anywhere above the last inch of the container, it is NOT time to water yet.

Take some time to learn how to properly read that meter and understand what it is telling you. Moist simply means you havent gotten there yet, keep going lower. If you can get that figured out, that will work well for you and will be much more reliable than the perfume pump method... most guys cant even tell the difference between that push and the normal plant smell, while most women are surprised by it the first time it happens. I myself do not look for that as my indicator though... I have a good idea what my wet/dry cycle is doing, confirmed by occasional lifts of the containers, and I go by visual clues as to where the leaves are ... and whether they are hanging below the horizontal in the lower growth. I can usually walk in the room and tell you which plants are thirsty and which will be thirsty 12 hours from now. You will get there too, but for now, that moisture meter is your friend.

And, once my plants have established their cycle, I do not hover over them... I actually let them go completely for 2-3 days at a time, just glancing at them once in a while. If you find yourself needing to putter with something every day, you are not doing this right... sort of like fishing, if you are constantly moving around and doing things, the fish ignore you.

This was helpful... I need to use the meter to tell me where the table is.... Ok... I'll figure this out with your help. First thing in the morning I'll see where the table is at and start tracking that as well until I can establish the cycle.

 

[Growdad420]

So good news to report, this morning I used the meter per @Emilya 's instructions on each plant and found the moisture mostly between 2 inches from bottom and one @ 4 inches from the bottom. And lo' and behold "Karen" who looks fine, the moisture is about at an inch from the bottom.
Of course I made sure to do this before a smoke. Wrote it down the levels and I'll check again this evening to gauge it to see how fast it's drying out. Overall tho they are not doing bad. First time back on this growing kick and a bit rusty. Thanks @Emilya

 

[MagicJim]

First time back on this growing kick and a bit rusty. Thanks @Emilya

It's better to fight one's own habits than to be fighting things outside your control....like temperature or pests.

 

[Growdad420]

Day 25

Forgive me fam, its been awhile since my last confession. LOL

Well I got the watering situated. I struggled with the Runt just living up to its name for being the smallest of the bunch. I couldnt figure out for the longest why this one hasnt bounced back with the same vigor as the others.

Then it hit me. She is the only one of the four with no added perlite. Why? I ran out. So I she holds more water than her sisters, so I have her on a different schedule. Not going to do much with her thou other than get her on the other side of this...

Since my last update, they have all grown alot, and are currently undergoing a little branch manipulation (LST) to expose more of the plant to the light. Over all the nute schedule is on track, got some good hurricane rain (Thanks Sally) for storage.

They are on VEG Week 3 of FF feeding schedule.
They are looking great at least from my perspective... Let me know what you all think.

Group Photo

group photo.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 18, 2020

Karen(BB):

day 25 karen.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 18, 2020

Sassy(SS):

day 25 sass.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 18, 2020

Lass(SS)

day 25 LASS.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 18, 2020

Runt(BB)

day 25 runt.jpg

• Growdad420
• Sep 18, 2020