Semi-Guerilla Sinsemilla 2018

[Emeraldo]

Started a new one! I'll grow 5 plants: 3 Sour Diesel No. 2 (Humboldt), which was my favorite smoke from the last grow like this last year, plus 1 Blueberry-Cheesecake (a Female Seeds freebie) and 1 ICE (also Female Seeds). Germination started April 27, the plants are now almost 4 weeks along. Except one, a B-Ch which dried up, its first tiny leaves turned cream color. Have already started a replacement. Here's a photo taken today of the 4 that have done well, and one of the new SD.

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• Emeraldo
• May 24, 2018

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• Emeraldo
• May 24, 2018

 

[Blew Hiller]

That potting is pretty cool. Do you leave it open or fill around it with soil later?

Or does it come off entirely?

 

[ZebSoames]

That potting is pretty cool. Do you leave it open or fill around it with soil later?

Or does it come off entirely?

I was going to ask that as well. I'll sub up and watch.

 

[Emeraldo]

Blew, DV: Thanks for your comments. Cool is good. Lots of oxygen for the roots!

The plants stay in the mesh cylinders for the whole season. I used the same ones last year, just shook out the roots and cleaned them off.

The cylinder is a plastic mesh I bought to protect the trunks of fruit trees in winter from damage by animals, and I transpurposed it to growing seedlings. A small rectangle of the mesh is rolled into a cylinder and tied with garden wire to hold the shape. The mesh breathes better than any solid pot and is great for letting roots get a good start: lots of air, water drains and evaporates quickly. I guess it's an improvement over solo cups?

I germinated in rooters, and after a few days the seedling roots were coming out the bottom. Then I placed the rooter into Light Warrior in the cylinder. A week or so after that, the roots had found their way out the bottom of the cylinder.

At this point the plants needed a mild amount of N, so I put a little stronger organic soil in a Jiffy Pot, about half full. I sliced off the bottom of the Jiffy Pot, leaving the bottom part attached by a small section so it was easy to tear off without damaging the roots.

So, when the roots got to the bottom of the Jiffy Pot, the next step was to put this whole thing (Rooter + cylinder + Jiffy Pot) into a ceramic pot with some soil that has even more N.

Today, the plants are just over 4 weeks, and several of the plants need transplanting again. This time they go into their final pot, a 15 gallon fabic pot, with layered Supersoil. Hot on the bottom 65%, milder in the top 35%.

I set up a drip system to irrigate. Will post pictures of that setup.

 

[Emeraldo]

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• Emeraldo
• May 27, 2018

Re-potted @ 4 weeks into 2 L pots

Re-potted today from the 1 L pots into 2 L pots. Give those roots more room and more N. The little Sour Diesel seedling doesn't seem to be vigorous and is not growing, looks like terminal. I've started soaking a second ICE from female seeds to occupy the fifth big pot.

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• Emeraldo
• May 27, 2018

15 gallon smart pots with layered supersoil mix

 

[ZebSoames]

We are at the same spot. Here's my bagseeds at 30days

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• ZebSoames
• May 27, 2018
• bagseed grow

Tent at day 30

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• ZebSoames
• May 27, 2018
• bagseed grow

Day 30

 

[Emeraldo]

Thanks DV - those are beauties! Looks very indica-like, with the wide leaves. Wow they get big at 30 days LED 24 hrs? Looks like goin on node 6. Mine get less continuous light outdoors, probably only 12 hrs sunlight, soon working on node 4.

 

[Emeraldo]

Here some recent pix from about a week ago, taken June 9 - 12. The little ICE seemed to have gotten off on the right root, no worries she'll make it. The other 4 were all doing well at about 7 nodes and a foot tall, reaching for the horsefencing above and enjoying more and more light the taller they get.

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• Emeraldo
• Jun 20, 2018

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• Emeraldo
• Jun 20, 2018

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• Emeraldo
• Jun 20, 2018

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• Emeraldo
• Jun 20, 2018

 

[Emeraldo]

I recently started this grow journal at the start of the grow. The thing about this grow is -- I will not see the plants again until much closer to harvest. It's just the way it is. Makes me wonder if there will be anything there at all after all the work of getting the soil, the tray, building the trellice, the drip systems and timers, etc, plus growing the plants to adolescence. So it's a real gamble.

In the meantime, I will post a few reports on my Sensi Seeds grow at a different location. I was looking for close to pure sativa strains that would grow well in my climate, harvesting late but being pretty resistant to cold, mold, and so on. So I decided on Sensi Seeds' Jamaican Pearl, Mexican Sativa, Jack Flash #5. Seven days ago I soaked the JP and MS (two each) in water for about 36 hours, when the first Jamaican Pearl popped out a tap root. From that point on, I used ready rooters for the two JP seeds and put the MS in a moist paper towel/plate routine.

So far the only seedling is the Jamaican Pearl. I'll give the rest another few days.

Here's a photo of her in my new-fangled aeration cylinder. She sprouted so fast, she spurted to three inches in about three days, and that was when I decided to put her in a pot. But it wasn't drying out and so I expanded on my old idea of growing seedlings in a really breathing pot. A seedling like this needs air, and not a whole lot of water. At least the excess water has to run off or evaporate quickly. That's what she gets with this. As well as a lot of room for the tap root, since her roots are growing very quickly. The lower layers the soil in the cylinder have increasingly more N. She is surrounded in the ready rooter by alfalfa starter mulch from last year.

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• Emeraldo
• Jun 26, 2018

 

[Emeraldo]

Just to be clear, the "Semi-Guerilla Sinsemilla grow" is a project I can't report on until the Fall 2018. I will be in a better position then to report on how my Sour Diesel, Blueberry Cheesecake and ICE did. Will post about it asap.

But as I am in another location now and have my Balcony Grow coming along, I will report on the Balcony Grow. Last year I was super happy with seeds from Female Seeds (Purple Maroc, Sexbud, ICE) for the Balcony Grow. This year I decided to try Sensi Seeds (Jamaican Pearl and Mexican Sativa) on the balcony. So far, out of two JP and five MS seeds soaked, only one seed has popped: a Jamaican Pearl. Here she is, photo below, one week after popping in her air pot. She is doing well after one week, having taken the giant step of putting out a healthy-looking first pair of serrated leaves. So far so good! The rest have been duds so far, but I did not order directly from Sensi Seeds (I bought from a seed retailer).

Since all 5 Mexican Sativa are still un-germinated, and having only the one JP, I had to change the plan. By accident I ran across some S1 seeds in my Purple Maroc bud from last year. I soaked three, and all three popped like gangbusters. I'll post photos of them asap. But the vigor with which those PM seeds popped and are shooting out of the rooters is a very good selection criterion. I will soak more of the S1 seeds and keep only the most vigorous seedlings. These are, after all, S1 seeds and carry the risk of selfing themselves or worse, putting out nanners.

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• Emeraldo
• Jun 29, 2018

 

[natureman]

Just to be clear, the "Semi-Guerilla Sinsemilla grow" is a project I can't report on until the Fall 2018. I will be in a better position then to report on how my Sour Diesel, Blueberry Cheesecake and ICE did. Will post about it asap.

But as I am in another location now and have my Balcony Grow coming along, I will report on the Balcony Grow. Last year I was super happy with seeds from Female Seeds (Purple Maroc, Sexbud, ICE) for the Balcony Grow. This year I decided to try Sensi Seeds (Jamaican Pearl and Mexican Sativa) on the balcony. So far, out of two JP and five MS seeds soaked, only one seed has popped: a Jamaican Pearl. Here she is, photo below, one week after popping in her air pot. She is doing well after one week, having taken the giant step of putting out a healthy-looking first pair of serrated leaves. So far so good! The rest have been duds so far, but I did not order directly from Sensi Seeds (I bought from a seed retailer).

Since all 5 Mexican Sativa are still un-germinated, and having only the one JP, I had to change the plan. By accident I ran across some S1 seeds in my Purple Maroc bud from last year. I soaked three, and all three popped like gangbusters. I'll post photos of them asap. But the vigor with which those PM seeds popped and are shooting out of the rooters is a very good selection criterion. I will soak more of the S1 seeds and keep only the most vigorous seedlings. These are, after all, S1 seeds and carry the risk of selfing themselves or worse, putting out nanners.

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• Emeraldo
• Jun 29, 2018

You are doing way too much and making things harder then they need to be.
Please do some research at this website I'm sending you a link to.
Grow Weed Easy - Learn How to Grow Cannabis with Simple Tutorials
Peace.

 

[Emeraldo]

You are doing way too much and making things harder then they need to be.
Please do some research at this website I'm sending you a link to.
Grow Weed Easy - Learn How to Grow Cannabis with Simple Tutorials
Peace.

Thanks natureman. I guess you were specifically referring to the way I have been germinating. I soak for 36 hours, then into moist paper towels between two plates, then into Ready Rooters, then into soil in an air pot. I guess that seems like I am making it harder, but it works for me! Some folks put the seeds straight into soil, or straight into rooters.

Thanks for the help. I've learned a lot from Grow Weed Easy over the years!

Cheers

 

[Emeraldo]

natureman: I disagree with the use of solo cups -- Grow Weed Easy features solo cups prominently in their discussion of germination. Solo cups lock in the water and lock out air. That is a bad method. Seedling roots at this tender stage need lots and lots of air and they need water to run off and evaporate. So please inform Grow Weed Easy to not recommend solo cups! That is why I use an air pot (or aeration cylinder) for planting a seedling. As you say, it's "harder" (more work) for me, but it's a lot easier for the seedling to establish roots! Grow weed easier with air pots. Was there anything else you had a question about? Cheers, Emeraldo

 

[natureman]

natureman: I disagree with the use of solo cups -- Grow Weed Easy features solo cups prominently in their discussion of germination. Solo cups lock in the water and lock out air. That is a bad method. Seedling roots at this tender stage need lots and lots of air and they need water to run off and evaporate. So please inform Grow Weed Easy to not recommend solo cups! That is why I use an air pot (or aeration cylinder) for planting a seedling. As you say, it's "harder" (more work) for me, but it's a lot easier for the seedling to establish roots! Grow weed easier with air pots. Was there anything else you had a question about? Cheers, Emeraldo

Just because you do it a certain way does not make you an expert on how to grow.
Most everyone I know and by what I discover from doing research most people grow seedlings in solo cups.
I transplant my seedlings from solo cups into fabric pots when they get big enough to do so.
With fabric pots the roots get more oxygen and you don't have to worry about over watering since the run off drains out the sides and bottom of the pot.
No one method is good or bad,you have to do what works best for you.

 

[Emeraldo]

Just because you do it a certain way does not make you an expert on how to grow.
Most everyone I know and by what I discover from doing research most people grow seedlings in solo cups.
I transplant my seedlings from solo cups into fabric pots when they get big enough to do so.
With fabric pots the roots get more oxygen and you don't have to worry about over watering since the run off drains out the sides and bottom of the pot.
No one method is good or bad,you have to do what works best for you.

Hi natureman

No, I am not an expert because I do it that way. I am an expert on how to grow because I've done a thing or two and seen a thing or two.

Thanks you can have your solo cups, I prefer not. Just because "everyone you know" does it that way doesn't mean a thing. Nor does it make solo cups the better method.

I like fabric pots too. I use 10 gallon size at home. The 15 gallon size are good for my semi-guerilla grows where I build a layered super-soil and leave the plants alone for months at a time. But otherwise, I like to transpot from smaller to larger ceramic pots so that a root ball develops, which makes for a sturdier healthier plant before the final move for flowering into the fabric pot. Fabric pots will never let them get rootbound, but also no clearly formed "root ball" develops.

My Jamaican Pearl is now in veg. Her cotyldons have passed their peak, the single pair of leaves has taken over, the next node is coming.

Good luck with your grows

 

[natureman]

Hi natureman

No, I am not an expert because I do it that way. I am an expert on how to grow because I've done a thing or two and seen a thing or two.

Thanks you can have your solo cups, I prefer not. Just because "everyone you know" does it that way doesn't mean a thing. Nor does it make solo cups the better method.

I like fabric pots too. I use 10 gallon size at home. The 15 gallon size are good for my semi-guerilla grows where I build a layered super-soil and leave the plants alone for months at a time. But otherwise, I like to transpot from smaller to larger ceramic pots so that a root ball develops, which makes for a sturdier healthier plant before the final move for flowering into the fabric pot. Fabric pots will never let them get rootbound, but also no clearly formed "root ball" develops.

My Jamaican Pearl is now in veg. Her cotyldons have passed their peak, the single pair of leaves has taken over, the next node is coming.

Good luck with your grows

I don't think that keeping them in solo cups for 2 or 3 weeks is going to slow down their growth rate.

 

[Emeraldo]

I don't think that keeping them in solo cups for 2 or 3 weeks is going to slow down their growth rate.

Right, with minimal water. You growing indoors, or out?

 

[natureman]

Right, with minimal water. You growing indoors, or out?

I grow indoors.

 

[Emeraldo]

The second Jamaican Pearl seed has been germinating for almost two weeks. Today, she is popping (finally!). Will post a photo asap. Also, a first Mexican Sativa has cracked and is pushing out a tap root, still buried in her rooter.

Btw Sensi Seeds' Mex-Sat has been a disappointment: 1 out of 5 seeds cracked, after two weeks! Sheesh that's a 20% rate! Bought the seeds from a retailer by mail, they assured me their stock was fresh. Well, next time I'll buy seeds direct from a breeder or not at all. Last year, the same retailer sold me 10 Dinafem OG Kush and 40% popped.

Meanwhile, the first Jamaican Pearl seedling, which popped after only two days of moisture, is now almost two weeks out. Today she is putting out her first triple-fan-leaf set. Photo taken today.

The Purple Maroc S1 seeds (from my best plant in last year's Balcony Grow - see second photo) are as vigorous as their mom was: Popped after 36 hours of soaking, they have been going strong for a whole week today. Beautiful. Remind me of their mom. There are another three PM S1s germinating. Will select two of the six later based on vigor, growth, smell, size.

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• Emeraldo
• Jul 2, 2018

Jamaican Pearl almost two weeks from seed

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• Emeraldo
• Jul 2, 2018

Purple Maroc seedlings after one week from seed

 

[Emeraldo]

I stopped posting in this thread for now. The grow I wanted to write a journal about is ongoing, but there will not be any further info until later in the year. In the meantime, I started posting about my Jamaican Pearl grow. As a result, this here thread on the guerilla grow 2018 lost focus and is probably confusing, sorry! So if you are interested in following my guerilla grow, check back in later. I am posting in another thread on Jamaican Pearl, which you can find here Jamaican Pearl