LordCaliban's 1st Bag Seed Indoor Grow!

[LordCaliban]

Hey guys, I've been reading the forums like crazy for a few days now and thought I'd start my own journal. This is my first ever grow, and it really wasn't suppose to be a full blown grow but reading more and more thought I'd take a shot at it.

So basically my wife and I hadn't smoked a couple years (I grew up in Vancouver, miss that stuff), and I came across a bag at work with about 5 decent nugs (amazing what some people drop) which I brought home and we smoked over the course of a couple weeks. Not bad stuff, not great either but it didn't suck. So from laying in bed and rolling the last joint, I had a few seeds left over on the night stand. What the hell, I'll throw them in the pot downstairs where my wife killed the strawberry plant. Took the dead shit out of the planter, made a 1/2 inch divet in the moist soil in 3 different spots and dropped in the seeds and left the pot on the window sill.

Well fuck, those seeds actually germinated and sprouted up. So that got me thinking how far I could take this. Should I just hide them outside...nah, lets see how far I can go in the window sill. And that was about 4 or 5 days ago, and since then just been reading shit tons online. The pic below is the current progress, and as of yesterday I carefully transplanted 2 into their own pots with some Miracle Grow (I know, I know).

So they will be in the window sill till I get my CFL closet grow up. I have a small 2.5 x 3.5 x 8 ft closet in a spare room that is empty. I actually have several mylar blankets which I'll pad the closet with and will be hanging CFLs off an extension cord(s) that will hang down from the shelf built into the closet. Probably just a desktop fan or two to move some air around, and obviously while I check in here will tweak this as I go.

My biggest problem I'm facing soon is that I have a week long vacation coming up and I don't feel comfortable leaving CFL's on a timer in a closet while I'm away long periods. Given their current stage, I'm thinking of leaving the pots freshly watered just before I leave sitting on paper towels (as they are now) and wicking some water into them and then when I get back it will be into the closet setup.

Would love any and all feedback, as this was just a fun hobby and I'm not caring if the yield is amazing, I'd just be happy if after planting 3 bag seeds I get one female flowered in 3 months and I can smoke a few joints off it. I'm not going to go out of my way to build anything spectacular, but I'm looking forward to keeping this journal running now.

It Begins:

 

[Hijinks]

Hey welcome to
Subscribed and +reps for your first grow.

I totally understand where you are coming from being concerned leaving your timers running while you are on vacation. I recently started my first grow as well and now I feel stuck here, completely unable to travel! It actually gave me a business idea ... Plant sitting. I live in Colorado where cannabis was just made legal for recreational purposes, and now that there are so many people who will be growing, it seems like the demand for a reliable plant sitter is definitely there. Just a matter of getting people to trust you I suppose.

Surprisingly, cannabis can go for quite a while without water with little to no harm to the plant. The reason people make sure the dirt is completely dry before watering is to promote root growth. If the plants are watered too often, the roots do not grow as vigorously in search for water. However, when you let the dirt dry out, the roots grow deeper and wider in search of water.

My current plants were watered 6 days ago, and when I poke my finger into the soil (as deep as I can reach) it is still slightly moist. They will probably get watered tomorrow or the next day.

Don't take my word for it, but I would think your plants would be fine if you were gone for a week and watered them the day you left. The larger your plants get, the more water they will need regularly. So 1-week vacations may not be as easy to manage in the future.

Keep the updates coming regularly! You won't regret posting too much later on when you get to look back at all your documentation.

 

[KingJohnC]

subscribed. here is everything you should need to know to post full size images in your journal.

Photo Gallery Guide: How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

 

[LordCaliban]

Thanks guys. I found an old Lamp in the garage that has a nice white glossy surface inside the dome, so I've got two CFL's in it and it rests like this for the time being. Still in the window sill during the day until I get my closet setup after my vacation and when I get home I let them sit like this till late at night then back to the window sill for about 6 hours of darkness. One of them tonight toppled over a bit as if it couldn't stand under it's own weight. Worried I might not have buried the seeds deep enough so I put a little more soil on top to secure it.

 

[LordCaliban]

I am little worried from viewing a lot of other peoples threads that they're stretching quite a bit too early. I'm sure it's because I've had them in the window sill they're shooting for the sun. I can get my grow closet up this weekend, and I've got someone I trust who will actually make sure they don't dry out while I'm away but if i use the closet now, I'm going to have to put them back in the window sill when I leave (new one different room, more light) I just don't want to shock them too much so I've got a few questions.

Should I go ahead and transplant into 3 gallon pots when I move to the closet? I was thinking of trying out those Hydrofarm RC3 3 Gallon Smart Pots.

Will the stretching subside if I can get more CFLs around the sides and/or hang them maybe just and inch or two away? And when I transplant can I bury it a little deeper so it's not as stretched out.

Do you think the plants will die off if I go back to window sill for 7 to 10 days while I'm on Vacation, or are these weeds fairly resistant and maybe some nutes and back to the closet spring them back up when I return?

Thanks again those who read and respond!

 

[SofaKing]

My first grow was a soil grow. If your concerned about the length of the plant, when you transplant them you can add more soil and bury the plant a little deeper. I did this a few times, I would add more soil. I would bury the plant just to about the first set of leafs but mine weren't as high as yours are. Doing this has a few advantages. One, is that a plant that has a deep root system has a better anchor and can withstand more movement. Two is that it allows the stem to be thicker under ground before it starts to spring more stems and leafs which adds to the strength of the plant as well. As long as you don't fully bury the plant you can add more soil. Just my 2 cents. good luck

 

[RockBuddz]

i cant wait to see the outcome. there is plenty info on this site. your in good hands friend.

 

[Hijinks]

Caliban -

I wouldn't worry about the 'strechy-ness' of your seedlings yet. It is most likely from how they sit on the windowsill, as you can imagine. If they seem like they are having trouble supporting themselves, try taking a paperclip (or gardening wire) and making it a little support that is stuck into the dirt. Make sure it's not tight around the stem - the stem should have plenty of room to move and grow still, but if it falls for any reason it would be caught by the paperclip. Like so


Different strains will have different heights as a seedling as well. I sprouted headband & skywalker under the same light level and my skywalker seedlings were almost 50% taller 1 week in. After the 3rd week they are now around the same height.

Putting a small fan in the area will give the plants a light breeze and encourage a thicker stem as well.

As for transplanting - most people wait until the plant is "root bound" in the container. An easy way to tell if your plants are root bound is to wait until the soil is slightly dry, then pick the plant up and tip it upside down with your hand on the stem and covering the soil that would fall. The soil should slide out of the pot so you can see the bottom and sides. Be very careful not to drop the plant at this time! If you see a mass of roots curling around the bottom and up the sides of the container, you are probably ready for transplant. If you only see a few roots, your plant can probably go a little while longer.
A root-bound plant:

A general rule of thumb for pots is that the amount of gallons of the pot is equal to the amount of months the plant is in the container. So for example - a 1 gallon container should hold a plant for around 1 month, give or take according to strain of course. 5 gallon containers are usually okay for 5 months, etc etc.

Finally, in regards to the question about your plants dying in 7-10 days: I am no expert, but I would put my vote on them surviving. 1 week ago I dropped one of my headband plants during transplant. The stem snapped right where it goes into the dirt and completely severed (yes COMPLETELY) the stem from the root system. Rather than just tossing it aside, I replanted it (without any rooting hormones) and just put it under my MH lights with the rest of them. As I write this 1 week later, the plant is showing signs of recovery. It is still about the same size as when I dropped it, but it definitely is not dead. Cannabis is called a weed for a reason! Weeds grow like crazy.

 

[KingJohnC]

your seedlings are stretching because they do not have enough light currently. i would not add any nutrients until your plants are 5-6 inches tall and have 5 nodes and then start them on 1/4 strength nutrients. your seedlings are not ready for transplant until they have sufficient root growth in their current pots.

 

[LordCaliban]

Made this in the closet today. Will add a small fan just to get some air circulating in there but I can have the door cracked at times too since that whole room is empty and it's close to a window incase smell becomes a problem later on. Looks like temps are holding around 82.

 

[LordCaliban]

Added a Y adapter to the light hanging down and installed two 6500k lights, and I'm using some twist ties (ala the paper clip method) to hold the plants upright. Running on a schedule right now of 18/6 and they seem to be doing alright. My vacation is coming up starting Tuesday, but I will have someone in the house to hopefully get them back in the closet while he's here, but they will be in a window to get some light and he'll make sure they don't dry up. I'm guessing it might slow growth, but once I get back and they're full rooted they'll be going into 3 gallon airpots.

BTW, thanks for all the help and suggestions. If I can get just 1 out of the 3 to be female and flower properly, I could care less if all I got was a half oz yeild, but you guys are making this fun. Oh and when my wife saw the closet for the first time, she laughed and said "Who the fuck are you, Walter White?". Haha

 

[Hijinks]

Looking healthy so far

 

[LordCaliban]

So I leave for Vancouver tomorrow morning, and there will be someone checking on my plants and my mail while I'm gone and chilling here from time to time. But they will be left to get natural sun in the Window Sill again, with the occasional time in the closet if someone is here (hopefully). They've grown a decent little bit in the past week, leaves are looking healthy and green.

There was one yellow burnt spot on the one plant but that was there last week too and it hasn't become worse, today all 3 pots were pretty dry and light to lift so I slowly watered them with bottle water. I'm sure when I get back in 7 to 10 days they'll have grown a little bit again, but I wanted to post this picture so when I get back we can see if they've grown or any problems arose from the time away.

 

[Hijinks]

Thanks for the update! hope to see some more pics when you return

 

[LordCaliban]

I'm back!! Had a wicked time in Vancouver, New Orleans, and Puerto Rico!!! My "plant sitter" wasn't around too much so they spent some time in the window sill then when he was home he put them in the lights the whole time. He also left a couple too close to the bottom lights which got a little burnt, so he decided to just leave the top lights on which between that and the window sill might be why I've got some good height now.

The one that's still in the strawberry planter is now showing some spotting on some of the leaves. Since this one didn't get full Miracle Grow I'm thinking possible nute deficiency of some for maybe? The one in the back is doing really well, nice and green and sprouting new nodes pretty quick. My 3 gallon smart pots should be hear by the end of the week and I got one bag of FoxFarm Ocean Forest Organic coming in too (which I might have to mix with some Miracle Grow since I'm broke from Vacation!).

Just took these pics, and I'll take another set once they're transplanted. Wouldn't mind knowing when I should start some 1/4 nutes or if I need to at all.

 

[KingJohnC]

i would transplant your plants into 5 gallon pots now if you have the room, if not then 3 gallon pots. you can begin to give your plants 1/4 strength nutrients now.

 

[LordCaliban]

Plants were transferred a couple days ago into 5 gallon SmartPots with small plastic bowls on the bottom to catch any seepage. Also picked up a bag of FoxFarms Ocean Floor. One of them is doing really well, the 2nd not bad and the runt is showing signs of life, just a little slower. It's been been about a month now since they first sprouted in the strawberry pot and aside from some small drying out/yellowing on some bottom leaves the hopeful ladies seem to be green and doing well. Thanks for the help so far guys!

EDIT: PS I haven't done any nutes yet, as I had to spend what I had on the Ocean Floor dirt and the smart pots, but I think they'll get a good boost from the FoxFarms dirt.

 

[LordCaliban]

I'd like to say this is week 6 now or Day 42. Have a slight smell coming from the room, but cracked the window and blocked the door with a blanket so the pressure inside is now forcing the smell out the window so no biggie. No nutes at all (haven't had money or a chance to buy yet) but two of the plants seems nice and green. The two larges ones are about 22" tall now and one has some decent size fan leaves. Still on a 18/6 schedule, and I had a few questions.

I bought 3 jugs of distilled water which since moving to the Ocean Floor dirt I've only had to water once so far. When I'm out of that water, can I fill those jugs back up with tap water which I'll leave open for 24 hours at the very least? I think I've got fairly hard water here, based just on how my showers feel, lol.

My closet isn't the biggest, though there is room to grow tall. I know they'll still grow when I switch to a flowering schedule, any suggestions on how much longer I should wait before switching light schedules?

 

[KingJohnC]

it looks like you could switch to flowering now if you wish. I use 12/12 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness for my flower lighting schedule.

 

[LordCaliban]

Switched to a 12/12 cycle on Labour Day, sticking with 7am to 7pm with lights on, and dark 7pm to 7am. Sun sets around 8pm and the room isn't too bright anyways so not worried about light leakage coming from under the small crack in the bottom of the closet door. The hopeful lady in the back right is growing like a weed and each day I seem to needing to move my hanging light. Even the side branches are curving out then upward. My wife also bought that Fluorescent long bulb thing in the back. Says it's a grow light, was some cheap $10 thing at WalMart but all seems well and I added a small desk fan on the shelf at the top of the closet which is angled up so it cycles air around the closet.

Have not done any nutes yet and finally gone through my 3 jugs of distilled water which I've refilled with tap water and left open in the window sill to dechlorinate over the past couple days so I'll monitor and see if there's any changes using that water. I can't take any pics yet up close till I find my other camera but I did get a little jewlers 60x scope. Theres some spots on some of the nodes that are in between the new growth sprouts and it looks like a small bulb with two tiny green hairs sprouting out. I know there not white yet, and only 5 days in it's probably too early to sex but here's hoping for females.