WW's 1st Grow - 2x2 Tent - Single Plant - LED - Borderliner XTRM - Soil - Reveg

[wwhateley]

Hi everyone!

After a lot of reading and studying, I'm ready to start with my first grow. I actually started a few days ago but I wanted to be sure that my soil germination was going to succeed. I learned a lot by reading journals and guides but there's just so much that you guys shouldn't be surprised if I make obvious mistakes, and I'm already grateful to all of you who might pass by and give some tips.

Here's a little summary of my setup :

- Borderliner XTRM strain (50/50 feminized hybrid)
- LED panel 300W (HPS equilavent).
- 2x2x6ft tent (60x60x190cm) : I chose a twin box tent because I can benefit from the height to find the right way to shape my plant. It's 2x2 because I can't have a bigger tent.
- 5,3gal Airpot (20L)
- Peat substrate soil (fertilized for 3-6 weeks)
- Temperature and humidity fan controller
- Soil Ph, Ph and EC pens
- Luxmeter
- Timers
- Organic nutrients (also mono-component nutrients in case of deficiencies)
- Root and flowering booster

- Topping, LST and Scrog are planned if it all goes well

I'm a bit of an odd one so here's a few things you might need to know to understand the context of that grow (also why I'm not aiming for the biggest yields ever) :
The last time I consumed cannabis was probably 5 years ago. I decided to grow because I got very interested about its medicinal properties and after reading grow journals I felt like it could be a nice new hobby. Reading about how cannabis can help people as a medicine was really the thing that convinced me and I think that it's something that is going to help me or my partner in the future.
You probably noticed in the thread's title that I was going for regenerating the plant after harvest. It's also something that intrigues me so that's why I'd love to try it and harvest the same plant as many times as possible. It's such a bummer that there isn't a lot to read about that online!

Here's how I proceeded :
I first tossed the seed in a mug with tap water (2 days old so it's kinda chlorine free) and few drops of root booster, I heard that it was good to soften the seed's "shell". It stayed in there for 15 hours then it went directly into the 5 gal pot. It was probably not the best germinating technique for a first grower but I kinda liked the idea, although I'll have to be very careful anot to over-water.

I got super confused with my hygrometers because they all display different things (see last picture). The first I got has a super high reading, the second one is 20% lower and my humidifier is right in between. I put the controller sensor on the upper compartment to get a more accurate reading since the humidifier is right next to the intraction fan. That controller is my highest "piece of technology" so I tend to rely on it the most. I'm going to try to keep the seedling at around 60-70% humidity.

The confusing hygrometers :

Feel free to give any advice!

 

[weenmeoff]

Hi WW! I'll take a seat front row if that's OK. I don't have any tips yet but that's a very nice looking set up. I will help when I can. This forum has been very helpful to me so I'd like to be able to return the favor. You came to the right place. Welcome!

 

[wwhateley]

Hi weenmeoff! Thanks a lot for your reply! The front row seat is free so that's definitely OK!

 

[420Amard]

Subbed and along for the ride

 

[wwhateley]

Thanks a lot Spart! I feel honored to be followed by you!

So today is the 4th day after sprouting, the seedling is looking good but I spotted some curls on the sides of the leaves and it might be because my fan was set a tad too brutal for the young plant.

What do you guys think? I first thought it was from a humidity drop but they usually curl up like tacos then.

Today I got a big dehumidifier since my setup is located in my bathroom and I live in country with high humidity. My goal is to stabilize humidity as much as possible. It's gonna take a bit of time and some fine tuning to get my devices synced.

Cheers!

EDIT : ok, I actually think that the fan was pointing the plant too directly so I made it blow on the side so it creates a nice and gentle breeze. I'm actually glad that I saw it on time.
Then I also watered it a bit with some root booster at 1/4th of the normal dilution. The soil is high on nutrients already so I don't want to get a nute burn this early in the grow.

 

[spacef]

Awesome setup!!!

Most of my thermo displays are in one of the exhaust hole. I try to open the box the least possible, for dust etc, also for the eyes.

About the fans pointing on plants, you find the way

 

[wwhateley]

Hi spacef! Thank you so much for stopping by!

I put them next to each other to show that they were displaying nonsense haha
Anyway now I found a way to stabilize humidity at around 55%. It's funny because I think I won't ever have the humidifier running again...

It seems that the curling leaves aren't from the fan after all. We're now on day 8 from germination and the new leaves seem to have it too. I googled some seedling pictures and I think it might be from a slight nutrient burn. The growing media is Special Mix and I think that you've been using it too in your previous grows. It said to be fertilized for 3-6 weeks but it might already be too much for the young plant. Perhaps I should have gone for a light mix! Anyway, the best thing to do now is let nature do its course and it will eventually be alright!

Here's a picture :

 

[Croatsan]

then it went directly into the 5 gal pot.

Hi wwhateley

That's the only thing I would've done differently. I would've planted the seedlings in a small pot (yoghurt-size, 200ml) and kept it there for, at least, two weeks, maybe even three - until the roots start curling arount the cup's edges. Then, I would transplant it into a bigger pot.

That way root mass develops more quickly. Just when the plant has owergrown the small pot you transplant it and then the root mass that has accumulated just explodes in a bigger pot.

Planting the seedling into its final container, usually, results in less root mass because the tiny seedlings' roots start spreading out while they're still weak.

Edit: I would also choose non-fertilized soil.

Regards.

 

[wwhateley]

Hi Croatsan! Thank you for your post!

That was exactly the choice I had to make before starting. But a total newbie, I'm not in need of cannabis, I have time, and I don't need to focus on high yields.

1. Starting with a small container : faster growth but transplant can go wrong if you do it when it's already root bound and it can stress the plant.

2. Starting in a too big container : slower growth, no stress but watering is trickier.

But now I can definitely take note when it comes to using fertilized soil. Definitely not the best choice.
Fingers crossed!

 

[spacef]

The seedlings look great, I don't see any real problem. As you say, in any case, at this stage, let nature do its thing. do not water too much (those young pla nts have no roots to suck water, so generally you water the pot well one time, then it will take 7 to 10 days to dry before the next watering (holding the pots a fter watering and knowing to feel the different weight between wet and dry pots = the only and best way to know when to water your plants).

 

[PurpleGunRack]

Looks good

I agree with Croatsan on the smaller start pot and light soil mix.

How close to the plant is your light? It looks a bit close, in the picture, for a plant that young.


Happy growing

 

[wwhateley]

The seedlings look great, I don't see any real problem. As you say, in any case, at this stage, let nature do its thing. do not water too much (those young pla nts have no roots to suck water, so generally you water the pot well one time, then it will take 7 to 10 days to dry before the next watering (holding the pots a fter watering and knowing to feel the different weight between wet and dry pots = the only and best way to know when to water your plants).

Hi spacef! Thank you for passing by! Yes it was maybe that common newbie over-analyzing behavior. The plant grows fast and well. The curling condition hasn't worsened much so I think I'll be alright.
I gotta try that pot lifting technique! Not gonna be easy since it's pretty damn heavy due to the volume but I guess it's just getting used to it!

Looks good

I agree with Croatsan on the smaller start pot and light soil mix.

How close to the plant is your light? It looks a bit close, in the picture, for a plant that young.


Happy growing

Hi PurpleGunRack! Thanks for your message!
It's something that I've been thinking as well. I read that for veg, the sweet spot is between 15,000 and 50,000 lux. I started with 27,000 lux so it might have been too much. I also heard a grower saying that during veg you gotta slowly increase the amount of lumens so I'll try that instead! Anyway it's super interesting growing that plant! Loving it

 

[Croatsan]

I read that for veg, the sweet spot is between 15,000 and 50,000 lux. I started with 27,000 lux so it might have been too much.

I started with 110 000 lumens which is around 75 000 lux for my surface area (16 feet square) and they're triving.

27 000 is, definitely, not too much.

 

[PurpleGunRack]

Lux may be a good guideline, but LED lights are more intense than HID and fluorescent light, and plants have to get used to it.
I've never seen the LED growers go by lux readings, lux is measurement of intensity of light visible to the human eye, for plants PAR(Photosynthetically Active Radiation) is the best scale.

I usually start out having my LED lights 75cm - 100cm above the canopy and let the plants grow towards the light, or gradually lower it if they are short or I want more intensity in flower. If LED lights get too close the spectrum doesn't mix, and some of the energy is wasted.

 

[420Amard]

 

[ewilan947]

mind if I have a seat on the front row ?
@spart I see you are passing something around can you pass it this way ?
like to see some small gros in 2X2 tent

 

[420Amard]

Of course man us 2x2 growers always share

 

[wwhateley]

Here's the seedling today (11th day since germination) :

Lux may be a good guideline, but LED lights are more intense than HID and fluorescent light, and plants have to get used to it.
I've never seen the LED growers go by lux readings, lux is measurement of intensity of light visible to the human eye, for plants PAR(Photosynthetically Active Radiation) is the best scale.

I usually start out having my LED lights 75cm - 100cm above the canopy and let the plants grow towards the light, or gradually lower it if they are short or I want more intensity in flower. If LED lights get too close the spectrum doesn't mix, and some of the energy is wasted.

That's a super interesting subject! Actually you're right, a standard (lux) light meter for LED is a very bad tool since the spectrum is completely different with LED. I shouldn't have used the lux charts in here because it can be misleading for people reading this journal. The best would be to own a quantum light meter in order to measure the PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation), but there's very little data available to use this stuff. Besides I've read reviews of people buying one of these for $300 and having a reading 30% off with LEDs compared to a spectrometer, so they are basically just normal, reprogrammed light meters.
What I try to do is that even though my light meter is way off with its reading, I write down what it gives me for future grows as reference.

A retailer of that LED panel said you could put it 10-15cm away from the plant so that's why I put it that close but I'm going to email the manufacturer to be sure of it.
I'll keep you updated for sure.

mind if I have a seat on the front row ?
@spart I see you are passing something around can you pass it this way ?
like to see some small gros in 2X2 tent

Hi ewilan947! You can stay and watch for sure! I'll swing by your journal too!

 

[wwhateley]

Hi everyone!
Just topped my plant. She's kinda small and bulky. I think that PurpleGunRack was spot on about the LED panel distance! My lights are now at the maximum distance in the hope that my plant will push vertically now.
Anyway I'm pretty happy with it, it's the 17th day right now.

Topped :

Side question for the veterans :

What PH do you think I should be aiming for for soilless growing media? I'm using peat substrate mixed with perlite. Some people say I should be treating it like soil but I'm not sure. Should I aim for something around 6,5? (I'm using Special Mix from Gold Label)
Cheers

 

[Croatsan]

Just topped my plant. She's kinda small and bulky. My lights are now at the maximum distance in the hope that my plant will push vertically now.

That's precisely what you don't want (or, at least, I wouldn't want). There'll be plenty of time for her to stretch later. It's a 50/50 mix. Keep her squat and bulky, with short internodal spaces. Most people have, usually, the oposite problem - too much stretching in the beginning.

What PH do you think I should be aiming for for soilless growing media? I'm using peat substrate mixed with perlite. Some people say I should be treating it like soil but I'm not sure. Should I aim for something around 6,5? (I'm using Special Mix from Gold Label)

General consensus is somewhere between 5.5 and 6.2.