Central Valley of California
Soil is Sandy Loam with Black Gold Waterhold used when plants were put into the ground.
Currently 28 Plants
14 Sour Diesel (feminized seeds germinated by me starting last week of March)
5 White Widow (cloned by close friend)
3 Purple Sour Diesel (Supposed clones obtained via a trade with guy on Craigslist)
3 Platinum Bubbah (Clones I purchased)
1 Bannana Goo (Gift from friend)
1 FOG "Fresno OG Kush" (Gift from friend)
1 Unknown (Beautiful fat seed I found in a unknown bud)
March 2013 I started germinating approximately 50 seeds. 20 seeds using the old paper towel method. I also germinated 30 of the seeds using the all fiber seed starter pots from the 99 cents store. I filled the pots with soil and placed a seed in each pot about 1/4" deep. I placed the starter pots into a foil cooking pan and kept adding water to the foil pan so the starter cups could absorb the water. I placed the foil pan into a folding fruit case and suspended it directly under a fluorescent light fixture with 24 hour light. I placed the paper towels between two plates to keep it dark and maintained the moisture for approximately 2 days and then the seed began to sprout.
When the seeds in the paper towels were ready I used tweezers to put them into a Solo cup with soil. The next day I moved them outside so they could acclimate to the sun and weather. The starter pots took a few days longer to show but when the sprouts began looking like plants I put them outside also to acclimate. When I felt they were ready I cut away the fiber pot and put them into small pots with Happy Frog soil.
The reason for using the two different methods for germinating; I read where when you germinate with a paper towel and the root sticks to the towel you damage the roots and can shock the seedling before it becomes established. When putting the seed directly into soil you do not have to touch the root, it is in the correct position for perfect growth. After doing both of these methods it appears that the seedlings that were germinated directly into the soil in fiber pots produced plants that now after having been put into the ground on April 20th (4/20) these plants are much bigger and much healthier looking than the seeds germinated in the paper towel.
The plants were looking healthy and the weather seemed perfect so I decided to start planting the following week on April 20, 2013. Symbolic of 420
I started by planting 3 Purple Sour Diesel clones and 5 Sour Diesel I germinated. I started also staging pots with plants in them waiting until I felt that the stalk was of good size and the plants were close to a foot or taller.
Last year the house behind my garden had a tree that blocked all of the late afternoon sun from my plants. This year I had the idea to add some of the foil insulation used in indoor grows to my fence. It seems to be working great and serving it's purpose. The morning and early afternoon sun reflects off of the foil thus giving that side of the plant more light than it would get naturally.
With the seedlings planted in the ground I gave them their first taste of some nutrients and used General Hydroponics FloraNova one part Grow. I used it for a few weeks one day per week. I than switched to the nutrient package I plan on using all season long.
Humboldt Nutrients 3-part Micro-Grow-Bloom. So far they seem to be doing well and I have purchased additional nutrients to add when they get into the bloom schedule. I have Honey ES, and Ginormous.
I have been de-chlorinating my water using barrels of water and letting them stand for a few days and agitating the water. I have 2 barrels in this picture but have since added 4 more barrels.
Taking a brief break for the night. The plants have done wonders over the past 50 or so days and with 5 months left to grow. I have lots left to post. I have plenty of photos to add right away