1st grow on the equator - Need tips

[JJYa]

Hello everyone,

I am going for my first grow on the Equator (and one of my 1st overall grows).

I will be sprouting and planting femenized Jamaica Dream (Eva seeds), and will try for a white widow x big bud mix.

I am growing organic, all I can find is really: Coco fiber, worm compost, organic compost, hardly bone meal, and some perlite. Not sure what to do about this.

I have 12/12 light all year so, I plan on vegging 28 days the whitewidow and 28 the Jamaica. Wanting to veg under only cfls. And only 2 plants at a time... How many cfls should I put, was thinking 1 over each plant, and if they get a bit big, like 10 inches or more, put one cfl on the side of each one. Wanting to do a 2x2x4 veg box. And put the plants 1 or 2 hours to outdoor light. Hps and good leds are impossible to find here.

A major problem is the qualitly of the soil I grow in, it is primary rain forest very poor and muddy / clayish soil with no aeretion and poor drainage. There is also lots of rain. Some days are extremely hot and sunny, others it rains all day. Where / how should I plant, shall it be on a small hill or in 5 gallon buckets?


Basically Id like some advice on what I should do for the soil and what I should do for the aeretion / drainage problem. Also, some info for vegging under only cfls.

Thank you very much for everyone.

 

[Conradino23]

Re: 1st grow on the Equator. Need tips.

Clay soil is actually better than you think, excellent CEC for starters holding enough phosphorus and potassium so you don't have to add any!!! Worm castings add enough nitrogen and micronutrients for cannabis to grow really well so I'd work mainly on cutting the soil with aerating agents. The best is biochar, then perlite, then compost, then dry leaves/hay/straw. Waterlogging in wet climates can be limited by planting in raised beds, and inoculating with bacteria which fight anerobic microbes. Hope that helps, man.

 

[JJYa]

Hey everyone,

Since my last post, I have been composting my own soil.

I have chicken manure, worm casts, some coal / ash, alfalfa, and all kitchen veggies scraps with leaves / wood dust.

I have mixed it with some soil from here and some organic black soil I found from some farmers.

I got my 1st little two plants going in my grow box.

One is Panama from Ace Seeds, the other is White Grapefruit from Female Seeds.

The inner skin of one of the seeds was stuck on the cotydelon, but I peeled it off today in the morning before the plant die.

I was wondering, my wife mixed up the pots and I dont know which is which.

Ways of identifying (later on) which is which.

When would you tell me to transfer them outside (strand specific) to 12/12 natural light.

Thanks!

 

[Conradino23]

I don't think you're gonna have to wait on the equator, you just put them out when you want to.

 

[JJYa]

Had some problems with the plants, mostly with one of them.

In search of advice! internet access is hard to get for me so if you could awnser fast I would really appreciate!

One plant has rippled leaves, curled up upwards, the smaller one.

The other one has a few leaves curling down.

Excessive heat, low humidity, dry soil, missing light?

Thanks!

Here are some pics. One plant is way behind in size, they are now 14 days old.

Here are some pics of the grow box, the plants after 3 days and now, at 14 days.

The box.

Stuck shell day 3.

Healthy one, day 3

And now, day 14.

Biggest plant. Leaves curling down (Was on the opposite side of the CFL, I turned it around so the curled leaf geats more light.

Smallest plant. Rippled upwards leaves.

 

[Bapple]

They look great for 14 days....

If you're worried about the small anomalies, then perhaps overwatering or lights are too close/intense.

They look good, don't love them to death

 

[JJYa]

Thank you very much for awnsers.

I put the lights at 4 inches. Seems like it had positive impact on small plant, bigger stays the same but nothing to worry about so much.

Yesterday I had a power outtage during night that lasted 14 hours.

Lights are back on, will it trigger flowering, should I switch them to 12-12?

Should I stay in 18-6?

Should I put them in 24/0 for a bit to revert flowering?

From what I read, just continue the same light cycle and they will revert back, but will slow their growth.

They are sativas, has an impact?

 

[JJYa]

I put them back on 18/6.

The bigger plant is all good, she pretty much grows 1 new set of leaves everyday.

I feel like the small plant is not growing at all. Leaves look like indicas, but from genetics shes 70 sativa - 30 indica.

Not sure whats happening to her, shes green, looks fine, rippled leaves and stacked together a lot, wont open or take height.

What to do with small plant? Somehtings wwrong?

Heres a plant by side comparison.

Some specific shots.

1st pic: Side by side both plants
2nd Pic: Close up small plant from top
3rd pic: Small plant cotydelons
4th pic: Close up big plant from top

 

[Conradino23]

It's heat stressed

 

[JJYa]

Alright thanks.

I will try to do something about it, some days here are 35 *C plus, more the bulbs, and it may be hard.

I have my bulb at 4 inches, will higher it even more.

May just as well keep only the bigger plant and make it grow pretty big before putting it out since its 100% sativa.

Thanks

 

[JJYa]

They are now better.

There was a huge heat wave and the leaves of the bigger plant clawed. They are now getting up again, and the small plant is now gaining good size.

Here are some pics of both of them.

Any tips appreciated.

About to transfer them into a 1g bucket of new soil.

 

[JJYa]

Looks like im starting to have a Nitrogen deficiency, will transfer plants in 1 gallon buckets 1/3rd full of composted rotted hardwood, 1/4th of worm casts and the rest of my organic compost.

Bottom leaves are getting pale green, a bit yellow, but a tiny bit, not much just yet.

I hope it will help them some.

Some heat problems still with curling leaves.

Will post pics soon.

 

[JJYa]

Plants now got transplanted, were on day 30 I think.

Nice root system.

Both plants going pretty good now.

They didnt like the transplant at first, all the leaves got curled up.

They got trhwiving again overnight and now everything is fine.

Will have them in there until my grow closet doesnt allow it anymore and get them outside to flower.

The small plant has a really strong smell, I have no carbon filter so it smells in the house :3

Here are some pictures.

 

[JJYa]

Pic updated, day 33 I think.

Some massive side growth pushing leaves on the side, they are crooked.

Notice big plants bottom leaves, doesnt matteR?

 

[JJYa]

Once again rotated pictures.

My bad, but heres some progress, in an internet cafe and wont let me rotate the pics.

Big plant is now pretty big, with some massive side growth.