Strain: Lambs Breath Auto (hybrid; 85% sativa, 15% ruderalis), from CKS.
Growing Medium: Happy Frog soil with amendments - two parts soil, one part coir, and 1/2 part perlite in 3 gallon grow bags.
Grow Space: 18”X 36” X 84” area in corner of my 12’X12’ store room.
Lighting: Budget LED Series 3+ Full Spec 130 Watt Dimmable LED grow light, running 18/6.
Average Humidity: 54%
Average Temperature: 70 degrees F.
Nutrient: MegaCrop (MC), according to package directions per stage of growth along with FF Big Bloom toward end of flowering (more info later).
Watering: Well water as needed, allowing soil to go dry between waterings. PH corrected to 6.0-6.5 with white distilled vinegar.
This grow journal documents my transition from T5 HO to LED. I was very successful using T5 HO, so I thought going to LED would be a snap. Wrong. I'm posting this so others may avoid problems. This isn't about bragin' rights; this is about recovery.
I had extreme problems in the beginning; almost pulled the seedlings to try again until I contacted Justin from Elevated Lighting who made many helpful suggestions which included getting a light meter and a temp gun. Instead of getting a very expensive light meter ($500+) I got an app for my iPhone called “Photone”, which cost me about $50 altogether including the needed in-app purchases. Photone for iPhone has a reputation for measuring almost a good as a traditional light meter. The temp gun is an Etekcity Infrared Thermometer which cost me about $25. Onward to documentation.
2/4/21 - (Approx.) Germed using paper towel method. 100% germination.
2/7 - (Approx.) Seedlings up.
2/14 - Real problems - check out the seedlings below. It was at this point that I got the light meter/temp gun. PAR 150.
2/22 - PAR up to 350. Leaf temp: 70 degrees. Soil surface temp: 73 degrees. Right hand: 42%. LED on veg mode with UV on.
2/24 - PAR 400.
2/25 - One girl leaves curling down. Figuring they don’t need to struggle any more than they are, I reduced PAR to 150 and turned off UV light. Light back to veg.
2/26 - Recovering. PAR up to 400.
2/27 - Producing 3rd set of leaves. PAR up to 500.
2/28 - Watered both with 10 g of MC in 2 gallons pH corrected well water.
3/1 - Leaning a little. PAR up to 550. Soil surface temp: 67 degrees. Leaf temp: 65 degrees. Air temp: 70 degrees.
3/2 - PAR 725. Starting bloom stretch. Soil surface: 65 degrees F. Leaf surface: 65. Relative humidity: 80%. Air: 69 degrees F.
3/3 - PAR 725.
3/4 - PAR 725. Looking much bettter. Glad I didn’t pull them, but only 4th set of leaves.
3/6 - PAR 775 . Made no changes.
3/8 - Lowered PAR to 700-725 PAR. Putting out 4th set of true leaves. Side branches sprouting. S/B in flower right now; no idea why they’re not.
3/10- 800 PAR. Left hand taller than right hand; raised girls to equal height. Watered with MC; 10 g in 2 gallons pH corrected water. 5th set leaves. Trying some gentle LST.
3/12 - 850 PAR. Soil surface temp: 65 F. Leaf: 65 F. Relative humidity: 77. Air temp: 70 F.
3/13 - Responding to LST, so I think I’ll leave along now. Left hand girl definitely starting bloom cycle.
3/17 - PAR 1050. Sure glad I didn’t give up on these. Won’t get as much as normal, but s/b okay. Did more LST today. Air temp: 69 F. Humidity: 75%. Soil surface temp: 64 degrees F. Leaf surface: 67 degrees F.
3/19 - Watered with 1 gal each w/5 g per gal pH corrected water. Responding phenomenally well to LST.
3/30 - Did more LST since last entry and removed a lot of leaves to open up the canopy. Will have multiple nice colas. PAR about 650 average. Watered each with one gallon each pH corrected water and 5 grams MC, which is what they’re supposed to get at this growth stage. Getting some clawing and other indications of too much nitrogen. Next watering cut amount of MC in half. I think it’s too hot for autos. Leaf temp: 69 F.
4/3 - Seems to be overcoming the excessive nitrogen. Did trimming today to opening things up. Left hand girl is showing the typical narrow sativa leaves; the right hand not so much. Light 13” above canopy. PAR 850. Raised it to 16” after noticing that on topmost colas the “hairs” are bending over as if shying away from the light. I think this will give the light a larger footprint as well. Soil surface 68 F.
4/5 - Fert with 4 g MC and 2 Tbsp FF Bloom per gallon of pH corrected water (1 gal ea per girl). Decided to back off on MC and add Bloom due to too much nitrogen suspected.
4/6 - Raised light a bit, hairs still curling. Did some minor pruning.
4/9 - Pruned a bit to open up canopy.
4/10 - Watered with 1 gal each 4 gr MC, 2 Tbs Bloom in pH corrected water. Raised light to 18” above canopy. Bloom progressing. Hairs aren’t curled back much at all, standing straight up for the most part. PAR averages 550 at canopy. Leaf temps at canopy about 68 degrees F.
4/11 - Pruned a bit to open canopy. Colas filling in nicely; left hand more than right hand. Showing trichome development.
4/13 - Pruned a bit to open canopy.
4/17 - Watered both with 2 gal pH corrected water with 8 Tbs of Bloom and 4 g MC (1 gal per girl). Colas really filling out. Lots of trichomes forming, more on Left hand than right hand. PAR average around 500. Maintaining 19” above canopy.
4/22 - Trimmed to open canopy; also trimming away smaller stuff below (lollypop-ping). Light 20” above canopy. PAR 450 average.
5/2 - Chopped the left hand girl. Got 30 g. dried.
5/4 - Moved right hand girl to center under the light. Should be ready to chop in a few days. Needs water, but I don’t think I will. Almost ready for chopping.
5/8 - Chopped last one. It was either water or chop.
5/10 - Trimmed, dried and jared right hand girl. Got 30 g. dried.
So what did I learn:
1. Easy to overwhelm the ladies with too much light. Less is sometimes more. It's a balancing act. Let the girls talk to me.
2. MC seems a bit hot for autos. Good stuff, but dial back the dilution. Use in conjunction with FF Bloom toward the end.
3. As has often been noted, with autos there’s little time to correct problems - but it can be done.
4. PAR is more important than light distance above canopy, so let PAR be my guide rather than distance above canopy.
5. As Churchill once said, “Never give up. Never give up. Never. Give. Up.”
Growing Medium: Happy Frog soil with amendments - two parts soil, one part coir, and 1/2 part perlite in 3 gallon grow bags.
Grow Space: 18”X 36” X 84” area in corner of my 12’X12’ store room.
Lighting: Budget LED Series 3+ Full Spec 130 Watt Dimmable LED grow light, running 18/6.
Average Humidity: 54%
Average Temperature: 70 degrees F.
Nutrient: MegaCrop (MC), according to package directions per stage of growth along with FF Big Bloom toward end of flowering (more info later).
Watering: Well water as needed, allowing soil to go dry between waterings. PH corrected to 6.0-6.5 with white distilled vinegar.
This grow journal documents my transition from T5 HO to LED. I was very successful using T5 HO, so I thought going to LED would be a snap. Wrong. I'm posting this so others may avoid problems. This isn't about bragin' rights; this is about recovery.
I had extreme problems in the beginning; almost pulled the seedlings to try again until I contacted Justin from Elevated Lighting who made many helpful suggestions which included getting a light meter and a temp gun. Instead of getting a very expensive light meter ($500+) I got an app for my iPhone called “Photone”, which cost me about $50 altogether including the needed in-app purchases. Photone for iPhone has a reputation for measuring almost a good as a traditional light meter. The temp gun is an Etekcity Infrared Thermometer which cost me about $25. Onward to documentation.
2/4/21 - (Approx.) Germed using paper towel method. 100% germination.
2/7 - (Approx.) Seedlings up.
2/14 - Real problems - check out the seedlings below. It was at this point that I got the light meter/temp gun. PAR 150.
2/22 - PAR up to 350. Leaf temp: 70 degrees. Soil surface temp: 73 degrees. Right hand: 42%. LED on veg mode with UV on.
2/24 - PAR 400.
2/25 - One girl leaves curling down. Figuring they don’t need to struggle any more than they are, I reduced PAR to 150 and turned off UV light. Light back to veg.
2/26 - Recovering. PAR up to 400.
2/27 - Producing 3rd set of leaves. PAR up to 500.
2/28 - Watered both with 10 g of MC in 2 gallons pH corrected well water.
3/1 - Leaning a little. PAR up to 550. Soil surface temp: 67 degrees. Leaf temp: 65 degrees. Air temp: 70 degrees.
3/2 - PAR 725. Starting bloom stretch. Soil surface: 65 degrees F. Leaf surface: 65. Relative humidity: 80%. Air: 69 degrees F.
3/3 - PAR 725.
3/4 - PAR 725. Looking much bettter. Glad I didn’t pull them, but only 4th set of leaves.
3/6 - PAR 775 . Made no changes.
3/8 - Lowered PAR to 700-725 PAR. Putting out 4th set of true leaves. Side branches sprouting. S/B in flower right now; no idea why they’re not.
3/10- 800 PAR. Left hand taller than right hand; raised girls to equal height. Watered with MC; 10 g in 2 gallons pH corrected water. 5th set leaves. Trying some gentle LST.
3/12 - 850 PAR. Soil surface temp: 65 F. Leaf: 65 F. Relative humidity: 77. Air temp: 70 F.
3/13 - Responding to LST, so I think I’ll leave along now. Left hand girl definitely starting bloom cycle.
3/17 - PAR 1050. Sure glad I didn’t give up on these. Won’t get as much as normal, but s/b okay. Did more LST today. Air temp: 69 F. Humidity: 75%. Soil surface temp: 64 degrees F. Leaf surface: 67 degrees F.
3/19 - Watered with 1 gal each w/5 g per gal pH corrected water. Responding phenomenally well to LST.
3/30 - Did more LST since last entry and removed a lot of leaves to open up the canopy. Will have multiple nice colas. PAR about 650 average. Watered each with one gallon each pH corrected water and 5 grams MC, which is what they’re supposed to get at this growth stage. Getting some clawing and other indications of too much nitrogen. Next watering cut amount of MC in half. I think it’s too hot for autos. Leaf temp: 69 F.
4/3 - Seems to be overcoming the excessive nitrogen. Did trimming today to opening things up. Left hand girl is showing the typical narrow sativa leaves; the right hand not so much. Light 13” above canopy. PAR 850. Raised it to 16” after noticing that on topmost colas the “hairs” are bending over as if shying away from the light. I think this will give the light a larger footprint as well. Soil surface 68 F.
4/5 - Fert with 4 g MC and 2 Tbsp FF Bloom per gallon of pH corrected water (1 gal ea per girl). Decided to back off on MC and add Bloom due to too much nitrogen suspected.
4/6 - Raised light a bit, hairs still curling. Did some minor pruning.
4/9 - Pruned a bit to open up canopy.
4/10 - Watered with 1 gal each 4 gr MC, 2 Tbs Bloom in pH corrected water. Raised light to 18” above canopy. Bloom progressing. Hairs aren’t curled back much at all, standing straight up for the most part. PAR averages 550 at canopy. Leaf temps at canopy about 68 degrees F.
4/11 - Pruned a bit to open canopy. Colas filling in nicely; left hand more than right hand. Showing trichome development.
4/13 - Pruned a bit to open canopy.
4/17 - Watered both with 2 gal pH corrected water with 8 Tbs of Bloom and 4 g MC (1 gal per girl). Colas really filling out. Lots of trichomes forming, more on Left hand than right hand. PAR average around 500. Maintaining 19” above canopy.
4/22 - Trimmed to open canopy; also trimming away smaller stuff below (lollypop-ping). Light 20” above canopy. PAR 450 average.
5/2 - Chopped the left hand girl. Got 30 g. dried.
5/4 - Moved right hand girl to center under the light. Should be ready to chop in a few days. Needs water, but I don’t think I will. Almost ready for chopping.
5/8 - Chopped last one. It was either water or chop.
5/10 - Trimmed, dried and jared right hand girl. Got 30 g. dried.
So what did I learn:
1. Easy to overwhelm the ladies with too much light. Less is sometimes more. It's a balancing act. Let the girls talk to me.
2. MC seems a bit hot for autos. Good stuff, but dial back the dilution. Use in conjunction with FF Bloom toward the end.
3. As has often been noted, with autos there’s little time to correct problems - but it can be done.
4. PAR is more important than light distance above canopy, so let PAR be my guide rather than distance above canopy.
5. As Churchill once said, “Never give up. Never give up. Never. Give. Up.”
