Blue Dream (3) - 1st Grow - Soil - CFLs - Indoor

Peacocky

New Member
Hey there everyone! Just picked up 3 lovely Blue Dream clones in rock wool on 5/2/11 and planted them in some nitrogen rich organic soil in small-medium pots.

I recently made the decision to try growing once more. I've got one grow of one Pot of Gold plant, with metal halide lighting, shitty soil, a humidifier, an oscillating fan, and a tall, compact grow closet. It was a good learning experience and ended up yielding just over an ounce. Not too bad for how much fighting I had to do with the damn setup. Had some nute burns and lamp burns. Live and learn, and don't use MH lights unless you can be diligent about keeping heat down!

The clones showed a bit of stress the day of and after potting, but I presume this is normal considering the circumstances. At day 3 they have certainly perked up and I think they've adjusted very well considering my lack of in depth growing knowledge >.> I've been watering them as needed but I haven't myself learned how often I'll be watering them farther along. They do seem to suck up water quickly, but I've been very cautious about over watering so I may increase it. No nutes yet, the organic soil is N rich and I don't want to introduce nutes until they are at least a few weeks in or start to show signs of deficiency.

My lighting situation is adequate for right now, but I'm going to be doubling my 26w 6500k daylight CFLs to a total of 8 for my 5'x2' grow closet. Everything right now is in the beginning stages and my grow setup will be growing with my plants. But for now, simple is better for me.

I'm watching my temp and RH very carefully and I'm going to be focusing my energy in this area a lot for the time being, as SoCal is very dry! My last grow had more trouble with temp and humidity due to the higher heat/humidity in NorCal and hot MH lamps. I'm just using one oscillating fan that I had on hand, but I will be adding 2 more fans, one for exhaust. No problems so far.


Strain: Blue Dream, Hybrid, Sativa dominant
Vegging: 3 days under my care, all 3 plants started between 3.5-4"
Indoor/outdoor hybrid - about 3-5 hours full sun, 20/4, small closet space
Soil: Miracle Grow Organic Choice
Approx 8qt pots, will transfer to 5 gallon when neccessary
Lighting: Hanging CFL setup, currently 4 6500k, adding 4 more.
Ventilation: Next to a window, oscillating fan
Temp & RH: Averaging 74-78F, 40-55% RH
Pests: Sightings of small gnats, nothing serious
Watering: Filtered tap, sits 24 hours (for chlorine)

Anyways, here are some pics. Tell me what you think, but be nice about my "grow room" haha!

Names are all from Aqua Teen Hunger Force characters. I know, silly, but I just HAD to. It is weird though, they are fem with all male names.

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Jesus Ezekiel Jesus (We'll call her Ezekiel though)
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Sir Loin
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Wongburger
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Any advice is welcome, I'll take all the help I can get :)
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

I guess I should specify... I know it says first grow and then experience with my last grow, lol. Doesn't seem to make sense, eh? But this is my first independent grow, as the very first grow was actually a joint venture. This one's all my own :)

Also, I wasn't being careful and snapped Ezekiel's stem. I feel pretty bad and I hope I didn't completely destroy the plant. As of right now she's got a little cast and some crutches from a vertically slit straw and so toothpick props. pretty ghetto, but it works for now. Do you think she'll recover? Main stem snapped almost entirely, but didn't come apart.
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Thanks!
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

IMO,,,, the leaves look kinda wide for a sativa... but i've been known to be wrong before..
my blue dream has much thinner fingers on the leaves....
good luck...........
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

Definitely subscribing! I like your hybrid lighting system, it's exactly what i did with mine! As for the snap, im sure it will heal up and grow, but its most likely stunted up so its going to fall being a little bit behind the others. But trust me, she'll bounce back stronger than the others, usually any trauma early will add to future strengths.

Also, many plants of the same strain look have different pheno's so that may be why your plants look different than say mine.

For instance, this was my blue dream clone from last grow, only 1 day planted.
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Another thing, keep the bulbs closer, like max 2 inches away with CFL's. Also, try to use the sides of the bulbs and not the tips because more lumens are sent from the sides.

:goodluck: Buddy, ill be watching :Rasta:
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

she is a pretty thing!
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

Beautiful plant, xbox! Very pretty looking plant. Yeah, I actually had them on another storage bin for height, but it ended up being too much of a boost, haven't moved the lights to accomodate yet. But it is nice that CFLs can be used so close.

Got some Y socket splitters today so I can double my lights, but Home Depot didn't have any appropriate lights so I can't set it up yet. Hopefully tomorrow. When I get a bit more $ for this investment I'm going to use power strips with socket adapters to make some lighting that I'll attach to the walls and likely move them as they grow. I think I'll do a corner like that and turn and cycle the plants to that area so I don't have to get every side.

Thanks for the reads & compliments guys :)
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

So I doubled my lights today, and using the Y socket splitters I got at Home Depot for $2 each tilts the bulbs in a great way, now the plant is getting much more light from the sides. No difference in heat at all.

I also got a nifty 4 in 1 moisture, ph, sunlight, and nutrient meter for like $10, and from what I can tell it's pretty responsive and accurate. For the "nutrient" setting it measures nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, presumably in either equal or generally healthy proportion. I'm not really sure how that would translate specific to cannabis though. From what it says as far as nutrients go it was on the low side, but I'm not 100% sure how accurate it is. I'd expect that though, as i haven't added any nutes, and my soil is not a 'self feeding' type of soil. I'll still wait a a while till nutes.

Here's some pics, got some slow but steady new growth.

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Enjoying the sun
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Sir Loin
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Hardy lil Ezekiel
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Wongburger
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Thanks for looking!
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

So today I was looking over the plants, and they're impressing me! Just overnight it seems I'm finally seeing vertical growth. Poor broken Ezekiel is actually showing some of the most growth in the last 2 days. Must mean that it will will, right?

The most vigorous grower from day one has been Sir Loin. This is going to be a productive plant! Keep in mind they are still just tiny things. About 4.5"
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Day 1

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Day 6

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Pretty!
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

Okay, so today I'm seeing some possible issues and I'm a little worried. I've been combating gnats from the beginning, and they're still kinda hanging around. I hadn't seen anything that looked like it was an effect of the bugs (holes, nibbles, color leeched), but this morning there was a yellowed spot on one of the leaves. I thoroughly inspected all plants and saw zero pests or any other real evidence.

Unfortunately, i think I have a ph, nutrient, soil, etc. sort of problem. I'm not sure how much they should have grown in 9 days since planting, but it's only been about 1 inch average. My damaged plant with the little cast is actually growing the fasted and has the least signs of any problems- imagine that! And the little sucker's pretty much healed itself, I'll probably remove the straw cast in a few days if it's ready. But the yellowing of the leaves is bothering me... any ideas? Plants SL and WB are also having somewhat droopy leaves.. it looks like they're just growing that way, not being weighed down or anything. I'd be hesitant to suggest that it's from over watering though.

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Wongburger.. new growth is coming along well, older leaves not so much.

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WB drying/dying leaves

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Sir Loin - you can also see the still healthy looking leaves curl down...

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Ezekiel is chugging along, despite her injury. Most vertical growth of all!

The girls are all a little messy with some soil/water.. probably should have cleaned up for their photoshoot :p

Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

check your soil ph quick, you might be in a nutrient lockout situation. Also, if you are growing in soil, how often are you watering?
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

Well, I'm watering "as needed", letting the soil top dry out a bit, but watering minimum every other day. I don't really soak the pot though, I tend to water modestly. Maybe too modestly?

I'm pretty confident you're rightt! I'll get a ph tester tomorrow. It makes sense, looks like it's not getting any of the nutrients from the soil. No added nutes yet.
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

way too much water, bro. I am in soil, and I water maybe every 5 to six days, and i am in airpots, which let the water transpire. Need to lay off a little, they will love you for it. Let them dry out a little, not to where the dirt starts pulling away from the sides also don't let them dry out too much to where they start wilting. every other day is way too often. Water to where you get some runoff, won't hurt anything, some people call it "rain watering", like in a rain storm, helps to wash away any built up salts, etc. I start right around the stalk and work my way out from there. My first grow I watered every 3 to 4 days and ended up killing my plants, hardly any roots at all on a 32 inch tall plant just doesn't work.

If you were in coco, totally different animal, but if you are in soil, you are headed towards some big problems if you don't fix it now.
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

Xbox: I know, Miracle Grow soil is never going to be the best for growing weed but I'm on a budget here (not jumping for $12/bag soil... that's silly for me). So although I'd like to spring for the expensive shit that more serious growers use, I just do not have the money for it. But I'm not giving nutes for a few more weeks anyways.. had nute burn last grow and I'd like to avoid it this time >.>

Well Ibez, I have to say I really do not believe I'm overwatering. I'm really not... I've never once had any drainage from the holes and the soil does tend to pull away by the time i water. I'm not watering as much as I've seen other. We're talking small amounts every 1-2 days.. You don't seriously think it's overwatering, do you? I'm open to all suggestions, but I'm pretty sure that laying off would be certain death.
I'd be more quick to say that I'm not watering enough.
 
Re: Blue Dream (3)- 1st Grow, Soil, CFLs, Indoor

The plants are looking worse today. The leaves are drying out more around the edges and it's growing in too light green. I'm pretty sure they're just going to die. They are so finicky, I don't understand how these are supposed to be hardy plants, it just hasn't been my experience at all.

I think I'm going to scrap this grow. There's too much going wrong that seems out of my control. I've already spent over $150 to make this happen and my plants are just failing miserably. I don't have enough funds left over to properly care for these plants. This really sucks!

Wish I would have know how inept a gardener I am before I started :p
 
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