Cannalearna's Bagseed Grow "09"

Nice lighting. I think the CFLs are pointless though. Just put more of those 4 foot tubes in their place and you'd have way nicer light. Also those CFLs need reflectors behind them. CFLs are incredibly inefficient as it is due to their structural geometry. Some guys have done great things with them but they have to be used just right. They'd work better if hung vertically with little bell reflector sockets or something. I still think two more tube fixtures would be worth the investment and the change.

Overall it's a good project though. I definitely second the notion to avoid MG products. If you can't though, more power to ya, hope it works. If you have a Home Depot anywhere near you though, they should have something called Pro Mix for containers. It's from a company called Premier Horticulture and it has always done well for me. I'm experiencing some mixed feelings about their "Ultimate Organic Mix" though. It's more like a fertilizer(such as worm castings or compost) than a soil IMO.

Also get some dolomite lime. For a nice trick you can try filtering your water through a tube containing pelletized dolomite lime. You pour it in one end while holding it over another container. There needs to be a screen on the bottom end to keep the lime in though. The water from your tap runs through it, picks up a trace of calcium and magnesium, and then as an awesome bonus is pH stabilized. This also makes a nice foliar spray if you run that same water through the lime a few times. Doing this at least every 5th time you water will really help stabilize your pH enormously.
 
Here is some updated photos...
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As you can see I have some yellow leaves on the bottom that are starting to die... I don't know what happened, but I assumed they were hungry so I fed them. Hopefully thats all that was wrong. I also have a plant with these rusty spots... I've been cutting off the parts with spots. Should I just take the plant out? No veg chamber to get well in.
 
Wait a while until the sex develops more to be sure. If the yellowing on the bottom doesnt go away in a few days check the ph of your soil and flush it.
 
If coco coir is not at least 1/3 of your soil mix you should get some. Adding it makes it virtually impossible to over-water your babies, and it's way easier to pH it than soil pure coir.
 
All I have used is aquarium gravel and top soil for my medium. The stores are starting to stock gardening inventory now. What is coco coir and can I find it at most garden centers? I would like to look into that. Thank you.

I have one boy and one girl so far. I'm sure one is a female and the boy maybe to early to tell, but the buds are rounder and hairless. I'm still gonna wait to be sure though.
 
Yes definitely wait! My biggest plant was looking male and now I'm almost certain it's a girl. Calyxes can look very much like a little nut when they're still forming.

With that soil mix, it's amazing you've come this far honestly. I think you'll be excited to see the improvements that switching to a good medium will give you.

Coco coir can be found at a lot of garden centers, but here in Iowa, almost the only place to find it is pet stores. I got mine at Petco. It's "Zoo Med" brand "Eco Earth". The stuff comes in bricks, almost like a weed brick. You just place it in a container with some water and let it rise. Use only a little and keep adding some as you peel it apart. Put it all in a larger bag and you have at least 22 liters of it. The brick looks small but it adds up. I recommend you buy the 3 pack of the stuff, it's a way better deal and you'll need more eventually anyway.

Worst case scenario, if you can't find anything better, try the following:

1 part Miracle Grow Organic Mix(Pro-Mix Organic Mix is better! Worm castings would be the very best, with mushroom compost a close third)

1 part spagnum peat moss(regular Pro-Mix works too as it is mostly peat)
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite(or use two parts perlite if you can't find this)
2 parts coco coir
add one tablespoon of dolomite lime per gallon of this mix. No more than that, unless it's pelletized dolomite, which releases slower and thus you can use 50% more of it. I actually dissolve mine in water first before adding it. Breaks up the pellets and spreads it through the mix very thoroughly. If you use Pro-Mix as your source of peat moss, be aware it has dolomite in it already, so reduce all stated amounts by 50% in such case.

I really mean it on the amount though. Any more than that will raise your pH, and your coir needs a lower pH than soil, so the acidity of the peat in the mix complements the needs of the coir, and the coir protects you from ever being able to over-water the plants. The perlite and vermiculite add air and water retention, in addition to offering larger aggregate particles to keep the mix from compacting.
 
I am very grateful I have made it this far. I would have killed my plants if it wasn't for everyones help. These are the first plants I have not killed. I am normally the angel of death for all plants.

I can't wait to use all these tips. Garden Centers will be opening soon so I should be able to get these products now. Growing should get easier with the right stuff.

Thanks again!
 
If you have a Petco there, or a Petsmart, I strongly recommend you go get coir asap. I am certain Walmart has all the other things except vermiculite, and sometimes they don't have dolomite lime.

You're lucky. Any native soil I've used from around here is swarming with plant pests. It makes me wonder how plants survive at all out there sometimes!
 
Sort of. I mean it's a convenient source, but buying activated charcoal from a pet store is about 10 times more expensive for the weight compared to buying from an online charcoal supplier.

I use litter crystals. They sell a generic brand of the silicate crystals at Walmart, which is the exact same thing as the name brand but 1/4th the price. They are slightly inferior to charcoal overall, but mix well with it, and can be reused an unlimited amount of times. They just need to be put in an oven at 350 for two hours and they're like new again.
 
MagicCannabus said:
Any native soil I've used from around here is swarming with plant pests. It makes me wonder how plants survive at all out there sometimes!
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I didn't use top soil from my yard if that is what you mean. I bought the 40 pound bag at home depot for $2. I asked for potting soil with no nutes and thats what they had at the time beside miracle grow soil wich I read not to use if using miracle grow nutes. Too hot or something.

My next list... PH probe, better soil, vermiculite, perlite, coco coir, dolomite lime, and fox farm nutes. Looks like I have to start over, huh.

As long as I get about a half ounce a plant (female) It will be a success to me... actually it already kind of is. I have never seen a flower on a pot plant before and I have learned so much.

By the way I now have 4 females and 2 males, but one female looks like both. Not a banana, but more a cluster of balls with hairs. Time will tell all.
 
I noticed that you said you were going to get a ph tester. Good thing because you are really wasting your time not using the proper ph water. My plants looked a lot like yours until I got my ph right. It is really night and day. I thought for some reason my tap water was ph 7 until i tested it and it was 8.7..no wonder my plants barely grew .
 

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