CKent's First Grow - Soil - White Widow & Blueberry - 2017

[cKent]

So this is my first effort at growing and despite having carried out the best part of 2 months research and reading I'm still going to be learning as I go and so thought a grow journal would be a great way for me to get some discipline in tracking what I've done and get some advice as I try to navigate the coming months.

At the moment the most likely challenges I can foresee are:
Temp control - likely the environment being too cold - my current workaround on this is having lights on at night and I've added a handheld luminant worklight that emits some heat
Resisting the temptation to over-care for the plants.
Nutrients - understanding what, when, how much etc...

But I'm sure there will be a range of unforeseen bumps and I'll need to react to what unfolds....

I'm growing:
2 x White Widow (fem) and
Sativa or Indica 40% - 60% Indica dominant
THC Level High at 18%
CBD (Medical) Medium
Height Average (80/120 cm - 32"/47")
Yield High (400/500 gr/m² - 14/18 oz/3ft²)
Flowering period Average (60 days)

1 x Blueberry (fem)
Sativa or Indica 20% - 80% Indica Dominant
THC Level Medium at 16%
CBD (Medical) High
Height Tall (50/200 cm - 19"/79")
Yield Very High (500/700 gr/m² - 18/25 oz/3ft²)
Flowering period Average (65 days)

I sourced the seeds from ilovegrowingmarajuana.com

The seeds were germinated using the paper towel approach and after 36 hours under a damp paper towel, I planted them yesterday.

Grow Tent: 3 x 3 x 5
Grow medium: I'm using soil for my first grow - looking to get some confidence with this before moving to something more adventurous and costly like hydro.
Soil: I've used Fox Farms Ocean Forest as my base soil and added some additional perlite
Pot Size: Seeds have gone into 1 gallon pots - taproot down, I've got some 3 gallon pots on standby for transfer
Light: I'm using a 300w Mars Hydro LED - I may add another to the setup.
Aircooling/ventilation: No aircooling at the moment - I'm worried I'll be too cool and so I may end up with some heating
Grow Room Room Temp and humidity: I'm having a thermometer and delivered to day so that I can monitor the temp and humidity of the grow tent
Light Cycle is 18/6

 

[Seaweed Farms]

Before you go hydro, consider using Doc Buds High Brix Kit. It is a living soil medium that produces some of the best quality bud by most people's standards. It's also a pretty inexpensive way to grow. Head over to the High Brix Q&A thread and see what it's all about.

Sent from my Pixel using 420

 

[cKent]

Planted the germinated seeds on Thursday evening, it's Saturday morning and i've already got itchy feet.

Anxious to see the first seedling pop through so I know I didnt mess up the transfer from paper towel.....

Might be a long weekend....

 

[cKent]

Before you go hydro, consider using Doc Buds High Brix Kit. It is a living soil medium that produces some of the best quality bud by most people's standards. It's also a pretty inexpensive way to grow. Head over to the High Brix Q&A thread and see what it's all about.

Sent from my Pixel using 420

Cool i'll check that out. I've got a pretty steep learning curve at this stage just to get the basics right!

 

[cKent]

Update and some advice please: My AcuRite 00613 Indoor Humidity Monitor arrived today and so I can track the temps and humidity:

my lowest temp 'night time' is 61 degrees - 30 mins into the light section of the cycle it's jumped up to 71.

Is 61 too low for night time to have a reasonable change of a decent grow? From what I've read the minimum recomended 'night' temp is 62....

 

[cKent]

So the BB has sprouted (Sunday morning: Germination +60hours) - which I'm stoked about.
Still no sign on the WW (Sunday evening Germination +72hours).

I'm hoping for something positive in 12 hours.

 

[blue rust]

As someone who's about to start their grow with a similar set up to yours I'm following along, I also ordered blueberry seeds from i love to grow and am just waiting on them to arrive. Hopefully you don't make many mistakes but if you do I'll learn from yours lol. How long did it take your seeds to arrive?

 

[cKent]

As someone who's about to start their grow with a similar set up to yours I'm following along, I also ordered blueberry seeds from i love to grow and am just waiting on them to arrive. Hopefully you don't make many mistakes but if you do I'll learn from yours lol. How long did it take your seeds to arrive?

I was pretty pleased with the time - I think it was 2 weeks and a couple of days from the point of ordering to them arriving. I'll definately go there next time I need some. They were my first ever seed order and so now I've got a base stock I'll keep a trickle of orders so I dont run dry.

 

[cKent]

Monday morning and the first WW had sprouted so that was germination +3.5 days
Came back from work tonight and the second WW had sporouted - germination +5 days

I've got a few days spread between the 3 seedlings having broken through but I dont think that'll be too much of an issue.

The temps have me a bit worried though so to negate the below 70 temp for lights off I've changed the light cycle to run 24/0 rather than 18/6. This should keep the temp a bit more stable and reduce the significant dip I've been getting.

Relative humidity is ranging 30s and low 40s so I'll keep an eye on how that progresses and may add a few wet sponges to push it up a little.

I'll grab a few pics and post them up when I get a chance.

 

[blue rust]

Being in new England I have some heat concerns as well, I figured to combat that and add a little more heat I'm adding a 100 watt cfl on a clamp shop light. Cheap enough fix if it works.

 

[Jarimuana]

Aim to keep humidity around 60 especially whilst they're young. Make sure you have a PH tester. For night temps buy a tube heater sometimes called greenhouse heaters. They run 55W + you can put it on a digital thermostat plug. The plug detects when it's too cold and turns the heater on or off as and when needed. Good luck mate!

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[cKent]

I've put a couple of trays on the floor of the grow tent and placed some paper towels in these and filled half way with water - this has pushed the humidity up to 50 - which is a big improvement.

My second 300w LED has also arrived and so the temp rage is now low range 60s - high 70s I know this is probably too broad a rnage to be ideal - my reading says aim to keep a maximum range of 10 degrees but I havent had time (nor money) to look into a more sophisitcated heat moderation approach.

I gave the seedlings a gentle water yesterday as the pots were pretty dry - given the seedlings are pretty small and they are in 1 Gallon pots I'm keeping a close eye on the moisture level - if I were to start over I may have put them in a smaller cup to start with - but time will tell.


The last seedling to break through seems to be the thickest stem and the BB that broke through earliest is comparatively spindly - but seems to be oding fine.

Second 'proper' leaves are starting to sprout and so - touch wood so far so good.

PH tester arrives today

 

[blue rust]

Thanks for the update, looking forward to many more

 

[cKent]

Ok so about 2 weeks in now, and things are not looking great. The blueberry is suffering most, with some yellowing issues emerging for both the ww's - any ideas what the cause of these symptons could be?

Temp has been steady in high 70s humidity is in the 40s.
Bluberry - this seems to be suffering the most, yellowing and drooping

ww1 the new growth seems to be yellowing

ww2 is starting to yellow on the tips

 

[Jarimuana]

I and a friend called cannasaurus had the same problem with yellowing leaves in seedlings. He suggested that it was due to strain I had to agree. They were in soil with light amount of nutes when I had it so could have been Nitrogen defficiency or nute burn. The one thing in common was that we ignored it and pressed on and the problem went away. Ty not to worry too much your girl looks fine. I would say nute burn from pics

Jari

 

[cKent]

I and a friend called cannasaurus had the same problem with yellowing leaves in seedlings. He suggested that it was due to strain I had to agree. They were in soil with light amount of nutes when I had it so could have been Nitrogen defficiency or nute burn. The one thing in common was that we ignored it and pressed on and the problem went away. Ty not to worry too much your girl looks fine. I would say nute burn from pics

Jari

I think this might have been the best possible advice, I think i was a bit taken aback and the first visible sign of something not being quite right.

I've added a cold mist humidifier to the room and so am now both running temps consistently in the 70s and have a humidity level in the low 70s the plants are looking much happier again.

At some point I'll have to put an extraction fan in - but I think that may be the next pay check - then I think I'll likely be revisiting a heating issue!

 

[Jarimuana]

I think this might have been the best possible advice, I think i was a bit taken aback and the first visible sign of something not being quite right.

I've added a cold mist humidifier to the room and so am now both running temps consistently in the 70s and have a humidity level in the low 70s the plants are looking much happier again.

At some point I'll have to put an extraction fan in - but I think that may be the next pay check - then I think I'll likely be revisiting a heating issue!

I use an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier. Just a heads up, they powder everything in the minerals from the water including the plants which will inhibit their stomata. You'll possibly first notice signs of mineral residue on the blades of your oscillator fan. This will get plants even if not in the tent. I find if I run the humidifier on the other side of the house eventually the moisture makes it to the growing room by then there's not so many minerals.

These ultrasonic humidifiers don't evaporate the water they vibrate it in to tiny airborne pareticles. Only evaporation would seperate the minerals from the water. Using humidifier from other side of the house means the water can land on surface and then evaporate naturally leaving the powder on your floors and walls instead. Just my twisted way of doing things. Hope this helps

Jari

 

[blue rust]

I purchased a heating pad and thermostat

has kept the temp a solid 70-79 even with a fan going.

 

[cKent]

I purchased a heating pad and thermostat
has kept the temp a solid 70-79 even with a fan going.

Looks like a good idea, what thermostat did you get?

 

[blue rust]

Works well easy set up. Found out a day or so later that a local garden nursery carried them. Comparable price.