I've been meaning to start this, and now seems as good a time as any - I'm four weeks into my first grow ever, and just kicking off my second! Both plants are feminized Blue Mystic autoflowers from Nirvana seeds. We'll call our girls Lapis and Peridot - Lapis because she too is a blue mystic, and Peridot because who better to be her roommate?
I'm going to get all up into the details here, because I know I enjoy reading journals where people do that. So!
Context
I've never grown anything before. I'm following guides and forum posts and improvising. This just seemed like it might be fun, and could end up saving me some money in the long run. I picked an autoflowering strain for the quicker turnaround and the simplicity of not having to manage the growth phases; once I have a few successful grows under my belt I'll try photoperiods out. It's turning out to be incredibly satisfying, which is why I just built a new grow space today that can support more plants at once.
Being a total novice, I'm open to (and grateful for) any advice or suggestions from those who know what they're doing, so don't be shy about jumping into the thread.
The old setup
5 gallon space-bucket arrangement, with one 4" computer fan in the side for air intake. Inside lined with reflective film, drainage holes and pan at the bottom. Lighting is a UFO-style 150w LED, full spectrum grow light attached to the top of the bucket. It has built in fans, which I reversed so they serve as exhaust from the bucket. Temperature inside generally stayed in the 70s, humidity between 20 - 60%. This little setup has actually worked great, and I'll definitely use it again if/when I get around to buying another LED. The only reason I'm not using it now is because I was having too much fun with my one plant and craved another, and the bucket is just big enough for one pot, so an upgrade was in order. Bucket 2.0!
The new setup
Two 20-gallon totes (~$6 at home depot), one upside down on top of the other. Outside's blacked out with contact paper, inside's lined with reflective film. Opening it means removing the top tote, which is where all the interesting stuff is:
- Attached to the center of the top, with a hole for ventilation and the power cord/switch, is the same UFO LED from the bucket. Again, the fan provides outward airflow. This is much higher placement than in the bucket, which should be good as I think Lapis was starting to bleach a little in there. This is plugged into a timer in a power strip.
- This time there are two computer fans for air intake, one on each of the short sides of the tote, both wired to a 12v adaptor, which is also plugged into the timer. I connected some flexible dryer ducting to act as a light trap on each fan, so the bucket sort of looks like a robot with springy silver arms. Bonus of this - I can peek through the tubing, past the fan, and get a good look at the plants and the temp/humidity meter, without taking off the top.
In the bottom tote there's a damp towel, both to catch runoff and for humidity; on top of that is a little shelf and that's where the pots sit. I can fit 2 3-gallon pots comfortably and could squeeze in some smaller ones or solo cups around them if I wanted. I set up some supports so in theory, I could move the shelf up and get the plants closer to the light.
Lapis
Female Blue Mystic Autoflower, Nirvana seeds
Sprouted 1/7/2017, 4 weeks old now, currently flowering. 20/4 since seed.
Growing in a 3 gallon fabric pot in Fox Farms Ocean Forest. I've been managing her shape with some basic LST and it's worked out well - she's short but bushy with a good canopy of flower sites. Had a brief nute burn scare from accidentally overfeeding once with Grow Big; caught the problem quickly, flushed, and saw her quickly recover, aside from the few discolored leaves you'll still notice in the most recent pictures. Sticking to pH'd water for the most part, may try more diluted nutes once a week and see how she takes to it. I have a strong suspicion having more distance from the light in her new space is going to be good for her too.
Aside from the nutrient issue, this has been a really easy grow so far, and I'm super pleased with how she's looking. Non-burned leaves are a good rich green. Has a slight pleasant smell but nothing you can detect from outside the bucket, which is a plus.
Rooming with her is her new baby sister -
Peridot
Female Blue Mystic Autoflower, Nirvana seeds
Started germination 2/12/2017
Handling this one the same way I germinated Lapis - between some wet paper towels, under a plate. This time with the advantage of being inside the balmy climates of the bucket! Lapis sprouted within a day or two; Peridot has been in the fridge a few weeks longer, we'll see if she keeps pace. Once she sprouts, she'll also be growing in a 3-gallon bucket (partially walled off at first, bottomless solo-cup style), but I've put an inch or so of perlite in the bottom and the soil is a mix of roughly 30% perlite to 70% FFOF.
Pics!
A rough timeline of Lapis over the past few weeks, plus the new setup and Peridot.
I'm going to get all up into the details here, because I know I enjoy reading journals where people do that. So!
Context
I've never grown anything before. I'm following guides and forum posts and improvising. This just seemed like it might be fun, and could end up saving me some money in the long run. I picked an autoflowering strain for the quicker turnaround and the simplicity of not having to manage the growth phases; once I have a few successful grows under my belt I'll try photoperiods out. It's turning out to be incredibly satisfying, which is why I just built a new grow space today that can support more plants at once.
Being a total novice, I'm open to (and grateful for) any advice or suggestions from those who know what they're doing, so don't be shy about jumping into the thread.
The old setup
5 gallon space-bucket arrangement, with one 4" computer fan in the side for air intake. Inside lined with reflective film, drainage holes and pan at the bottom. Lighting is a UFO-style 150w LED, full spectrum grow light attached to the top of the bucket. It has built in fans, which I reversed so they serve as exhaust from the bucket. Temperature inside generally stayed in the 70s, humidity between 20 - 60%. This little setup has actually worked great, and I'll definitely use it again if/when I get around to buying another LED. The only reason I'm not using it now is because I was having too much fun with my one plant and craved another, and the bucket is just big enough for one pot, so an upgrade was in order. Bucket 2.0!
The new setup
Two 20-gallon totes (~$6 at home depot), one upside down on top of the other. Outside's blacked out with contact paper, inside's lined with reflective film. Opening it means removing the top tote, which is where all the interesting stuff is:
- Attached to the center of the top, with a hole for ventilation and the power cord/switch, is the same UFO LED from the bucket. Again, the fan provides outward airflow. This is much higher placement than in the bucket, which should be good as I think Lapis was starting to bleach a little in there. This is plugged into a timer in a power strip.
- This time there are two computer fans for air intake, one on each of the short sides of the tote, both wired to a 12v adaptor, which is also plugged into the timer. I connected some flexible dryer ducting to act as a light trap on each fan, so the bucket sort of looks like a robot with springy silver arms. Bonus of this - I can peek through the tubing, past the fan, and get a good look at the plants and the temp/humidity meter, without taking off the top.
In the bottom tote there's a damp towel, both to catch runoff and for humidity; on top of that is a little shelf and that's where the pots sit. I can fit 2 3-gallon pots comfortably and could squeeze in some smaller ones or solo cups around them if I wanted. I set up some supports so in theory, I could move the shelf up and get the plants closer to the light.
Lapis
Female Blue Mystic Autoflower, Nirvana seeds
Sprouted 1/7/2017, 4 weeks old now, currently flowering. 20/4 since seed.
Growing in a 3 gallon fabric pot in Fox Farms Ocean Forest. I've been managing her shape with some basic LST and it's worked out well - she's short but bushy with a good canopy of flower sites. Had a brief nute burn scare from accidentally overfeeding once with Grow Big; caught the problem quickly, flushed, and saw her quickly recover, aside from the few discolored leaves you'll still notice in the most recent pictures. Sticking to pH'd water for the most part, may try more diluted nutes once a week and see how she takes to it. I have a strong suspicion having more distance from the light in her new space is going to be good for her too.
Aside from the nutrient issue, this has been a really easy grow so far, and I'm super pleased with how she's looking. Non-burned leaves are a good rich green. Has a slight pleasant smell but nothing you can detect from outside the bucket, which is a plus.
Rooming with her is her new baby sister -
Peridot
Female Blue Mystic Autoflower, Nirvana seeds
Started germination 2/12/2017
Handling this one the same way I germinated Lapis - between some wet paper towels, under a plate. This time with the advantage of being inside the balmy climates of the bucket! Lapis sprouted within a day or two; Peridot has been in the fridge a few weeks longer, we'll see if she keeps pace. Once she sprouts, she'll also be growing in a 3-gallon bucket (partially walled off at first, bottomless solo-cup style), but I've put an inch or so of perlite in the bottom and the soil is a mix of roughly 30% perlite to 70% FFOF.
Pics!
A rough timeline of Lapis over the past few weeks, plus the new setup and Peridot.
Gave her her first dose of Tiger Bloom today - took a chance and went with a low-normal dose instead of a quarter-strength as she was showing some hints of deficiency (a few discolorations here and there). Fingers crossed!
