Kitty's First Grow Spring 2017: LED & CFL & Sun

[Gauge Steel]

Crap Kitty. Haven't been around in a couple of days and i check in and your plants look amazing. They all look about the same, no pheno freaks. Great growth, huge stems. Love the journal.

Guage

 

[CannaKitty]

Thanks everybody for all your support. I swear I wasn't expecting this kind of growth so fast. The seeds, although unstable are still obviously of strong stock and quite frankly I believe they may have come from a hermie because... well... they are all so bushy and so fem like. I have shown them to another grower and he told me... in a very Italian fashion, "don't you dare throw even one of those away... Trust me, I know these things, their female". (In Italian though... Italians are quite sure of themselves as a culture).
Still I'll believe it when I see it. They are all growing very uniformly, I will say. Of course there is a tallest but since I fimmed they all seem to be evening out.

So quick update... I fed my girls!!!

This afternoon I finally felt confident the soil was dried enough to water. I haven't had to water at all since I saturated upon transplant (8 days ago). I was worried pushing them that far ... that long ... with no water...but the weights don't lie and I knew I had to make those roots fight hard and get to the bottom of the pot. I was confident in the all mix and perlite mixture.

This morning when I went to rotate my girl's, I noticed all of my plants are already showing roots through the bottom of the 6.5 liter (approx 2 gallon) squares! That's one week and the plants have rooted 2 gallons of soil. Incredible!

So being that my plants were feeding on that soil for quite some time I did go ahead and decide to introduce the very SMALLEST feed. Quarter strength BioBizz grow. 1 milliliter for every 4 liters. My tap water is 312ppm (remember I got that mountain water w/ lots of lime,cal, and mag) and the nute solution was only around 412.

I also added a little more allmix to the top of the soil beds because the pots had settled a bit lower than I liked and i wanted to bury a little more stem on a few plants.

I watered each plant individually in a big plastic basin (let's be honest it's a cat litter box I don't use) in front of the grow cabinet. I also literally bathed each plant with plain water. I used my new pumpy spray water bottle... it's pink! I cleaned the plants from top to bottom, ensuring no soil was on the lower leaves and that any splash back from even my very weak nutrient solution was rinsed off thoroughly. I know it's not good to keep the leaves wet but I think a bath once a week can't hurt. It also allowed me to inspect the plants completely in case I missed something under the led effects. I let them dry off and then replaced them in the cabinet. I let them sit on a pee pad so it absorbs the run off and will put a fresh pad down 12 hours after the pots settle. Of course they were a bit droopy after I made it rain on them bitches... but an hour or so later they are starting to look quite happy!

They are all bushy bitches too... with no obvious height distinctions...

This week they FINALLY get to go under their big new Mars... but I bet they would flourish a bit longer in this environment too. Now that I know the roots have reached bottom and they have recovered from the fim job, I'm expecting some major growth up top.

I know I write novels as 'quick updates' but I appreciate anyone who takes the time to listen. May mother Mary Jane bless your green babies.

XxKitty


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[Lilgrower]

They look nice kitty ! I cant wait to see the outcome!

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[Mike420husker]

Kitty your novels are great as are your plants.
happy growing

 

[Manic4organic]

Looking good so far! Are you sure this is your first grow haha
Hopefully success in this one should further cement your passion for growing!


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[Gauge Steel]

Tame those Bitches CK! More whippin!

 

[CannaKitty]

Tame those Bitches CK! More whippin!

Hahaha! I know... it's like a jungle in there! Thankfully my grow tent is finally arriving this afternoon so they are going under the 1200watt this afternoon and getting a more appropriate amount of space. I am going to tie down some of the bushier girls. I did FIM all of them and I do trim a couple fan leaves here and there but being this is my first grow I am just so nervous to be too hard on them. I have said I'm kinda going for a SOG feel... but from seed... this will most likely be the last photo of them in the early veg space...

Thing is they grow so fast I can't keep up. I am going to the hydro store tomorrow for another sack of the BioBizz allmix and deciding on their final containers... as I mentioned the roots were already poking out the new pots less than a week after transplant.

It's either going to be 15 liter 'TexPots' as that is the fabric pot my hydro store carries. They are squares.

OR 16 liter Bamaplast Plastic squa... I mean rectangles.

They are currently in the 6.5 liter bamaplast squares... I just can't decide. The plastics have worked so far... I don't like the idea of changing things up when things seem to be working but... any opinions guys?

This will be their final container as with this incredible growth comes the inevitable fact that the grow tent is 200cm tall... now that's 6.5 feet BUT also need to fit my lamp with some distance... anyway... I do also have a few (4) of the tidy cat buckets which are 5 gallons so about 19 liters. I could drill holes in those but... I just don't know. Anyone care to give any advice???? The only reason I am considering the fabric pots is they are cheaper and I won't be transplanting again... or else the idea of airpruning and working with non solid containers doesn't appeal to me.

What pots do I get for my pot?????

XxKitty


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[CannaKitty]

Well... good news is my tent showed up... bad news is the eBay seller grossly misrepresented not only the condition of the tent but the actual model of the tent. They listed it as a Gently used, no obvious wear, secret jarden DarkRoom 100 (DR100). I bid on that item appropriately. What arrived was a HEAVILY used DarkStreet (DS100)... the economy line from SJ with rusted poles, a half broken zipper, no drip sheet, filthy (despite the fact the thing is machine washable), and a putrid smell. I did set it up to take pictures for the eBay buyer protection claim. That is when I noticed numerous light leaks. This tent may have been decent enough new but the owner was obviously not one for keeping their equipment clean.

I could have gotten this tent NEW for about 12 euro more than i paid but thought I found a decent deal on a high quality tent ... now I have a shit tent that smells like... stinky feet.

The eBay seller already said they will refund me... claiming they SWORE it was a DR100 but now can see it's not. What does that even mean? It's going to just be another headache and I have to order/buy another tent TODAY.

Might just go ahead and get the cultibox they sell at my local hydro store.

First have to see what EBay says about shipping the damn piece of crap back. UGH... well that's EBay. You win some you lose some. The Mars2 1200w (which was an INCREDIBLE EBay find) is burning' beautifully though. I set up the tent to take photos of the light leaks and damage so... here's how it did look.

You can't see all its imperfections from far away... but

and there's plenty more...

It would be fine if the seller had represented these things in the listing but... they didn't... and so i overbid tremendously... thinking it was something that it was not. Thank god for eBay buyer protection.

On a more uplifting note, The girls have been under the 1200watt for a little less than 24 hours and as you can see I am keeping the distance pretty far.... like almost 3 feet... when I bend over in the tent I can feel the lamp penetrating my back with its rays. Wildly powerful.

Hopefully I can get another tent in here and ship out the crap one on the same day so the girls can at least continue to enjoy the lamp.

This morning...

Still trying to decide on their final home... the post I made prior to this one still needs answers/opinions. TexPots or stick with the Bamaplast Plastics???

So that's what's going on... I'm off to find a tent.

XxKitty




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[CannaKitty]

Kitty's First Grow Spring 2017 - LED & CFL & Sun

So I finally grew a pair and did some defoliation ...

It felt so wrong...

But now I can see all the tops and I left all the top fan leaves... now... I hadn't thought about how to get rid of plant matter safely... I don't want it to smell in the community bins...

Off to research that.




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[savingson]

Thanks everybody for all your support. I swear I wasn't expecting this kind of growth so fast. The seeds, although unstable are still obviously of strong stock and quite frankly I believe they may have come from a hermie because... well... they are all so bushy and so fem like. I have shown them to another grower and he told me... in a very Italian fashion, "don't you dare throw even one of those away... Trust me, I know these things, their female". (In Italian though... Italians are quite sure of themselves as a culture).
Still I'll believe it when I see it. They are all growing very uniformly, I will say. Of course there is a tallest but since I fimmed they all seem to be evening out.

So quick update... I fed my girls!!!

This afternoon I finally felt confident the soil was dried enough to water. I haven't had to water at all since I saturated upon transplant (8 days ago). I was worried pushing them that far ... that long ... with no water...but the weights don't lie and I knew I had to make those roots fight hard and get to the bottom of the pot. I was confident in the all mix and perlite mixture.

This morning when I went to rotate my girl's, I noticed all of my plants are already showing roots through the bottom of the 6.5 liter (approx 2 gallon) squares! That's one week and the plants have rooted 2 gallons of soil. Incredible!

So being that my plants were feeding on that soil for quite some time I did go ahead and decide to introduce the very SMALLEST feed. Quarter strength BioBizz grow. 1 milliliter for every 4 liters. My tap water is 312ppm (remember I got that mountain water w/ lots of lime,cal, and mag) and the nute solution was only around 412.

I also added a little more allmix to the top of the soil beds because the pots had settled a bit lower than I liked and i wanted to bury a little more stem on a few plants.

I watered each plant individually in a big plastic basin (let's be honest it's a cat litter box I don't use) in front of the grow cabinet. I also literally bathed each plant with plain water. I used my new pumpy spray water bottle... it's pink! I cleaned the plants from top to bottom, ensuring no soil was on the lower leaves and that any splash back from even my very weak nutrient solution was rinsed off thoroughly. I know it's not good to keep the leaves wet but I think a bath once a week can't hurt. It also allowed me to inspect the plants completely in case I missed something under the led effects. I let them dry off and then replaced them in the cabinet. I let them sit on a pee pad so it absorbs the run off and will put a fresh pad down 12 hours after the pots settle. Of course they were a bit droopy after I made it rain on them bitches... but an hour or so later they are starting to look quite happy!

They are all bushy bitches too... with no obvious height distinctions...

This week they FINALLY get to go under their big new Mars... but I bet they would flourish a bit longer in this environment too. Now that I know the roots have reached bottom and they have recovered from the fim job, I'm expecting some major growth up top.

I know I write novels as 'quick updates' but I appreciate anyone who takes the time to listen. May mother Mary Jane bless your green babies.

XxKitty


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Looking great Kitty. Thanks for the laugh. And I love your journal updates.You def have a talent for writing. As another Italian Woman Grower I giggled. Im investing in a Wet/ Dry vac today for my gals. Im 8 weeks in flower /starting flush. When I moved my plants I broke a few stems off. I guess I have some samples drying now. Im still freaking out lol.

Sent with my Light and Love Happy Growing

 

[CannaKitty]

Looking great Kitty. Thanks for the laugh. And I love your journal updates.You def have a talent for writing. As another Italian Woman Grower I giggled. Im investing in a Wet/ Dry vac today for my gals. Im 8 weeks in flower /starting flush. When I moved my plants I broke a few stems off. I guess I have some samples drying now. Im still freaking out lol.

Sent with my Light and Love Happy Growing

I have seen these attachments for your normal vacuum cleaner that convert it to a wet vac... but... it's probably a decent investment... especially if your in the middle of flushing. I haven't even thought that far ahead! I guess my big ass litter box won't contain them anymore when they are in their big ass final pots. I don't know how in hell I got that Mars1200watt up in my 6 foot tent all by myself... but you know we are woman... hear us roar and what not. I saw the photo of you and your plants... ugh it must be so exciting to be nearing your first harvest!!!!! Congrats babe!!!


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[bobrown14]

Forgot I wanted to share this!!!! So I was going through photos taken while I was backpacking and in Amsterdam. Granted this was almost ten years ago but the following two photos were taken at the Cannabis College in their very famous garden.

So looking back with educated eyes and what do I see??? Each and every plant under FLOROS!!! The big old CFLs are hard to miss!!!! Granted this was 2008 I believe so LEDs weren't being used like they are today. But here in Europe... HPS lamps are just too expensive to run... so much that even the 'Cannabis College' grew under CFLs. Just a funny little find I thought I would share with you guys!!

XxKitty


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Is your friend there with the Drexel shirt from Philly? What's a "cannabis college" ??

 

[bobrown14]

They are currently in the 6.5 liter bamaplast squares... I just can't decide. The plastics have worked so far... I don't like the idea of changing things up when things seem to be working but... any opinions guys?

This will be their final container as with this incredible growth comes the inevitable fact that the grow tent is 200cm tall... now that's 6.5 feet BUT also need to fit my lamp with some distance... anyway... I do also have a few (4) of the tidy cat buckets which are 5 gallons so about 19 liters. I could drill holes in those but... I just don't know. Anyone care to give any advice???? The only reason I am considering the fabric pots is they are cheaper and I won't be transplanting again... or else the idea of airpruning and working with non solid containers doesn't appeal to me.

What pots do I get for my pot?????

XxKitty


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Larger Pots = larger plants = more yield.

You have a space limitation and height limit as well. Thing is right now you don't know how many females you have.

What I do and I use the #2 nursery pots same as 6.5L containers you are using cept mine are round. I veg in them and right before flip I transplant into 25L (6.6 gal) containers for final up pot. I use AutoPots .... they are from the EU..

I like to use a little deeper container than that 16L one you have pictured be that will work. Generally I would go at least to a 20L container but I'm in organic soil so with using nutrients you would probably get away with the 16L container. My plants would run lean down the stretch in just soil and it would be a struggle for me to get my best yields.

I don't use the fabric containers they are too difficult for me to move around but I would probably use 10gal ones ... too big to move for me & hard to clean and all that jazz.

Lots of folks have god result with them tho and they work, just for me they are hard to handle in the larger sizes I want to use.

What I would do would be take the footprint of the tent and see how many pots will fit in there in the largest size.... train plants in a SOG and let em rip. Your plants are looking great.

 

[CannaKitty]

Is your friend there with the Drexel shirt from Philly? What's a "cannabis college" ??

The Drexel Shirt was a gift from me to him. I went to Drexel my first 2 years but I graduated from University of MD.

The Cannabis College is just a non profit organization with a big kinda museum of marijuana... they have their hand in the Cannabis Cup I believe. Just a tourist spot for pot heads

XxKitty


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[CannaKitty]

Larger Pots = larger plants = more yield.

You have a space limitation and height limit as well. Thing is right now you don't know how many females you have.

What I do and I use the #2 nursery pots same as 6.5L containers you are using cept mine are round. I veg in them and right before flip I transplant into 25L (6.6 gal) containers for final up pot. I use AutoPots .... they are from the EU..

I like to use a little deeper container than that 16L one you have pictured be that will work. Generally I would go at least to a 20L container but I'm in organic soil so with using nutrients you would probably get away with the 16L container. My plants would run lean down the stretch in just soil and it would be a struggle for me to get my best yields.

I don't use the fabric containers they are too difficult for me to move around but I would probably use 10gal ones ... too big to move for me & hard to clean and all that jazz.

Lots of folks have god result with them tho and they work, just for me they are hard to handle in the larger sizes I want to use.

What I would do would be take the footprint of the tent and see how many pots will fit in there in the largest size.... train plants in a SOG and let em rip. Your plants are looking great.

Hey!!! Thanks SOOOOOO much for responding! I too don't like the idea of the lack of structure of fabric pots but was looking at them because... well they are cheaper... but there is most likely a reason.

So your comment makes lean more and more towards using the tidy cat buckets I have... and drilling drain holes. (Not hempy style just traditional drain holes) I too was concerned about up potting to containers that DO carry more soil... BUT do not affect the depth of the root ball but for 2-3 cm. The depth is where my girls are pressing... as I mentioned already poking out my bottom drain holes.

They also sell these at my hydro store which after reading over your comment... may be what I get...

Like you mentioned it's a bit difficult not knowing my ratio yet. Not to mention the idea of not using uniform containers drives my OCD wild. But those big 25liter rounds look about right.

Thanks for the help!
XxKitty


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[Mike420husker]

Kitty I went out 2 day and bought #2 which is a 2 gal. pot. then a friend of daughter gave me 10 #5 or 5gal. pots free is good. The #2 pots will be used tell right before veg. when I up pot right before flower. I feel your pain about watering. I am letting mine dry out well pushing the limits it feels like. But like everything I read most people over water. So I am trying to hold off tell the plant tells me I need water.
happy growing

 

[CannaKitty]

But like everything I read most people over water. So I am trying to hold off tell the plant tells me I need water.
happy growing

I am now having problems with plants drying out at different rates. Unstable seeds paired with the fact that these girls came from several rounds of germination all approximately 3 days apart created plants that do show different rates of growth. My biggest/oldest is very close to needing water (tonight most likely) whereas my smallest/youngest feels it could go another 36+ hours. I don't know if I should water when needed or push them to all get watered at the same time.

Hmmmm... my instinct tells me treat each plant individually when I am in a position to do so... I work from home so I can water whenever... some growers are limited as to when they can have access to their grows. As a homegrower I should take advatage of 24/7 access to my babes I guess...

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Gauge Steel]

Thought you might like this. Double pot technique.
BOG's Double Potting Technique
Guage

 

[CannaKitty]

Kitty's First Grow Spring 2017 - LED & CFL & Sun

Thought you might like this. Double pot technique.
BOG's Double Potting Technique
Guage

Interesting... but that would kill my OCD things all need the place in order mind. I saw a thread somewhere where another girl grower would use a hot saw/knife to cut off the bottom of her pots while the plant was IN it and then used an identical container filled with soil, put the cut pot on top, and taped the two together making a double decker so to speak...
but the idea of going smaller to larger as they demonstrate in that post appeals to me... almost like how a plant would naturally grow stretching its roots as real get deeper.


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[CannaKitty]

Kitty's First Grow Spring 2017 - LED & CFL & Sun

Tomorrow will be 30 days above soil for my largest girl so time for a quick journal entry.

My plants still aren't drying as fast as I thought they would. Granted I have been stressing them a bit this week. I HAD to defoliate... my nodes are super compact and secondary growth was struggling under the cover of all those huge fan leaves. I left the fan leaves above the top few nodes as I know they are the plants 'solar panels'.

I waited 48 hours after defoliating to do some very gentle and mild LST. My goal was to bring more light to the lower branches and even out my canopy. I originally had plans to only fim, defoliate, and let them grow naturally otherwise but once I started tying my one tallest plant... I just got in the zone and did them all.

They reoriented themselves in less than 24 hours.

I don't really intend on training them too much. I drilled holes in all my pots should I choose to. All I did was stabilize the main stem and lean over the top half of the plant... exposing the many secondary potential bud sites that emerged post fim.

I am going hunting for their next up pots this weekend. I have been told to try the local nursery for used plastics. The prices at my hydro store for plastic pots seems a bit expensive... I also still have 4 of the 5 gallon square tidy cats buckets which will work well if I drill holes in them. Unfortunately I can only buy the litter in those amazing containers at the American base nearby... so I can't get more... because I would... as it's a free bucket with the purchase of the litter which I could always use! And their square size is awesome.

Absolutely no signs of sex/preflowers yet... I have come to terms with the fact I will have to up pot all 8 plants and pray for good odds. I notice no obvious distinctions between the plants though... save for water consumption... they drink at different rates but now I see they all even out by the time it actually comes to water. They all are growing with traditionally female characteristics: bushy, compact, and lots of secondary growth. I also know I should not stress my plants in what I plan as the last two weeks of veg to 'push' for females. So I will probably be letting them be the next two weeks as I plan on flipping them to 12/12 at 45 days. The only stress will be their final transplant... and hopefully it goes as smoothly as the last.

I mentioned I was disappointed with the condition of the supposedly 'gently used with minor cosmetic wear' tent I purchased on eBay. After some back forth, the seller and I decided to split the difference and they refunded me 50%. So I ended up paying approximately 30 bucks for a 100x100x200 tent shipped to my door. It isn't 'like new' but it isn't total garbage either. It came without the water tray piece of Mylar but I found you can buy replacement ones and that paired with patching a few pin hole light leaks... and I'm good. With EBay... you have to take the good with the not so good so... the tent is a fair deal... not a crazy steal like my Mars2 1200 for 200 bucks but... it is what it is.

So... that's all I got. I will be watering this evening I believe... I'll take some photos of the plants under normal light when I pull them out and let them get their drank on.


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