Melville's Doug's Varin Winter Grow

[Melville Hobbes]

Checked the roots this morning. I managed to do it gently enough that the soil stayed together. She has quite a ways to go before she seeds to be up-potted. I didn't manage to get pics though. I didn't really plan things through and ended up needing both hands to keep control over what I was doing, and walking to get my phone was out of the question.
I'm still happy with how she's doing.

 

[Nunyabiz]

I personally would not advise letting the roots fill up the pot.

I transplant mine as soon as the roots just reach the bottom of the solo cup.

I grow in 20-25 gallon fabric pots and my roots completely fill the pot top to bottom like a peat bog.

But thats just me, your milage may vary.
There's a 1000 ways to grow , you will sooner or later settle on what works for you.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

I personally would not advise letting the roots fill up the pot.

I transplant mine as soon as the roots just reach the bottom of the solo cup.

I grow in 20-25 gallon fabric pots and my roots completely fill the pot top to bottom like a peat bog.

But thats just me, your milage may vary.
There's a 1000 ways to grow , you will sooner or later settle on what works for you.

I'm not planning on letting the roots fill it up, just a bit more than it is now. I'll take pics of the roots of the two in transparent solo cups (yes they're covered during lights on) to illustrate where she is. She doesn't look ready to me.
To be honest I usually go by the leaves, not the roots. I like to have the third set fairly well started before I transplant.

Edit: If you look at the pic above, the second set of true leaves are about the size I like the third set to be when I transpant.

 

[Nunyabiz]

With me, my gauge is soon as the first set of leaves starts to hang over the edge of the cup is when I transplant.
So I do the same as you with the leaves as a judge

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Here's a pic of one of the girls in a solo cup. She's the smaller of the two HK crosses, so in the family portrait she's just above the Doug's Varin. Her roots look to be just as established as DV.

Still quite a ways to go before she'll be filling the cup.
Here's the family.

The two biggest plants are starting to drink faster than the others by enough that I'll have to stagger waterings. You can see that the soil is already getting dry on the larger HK. Funny, one of the second set of true leaves has 5 leaflets, where the other leaf on the same node only has the standard 3.
Going to put the covers on now.
Then it's time for an edible.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Two week update
Not really much to say. I'm on the fence about whether or not I should increase the MC to 2g per. I think the bigger plants would benefit from it. But it might be too much right now for the others. I think I'll just mix two batches and try the bigger ones on the higher dose first. See how they respond.
Anyway, here's Doug's Varin as of this morning.

Weird, I thought the haziness was just my bleary eyes.

 

[HashGirl]

I find cleaning the lens on my phone/camera makes the haze disappear.

I think @Emilya uppots hers when they drain the water in one day in the container they're currently in.

 

[Emilya Green]

I find cleaning the lens on my phone/camera makes the haze disappear.

I think @Emilya uppots hers when they drain the water in one day in the container they're currently in.

The whole idea of constricting the root space and then successive uppotting is so that you can force the plant to create a rootball at each stage, before moving on. Visually, even with a clear cup, you can't see all the fine roots in the middle of the container, so the only real indicator as to how the roots are doing is by watching the water usage. I have grown some large leafed indicas who's leaves extend over the edge of the cup within the first 4 or 5 days of being above ground, and they have certainly not yet developed strong enough roots to justify an uppot. It should never be a race to move out of a container, you should wait until your plant shows you that its roots are running out of room.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Here's the Family Portrait.
The two bigger crosses were a bit droopy compared to the others. Gave them all a thorough watering, so they'll perk up. The smaller ones have all picked up the pace a bit, so they may be ready for an increase in nutes after all. We'll see if they're asking for more when we get to the next watering.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Morning pics. Don't really have anything to say. She's doing fine.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Whoops.

Coffee.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Well well well. Isn't this interesting. Now I'm 90% sure this one will be a male.
Starting to flower already.

The rest are still working on it. But soon I should have a better idea what I'm dealing with.

 

[Azimuth]

I think I'll just mix two batches and try the bigger ones on the higher dose first. See how they respond.

Couldn't see you just mix one version and then dilute it down for those less established?

 

[Melville Hobbes]

Couldn't see you just mix one version and then dilute it down for those less established?

Yeah, I could. But I don't think that's necessary. The larger ones are reacting very well to the increase, so I think they're all ready. It'll be a couple days before they're dry enough to feed though.

 

[BakedARea]

They are looking happy and growing strong! All caught up.

Now I'm 90% sure this one will be a male.
Starting to flower already.

Wait a second?! What trickery do you speak of? Males flower earlier than females?!

 

[Azimuth]

Wait a second?! What trickery do you speak of? Males flower earlier than females?!

Right. They are often taller and flower earlier to make sure they sprinkle their offerings around before the females wake up.

You know, so they don't miss any opportunities.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

They are looking happy and growing strong! All caught up.


Wait a second?! What trickery do you speak of? Males flower earlier than females?!

Lol, in my experience, yes. Slightly.
But I was actually referring to how the meristem looks. Every time it looks like that it's been male. Females usually look more like they're just growing until I spot the first pistils.

 

[Azimuth]

@bobrown14 has put young males in with his flowering females. He says it seems to get the females working harder to impress.

Have to keep a close eye on them though and take them out before they open their pods lest you ruin the whole show.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

@bobrown14 has put young males in with his flowering females. He says it seems to get the females working harder to impress.

Have to keep a close eye on them though and take them out before they open their pods lest you ruin the whole show.

Yeah, sort of. I'll start worrying when pods have started to form, and even then only the crosses are under 11/13. The Doug's Varin is still under 15 hours of light, so they would only pollinate each other.
Still, I have more than enough seeds for now. Plenty of them regs. I'll be keeping my eye on them.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

PS, @BakedARea good to see you back!
And welcome @Azimuth This isn't the most exciting grow journal around, but I do my best to keep it updated!