My First Grow: Grape Ape, Agent Orange x Huckleberry & Purple Skunk Mass

[CrazyChef]

Hey Guys! New member here, and decided to journal my very first grow. I started an introduction thread in the "Introduce Yourself" subforum, and @FoNz subtly suggested I start a grow journal, so here it is.

This is my setup. Yes, I realize it's lacking, but I've pretty much maxed out my budget so it'll have to do. 3x photo studio LED lamps, and 2x LED shop lights for lighting. A little foil on the wall, and the Fox Farm Trio for nutes. Watering with spring water, as I don't really trust our city water for my babies.

I may just have to splurge on 2 more items - a timer for 18/6 and 12/12 when needed (I'm on 24/0 for the time being), and a few of those reflective car windshield shades that @carcass used in his grow journal. Apparently they're very cheap - which, coincidentally, so am I. I also plan to top and LST my girls (hopefully, the seeds are supposedly feminized). Gonna try using the spaces in the shelves like a SCROG net.

Here are how the seeds came from my buddy in Oregon:

Here are my babies. In order, they're Grape Ape (not yet open), Grape Ape, Agent Orange X Huckleberry, and Purple Skunk Mass.
I plan on using one of the Grape Ape plants for cloning.

At any rate, thanks for looking, and let's hope I can get some decent bud off of these with my limited setup.

 

[FoNz]

Awesome man, very cool selection. I'm in, will follow through to harvest so I can maybe get a smoke review at the end.

Excited to have a fresh journal to follow, best of luck!

 

[CrazyChef]

Thank you sir!

 

[Carcass]

they're very cheap - which, coincidentally, so am I

Which,coincidentally,so am I ....I'll be following along,this is going to get interesting!

Like my dear old Dad used to say-"I'm so cheap,I wouldn't spend a nickel to watch a piss ant eat a bale of hay"

 

[Carcass]

Hey,Chef-you should put a link to this grow in your signature-you'll get more eyeballs on it,
and it's just generally easier to find if you do...

How To Add Links To Signatures

Signature Tutorial Customizing your signature is easy to do. Signatures can be used to provide links to on-site threads such as your grow journal or photo member gallery. We do not allow links to product websites (unless they are to a paid sponsor), or other online communities and forums...

www.420magazine.com

 

[CrazyChef]

Hey,Chef-you should put a link to this grow in your signature-you'll get more eyeballs on it,
and it's just generally easier to find if you do...

How To Add Links To Signatures

Signature Tutorial Customizing your signature is easy to do. Signatures can be used to provide links to on-site threads such as your grow journal or photo member gallery. We do not allow links to product websites (unless they are to a paid sponsor), or other online communities and forums...

www.420magazine.com

Done.

 

[CrazyChef]

A couple close up shots of my babies:

I had no idea there were these tiny hairs on the first leaves:

 

[Carcass]

It's pretty amazing ,all the stuff going on "behind the scenes" with a little seedling-I imagine nature has
a reason for those little hairs,but I sure don't know what it is.
Nice close-ups,btw

 

[CrazyChef]

Nice close-ups,btw

Thanks! I have a Nikon D5300 camera with a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro lens.

 

[CrazyChef]

The 2nd Grape Ape popped this morning, 2 days after the first one did. I'm wondering if I somehow accidentally turned the tray around at some point, and the 2 on the right are actually the Grape Ape - they both opened up almost simultaneously, while the 2nd from right opened 2 days ago, and the other one popped today. I'll wait a bit to see what all the leaves look like in a week or 2 to figure it out.

 

[CrazyChef]

My girls are starting to show roots - time to transplant!

I was gonna put them in red Dixie cups until they're ready for the 3 gallon fabric pots I have, but then I read this in SlyTown420's grow journal:

In retrospect I should have moved them into clear 10-12 oz. plastic cups so that I could easily monitor propagation of the root system.

I really like this idea. Gonna go out and get the clear plastic cups shortly and then I'll post the transplant pics.

Here's the soil and perlite I'm gonna use. Looks like I probably won't need to add any nutes (I have the Fox Farm Trio) for a few weeks.

I'll do a pH test when I first mix the soil with the perlite (75/25) to see where we stand.

 

[CrazyChef]

Not quite understanding this... All I see is grayish brown. Should I accept it as the 6.5?

 

[CrazyChef]

Decided to go 70/30 because it's easier to measure 3 cups perlite and 7 cups soil.

 

[Carcass]

All I see is grayish brown

It sure doesn't match anything on the chart...put a little vinegar in there,just to see if acid soil matches anything on the chart...
Funny,we're evidently on the same page,I'm going to post a little about my soil prep today too....

The roots on those little things are impressive-amazing how much is going on underground!
When you put them in the clear cups,be sure to put a matching opaque cup over it to keep the light away from the roots-they hate light-you can just lift the clear cup out occasionally to check the root progress

 

[CrazyChef]

When you put them in the clear cups,be sure to put a matching opaque cup over it to keep the light away from the roots

Never thought of that - thanks! I have some Styrofoam cups that the clear cups will fit in, leaving about 1/2" at the bottom between cups for drainage.

 

[CrazyChef]

Babies in their new temporary homes until they stabilize and grow a bit.

 

[CrazyChef]

It sure doesn't match anything on the chart...put a little vinegar in there,just to see if acid soil matches anything on the chart...

Maybe I wasn't supposed to shake it? I'll try again, and if the results are the same I'll add a bit of ACV to it and see if there's a change.

 

[CrazyChef]

No difference - so I added a couple drops of distilled vinegar, and it turned an orange/pink color immediately. I guess I need a better pH tester.

 

[Carcass]

Well at least you know it works- just kind of "iffy" around the ph you need...

Your seedlings look happy in their new temporary quarters "on the way to bigger things"

 

[CrazyChef]

just kind of "iffy" around the ph you need...

Yeah, I don't like iffy. So I ordered one of these from Amazon for $10:

Wallfire Soil pH Meter, Digital 3-in-1 Soil Test kit for Moisture/Sunlight & pH Testing with Probe Sensor for Home and Garden, Plants, Lawn, Farm, Herbs & Gardening Tools, Indoor/Outdoor Use