Happy Skunkday Pj 
PeeJay's Perpetual Organic Homebrewed Soil - Stealth Cabinet And Greenhouse Grow
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- #322
Day 26 of flower for the Darkstar - Maude. This plant has never had any nutrients from a bottle. Back in the fall I made two tubs of mineralized soil. I have three tubs of soil now. The first tub is Sunshine #4, FFOF, and perlite and micos. I use that for seedlings. Tub #2 is the same mix with lots of added worm castings, Yum-Yum mix (Alfalfa Meal: Nitrogen; Vitamins-A, B, E, carotene, thiamine, biotin, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, choline; 16 amino acids, co-enzymes, sugars, starches, protein fiber. Cottonseed Meal: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium. Kelp Meal: Nitrogen; Potassium; Vitamins-A, B, B2 , C, calcium, pantothenate, niacin, folic acid; minerals-barium, boron, calcium, cobalt, copper, fluorine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, sodium, strontium, sulfur, zinc; 17 amino acids. Greensand: Iron, Potassium, Silicate, Phosphorus, 30 trace elements. Rock Dust: Calcium, Sulfur, Magnesium, Boron, Cobalt. Rock Phosphate: Phosphorus, Calcium, Trace Elements. Humate: Salts of Humic Acid - improve soil characteristics and aids in releasing other nutrients to plants in usable forms. Dry Molasses: Carbohydrates, Sugars, Trace Elements - feeds and attracts beneficial soil organisms. Guaranteed Analysis -Total Nitrogen (N) - 2.0% - Available Phosphate (P2O5) - 1.0%. Soluble Potash (K2O) - 1.0%.
Whew! There's a ton of stuff in Yum Yum. Ok, so I also added a bunch of this Excellerite which is a mineralizing agent similar to Azomite, and some high N mexican guano.
Tub #3 is the same as #2 except it has less high N guano, a good shot of high P guano and a bunch of soft rock phosphate.
The seedling got transplanted into tub #2 soil - first in a one gallon, and then in a three gallon pot. Vegged under 18/6 with CFLs for eight weeks.
When it was time to go 12/12 I transplanted into tub #3 soil in a seven gallon fabric pot. Every other watering I've been scratching a little Yum-Yum, high P guano, and Excelerite into the topsoil. I am going to stop doing that now. I expect the soil is rich enough to take the plant home.
The only training was a single topping and some manual spreading of the lower brnaches - sort of a mini flux.
The Darkstrar is not super smelly. It smells of turpentine, but compared to the Mama Mia (a skunk bomb!) it is relatively low odor. It's building buds very quickly and is frosting up. The breeder calls this an 8-9 week strain. Here are some pics.
Whew! There's a ton of stuff in Yum Yum. Ok, so I also added a bunch of this Excellerite which is a mineralizing agent similar to Azomite, and some high N mexican guano.
Tub #3 is the same as #2 except it has less high N guano, a good shot of high P guano and a bunch of soft rock phosphate.
The seedling got transplanted into tub #2 soil - first in a one gallon, and then in a three gallon pot. Vegged under 18/6 with CFLs for eight weeks.
When it was time to go 12/12 I transplanted into tub #3 soil in a seven gallon fabric pot. Every other watering I've been scratching a little Yum-Yum, high P guano, and Excelerite into the topsoil. I am going to stop doing that now. I expect the soil is rich enough to take the plant home.
The only training was a single topping and some manual spreading of the lower brnaches - sort of a mini flux.
The Darkstrar is not super smelly. It smells of turpentine, but compared to the Mama Mia (a skunk bomb!) it is relatively low odor. It's building buds very quickly and is frosting up. The breeder calls this an 8-9 week strain. Here are some pics.
David Bowman
New Member
Beautiful ladies PeeJay!! Absolutely stunning!!
Looking very Lovely there Pj
Happy Weednsday to you
Happy Weednsday to you
Gorgeous shiny leaves and nice early trich production!
I'd like to know what the brix is on those. Beautiful!
+reps
I'd like to know what the brix is on those. Beautiful!
+reps
- Thread starter
- #326
Thanks for the kudos and reps, Gray. It would be fun to get a brix reading. Maybe I'll break down and order a refractometer... The plant has those fake looking leaves typical of a high brix grow. She's a happy camper.
Oh, you can see some brown spots on a few leaves. That's just because I was watering and moving other plants around and some run off from another pot dripped all over the weed... I wiped most of the spill off, but missed a few spots.
Oh, you can see some brown spots on a few leaves. That's just because I was watering and moving other plants around and some run off from another pot dripped all over the weed... I wiped most of the spill off, but missed a few spots.
PJ, after the convo on lighting & stretching on Princess DIY's (Canna's) thread I decided to lower the CFL down to only a couple inches above the cup of a germinating Wild Thai bean that tap-rooted only yesterday in seed dish with tap water.
It's not too close is it?
It's not too close is it?
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- #328
I think that's just fine, REG. I have three blubs as close or closer than that one. You have to watch day-to-day so that the seedling doesn't hit the light, but most strains will expand leaf much faster than they grow upwards under those conditions. It is not going to shoot up 2" in a day. Instead of lowering the light I prefer to raise the plant. If you use a stack of books or something you can check the proximity of the leaves to the light each morning. If the foliage is getting too close for comfort simply remove one book. Quick, easy, and works like a charm.
That dirt the gf gave you looks knarly! Have you considered cutting it with 30-40% perlite to improve drainage?
That dirt the gf gave you looks knarly! Have you considered cutting it with 30-40% perlite to improve drainage?
David Bowman
New Member
Actually BAR, I think that might be a bit too close and I'm concerned that you might stress the new seedling. I would move it to about 6 inches away until it sprouts and gets established then move the light closer as the seedling matures.
It actually drains well PJ. Here's the 411; New City Grower 1.0
PJ, you should join us Sunday. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Sorry PJ, Colorado just made me take the "better safe than sorry" route. But once she sprouts I'll lower that rig back down again.
PJ, you should join us Sunday. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
- Thread starter
- #331
I just might do that BAR. It depends on what all else I have to get done. I've read the reps is right after the fact each time. It looks like fun!
Nothing wrong with better safe than sorry. I have been putting them right under the cfl as soon as they break dirt with no problems and been very pleased with the results. I get 4-5 nodes going before the plant hits four inches out of the pot.
I took another pic of the seedling 24hrs since I posted last night so you can get an idea of how much taller she got in a day.
Yesterday:
Today:
Note how much the leaves expanded while the seedling height hardly changed. Also, I love my growing medium. See how the leaves are taking on that characteristic high-brix fake leaf look?
Cool that the dirt drains well. It looks chock full of organic matter. You should find no need to feed for five-six weeks I reckon.
Nothing wrong with better safe than sorry. I have been putting them right under the cfl as soon as they break dirt with no problems and been very pleased with the results. I get 4-5 nodes going before the plant hits four inches out of the pot.
I took another pic of the seedling 24hrs since I posted last night so you can get an idea of how much taller she got in a day.
Yesterday:
Today:
Note how much the leaves expanded while the seedling height hardly changed. Also, I love my growing medium. See how the leaves are taking on that characteristic high-brix fake leaf look?
Cool that the dirt drains well. It looks chock full of organic matter. You should find no need to feed for five-six weeks I reckon.
David Bowman
New Member
Nothing wrong with better safe than sorry. I have been putting them right under the cfl as soon as they break dirt with no problems and been very pleased with the results. I get 4-5 nodes going before the plant hits four inches out of the pot.
Interesting, as I keep my CFLs around 12 inches above my plants and I get the same 4-5 nodes in 4 inches, in fact my smaller plant on this grow has 5 nodes at 3". I wonder if it has more to do with the type of light produced rather than distance from the plants when it comes to CFLs.
- Thread starter
- #333
I went to your journal and checked it out, Colorado. Here is a picture of the first sprout a day or so old. It has already stretched several inches more than my seedling at 6 days. Different strains and all that, but...
Here is the same plant from your grow at 10 days:
By contrast, here is my currently flowering darkstar at nine days. Much closer to the soil and bushier:
You transplanted at 18 days and it appears you burried quite a bit of stem when you changed pots:
Here you are at 31 days:
Here I am at 21 days - still in the original containers:
I wonder if burying all that stem when you transplanted stunted things a little?
They ARE different strains, but what I'm doing seems to work pretty well.
Here is the same plant from your grow at 10 days:
By contrast, here is my currently flowering darkstar at nine days. Much closer to the soil and bushier:
You transplanted at 18 days and it appears you burried quite a bit of stem when you changed pots:
Here you are at 31 days:
Here I am at 21 days - still in the original containers:
I wonder if burying all that stem when you transplanted stunted things a little?
They ARE different strains, but what I'm doing seems to work pretty well.
- Thread starter
- #334
I'm not certain about the number of days for my baby darkstar picture - the one I'm saying was nine days old. I think it may have been more like 12? I was going by the dates I posted pictures. I suspect that I posted a picture of the sprout a couple of days after I took it and then posted the next picture nine days later. The sprout picture is on page 11, I think, and the 9? day picture is on page 14 or 15. I'll post a picture of the OG sprout on Sunday and we can get a certain ten day comparison.
David Bowman
New Member
Wow that is a difference! I see what you mean now. I was under the impression that buring the stem helps root development since the stem sends out roots once buried.
So let me get this right. The both of you don't keep the CFL to close until after the seedling breaks ground, correct?
This is my 1st germination in soil since my tent has been on 12/12 so I have a make-shift veg space (18/6) in the office section of my bedroom. What would you consider a safe distance for the CFL b/4 she breaks ground?
This is my 1st germination in soil since my tent has been on 12/12 so I have a make-shift veg space (18/6) in the office section of my bedroom. What would you consider a safe distance for the CFL b/4 she breaks ground?
Backpackin420
New Member
Plants look good! My seedlings that I have stay around 8 inches or so away from the T5's and I have 3 different strain's under that light. I have noticed that it is pretty strain dependent on the size between the nodes. My White Rhino's are little bushy suckers and my darkstar and Barney's Farm Lucy are sitting a little higher and spread out more.
- Thread starter
- #338
If you go to work and it hasn't sprouted, just leave the light off. As soon as it's up and shed the seed coat and membrane I go under the lights about two-three inches.
I've always run my CFLs 2-3 inches above the tops, starting as soon as the cotyledons open. Seedlings are made to catch sun and grow fast - they like light. They don't like heat, but floros are fine that close. I've never had any sign of a issue - they grow fast from sprout like yours, PeeJay.
Closer is better with floros.
Closer is better with floros.
- Thread starter
- #340
The strain can make a big difference. Lighting also influences node spacing. Two clones of the same strain in the same soil under the same watts - all things equal - in two different tents... In one put the light as high as you can. In the other tent have the light much closer to the plant. Which one will stretch more and have more space between the nodes? The one with the light higher.
I'm partial to short bushy plants with an even canopy so I do things to keep the plants like that.
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