SickofPain's First Indoor Grow

[SickofPain]

I’ve been told that posting a journal would be good if I need more help, and as this is my first ever grow I’m sure I’ll need more help. I am a new MMJ patient & have a plant limit, so I’m going to have to make adjustments along the way to keep in line with all the state rules.

Today is day 50 in Veg, am growing in a 10'x10' spare room using 2 HydroFarm Sunburst 400W HPS/MH Convertible lights. Have a 6" inline exhaust fan & a small fan at this time for air circulation. I have mainly random bag seed, but purchased 10 Kalashnikova feminized seeds from The Additude (only 8 survived) and 3 clones that a friend gave me. I'm also using LST on most plants, which I learned from PHATBLUNT420 in this forum. Thank you! I am very impressed so far, and you made it soooo easy.
I'm using a soiless medium of:

3 parts Pro-Mix
1 part Perlite
1 part Earthworm Casings
1 heaping TBSP (fine) Dolomite Lime
1 TBSP FoxFarm Peace of Mind5-5-5
1 tsp. Blood Meal (per gallon)

And using Guano Tea

Per 5 gal water:

5 T. Molasses
5T. Liquid Karma
2 tsp. SuperThrive
2T. Botanicare Sweet
2 ½ tsp. Botanicare Silica Blast

In nylon knee high sock:
1 ½ C. Mexican Bat Guano
Large handful Earthworm Casings
2 tsp. Dr. C’s BioPhos

9 days ago, the person at the garden store told me to use the Guano Tea "every time you water" WRONG! I had Nute Burn within 4 days. Searching the forums and anywhere I could for advice, I ended up flushing the plants until the water came through almost clear. within a few days they started looking good again. Have been told to start my Tea at 1/4 strength & have just made it, so will be ready for feeding at next watering.

I have a couple plants that concern me at this time. I believe it's because they need nutes again, but I'm not positive. Here's some photo's of those, and after that is my setup & a couple of my better examples of LST

above is the only plant in MiracleGrow

Setup & LST

 

[ggrant]

Hey SickOfPain,

That might be a Magnesium deficiency. Had one in my last grow. Was a bit of a pain in the ass to try to get rid of it.

Magnesium Deficiency

Flushing the plant was a good idea. I was looking at the list of nutients you're using. Do you really need that much junk or are you tryiing to set up a chemical warfare factory?

That is way too much stuff. All you need for the vegetative phase is ONE decent fertilizer that is geared towards vegetation and some blackstrap molasses. PERIOD !!! All that other crap is going to be a logistics nightmare to get the proper nutrient balance.

And don't fertilize every day. Once a week is closer to the mark. Try every five days, at most!

Also use standing water to water your babies, i.e., put it in a bucket or an open container for at least 24 hours before you use it. I have 4 1/2 gallon jugs that I rotate, so that there is always a jar with water that has been standing for at least 24 hours. This will get rid of the excess chlorine that's found in tap water.

Now regarding the Mg defieciency, put one tbsp of Epsom salts in one gallon of water and use this in your next watering. With the plants this small, you probably want to water every day. Don't drown them, just keep the soil moist. If the pots feel "light", almost like they're empty, then water them again.

I see you are using molasses. If you're not using Blackstrap Molasses, buy some. Also never buy any molasses with sulphur in it. Blackstrap molasses is better than ordinary molasses as it has way more trace minerals in it, including (guess what?) Magnesium.

I use Botanicare Pure Blend PRO grow which has " 3-2-4 " as the ratio of NPK. Anything similar is fine. The only other thing that I use occasionly is beneficial fungus and bacteria, which help promote the microcritters that live near the roots to promote nutrient breakdown and processing. I use this whenever I plant my girls, i.e., in the germination pots and when I transplant them to larger pots.

Here is the plant abuse chart on this site. It's saved my bacon more than once!

Plant Abuse Chart

Plant Abuse Chart​

 

[SickofPain]

Well, I wish I knew this before I started. I was told to use all that Thank you for your fast response, I appreciate it.
Peace!

 

[nugslinger420]

The pH is most likely off and ppm very high with all that stuff. The one plant in soil needs a different regimen of nutrients than the soulless hydro. I would try and simplify it as much as possible. My first grow, that is almost over right now, I only used FFOF soil and veg + bloom nutes, mollasses, and kelp. 5 total things throughout the whole grow. Your plants are definitely going to make it but I would try and simplify it so you have better control.

 

[420Farmer]

I've never understood why ppl use soooooo manyyyyyyy thingsssss!!! Get a brand of nutes, buy ONE for veg, ONE for flower. It's so damn easy lol

 

[SickofPain]

I've never understood why ppl use soooooo manyyyyyyy thingsssss!!! Get a brand of nutes, buy ONE for veg, ONE for flower. It's so damn easy lol

I have never been able to grow ANYTHING in my life, so I was trusting somebody that I believed knew what he was talking about (maybe that he works in the garden center was why he told me so many things) But that is why I posted here because I knew that was too much stuff, but not sure what to use instead. I have heard tons of good things about the guano tea, but am thinking on getting an actual nutrient (or fertilizer if that's what it is). I was told this is good & all I would need Liquid Nutrient Trio Soil Formula–Big Bloom®, Grow Big® and Tiger Bloom® Anyone have any experience with this? Would it be better than the guano tea?

nugslinger420, my Ph is 7, I am growing in a "soilless" medium, but it looks like soil PRO-MIX 'BX'. What is PPM? and how would I measure it (I assume it's measured)

Anyways, thank you all for responding, I really appreciate the help alot

 

[420Farmer]

Big bloom, grow big, and tiger bloom is what I use. Fox farms nutrient trio really seems on point and my plants are super healthy! There is also a feeding chart online that specifies exactly how much of each to use and mix during growth that fox farm makes available. Just make sure you ease your plants into the nutes. Start with 1/4 strength and work your way up to prevent serious burn! Good luck!

 

[420Farmer]

PPM is a measurement of how much solid is in a liquid. I don't measure my ppm at all but then again I'm growing in coco, not hydro. There are scales to measure it, but I'm not sure what they are specifically called.

 

[SickofPain]

Big bloom, grow big, and tiger bloom is what I use. Fox farms nutrient trio really seems on point and my plants are super healthy! There is also a feeding chart online that specifies exactly how much of each to use and mix during growth that fox farm makes available. Just make sure you ease your plants into the nutes. Start with 1/4 strength and work your way up to prevent serious burn! Good luck!

Awesome! Thank you very much!! Am on my way to garden center now to get.

420farmer, I'm not growing hydro, I'm using a soilless mixture, but not water.

 

[nugslinger420]

Ppm = parts per million. It's a measure of the solids in the water(amount of stuff you dissolve in the water. It let's you know how much you are feeding your plant. Pure H2O has a ppm of 0, nothing dissolved in it, there are charts out there that tell what your plants need suring veg and bloom. I also use Fox farm, I have yet to hear anything bad about it. Good luck!

 

[ggrant]

Nugslinger is right. You don't have to worry about the meaning of parts per million, just how to use it. I've seen it mostly used by people who are growing with hydroponics. They have a vat full of water and want to keep the concentration of nutrients at a certain level.

For "soil-less" grows, the label on most nutrients says something like " use 5 ml per L" or " 1 tsp per gallon," things like that.

420farmer is right - less is more. The KISS principle applies here. Get one (or two at most) nutrients for each phase - vegetation and flowering. Don't listen to the dweebs at the garden center. A lot of plants can survive the nutrient regimen he recommended (especially if you're growing outdoors where Mom Nature will constantly flush the soil and correct your mistakes). I assume you didn't tell him what you were using the nutrients for.

As marijuana is a weed, it is also very forgiving, but it doesn't need tons of crap to keep it going. I fertilized my plants once a week (in vegetation) with just two things (an NPK nutrient suitable for vegetation AND Blackstrap Molasses).

 

[SickofPain]

A friend came by (who grows himself) and said most of my plants looked root bound, so after I checked & found he was right, I transplanted in to 1 gal pots. I will only be using Fox Farms nutrients from now on. They look so lost in there right now, but I'm hopeful that they will grow into their new home. Here's some pics (not much to show right now, but here they are.

 

[ggrant]

I didn't realize you had so many plants, Sicko.

You've been holding out on us!

How is the plant that had the Mg deficiency doing? Were you able to correct the imbalance?

Don't worry about the babies looking dwarfed in their new home. In a week's time, they will look like it's a comfortable fit.

 

[SickofPain]

LOL Thank you for a good laugh only moments after I got out of bed...Sicko!!! Awesome, how well it fits!
I only put up pix of the sick ones, but have 20 that i planted from seed & 3 clones I was given (to raise with mine)
I'm not sure it was a Magnesium problem or not. I put them all in larger homes & all problems seemed to disappear!
All I am giving them besides plain water, is the FoxFarm Nutrients. When I went in my pot room this morning all the babies seem to be thriving in the new pots.
Thank you all for your input, it has really helped!
Hope you all have a beautiful Christmas & 2012 is filled with nothing but potent herb and good things.
Peace!

 

[ggrant]

Hey Sicko,

Sorry it took me so long to write back. I was picking up a Christmas wreath. I'm glad you weren't offended being called "Sicko." It's just the first five letters of your nic.

How's the crop doing? Why don't you post a few more pictures when you get a chance.

Merry Christmas and here's your wreath!

Merry Christmas !

 

[SickofPain]

I love the wreath!

For the past couple weeks I have only used the Fox Farm nutrients & I can't believe how lush my grow room is starting to look!

Here's some of my babies as of this morning

Some of my better LST girls

and my best accomplishment so far, a friend gave me 3 clones to put under my lights since he didn't have as good. This is a Lemon Skunk the day I brought it home(11-11-11), he wasn't even sure it would live

Here she is today

Will keep posting to show progress.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

 

[ggrant]

Wow, what a sweet setup S-Man! It's a veritable Garden of Eden!

You definitely have a green thumb!

When your crop comes, you will be feeling no pain, that's for sure!

 

[SickofPain]

Thanks! That means a lot to me since I have never been able to grow anything in my life. I thank everyone on the forums that helped me, it's the only way I can do this. Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

 

[nugslinger420]

They are gonna fill those pots up quick, especially with the lst. Merry Christmas!!!

 

[420Farmer]

Wow, what a sweet setup S-Man! It's a veritable Garden of Eden!

You definitely have a green thumb!

When your crop comes, you will be feeling no pain, that's for sure!

It's a garden of weeden! And a very impressive one! Glad you went with fox farm, keep it up!