SQl2kGuy

Well-Known Member
July 24 2019 - Update
Overview

Welcome to my second grow.

In my first grow I focused on nutrients and on training the plants using LST and HST.

In this grow I am going to be focusing more on any advanced topics I can track down, starting with Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD).

Once I have VPD dialed in, I would like to focus on lighting LUX/PAR.

Alright, ... let's continue learning to be better growers together ... and good luck with your own grows!!!


Strains

1 x Cream Caramel CBD Photoperiod Feminized

0_cream-caramel-cbd-sweet-seeds_1.jpg

Details
CBD-rich version of one of the most appreciated strains from the Sweet Seeds® catalog, our Cream Caramel® (SWS04). Cream Caramel CBD® (SWS67) is the result of the cross between our Cream Caramel® and a selected CBD-rich clone from Diesel ancestors.
The THC:CBD ratio of Cream Caramel CBD® stands between 1:1 and 1:2, making it a strain rich in CBD (Cannabidiol).
This strain presents a mostly Indica plant structure with a big main cola and generous development of side branches, showing a strong main stem and large secondary branches.
The tastes and aromas of this strain are sweet as candies, with a background of earthy tones and fresh hints of cypress and citrus.


1 x Red Mandarine F1 Fast Version Photoperiod Feminized

0_red-mandarin-f1-fast-sweet-seeds.jpg


Details
Our first red-flowered photoperiod-dependent strain. This is the resulting hybrid from the cross between our Red Poison Auto® (SWS39) and a photoperiod-dependent elite clone of Tangie (California Orange x Skunk hybrid) from a rare and unusual purple-flowered phenotype, with a sensational intense mandarine taste and aroma.

This strain develops resinous and productive buds with beautiful red flowers that are ready to harvest in just 7-8 weeks.

The aroma of Red Mandarine F1 Fast Version® (SWS79) is probably the most exquisite among all the red-flowered strains in the market, featuring a powerful sweet and mandarine citrus aroma with fresh hints of blue cypress. An ideal plant for top quality highly aromatic extractions with a gorgeous appearance for the reddish and rosy tones of its resin.


2 x Dark Devil Autoflower Feminized

0_Sweet-Seeds-Dark-Devil-2013-11.jpg


Details
100% Autoflowering strain. This is the result of the hybridization between one of Sweet Seeds most appreciated autoflowering genetics - Big Devil XL - and an exotic autoflowering strain with purple flowers, developed with the collaboration of the R + D department of the seedbank Buddha Seeds – feminized seeds. The purple characteristic of this strain is inherited from its ancestors from the Chitral region in the Pakistani Hindu Kush, very close to Afghanistan. Dark Devil shows a strong hybrid vigour since germination. Plants grow with the appearance of Indica-Sativa hybrids with a strong main stem and numerous side branches, finishing with a big main cola and multiple smaller buds on the side branches. Resin production is abundant in the flowers and in their surrounding leaves. Sweet and fruity aroma with hints of incense and delightful citrus tones. During flowering, around 80% of the plants acquire purple or reddish tones in the buds and some of them even develop purple leaves too. After harvested and dried the buds gain a very dark purple tone, almost black.

1 x Killer Kush Autoflower Feminized

0_killer-kush-auto-sweet-seeds.jpg


Details
4th generation autoflowering strain. Autoflowering version of one of the most famous strains from the West Coast of USA.

Developed around the year of 1994 in Sunset Beach, South California, and named as Ocean Grow Kush but better known as OG Kush.

Sweet Seeds Killer Kush Auto is the result of the hybridization between a selected 3rd generation autoflowering genetic line leaning to the indica side and an elite clone of OG Kush.

The result is a very potent plant with a very fast flowering.

This strain produces large and aromatic buds, all covered by a thick layer of trichomes.

The aroma is sweet, citric and acid with exotic tones reminiscent of aromas from the Chem Dawg – Diesel family.


1 x Green Poison XL Autoflower Feminized

0_green-poison-auto-xl-sweet-seeds.jpg


Details
3rd generation autoflowering strain. Tall-stemmed version of one of our most appreciated autoflowering strains: Green Poison Auto® (SWS30) .

Green Poison XL Auto® was developed within a recurrent selection program of tall-stemmed Green Poison Auto® specimens across multiple generations. These seeds produce plants that are around 25% more than their ancestors, with an identically higher flower and resin production.

The taste and aroma are very pleasant and intense, with sweet and fruity tones, a sweet Skunk background and hints that are reminiscent of rucola and walnuts.


Location

Indoor VIVOSUN 36"x36"x72" Veg Grow Tent
I have an oscillating floor fan and an oscillating pole fan for air circulation
I have a humidifier I am going to use to help regulate the RH

Indoor VIVOSUN 24"x24"x60" Flower Grow Tent
I have an oscillating floor fan and an oscillating pole fan for air circulation


Medium

Soil - 75% Fox Farm Ocean Forest with 25% Perlite.
Using 5 gallon fabric pots for autoflowers for better aeration and drainage.
Using 10 gallon fabric pots for photoperiods for better aeration and drainage.


Light

XHGrow 1800W COB LED Grow Light Full Spectrum Growing Lamp with UV and IR for Indoor Plants Veg and Flower.


Ventilation

VIVOSUN Air Filtration Kit:
4 Inch 203 CFM Inline Fan with Speed Controller
4'' Carbon Filter and 8 Feet of Ducting Combo


Troubleshooting

No Pests or Fungus so far.


Water

Distilled - I plan to vary the pH between 6.3 to 6.7 for different feedings.


Nutrients

CalMag 2-0-0
Gringo Rasta Lickity Split 2-1-6
Gringo Rasta Super Sonic Plant Tonic 5-0-1
Gringo Rasta Funky Broadway 5-0-4
Fox Farm Open Sesame
Fox Farm Beastie Bloomz
Fox Farm Cha Ching
Advanced Nutrients Root Mass Expanders
Advanced Nutrients Bud Potency & Stalk Strengtheners
Advanced Nutrients Crop Substrates
Advanced Nutrients Bud Taste & Terpene Enhancer


My Sidekick

This is Dr. Watson.

1558396860999.jpg



He will be my trusty sidekick the whole way through.

Images:


IMG_20190724_204507.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190724_204356.jpg

Red Mandarine #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 7/ Week 2 ... Day 14 ... week 1 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 7/ Week 2 ... Day 14 ... week 1 veg.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 5 ... germination in soil.
1 Killer Kush: Day 5 ... germination in soil.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 5 ... germination in soil.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running steady around 50% lights-on.
RH is running steady around 50% lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 23°C (73°F) and 27°C (81°F) lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running about 21°C (70°F) lights-off.

VPD is about 1.09 to 1.39 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is about 0.96 - Healthy Transpiration: Late Veg/ Early Flower - lights-off.

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the 2 plants.


Watering and Feeding:

Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 100 ml (0.4 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule, Root Mass Expanders.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 25 ml (0.1 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule, Root Mass Expanders.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 3)


Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.


Notes:

I am watering the Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine near the stem so that the tap root follows the water down instead of out.

I am letting the Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine stretch towards the light to get some height and node spacing.


Lessons Learned:

Perpetual Harvest Method: Ensure Multiple Harvests Of Ripe Buds Per Year

By RoyalQueenSeeds

The perpetual harvest method can result in more weed than you could ever smoke. Read on to find out how to create a bud overload.

Growing cannabis using the perpetual harvest method means a continuous supply of buds. Doing a perpetual harvest just requires a little more space, some extra gear, and some good timing. Once you get into the flow of things, you will realise just how easy having a steady supply of buds can be.

At its simplest, the perpetual harvest is when one set of plants is harvested in a flowering space, then is replaced immediately by plants that have already completed vegetation in a separate space. The vegetation space is then replenished with freshly sprouted seed stock or clones. Once the timing is mastered, it is possible to ensure a harvest every 8–12 weeks depending on species flowering time.

SEPARATE VEG AND FLOWER

Vegetative and flowering cannabis plants are exposed to different types and amounts of light. With the exception of autoflowers, it is impossible to have infant and mature plants in the same area. The solution is having two separate growing spaces, or a single growing space split into two in some fashion. Two rooms, two grow tents, two cupboards, you get the picture—in perpetual use, one for vegetation and one for flowering.

WHY PERPETUAL HARVEST?

The perpetual harvest experience has two distinct advantages. First and foremost is never running out of weed. With many contemporary hybrids, maturing time is only around 8 weeks. This means a fresh batch of replacement nuggets every two months. Being caught out with no weed and resorting to buying it can be a real bummer and burn a hole in your pocket pretty quickly. So with a little extra effort and good timing, rapid turnover can mean 6 harvests per year.

Second is disaster insurance. If something goes bad in the flowering room and a crop is lost for any reason—such as pathogens like bud or root rot, accidental poisoning from a nutrient or pH mistake, etc.—then there are quick replacements available from the veg space and you don’t have to go right back to the start. Losing a few weeks is tolerable, but losing 10 weeks or more of work is heartbreaking.

OF COURSE IT COSTS MORE, BUT...

There are added costs of course—not doubled though, as plants in the vegetative phase require less of everything to grow well. Smaller pots in a smaller space under weaker lights, like T5s for example, require fewer resources to maintain. But they are still extras, and there will be an increase in power, nutrients, and grow medium costs to consider. The added setup cost with all the hardware balances out in the end when the jars are overflowing, all the time.

It goes without saying that perpetual harvests mean additional time requirements from you, the grower. Maintaining twice as many plants will require your extra attention with each stage. A perpetual vegetation chamber will typically demand regular topping and training, or other actions that promote vigorous growth. But who doesn’t enjoy spending time with their plants?

Whoops, too many buds! Perpetual harvesting can often mean lots of buds leftover when a new harvest is dried and ready. This opens up some exploration doorways into the many uses of cannabis. Extra green can mean that edibles, hash, and any number of extractions become a part of your repertoire.

HOW TO PERPETUAL HARVEST

Create two spaces. By nature, a smaller vegetation space is needed, while a larger flowering space allows plants plenty of room to stretch.

Of course, the size of each space is relative to the room available. A small and a large grow tent are awesome if you have a spare room, but a cupboard with a light-sealed smaller space within it serves the purpose just as well. Configure each chamber appropriately for vegetative or flowering growth.

THE FIRST CROP

The first crop will take a standard amount of time for a veg-to-flower grow, but once the first vegetative cycle is complete, you are in full-swing.

* Create plants for the vegetation chamber either from seed or clones. When they are appropriately sized, place them into the flower chamber.
* Immediately prepare more plants—clones or freshly germinated seeds—to refill the vegetation space.
* After 8 weeks of loving care, the flowers will be ready for harvest again, with replacement plants ready to go.

0_harvest-proces-cycle_1.jpg


RESET

Depending on the size of your setup, beginning another cycle can be done in an afternoon.

* Harvest existing plants in the flower space.
* Remove pots and clean the area.
* Fill flower space with the plants from the veg space.
* Refill vegetation space with new stock from seed or clones.
* Begin again, and so ad infinitum.

Perpetual harvests need two areas operating simultaneously so fresh plants can be cycled through when they are ready. Try these hints for an efficient setup.

SETTING UP THE VEG SPACE

  • During the vegetative phase, plants are smaller and take up far less space and resources. As such, a lower area with less-intense lights than the flowering area will do, such as a raised shelf in a cupboard for the flowering plants to sit on, with the veg chamber below.
  • If separating a space into a two-in-one setup, ensure that each is light-tight from the other. Light pollution during the flowering lights-off period can cause poor flower growth, swap plants back to veg, or stimulate hermaphroditism.
  • Consider a number of smaller plants, rather than only a few big ones. This shortens the vegetative phase while still filling up the grow space with a reasonable canopy.
SETTING UP THE FLOWER SPACE
  • The flowering area must be completely light-proof. Again, light pollution can damage your hard work.
  • Heat and humidity control are equally important, especially in smaller spaces, as is vigorous air circulation. Too hot or too cold can affect proper bud formation, while high humidity and poor air circulation can encourage mould. Get the right gear for your situation and a robust oscillating fan.
  • With cannabis, contemporary high-terpene hybrids in particular, the smell can be very strong. If discretion dictates odour control, then make sure extract fans and carbon filters are all working properly.
GETTING THE TIMING RIGHT IS STRAIN-RELATED

Timing is key, and this comes with experience, especially experience with your selected strains. When flowers are harvested, you want ideally sized veg plants to put in the flower space right away. Getting appropriately sized plants at the right time means knowing about strain characteristics. Some might grow so quickly that a full 8 weeks isn’t needed for veg, and the veg chamber can be rested for a while. Some may need the full 8 weeks to get to an acceptable size for the 12/12 flip—it’s a pheno wonderland out there.

Strains with a shorter flowering time are ideal for the perpetual harvest method. Many contemporary strains will mature in 8 weeks, and 8 weeks is enough time to get well-vegged plants. An 8-week harvest also means a refill every two months, which is a lovely turnover.

If you do want to grow longer-maturing sativas like the Hazes, for example, then the harvest frequency drops to 4 per year because of the 12-week flowering time. This also means less time is needed for the vegetation period, and money and time are saved while the veg area rests.

Alternatively, you could change the light schedule to 12/12 in the veg chamber when plants are big enough and give them a flowering head start, moving them over to the flower space already pre-flowered. Then, you can simply change the veg space lights back to 18/12 and prepare a new batch of plants.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE

Separate spaces aren’t needed for autoflowering strains, as young or mature plants are all exposed to the same light regimen. So squeezing some infant plants in the spaces between older plants, or around the circumference where light is weaker can give them a head start.

The complete life cycle of many auto strains is only 8–10 weeks, so needing a veg space becomes irrelevant. You can grow from seed to flower in the same amount of time as perpetual harvests. Most contemporary autoflowering varieties have a cannabinoid content in line with photoperiod seed cultivars, so there is no need for concern on quality.

In addition to the quick turnover of autoflowers, there is also another way to speed things up if you’re dealing with feminized photoperiod strains. When seeds are only given 12 hours of light right from germination, they go immediately into flower. The complete vegetative phase is bypassed, resulting in more controlled heights. Flowering from seed also means no veg space, but a number of cannabis species don’t like the treatment very much.

THE PERPETUAL HARVEST ISN’T JUST A PRETTY NAME

With two appropriately kitted out growing spaces, or an equally well-appointed cupboard and some extra hours spent in the grow-op, the perpetual harvest can see any grower with more buds than they need every 8 weeks. It is an ideal way to try a number of different strains in a year, and find ones that suit your setup and suit your mind!




ToDo:

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.

Learn more about pests and nutrient deficiencies.
 
The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)
*** Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Feeding Schedule = CGRSFS
*** Advanced Nutrients - Root Mass Expanders = RME
*** Advanced Nutrients - Crop Substrate = CS
*** Advanced Nutrients - Bud Potency & Stalk Strenghtener = BPSS
*** Advanced Nutrients - Bud Taste & Terpene Enhancer = BTTE
*** Every Other Feed = EOF


July 25, 2019 - July 31, 2019

Dark Devil, Killer Kush, Green Poison XL - Full Dose - Seedling - CGRSFS - (RME EOF -- CS, BPSS, BTTE EOF)
Cream Caramel & Red Mandarine: Full Dose - Week 2 - CGRSFS - (RME EOF -- CS, BPSS, BTTE EOF)

August 01, 2019 - August 07, 2019

Dark Devil, Killer Kush, Green Poison XL - Full Dose - Week 1 - CGRSFS - (RME EOF -- CS, BPSS, BTTE EOF)
Cream Caramel & Red Mandarine: Full Dose - Week 3 - CGRSFS - (RME EOF -- CS, BPSS, BTTE EOF)

August 08, 2019 - August 14, 2019

Dark Devil, Killer Kush, Green Poison XL - Full Dose - Week 2 - CGRSFS - (RME EOF -- CS, BPSS, BTTE EOF)
Cream Caramel & Red Mandarine: Full Dose - Week 4 - CGRSFS - (RME EOF -- CS, BPSS, BTTE EOF)


*** The Dark Devil, Killer Kush, Green Poison will get their pistels in about a week or so.
*** The Cream Caramel & Red Mandarine have to veg until Bakerstreets' harvest.
 
July 25 2019 - Update
Images:


IMG_20190725_212515.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190725_212403.jpg

Red Mandarine #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Dark Devil #1 - Image available tomorrow.



Dark Devil #2 - Image available tomorrow.



Killer Kush #1 - Image available tomorrow.



Green Poison XL #1 - Image available tomorrow.


Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 1/ Week 3 ... Day 15 ... week 2 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 1/ Week 3 ... Day 15 ... week 2 veg.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 1/ Week 1 ... Day 1 ... seedling.
1 Killer Kush: Day 1/ Week 1 ... Day 1 ... seedling.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 1/ Week 1 ... Day 1 ... seedling.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-on.
RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 24°C (75°F) and 28°C (82°F) - lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running between 23°C (73°F) and 24°C (75°F) - lights-off.

VPD is between 1.15 and 1.47 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is between 1.09 and 1.15 - Healthy Transpiration: Late Veg/ Early Flower - lights-off.

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the 2 plants.


Watering and Feeding:

Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 100 ml (0.4 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule, Root Mass Expanders.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 25 ml (0.1 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule, Root Mass Expanders.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)


Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.


Notes:

I am watering the Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine near the stem so that the tap root follows the water down instead of out.

I am letting the Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine stretch towards the light to get some height and node spacing.

*** I need a new hygrometer for Environment #1 to better track VPD.


Lessons Learned:

No lessons learned today.





ToDo:

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.
 
July 26 2019 - Update

Images:


IMG_20190726_205043.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190726_204931.jpg

Red Mandarine #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190726_205149.jpg

Dark Devil #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190726_205320.jpg

Dark Devil #2 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190726_205414.jpg

Killer Kush #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190726_205453.jpg

Green Poison XL #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 2/ Week 3 ... Day 15 ... week 2 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 2/ Week 3 ... Day 15 ... week 2 veg.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 2/ Week 1 ... Day 2 ... seedling.
1 Killer Kush: Day 2/ Week 1 ... Day 2 ... seedling.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 2/ Week 1 ... Day 2 ... seedling.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-on.
RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 26°C (79°F) and 28°C (82°F) - lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running between 24°C (75°F) and 26°C (79°F) - lights-off.

VPD is between 1.30 and 1.47 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is between 1.15 and 1.30 - Healthy Transpiration: Late Veg/ Early Flower - lights-off.

*** The VPD Values I am Using For This Grow (Version 1)

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the 2 plants.


Watering and Feeding:

Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 100 ml (0.4 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 25 ml (0.1 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)


Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.


Notes:

I am watering the Cream Caramel CBD, Red Mandarine, Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL near the stem so that the tap root follows the water down instead of out.

I am letting the Cream Caramel CBD, Red Mandarine, Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL stretch towards the light to get some height and node spacing.

It is almost time to start watering the Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine in a circular pattern to train the roots to spread out.

*** I need a new hygrometer for Environment #1 to better track VPD.


Lessons Learned:

No lessons learned today.



ToDo:

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.
 
July 27 2019 - Update

Images:


IMG_20190727_184755.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190727_184846.jpg

Red Mandarine F1 Fast #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190727_184946.jpg

Dark Devil #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190727_185006.jpg

Dark Devil #2 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190727_185054.jpg

Killer Kush #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190727_185155.jpg

Green Poison XL #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 3/ Week 3 ... Day 16 ... week 2 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 3/ Week 3 ... Day 16 ... week 2 veg.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 3/ Week 1 ... Day 3 ... seedling.
1 Killer Kush: Day 3/ Week 1 ... Day 3 ... seedling.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 3/ Week 1 ... Day 3 ... seedling.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running between 50% and 60% - lights-on.
RH is running between 50% and 60% - lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 25°C (77°F) and 27°C (80°F) - lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running between 24°C (75°F) and 25°C (77°F) - lights-off.

VPD is between 1.23 and 1.39 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is between 1.15 and 1.23 - Healthy Transpiration: Late Veg/ Early Flower - lights-off.

*** The VPD Values I am Using For This Grow (Version 1)

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the plants.


Watering and Feeding:

Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 100 ml (0.4 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL:

pH: 6.73
ppm: 138

Soil feed - 25 ml (0.1 cups) each.

I used a full dose of the Week 1 Canada Gringo Rasta Soil Schedule.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)


Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.


Notes:

I am watering the Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL near the stem so that the tap root follows the water down instead of spreading out horizontally.

I am letting the Cream Caramel CBD, Red Mandarine, Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL stretch towards the light to get some height and node spacing.

The Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine has slowed vertical growth, so it is time to start watering in a circular pattern to train the roots to spread out horizontally.

*** I need a new hygrometer for Environment #1 to better track VPD.


Lessons Learned:


Amino Acids — Here's What They Do For Cannabis Plants

By RoyalQueenSeeds

Amino acids are crucial for humans, but what about cannabis plants? Take a glimpse into the world of protein building for plants, and see how you can support plant development and yield with amino acids.

AMINO ACIDS — WHAT DO THEY MEAN FOR CANNABIS PLANTS?
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the three main pillars of nutrient solutions and fertilizers, but there are countless other nutrients that your cannabis plants need in order to produce the best possible harvest. Amino acids are one of them. In this article, we’ll show you how amino acids affect cannabis plants and help them produce bigger, more resinous buds.

WHAT ARE AMINO ACIDS?
You may have noticed that amino acids get a lot of attention from bodybuilders and other athletes. That’s because they play a key role in the synthesis of protein, which, as you probably know, is super important for sports recovery and muscle growth. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and the foundation of both plant and animal life.

But what do amino acids do for cannabis?

WHY IS PROTEIN IMPORTANT FOR CANNABIS?
Just like proteins are important for the human body, they are equally important for the growth and development of plants.

For example, proteins help plants by…

• Supporting their cellular strength
• Facilitating the growth of intra-cellular plant structures
• Promoting energy generation
• Stimulating metabolic processes
• Facilitating the transportation of nutrients

So, where do plants get these vital proteins from? Well, unlike humans, plants can’t source proteins or amino acids from other organisms. Instead, they need to create their own amino acids, and then use these to build protein. That's why gardeners, much like athletes, go wild for amino acid supplements.

Amino acids help plants by…

• Increasing their production of chlorophyll, which ultimately improves their ability to photosynthesise
• Serving as an easily absorbable form of nitrogen
• Stimulating the synthesis of key vitamins
• Improving their resistance to pests and diseases
• Boosting the strength of their cells

Amino acids also serve as the precursors to auxins, a group of plant hormones produced in the tips of stems. Auxins play a key role in the development of branches, flower and root development, and even help regulate your plant’s photoperiod response.

Some amino acids, like cysteine, also work together with antioxidants like glutathione to help cannabis plants deal with oxidative stress, which can be caused by high-intensity lighting, some nutrient solutions, and high levels of CO₂.

Unlike humans, plants can synthesise all the amino acids they need to survive and develop properly. Unfortunately, however, amino acid synthesis is a really high-energy process, and plants may struggle to produce enough amino acids when exposed to stress.

WHAT FACTORS AFFECT A PLANT’S ABILITY TO SYNTHESISE AMINO ACIDS?
Any kind of stress can affect a plant’s ability to produce enough amino acids.

This includes:

• Drought
• Temperature extremes
• Poor soil health
• Pests
• Diseases
• Poor lighting
• Lack of space
• Poor root health

WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN FOR YOUR WEED PLANTS?
If you really want to push your plants to their extreme in terms of floral growth and resin production, you should look into amino acid fertilisers. By making amino acids readily available to your plants, they’ll be able to use crucial energy to grow and bloom, rather than focusing on synthesising amino acids themselves.

HOW TO GIVE YOUR PLANTS AMINO ACIDS
Plants can absorb amino acids via their roots and leaves. They can also benefit from amino acids during both their vegetative and flowering phases.

The fastest way for plants to absorb amino acids is via their leaves. In fact, the foliar application of amino acids is believed to improve the transportation of nutrients, increase transpiration, and boost photosynthesis.

Hence, we generally recommend feeding your plants with foliar amino acid fertilisers. When doing so, however, carefully measure the amount of fertiliser you use, as—like with any nutrient—overfeeding can damage your plants.

WHAT KIND OF AMINO ACIDS DO CANNABIS PLANTS NEED?
Amino acids differ depending on their structure, and every amino acid (except glycine) can be produced either in D- or L-form. Without going into too much detail, the difference between D- and L-form amino acids is basically the way their atoms are structured.

While fertilisers are available with both D- and L-form amino acids (also known as L-enantiomer amino acids), we highly recommend using the latter, as they are much easier for your plant to absorb.

When buying amino acid fertilisers, make sure to buy products that contain all 20 amino acids in their L-enantiomer form, including:

Alanine Arginine Aspartic acid
Cysteine Glutamic acid Glutamine
Glycine Histidine Hydroxyproline
Isoleucine Leucine Lysine
Methionine Phenylalanine Proline
Serine Threonine Tryptophan

Tyrosine Valine



ToDo:

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.
 
July 28 2019 - Update

Images:


IMG_20190728_220604.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far - topped and pruned for quadlining.


IMG_20190728_220707.jpg

Red Mandarine F1 Fast #1 - Looks healthy so far - topped and pruned for quadlining.


IMG_20190728_220809.jpg

Dark Devil #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190728_220838.jpg

Dark Devil #2 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190728_220908.jpg

Killer Kush #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190728_220930.jpg

Green Poison XL #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 4/ Week 3 ... Day 17 ... week 2 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 4/ Week 3 ... Day 17 ... week 2 veg.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 4/ Week 1 ... Day 4 ... seedling.
1 Killer Kush: Day 4/ Week 1 ... Day 4 ... seedling.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 4/ Week 1 ... Day 4 ... seedling.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running between 50% and 70% - lights-on.
RH is running between 50% and 60% - lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 27°C (80°F) and 29°C (84°F) - lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running between 25°C (77°F) and 27°C (80°F) - lights-off.

VPD is between 0.71 and 1.56 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is between 1.23 and 1.39 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-off.

*** The VPD Values I am Using For This Grow (Version 1)

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the plants.



Watering and Feeding:

No watering or feeding today.

*** I will feed again July 30, 2019 -- just water.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)



Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.

I topped and pruned the Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine today.

I read you can prune and then top, but I wanted to do both at the same time so that the auxins can focus on only the remaining nodes' (3 & 4) growth nodes.

Besides, the remaining fan leaves are huge compared to the existing growth nodes, so there is a lot of energy available for new growth right now.


Notes:

The plants have slowed vertical growth, so it is time to let the soil dry out, the tap root to hit the water table at the bottom, and then start I will start watering in a circular pattern to train the roots to spread out horizontally.



Lessons Learned:

How To Avoid The Threat Of Cannabis Light Pollution

by RoyalQueenSeeds

For cannabis cultivators, particularly those who grow in a greenhouse, light pollution can be a big problem. In some cases, it can derail an entire grow. Here's how to decrease the likelihood of light pollution ruining your crop.

Outdoor planting season has finally arrived! This is the time of year when cannabis growers are looking for suitable spots in their gardens or on their balconies to take advantage of the warmer temperatures and bright sun for their plants. With cultivators getting hyped about finally being able to grow outdoors (and many likely having spent a small fortune on seeds, substrates, and fertilizers), one no-less important factor is often forgotten: light pollution. Light pollution can be a real danger to your crops by interrupting its all-important dark cycle.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PHOTOPERIOD

As photoperiod plants, cannabis relies on a light-dark cycle to decide when to make the switch from vegetative growth to flowering. Simply put, when the duration of daylight hours naturally decreases at the end of summer, your plants will sense the change in seasons and focus all their energy on making great, big buds. In the Northern Hemisphere, days progressively grow shorter after the summer solstice, with flowering initiating somewhere around August.

One issue with growing photoperiod cannabis strains is that the dark phase really cannot be interrupted. Unfortunately, light pollution from artificial lights, such as street lights, can be enough to really throw a wrench in your operation. Depending on the frequency and severity of the light pollution, the stress can cause plants to revert back to the veg phase, or to become intersex. This means they will start to produce pollen and grow seedy buds as a male plant would. Not ideal for the average home grower.

FINDING A GROW SPOT OUTDOORS WITH LITTLE LIGHT POLLUTION

When you’re scouting for a good spot to plant outdoors, always take light pollution into account. To be sure you’ve found a suitable location, you will of course have to wait until it gets dark to see if there’s anything that could possibly contribute to a disturbance in the dark cycle. Obvious culprits like our street light example are easy to spot, but others may not be so obvious.

If you're not sure whether it's really dark enough for your plants, there’s a trick you can use: once it’s dark, visit your location and take a magazine with you. Open it up and see if you can read some of the larger headers and descriptions. If you can still read without a problem, the spot may not be ideal. Of course, many growers only have so many options for places to grow. One thing that microgrowers can benefit from is planting in pots. Having the ability to move containers around as needed can be quite helpful in this scenario.

LIGHT POLLUTION AND GROWING IN A GREENHOUSE

A greenhouse is designed for your plants to take advantage of the “big bright light in the sky”. It combines the benefits of growing outdoors, with its abundance of natural sunlight, with the increased control of an indoor grow. However, light pollution can still be a problem for greenhouse grows, since you can’t simply flick a switch on and off to control the lights as you would indoors. Once again, you are at risk of light pollution from various sources. And because you can’t usually transport a greenhouse, you must find a way to work with what you have.

BLACKOUT SYSTEMS

One way to do this, depending on the size of your greenhouse, is to use blackout systems. This is somewhat of a catch-all for numerous techniques, but it generally involves using a mechanical system that moves a large sheet or some type of awning to block unwanted light. Just like your grow lights, your blackout system should preferably be connected to a timer. This way, you can give your plants an undisturbed 12 hours of night.

AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS: IF YOU CAN’T ESCAPE LIGHT POLLUTION

Autoflowering cannabis strains, which flower based on age rather than on light-dark cycle, are ideal for those who simply cannot escape the reality of light pollution. Although autoflowering varieties have long been thought of as “inferior” cannabis, the innovative new strains available are impressive specimens that rival photoperiod cultivars. Of course, their biggest benefit is the fact that you don’t have to stay up all night wondering if your plants are being stressed by light pollution. Most autoflowering varieties will vegetate for around 4 weeks, after which they will begin to flower. That’s just what they do.



ToDo:

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.
 
This is great! I’m early to the show too!
I’ll be keeping up with this, it’s going to be beautiful
This is great! I’m early to the show too!
I’ll be keeping up with this, it’s going to be beautiful

Hi @DreamingTrees7 ... welcome to the party!

I remember reading through your journal and liking that you had similar soil and nutes to mine.

But I have to say I am jealous of the Blue Dream'.

I had that strain picked out from Canuk Seeds at TNSB ... but when we discussed what to grow next ... we decided as a family to go with Dark Devil because it was purple :)

It worked out though ... because they sent me the Dark Devils and the other 4 strains that are featured in this grow ... which means more medicine to try!

We're glad you're here ... ttyl
 
I'm in for this one.

Hey @Skybound ... I am really glad you decided to join us!

Your grow is amazing and encroaches on the level of customization with nutes that I hope to master over the next the few years.

I gotta be honest, ... I read your journal once, but I have it bookmarked and need to loop back this weekend to study it in a bit more detail.

Before I started this grow ... I was forced to make some hard decisions between what I wanted, and what I was capable of.

As I did my research, I found myself wanting to have fine control my own nutes, to make my own soil, to make my own light, to customize some growing equipment, etc.

But I had to step back and admit that I had a garden only once in my life ... so I needed to take baby steps and actually learn how the plant grows and go hands on with the training which is more art than science.

I have met you and a few other senior growers now and I keep adding your skill sets to my own wish list.

How are you liking hydroponics overall? Do you switch things up every once in a while?

The reason I ask is because I met another guy here who joined back in 2013 and he wants to get back into soil instead of hydro ... for the quality he said.

But I can't imagine there is much difference between soil and hydro except for higher yield in hydro right?

Well, pop in every once in a while ... ttyl
 
I’m drooling over the line up SQL. Your investigative work is amazing. Journal of the month material fo sho. Come on lil ladies. I’m cheering for U!! :popcorn: Cheers!!!

Hey @Jdeck ... you will always be welcome here!!!

You, @irie lion and @WilliamJBud were some of the first people I met here while I was still feeling awkward about journaling ... and you guys helped me to get into the groove of things.

Alright ... it's national chicken wing day ... so we're going out with friends to enjoy the night.

Yep ... this is a cool lineup ... and I'm very excited!

TTYL amigo ...
 
Now after many years of NOT loving it, I love hydro. I only say that because I can control my elemental ratio and adjust whatever I need to, and as the result, I got about as good a result as I can hope for. My smoke is sweet and smooth. I've not yet smoked organic bud, so I have no experience to compare my quality to some good organic bud, but I too will be switching from hydro after many years to soil in just a couple months.

As to recognizing your limits, just know that they are your starting point. I am a BIG FAN of "Fake It Till Ya Make It". For me, to make it requires vigorous research, asking questions and if need be, be patronized by elitest assholes that know what I want to know. Myself being a learner, when I gather some good info, I try to pass it onto the next man in a forum thread. I did that with my nutrient adventures, both of which are in my sig. Do yourself the solid and commit to learning Hydro Buddy. I made a tutorial for that so you can track your elements of whatever nutrients you use, wet or dry. I tried to achieve "high brix" in hydro, but failed at that, but documented everything there too.

My situation changed such that I can expand my grow, but I won't be able to support the extra weight if I stayed in hydro, so am switching to a peat mix and am trying my luck about amending it correctly with the very nutrient salts I use for hydro, but also added some organic elements like rock phosphate and calcium carbonate. I expect I'll yield less per plant, but more plant count will justify that loss which means I finally get to try some organic smoke in a way that I still can control the feed as I'll be alternating ferts and waterings and I'm making my own ferts.

Serious, check out my Hydro Buddy thread, page one has it all, but there's a BOM on top of page 3. Skip page 2, lol, it's banter.
 
July 29 2019 - Update

Images:


IMG_20190729_221830.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far - topped and pruned for quadlining.


IMG_20190729_221954.jpg

Red Mandarine F1 Fast #1 - Looks healthy so far - topped and pruned for quadlining.


IMG_20190729_222050.jpg

Dark Devil #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190729_222111.jpg

Dark Devil #2 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190729_222216.jpg

Killer Kush #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190729_222249.jpg

Green Poison XL #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 5/ Week 3 ... Day 18 ... week 2 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 5/ Week 3 ... Day 18 ... week 2 veg.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 5/ Week 1 ... Day 5 ... seedling.
1 Killer Kush: Day 5/ Week 1 ... Day 5 ... seedling.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 5/ Week 1 ... Day 5 ... seedling.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-on.
RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 24°C (75°F) and 27°C (80°F) - lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running between 24°C (75°F) and 24°C (75°F) - lights-off.

VPD is between 1.15 and 1.39 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is between 1.15 and 1.15 - Healthy Transpiration: Late Veg/Early Flower - lights-off.

*** The VPD Values I am Using For This Grow (Version 1)

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the plants.



Watering and Feeding:

No watering or feeding today.

*** I will feed again July 30, 2019 -- just water.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)



Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.

I prepared the soil and pots for the seedling transplant tomorrow.


Notes:

The plants have slowed vertical growth, so it is time to let the soil dry out, the tap root to hit the water table at the bottom, and then start I will start watering in a circular pattern to train the roots to spread out horizontally.

*** I am a bit concerned with Dark Devil # 1 ... it is not growing well.



Lessons Learned:

Cannabis & Water Quality Part 1: pH

By RoyalQueenSeeds

Good quality water is a foundation of a great cannabis grow. Understanding some of the finer points about water, and how it can affect your cannabis can help take things to all new heights.

Water quality is an often overlooked aspect of cannabis growing. It can be responsible for so many problems, including those dealing with nutrients. We know how tempting it is to reach for the nutrient troubleshooting sheets and feed your plants more. Put those bottles down, stop scratching your head, don't panic and ask yourself this back to basics question. "Have I checked my water quality lately?"

In part one of our guide on water quality, we look at why water is important, and how pH affects a grow.

WATER & CANNABIS

All life on earth is dependent on it. We are all made mostly of water. Even the surface of the earth is more water than land. Cannabis is ninety percent water and uses it in a number of ways to live and grow.

Water transports nutrients, gives the plant its stiffness and lushness or "turgor," and plays a major part in photosynthesis. During the day, water travels up the stem to the leaves where it evaporates through tiny holes called stomata and is then exchanged for carbon dioxide. This is called transpiration. The exchanged carbon dioxide is then used to in combination with light to create sugars which are the plant’s food; this is called photosynthesis.

HOW POOR WATER QUALITY AFFECTS CANNABIS

This little lesson in biology is all well and good, but what does it have to do with poor water quality? Poor water quality means these processes can't function properly and the result is a lot less bud for you. So indoor or outdoor, water quality is very, very important.

Many problems stemming from water inconsistencies can mimic other issues that can affect the cannabis plant. Aside from over or under-watering, this can include symptoms of over or under fertilisation, or even heat stress, and it is usually only the experienced grower that can tell the differences at a glance.

So before you go playing with the intricate witches brew that makes up most nutrients, do one simple thing. Check your water.

PH

The first factor to look at is pH. pH affects a cannabis plant’s ability to transport nutrients and carbohydrates. The symptoms of either too high pH or too low pH are very similar and can be confused with a number of nutrient problems - the solution to which can have you chasing your tail for weeks searching for an answer. It could just be a wonky pH affecting your ladies’ ability to transport nutrients. We have seen plants with several different symptoms simultaneously and the troublemaker turned out to be bad water pH.

Cannabis thrives at a pH that hovers around 6.5. A little higher or a little lower is okay; in fact, some indicas enjoy a low 6.2, but you can’t go wrong keeping it at 6.5. Modern growing techniques will have you flushing your plants often enough to avoid much pH fluctuation in your growing medium due to nutrient build up, so pay good attention to your water and you can't go wrong.

Checking your pH is as easy as swishing a pH metre around in your water runoff sample.

There are as many pH testing products as there are serrations on a sativa leaf. Let your budget decide whether you buy a simple analogue probe or a more expensive digital one - with all the bells and whistles.

These metres don't require any calibration and are ready to go straight out of the box. Just remember to test your runoff water, as this is the correct reading of what your plants are getting at the root system, and adjust at the top end to suit.

If you are doing DWC (hydroponics), regularly check your reservoir or top tanks, as pH can alter as nutrient solution levels fluctuate.

ADJUSTING PH

Altering pH used to be a delicate process, put it has become much easier with the introduction of specific cannabis pH kits to the market. There are even a few kits that adjust pH automatically!

Some old-school hacks we like to use to adjust water pH:

pH up - to make water more alkaline, dissolve garden lime in your water. Take it easy until you find the amount that works for you per litre.

pH down - to make water more acidic, use white vinegar. What? I hear you scream, vinegar! But for real, it works a treat.

While correcting pH, it is a good time to flush your plants out with some of your newly corrected water, helping bring the soil to level.

It is a good idea to do this with oxygenated water prior to the lights going off, giving the plants a night time boost that mimics nature. Taking oxygen in at the roots and creating more root mass.

Outdoor growers and indoor soil growers have an advantage when it comes to pH. They have a greater margin of error. The colonies of microorganisms that form in organic growing matter act as buffers and filters and help keep pH between 6.5 and 7 most of the time.

Nutrient build up isn't usually a problem when growing organically outdoors either, as rain is the great neutralizer and thieving cannabis trees tend to gobble so much food you usually end up having to supplement the soil anyway.

This doesn't mean you should be complacent. Although you would need to have some kind of toxic event in your water source to have pH problems outdoors, it can happen. We have seen growers being caught out and suffering as a result.

The moral of the story is always take the time to check on your pH; it is simple to test and easy to rectify when wrong, but it can cause all sorts of havoc if left alone. Don't get lazy. Check your pH.

In our next article on water quality, we will look at the importance of PPM and EC.


ToDo:

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.
 
July 30 2019 - Update

Images:


IMG_20190730_203704.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far - topped and pruned for quadlining.


IMG_20190730_203800.jpg

Red Mandarine F1 Fast #1 - Looks healthy so far - topped and pruned for quadlining.


IMG_20190730_204000.jpg

Dark Devil #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190730_204146.jpg

Dark Devil #2 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190730_204323.jpg

Killer Kush #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190730_204438.jpg

Green Poison XL #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 6/ Week 3 ... Day 20 ... week 2 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 6/ Week 3 ... Day 20 ... week 2 veg.

*** Should be ready for full flush by August 14, 2019.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 6/ Week 1 ... Day 6 ... seedling.
1 Killer Kush: Day 6/ Week 1 ... Day 6 ... seedling.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 6/ Week 1 ... Day 6 ... seedling.

*** Should be ready for full flush by August 28, 2019.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-on.
RH is running between 50% and 50% - lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 24°C (75°F) and 29°C (84°F) - lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running between 24°C (75°F) and 24°C (75°F) - lights-off.

VPD is between 1.15 and 1.56 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is between 1.15 and 1.15 - Healthy Transpiration: Late Veg/Early Flower - lights-off.

*** The VPD Values I am Using For This Grow (Version 1)

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the plants.



Watering and Feeding:

Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine:

pH: 7.00
ppm: 0.00

Soil feed - 250 ml (1.0 cup) each.

I used distilled water only.

*** I am not tracking run-off right now.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.

*** Next feed ... Full Dose - Week 2 - CGRSFS with RME on July 31, 2019.


Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL:

pH: 7.00
ppm: 0.00

Soil feed - 250 ml (1.0 cup) each.

I used distilled water only.

*** I am not tracking run-off right now.

*** Soil watering and feeding is done 1 hour after the lights turn on ... so the roots have been stimulated to draw nutrients up into the plant.

*** Next feed ... Full Dose - Seedllng - CGRSFS with RME on July 31, 2019.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)



Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.

Transplanted all the seedlings.


Notes:

I transplanted all the seedlings into the larger 1.66 litre (0.44 gallon) pots using Great White Mycorrhizae.

I sprinkled about 3 ml of Great White Mycorrhizae into all of the transplant holes, ... including the sides of the holes.

All the seedlings except for Dark Devil # 1 had a long tap root and lateral feeder roots.

I prefer to transplant before roots get crowded.


It is time to let the soil dry out between watering and feeds so the tap root can hit the water table at the bottom of the pot.

I will start watering and feeding in a circular pattern to train the roots to spread out horizontally.

*** Next feed is slated for tomorrow July 31, 2019.

*** I am a bit concerned with Dark Devil # 1 ... it is still not growing well.

*** Let's see how Dark Devil # 1 does after this transplant and a full dose feed with RME tomorrow.




Lessons Learned:

Cannabis & Water Quality Part 2: PPM & EC

By RoyalQueenSeeds


Getting to grips with water quality is a factor that can distinguish between a novice and a veteran hobby cannabis grower. Here is part two of our guide, focusing on PPM and the EC of your water.

Water is a foundation of life. This is no less true for cannabis, which relies on water for a whole array of functions. In our previous blog on water quality, we assessed why water is important, and how pH can affect many aspects of your grow. Today we are going into a bit more detail with ppm and EC. Both are more advanced aspects of cannabis growing that need to be taken into account, and getting your head around it will help push your skills to the max. For the novice, while important, this information is not essential to grow. It is still possible to get great results without it, but it will certainly help!

PPM & EC

Don't be daunted by these technical-sounding terms. Parts Per Million and Electrical Conductivity are two ways of saying the practically same thing. Now, we could get really technical really fast here in comparing ppm and EC, but for the sake of clarity, let's stick to ppm for the moment.

PPM is a way of measuring the amount of minerals already dissolved in your water, and varies from source to source and place to place. For example, if you have a ppm reading of 100 there are 100 milligrammes per litre of minerals already in your water. Although this is a microscopic amount, the canny cannabis grower knows that plants can only absorb a limited amount of nutrients per day and adjusting for ppm helps get the most from your crops.

Knowing your ppm helps you avoid possible burning by letting you know when to adjust the amount of nutrient minerals you add to your water. Cannabis enjoys 500-600 ppm after cloning, 800-900 ppm when vegetating, and 1000-1100 ppm when flowering. So knowing the mineral content of your water before mixing your nutes can avoid stressing you and your plants. For DWC (hydroponic) growers, it is important to know the condition of the reservoir water, as minerals can deplete as the water level drops - it is a heads-up for you to just top things up as required.

There are many probes, devices and metres on the market all able to measure ppm. The most common is a TDS metre (total dissolved solids). What you go for really depends on your budget, and desire to get technical and nerdy with your grow. Most have a range of 3500, which is all you will ever need for cannabis, but if you like the overkill some will read up to 9999.

Once you have calibrated your TDS metre, turn it on, make sure it is reading zero and put it in the water you want to test – hey presto, there's your ppm reading. If you are using reverse osmosis water, the reading will be 0 to 10 ppm as it is completely free of minerals.

If you use tap water, your reading should be between 50 and 300 ppm here in the EU as standard.

If your town’s plumbing is old, or you are using well water from limestone strata, you may get a reading of up to 500 to 700ppm because of the mineral build up.

If your water is reading over 500 ppm, you need to do something about it, as it will compete with and lock out the nutrients you actually want your cannabis to uptake. Either you need to get some nutes designed to be used in hard-water areas, or you need to treat your water at home, either through carbon filters, distillation, or reverse osmosis.

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GETTING TECHNICAL WITH EC & PPM

Strap your brains in bitches; this is where things get technical.

EC, or Electrical Conductivity, is a measure of the salinity of a water sample.

The theory being that saline water is charged with sodium ions and this charge can be measured by an EC metre, which tells you the conductivity of your water sample - in microsiemens per centimetre. EC works by assuming an ionic conductivity of sodium as .51 microsiemens per centimetre. This is the base charge off which metres calculate conductivity.

If your water is too saline, it can affect your plants in two ways. It can increase the toxicity of sodium at the root ball and increase osmotic pressure at the roots inhibiting nutrient uptake.

PPM measures the overall mineral content of your water, regardless of what those minerals are.

Accurate ppm readings are obtained by gently evaporating the water sample and analysing the remaining residue. Other than sodium chloride most other minerals are hardly present in nearly all naturally occurring water and are not of any real worry. These minerals are usually trace amounts of calcium carbonate, magnesium and micro traces of several other elements.

If you approach your local water authority, they can usually supply you with a mineral analysis of your local water supply.

There are conversions for microsiemens per centimetre to parts per million and back again but most metres do these conversions for you.

Organic soil and outdoor growers have an advantage again when it comes to ppm and EC. The microorganisms provide a buffer that helps protect the plant from fluctuations in ppm or EC and there is a greater margin for error when watering.

Never be complacent, though. Always check your water quality, even from rivers and creeks. You never know what could be washed in upstream during rain that could make your water toxic.

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EXTRA WATER QUALITY TIPS

Who thinks rain water is neutral? It is a common misconception and is actually mildly acidic. Carbon dioxide dissolves in rain and makes it into a very mild carbolic acid with a pH of about 5.6. Don't worry, though, once it has sat for a while in a tank or dam or reservoir it releases the carbon dioxide and balances out at 7. Ever noticed how plants grow like mad after rain? That’s why.

When you put your water through a reverse osmosis filter, it makes your water completely mineral free. Never use this water unmodified to flush your plants or as a foliage spray. RO water will strip nutrients from your plants, especially calcium and magnesium. Label your bottles clearly.

Put aerators on your faucets. If filling a container with a hose, make the water froth and bubble to enliven and oxygenate.

In cold climates try and keep your water at 25°C.

There you have it! Things get quite technical, so don’t worry if it takes a while to pick it up. Actively working to ensure you have the best water quality you can will help minimise any potential growing problems, as well as give your cannabis what it needs to thrive.




ToDo:

Learn more about Cannabis And Water Quality Part 3: Choosing A Water Source.

Learn more about How And When To Transplant Cannabis Seedlings.

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.
 
July 31 2019 - Update

Images:


IMG_20190730_203704.jpg

Cream Caramel CBD #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190730_203800.jpg

Red Mandarine F1 Fast #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190730_204000.jpg

Dark Devil #1 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190730_204146.jpg

Dark Devil #2 - Looks healthy so far.


IMG_20190730_204323.jpg

Killer Kush #1 - Looks healthy so far.


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Green Poison XL #1 - Looks healthy so far.



Growth Stage:

1 Cream Caramel CBD ... Day 7/ Week 3 ... Day 21 ... week 2 veg.
1 Red Mandarine ... Day 7/ Week 3 ... Day 21 ... week 2 veg.

*** Should be ready for full flush by August 14, 2019.

*** Photoperiod Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 2-8 weeks veg, 6-12 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Allow 1 day to 3 days of dark before switching to 12-12
*** Pistels show up about 14 days (2 weeks) after switching to 12-12


2 Dark Devil: Day 7/ Week 1 ... Day 7 ... seedling.
1 Killer Kush: Day 7/ Week 1 ... Day 7 ... seedling.
1 Green Poison XL: Day 7/ Week 1 ... Day 7 ... seedling.

*** Should be ready for full flush by August 28, 2019.

*** Autoflower Stages: 5 days Germination, 1 week seedling, 3 weeks veg, 3 weeks pre-flower, 3-6 weeks flower, 4-12 weeks cure
*** Pistels show up about 35 days (5 weeks) after Germination
*** Flowering takes about 56 days (8 weeks) after Pistels show up


Environment #1 - Autoflower Veg/Flower:

RH is running between 50% and 65% - lights-on.
RH is running between 50% and 55% - lights-off.

Canopy temperature is running between 27°C (81°F) and 29°C (84°F) - lights-on.
Canopy temperature is running between 25°C (77°F) and 27°C (81°F) - lights-off.

VPD is between 1.06 and 1.56 - High Transpiration: Mid Flower/Late Flower - lights-on.
VPD is between 1.07 and 1.39 - Healthy Transpiration: Late Veg/Early Flower - lights-off.

*** The VPD Values I am Using For This Grow (Version 1)

CO2 is refreshed frequently when the exhaust fan turns on.

The light is running 4 cycles of "5 hours lights-on and 1 hours lights-off".

The light is 53 cm (21") above canopy centered over the plants.



Watering and Feeding:

Cream Caramel CBD & Red Mandarine:

*** Next feed ... Full Dose - Week 3 - CGRSFS with RME on August 01, 2019.


Dark Devil, Killer Kush & Green Poison XL:

*** Next feed ... Full Dose - Week 1 - CGRSFS with RME on August 01, 2019.


*** For details on my feeding schedule refer to here: The Different Feeds I need For This Grow (Version 1)



Activities:

Refilled the humidifier with water.

Transplanted all the seedlings.


Notes:

It is time to let the soil dry out between watering and feeds so the tap root can hit the water table at the bottom of the pot.

I will start watering and feeding in a circular pattern to train the roots to spread out horizontally.

*** Next feed is slated for tomorrow August 01, 2019.

*** I am a bit concerned with Dark Devil # 1 ... it is still not growing well.

*** Let's see how Dark Devil # 1 does after this transplant and a full dose feed with RME tomorrow.



Lessons Learned:

Cannabis And Water Quality Part 3: Choosing A Water Source

By RoyalQueenSeeds

Choosing a water source is a crucial decision when it comes to growing marijuana. Certain water sources like rainwater and water filtration systems can provide pure and uncontaminated water, though at a price. However, feeding cannabis plants distilled or tap water may not be the worst thing for them either.

With the complexity of modern growing techniques, the quality of your water is a factor that is easy to overlook. Yet, water is a crucial building block of life, for both plants and humans.

In cannabis plants, clean water is responsible for transporting nutrients, triggering transpiration, and making photosynthesis work. However, choosing the right water source for your plants can be tricky, especially if you are growing on a budget.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN SOURCING WATER

High-quality water is a crucial ingredient in producing high-quality cannabis. Relying on low-quality water could seriously hamper your plant’s health and its ability to produce excellent buds.

Aside from water quality itself, growers must also consider their budget and willingness to spend on this resource. Apart from the upfront costs of setting up and establishing certain kinds of water sources, there are also the long-term costs of keeping the water flowing. Moreover, certain water sources may be more time-consuming and burdensome to operate than others.

The water source you choose will undoubtedly affect the quality of the water being fed to your cannabis plants. While there are numerous ways to obtain water for your plants, some are much more costly or time-consuming than others.

Beginning with the most expensive, here are 4 water sources you should consider using for your cannabis grow.

WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS

If money is no concern, then water filtration systems are the way to go. There are numerous filtration systems available, however, cannabis growers usually opt for an RO (reverse osmosis) system. These systems work by forcing water molecules through a semipermeable membrane and filtering out contaminants in the process.

The primary advantage of a water filtration system is having an unlimited supply of clean water on hand. Furthermore, RO systems are generally considered to be the safest and purest choice for large-scale water filtration. Despite this, the initial startup cost of establishing such a system tends to scare most growers away. Even the most basic RO system can cost several hundreds of dollars to purchase.

RAINWATER/WATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS

Rainwater is widely considered to be clean and pure, making it especially great for hydroponics. However, thanks to modern pollution, rainwater may not actually be as clean as most people would like to think. Moreover, collecting and using it can be quite a hassle.

Rainwater is typically collected using a water collection system. Raincatchers vary in build, size, and shape. While some may be more costly and difficult to assemble and operate, others can be built at home using commonly available materials. Furthermore, most of these systems can be maintained with very little time and effort.

Some water filtration systems can even be modified to collect recycled and uncontaminated “gray water” from other local sources. However, some jurisdictions have decided to either prohibit or limit the collection of rain or gray water. As such, it is best to make sure that collecting rainwater is actually legal in your jurisdiction before investing in a collection system.

The key to safely growing with rainwater is, like tap water, testing it before use. Adjustments to pH levels and mineral content may be necessary.

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DISTILLED BOTTLED WATER

Distilled water is a great source of pure and uncontaminated water. Especially for small grows. Unlike tap water, you can rest assured that distilled water will not require any extra filtering. Bottles of distilled water can typically be purchased from local grocery stores, or can even be delivered to your home in some areas.

However, while one bottle may seem relatively inexpensive, the cost certainly does add up over time. Additionally, some growers argue that filtered tap water can be just as pure. Therefore, distilled water may not be ideal for large gardens or for growers on a tight budget.

UNFILTERED TAP WATER

Unfiltered tap water is one of the most readily available water sources for marijuana growers. It is relatively inexpensive and very easy to get. And, despite popular opinion, it’s not actually all that bad for your plants.

However, the quality of tap water differs in each municipality. You may find that tap water in some areas contains more contaminants than in others. Chlorine, magnesium, and calcium are all commonly found in tap water, to varying degrees. Too much of these won’t kill your plants, but they can seriously affect its biological activity.

You should always test your tap water before use. Not only will you find out exactly what is inside of it, but you may be able to devise a filtration strategy. For instance, chlorine tends to evaporate naturally if left to sit in water for 24 hours. Meanwhile, chloramines can be filtered out with an activated charcoal filter, and fluoride can be filtered out using an activated alumina filter.


ToDo:

Learn more about How To Water Cannabis Plants: A Comprehensive Guide.

Learn more about How And When To Transplant Cannabis Seedlings.

Learn more about LUX and PAR.

Learn more about Temperature/Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit.
 
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