TimHomeGrow FastBuds Autos In Soil

[Timhomegrow]

All three are now on the self watering bases. I did top feed about a 1/2 gal in each and filled the bases. While it's working OK....I'm not sure they are sucking up enough water. Perhaps the roots haven't made it all the way to to the bottom just yet?

I leave in a week for a 9 day trip, the sole reason I got these bases. I'll monitor it, but if it seems like they aren't getting enough water I'll do the square pattern like @Grand Daddy Black or perhaps even double up the wicks in the current cross pattern. I read online some folks were doing that to get more water to the plants.

Either way, they are currently doing well enough for the trip. Plan is soak the pots by hand before leaving, fill up 2gals in each base, and use my homemade Reservoir and pump to put more water into the bases half way through the trip.

Orange sherbert is at 5g of MC, GSC 4g and Blue Dream 3g. By the time I'm gone a.d using the reserve tank/pump to fill the bases, they should all be taking 5g. Granted, some may want more but they will survive for a week

The two older girls are a bit lanky and sparse, I was gone during a crucial stage of development and I believe the light/lux was too low. It's now 30k LUX and it has my DLI at 34. I'm trying to really pay attention, perhaps too cautiously, to the DLI on this grow. I feel like my light at 100%, especially with autos and 18hrs of light, is too much. The last grow the DLI agreed.

This grow is all about newness, testing, learning. Starting in June doing a big photo grow so I'm trying to really dial in some things. The last photo grow was 1.9 pound yield and I'd love to do that again this summer

 

[Timhomegrow]

Putting this chart here so for reference. I'm just about right.

 

[Timhomegrow]

Orange shertbert grew 5.5 inches in four days, she's 22.5" now. Hope the stretch is over

Orange sherbert drank about 1.5 gals in two days from the auto watering base, definitely more than the other two. Good sign the base is working as well. She's at 5g MC. GSC got 4.5g.

Both had bases filled. Little one didn't drink too much from the base but the bottom inch is wet. It's almost like it's just sucking up.from the very bottom of the pot, thiught it would soak up the sides, but it seems to be working. @Grand Daddy Black not sure if you have issues filling with that grate across the hole, but I found out my water pump I always use to water fits perfectly in the guage hole

Also set up the external resviour. Between hand watering and filling the 2 gal.base, should give me 6 days of coverage. The external tank, on a date/time multiple programmer will then fill the bases for the rest of the trip. Drip hose fits nicely into the base as well. All this "luck" or maybe AC Infiniti knew what they were doing

It should work for the 8 day trip to the Keys. I'll be fishing, drinking, smoking, and chillin without a care in the world

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Way to go Tim. You're finding all the right-fitting holes!

I never considered sticking the end of my siphon into the hole with the water-level indicator to get water in the base. It's a perfect fit!

About now, they are drinking so much that I'm just removing the covers and pouring into them from buckets. But I'll remember the next time to use the "better" hole early on in the grow when I'm only topping them off rather than adding nearly a full gallon!

 

[InTheShed]

Sure looks like you've got a system in there, and it appears to be working!

 

[Timhomegrow]

day 32 above ground

things are moving along niceley. Orange Sherbert (front left) is at 5g MC. GSC (front right) is also now at 5g MC. Blue dream, little one in the back, is at 4g. All are getting 1 ml of cal/mag. Seems to be working.

Orange sherbert, I hope, is done stretching. She's 26" tall now. I debated about removing some of the lower bud areas, but with as sparse as she is with leaves I decoded to leave her alone figuring those lower buds will get enough light.

The self watering bases are working well on the two larger ones and I'm seeing roots starting to poke through the bottom on their pots.

The smaller one, a few weeks behind, isn't drinking much from the self watering base just yet. Hopefully she starts soon as I leave on Saturday.

So far I'm liking this system. Friday I'll clean and empty the bases so they will have all fresh water and clean bases.

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Looking odd Tim.

Safe travels to you.

 

[InTheShed]

Orange sherbert, I hope, is done stretching. She's 26" tall now. I debated about removing some of the lower bud areas, but with as sparse as she is with leaves I decoded to leave her alone figuring those lower buds will get enough light.

I'd leave them just because of the sparseness of the flowers. On a plant with that kind of sativa-like structure I think you're really ding your harvest numbers if you take what would normally be called larf.

 

[Timhomegrow]

I'd leave them just because of the sparseness of the flowers. On a plant with that kind of sativa-like structure I think you're really ding your harvest numbers if you take what would normally be called larf.

Thanks! And some larf will not be terrible either.....need more tincture and oil for edibles

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Looking odd Tim.

Safe travels to you.

That was supposed to say "looking good!"

I don't know how that happened, but I was mortified when I noticed it.

Edit: After being mortified I had a good laugh about it!

 

[Timhomegrow]

That was supposed to say "looking good!"

I don't know how that happened, but I was mortified when I noticed it.

Edit: After being mortified I had a good laugh about it!

Thank you for the well wishes on the trip, and I'm certainly odd looking

 

[Timhomegrow]

Day 34 above ground

got everything set for the 9 day trip. All three plants were watered to runoff and each base filled with 2 gals. The younger Blue Dream (back left) should be good for the full 9 days that way. The Orange Sherbert (front left) and GSC (front right) will also have their bases filled with water from an external tank and pump system.

MC dosages:
Young Blue Dream 4g
ORANGE sherbert 5.25g
GSC 5g

External tank filling both OS and GSC is at 5.15

I did test the ph of the w as ter that was left in the bases after 3 days....drifted up to 7 from 6.3. Doesn't impact the girls, makes me wonder about that post from years ago about PH not matter ing in soil. But is this system really soil as more.roots are grabbing the wicks? I set the ph of the external tank to 5.8 to account for up.driting. we shall see

Orange sherbert is really growing, hoping she's near the end of stretch as she's 29" tall. Raised the light again 15" from her top buds. I may do more tomorrow before leaving idk haha

It's a good plan, let's hope it works as well as it should

Off to the beach, the sand, the sun, and zero fucks given

 

[InTheShed]

Enjoy!

 

[Timhomegrow]

day 44 above ground

all went well on the trip! Came home to some lovely, and smelly, ladies although they drank more than I anticipated so their bases and pots were all dry. Orange sherbert seemed to.struggle most from going dry as she yellowed a little.

Orange Sherbert
She grew 6 inches while away, now 34" tall. She's incredibly big...thank goodness the 4th plant didn't make it, tent wouldn't have fit them all

Girl Scout Cookie.

Wish I was here last week to spread out her branches some more. They are too stiff now, but shes looking great.

Blue dream
Had just topped her after the 5th node right before leaving last week....she really grew!

The AC infinit bases worked like a charm. It wasn't my plan to use them for the full grow, but I think I will!


I'm trying something new this grow to keep my DLI in line and hopefully prevent the issue I seem to have mid flower with yellowing so only keeping my light at 75%. It makes the canopy about 30-34k LUX but thay puts my DLI where it needs to be.

I have noticed the branches and node spacing is larger than I've ever grown. Hopefully they are getting enough light.
.we will know for sure at harvest time.

 

[InTheShed]

Welcome back and the plants look damn fine for the neglect!

If you need light penetration, remember that more wattage from further away will get you more light to the lowers than lower wattage closer to the tops (at the same DLI).

 

[Timhomegrow]

It's a little challenging moving the girls now as they are filling the tent. Orange Sherbert is the largest auto I've ever grown and Blue Dream (back right) isn't far behind and has not done stretching, shes a little younger. In just three days the roots have already started to attach to the wicks. Some online say they don't ever move the plants and let the roots attach to the wicks. Once the bases lose some water and get easier to lift I'll probably try and rearrange the plants but I can see thay being a PITA to do every few days.

They wentndry during the trip and Im 90% sure thats why Orage Sherbert got light in color along with some crispy leaves. However, I did up MC to 5.5g. I've been adding cal/mag for a few weeks.

Orange sherbert frosting up

GSC also frosting

@InTheShed and @StoneOtter I used the Pantone app today for the first time. LUX was very close to my LUX meter so I'm assuming the ppfd and dli are accurate. Is it best to guage DLI by a center of the tent reading? Obviously it drops when I get to the edges of the tent. Seems a bit high in the center, light is 75%.

 

[InTheShed]

Considering you were gone the plants look great!

@InTheShed and @StoneOtter I used the Pantone app today for the first time. LUX was very close to my LUX meter so I'm assuming the ppfd and dli are accurate. Is it best to guage DLI by a center of the tent reading? Obviously it drops when I get to the edges of the tent. Seems a bit high in the center, light is 75%.

Pantone app...that lets you name the colors of your leaves!

PANTONE Studio

Capture your world in PANTONE Color, build and create palettes to test on 3D-rendered materials & designs, and share PANTONE Colors with your Creative Cloud® account, clients, and social networks. Subscribers get access to all PANTONE Colors (more than 10,000 standardized hues across all libraries…

apps.apple.com

There's no single right spot to measure the DLI since it's going to vary across the tent, but I'd take an average across the main growing area (maybe skip the outside 12" where falloff is greatest) and try to balance too much with too little.

I'd say a DLI of 53 is higher than you need unless it's gotta be that high to get the rest of the tent to the 45 peak on the chart.

Cannabis Lighting: PAR / PPFD And DLI For Autoflowers

If you're wondering what grow lighting your autoflowering cannabis strains need to flourish, this article is for you. We've put together everything you need to know to optimally set your PPFD and DLI levels.

growlightmeter.com

If the leaves aren't complaining though it's only the electric bill to be concerned with!

 

[Timhomegrow]

Considering you were gone the plants look great!

Pantone app...that lets you name the colors of your leaves!

PANTONE Studio

Capture your world in PANTONE Color, build and create palettes to test on 3D-rendered materials & designs, and share PANTONE Colors with your Creative Cloud® account, clients, and social networks. Subscribers get access to all PANTONE Colors (more than 10,000 standardized hues across all libraries…

apps.apple.com

There's no single right spot to measure the DLI since it's going to vary across the tent, but I'd take an average across the main growing area (maybe skip the outside 12" where falloff is greatest) and try to balance too much with too little.

I'd say a DLI of 53 is higher than you need unless it's gotta be that high to get the rest of the tent to the 45 peak on the chart.

Cannabis Lighting: PAR / PPFD And DLI For Autoflowers

If you're wondering what grow lighting your autoflowering cannabis strains need to flourish, this article is for you. We've put together everything you need to know to optimally set your PPFD and DLI levels.

growlightmeter.com

If the leaves aren't complaining though it's only the electric bill to be concerned with!

As always, thanks! Reducing the light to 72% gets me 42-44 in most the middle (dead center read 49) and 36-38 directly below the edges of the light. Outside of the light towards tent walls it drops lower. Does that look good with an average of around 40?

The girls did great while away. Orange sherbert grew more, got within 6" of the light and went dry. Otherwise things worked flawlessly

Thanks for that thread....some reading for tonight

 

[Timhomegrow]

The big orange sherbert drank a little over 2 gals in 2 two days! I definitely under estimated her watering when on a trip. While I'm sure both her and GSC got a little funky from drying out, I did up MC to 5.5g for each. Also added .5g of Bud Explosion for Orange Sherbert.

Blue Dream, back right, is stretching nicely while the buds start stacking on the other two. Decoded to wait on moving plants until Blue Dream stretches more and I have to remover her boosters below her base.

GsC

Orange Sherbert

The tent humidity does seem higher than normal, 56ish. I'm not sure if it's just that strange time of year when the house HVAC isn't running much or if the water in the bases ads to humidity. @Grand Daddy Black have you had higher humidity with yours?

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

The big orange sherbert drank a little over 2 gals in 2 two days! I definitely under estimated her watering when on a trip. While I'm sure both her and GSC got a little funky from drying out, I did up MC to 5.5g for each. Also added .5g of Bud Explosion for Orange Sherbert.

Blue Dream, back right, is stretching nicely while the buds start stacking on the other two. Decoded to wait on moving plants until Blue Dream stretches more and I have to remover her boosters below her base.

GsC

Orange Sherbert

The tent humidity does seem higher than normal, 56ish. I'm not sure if it's just that strange time of year when the house HVAC isn't running much or if the water in the bases ads to humidity. @Grand Daddy Black have you had higher humidity with yours?

Good looking bunch Tim!

My humidity has been hovering around 50%, which is fine with me. But I'm not as deep into flower as you are.

I do believe the water in the bases ups the humidity a bit but probably not that much.