Watching Grass Grow

[nagganaggaren]

I found an odd seed, as you do, in the bottom of yet another bag, and once again decided to try to make something happen in a horticultural type of way. I wanted to grow it!
First, I put said seed between 2 moist tissues, covered it and then left it. Sure enough, a day or so later the little bugger had popped out and I placed it gently into its first home.
After a week or so, it had grown to about 2 inches and its leaves had taken on a distinct look, one that I was familiar with. A visit to the local flower and bird market followed where I purchased a new pot for my new friend.
A weeks break from work finds me and my little friend enjoying the view and the odd sunny day together and i am fascinated by the rate of growth and the beauty of the formation of the leaves. Having found an interest in photography recently and with great subject matter available I snap away feverishly.
All being well, watching grass grow might not be as dull as it sounds.

Taken 2 days ago, love the symmetry.

Taken 6-15pm today, a dull overcast day. I liked the way the leaves were stretching up towards the light.

On reading, OK glancing, through a few comments and seeing the kinds of set ups of all shapes and sizes being used I think I'd better mention my set up.
Seed. check.
Nice looking pot. check.
light/temp/humidity. SE Asia climate, 6 month summer sun, aided this week with 80w lamp due to dull days.
PH meter. check
Nutrition. so far only lightly watered 3 times,
Grow medium. a bag of potting soil from bird/flower market.
Comfy chair. check
Faith. An abundance. yes, I know I'll need it.

As you would expect I am not expecting miracles but I am hoping to get some nice pictures of the life of my little friend, just got to keep the little bugger happy and healthy now.

 

[nagganaggaren]

Famous last words huh?
"just got to keep the little bugger happy and healthy now"
Well, got up this morning and in my haste to wake up my little friend I dropped a light bulb right where I shouldn't have. The damage to the leaf and the bend in the stem was not a happy thing to see after my clumsiness,

It's looking very sad, but on a positive note the sun is out and hopefully a day in the sun might perk it up. The card reader and curtain thingy are offering support during this period.

Great start huh?
Starting talking about it and bang! hits the first fence.

No water, just sunshine today, mid 20's.

 

[Heirloom]

Hi Nagga.

When you posted your introduction you mentioned being color blind and a new photographer. We all will watch the colors, no worries there.

But this picture worries me a little, from a security stand point. It shows background buildings that could be identified (by State Officials or others). If identified your location is easy to determine. I recommend always looking at and watching out for what is behind your subject.

Always remember, the camera captures the plant, but it also captures everything around and behind it.

Good start!

 

[Stinky Snid]

Found it... I'll be sure to follow your progress.

Consider me subbed. KiG cheers

 

[nagganaggaren]

Hi Nagga.

When you posted your introduction you mentioned being color blind and a new photographer. We all will watch the colors, no worries there.
But this picture worries me a little, from a security stand point. It shows background buildings that could be identified (by State Officials or others). If identified your location is easy to determine. I recommend always looking at and watching out for what is behind your subject.
Always remember, the camera captures the plant, but it also captures everything around and behind it.
Good start!

Good to know that the colours will be checked, its all just leaf-coloured to me! Appreciate it.

As far as I am aware it isn't illegal to grow a plant of this type in my current location, it is however illegal to traffic, distribute or sell anything to do with it. In saying that, I don't wish to attract any un-necessary attention and will consider your advice with future pics. thanks again.

 

[nagganaggaren]

Another day and the badly damaged leaf has given up the fight although the bent stem seems to be ok for now. A resilient little bugger for sure and still looking attractive in the sunlight.

Just a light spraying with water on the leaves today, I think best left alone for a while, safer that way!

 

[nagganaggaren]

Looking a little miserable at the end of today(last night 7pm ish)and for reasons I'm not too sure of, I added a cup of water hoping for good signs tomorrow.
This morning I regretted giving the cup of water as the soil looks a lot darker/damper than it has before. No more water apart from maybe an occasional light spray over the leaves from now until further notice. (lesson learnt from reading smokeater's grow journal- great read!)

Damage to one of the top leafs sustained during my clumsiness seems to be restricting that "reach for the light" trait and today I am again supplementing daylight with the 80watt energy-saver bulb to try to encourage or at least assist in its efforts.

25.8 degrees 72% humidity fairly dull day

Its early days as yet and I'm sat in my comfy chair wondering how many others there are, like me just sitting, watching grass grow?
Back to work tomorrow.

 

[Heirloom]

Nagga, You can count on me watching the grass grow too. Everyday.

Hold off on the water for a while. No need to mist the leaves either, 72% humidity is more than plenty. Just let it dry up a bit. It may take a week or more depending on how wet it is. It will push the roots deeper and wider searching for the moisture that way.

If you have a scale, weigh the pot. Then weigh it tomorrow, and again the next day...and so on. Get to know how heavy it is when wet and when dry. That way you can judge a little better if it needs water.

Indicas in particular can be very touchy when it comes to over watering. If your plant is indica dominant, it may not like being wet and will stay sad and not grow very fast.

Let the soil dry up, but not to the point of underwater wilting. Trust me, they need it.

Another thing to check on is root zone temp. Air temp of 25-30C is great, root zone should be around 20-21C. Lower than about 18.5 and growth slows.

 

[OlderStoner]

Good start my friend. As for the damage, it's always a stress on the plant but you'll be surprised how durable they are. Not only cannabis, just about any weed will take a beating and keep on growing. So keep taking care of it and it should do fine. Cannabis does need water but not as much as most people think. In fact, over watering is one of the most common mistakes growers make. There's plenty of info out there so keep reading.

I will touch briefly on the security issue that Heirloom mentioned. It's cool that you're not doing anything illegal in your area with your grow. But remember, in this day and age, anything you say can and will be used against you. The more anonymous you remain, the better and try not to attract any attention. Until the day comes that full legalization arrives, most growers are taking a risk. And even if LE never bothers you, there are other people out there who will steal your plants without even thinking about it. As the old sayings go, "discretion is often the better part of valor" and "loose lips, sink ships".

 

[Radogast]

Welcome to

I saw you post over on Smokeater's thread and thought I would seewhat you were doing.

Do you have a soft cushion? My knees can't take more thann an hour cross legged these days, but I think I'll take a low seat to admire the beauty of that pot and the pot inside. A meditation spot.

If I meditate long enough, maybe I'll learn how nagga you are

 

[Radogast]

I don't know how attached you are to the beauty of imperfection, but your little plant is no longer attached to keeping that leaf alive.

You can remove it
with scissors
or a pinch of your fingernails.

 

[nagganaggaren]

I don't know how attached you are to the beauty of imperfection, but your little plant is no longer attached to keeping that leaf alive.
You can remove it
with scissors
or a pinch of your fingernails.

I had that same thought last night, looking at this withered arm-like thing hanging there doing nothing and decided to remove it.
It was hanging on by barely a thread, i gave it a gentle tug expecting it to break easily and what a fight it gave me, the whole plant got tugged with it, i stopped! got a pair of scissors and gently snipped it off carefully, avoiding giving the rest of it a hard time.
Another lesson learnt for any future leaf removal!

Learn how nagga i am? i liked that.

Do you have a soft cushion? My knees can't take more than an hour cross legged these days, but I think I'll take a low seat to admire the beauty of that pot and the pot inside. A meditation spot.
If I meditate long enough, maybe I'll learn how nagga you are

yes, my cushion is soft but I only have 1 knee that works, my seat is also low and from it I am blessed with a great view. I do like my pot too!
I'm not sure if it has any other meaning, Nagga i mean, but in the local language, nagganaggaren means "that man." It came about from the way a 10 year old student described me to her teacher. I liked it because it came with a mime, the child mimicked my walk (big limp-no worries) and exclaimed, "naganagaren! "that man."
Thanks for the welcome Sir and for the advice.
After reading another journal last night (heirloom's, boy can he grow!-another good read) its getting quite comfortable here, nice people, again i offer kudos to the contributors. jobs a good 'un.

 

[nagganaggaren]

Olderstoner, thanks for your comment and welcome, I appreciate your concern and heed all advice. Yes, I will continue reading, information is good.

 

[Heirloom]

Thank you Nagga, very kind of you.

I envy you living in a place where it is legal to grow. I live in the USA and recently moved away from California, where the State laws allows for medical marijuana. Not so in my new State unfortunately, though I think the tide is changing here too.

 

[nagganaggaren]

Nagga, You can count on me watching the grass grow too. Everyday.

Hold off on the water for a while. No need to mist the leaves either, 72% humidity is more than plenty. Just let it dry up a bit. It may take a week or more depending on how wet it is. It will push the roots deeper and wider searching for the moisture that way.

If you have a scale, weigh the pot. Then weigh it tomorrow, and again the next day...and so on. Get to know how heavy it is when wet and when dry. That way you can judge a little better if it needs water.

Indicas in particular can be very touchy when it comes to over watering. If your plant is indica dominant, it may not like being wet and will stay sad and not grow very fast.

Let the soil dry up, but not to the point of underwater wilting. Trust me, they need it.

Another thing to check on is root zone temp. Air temp of 25-30C is great, root zone should be around 20-21C. Lower than about 18.5 and growth slows.

I would have replied earlier (I was doing replies at lunchtime from work) but I wanted to check a few things before I said "yeah, i'll do that and that and . . ."
I knew I had accurate scales but wasn't sure of their limit, unfortunately after checking them, they only weigh up to about a 1500g, whereas my pot itself weighs more than that. The temperature of the root zone has me a little perplexed too, I could find nothing around the apartment that could help me there, so am I right in thinking about the need of purchasing a probe-type thermometer to push in from the top or something similar to insert into the base of the pot. The pot has what I thought were decorative holes in it above the base but now I'm thinking that they must be there to assist with drain off or something or other.
Greener than most of the plants here me! but I'll get there. . . . . .
I like the idea of measuring the weight of it but I'm not sure what I'd be able to do to control the temperature of the root system.
Am I over-thinking this?
My original intention (before it became personal) was to leave it in the sun from spring through summer giving any food it may need and take a few pics along the way, but after reading a few journals I'm seeing just how much time, work and effort is being put in by the contributors here. In saying that, maybe my circumstances are a little different to those that I've read about so far. I am not looking for "a crop," a "high yield," lots of pot to smoke or fortunately for me, any medicinal use, I'd like to follow the life cycle of this little seed I found in the bottom of my bag. Hey, I'm not going to moan if I achieve something smoke-able! Just want to keep the little bugger happy and healthy.

Thank you for the heads up regarding the watering, I was over eager for sure.

How you find time to maintain not only your incredible grow set-up but also the time to post the information that you do, beggars belief. Fair play to you Sir.
Out of curiosity, have you ever considered leaving, or actually left a plant to grow on a window cill? I note that you have outdoor plants and wondered?

 

[Heirloom]

No worries on the root temps. It was just info. But yes, I use a heat mat with a controller. I push the probe into the soil about 1/3 the depth, near the middle but not under the plant. You are likely okay though.

A bathroom scale would work. Or just pick it up every couple days to monitor weight change and get a feel for it. Electronic moisture meters are good for training a new gardener on how much and when to water.

You'll find that I am more, umm, relaxed than some others here. I tend to be loose and not follow a feeding schedule, or water only on certain days, try different random things. I'm trying to become one with the plant, lol. I'm not after big yields per se, just tasty results.



EDIT: The only plants I've grown in a window, besides 'house' plants, were a couple males in quarantine. And I have dedicated the rest of my life to Cannabis growing and learning. I'm lucky enough to have retired from 'the daily grind' early. That's how I find the time.

 

[nagganaggaren]

At around 7pm this evening all seems well, looking taller for sure and appearing to be none the worse for wear after my shenanigans. Taken onboard some advice regarding watering and for maybe the next week, I'll see how sunshine alone does and refrain from any additional water.

temp today 25.3, humidity 69% cloudy morning, brighter afternoon.

 

[Heirloom]

A beautiful day for a beautiful plant. It's looking happy, happy.

 

[Heirloom]

I want you to consider keeping it for a little while if it turns out to be a male. It gives you something to play with and learn. You could top it, bend it...basically do anything without fear of messing it up. Don't just throw it out, use it to learn. You have no other plants to worry about pollinating.

Just a thought.

 

[nagganaggaren]

I had obviously considered what the gender may be and luckily for me, I'm not too bothered if its male, so absolutely from a learning point of view I will carry on regardless of gender.
Its character appears male to me, I don't know why,(what do I know about sexing a 2 or 3 week old seedling?) maybe the fight I had with it or its posture, just has a bit of a bloke thing going on, still, time will tell.
A thousand thoughts and questions fly through the mind about future possibilities but for now a little patience and some light reading.
Always good to read your comments.