Winging It In Winter By The Window: Soil Auto Grow

[Carmen Ray]

If your barely-four-leafed plant is hungry then your soil will never work without bottled nutes. I'm in an inert medium and I don't start feeding until the second set of true leave is completely in. I'd say that coloring is either a mutation or the pH of the soil is way off.

Can we get a shot from above?

Thanks Shed, yes here is a pic from above. By hungry I meant that perhaps I had overwatered and the roots were not getting in the nutrition from the soil? I could swear that the sprog is looking perkier after the foliar treatment. Honestly this is great LOS, it is amongst our top craft soils, specifically mixed for cannabis.
In this pic you can see the paler flecks in the leaves.

 

[InTheShed]

I think that's a natural variegation, which is why I asked for a top view!

 

[Azimuth]

I think that's a natural variegation, which is why I asked for a top view!

That would be great if that's what it is.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Looks pretty stretchy to me Carmen if it were mine I'd lower the light a bit.

Ty BK. I moved her closer to the light. The real leggyness was in the first couple of days. I'm not so worried about her height anymore as she fills out. She has responded well to the move.

I think that's a natural variegation, which is why I asked for a top view!

Whew well that's a relief, thanks Shed! Those roots are growing quite quickly I think. How will I know when to give this little seedling a drink? Geez I don't know how I managed outdoors with this level of hesitancy and self-doubt.

That would be great if that's what it is.

Yes, and she has definitely perked up since the foliar treatment! Her "prayer angle" has improved.

 

[InTheShed]

I water my sprouts when the soil looks dry through the cup and it feels light, and only around the edge.

 

[Azimuth]

I just looked at your soil mix again. Shed may be on to something as that soil should have everything that's needed for the next few months.

Just watch your watering tactics and let it dry out as Shed mentioned to keep your roots healthy and growing. If you drown the roots that can lead to root rot and you will show deficiencies even though there's plenty of nutes there, just the plant can't access them because of root damage.

I don't think you're there, just suggesting you get your watering game dialed in.

 

[BubbaKush909]

One thing I've found very helpful, especially with multiple plants, is to keep a record of when you water. It's easy to forget. And it shows patterns, so you'll know when she's slowing down at the end. I don't trust my memory lol! Good luck Carmen!

 

[Carmen Ray]

I don't trust my memory

Omg I don't trust mine anymore lol. I have it all on a spreadsheet That's how I mixed up my seeds. I have a sprout that can either be the NBA Diesel, or a West Coast OG, because I got distracted before I labelled them!

 

[HashGirl]

I do, the drainage is at the bottom. I'm afraid I will traumatize the plant if I start poking holes in the sides. I wonder what I could use to do it. It probably needs a hot nail or something Do you think that's why she looks hungry, because she is in too much moisture? I did a foliar feed of the kelp solution. 0.5ml to 1.5L water. I painted it on first with a brush and then by pinky finger. I hope she gets the nutrition she needs.

If too much moisture in the cup is the problem, Carcass has a good fix, which you can find here.

 

[Trala]

It’s so hard not to go Def Con 9, but I think she looks good. In one weeks time she’ll look like a proper little toddler. No one likes this new born stage of growing. Hang in there and try not to overthink it. Sometimes less is best.

As far as my shade of green, I prefer simple. I don’t add anything extra. I use a tablespoon of a granulated slow release grow fertiliser for every foot measurement of plant every 4 weeks, and swap to a granulated slow release flower nute during flower. And you would DIE if you saw the way I watered LOLLLL.

 

[Carmen Ray]

If too much moisture in the cup is the problem, Carcass has a good fix, which you can find here.

That's an excellent idea! Thanks HG. I couldn't cut the base like that, I don't know if it is weak wrists or bad scissors or both but I had already made a star shaped slit in the bottom for drainage and I felt the soil. It feels moist but I think it might be ok for now. It's not soggy or wet, more like damp.

It’s so hard not to go Def Con 9, but I think she looks good. In one weeks time she’ll look like a proper little toddler. No one likes this new born stage of growing. Hang in there and try not to overthink it. Sometimes less is best.

As far as my shade of green, I prefer simple. I don’t add anything extra. I use a tablespoon of a granulated slow release grow fertiliser for every foot measurement of plant every 4 weeks, and swap to a granulated slow release flower nute during flower. And you would DIE if you saw the way I watered LOLLLL.

Lmao @ Def Con 9, toddlers vs newborns and shocking watering practices! I have heard of slow release nutes. I am interested to know more about them. Heading over to Google after this. Your green is close to emerald green when I think of it. Thanks for the encouragement Trala.

 

[Trala]

Lmao @ Def Con 9, toddlers vs newborns and shocking watering practices! I have heard of slow release nutes. I am interested to know more about them. Heading over to Google after this. Your green is close to emerald green when I think of it. Thanks for the encouragement Trala.

Newborn seedlings are just awful. You constantly check for breathing. Constantly check for proof of life. And they nearly kill you with worry in the process.

 

[Skottelgoed Spons]

New seedling:

 

[Carmen Ray]

11 May 2022 - Day 1 NBA Diesel (or West Coast OG)
Today I noticed that sprout number 2 was growing upside down in the peat puck. I gently moved the peat away from around it and lifted it out, replacing it the right way around. I just hope it is going to recover, otherwise another wasted seed and two wasted weeks!

And then another of my lovely little CK, aged 9 days above ground

 

[BubbaKush909]

Morning Carmen! That's crazy it was upside down, I think as long as you kept the roots intact it should be ok. They are amazingly resilient. I started a seed 2 weeks ago, I planted it but it didn't break ground. After 3 days I went looking for it, it was trying to grow sideways and looked mostly dead. I fixed it like you did and to my amazement 2 days later it broke ground and now looks like a normal seedling. Good luck!

 

[Carmen Ray]

I just looked at your soil mix again. Shed may be on to something as that soil should have everything that's needed for the next few months.

Just watch your watering tactics and let it dry out as Shed mentioned to keep your roots healthy and growing. If you drown the roots that can lead to root rot and you will show deficiencies even though there's plenty of nutes there, just the plant can't access them because of root damage.

I don't think you're there, just suggesting you get your watering game dialed in.

Hi Azi, I'm sorry I didn't respond properly earlier. You're right I was concerned that the roots may have been feeling a bit drowned from possible slight over-watering. The roots are growing in all directions now. It's great to see. Check them out in the pic. Are they happy looking roots?

I water my sprouts when the soil looks dry through the cup and it feels light, and only around the edge.

I was thinking that growth would stall and she may droop if thirsty and that I could tell from her condition if she needed a drink. I don't remember the weight before the puck and then the water went in. My eye is not practiced enough to know if the soil has dried. Can you tell from the pic by any chance?

New seedling:

A breach birth and into icu, her cotys are starting to face the light now, so by all appearances this plant will continue to improve.... don't want to count my chickens before they hatch but it's looking good so far.

Newborn seedlings are just awful. You constantly check for breathing. Constantly check for proof of life. And they nearly kill you with worry in the process.

Oh yes!

it was trying to grow sideways and looked mostly dead. I fixed it like you did and to my amazement 2 days later it broke ground and now looks like a normal seedling. Good luck!

Thanks BK I love to hear encouraging anecdotes about growing through adversity. This is what mine was doing, the root was almost poking through the peat when I spotted it, and the cotyledons were at a sideways angle. Interesting, the other one was born with it's seed still attached and that I removed with the tip of a barbeque stick. Last year a locust almost annihilated an older seedling that I'd already put in its hole in the ground, literally leaving a stalk with a tiny bit of leaf, and within a few months she gave me a beautiful crop.

Thank you for stopping by, folks


Now for some photos of the newborn and the infant.

Day 10 AG (above ground) - Caramel King
She's growing so she's eating. My guts tell me that I need to water and I know that is a terribly unreliable method of discerning facts lol... please look at the roots and the soil and tell me if you think there is still enough moisture in there, or whether I should syringe some more down the sides.

Day 2 AG - NBA Diesel (that's my guess but we will only know at the end)
So happy to see the cotys pulling themselves up and open towards the light.

Have a groovy day

 

[InTheShed]

It looks wet in that pic but I'm having a hard time gauging the weight from here.

Take a solo cup of your soil dry out of the bag and compare the weight to the plant's cup. You can use that as a comparison to know when it's light.

 

[Carmen Ray]

hard time gauging the weight from here.

I want to pinch those cheeks lolololol...

... ok so I am back and weighed the cups. The dry one weighed 167.7 g and the planted one 299.9 g. That's a big difference. I wonder what the puck, and plant weigh. If most of that additional weight is water then I will just check everyday until it weighs under 200g I guess. Would that be about right do you think? ::embarrassed face emoji::

Also, while I am thinking about it, I have been looking at a LOT of journals and have become a bit overwhelmed with new info and kind of confused. Would you up-pot your autos into 1 gal (4 L) bags before they went into their final homes, or go straight from solo cup to 20 Litres?

I have some 4 L bags prepared but am not sure if the autos have the time for more than one up-potting if topped and repotted at the early signs of flower? If I recall correctly, @BooWho2, you said they go from cup to final pot in your grows, is that right?
Please will any interested auto growers weigh in on this

 

[Jon]

I want to pinch those cheeks lolololol...

... ok so I am back and weighed the cups. The dry one weighed 167.7 g and the planted one 299.9 g. That's a big difference. I wonder what the puck, and plant weigh. If most of that additional weight is water then I will just check everyday until it weighs under 200g I guess. Would that be about right do you think? ::embarrassed face emoji::

Also, while I am thinking about it, I have been looking at a LOT of journals and have become a bit overwhelmed with new info and kind of confused. Would you up-pot your autos into 1 gal (4 L) bags before they went into their final homes, or go straight from solo cup to 20 Litres?

I have some 4 L bags prepared but am not sure if the autos have the time for more than one up-potting if topped and repotted at the early signs of flower? If I recall correctly, @BooWho2, you said they go from cup to final pot in your grows, is that right?
Please will any interested auto growers weigh in on this

My two cents is to only up pot from the Dixie to the final home. That, and don't up pot until you have a real rootball in the Dixie, not just roots to the bottom and a couple on the side as you showed. For what it's worth. MAYBE two cents. Lol.

 

[InTheShed]

The dry one weighed 167.7 g and the planted one 299.9 g. That's a big difference. I wonder what the puck, and plant weigh. If most of that additional weight is water then I will just check everyday until it weighs under 200g I guess. Would that be about right do you think?

You can do it with a scale or by feel. I think you should get used to it by feel so that you don't have start weighing big bags of wet soil!

Also, while I am thinking about it, I have been looking at a LOT of journals and have become a bit overwhelmed with new info and kind of confused. Would you up-pot your autos into 1 gal (4 L) bags before they went into their final homes, or go straight from solo cup to 20 Litres?

What Jon said! The only reason to go to larger and larger pots is to make watering easier. The bigger the pot the more precise the watering until it fills that pot with roots. As long as you water correctly, moving to the final size will minimize stress on the plant.

That's four cents now!