Random Growing Tips I Honestly Never Thought About

[cpurola]

Something I learned today that I thought applied here:

If you're growing synthetic in coco or DWC and add a humic/fulvic acid supplement like diamond nectar or ancient earth to the reservoir, it adds organic matter that can increase bacterial blooms, root rot, etc.

For a more sterile rez stay away from any humic/fulvic acids, sugar/complex carb and kelp/seaweed extracts. They may be marketed as straight hydroponic nutrients but they change the synthetic/organic profile of your reservoir and can cause extra challenges if proper temperature etc. is not maintained.

Okay, so I just got my Clone King today so I should plan to use synth fertz only. What one/ones do you use?

 

[Grownsince95]

Okay, so I just got my Clone King today so I should plan to use synth fertz only. What one/ones do you use?

GH trio for 30 years. If you want cheaper and powder, I hear Jacks makes good stuff too.

 

[Brother_Antioch]

GH trio for 30 years. If you want cheaper and powder, I hear Jacks makes good stuff too.

I used GH trio on my last grow in Promix HP, and I'm using it again in my DWC grow now. Absolutely loving it. I just had to dial back their recommended doses and I hit my EC every time...and as a bonus, it lasts longer!

 

[Ninjadogma]

Once freed from the container, I hold mine by the root nub inside a garbage bag and just keep spanking the root ball until the medium falls away and I'm left holding bare roots. You have to keep turning it around as you do it but it eventually all falls off. It has to be on the dry-ish side but not brittle so the roots don't break up too much. There's always going to be some that make it through however.

You described much better what I was trying to say!

Just did an up-pot today and it's like that... except you keep going with the tapping until you're just holding a plant skeleton

 

[Grownsince95]

You described much better what I was trying to say!

Just did an up-pot today and it's like that... except you keep going with the tapping until you're just holding a plant skeleton

You "naked" your roots when you transplant?? That's mighty brave of you sir!!

 

[Ninjadogma]

You "naked" your roots when you transplant?? That's mighty brave of you sir!!

That's when I'm tossing a root ball of a harvested plant so there's no roots in the dirt and no good dirt getting thrown away. When I'm transplanting and up potting I'm only shaking about 1/2 an inch of roots free on the sides and bottom. I also give the ready root ball a quick mist and a dusting of mycos on the sides before dropping it in... When I friggen remember to do it.

 

[Ninjadogma]

Monster Cropping: Multiple Ways to Get There

When most people think of monster cropping they probably think of a technique of taking a cutting in early flower. That's probably the best textbook version, but not the only way to "monster" the plant. You can also do this by rooting a normal vegging cutting on a 12/12 light schedule. Or you can root a clone normally which is much faster, and once it roots, put it on a 12/12 schedule until the tops show it shifting to flower and then flip it back. I've done all 3 and they all give you the hormone driven growth.

The key difference in all 3 is the rooting time. Rooting an early flowering cutting is the slowest, up to 7 weeks. After that is rooting on 12/12 and that can take 3-4 weeks. Rooting first and then monstering is normal rooting time, but it's not really a shortcut. It still involves the time to trigger the hormone signaling (both directions, to flower and back to veg) and the other two methods this is happening while you're waiting for the rooting so you're doing two things at once. All take about the same amount of time... rooting first and then monstering will likely push your "ready to flip" date further out, but you'll have the peace of mind that it successfully rooted because cloning flowering plants has a much lower success rate.

 

[PlumberSoCal2]

That's what the instructions say with the clone covers with vents. Open them up a little longer each day.
I surmise that the lower humidity for longer periods encourages new root growth without depleting fluids too much.

Oh, my random observation. Septoria and Alternia (leaf spot) outdoors, will calm down when the temperature drops. Keep the plants alive and as disease free near the buds as you can and wait 'till October to harvest.

(southeast michigan)

I remove them during the day and replace before dusk keeping some of that heat. For seedlings too.

Those plastic containers roasted chicken is sold in are great little seed starters. Place them on a seed mat

 

[PlumberSoCal2]

I remove them during the day and replace before dusk keeping some of that heat. For seedlings too.View attachment 2621530View attachment 2621531

Those plastic containers roasted chicken is sold in are great little seed starters. Place them on a seed mat

A $4 baked chicken comes in a two piece covered cloner

 

[Ninjadogma]

View attachment 2621557View attachment 2621558
A $4 baked chicken comes in a two piece covered cloner

Costco did us all a big injustice by switching to bags for their rotisserie chickens.

 

[TannedViking]

Reusing Your Soil

Soil can get expensive if you have to keep buying it every new run you do. Since soil is mostly just for structure that will support biologicals and can be reloaded with nutrients, buffers and microbes, there's no reason to throw it out unless it's contaminated with something like a root pathogen or virus.

Steps for reusing

1). Flush out salts and biological waste. Rinse the soil until runoff EC drops to 1.0 or lower. This is to remove accumulated salts, excess nutrients and anaerobic byproducts. Afterward, let it dry up some.

2). Add structural and mineral amendments: Fresh perlite, biochar, gypsum, and your vegging dry amend (balanced NPK + mocros).

Optional: If slurry ph is coming back higher than 6.9, finish with a very modest amount of elemental sulfer mixed in to the top 2 inches only. This gently corrects upward ph drift over time.

3). Activate the soil with a pre-feed. Add your liquid veg nute along with seaweed extract, molasses, Epsom salt and humic acid. Water it in and let it rest for 24-48 hours to stabilize the nutrients and wake the microbes up. (Target EC 1.4-1.6)

Your used soil is ready for reuse, and in most cases it will be even better than when you first bought it because the structure, carbon content and microbial life are more developed.

Additional notes: If you need help with how much perlite/biochar to add or any questions about the supporting additives, DM me or feel free to ask in this thread.

Been reactivating used soil in the garden. It's been completely drained by rain and dried through winter. I'm trying out basalt rock dust in the mix, 'cooking' it a few weeks first. It makes soil surprisingly airy, pulls PH up and is also a way to get some extra silica and trace in there. Makes the soil feel like coco almost. The cooking beforehand is pretty important though.

 

[Ninjadogma]

Been reactivating used soil in the garden. It's been completely drained by rain and dried through winter. I'm trying out basalt rock dust in the mix, 'cooking' it a few weeks first. It makes soil surprisingly airy, pulls PH up and is also a way to get some extra silica and trace in there. Makes the soil feel like coco almost. The cooking beforehand is pretty important though.

That's pretty cool. Going to look into the volcanics, it's on my list. Like swapping some perlite for pumice for starters.

I haven't done a long cook, usually just a 48 hour cocktail to bring the sea monkeys to life. Doesnt really have to be watered down after the presoak... if the biochar isn't presoaked it'll absorb some excess nutes. (Extra little shortcut hack for charging the biochar there too, just do it when you do your soil presoak).

 

[420Captain]

My contribution :
I use those stretchy things to keep the tent from getting sucked in half size by the fan when it's at 100%

 

[Hossgrows]

DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN RESERVOIRS

In most real systems, circulation and strong surface movement put more dissolved oxygen (DO) into water than air stones do.

The reason comes down to gas exchange physics. Oxygen enters water mainly at the air–water interface. The faster that interface is refreshed and mixed, the faster oxygen dissolves. Surface turbulence continually replaces oxygen-depleted water with fresh water at the surface.

Air stones mainly help by moving water, not by dissolving much oxygen directly.

Important points:

• The bubbles themselves transfer relatively little oxygen.
• Most bubbles reach the surface before dissolving much O₂.
• Their real value is circulation and surface agitation created by rising bubbles.

Fine-bubble diffusers improve transfer somewhat, but the effect is still modest compared with aggressive surface mixing.

What actually gives the highest DO?

In descending order of effectiveness (generally):

1. Waterfalls / strong surface turbulence
2. Venturi injectors or spray bars
3. Strong circulation pumps aimed at the surface
4. Air stones / bubble diffusers

Important limit

Water can only hold oxygen up to saturation, which depends mostly on temperature.

Approximate maximum DO at sea level:

Water temp	Max dissolved O₂
68°F (20°C)	~9 mg/L
77°F (25°C)	~8.3 mg/L
86°F (30°C)	~7.5 mg/L

Warmer water holds less oxygen, which matters for hydroponics and reservoirs.

I run both a circulation pump and a big air stone for backup, plus my 1/2" feeder line returns back to the res, pushing a good stream.

Your describing a livewell system in a boat.

 

[trygrowup]

Best thing i ever did for my growing.

But if i should make them now i would choose 3cm wheels instead of these 5cm wheels and maybe make it a bit wider, for better stability.
It is also possible to buy some ready made for the price i payed for making these, but most of them got very bad quality wheels.
It cost me around 10 dollars for one.
If i had a tent i would put a plywood board to protect the tent bottom.

But for me with front access it has been a game changer. Much more easy to access plant. Even if i only grow in 1 m2

Warning!!! They are addictive.

Edit: All 4 wheels can turn but only 2 turning wheels is needed.

 

[Ninjadogma]

Strategy for More Even Drybacks

If you're fighting uneven drybacks, try this: A top dress preparation with 70% fresh peat and 30% worm castings... Before using it, give it a watering with 2-3 drops of Dr. Bronner castile soap per quart to act as a wetting agent. Or, I don't know what they use in Pro Mix as a wetting agent but it's ideal, and you grab a fistful you feel that fluff.

Leave the perlite out (or don't add any to pro mix and EWC) and it becomes a moisture cap. If there's any unevenness to the soil, it will help level out the moisture. Thought it was worth a share because this one really helped in my situation.

 

[Ninjadogma]

Best thing i ever did for my growing.
View attachment 2624996
But if i should make them now i would choose 3cm wheels instead of these 5cm wheels and maybe make it a bit wider, for better stability.
It is also possible to buy some ready made for the price i payed for making these, but most of them got very bad quality wheels.
It cost me around 10 dollars for one.
If i had a tent i would put a plywood board to protect the tent bottom.

But for me with front access it has been a game changer. Much more easy to access plant. Even if i only grow in 1 m2

Warning!!! They are addictive.

Edit: All 4 wheels can turn but only 2 turning wheels is needed.

I get my casters cheap at Harbor Freight and they also sell the flat dollys cheap. Comes in handy if you move plants around the yard for sure, especially >5gal

 

[Grownsince95]

If you want to unlock some of the mystery of your tap water ppm without a municipal water report, this aquarium test kit will tell you both general hardness, and carbonate hardness.

My tap water is ~250 ppm. According to the test I have 125 ppm of Ca and Mg, plus 53 ppm of CO³. So there's about 75 ppm of road salt, water treatment, other crap also in the water.

What do we take from those results? The buffer, KH (CO³) is on the low side. I will have a harder time keeping pH stable as is. The GH (Ca/Mg) is good for my style of growing. I can stop buying calmag lol. The extra 75 ppm of mystery salt is no bueno.

 

[PlumberSoCal2]

Ive been asked many times what I mean by water only for 1st week after seed pop

This goes for clones before rooting as well. H2o first 7-10 days is all a seedling needs to thrive. If you start off full strength nutes you'll hurt them.

Just water and gently

 

[greengrower73]

GH trio for 30 years. If you want cheaper and powder, I hear Jacks makes good stuff too.

lol, are you me in another world? + cal/magic/ koolbloom liquid/ koolbloom dry/ diamond nectar/ or flurolicious plus in veg in a peat based mix, now in autopots