15 years since last grow.

[FlakeInShoe]

It's been awhile since I've grown anything and things sure have advanced over the years, I'm officially a newb again.

I popped 3 beans (blimburn gsc, seedsman WW, seedsman Bruce banger) and everything has been going good til now. I think I might need to think about some fertilizer.

Here is where I was at two days ago, things looked find to me.

And here is where I am now at day 12 from seed.

The roots look good and they need a transplant soon. I'm using homebrew soil. 1 part peat, 1 part black kow compost, 1 part mushroom compost mixed with 50% perlite and I have some jobe's organic tomato 2-5-3 which hasn't been used yet. Ph has always been 6.5, room temps are always mid 70s and the 130w blurple is 12" from the canopy.
The gsc is looking good but the ww and Bruce banger are getting a little yellow on the bottom. Should I pick up some higher N fert and give them a little after a repot?

 

[MIMedGrower]

Looks like watering to often. I suggest letting them dry out real good before doing anything. They should perk up in a few days.

 

[FlakeInShoe]

Looks like watering to often. I suggest letting them dry out real good before doing anything. They should perk up in a few days.

Alright, will do. Been letting them get pretty light between watering but haven't seen any signs of under watering so you may be right, thanks.

 

[MIMedGrower]

Alright, will do. Been letting them get pretty light between watering but haven't seen any signs of under watering so you may be right, thanks.

Under t-5 flourescents my seedlings usually go a week in the cups the first two times. That compost may hold some water even if the cup seems dry I think. I had that problem with added worm castings.

 

[FlakeInShoe]

Under t-5 flourescents my seedlings usually go a week in the cups the first two times. That compost may hold some water even if the cup seems dry I think. I had that problem with added worm castings.

That makes sense, the peat and perlite lightened it up a lot but the compost was pretty dense.

 

[oldskol4evr]

drainage a big factor too,but them plants are over watered for sure,there big enough for a transplant now,might be the right move to get them in bigger pots with better soil,black kow has a shit load of sand in it ,so that good for drainage,but my choice wouldbe the mushroom compost ,not both,another reason id back off the kow is cow shit dries into paddies and rehydrating them is almost impossible,then you have big chunks that really isnt helping much with weed anyway,it like to feed and drain well if you dig,the mushroom will have more peat moss init which hold water better but doesnt compact as much.
so what im saying is you should choice one or other ,go 1/1/1 compost ,perlite,silt,if it isnt top grade soil make up for it with nutrients but carful doing so,and always look at them bags of soil to see if they have slow relese nutes in them ,never buy them hahaah

 

[FlakeInShoe]

drainage a big factor too,but them plants are over watered for sure,there big enough for a transplant now,might be the right move to get them in bigger pots with better soil,black kow has a shit load of sand in it ,so that good for drainage,but my choice wouldbe the mushroom compost ,not both,another reason id back off the kow is cow shit dries into paddies and rehydrating them is almost impossible,then you have big chunks that really isnt helping much with weed anyway,it like to feed and drain well if you dig,the mushroom will have more peat moss init which hold water better but doesnt compact as much.
so what im saying is you should choice one or other ,go 1/1/1 compost ,perlite,silt,if it isnt top grade soil make up for it with nutrients but carful doing so,and always look at them bags of soil to see if they have slow relese nutes in them ,never buy them hahaah

1/1/1 compost, perlite, silt. Silt = sand?

 

[oldskol4evr]

1/1/1 compost, perlite, silt. Silt = sand?

no sand is sand,silt is soil,soil is minerals you want ,sand is drainage and really good for only that,take to point and try this,once you have this close to were you want your soil then add the perlite for extra drainage,
i shoot for loam,but live with sandy loam,so you can use soil from your yard if all is ideal for weed,just add drainage,but same token is while that soil is building to acomidate what the plant needs you gonna have to feed it also,once the soil has bioligy then you can water only and grow herb friend,my intent was to let you know you can grow in compost ,but hydration of it and when to and when not to hydrate it is key and more pain in the ass than not

 

[FlakeInShoe]

no sand is sand,silt is soil,soil is minerals you want ,sand is drainage and really good for only that,take to point and try this,once you have this close to were you want your soil then add the perlite for extra drainage,
i shoot for loam,but live with sandy loam,so you can use soil from your yard if all is ideal for weed,just add drainage,but same token is while that soil is building to acomidate what the plant needs you gonna have to feed it also,once the soil has bioligy then you can water only and grow herb friend,my intent was to let you know you can grow in compost ,but hydration of it and when to and when not to hydrate it is key and more pain in the ass than not

Thanks for the clarification, I've always known silt as a super sandy river deposit that can range from powdery to rock hard clay based stuff. Kinda threw me for a loop. A peat/compost/perlite mix won't work? Soil must be included?

 

[stanknugzz77]

I feel you on starting over after years away. I took a 4-5 year break from growing because I couldn't keep up with work and caring for a disabled family member. Now I am having horrible germination rates with my seed collection. I will figure it out. I am just happy to be growing cannabis again.

Your seedlings definitely look a little overwatered. Also, if it is the same black kow compost that you are using that I am thinking of, it definitely seems to be a little high on the sand/salt content, so it may be running a little hot and burning your seedlings. Welcome back to growing and I wish you well with it! Positive vibes...

~nugzz

 

[oldskol4evr]

Thanks for the clarification, I've always known silt as a super sandy river deposit that can range from powdery to rock hard clay based stuff. Kinda threw me for a loop. A peat/compost/perlite mix won't work? Soil must be included?

peat compost perlite will work fine,i was just saying the 2 difrent compost could be a factor to deal with down the line,hell ya it work,peat moss is the base to just about every bag of soil you see.
if you wanted to make soil is why ithrew up the difrence

 

[oldskol4evr]

I feel you on starting over after years away. I took a 4-5 year break from growing because I couldn't keep up with work and caring for a disabled family member. Now I am having horrible germination rates with my seed collection. I will figure it out. I am just happy to be growing cannabis again.

Your seedlings definitely look a little overwatered. Also, if it is the same black kow compost that you are using that I am thinking of, it definitely seems to be a little high on the sand/salt content, so it may be running a little hot and burning your seedlings. Welcome back to growing and I wish you well with it! Positive vibes...

~nugzz

i agree ,it is full of sand ,at least every bag ive had,still good compost ,but the scrapings have plenty of soil in with the manure,and if you find a wet bag dont buy it,that crap takes forever to dry

 

[FlakeInShoe]

Here is the worst one a day later. The droop is going away (the largest fan leaf tips were almost touching the stem at one point) and growth has resumed as they dry out. Do y'all reckon the purple and yellowing of the lower leaves is/was potassium lockout due to over watering?
The zinnias are perking up and the purpling/yellowing stopped on them so apparently over watering has much the same effect on those too. Moved everything to the HID box thinking it might help dry the soil a bit faster than the little blurple so now they are under 400w hps instead of 130w+/- LED. Dropped one and had to repot it in the process, did quite a bit of damage to it when I dropped it, gotta stop fiddling with things.

 

[MIMedGrower]

Here is the worst one a day later. The droop is going away (the largest fan leaf tips were almost touching the stem at one point) and growth has resumed as they dry out. Do y'all reckon the purple and yellowing of the lower leaves is/was potassium lockout due to over watering?
The zinnias are perking up and the purpling/yellowing stopped on them so apparently over watering has much the same effect on those too. Moved everything to the HID box thinking it might help dry the soil a bit faster than the little blurple so now they are under 400w hps instead of 130w+/- LED. Dropped one and had to repot it in the process, did quite a bit of damage to it when I dropped it, gotta stop fiddling with things.

View attachment 928400View attachment 928402View attachment 928404

Yes the phosphorous was locked out. Keep having patience and they should bounce right back. Plus the roots will branch out more in a drier cycle.

 

[FlakeInShoe]

Yes the phosphorous was locked out. Keep having patience and they should bounce right back. Plus the roots will branch out more in a drier cycle.

They're pretty much root bound already, things were going pretty well until I over watered. Don't know why i wrote potassium, definitely meant phosphorous. I'm hopeful, y'all are a big help.

 

[FlakeInShoe]

Update. Discovered a new issue. My tap water has a ph of 9! The lockout happened after I watered with my tap water the first time, until then I had been using bottled water that was 6.0. So I repotted when everything dried out and now I'm back to using bottled water. The stems and undersides of the leaves are much less purple, the droop is gone, growth is better and I think the yellowing from the bottom up has stopped.

The zinnias I'm growing along side have been my guinea pigs, they have been exhibiting the same symptoms and got worse when I watered them with tap water the 2nd time which led to me checking it before I hit the plants I really care about with it again.

I guess it's ro water from here on out?

Bruce banger

WW

Gsc

Smooth(er) sailing ahead, I hope.

 

[Kampbe1l]

agh, your startup is a familiar experience, i just went thru. hang in there. my major lesson was to get the soil mix 'right'.

you can adjust the pH of your tap water by using diluted pH Down solution. sounds like you already got a pH pen and its calibration & buffer solutions? i think you could even use lemon juice...and other household items to lower pH, but never tried it, so don't know how effective these methods are...

i gather you leave the tap water for at least 24 hours to sit - it's pH would change from straight out of the tap, and 24 hours later....

Why do we do it? It must be fun, hey.

 

[FlakeInShoe]

agh, your startup is a familiar experience, i just went thru. hang in there. my major lesson was to get the soil mix 'right'.

you can adjust the pH of your tap water by using diluted pH Down solution. sounds like you already got a pH pen and its calibration & buffer solutions? i think you could even use lemon juice...and other household items to lower pH, but never tried it, so don't know how effective these methods are...

i gather you leave the tap water for at least 24 hours to sit - it's pH would change from straight out of the tap, and 24 hours later....

Why do we do it? It must be fun, hey.

Got a pen, probe and a kit for ponds with drops. After sitting out awhile the tap water does drop a little but it's still almost 9 and that's after sitting out for way longer than 24hrs. It's pretty alkaline stuff, i probably should have realised that since it occasionally clogs pipes with the calcium/lime/whatever buildup. Don't know if I would even wanna use it after being ph'd, with all the chloramine and who knows what in it. I might use some of the pond ph down and see how it works on the zinnias.

 

[Kampbe1l]

agh, there you go. then bottled water, huh, figures, the local dirty water supply.

yup, that's what i sometimes do, test on other plants....

 

[BloodShot]

Got a pen, probe and a kit for ponds with drops. After sitting out awhile the tap water does drop a little but it's still almost 9 and that's after sitting out for way longer than 24hrs. It's pretty alkaline stuff, i probably should have realised that since it occasionally clogs pipes with the calcium/lime/whatever buildup. Don't know if I would even wanna use it after being ph'd, with all the chloramine and who knows what in it. I might use some of the pond ph down and see how it works on the zinnias.

You should check the ppm or ec of your tap water also.
I just purchased a small ro unit for 50 gallons a day, so far so good and has taken the water from faucet down from aprox. 230ppm to 2ppm.
Waiting to see how much I get from it before filter replacement but depending on where you live "what brand you buy" and what your readings are from faucet it may be an option and buying a new unit could be as cheap for you as my filter replacement costs...I'll tell you this, it sure beats carrying a couple five gallon jugs every other day. Connects to faucet and they sent a free adapter, so it's portable as well.

It also tastes great.