First Ever Grow --- Day 4

[Htownextracts]

I would like to start a grow diary! This is my first ever grow and I need to chill out cause it's stressing my out lmao. I am growing autoflower "hemp" seeds legally. Any help is appreciated!!!!!!

I have a 9x5 tent (with a sealed outter room) with 2 fluence spyder 2is. Co2 will be supplemented when it's needed, my tent is sitting at average 600ppm Co2 without supplementing yet.

Germination: I let soak in distilled water for roughly 10-20 hours. I then used the plastic bag method. All 15 germinated quick! Around 48 hours I believe. I could fit a lot more plants in my tent, but I have literally never grown anything so I played it safe at 15... kind of as a trial run.

Planting: Aug 7th I made the beginner mistake of planting too deep. I didn't measure but I'm positive they were all planted around an inch deep, some of them definitely a little more. I planted in 50/50 peat verm with lime and gypsum added. I pre soaked the pots before planting

Seedlings: After flipping shit about planting too deep, I noticed the first plant appear Aug 9th I believe you start counting once the plants breach the soil. In that case, this would be day 4 or 5 for most of the seedlings pictures (taken yesterday) Aug 13th.

Environment: Temp 82 degrees and humidity 35%. Aug 11th, I got a humidifier cause people online say 70% is optimal for seedlings. The tent is now around 78 degrees and staying around 40-55% humidity. Next time around I will purchase a good humidifier as this one seems like it sucks ass. Hopefully the low humidity isn't stunting them too bad?

Watering: Before seedlings emerged I sprayed water on soil whenever I had the chance. Shit dries up so fast though! I have the lights hitting the soil at around 500 PPFD. Given online calculator, on a 24hour lighting right now, they seedlings are getting a DLI of 43. Since they have emerged, I have "watered" 3 times around the seedling. The first two I would barely call watering, but just got the soil a little wet. Estimated about 1 water bottle full TOTAL for all 15 plants? This morning, I noticed some of the leaves looked a little "droopy" as pictured... top inch of soil really dry... so I freaked out and watered around the plant with a good amount this time... about 1.5gallons TOTAL for all 15 plants. Looking back at it, I think I fucked up, but we will see!

Watering has definitely been my biggest struggle so far. It's very hard to gauge such a small seedling is such a big pot, especially as I've never done this. Some are in 3gal and some are in 5gal. I plan to measure ppm of runoff to see how well I am watering, but at the seedling stage I'm not giving any nutes and just going back and forth between oh shit am I drying them out and oh shit I gave them too much and they are gonna suffocate....

 

[Jack og]

They look good man! Good job so far, watering wise, be gentle, like a thimble worth on the perimeter of the plant. Let her shoot out roots and shoots before any extra wet or nute feed, around week 2-3

 

[Htownextracts]

They look good man! Good job so far, watering wise, be gentle, like a thimble worth on the perimeter of the plant. Let her shoot out roots and shoots before any extra wet or nute feed, around week 2-3

Appreciate it! Thanks for the tip, I was wondering when to do a good water and nutes. I started looking up 1 week seedlings on google and some people post pics of big ass plants I don't get it but atleast they are growing!

 

[Htownextracts]

Day 9 (Aug 18)

Temp staying between 75-82 (I have LEDS). Humidity averaging in 50s. Still on 24hr light schedule. Haven't watered since Aug 13th bcus I think I over watered a bit. Topsoil dry, gonna put a little bit of ph water around perimeter later today.

Not much growth in the last 5 days as far as size of the plant. Most plants grew another set of leaves or 2... but small... I reached out to 2 growers who grow this strain, and both said that they start off super slow and then take off, so hopefully that's what will happen!

The second pic is the ugliest of the bunch by far. Leaves are twisting. Looks hideous... is there still hope lol? Not sure what happened to her!

Many of the plants cotelydens are yellowing or looking fucked up, but many people online say that it doesn't matter as long as its not on other leaves, especially new growth.

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

Leaves are twisting. Looks hideous... is there still hope lol?

Yeah they recover really quick during veg. Check that you are not overdoing it on the light for the seedling stage, since even the healthy ones are growing very squat.

Not much growth in the last 5 days as far as size of the plant.

When started directly in the final container like this, seedlings focus on root growth for a little longer before growing much above ground. Not a big deal, just keep focus on health not speed.

 

[Htownextracts]

Yeah they recover really quick during veg. Check that you are not overdoing it on the light for the seedling stage, since even the healthy ones are growing very squat.

Good to hear thanks! And yea I could see that as they are being blasted rn. I may raise lights but it would be easier to just switch to 18/6 vs the current 24hr. Do you think that will help out or the amount of time is less important and raising would be better? Thanks

When started directly in the final container like this, seedlings focus on root growth for a little longer before growing much above ground. Not a big deal, just keep focus on health not speed.

I didn't think about that, but that makes a lot of sense

 

[Madbud]

Theoretically, when you plant in the last phase of the moon (like now) the roots grow more. Planting in the new moon increases leaf growth, theoretically. Look good so far, as mentioned go easy on water and no nutes til at least the cotyledons (first round “leaves”) wilt.

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

Good to hear thanks! And yea I could see that as they are being blasted rn. I may raise lights but it would be easier to just switch to 18/6 vs the current 24hr. Do you think that will help out or the amount of time is less important and raising would be better? Thanks

I would go to 18/6 and decrease the intensity. @One drop has some good tips on using a free light meter app. Or you can just decrease it 30% or more and ease it back up if you see them stretch.

 

[Madmax]

That last one i think you are overwatering.i always start in small pots.i plant seeds 5-6mm deep and turn the tap on so it just drips say 6-7 times thats it..i too will b a first timer soon indoors so im keen to watch others succeed ..took me three goes purchasing a humidifier..first one was great but was 100watts so i took it back and got a refund .tried another and had nanocloud technology and didnt work very well.so id advise not get one like that...this last one is awesome 25watt draw and can b turned up or down by the turn of the knob.was reasonably dear 150au .ive just bought an inkbird humidifier dehumidifier to keep it all under control..

 

[iTurniGrow]

As a noob that is new also, this is how I done it for watering my plants

First 3-5 days just going twice around with a spray bottle twice a day
After that I counted to 10seconds while spraying lol - once /daily
Eventually I just moved onto making sure the cups felt top heavy compared to th bottom and now in 3gal fabs I just judge by weight if it feels too light I'll water. Every 3-4 days, varies each pot now, some are drying quicker than others although I'll try keep them the same.

It's always better to wait till they're dry before watering again, more problems arise due to overwater than underwatering =p
All the guys here are great, they'll help you out alot, I learned so much from Aqua, Frank and Fourthcity =p

 

[Htownextracts]

Theoretically, when you plant in the last phase of the moon (like now) the roots grow more. Planting in the new moon increases leaf growth, theoretically. Look good so far, as mentioned go easy on water and no nutes til at least the cotyledons (first round “leaves”) wilt.

Never heard of that theory lol. And will do thanks

 

[Htownextracts]

I would go to 18/6 and decrease the intensity. @One drop has some good tips on using a free light meter app. Or you can just decrease it 30% or more and ease it back up if you see them stretch.

I have a PAR meter so I know exactly how much light they are getting. I don't remember the units but it's something like 500umols/something and it comes out to DLI of 42 with them being on 24/7. I do not have a dimmer unfortunately, but I can forsure switch to 18/6, and I could move the lights up about a foot maybe a little more!

 

[Htownextracts]

That last one i think you are overwatering.i always start in small pots.i plant seeds 5-6mm deep and turn the tap on so it just drips say 6-7 times thats it..i too will b a first timer soon indoors so im keen to watch others succeed ..took me three goes purchasing a humidifier..first one was great but was 100watts so i took it back and got a refund .tried another and had nanocloud technology and didnt work very well.so id advise not get one like that...this last one is awesome 25watt draw and can b turned up or down by the turn of the knob.was reasonably dear 150au .ive just bought an inkbird humidifier dehumidifier to keep it all under control..

Thanks I will look into that humidifier/dehumdifier for the next go around forsure Im having to refill mine 2/3 times a day and it wont get above 60%! I definitely planted too deep... Learning curve! I wanted to start smaller pots for that reason but the breeder advised me not too cause he said these are extremely delicate seeds so I didn't

 

[Htownextracts]

 

[Htownextracts]

AUG 23rd (End of Week 2)
-raised light on half of the tent. Going to compare sides. Many of the plants weren't looking good in throughout week 2. I didn't adjust my water ph for a couple of waterings. Since adjusting, almost all of the plants rebounded and are looking good now. However, 3 of them developed grey spots on leaves. The leaves on the last picture was the plant most effected and leaves are dying off but new growth looks ok. About 10/15 look great, but still small. About 3/15 have first leaves grey or brown!

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

What soil are you in?

 

[Htownextracts]

What soil are you in?

50/50 peat vermiculite

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

50/50 peat vermiculite

Have you started feeding nutrition yet? I didn't realize realize you were in an inert mix, since you said soil.

Just to clarify, 50/50 peat vermiculite with nothing else right?
Also is the peat you bought ph buffered?

 

[Htownextracts]

Have you started feeding nutrition yet? I didn't realize realize you were in an inert mix, since you said soil.

Just to clarify, 50/50 peat vermiculite with nothing else right?
Also is the peat you bought ph buffered?

I have not started nutes yet. Was considering doing 1/8 on next water (tomorrow) but wasn't sure! Its 50/50 peat verm with some dolomitic like and pelletized gypsum.

 

[Htownextracts]

I have not started nutes yet. Was considering doing 1/8 on next water (tomorrow) but wasn't sure! Its 50/50 peat verm with some dolomitic like and pelletized gypsum.

Im doing 20-10-20 petes special, water soluble fertilizer. Nothing else this first time around!