Seed to Session: The Chronic-al of a tumbleweed's Journey to Unlock the Mysteries of Ganja

[Tumbleweed375]

I started germination of 3 feminized seeds on July 19th. It took me a while to get some things dialed in, and even longer to get around to starting this journal. I have detailed notes of the whole process, so I will start from the beginning and post all pictures, discoveries, and experiments. I topped all 3 of my plants today will update with photos as soon as possible.

I wouldn't be where I am now without the support and feedback from the other farmers here. Feel free to post any suggestions, tips, or tricks. All questions and comments welcome.

By the Numbers:

Strain: Durban Poison – Photoperiod​

Tent, Lights, Fans, misc.: Tent= 2'x2'x6' Light= AC infinity 2x2 100w Inline exhaust fan= 4" AC Infinity - 165 CFM Oscillating fan= 6" AC Infinity - 315 CFM​ Carbon filter = 4"​ CO2 = Exhale bag Humidifier = Cloudforge T3​

Germination: #1&#2 popped 07/20/23 #3 popped 07/21/23​

Soil: FFOF / DynoMyco / perlite​

Nutes: FF Grow Big, FF Big Bloom, FF Tiger Bloom, Bush Doctor Cal-Mag, Bush Doctor Sledge Hammer​

Seed Tray: #1&#2 = 07/20/23 #3 = 7/21/23​

1-gal plastic pot: 7/26/23​

Not mentioned above, but really important.. i have a fisherman's bucket lid. Basically gives me the storage of a 5 gal bucket, but has a foam top to keep it comfortable while inspecting/trimming etc. Also, that cheap home depot sprayer makes it easy to measure out a gallon and add the correct amount of nutes.

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Grow Science or Bro Science?
Maybe a bit of both...

I read somewhere that when seeds pop they release some nutrients to help support growth. Most seed companies recommend soaking your seeds to get them started. I didn't want to lose any of those precious (are they even real?!) nutrients, so I took a small (2oz) plastic cup with a lid and filled it with about 1oz of water. They all sunk within 7-12 hrs.

Then I soaked my paper towel with the same water that my seeds were soaking in and wrung it out so it was just slightly damp and put my 3 seeds on top and put it in a ziplock baggie.

Real science or not, it resulted in a 100% germination rate. Less than 24 hours later #1 and #2 had taproots showing, and #3 was about a day behind.

 

[Captspaulding]

Hell yeah nice! Tuned in, chair pulled up.

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Hell yeah nice! Tuned in, chair pulled up.

Thanks! I'll bulk post some steps until i am caught up. They are at day 23 in the first picture of my setup.

 

[GoldenDragondnw]

Gonna follow as long as I can. Blame it on the add baby. they look good so far. Am interested in reading your journal. Cuz dragons are curious creatures.

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Gonna follow as long as I can. Blame it on the add baby. they look good so far. Am interested in reading your journal. Cuz dragons are curious creatures.

Happy to have you periodically check in whenever the dragon's interest is piqued!

 

[GoldenDragondnw]

Happy to have you periodically check in whenever the dragon's interest is piqued!

I'm digging it so far. I like reading long posts with pics. Especially lots of pics. Bud pron. From seed to harvest its all beautiful to me man.

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Day 1:
-9:30am: I started the soak I mentioned before. 1oz water, left in dark tent 78f - 60%rh
-1:30pm: 2 seeds sunk. Might have been sooner, but I didn't open the tent to check.
-4:30pm: 3rd seed was still floating, so I tapped the cup... and she sunk. I moved all 3 to the paper towel soaked in the seed nute cocktail from the container. I know a lot of people soak for much longer, but I got worried after reading too many accounts of people "drowning" seeds. Either way, I put them in the baggie with the slightly damp paper towel on one side. Flipped it over and back into the tent they went. 80f - 56%rh
Day 2:
-9:30am: No roots 79f - 60%rh
-12:00pm: #1 had a taproot showing 80f - 60%rh
-1:00pm: #2 had a taproot showing 79f - 65%rh
-8:00pm: #1 and #2 went into the humidity dome. The dome had a heat-mat set to 80f, and I set the included lights at 25% 18/6. I closed the vents.

#3 stayed in her baggie up ontop of the light that at this point was off. Tent=80f - 70%rh

 

[Captspaulding]

Day 1:
-9:30am: I started the soak I mentioned before. 1oz water, left in dark tent 78f - 60%rh
-1:30pm: 2 seeds sunk. Might have been sooner, but I didn't open the tent to check.
-4:30pm: 3rd seed was still floating, so I tapped the cup... and she sunk. I moved all 3 to the paper towel soaked in the seed nute cocktail from the container. I know a lot of people soak for much longer, but I got worried after reading too many accounts of people "drowning" seeds. Either way, I put them in the baggie with the slightly damp paper towel on one side. Flipped it over and back into the tent they went. 80f - 56%rh
Day 2:
-9:30am: No roots 79f - 60%rh
-12:00pm: #1 had a taproot showing 80f - 60%rh
-1:00pm: #2 had a taproot showing 79f - 65%rh
-8:00pm: #1 and #2 went into the humidity dome. The dome had a heat-mat set to 80f, and I set the included lights at 25% 18/6. I closed the vents.
View attachment 2021464
#3 stayed in her baggie up ontop of the light that at this point was off. Tent=80f - 70%rh
View attachment 2021465

Pro tip on soaking, I usually wait until I see the sides of the seeds splitting open before I take them out of soak and into a paper towel. They will even grow tails in soak. But I just wait until the majority are split.
Also nutrient soaks and seeds, to me it’s counterintuitive (don’t get me wrong, if there is something I don’t know, please tell me) because a healthy seed, has more than enough nutrients to carry it through until 14-21 days old with out us. I’ve seen the practice but I’ve never really seen a difference in seed % success to justify it.

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Pro tip on soaking, I usually wait until I see the sides of the seeds splitting open before I take them out of soak and into a paper towel. They will even grow tails in soak. But I just wait until the majority are split.
Also nutrient soaks and seeds, to me it’s counterintuitive (don’t get me wrong, if there is something I don’t know, please tell me) because a healthy seed, has more than enough nutrients to carry it through until 14-21 days old with out us. I’ve seen the practice but I’ve never really seen a difference in seed % success to justify it.

I like that. I think I was worried to leave em soaking too long, but I know I was being overly cautious. Next time around I'll wait till they crack.

I didn't add any nutrients to the soak, just used the water the seeds were soaking in. Definitely no scientific evidence here . I was hoping to utilize any of those natural seed nutes that may have leached into the water they were soaking in. Not even sure it makes a difference, or if any of those nutes actually leach... lol gotta do some experiments. Might do a side by side next round. One seed in fresh water, one in the seed soak water.

 

[Captspaulding]

I like that. I think I was worried to leave em soaking too long, but I know I was being overly cautious. Next time around I'll wait till they crack.

I didn't add any nutrients to the soak, just used the water the seeds were soaking in. Definitely no scientific evidence here . I was hoping to utilize any of those natural seed nutes that may have leached into the water they were soaking in. Not even sure it makes a difference, or if any of those nutes actually leach... lol gotta do some experiments. Might do a side by side next round. One seed in fresh water, one in the seed soak water.

Oh shit my bad, the logic seems solid on the leeching. But in my experience I’m sure is doesn’t offer a lot of noticeable diff, I’m def interested in the results of the test. This old dog is very capable of learning new tricks

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Oh shit my bad, the logic seems solid on the leeching. But in my experience I’m sure is doesn’t offer a lot of noticeable diff, I’m def interested in the results of the test. This old dog is very capable of learning new tricks

Hey, only one way to find out.. the scientific method!

But honestly, thinking back it might make more difference if I waited for them to crack. Will have to think more about how to propperly conduct the experiment. Don't have any equipment to test seed viability, so it'll be hard to tell if it is the water or the seed itself that determines the result. Lol needs more results... going to have to grow many, many more plants

 

[Tumbleweed375]

For clarity on length of grow cycle I am going to add a Green number next to the day number to signify the number of days since sprouting. I'll do the same when I switch to flower. Maybe Red or Purple depending on how I'm feeling and how the plants are looking.

Day 3:
-9:00am: 3rd taproot showing. I left it in the paper towel since the seed just split a little and the taproot was barely poking through. 79f - 73%rh
-4:44pm: Taproot was about a half inch long so I moved the seed to the dome with #1 and #2. #3 went into the middle spot. The soil was already pre-soaked so after I put #3 into her spot I gave them all a light mist of water.
Day 4 (1):
-11:00am: No sprouts yet. 81f - 77%rh - lights 25% 18/6
-4pm: Sprouts on #1 and #2! 80f - 74%rh

-9:30pm: Sprouts on #1 and #2 both showing signs of first "True Leaves." Slighty cracked the dome vents open. 81f - 70%rh

Day 5 (2):
-11am: #3 not sprouted yet. 82f - 74%rh
-2:30pm: #3 showing possible signs of a sprout?! 83f - 70%rh

-7:30pm: #3 Cotyledons clearly visible. 80f - 70%rh I actually messed up a bit at this point. Nothing serious, but it could have been upsetting if I fried the plants. I turned the tent light on to 100% at about 36 inches above the canopy and set it to 18/6. I figured, "hey more light coverage can't be a bad thing..." Too bad I didn't line up my lighting schedules on both lights (small humidity dome lights and 100w LEDs) so they ended up getting 24hrs of light for a few days. No harm, no foul, everything worked out in the end.

Day 6 (3):
-8:30am: #3 showing first True Leaves. 81f - 65%rh

-2:30pm: Temp hit 83f so I opened the tent up and aired it out a bit.
-6pm: 81f - 57%rh

 

[Captspaulding]

For clarity on length of grow cycle I am going to add a Green number next to the day number to signify the number of days since sprouting. I'll do the same when I switch to flower. Maybe Red or Purple depending on how I'm feeling and how the plants are looking.

Day 3:
-9:00am: 3rd taproot showing. I left it in the paper towel since the seed just split a little and the taproot was barely poking through. 79f - 73%rh
-4:44pm: Taproot was about a half inch long so I moved the seed to the dome with #1 and #2. #3 went into the middle spot. The soil was already pre-soaked so after I put #3 into her spot I gave them all a light mist of water.
Day 4 (1):
-11:00am: No sprouts yet. 81f - 77%rh - lights 25% 18/6
-4pm: Sprouts on #1 and #2! 80f - 74%rh
View attachment 2021651
-9:30pm: Sprouts on #1 and #2 both showing signs of first "True Leaves." Slighty cracked the dome vents open. 81f - 70%rh
View attachment 2021652View attachment 2021653
Day 5 (2):
-11am: #3 not sprouted yet. 82f - 74%rh
-2:30pm: #3 showing possible signs of a sprout?! 83f - 70%rh
View attachment 2021714
-7:30pm: #3 Cotyledons clearly visible. 80f - 70%rh I actually messed up a bit at this point. Nothing serious, but it could have been upsetting if I fried the plants. I turned the tent light on to 100% at about 36 inches above the canopy and set it to 18/6. I figured, "hey more light coverage can't be a bad thing..." Too bad I didn't line up my lighting schedules on both lights (small humidity dome lights and 100w LEDs) so they ended up getting 24hrs of light for a few days. No harm, no foul, everything worked out in the end.
View attachment 2021715View attachment 2021716View attachment 2021717
View attachment 2021718
Day 6 (3):
-8:30am: #3 showing first True Leaves. 81f - 65%rh
View attachment 2021719View attachment 2021720View attachment 2021721
-2:30pm: Temp hit 83f so I opened the tent up and aired it out a bit.
-6pm: 81f - 57%rh

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Day 7 (4):
-9am: 80f - 57%rh ~ Lights are 25% (dome light) 100%@36" 18/6

Day 8 (5):
-8am: Looking healthy. 78f - 55%rh ~ Lights are same as before
-2pm: 80f - 56%rh

-8:51pm: Re-potted to 1Gal plastic pots after I checked the roots and they were all poking out the bottom= 80f - 61%rh

Day 9 (6):
-8am: Some damn spots!

They were pretty tiny so I needed to make something to see that would help me see any tiny pests or when the time comes some trichomes. I used a 4' dowel and drilled some 7/16" holes that I could thread a microscope stand into. This is how it looked:

Here is a close up of one of the spots:

Also, not sure if it is just me, but these leaves under the microscope look like some type of candy.

 

[GoldenDragondnw]

I love the Lil middle one th3 most rn.

 

[Tumbleweed375]

Day 10 - 17 (7-14): Fungus Gnats and SF Nematodes
-1 spot turned into 3 or 4 and I headed right to my car... Well, really just the farm and a rabbit hole of research.

-Slight leaf droop noticed as well. So I changed the position of my oscillating fan so airflow wasn't directed at the canopy.
I also raised my light up about an inch to about 37" thanks to the expert advice of the Captain.
#1-

#2

#3

-After illuminating conversations about Neem oil, Soil, Beneficial insects, Yellow Stickies, Natural Remedies, and the Cosmos I felt a little less stressed. The leaves perked up less than 10 hours after raising the lights. I added some Yellow stickies and quickly determined there were also some fungus gnats.

-Fungus Amongus

-Still looking OK

@Deadstill gave me some pointers about which Neem Oils to use, when to apply, and a lot of other useful information. I will keep Neem Oil or any chemical addition as a last resort. Want to keep them tasting as clean as possible. I got some SF Nematodes from Arbico-Organics and picked up a CO2 Exhale bag.

 

[Captspaulding]

Day 10 - 17 (7-14): Fungus Gnats and SF Nematodes
-1 spot turned into 3 or 4 and I headed right to my car... Well, really just the farm and a rabbit hole of research.

View attachment 2022167View attachment 2022168View attachment 2022169View attachment 2022170View attachment 2022171View attachment 2022172

-Slight leaf droop noticed as well. So I changed the position of my oscillating fan so airflow wasn't directed at the canopy.
I also raised my light up about an inch to about 37" thanks to the expert advice of the Captain.
#1-
View attachment 2022174

#2View attachment 2022175
#3
View attachment 2022176

-After illuminating conversations about Neem oil, Soil, Beneficial insects, Yellow Stickies, Natural Remedies, and the Cosmos I felt a little less stressed. The leaves perked up less than 10 hours after raising the lights. I added some Yellow stickies and quickly determined there were also some fungus gnats.

View attachment 2022215

-Fungus Amongus
View attachment 2022214

-Still looking OK
View attachment 2022217

View attachment 2022216

View attachment 2022218

@Deadstill gave me some pointers about which Neem Oils to use, when to apply, and a lot of other useful information. I will keep Neem Oil or any chemical addition as a last resort. Want to keep them tasting as clean as possible. I got some SF Nematodes from Arbico-Organics and picked up a CO2 Exhale bag.

View attachment 2022245

View attachment 2022244View attachment 2022243View attachment 2022243

They are looking good my dude! Hope you are staying cool hanging out with all those chicks! 106 here today…….

 

[Tumbleweed375]

I love the Lil middle one th3 most rn.

Mine too. #3 is a vigorous little one. Despite being a day behind she is developing the fastest.

Spoiler! Here she is today after the topping the other day:

 

[Tumbleweed375]

They are looking good my dude! Hope you are staying cool hanging out with all those chicks! 106 here today…….

Haha trying. They are happy today only mid 80's, but muggy af. Few cold brews help. Stay cool man.that's rough