Here are a few pics of my first grow! I’m currently in week 3.5 but I feel like I’m doing something wrong? Mephisto B.A.M. and Seed Supreme Blue Dream… I’m brand new and dont know what I dont know. I feel like I’m guessing at everything?
Soil is: FFOF/HF 50/50 mix
3 gal fabric pots
Watered as soil is dry 1.5 inch deep approximately 1.5-2 cups ph down to about 6.3 aproximately every 3-4 days
Current light cycle is 18/6
Temps typically stay 75-79
Humidity consistently around 50%
In the beginning while learning I think I may have overwatered just a bit… I also swapped lights after 1.5 weeks and may have had it too high/low while playing around with it.
Blue Dream has seemed to lag for a while and has moved slow or not at all…
B.A.M seemed to do great and then slowed once it’s first true leaves appeared.
My lights are approximately 26 inches taller than the highest canopy and set at about 65%. I’m using a Mars Hydro TSL2000 300w… I originally had it set at 50% to test after switching out, but I think that was too low which caused a bit of stretch. Last weekend I raised the intensity to 65% and things seem to be fine. Leaves are “praying” once light has been on a bit and dont seem to be bleaching or burning… I had a 3rd that didnt make it past the seedling stage (Blueberry x Big Devil) due to the seed cap being stuck on. That new seedling seems to be fine with my increased light intensity too. Pic below!
Howdy JW
If you have that problem again, it helps to keep that 'helmet" on seed moist and sometimes you may need to perform micro surgery on it if it cannot break out of shell.
I have used needle and tweezers to gently pry seed shell open but only after a couple of days spraying helmet head with water to keep moist.
Only need to spray it maybe once a day
Good luck with your first grow.
Plants look great Grow Bro, the long node spacing is light related. Lower the light and adjust the intensity. I would recommend a DLI of around 30. Absent of a light meter look into the smart phone app called PHOTONE for setting your light fixture
I dislike this method of determining waterimg time. Especially for a smaller plant. The soil could still be very wet at the bottom of the pot. I suggest the lift-a-pot aka drench and drought method. Especially in early veg. You just lift the pot every day until it feels light as a cork. Then water. For me, on the avg 3-4 days between waterings.
In my experience, 2 years straight withh FF soil and nutes, during veg that 6.3 to 6.5 input works ok. That being said FF soil tends to loose its ability to buffer the soil by the time flower hits. I always input at 6.8ph with FF soil. Feedings, waterings doesnt matter. Also be sure to flush FF soil regularly. What nute line are you using?
I have a ts1000 and an fc3000 from mars, the tsl2000 is basicly two ts1000 side by side. If you follow this videos guides you wilp be happy. IME its either 18 inches at 50-75% for veg or its 30 inches at 100% for veg. Here is that video…
Works very well
Howbmuch and how often were you giv8ng water? There is a common misconception about overwatering. Many assume it means I watered too much water (I.E. a gallon in one day) but it is, infact, when you water before the soil is dry. You could pour 50 gallons of water through your soil in a single watering and thats fine. If you were to water again the next day, even a small amount like a cup, that would be an overwater.
Plants look good, one looks like she is having trouble breathing (pics 2 and 3) I like to veg at 65% rh to avoid this but thats me and my setup. I like 65% for veg and 50% for flower. 65% works in flower but you have to have the circulation inside grow space to combat rot and mold or it will get ya.
Welcome to your new fave hobby and to the forum. Feel free to tag me (@Docnraq ) if you have any questions along the way, happy to help. Some real solid advice from others in this thread also.
Im very inexperienced but have done BD and GG autoflower. Friends say taste good, mellow buzz but not strong enough plus only getting 2-3 ounces per plant. How do I raise potency and yield ? Pretty sure my temps too low.
For autoflowers this is pretty normal. Auto buds are very loose and fluffy so they dont carry a ton of weight.
The answer to this is simple. 1st off Genetics. Quality genetics can make or break your final yeild. Next is light, you will need a MINIMUM of 30-35 watts per sq foot of FULL SPECTRUM led light. Not all full spectrum are the same. Lastly environment and care, keeping appropriate temps and RH for each phase of the grow as well as propper feeding, nutrition and plant maintenance/training will increase your yeild and your potency.
Thanks for the tip on watering… I was worried about the same thing you said, the top may be dry but not the bottom… So you’re saying I should soak down completely until I see runoff and then wait for the soil to dry back out according to weight? Is there around a specific amount I should be shooting for? Or is it just until I see water coming from the bottom
I havent used any nutes yet. I’m too scared I’ll nute burn and heard OF was already a hot soil lol. I do have gaia green all purpose and power bloom as well as green rush veg and bloom to experiment with later.
In the beginning when I was still guessing, I was watering probably 3/4-1 cup every 2 days or so… Now I’ve been watering about 2 measured cups every 4th day. Once the top inch of the soil feels dry I typically wait an extra day. I do need to invest in a humidifier. If I dont have ventilation going I’m around 60%, but once all fans etc start running it drops to around 50%
Definitely need to adjust my light setup from the vid you sent! I was trial and erroring currently.
My experience in 3 gal pots is that they will hold a little over 1/2 a gallon. That being the case I use 3/4 gallon to water and feed when using them. This ensures plenty of runoff. Usually takes 3-4 days for dryback. Runoff is important in a few ways. 1st it helps wash away any salts left behind by synthetic nutes. This is important for avoiding nutrient lockout and keeping your soil buffers from getting used up before the grow is over.
2nd it can tell you when it is time to feed your plant. When the TDS of your runoff drops down to 1000ppm its time to feed your plant.
3rd it will clue you in as to the ph of your root zone. This is a crutial element in nutrient uptake. You want to be at 6.5ph in soil, especially in flower.
I use the previous runoff ph to determine my next input ph. If previous runoff was UNDER 6.5ph my next input is 6.8ph if it is ABOVE 6.5ph my next input is 6.5ph. It just happens to be when using FF soils and nutes I was always inputting at 6.8ph.
It is, but HF isnt so you may be through them quicker then you thought. Just watch the runoff, and do as described above. I have not used gia nutes so you will want to use the search function to look up some folks who have used it to get a feel for what was done, and then you can duplicate the process for yourself.
Do you have any automation connected to your fans at all? If not better to have air moving then not. Rh is less important than fresh air and co2 coming in. 50% isnt bad.
Thats ok. For early on but now that your past seedling and into veg its time for more water. The first time you water to runoff it may take 4 even 5 days to dry. My suggestion to help you figure out when to water is… after saturating the soil, each day lift the pot and feel how heavy it is in your hands. Do this until the leaves droop a little. Take note of how the pot feels when it is fully dry and then always water before it gets that light again. In my experience it takes an avg of 3 days for a 3 gal to dry out. You may have a different result but my exeperience should be a reasonable guide to yours.
@Docnraq
I’ll be sure to water it that way next water around Sunday and check TDS then. I just realized my PH meter actually has a TDS on it so I’ll give it a try.
For Automation everything is plugged into an AC Infinity controller. I just have a 4in inline fan and a 6in oscillating fan. I keep the tent door open while lights are on. So it should be getting plenty of fresh air I’d think? The fans set to kick on around 78-79degrees. Which is typically more often than not until the sun goes down due to the heat in my area.
I’ll definitely give this a try during the next water this weekend!
Ive used a few differet lines. My fave is Kosher Nutrients. Its has 3 parts. Base which goes into every feed and Grow or Flower depending on what stage of growth you are in. My #2 is Jacks 321 also 3 parts but each part goes into every feed and my least fave but still very effective is the Fox Farm soil Trio combined with the Fox Farm soluble pk booster trio.
Gotcha! I’ll check those out… so one last question when it comes to watering runoff since I’ll be giving more water this weekend…. Should I soak up the runoff, or let it soak back in through the bottom?
Try to have your runoff drip away into a dish vs around the base of your plant. Lotsa salt and biproduct in runoff better to have it out then risk it soaked in.
This is how I set up to hand water…
Awesome, thanks for the advice. I thought my temperatures were low and maybe I do need better/stronger lights. Great insight, I look forward to putting your advice into my next effort.
