As the title states this is my first time growing and I never have been much of a “green-thumb”. I feel like I am making every mistake I can along the way but hopefully I will learn something for the next go-round. I will summarize my setup, timeline and observations below, hopefully I can get some good feedback to make something out of the mess I have started here!
Setup:
MARS Hydro “3x3” (actual 2.5’x2.5’) grow tent *setup on 3/4 foam flooring to insulate from the concrete
TF1000 LED Grow light- Currently about 12-18" from plants @ 50%
Inline Exhaust Fan and Carbon filter
(2) 10"x20" seed mats *only one plugged in at the moment
10" circulation fan pointed at the back wall
small space heater (Air temps vary from 78-84)
Fox Farm Soil w small (<5%) amount of earth worm casings added
Fox Farm nutes: Chaching, Beastie Blooms and Open Sesame (on hand, not yet used)
Have been watering with Poland Spring, planning to change to Distilled
Plants:
(1) Jawa Pie Auto currently in 5gal fabric pot
(1) Sexxpot photo currently in small starter container, planned transplant to 2gal fabric
Timeline:
Dec 24 (5 weeks ago) I germinated my first (3) Jawapie auto seeds. Put them into starter trays after 48 hours and likely over watered them- only 1 sprouted. When that sprout was about 2-3" with its first pair of real leaves I attempted to transplant it into a 5gal pot- all I got was the stem, no roots, disgusted with myself I stuck the stem into the 5gal soil and basically waited for it to die but after a few days I noticed it wasn’t dying and still looked healthy. I re-covered it with a dome and it didn’t make any changes for a couple weeks. Lights @ min level, 18/6 about 36" above plants.
Fearing I may have killed my only seedling, I germinated (3) Sexxpot photos- didn’t have any other autos on hand. These had long taproots after 24hrs and I moved them to a starter tray and placed it on a seedmat. Again, I probably over watered them and only (1) plant sprouted. Both sprouts were growing very slowly in about 70 degrees so I added a space heater to bring the grow room up to high 70s on average topping out at 80-84.
After 2-3 weeks the Jawa pie started to grow again and the Sexxpot continued to grow very tall and thin (stretch due to the light configuration?). After doing some more reading I dropped my lights to 12-18" and increased it to 50%. This seemed to really help for about a week.
I am now about 5 weeks in on the Jawapie and 3-4 on the Sexxpot- both seem very undersized compared to the plants I see online! I have added fly traps for the fungus gnats- another indicator that I have been over watering. I continue to struggle with over watering the Sexxpot- it dries out very quickly in the starter tray then when I water it, it wilts for a couple days then perks back up and a day or 2 later the soil is bone dry (can’t really get a finger in the starter tray but I will move enough soil to see down below the surface a bit). Recently the Jawapie leaves have started to turn yellow at the bases? I am not sure what the cause is.
Questions:
Anything glaringly obvious to more experienced growers that I need to change?
These plants look very undersized for 4-5 weeks. Am I just impatient or do others agree? Suggestions to jump start some growth? Nutes? environment adjsutment?
When/How should I start to add nutes? Open Sesame is first in the directions at 4 weeks. Directions say 1/4 scoop per gallon of water but I am already struggling with overwatering them with 1-2oz (starter tray) and 4-5oz in the center of the 5gal pot. For this reason and the fact that I am not sure how to administer them, I have not added any yet.
Does it look like a good time to transplant the Sexxpot to a 2gal fabric? Should I bury it slightly to compensate for the stretch? I have been scared to touch it since my first transplant went so terribly wrong (but was also probably done way too early!).
Is the Jawa OK in a 5gal? Or also downsize to a 2gal? it does make the lights a bit closer since it is elevated- I could raise the smaller tray/pot up but I was keeping it down on the seed mat to maintain soil temp.
My assumption at this point is I can run my light schedule according to the photo plant and the auto will just do its thing. I understand its not ideal but any major barriers I am overlooking by having these 2 in the same growroom/conditions?
Any thoughts on the yellow leaf bases?
*I have been putting off the investment of a PH pen as it kills me to buy cheap tools and haven’t pulled the trigger on a good one yet. I have instead been relying on “known acceptable” PH levels in the Foxfarm Soil and bottled water.
**I jumped on my PC to type all this out. I am going to run down and snap a few pics for reference.
Any help and guidance is greatly appreciated as I fumble through this learning process!
