Urgr8estfear 3rd fluro/HPS soil grow

[urgr8estfear]

UPDATE DAY 014

High everybody!
I couldn't stand seeing those roots at the bottom of those white cups so I've transplanted them all.
From a .15 L cup to a 3 L pot.
I've put a layer of hydrogranules at the bottom of each pot to ensure breathing room for the roots, nothing much maybe 2 cm.
The I've mixed some of my own soil :
10% compost
40% cocopeat
25% general potting soil
25% seedling soil
35 grams of chalk per pot
I'm amazed at how well this stuff absorbs water, I gave the plants each 300 ml of it and it just sinks right in there and not a drop from the bottom.
A few of them were drooping a few hours after transplant but now only a few hours after that it seems they're OK again.
Here have a look :




Tonight will be the first time they see darkness.
It's time to find out who's a girl and who's not.

[youngandstupid]

Just popping in for a looksie or 2. Looking good as usual urgr8estfear. Just saw your last harvest. Niiiiiiiice. 3 ounces for 2 plants rocks hardcore keep it up .

[urgr8estfear]

Thanks youngandstupid.
Glad to see you dropped by, I hope I can show you and everybody I can do even better then last time.

UPDATE DAY 017

All is pretty much well so far.
The only thing bad happend so far is that 1 plant has a single deformed leave, I'll show you later.

My plants are obviously growing alot faster this time around then my last grow.
I still have the photos of my last grow so in two days time on day 19 I'll show you all a photo comparison.
Now at day 17 they're bigger then the previous grow at day 19.
I guess this means starting with two weeks of 24/0 does pay off.

It also means all that work I put in mixing my own soil was a change for the better.
I kinda knew that straight away when I saw 300 ml of water fall into the soil of those 3L pots but not out at the bottom.
Compare that to my previous grow where the water would fall on top of the soil and then slowly be absorbed.

Check out the plants :




And as promised the plant with a single deformed leave:


So what do you all think?
Any comments on the soil mixing?
Any ideas (SmknVTEC) when I can expect any preflowers now that I've switched from 24/0 to 17/7?

[Hypeshot]

They look great , I think next time around i'm gonna start mine in 24/0 and switch it down if it will help it force sex. Urgr8estfear , was just wondering what the chalk was for , I would assume it just helps retain water pretty well ? The Soil mix job looks great , I also hate when the water has to think about it before being absorbed by the soil. Keep it up , massive buds soon to come =) Deformations are all too common today , had quite a few myself , although my seeds were a year or so old. GL bro!

[urgr8estfear]

Hi Hypeshot!
Welcome to this grow!

The chalk is added to raise the pH of the soil.
The soilmix I use has too low a pH without it.
I know the pottingmix and seedling soil in the mix are around pH 5.
The cocopeat and compost do not really help raising the pH either so I added chalk.
Not really an exact science so I keep a close eye on the plants, and overwater occasionally to take runoffwater to measure pH with.
Not very accurate I agree but it enables me to compare soils I have here, add a bit of experience and there I go....

[HiTCheR]

Looking good! Mine are a little bit bigger haha

check out the link in my signature

[urgr8estfear]

Yeah no wonder.
You've got a lightning fast grow.
2 foot high red sparks if I'm not mistaken....

UPDATE DAY 019






Another curiosity has appeared on one of my plants :

And I am totally clueless to what it is.
You can see in the full version that this part of the leave is not only deformed but also different in color, because that part is dry.

And as promised a comparison.
See here 'best of this grow' versus 'best of my previous grow' both on day 19:

The round pots I use now are just as wide as the square pots of the last grow.
Big difference! I'm getting optimistic!

[willydog]

Plants are looking great, this will be a great grow to watch. May the green ganja gods bless this grow.

[SmknVTEC]

Nice comparo of 19 days vs. 19 days.

[Killa Cam]

Originally Posted by SmknVTEC

Nice comparo of 19 days vs. 19 days.

lol yea the comparision is pretty cool. they look really big and healthy

[urgr8estfear]

I like making comparisons between then and now it teaches me things.

UPDATE : DAY 023 from seed

All is well.
Bigger, more fingers up to seven on some leaves now, still no sign of sex so I put them in 12/12 since yesterday.
I need to find out who the males are, kill them, transplant females, veg a few weeks to the end of April at most, then flower in May and June.
This grow needs be done before the end of June.
I'm expecting heatwaves in July and August again, like last year, and any plants here are not gonna like it, not to mention the HPS ballast.
Check out the pics :




My 23 days old plants under 6x18W faint fuzzies, its probably about time to add the other 6x18W of faint fuzzies :

I'll need to un-couchlock myself for that...so maybe tomorrow....
Cya next time!

[urgr8estfear]

Just had a second thought.
Wouldn't it be best to NOT preflower and keep growing until the end of April end then flower all seven, killing all males then.
???
What do you think?

[SmknVTEC]

Originally Posted by urgr8estfear

Just had a second thought.
Wouldn't it be best to NOT preflower and keep growing until the end of April end then flower all seven, killing all males then.
???
What do you think?

Always. Time and energy is wasted going back and forth. Plus, a little patience and they will show sex without changing the photoperiod. I see preflowers on mine at 4 weeks or so.

[koicultivates]

Not really an expert but it sounds a little better and quicker if you just keep growing until the end of april and then flower. Im on my grow too not tooo far behind yours so hopefully we can compare buds when we are done :P

That is if I can get some pictures XD Nice grow keep it up!

[Serious Eric]

dude i just spent the past 2 hours reading all your grows and I am very impressed! lovin it. keep up the good work! I'll be watchin. ;p




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