First Time Grow 08/07/2014

Here are my seeds set up for germination.  I'm germing them using the @[member="Stylez"] method, just started them now.
 
They're currently sealed in the tupperware, wrapped in a shirt, and in my storage shed for warmth and added darkness.  Extremely nervous and extremely hesitant because this means the start of some heavy commitments.  (growing a plant from seed and not killing it for 60 days is a feat I've never accomplished )  I'll check on them again later today.  
 
These are the seeds I'm germing for my regular grow and my solo grow, in order from left to right:
 
Berry Ryder, Speed Bud, Speed Bud, Easy Ryder, THC Bomb
 
This is really happening.  I am a grower.  
 

 

Sorry, didn't see your question until now.  I've got my seeds germinating in a tupperware right now.  Once they get their little taproots, I'll be transplanting them all into a solo cup filled with the Fox Farm Light Warrior seedling starter soil.  
 
The woman at the grow store told me to grow it until the veg leaves come out and then transplant it into the soil mix I will be growing them in for the rest of their lives, which will be Fox Farm Ocean Forest.  I chose the premade soil mixes just because they are already cycled with nutrients.  They were expensive, but I've been reading up on how to keep them reusable.
 
I've got a bit of Tiger Bloom for when they start flowering.  I'll use a much more diluted amount than it calls for to avoid any burning.
 
Once the seedlings start to pop out of the starter, I'll be heading over to a local nursery to get a pH test and fixer kit.  
 
I've got Smart Pots for them to live in after they start to veg.
 
I'm debating whether or not to do two plants per 10 gallon Smart Pot, or head out and get some 5s.  These are going to be short stocky plants, so I'm not sure if the roots risk tangling too much given their size.  I'll probably get the 5s just to be safe.

 

Oh!  And look up the mixture for the Fox Farm soil for more details, it's pretty good.  I was reading the thread on making homemade organic soil mixes while I was at the store, and then looked at the ingredients for Ocean Forest and saw it is pretty much the same thing.  
 
Plus its been cooked, something I don't have time to wait around for at the moment.

 

That does make sense.
 
Would you recommend that I fill a 5 gal Smart Pot with the Fox Farm Ocean Forest and make a divot the size of a solo cup and fill THAT with the seedling starter?  Then make sure to water around the seedling once it sprouts to not flush any of the Ocean Forest nutes into the starter soil?
 
That's what I was going to do with my solo cup grow for the contest, just on a much smaller scale.

 

I want to scream to the heavens, post this on facebook, share it with my parents that I'm finally a gardener too.

Luckily, I've got you guys and you're a super supportive bunch. Those are definitely germinated Berry Ryder and Easy Ryder seeds with little taproot tips popping out!

The others don't seem far behind, the seed cases are definitely cracked open and I'm fully expecting to see some root tips come evening.

I really can't put into words how happy I am.

•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

#5 all the way on the right (THC Bomb) has sprouted too!

•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

We're 5 for 5!

They're getting long and I want to plant them very soon so as not to damage the roots once they get long, but just got back from twelve hours at work and gonna pass out.

•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

Got my seeds in their solos this morning. I've decided to start in solos and then transplant them into 5gal smart pots as soon as they sprout their first true leaves. Would prefer to be safe and start them in seedling soil before they get a chance to interact with the Ocean Forest.

Started by making drainage holes with a hot nail.

I didn't remember to snap a photo, but they ALL had some beautiful big taproots growing out about a centimeter. Still amazed at a 5/5 germination rate on my first seeds ever.

Continuing to follow the @[member="Stylez"] method, I made a little hole, popped the germinated seed in there with a spoon and a paintbrush, covered with loose soil, put in my nametags, covered them with sandwich bags, and back in my shed they went!

I accidentally tipped the Berry Ryder, so I dumped it out, found the seedling seemingly unharmed, and replanted it. Fingers crossed it will be ok. I've got two more seeds, but this one I'm looking forward to the most. I love blueberries, so it was too perfect to pass up when I found an autoflowering feminized Blueberry X Lowryder#2 cross.

•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

Quick question, three of my seedlings sprouted their cotyledons. (Easy Ryder, Speed Bud, Berry Ryder)

Should I put it in the sun or wait until the true leaves pop up?

Do I wait until the second leaves pop up before starting to water?

•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

Took a nap and it ended up being for like 12 hours.  Just checked on my plants, and all look good that were in the sun, but the ones that popped a little later (my solo grow and my THC Bomb) were still in the shed in the dark and with their baggies.  They're all yellow and spindly compared to the short rich green ones that had some sun today.  
\nI'm sure they will recover a bit once the sun comes up, but I hate starting with spindly seedlings.  I misted them just a tad and they are all out where they can get lots of sun once it comes up.  The THC Bomb is the worst, my solo grow Speed Bud is not as bad.
\nI'll see how they are as the day progresses and the sun shines on them, hopefully I can remedy things a bit by putting a little more soil in the cups for support?
•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

Fucking adorable.

•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

Second set of true leaves are poking through. It feels like they're taking forever to grow, but ooking back on my grow logs, overall they're actually being pretty speedy.

So, I posted some topics asking about supplemental lighting at night and got no responses yet. I figure, more light can't hurt, right? It seems all indoor grows use constant light for the veg phase anyways. I have an old reptile light box and a floramax bulb from an old fishtank. I ghetto rigged it up in my shed and now my plants can get a bit more photosynthesis after the sun goes down.

I figure it won't stress them too much given the shed isn't like bringing them inside the house; it's the same temp and humidity so will not stress them too much. We'll see how this works.

Their stems are a bit long, so I've decided to try low stress training them. Have them tipped on 45 angles, lightly held that way by pipe cleaners.

I know it might decrease my yield a bit, but my yield will be none if I'm caught with very obvious plants in my garden. :X. This state is not kind to cannabis users and growers.

Since my solo cup grow is in its forever home already, I didn't do any LST for that one. Might be fun to compare the yields between an un-LSTed plant grown entirely in a solo cup, and a trained one growing in a 5 gal smart pot. I'm tempted to grow one regularly in another smart pot to use as a control.

•Jazz• . OK, USA . Current Crops
Sent from my SGH-T989 using GrassCity Forum Mobile app

 

On a personal note, FINALLY got another hookup so I don't have to wait until late september for my grower's harvest.  This shit is fire! Not little sticks and stems from some shady dude.  Left the baggie on my desk, went to get some food, opened the door and the entire place smelled dank.  Tonight is celebration night, haven't had any in over a month; involuntary T break.
 
This also makes me MUCH more patient for my own grow. haha  ^_^