Hello GC, Like many others here, I've been lurking around the forums section for a while, reading a lot of journals, general q&a and whatnot, and finally decided to get into growing a few weeks ago. I also bought a copy of Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Grower's Handbook and am loving it. This is my first attempt at growing weed, let alone pretty much anything except your occasional patio flowers. This first attempt was started in my closet, and will eventually be moved to a grow tent once i've decided which one to purchase. I purchased 5 Autoflowering Northern Lights Feminised seeds from Crop King Seeds. I am in Canada as well, so delivery was quick, i had them within a week, i think like 5 days counting the weekend so just a few business days. So at first, this is really for me and i don't expect anyone to tag along right now, if at all. Any feedback whatsoever is appreciated though and i would be more than happy if anyone follows some of this journey with me. Any comments welcome. I've been writing down day to day in a journal till now, but i feel it would be easier to match pictures with dates and whatnot and have everything in the same place so here I am. My plant, named Kali, is doing good, had slow growth at first but i planted her right away in her final pot, having read autos don't like to be transplanted, so that could explain it. She has a funny particularity i've noticed, her first set of leaves had 2 fingers, the 3rd one 3 fingers, the 5th one 5 fingers, but the 4th leaf set both leaves have 4 fingers haha. Maybe this is more common than i thought but i didnt expect it. egardless, she's 16 days old right now and looking very healthy. I just started checking the ph of the water as well as feeding. I started off germinating only one seed and am currently germinating 2 more. So, all in all, 1 x CKS NL FEM AUTO (Day 16 from SPROUT) - 14L (3.5 Gal) potting soil no added ferts mixed with maybe 25% perlite - 400w MH/HPS cool tube & dimmable ballast - General Hydroponics Flora Trio -Started off right away in final pot - tap water ( ph controlled after 2 weeks ) - 18/6 cycle all the way through 2 x CKS NL FEM AUTO (currently germinating) will get the same setup So, I put the seed in water on march 15th for 18 hours, then did the paper towel thing and within 3 days the seed was in the ground and out the ground on the 5th day i think. I had a 4gallon pot at home i decided to use, and filled it with around 3 gallons of potting soil mixed with perlite, stuck the seed in, gently spraying water. March 10th, this is Day 1 in my book, when she first showed her nose. I had her under 4x 23w cfls but received my 400w mh/hps light by then and stuck her under the MH bulb by the 7th or 8th day, starting off at 50% dim on the ballast and making my way to full light. I am not much for pictures therefore i dont have pictures of the first day or every day for that matter but here's an idea. -8 days in, it was around 5 cm high and the leaves were slightly wilted, she was still adjusting to the light. -10 days in I had done a few waterings, nothing huge but still no runoff. I wasnt calculating water level or ph by then. everything was good though, just slow growth. -13 days in still looking very nice, all green, just slow growth, and the nodes are pretty close to each other. I've been playing around with the light levels trying to get the optimal distance. i think this is around the day she showed her sex. Really early IMO but what do i know -14days in : First Feeding! I was pretty excited, as the plant was doing good, but just seemed to be growing slowly still. i picked up GH Flora Trio at the hydro store, with a ph test kit, some ph up and ph down. Started off with one-third strength nutes, just to get her used to it, being as the soil didnt really contain anything, at least to my knowledge. 1L tap water +/- .15 ml Flora Micro +/- .15 ml Flora Grow +/- .15ml Flora Bloom Water ph was around 7 before and after adding nutes, so balanced it down to 6-6.5 with 2 drops of ph down. I am using the drop kit for ph, and though its not precise, i feel it gives me a good enough idea for now. I dont have a ppm meter yet but my city's tap water is at 125 ppm. As of now, i still havent had any runoff whatsoever since i first starting growing. I was worried at first, but i havent been overwatering the plant or whatever and have been told not to worry about it. Plant by day 14 was 22cm x 16cm wide and 9cm tall. I used some garden wire to hold her up right for a few days as she was growing a little crooked. In the last picture you can see the 4-fingered 4th set of leaves Today Day 16, nothing new. I will post again when the two others have germinated. Peace.
By the way, i'm growing in a closet, with a fold-opening door that i dont close all the way, with an oscillating fan aiming at the light and door on an axis, so there is always air flow. As sketchy as it sounds it seems to be ok for now, with changing the air in the closet and keeping temperature under control. i dont have a thermometer or hygrometer yet but have ordered one on ebay and should be getting it soon. will also be getting a grow tent, carbon filter and inline fan but i am still debating on which size tent i want to get, as space is going to be an issue in my next appartment. i am looking at 4x4 tents, and was looking to buy from growlights.ca but theyre all out of stock now. i don't mind doing this first grow without a tent, and i took northern lights in part because they have the reputation of not stinking up too much. i am aware it will still smell though, every strain will to some extent especially by the end but i will adapt as the story unfolds.
Day 19 from sprout. So since monday, Kali has grown a little, I've given her 1L of ph'd water twice, kinda just going by weight of the pot and feeling for now. I will up the nutes on next watering, which would be the next one. i am feeding every 3 waterings. I will probably feed 1.5L this time and start watering less frequently. I am home a lot for now and can tend to her a lot so i don't mind. On monday i put 2 more seeds in a paper towel, both have since germinated, the first one Fatima ( she was the biggest seed i had and that name makes me chuckle ) was planted yesterday in her final pot ( same as Kali ). The third one popped her root this morning and was planted as well in her final pot. This one's a little smaller than the other ones, and is square-shaped. They're by the window until they're out of the soil and then under the 400w MH with Kali right away. I'll dim the ballast at 75% the first day but they'll be a good 50-60 cm from the light so i think it'll be fine. Can't wait to see them come out, i expect Fatima to be out by tomorrow! I'll post a family picture once they've shown face.
I removed the first set of leaves earlier today, they weren't getting any light nor growing anymore so pinched them off. I would like to experiment with LST with these plants, as ive read not to top them. Kali is still too small IMO, hopefully once she's gained some height i will consider it.
Wait until she stracteched so you don't stress her in veg Sent from my SM-N900P using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Today was day 20 for Kali, 3 waterings since last feeding so fed her today, kept it to 1L, but upped the nutes to .4ml of all 3. I ran into my first glitch yesterday, as im currently growing in the closet which had its door slightly open to facilitate airflow, and my cat got to the plant for a few seconds, a few bite marks on 2 leaves, a few holes but nothing major. Hadnt really thougt of that. Couldve been way worse had i not been there. I blocked of the entry for now, but i definitely need to get this tent asap lol. Glitch #2, both my other girls have popped out, but Fatima was growing downwards. My phone doesnt have enough focus to show but basically she had too much soil on her and had spun a 180 degree turn halfway and was going back down. Again im lucky, as i noticed Jackie (3rd one planted) first, and instantly thought shit that means the other ones dead. There was just a little bobble at the earths surface, sprayed some water and there she is. Ive placed them all under the 400w mh at 50% intensity and brought the light back up. I took out the timer for tonight, so Kali's light cycle will be changed but theyre autos so i guess its fine. I only have one light and i need these seedlings to see the light.
There is a way for lower shoots to get light called ponytailing which is just tying up the big fan leaves for 6 hrs during light on to encourage the lower shoots to stretch . Im subbed
Hey glad to have you here! I will definitely read up on ponytailing. Have you done it on autos previously? When is a good time to start? Im inclined to let her stretch out more, as even shoots hidden by fan leaves seem to be growing but indeed the bottom shoots arent getting much light( in part due to the fact that theres a few inches of bucket around them, not enough soil in there..) Thanks!
Ben d that girl now you will regret it later like myself Sent from my SM-N900P using Grasscity Forum mobile app
On the autoflower network has a lot of good info on that havent delved into autos myself yet. Ponytailing is just taking a ponytail holder and tie up the fan leaf the same way you are pushing it up with you finger. Tie them up for a few hours a day until you can tuck them under.
