First Grow, Bagseed, Will Update Regularly

First timer here using bag seed from some kb and mids I've picked up recently. I wanted to keep a journal for myself to look back on and also with the hopes that some of you more experienced guys would check in and see what I'm doing right/wrong. My original plan was to start germinating seeds at my present location (school) and then move most of them to the site back at my house where I would put them in peat moss pots and then put all of the pots into the ground. The others I would germinate here but then move to my friends apartment. Well, plans changed slightly. I think I'm going to start some now and start some others a little later in the season when I find out how well my methods now will work. I'm not concerned with a smaller plant at flowering time as this is more experiment then anything. That said however, I plan to put a lot of effort into the project (as much as time/security permits). Anyway, here is where I'm at now...

I started germinating 10 seeds (kb) on monday but I used some crappy paper towel (the kind in dispensers in public bathrooms). After 3 days and having no seeds pop I put them into the proper paper towel set up. Next morning (today) I look and three have started. I then put them into plastic cups with three small holes on the bottom of each for drainage and put all the cups into a plastic tubaware container (lid off, just needed something for the cups to drain into) with plastic bags on top. The soil I used was some miracle grow with time released fertilizers. I know this is not ideal but I had a bag of it at my house. This is a real budget grow as I am a broke college kid. When I put the plants into the ground I plan to mix the miracle grow with the soil in the ground at about 50/50, I figure this could help with the potential plant burning. If I get some money I will get better soil. This whole set up with the plastic cups is sitting in my closet now. I am leaving tonight for the weekend, probably returning saturday or sunday. I'm hoping to have a sprout at this time and if so I will probably move them to my friends apartment to stay there for a week or two before going outdoors or just bring them home to go outside, not sure yet which I'll do, have to wait and see my schedule for next week.

 

Ok, some updates to report. I ended up deciding against keeping the cups in my room, just felt better having them with me. I had to pack them up quickly so I took a box of envelopes and padded the inside, put a hole roughly the size of a quarter on the sides and put the cups in like so:

I took some pictures at my spot. You have to walk through a lot of thick woods to get to the area. The plants are going to be in the middle of a big patch of thorny bushes. The trees don't block too much sunlight either which was a problem at other spots I looked at. For planting I took the cups I started and cut the cup off to where the soil is. I made bigger holes on the bottom and put them in the ground. I think the cup should be big enough for a week of growing. After it gets going I thought about skipping the peat moss pots and going straight to the ground - anyone have input on this? I won't be able to check them until next weekend so I hope they've sprouted.

 

So I've done some more work. I started another 6 plants outside (germinated then put them in the soil). I'll probably check on those and the 3 others tomorrow. I also started some bagseed from some really good purp I had. As of yesterday it had popped up about an inch from the soil. I check this morning and it was not standing anymore it was lying on the soil - what happened do you think? I tried to put a paperclip around it to hold it up straight but I pulled the whole sprout up out of the soil a bit, hopefully this didn't fuck it up.

 

More updates to report. I ended up dumping the purp plant. Little disappointed but it just wasn't worth me bringing it back to plant. The 6 mids I started I couldn't fucking find today. I had to put them outside on short notice. The spot where they are has grown a shitload, it's a lot more green. I was pissed I couldn't find them. I walked around until dark with not luck. I may go back to check tomorrow but I might just have to say fuck it. The 3 plants at my actual spot sprouted. Some little thing started to nibble on the leaves it looks like. The natural plants around the plot are great! Any damage I did last time was unnoticable. In fact, I need to trim some of it back again. I think this will help hide it a lot.

 

I had a chance to quickly visit the spot. No pics this time, camera was being used for mother day things. Anyways, the leaves from the 2nd pic above that were chomped haven't come back too much at all. However, I found a small slug near the plants so I think I found the culprit. Also, the first (what I think are) real leaves grew a fair amount, they're between half inch to inch long now.

 

I have been very busy lately and today was the first time in a while I was able to check up on my plants. One has been eaten. I thought the thorns would be enough to keep out most animals but I found the plant eaten and some animal shit on the ground. I am going to get some screen to cover plants as soon as I get the chance to. The other two plants are doing better. One's leaves were starting to curl upwards. I took it out of the cup and put it in the ground. I think it may have been a little too early to do so but we'll see. The third is looking pretty good I think and I am going to leave in the cup a while longer. I'll probably start some more seeds in the next few weeks too.

 

Plant in the ground hasn't done much of anything. Other one still seems to be good. Is this officially the veg stage? How soon should I start ferts (if any, I used miracle grow). I also don't know when to take it out of the cup?

 

Quick update. Another one has disappeared, eaten or trampled I assume. My other plant, which so far has been the best, seems to be immune. It's only five or six feet away from the others that were eaten but for some reason nothing has touched it., well until today. I got to the spot to find it sideways on the ground. Stem wasn't broken and leaves were undamaged luckily but something knocked it over. I put it in the ground today where it will stay until harvest (hopefully ). Also started a bunch more seeds, I know it's late to start but I'd be happy if they yielded a few grams. I plan to fence it off next time and stake it.

50% ground soil, 50% mix (3 parts miracle grow, 1 part verm)

 

Arrived at the site and saw that the plant had straightened itself. And it looks like more leaves developing at the top. I put a stake in today too.

The plant is now two months old. I feel like something is wrong because it is so small, only 7-8" (I buried part of the stem when I put it in the ground so it was probably closer to 9-10" but even that seems small). As far as I can tell, the plant looks healthy. I haven't used any nutes because I used miracle grow (0.21 - 0.07 - 0.14), maybe that's why it is so small?

 

thanks for the reply. yea i know miracle grow is not the best to use but it was all I had at the time. I could get better soil soon but I've already put the plant in the ground - that a problem? I think the water is ok, I mean it looks like the plant is happy. I've only watered it myself once or twice, I've had a lot of rain in my area over the past 2 months and it just hasn't seemed to have needed any extra water.

Could the small size be due to lack of sunlight, maybe its only getting a couple hours of direct light a day?

I haven't had any nute burn issues with the miracle grow. This is my only plant right now, do you think I should try some more nutrients?

 

the miracle grow has perlite in it. the mix i used was about 3 parts miracle grow and 1 part vermiculite, and when i put the plant in the ground i used 50% of that mix and 50% what was there.

its only been in the ground a week, maybe i should get a container and some proper soil, get some nutes and see how it goes?

 

Very stormy/rainy/windy week and the plant suffered big time. I think it might be done. I bought some fish emulsion nutes (5-1-1) and gave it to the plant today a 1/4 strength but honestly after seeing it I don't know if I'll even return. I have some auto flower seeds on the way and those are going to be the priority, probably gonna get some pro-mix and 2 gallon containers for them.