Growth Rate Question - Indoor Soil / COB

What did I F* up?

  • To big of a pot too soon?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Overwatering?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • You suck and should read more...

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Feed issue

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • Nope you’re still an idiot and need to read more!

    Votes: 2 66.7%

  • Total voters
    3

bonesnv

New Member
First time posting but have been utilizing this site to learn for quite some time, however I am experiencing a unique problem I’ve not seen occur in prior grows; 6 total nothing magical by any stretch of the imagination. All were for the majority part successful in meeting goals. However, I only ever did 2-4 plants; this is the most I have attempted.

I want to preface all this with I grow as a hobby and self utilization, I never take weights I know what gets me and my medical issues and a specific relative with cancer through between grows and this is not a competition for me.

Please take that into account that I started this as a hobby and for family, looking for quality over quantity. I know I don’t have “phat grows”.

Setup:
Isolated bedroom (kept open with IKEA room divider to keep out casual people/pets)
SensorPush’s for Temp x 3: Room kept at 72-74; tent range 74-79f
Ceiling Fan in room on high
Small 8” Fan at divider blowing room air out into large open second floor loft area

5x5 Tent:
Timber 4x4 Cree COB
2 x 6” fans down onto heatsinks (top of tent)
1 x ??”(I forgot I’ll have to measure - 12”?) Tower Circulating Fan
350cfm on lowest setting into 6” exhaust
Open Bottom vent in Tent
6” ducting bottom of tent with bug filter intake
Water = RO (have 800+ppm tap); I track PH with meter and liquid tests and with or without feed it’s at around 6.1PH. Without RO, PH is over 8.2-8.5; it’s fun; our water sucks it has to be modified.
Feed: Canna Bio Organic Veg/Flower (half of recommended light feed dosage per gallon of water due to soil additives). I only use cal mag when deficiencies are seen but Canna keeps things in check even without, I like it.

All intake air is passive pulled in by the exhaust fan; I don’t use a carbon filter. Tent is kept at a negative pressure.

Grow Start:
I start all my grows the same way.
- Solo cups
- Rapid Rooters
- Seeds (derp)

Nothing complex, I follow the many guides on this forum and keep it simple. This was my first grow to start under CoB and no T5’s. Usually I would start in a germination tent under T5.

It took three plants popping before I got the light distance of 26” and light level of around 250w before I got stretching under control without using T5 but I really wanted to try and consolidate hardware.

Soil:
I grow starting with a small mix of Espoma Seed Starter mixed 50/50 with FoxFarms ocean forest. This is a personal thing that I use and this mix has never failed me for vegetables or this so far; could it be improved sure but it works.

Main grow soil is Batch:64 Moonshine this run. I would like to do a custom soil, time does not permit. I will pay the extra to save my own time so be it my decision. I’ve done three grows with this soil no issues. I also did one run with Vermifire which was my strongest grow but my only grow I’ve ever gotten gnats which owned everything. Not speaking bad, it was partially my fault for major overwatering prior to a required work trip.

Onto the issue!

Holy shit sorry for rambling their but I wanted to make sure I provided background as that seems to be the most common response back to Newbie posts.

All my plants grew great in their solo cups, even the 3 that stretched sorted out once lights were fixed.

After transplant is where I hit issues, I transplanted 4 into 5 gallon fabric pots and 3 into 3 gallon plastic pots. (Don’t worry there are pictures). One week later;

The ones in the fabric pots are growing up but not big, very small fan leaves barely the size of the palm but thick stems and leafy. First time using this specific brand of fabric pot which I purchased as they have a plastic outside which carries the fabric pot. The water seems to go through as quick as it goes in even compared to SmartPots which I’ve used in all prior grows (changed for this grow because I liked the plastic cage idea, perhaps bad idea).

However, the ones in the 3 gallon are growing like weeds, pun somewhat intended, as if I switch them to flower now they’ll outgrow their pot.

Why did these smaller potted plants further away from the light grow so much more dramatically than the ones in larger pots closer to the lights.

My assumption is transplanting into to big of a pot to soon; though in the past I transplanted solo straight to 5g SmartPot. I’ve actually never used plastic pots until this grow, the only reason I did was that my plan was to pick the best 4-5 of 8 seeds and I ended up trying to keep 6 and try to save a 7th because the AK was showing a different phenotype than the other.

Thoughts? Failures? I suck at life? I’m pretty open to constructive criticism so bring on the firing squad, it would actually be helpful as most of the choices I’ve made in this grow and past have been thanks to information on this site.

(Goal is switching to flower next Sunday but those large pots I might move to a second tent to veg longer and also considering transplanting the smaller 3g first; I’m kind of in brain lock as to best decision)
 

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bonesnv

New Member
What’s being grown:

POG+ (Shall not be named...I’m sorry I’m advance, don’t hate me)
Pioneer Kush (Greenpoint)
Critical (RQS)
Pure AK (Seedsman/FemSeeds)

Lights by the way are around 400w output and 28”; SensorPush is 20” quick measurement.

Picture with tent layout was right after solo cup transfer. Roots in cups were all beautiful bright white and nicely circled at bottom but no rot or damage at all.

All plants have 6-7 nodes at this time, I don't do modifications often but have done trainng and node pruning/topping in the past and it also worked well, didn't this time as I had more plants his round.

EDIT: I know recreational and medical is legal here, it is a good supplement but not cost effective or efficient. I grow as a hobby and stress relief itself (like agriculture meditation) as well, plus cannabis is a beautiful plant and fun.

Photos of previous run added these were two 7g pots topped at 3rd node, 2 weeks into flower. This started under T5 then to CoB; vegged for 5 weeks and flowered total for 66 days, I did ok, it got us through what was required. Wasn’t something a pro grower would brag about but I’m using it to learn. We didn’t need to purchase at this time so all were good.

This was a 4x4 tent (now my dry tent) and basic fans, I upped the accessories on the future runs.
 

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bonesnv

New Member
If it should help anyone, appears to be a different watering in these fabric pots and transplanting to big to soon which allowed improper watering due to how these fabric pots retain and drain as opposed to othes I have used; as usual problems are often he fault of the grower. I changed the watering entirely on the large pots to water small amounts in 3 spanne intervals.

I will not be using these again, fabrics are already kind of annoying but these while a great idea apparently are smarter pots than I am...puns, why not.

After adjusting they have started to bounce back sufficiently except for that poor second Pure AK which I think has done all it can to survive my treachery but I am doing everything I can t save it because why not.

Contemplating whether I need to transplant the 3G to 5G before switch to 12/12 but will post pictures tomorrow and see if anyone has an opinion. Worried about root space but I know coco combos have always allowed me a little leway compared to peat.

For information as these will have extended veg time, I did some topping; larger pots more extreme since I was somewhat giving up hope but it actually helped the POG alot as well as Pioneer. Critical is just living life, RQS just seem to grow, not very sensitive to much from the 4 strains attempted, last was their Special Kush #1.

Flower next weekend if all lives and goes as planned, I have the pots to go 3g to 5g, decisions... I can always inadvertantly kill it all, I try my best not to though.

EDIT: My main concern with transplant, Have never done it in pots this large or plants this developed and I worry I would obliterate their root structures, especially in a heavy coco mix that has no hold like peat. Do I risk it or stop worrying and see what happens?
 
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bonesnv

New Member
Told me adding this image to my last message was considered spam, if it is feel free to delete these or relocate; apologies.

EDIT: Mods, I guess feel free to move this to grow journals if required as it turns out my issue was clearly identified as self inflicted so now just going through the grow. Your forum, your call.
 

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ChaosHunter

Well-Known Member
When you transplant and water air pots or fabric pots don't water close to the plants. The roots will not search out for water and stay close to the base. Instead water towards the rim. Big roots=big plants.
 

bonesnv

New Member
I hate to blame the pot so I will take the onus on that failure, as it is my standard practice to do what you'e noted but with this specific brand it seems to just seave the water straight out the side and not down. However, much appreciate the advice and I will see on watering around tomorrow evening to adjust a bit more; or start with a baster until the top soil is wet, perhaps it will go through slower.

Thanks for the reply, will do my best not to murder them!

Any advice if I can pick your brain on if you would transplant the 3g to 5g before flower? Or am I under estimating 3 gallon due to inexperience...
 
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bonesnv

New Member
Transplanted 3 gallon to 5 gallon tonight, get to veg them longer while the others sort out.

Either killed them or not, learning experience. Lights are 70% at 26”.

Transplant went well, first time I’ve tried that large but took advice from the forums, watered just enough and they all came out with beautiful root balls. Hopefully I keep them alive!

(Disregard that poor baby in the back, I’ve tried but it just is what it is and I don’t want to give up on it until I flower)
 

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bonesnv

New Member
Looking much better now, even gimpy is starting to recover some. Leaves are dropped I screwed up and underwatered the Pioneer, that is a thirsty plant but very susceptible to over nutrients.

Will update in a few weeks as I think my issue was solved and figure I’ll just show progression.

Time and patience all; learn from the couple of comments above as most often sadly it’s grower error or adjustment needed.

(Lights at I think around 26” above canopy need to re-measure in the morning then will correct, and at 80%)
 

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