So. CA MMJ Patient About to Embark on First Grow

Germinated IN the AG on 2009-02-20.... third plant to sprout:

(The first photo was taken three days after I dropped the seed into the pod to germinate.... I was quite pleased with how fast it took root, and have been even more pleased with its progress.)

I've had similar results with in AG germination and paper towel germ to AG transplant.

Needless to say, I'll be using my AG to germ seeds from now on.

There lookin better, 24/0 doesn't cause stress on the plants, more people say 24/0 is better then 20/4, obvisouly, the more light, the more photosynthesis go's om. the reason they go brown is because of the pH of the water, if you can, i would use spring bottled water, i was using Crystal Geyser, had a really low pH, but if you have to use tap water, which i am using now, since i got my pH kit, i would try and have a couple jugs sit out for a couple days with out the top on, since if i remember correctly, your not trying to spend too much money

lurkmaster said:

I've had similar results with in AG germination and paper towel germ to AG transplant.

Needless to say, I'll be using my AG to germ seeds from now on.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm sure that plant's growth progress is due to healthier seed, plant from which it came, etc. But this showed me that germing right in the AG saves me work, which (again) is why I decided to do my first grow with the AG in the first place.

"K.I.S.S." is one of my favorite mottos....Keep It Simple, Stupid!

[quote="SICC";2197646]There lookin better, 24/0 doesn't cause stress on the plants, more people say 24/0 is better then 20/4, obvisouly, the more light, the more photosynthesis go's om. the reason they go brown is because of the pH of the water, if you can, i would use spring bottled water, i was using Crystal Geyser, had a really low pH, but if you have to use tap water, which i am using now, since i got my pH kit, i would try and have a couple jugs sit out for a couple days with out the top on, since if i remember correctly, your not trying to spend too much money [/quote] Oh, don't get me wrong: I'm not arguing the lighting time. I just was "thinking out loud" (which I'm sure you'll find I'm quite well known for doing, lol), and noting that they perked right up when I changed to 20/4 (about three days, I think, before I went to 18/6). Coincidence? Highly probable. However, having gardened from childhood till about four years ago, I learned early on that part of photosynthesis is a bit of a "rest period" each night, even if briefly. Especially with plants that flower, which of course is exactly what we're aiming for here. I've seen many people on this forum and elsewhere agree that a "good compromise" is 20/4, and a few explain what I just briefly did RE: a little "rest period" being a crutial part of photosynthesis. I'll start my next grow with 20/4 and experiment further, find my personal preference and all that jazz.

I did initially fill the AG with Crystal Geyser (that particular brand is always at my local "99 Cent Only" store; $1 for a gallon ain't too bad for bottled water), but once they start drinking a lot of water I'll have to go with tap in order to save some money. Since moving back down from the mountains (where we had the most delicious spring water running right from our taps) in 2004, the only way I can stomach the taste of tap water is to do exactly that: fill up my gallon jugs and let them breathe for a couple/few days first. Thanks for pointing that out.... it's such a habit for me, I wouldn't have thought to specify that that's what I'm doing.


QUESTION

My parents-in-law just gave me their portable spa, since they don't use it anymore and I get a lot of pain relief from using it daily. They also had almost two years' worth of chemicals, including PH up and down.

SO! Would this be the "same" PH up/down that would be used for aquariums and gardening, or is it different and/or dangerous for my plants???

sounds good

that is a different kinda of pH, your need a hydroponic solution, so it wont harm plants,

[quote="SICC";2211589]sounds good

that is a different kinda of pH, your need a hydroponic solution, so it wont harm plants,[/quote]
Thanks again, SICC! That's what I figured, but thought I'd ask just in case I was wrong.
Penny pinching is so freaking old, but I'm used to it and always looking for $$$ corners I can safely cut.

[quote="SICC";2211589]sounds good

that is a different kinda of pH, your need a hydroponic solution, so it wont harm plants,[/quote]


wait wait wait wait wait... Hold the FUCKIN phone... Did you just say that you can't use the pH down from the pet store???? Holy Crap... that's ALL ive been using!!!!

MrAlex said:

wait wait wait wait wait... Hold the FUCKIN phone... Did you just say that you can't use the pH down from the pet store???? Holy Crap... that's ALL ive been using!!!!

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I haven't had any problems adding 14-15 drops to every gallon of water..


If its safe for fish, its probably safe for plants, think about it.

OK, I get as annoyed as the next person about double-posting, so I apologize ahead of time.... but UB's thread has so many posts and I've seen a few questions missed. Mine has not nearly as many posts (LOL), so it might not get buried here. And anyway, this is my thread, so I'll make up the rules in this one! (Uh, kinda, to some extent....)

ANYHOOO, just making sure that I'm correct as to what/where the 2nd "true" node is.

Katatawnic said:

In a few days (a week tops) my plants will have grown the first 6 "true" nodes, and they'll be ready to pinch/snip.

The only stupid question is the one that isn't asked (within reason, of course! lol), so I'm posting this photo to verify that I'm correct as to where to pinch/snip.... I'd rather ask a question for which one may think the answer is obvious than to screw it up by not being thorough.

(Sorry for the lack of clarity/constrast, but my digital camera is en route to its manufacturer to be replaced [Polaroid follows through w/warranties, YAY!] and my camcorder takes great videos but not-so-great stills. Add to that that I had to raise the large leaves in order to view the nodes, and without a flash there was too much shadow cast from my hand.)

Thanks in advance for any/all advice!

Click to expand...

MrAlex said:

wait wait wait wait wait... Hold the FUCKIN phone... Did you just say that you can't use the pH down from the pet store???? Holy Crap... that's ALL ive been using!!!!

Click to expand...

I think the confusion is that the op had ph down for a 'spa.' I too think that it would be too powerful. I think that the 'pet store' kind is more diluted anddrops the ph slower than the other. But I'm no chemist, though I did stay at a holiday inn express last week.

btw, kat nice node spacing. tight!

Katatawnic said:

Only four days since the last photos, and I love seeing how fast they grow! I check on them three or four times a day, and there's noticible change each time. (The biggie looks a little "floppy" because it'd been leaning a bit toward the light and the inner leaves were growing a tad faster, so I rotated it this afternoon to allow it to straighten up a bit and have equal growth on the other side.)

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Somehow I completely missed this post, probably because I was replying to someone else at the same time.

Plants are starting to shape up now and start growing normally.

there lookin great, you can wait till they get a couple more nodes before you top

[quote="SICC";2214836]there lookin great, you can wait till they get a couple more nodes before you top[/quote]


Ok I feel better now...

I'm too wiped/fatigued/lazy to rewrite my summary from last evening, so I'm just going to quote myself for the majority of this post.
(But I was mistaken: I last took photos on the 21st. lol)

Katatawnic said:

Much better than I'd imagined my first grow to be, that's for sure! I haven't taken any photos since the 17th though.... between a nasty relapse and too much freakin drama going on in this house lately, I've not been able to do much more than the daily maintenance. (Gotta get my man home from Iraq and everyone else outta here before I go postal! LOL)

They looked so tiny after topping them, but it's starting to be a little jungle again now. I also used two of the three tops as clones (one of which is really growing beautifully and has four definite tops; the other has been coming along slowly but the roots are very healthy so I'm holding out on that one still), so I currently have five lil' ones in my AG. I'm hoping that I'll end up with three good girls, and two I'm thinking of transplanting into pots for my backyard just to see how they go.... five's too many for the AG of course, so I might as well put a couple in the sun instead of just throwing them away. OH, and the one that seems to have more indica than sativa traits grew naturally with two main trunks; I wasn't going to top that one because it was shorter and bushier, but then it suddenly shot up overnight, so I finally topped it last weekend and now it's got eight main tops! (Did UB's method for four, so of course that made it eight.)

I'll try to take photos either tonight or tomorrow, and finally get around to updating my thread. Raised the light hood a notch, and four of the five are looking really happy. Should be going 12/12 within a week, if not sooner.

OH yeah, and my hubby is transferring moolah into my account for the Multi Spectrum Bubbleponics combo kit probably within the next week, so I'll be able to grow larger plants in that one and continue to use the AG for my mother.... once she chooses me, that is.

Click to expand...

SO! My last update was with photos from March 11. Now to get up to speed.... The following are from March 13, only two days after the previous photos posted but still growth and improvement in health. These were also four days before I topped two of the three....
















(I'll put up the next series in another post, momentarily.)

I was going to take photos right before topping, but I wasn't feeling well that day and forgot. (I'm surprised I remembered to do anything at ALL that day! lol) They were so huge too, dammit!

I used the clippings of the two I topped that day for cloning, so that I'd have a higher chance of three plants that'll make it all the way through.

The front left is the clone from the back left, and the front right is the clone from the back right. (The center one I didn't top yet, because it was short 'n' bushy, so I wasn't worried about that one getting too tall at the time.)

This is the one that developed two "main trunks" on its own, taken the day I topped it (as it got really tall overnight, so I had to top it after all so it wouldn't end up too big for the AG).... the photo is a bit blurry, but you can see where it split into two trunks at the bottom. (The rest of the photos from that day I'll just post in the "thumbnail" format.)

I stumbled across this image when Googling SOG info/guides/etc.; it was in the same forum as an SOG thread. If this is an even slightly reliable method of discerning sex, then at this point all five of my plants appear to be females. Can it be discerned before flowering though? I've been hearing/reading that you can't tell till a week or two into flowering.





So far, the only problems I've has were in the beginning: the yellow/brown early leaves, which I've seen on this forum to be common with the AG. I've been reading and reading and reading all over this site, and it is directly due to the vast info you all have shared here that has enabled me to get even this far without any major questions, much less no major setbacks.... I thank each and every person who's shared their knowledge (be it from sucesses OR mistakes, as it's all a learning experience)!!!