cheechako
Well-Known Member
I've been looking at pictures and guides and whatnot, but I can't be sure of any of this. I'm such a newbie and black-thumb.
First, the details: a small (2'x3'x3') cabinet grow with 6500K CFLs (4x23, 2x26). I'll change temps for flower. Substrate is GH coco bricks soaked in pH 5.5 (I think) water, and then mixed with a little DE for poultry. I use Botanicare Pure Blend Grow, Liquid Karma, CalMag+, and their liquid compost. I mix 500ml at a time according to their chart for coco, and then cut in half with water. As I said, I think the water is about 5.5. I bought a cheap meter which died and I use the GH test drops.
I germinated two seeds in paper towels at the end of November. I placed them in cups of coco just water and they both poked out on the 26th. I didn't use the diluted nutrient solution until the first pair of non-seedling leaves were obvious. These are both fems from Nirvana Shop: Bubblelicious (auto) and Blackberry. I mixed them up during the germination, and am not sure which is which.
These gals went through a rough time for the first two weeks or so. I moved them to different cups. I was still tweaking the cabinet - I did a major overhaul of the lights and exhaust. Around 12/12. the temps hung around 90F! I had just germinated a second Bub, and managed to kill it on the 13th when temps were high and I removed the humidity dome too soon.
On 12/14, I transplanted into 10" pots. I also added the 2 26w bulbs, but was managing to keep the peak temp in low 80s. One plant (I think Bub) had a very thin and frail stem at the base. I pushed a mound of substrate up to the seedling "leaves" that were yellowed - that has since seemed to help - the rest of the stem is a bit more sturdy.
All along, I've been hand watering every other day. In the pots, I only skipped the second day. Since moving to the posts, I noticed very different problems with the plants. Of course, they are two different strains, so I know they could react different to any one of the factors I've listed.
The one with the frail stem is growing slow. The leaves look (to me) like the classic leaf in shape. The older leaves are becoming much more yellow and I think I see it in the newer (but not newest) leaves too. I guess planting too high and that thin stem could reduce nutrient intake. My struggle to get 5.5 pH could also be a factor. As far as I can tell, the one I think is Bubblelicious is not getting enough nutrients. If it really is the Bub, I would expect faster growth. If she's not the auto, she is still sick or under-fed:
And if that is the case, do I up the strength or feed more often? Or, since I use ferts and supps, do I just up whatever has the most N.
The one with the thin stem:
The other plant is quickly turning into a bush, so maybe she's the auto. However, her leaves are very broad and dark green. The tips twist and curl under. She has a nice, sturdy stem too. From what I've read, this could be too much feeding. So, for the past couple of days, I gave her just water. Now, there are no obvious changes in the color or twist of the old leaves, but the newer leaves are showing a lighter green in a splotchy sort of way.
Is this really too much feeding, though? Could this be a calcium (or other) deficiency?
Mini bush:
Oh, and next time around, I will put more substrate in the pots.
First, the details: a small (2'x3'x3') cabinet grow with 6500K CFLs (4x23, 2x26). I'll change temps for flower. Substrate is GH coco bricks soaked in pH 5.5 (I think) water, and then mixed with a little DE for poultry. I use Botanicare Pure Blend Grow, Liquid Karma, CalMag+, and their liquid compost. I mix 500ml at a time according to their chart for coco, and then cut in half with water. As I said, I think the water is about 5.5. I bought a cheap meter which died and I use the GH test drops.
I germinated two seeds in paper towels at the end of November. I placed them in cups of coco just water and they both poked out on the 26th. I didn't use the diluted nutrient solution until the first pair of non-seedling leaves were obvious. These are both fems from Nirvana Shop: Bubblelicious (auto) and Blackberry. I mixed them up during the germination, and am not sure which is which.
These gals went through a rough time for the first two weeks or so. I moved them to different cups. I was still tweaking the cabinet - I did a major overhaul of the lights and exhaust. Around 12/12. the temps hung around 90F! I had just germinated a second Bub, and managed to kill it on the 13th when temps were high and I removed the humidity dome too soon.
On 12/14, I transplanted into 10" pots. I also added the 2 26w bulbs, but was managing to keep the peak temp in low 80s. One plant (I think Bub) had a very thin and frail stem at the base. I pushed a mound of substrate up to the seedling "leaves" that were yellowed - that has since seemed to help - the rest of the stem is a bit more sturdy.
All along, I've been hand watering every other day. In the pots, I only skipped the second day. Since moving to the posts, I noticed very different problems with the plants. Of course, they are two different strains, so I know they could react different to any one of the factors I've listed.
The one with the frail stem is growing slow. The leaves look (to me) like the classic leaf in shape. The older leaves are becoming much more yellow and I think I see it in the newer (but not newest) leaves too. I guess planting too high and that thin stem could reduce nutrient intake. My struggle to get 5.5 pH could also be a factor. As far as I can tell, the one I think is Bubblelicious is not getting enough nutrients. If it really is the Bub, I would expect faster growth. If she's not the auto, she is still sick or under-fed:
And if that is the case, do I up the strength or feed more often? Or, since I use ferts and supps, do I just up whatever has the most N.
The one with the thin stem:
The other plant is quickly turning into a bush, so maybe she's the auto. However, her leaves are very broad and dark green. The tips twist and curl under. She has a nice, sturdy stem too. From what I've read, this could be too much feeding. So, for the past couple of days, I gave her just water. Now, there are no obvious changes in the color or twist of the old leaves, but the newer leaves are showing a lighter green in a splotchy sort of way.
Is this really too much feeding, though? Could this be a calcium (or other) deficiency?
Mini bush:
Oh, and next time around, I will put more substrate in the pots.
