Seeds, Nodes, Miracle Grow, and Soil Mix

I have a question about seeds, though I think I already know the answer. Is there anyway to tell whether the seed is an Indica or Sativa strain? My guess in no, but I thought I would ask. In my 'limited' experience, Sativa had a much better 'stoney trippy' buzz than Indica. But my experience with specific strains is virtually nill...mostly anonymous street weed. If it smelled good it usually was.

Also, has anyone ever seen a strain that did not have a pair of branches at each node? I recently saw a plant that had only one branch at each node which alternated sides at each node going up the stem. The resultant cola looked fine.

Miracle Grow Potting Soil
I believe it was a mistake to grow using Miracle Grow Potting Soil. The bag listed it as being good for six months. Frankly I think it was too hot, er, rather, too much fertilizer in their mix for mj plants.

There were nothing but problems throughout the grow, and the re-veg second grow;
nutrient burn;
heat stress mostly from the hot summer affecting the temp in the closet;
various nutrient deficiencies...apparently magnesium and potasium perhaps caused by calcium toxicity/deficiency?;
pH? though every garden center soil meter I could find was used and none were conclusive, all read fine;
overwatering early on (not the fault of the Miracle Grow soil, of course).

Total final cured product, 36g of slow creep high, not very potent, not very long lasting from 4 two foot tall untrained unlsted untopped indica dominant strains from bagseed. Overall a dissappointment...however it was a learning experience and only inspires another try (which has just gotten underway).

I recall from a grow a long long time ago that generic storebrand topsoil with about 30% vermiculite for drainage worked out really well. That'll be part of the next 'experiment'.

Anyone have any suggestions on soil mixes?

A couple of pics of the end product:

this one ended up with a total of 16.9g


this girl 7.7g

No, you can't tell.

Plant genetics, like genetics in all living things, are capable of some damned odd mutations. What you describe isn't that unusual.

Sorry, you used the soil wrong. Miracle Grow grows great plants for thousands of growers every day and it's not too hot for cannabis at all.

Unless you add your own fertilizer to a pre-fertilized potting soil. Did you?

Sometimes soil grows, not just MG, need some epsom salts for a little magnesium. If you were growing magnesium hogs and didn't add epsom salts, that would easily destroy a grow. Same with lime and Ph.

How was your closet being too hot the fault of the soil?

the one branch per node came from a clone! seedlings start doing it when they're sexually mature, as for soil mix i would recommend sunshine #4 or roots original just use water for the first 2-4 weeks then continue as normal with nutes with the sunshine youll need to add nutes from day one

always had good luck with ROOTS ORGANIC

roots organic original blend :S except for the occasional bag that has fungus gnats

MG hasn't given me any problems, and it looks like you could've gotten quite a bit more, had you let those in the round tray finish up.

Sorry, didn't mean to blame the MG for the heat stress. I'm sure others have had success with MG potting soil. My experience is limited so I don't consider myself any kind of authority at all.

I didn't use any extra nutes for the first month, then just 1/2 strength MG every other watering or so. When I went to flower, I changed to Shultz Bloom 1/2 strength every third or fourth watering. Thing is I was getting nutrient problems long before I ever started adding nutes. That's what leads me to suspect the MG... However, in retrospect, maybe it was the water?

Where do I find Sunshine #4 or Roots Organic? Grow shops or big box stores?

You really think the buds in the round pan needed more flowering time? I didn't want to over-flower it, plus most of it's larger leaves were sucked dry by the time I harvested it.

How do you measure soil pH? Like I mentioned, I've tried the all of pH testers I could find in the garden centers. Every one read good.

If I can throw this out there, one of the reasons your harvest is not potent is that it does not look like it has completely finished flowering.

I see a multitude of white pistils and barely any swollen calyxes particularly in the second photo.

Let it finish properly and the results will be much better.

JoeyV said:

Sorry, didn't mean to blame the MG for the heat stress. I'm sure others have had success with MG potting soil. My experience is limited so I don't consider myself any kind of authority at all.

I didn't use any extra nutes for the first month, then just 1/2 strength MG every other watering or so. When I went to flower, I changed to Shultz Bloom 1/2 strength every third or fourth watering. Thing is I was getting nutrient problems long before I ever started adding nutes. That's what leads me to suspect the MG... However, in retrospect, maybe it was the water?

Where do I find Sunshine #4 or Roots Organic? Grow shops or big box stores?

You really think the buds in the round pan needed more flowering time? I didn't want to over-flower it, plus most of it's larger leaves were sucked dry by the time I harvested it.

How do you measure soil pH? Like I mentioned, I've tried the all of pH testers I could find in the garden centers. Every one read good.

Click to expand...

Yes, needed more time.
I'm not trying to be a dick, but............
It would be a good thing to follow some threads and do some reading before your next try, so you will be more comfortable with your time, nutes, PH, soil, and heat - all the things you weren't sure about on this grow.
I will give you props, kinda- on not asking every day, 3 times a day, the famous newb question "Is it ready yet?", but it would have been good if you had at least asked once, before raping your plant.
I'm sure you can find a thread somewhere, I do remember a few recommendations for soil PH testers, just within the past week or so in fact.
Keep your chin up, and chalk this one up to experience. Your next should be better!

JoeyV said:

Sorry, didn't mean to blame the MG for the heat stress. I'm sure others have had success with MG potting soil. My experience is limited so I don't consider myself any kind of authority at all.

I didn't use any extra nutes for the first month, then just 1/2 strength MG every other watering or so. When I went to flower, I changed to Shultz Bloom 1/2 strength every third or fourth watering. Thing is I was getting nutrient problems long before I ever started adding nutes. That's what leads me to suspect the MG... However, in retrospect, maybe it was the water?

.

Click to expand...

That would be a lack of nutrient problem. Feed the plants every watering after the soil is depleted, according to the directions on the bottle.