New Grower A journal for my friends

[PeaceLove&Buds]

Hello all I’ve got quite a few friends who have seen pics and/or enjoyed some of my herbs and now have a keen interest in growing and are asking me all the newbie questions. I’ve directed them here to AFN to read forums etc and I’m going to journal 2 beans that I dropped the other day. I always tell them how easy it is and this will be a fun and convenient way to show them and others how they can “grow a plant now and ask questions later”. I guaranteed them a fat healthy plant on their first try but they had to do what I do because I only know ONE plan and couldn’t answer questions outside of that

My Tent: Covert 4x4x7
My Light: efinity ecogrow 4x4 630w
Ac Infinity exhaust setup and tent fans
Stuff to start with…I have a dechlorinator attached to my garden hose for my water

3 or 5 gallon pots fabric is nice I used them for over a year, I’m now using the Flora Flex 3gal pots because of my auto feed accessories which I’ll get into later. No noticeable difference because the plastic pots have wonderful drainage as you can see by these happy roots..

Nutrients: General Hydropinics Flora Series to include Armor Si, FloraMicro, FloraGro, FloraBloom, CALiMAGic, Floralicious Plus, Liquid KoolBloom, Rapid Start. Get some ph Down as well.

Medium: Royal Gold Tupur coco

I put 1 Mephisto Double Grape and 1 Night Owl Outlier C into some dechlorinated tap water which I ph’d to 6 in a solo cup and soaked em for about 24 hours in a dark cupboard. I used to go buy distilled water for their soaking/infant stage until I tried the tap and saw no difference at all. Up to you.

Next post we’ll drop em. Thanks for stopping by

 

[JP1]

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

It must be stated that there’s many ways and styles of growing. I wanted to follow a schedule when I started because I didn’t want to be left to my own decisions so I chose to grow in coco in which I have to fertigate every day (fertigate=water + feed). This eliminates dealing with over/under watering for me. And a feed schedule eliminates wondering if I should feed today. I prefer easy and easy FOR ME simply means no guessing in those departments. So anyways…
When I put the beans to soak I filled the two pots with coco and gave them a nice soaking with the dechlorinated tap (it’s always hooked to the dechlorinator so that’ll be the last time I say it lol). The water is ph’d down to 6 and I use a 4$ ph drop kit for testing. You can buy a ph pen, many people here use them as they prefer a 6.3 or 5.8 or whatever and I’m happy with just getting a yellow color in my drops as that signifies about 6. You can also use those pens to test something in the runoff, many here swear by it. I have no idea what that’s all about and not really interested so you’d have to ask them.
The next day before dropping into the coco I sprinkle some Great White around and in the hole.

Drop the bean and don’t compact the dirt you cover the seed with. Spray around the mycho with a spray bottle. If you can achieve 65%-80% humidity in your tent you’re good to go, if not I’d suggest a humidity dome. I’ve got about 55% so I’m using them.

Set your light power/distance to achieve a temperature of 75-83ish degrees. You can leave it on til they sprout to keep the heat consistent and switch to a light schedule when they’re standing. It’s not absolutely necessary as I have sprouted seeds before while in the same tent with other plants that were on a 16/8 schedule and I’m also doing it now. My lights off temp is in the high 50s/low 60s for 8 hours (11p-7a) and they do just fine. So it’s up to you but consistent heat is obviously better.
I dropped these in the soil almost 24 hours ago so we should see sprouts by mid day tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

To quickly touch on my non-scientific approach I just wanted to clarify that I’m not against using tech and doing measurements and stuff, I just don’t use them. After my first grow went well without them I never thought about it again is all. My goofy ass sees that stuff as just something else to worry about I guess and that’s why I’m not really interested in it. I’ve said since my first grow that yield per plant isn’t important to me because I can have more ready in another 90 days so I’m perfectly happy with the 4-7 ounces per plant that I get this way. I believe a key to a successful grow is matching your grow style to your attitude/personality, Sounds weird I guess but it’s easier to make growing a plant feel like second nature if you just treat it like a mini you. I’m a very very low maintenance guy with a very chill disposition and I treat them like they’re me. I tell them all from the beginning that I ain’t catering and bending over backwards for some weeds so they better not be needy and whiny or out they go. So far so good.

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

24 hours after dropping in the dirt we have signs of life

 

[Rasterman]

To quickly touch on my non-scientific approach I just wanted to clarify that I’m not against using tech and doing measurements and stuff, I just don’t use them. After my first grow went well without them I never thought about it again is all. My goofy ass sees that stuff as just something else to worry about I guess and that’s why I’m not really interested in it. I’ve said since my first grow that yield per plant isn’t important to me because I can have more ready in another 90 days so I’m perfectly happy with the 4-7 ounces per plant that I get this way. I believe a key to a successful grow is matching your grow style to your attitude/personality, Sounds weird I guess but it’s easier to make growing a plant feel like second nature if you just treat it like a mini you. I’m a very very low maintenance guy with a very chill disposition and I treat them like they’re me. I tell them all from the beginning that I ain’t catering and bending over backwards for some weeds so they better not be needy and whiny or out they go. So far so good.

I dig your philosophy. Share it even.

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

We are calling today Day 1

After approx 36 hours in the dirt both have broken ground. Double Grape has helmet head so I gave her a gentle spray to get a few drops of water on it. It should soften and come off easily, I’ll keep an eye today and will perhaps use tweezers to pull it off if necessary. Helmet head is no biggie it happens to me about once every 10 plants so no worries there.

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

About an hour after last post I gently nudged the helmet head off with my fingertip and boing she opened up. Lets keep em in the domes tonight and see what tomorrow brings. Tent temp is 75-78f humidity is 59%. This is the kiddie tent I use for germinating and extra space while small, and I’ll keep them here for about 30 days until I drop 2 more then they’re off to the 4x4. This light is a Spider Farmer t3000 and it’s currently set about 60% at 32” above the soil. No water yet but we will do a little tomorrow
(Top of dirt is identical in each pot, the brown look is just an effect from the light)

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

Thank you @Rasterman cheers buddy

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

Day 2

I took the domes off so they could get some direct light for a few hours and the green cover you see is from the Flora Flex Matrix setup I use when I auto feed. I love the even spaced holes so I use them even when I hand water at the beginning. It also helps keep the coco moist. Pure convenience for me to evenly water but same is achieved with a water can, just go slow and let the water distribute through the pot.The plant behind them was started this way and I took the cover off at about 15 days old, she’s being hand watered as my auto system is on the shelf due to rearranging the shed.

Let’s talk fertigating. Fertigate = water+ feed. Because we are in coco which is inert we are going to fertigate every day until runoff out of the bottom. We want the runoff because we need to expel any salt and crap from building up in the coco so each day is like a mini flush of sorts. No need to go overboard, 10-20% runoff is good. Don’t let the words “every day” sound like a lot of work because this is actually a huge part of our easy grow. Because we are brand new and clueless we will not stand over the plants for 10 minutes wondering if we should water or feed them, we will spend 5 minutes fertigating instead. When you buy the General Hydrponics nutes pick up a feed schedule or google and print one. I use the medium feed schedule.

**you must add armor si first and mix then add the FloraMicro and mix then add all other nutes and mix. Then test your ph and adjust to about 6 which is straight yellow in my drop kit

For convenience I mix in Home Depot buckets 4 gallons at a time. I filled and added 2 and then 4 one gallon jugs and marked a fill line on the bucket. I use a paddle mixing bit on my drill and I can mix 12 gallons in about 5-10 minutes.

There are many opinions on when how and amount of nutes in the first week or two. They must all be correct or people wouldn’t tell you about how it works for them. And what you should take from that is these are hardy plants! I am a HUGE believer in experimenting on something every grow whether it’s defol, lighting, or training. Doing so greatly increases your awareness of what they are and aren’t capable of. But the one thing I highly suggest is to not experiment with the feed plan. As I’ve said, I don’t know what’s in the chemicals or why the plant needs them because that’s not where my interest lies. But I guarantee it works. While following this plan I have NEVER had leafs with spots or droops or any signs of deficiency and that’s why I can never offer advice to someone with problems. Some plants will react differently to the light or feed or whatever but when I see that their siblings are kicking ass in the same conditions I don’t bother altering anything or catering to that plant. Might sound dumb but that’s just my style, get along or get the fuck out
Ok my friends thats it today. Buckle up for a pretty boring 10 days and I’ll see ya tomorrow