I'm having quite a lot of free time recently due to the recent end_of_the_world (hope not), so I decided to plant sth else besides tomatoes, beans, corn, cucumbers, ... and hokkaido squash!
Bought 2 packs of seeds from RQS + get some bonus seeds (2).
Germination1: Decided to use wet cotton-wool tampons 3 in a jar. Get 7 nice white roots out of 8 seeds. One no-name Northern Lights Auto failed to germinate.
Planting1: Here comes the mistake. Planting into coconut(?) jiffys. Issue is, I started to planted deeper and deeper ... so only first 4 seeds were able to reach the light above the surface. Now I don't plant deeper than 1cm.
Jeffs were later inserted into small 0.3l pots, than into 5l. Too late I've realized(read), that esp. autos don't like stress from transplanting. Next time I'll be planting directly into 5l.
Germination2: As only one auto Haze (out of 3) survived 1st planting, I've started 2nd batch - 2 x auto Haze. Germinated were in a small bawl with a mix of old water and 2nd brine of black tea. Afer 2 days both were planted into coconut jiffys. After few days nice 2 seedlings were enjoying the sun behind my window.
Soil in pots is a mix of tomato planting substrate and a moss. Perlite is on it's way and should be ready for a new mix for 35l pots ... but I've read that it's not recommended to use different soil for bigger pots, due to changed hydro-static parameters - I don't want to cause bigger stress for my plants (esp. autos) than needed. Now I know that it'd be better to transplant in the late evening (at the end of light cycle), as short as possible, with wet substrate. Best if the next day won't be sunny, skip nutrition feeding for a few next days...
Germination3: 4 seeds, 2x Budha Seeds autos (Purple Kush + Magnum), 2x fotoperiod (Cheese + 8th Ball Kush) - used plastic tray from Toffifee
All 4 seeds were opened after ~2 days with small green/white roots. 2 autos planted directly into 5l pots, 2 fotoperiods planted into smaller 0.5l pots yesterday. Hope, that tomorrow I'll find one or two small plants on the surface, rest the next day.
Batch 1 and 2 - were last 3 days exposed several hours afternoon on the direct sunlight outside. When the direct sun set behind the buildings, pots were taken into house and warm.
One mistake was made with batch 1 - after the transplantation plants were watered with rain water + nutrition (quarter dose, NPK 9-4-6 - using green plant fertilizer from Lidl). Seems that plants survived without any visible damage. Now I know: next time to skip feeding or even better to use some anti-stress stuff.
I'm a bit concerned about intensity and duration of natural light. It might be better to start autos in grow tent under artificial light with 18-20 hours of intensive radiation, but let me not be too greedy. We will see. Currently there is about 13-14 hours from dawn to dusk and lot of sunny days with intense sunlight. I can provide more than 8 hours of that for my little ones, although it means a lot of moving with pots.
Considering to buy 25l Air Pots for 11 Eur each. Seems quite a good price and the volume might be ok for autos.
So, that's the start of my 1st farming blog, mainly for me to see what I did wrong, or maybe for other beginners.
Needed to upload 1 pix to save this - my auto (on the left) Haze has it's leaves bent downwards - I suppose it's thirsty - haven't watered them yesterday. After the shooting I've get them some old water - will see tomorrow if it helped.
Bought 2 packs of seeds from RQS + get some bonus seeds (2).
Germination1: Decided to use wet cotton-wool tampons 3 in a jar. Get 7 nice white roots out of 8 seeds. One no-name Northern Lights Auto failed to germinate.
Planting1: Here comes the mistake. Planting into coconut(?) jiffys. Issue is, I started to planted deeper and deeper ... so only first 4 seeds were able to reach the light above the surface. Now I don't plant deeper than 1cm.
Jeffs were later inserted into small 0.3l pots, than into 5l. Too late I've realized(read), that esp. autos don't like stress from transplanting. Next time I'll be planting directly into 5l.
Germination2: As only one auto Haze (out of 3) survived 1st planting, I've started 2nd batch - 2 x auto Haze. Germinated were in a small bawl with a mix of old water and 2nd brine of black tea. Afer 2 days both were planted into coconut jiffys. After few days nice 2 seedlings were enjoying the sun behind my window.
Soil in pots is a mix of tomato planting substrate and a moss. Perlite is on it's way and should be ready for a new mix for 35l pots ... but I've read that it's not recommended to use different soil for bigger pots, due to changed hydro-static parameters - I don't want to cause bigger stress for my plants (esp. autos) than needed. Now I know that it'd be better to transplant in the late evening (at the end of light cycle), as short as possible, with wet substrate. Best if the next day won't be sunny, skip nutrition feeding for a few next days...
Germination3: 4 seeds, 2x Budha Seeds autos (Purple Kush + Magnum), 2x fotoperiod (Cheese + 8th Ball Kush) - used plastic tray from Toffifee
All 4 seeds were opened after ~2 days with small green/white roots. 2 autos planted directly into 5l pots, 2 fotoperiods planted into smaller 0.5l pots yesterday. Hope, that tomorrow I'll find one or two small plants on the surface, rest the next day.
Batch 1 and 2 - were last 3 days exposed several hours afternoon on the direct sunlight outside. When the direct sun set behind the buildings, pots were taken into house and warm.
One mistake was made with batch 1 - after the transplantation plants were watered with rain water + nutrition (quarter dose, NPK 9-4-6 - using green plant fertilizer from Lidl). Seems that plants survived without any visible damage. Now I know: next time to skip feeding or even better to use some anti-stress stuff.
I'm a bit concerned about intensity and duration of natural light. It might be better to start autos in grow tent under artificial light with 18-20 hours of intensive radiation, but let me not be too greedy. We will see. Currently there is about 13-14 hours from dawn to dusk and lot of sunny days with intense sunlight. I can provide more than 8 hours of that for my little ones, although it means a lot of moving with pots.
Considering to buy 25l Air Pots for 11 Eur each. Seems quite a good price and the volume might be ok for autos.
So, that's the start of my 1st farming blog, mainly for me to see what I did wrong, or maybe for other beginners.
Needed to upload 1 pix to save this - my auto (on the left) Haze has it's leaves bent downwards - I suppose it's thirsty - haven't watered them yesterday. After the shooting I've get them some old water - will see tomorrow if it helped.
Page ... one?
Ok, I guess it's a mess, but how to find out how sth works if not testing it.
Anyway. After the night watering plants are back in form, straight and enjoying the sunlight.
Seedlings from batch 3 are still in the soil, fighting their way to the sun and life. Keeping my fingers crossed and their soils slightly wet.
Anyway. After the night watering plants are back in form, straight and enjoying the sunlight.
Seedlings from batch 3 are still in the soil, fighting their way to the sun and life. Keeping my fingers crossed and their soils slightly wet.
The Next Page
Currently there are 3 seedlings breathing fresh air from batch 3. 2x fotoperiods and one Purple Kush Auto. 2nd Auto ... I'll wait 2 more days till it will be officially wasted. One plant from batch 1 seems a little weird, leaves are not symetrical and little yellow dots were possible to be seen. Batch 2 is healhy, batch 3 is starting. The only auto (Haze) from batch 1 is the biggest plant and already has wonderful odor. Currently 1&2 are sunbathing. Out.
New added page (propper counting planned)
So after few days here is an update.
Batch 1 (20 days):
Auto Haze is growing fast and furious. One leaf on 2nd node has a brown mark (seems dry, maybe burned?) - shouldn't be as a result of improper watering. I assume a bird/insect could cause it. No other leaves are affected. Color is nice, bit darker green.
One of photoperiod Highnesses was struggling. First 2 sets of leaves were not symmetrical, I could see a yellow patterns on them. Yet again I don't know the cause, my best guess is that this plant didn't like nutrition rich soil after transplantation into bigger pot in combination with feeding with N-enriched rainwater (half concentration).
But it seems that after a week plant survived and the new leaves looks OK to me.
All 3 photoperiods are smaller than auto.
Batch 2 (12 days):
Both Auto Haze plants looks good to me. Much smaller, still in the original pot. Waiting for the courier to get the perlit and 35l pots. They still shouldn't be limited by 0.8l pots and I want to plant them directly into the huge pots.
Batch 3 (5-6 days):
The last 4th seed didn't make it. I found it with about 5-7 mm root in strange position (like growing horizontal and not vertical). Too many water in soil? I doubt it, but I might be wrong. But the same doses had also the other 3 plants. These plants are very small yet. I've taken them to direct sunlight and medium breeze outside, but taken them back home to warm during the night.
Batch 1 and 2 stayed in folio outside. Temperature shouldn't drop under 7-8 degrees of Celsius.
Plants weren't watered last 2 days after strong circular watering before. Soil is still wet. Next watering will be with some food (half of recommended concentration again), mainly N.
Batch 1 (20 days):
Auto Haze is growing fast and furious. One leaf on 2nd node has a brown mark (seems dry, maybe burned?) - shouldn't be as a result of improper watering. I assume a bird/insect could cause it. No other leaves are affected. Color is nice, bit darker green.
One of photoperiod Highnesses was struggling. First 2 sets of leaves were not symmetrical, I could see a yellow patterns on them. Yet again I don't know the cause, my best guess is that this plant didn't like nutrition rich soil after transplantation into bigger pot in combination with feeding with N-enriched rainwater (half concentration).
But it seems that after a week plant survived and the new leaves looks OK to me.
All 3 photoperiods are smaller than auto.
Batch 2 (12 days):
Both Auto Haze plants looks good to me. Much smaller, still in the original pot. Waiting for the courier to get the perlit and 35l pots. They still shouldn't be limited by 0.8l pots and I want to plant them directly into the huge pots.
Batch 3 (5-6 days):
The last 4th seed didn't make it. I found it with about 5-7 mm root in strange position (like growing horizontal and not vertical). Too many water in soil? I doubt it, but I might be wrong. But the same doses had also the other 3 plants. These plants are very small yet. I've taken them to direct sunlight and medium breeze outside, but taken them back home to warm during the night.
Batch 1 and 2 stayed in folio outside. Temperature shouldn't drop under 7-8 degrees of Celsius.
Plants weren't watered last 2 days after strong circular watering before. Soil is still wet. Next watering will be with some food (half of recommended concentration again), mainly N.
Transplantation, temperature concerns, etc
3 days ago I've transplanted 2 smaller autos from 2nd batch into Instatransplant Pots mentioned by @G.Leave in some of his very useful guides for beginners.
Mine 5l looked like this:
I suppose that in 2 weeks they will be planted with pots in my garden.
Auto Haze from 1st batch was put into 22l plastic pot. I was a bit scared to stress her, roots were just starting to circle around hers 5l pot, but the whole pack of soil and roots stayed compact after removal of the old pot, so there shouldn't be too many damaged roots (at least I hope so).
All 3 transplants were made in the evening after one hour I've watered them (I wasn't sure if I should let them or water them, after reading several blogs, I've rushed to give them so very needed water) with some 1/3 dose of anti-stress feed (for vegetable/flowers).
Batch 1 and 2 stayed all the day and night in folio for almost the whole last week. During the day temperature is ok, esp. in folio sunlight can rise temp. fast over 20'C, but during the night temp. jumped from 2 till 10 'C. Last night I've decided to light a fat 10cm candle in it, to increase a temperature during the night. I've used some metal cover to be safe, and as it seems to really help, I've lighted another one 2 hours ago for this night.
Yesterday's folio:
I've noticed today, that photo-freak (1st one at the bottom) is recovering and last 2 sets of leaves are OK, even color is better now. One transplanted auto haze form 2nd batch is now bigger than the other (maybe stress from transplanting on 2nd?).
Batch 3 is small, 1 set of real leaves on long stump - there is finally some rain and cloudy weather now, so there is also less of sunlight.
Next to do:
Mine 5l looked like this:
I suppose that in 2 weeks they will be planted with pots in my garden.
Auto Haze from 1st batch was put into 22l plastic pot. I was a bit scared to stress her, roots were just starting to circle around hers 5l pot, but the whole pack of soil and roots stayed compact after removal of the old pot, so there shouldn't be too many damaged roots (at least I hope so).
All 3 transplants were made in the evening after one hour I've watered them (I wasn't sure if I should let them or water them, after reading several blogs, I've rushed to give them so very needed water) with some 1/3 dose of anti-stress feed (for vegetable/flowers).
Batch 1 and 2 stayed all the day and night in folio for almost the whole last week. During the day temperature is ok, esp. in folio sunlight can rise temp. fast over 20'C, but during the night temp. jumped from 2 till 10 'C. Last night I've decided to light a fat 10cm candle in it, to increase a temperature during the night. I've used some metal cover to be safe, and as it seems to really help, I've lighted another one 2 hours ago for this night.
Yesterday's folio:
I've noticed today, that photo-freak (1st one at the bottom) is recovering and last 2 sets of leaves are OK, even color is better now. One transplanted auto haze form 2nd batch is now bigger than the other (maybe stress from transplanting on 2nd?).
Batch 3 is small, 1 set of real leaves on long stump - there is finally some rain and cloudy weather now, so there is also less of sunlight.
Next to do:
- watering: more than 2 days without water, soil seemed to me wet after pushing my finger 2 inches inside.
- buying several bags of horse manure and preparing the final destination for them
- receive several deliveries from different shops (perlite, Plagron batmix + terra bloom, PH checker for soil, PH/EC tester from Aliexpress - god knows when it arrives)
- staying healthy
Last days in the folio
I haven't updated this journal for a longer time. Plants are still in the folio, as weather conditions are quite bad for a this part of year. April and maybe even March were warmer months with a lot of sunshine, for both there were new temperature records. Nature goes crazy, thanks to us. May is cold, rainy and cloudy. There are warnings about night frosts almost every second day.
I'll wait till this weekends, on Saturday morning temperature might fall to about zero. Next nights should be warmer, but to be honest, forecasts are changing every day (or every few hours).
I've transplanted 2 photos into larger pots. These + auto purple kush will stay in folio or house garden for some time, rest should move into more discrete location. As there were no other disasters, I've got quite a lot of plants, more than I thought I'll have for this part of the year. 4 autos are ok, I think I can have them secured for the next 5-6 weeks till the harvest (fingers crossed).
Photos... well, there are 5 of them and I think about some wild planting for one or two of them not far from the bike road, next to a small creek. I'll check that location soon, or as soon as the weather will enhance.
All the plants from the batch 1 and 2 were slightly trained - bend with garden wire, but I need to finally put then into the earth to train them properly.
Next update with some photos.
I'll wait till this weekends, on Saturday morning temperature might fall to about zero. Next nights should be warmer, but to be honest, forecasts are changing every day (or every few hours).
I've transplanted 2 photos into larger pots. These + auto purple kush will stay in folio or house garden for some time, rest should move into more discrete location. As there were no other disasters, I've got quite a lot of plants, more than I thought I'll have for this part of the year. 4 autos are ok, I think I can have them secured for the next 5-6 weeks till the harvest (fingers crossed).
Photos... well, there are 5 of them and I think about some wild planting for one or two of them not far from the bike road, next to a small creek. I'll check that location soon, or as soon as the weather will enhance.
All the plants from the batch 1 and 2 were slightly trained - bend with garden wire, but I need to finally put then into the earth to train them properly.
Next update with some photos.
