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Diary PCBuds mini-grow

PCBuds

Well-known member
I'm new to this site and quite new to growing.

I want to post some pics and info of what I'm doing now in the hopes of getting some input.

My last grow was a bust so I'm starting over.

I got some Miracle Grow potting soil, 5 litres of pearlite, 5 litres of vermiculite and some garden lime.

I started with a Coleman cooler and put some clay pellets at the bottom then covered them with fiberglass weave for drainage.

Then I put a bubbler through to the bottom and filled it with the potting soil mixture.

I dug out the middle and filled it with un-nuted potting mix in an attempt to not burn my sprouted seed/seedling.

I tend to kill plants if I transplant so I planted my sprouted seed right in the cooler.

I have a 1" tube running to the bottom to drain off the run off.
I don't want to have a drain hole in the cooler for fear of leaks.























##################################################@@@@@@@@@$$$$$$$$######%%%%%%%"******°°°°°



I'm putting this here so I don't lose track of it.



It's almost time to lst the amnesia...:yummy:

2700k make compact buds in floweing and stout plants in veg. Plants reveg and clone faster on a 2700k.
Under this spectrum plants eat more fertilizer and water.
I had only two plants (barneys farm lsd) that after 150+ days of 12/12-10/14 were only starting flowering but i dont know if it was bad genetics or the lights.

Never grow under the 3000k

6500k is the best for veg. Plants are more branchy and with smaller thinner leaves.
I Never flower with leds under this spectrum. Only cfl but they have a different spectrum.

4000k is halfway between 2700k and 6500k.
Is not good in veg as the 65k, is almost the same in flower as the 27k.
Plants are more resistant to stresses.
Clones and reveging is a little bit longer then 27k.
Flowers under the 40k are very similar to the outdoors: big, not so dense and leafy.
Very good general purpose lamp.
Other crops are insanely more happy under this spectrum then the 27k.
And last...i see better the true colors of the plants...under the 27k leaves seems almost yellow, Under the 65k are dark green.




With too much light she start have problems. Don't care if the lights come from leds or hps.

Side lights are good for flowering.
Not too much for veg.
Lux, genetics, kelvin temperature and how much darkness they get is what give the plants node spacing
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I'm new to this site and quite new to growing.

I want to post some pics and info of what I'm doing now in the hopes of getting some input.

My last grow was a bust so I'm starting over.

I got some Miracle Grow potting soil, 5 litres of pearlite, 5 litres of vermiculite and some garden lime.

I started with a Coleman cooler and put some clay pellets at the bottom then covered them with fiberglass weave for drainage.

Then I put a bubbler through to the bottom and filled it with the potting soil mixture.

I dug out the middle and filled it with un-nuted potting mix in an attempt to not burn my sprouted seed/seedling.

I tend to kill plants if I transplant so I planted my sprouted seed right in the cooler.

I have a 1" tube running to the bottom to drain off the run off.
I don't want to have a drain hole in the cooler for fear of leaks.

[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/cCZ9GWtc/IMG-20190325-141934.jpg]View Image[/url]

[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/d3xymmFT/IMG-20190325-143001.jpg]View Image[/url]

[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/X7rFNhKK/IMG-20190325-151252.jpg]View Image[/url]

I found a ladybug in my backyard so I put her in my grow for good luck.

My seed is just popping through the surface.

[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/htq9Csx9/IMG-20190405-150920.jpg]View Image[/url]

Great idea. Just be careful not to over fertilize, over water tender seedlings! Bravo!!!
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
This is a second seedling starting and it IS in miracle grow potting soil.





It was a free seed from a friend but I still don't want to kill it.

Is the soil too "hot" ??

Should I try to transplant it into nute free soil or just leave it alone ?
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
Well I killed it.

I pulled the sprouted seed out of the MG then lost track of it.
(I should have waited till morning when I'm sober)

I found a couple of Extreme Haze regular seeds in my stash and decided to try to sprout the two seeds.
Here's hoping for at least one female.

I will try to do stuff when I'm sober.
 

Swanson

Member
I like the bucket !! What is your lighting situation? That soil should be ok, maybe a bit rich as it looks to be a Bloom enhancing formula. Could always flush it out prior to use. Might want to put it in something that drains first though if your doing that. Best of luck and definitely wise to steer clear of drunken gardening.
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I just switched from 2 overhead 24 Watt cfls to a five way socket with cheap Walmart 10 Watt led bulbs.
(globes removed)

The soft white bulbs were $1.50 each and the daylight bulbs were 75¢ each.

I'm running 3 daylight and 2 soft white.
I also have 4 sockets on the walls with flexible extensions for them on their way from China.

There is also a 4 foot fluorescent with two daylight and two grow bulbs.

Only the 5 way socket is turned on now at an18/6 schedule.
I'm keeping them at a 2 foot distance from the seedling.
(I had them way too close last grow when I switched from CFL to LEDs)

I also make my own wine so I keep a bucket bubbling away in the closet for CO2.





I have a 1 inch tube running to the bottom of the cooler so I can syphon off the run off.

The MG nutes are a ratio of 0.21-0.11-0.16 and I understand the best ratio is 3-1-2 for Veg. (and 1-3-2 for bloom) so I'm pretty close.

The soil in the middle is un-nuted Great Value potting soil where the seed is planted so it should have time to grow before it reaches the nuted stuff.

I should have just bought only the un-nuted stuff. It's cheaper anyway.
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I screwed up my last order of seeds as well.
I wanted to buy White Widow Autoflower but ended up buying White Widow Feminized.

The Autoflower is easier to grow and more tolerant of the BS I end up putting them.through.
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Well I killed it.

I pulled the sprouted seed out of the MG then lost track of it.
(I should have waited till morning when I'm sober)

I found a couple of Extreme Haze regular seeds in my stash and decided to try to sprout the two seeds.
Here's hoping for at least one female.

I will try to do stuff when I'm sober.

Important lesson to drink, imbibe AFTER you finish your project.

Keep a clear mind when doing such projects to reward you later.
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
Well I killed it.

I pulled the sprouted seed out of the MG then lost track of it.

I found it !!
It ended up in my potting mix and just kept growing.




The taproot was growing every which way. I guess it didn't know which way was up.



The seed casing had come off and it looks like it's gonna make it.




It looks like I've got a hardy little seedling !
Either that or I've stunted the hell out of it now ?
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
Is This OK ??

Is This OK ??

I'm trying no to burn my seedling so I backed off on the lighting.
It looks like it really stretching to me but I don't know ??



I've got a single bulb above it.



Its 19" from the bulb.



I could lower the light, add more light or leave it alone.

I don't know what's best.
 

handshake

Member
You definitely want more light. That bulb is a 10w bulb (10 watts, 60 watt equivalent), and cannabis loves light.

Assuming you bought a few of those bulbs, I'd fill all 4 sockets with them to start and see where that gets you, but you'll probably want to replace them all with even stronger bulbs down the line.

That soil looks THICK; make sure you are letting it dry right out between watering.

Keep at it!
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
She's growing up and got transplanted into the grow closet.

I think she's looking good.

I've got 5 LED's, 3 daylight and two soft white at 18".





 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I'm a bit nervous about putting the light closer because I scorched my last plant.

I did plug in the 4' florescent though. I've never burned anything with the floro.





Its got really close nodes.
I want it to start stretching.



 

handshake

Member
Ha! Is that the same plant from that spindly sprout in the clear glass? Good stuff!

It looks good, now! If you want it to stretch more, then maybe dial the lighting back, but I wouldn't over think it. Looks good so far, so I'd let it grow out and see how you feel.

Great work!
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
Yea, that's the same plant.

It's taking every ounce of self control I have to just leave the damn thing alone.

I check on it once a day and water it about once a week.

I don't want to love this one to death.
 

handshake

Member
Yea, that's the same plant.

Incredible! haha

Love how you lost it in the potting soil, then made it back and now it's chugging along nicely.

Keep up the good work


It's taking every ounce of self control I have to just leave the damn thing alone.

Exactly. This is the noob curse; we want to plant to do well so badly that we make it not do well, haha!

Just remember plants and humans work/grow at different rates and that you can't speed up nature.

This is a hobby that teaches patience; slow and steady wins the race. :tiphat:
 
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