Game On!!! Fingers crossed for number 12.
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A Taste of Africa from Malawi
- Thread starter Zanddar
- Start date
Game On!!! Fingers crossed for number 12.
Nice setup Fletch. May I ask why the plastic sheeting, and also could you please be so kind as to give an idea how far above the seedlings the grow light is positioned? I lost a few seedlings very soon after early germination recently, and I plan to start out the next batch of seeds much closer to the grow light, at about a foot beneath the LED light, as opposed to the 3-foot distance I'd set up between the light and the batch of seedlings that withered and died recently.
With a batch of feminized Malawi seeds inbound and due to arrive soon, I'm hoping to learn from the mistakes I made with my last germination project, especially since I intend to use these Malawi plants as mothers for years to come.
With a batch of feminized Malawi seeds inbound and due to arrive soon, I'm hoping to learn from the mistakes I made with my last germination project, especially since I intend to use these Malawi plants as mothers for years to come.
Hi Swamp Thang , bummer losing seedlings. Hope the next round is Double Healthy.
I usually soak seeds in water for 12 hours then transfer to damp paper towels until a Root pokes through. Then to Rockwool cubes or Soil. Sometimes skipping the paper towel step and going from soak to planted. The plastic film covers the cubes for just a day or two and helps retain moisture until Sprouts push to the top.
Lights for Sprout and Veg are T5 HO Fluorescents. I start them 12 inches away and move them to a distance of 6 inches from the tops of the Plants. With LEDs I start 18-24 inches away, then move closer as needed. The Quantum Boards need more distance and less intensity if the Plants start Bleaching.
If Sprouts get leggy, brace the Stem.
Creeperpark has a foolproof sprouting method in the Propagation forum.
I usually soak seeds in water for 12 hours then transfer to damp paper towels until a Root pokes through. Then to Rockwool cubes or Soil. Sometimes skipping the paper towel step and going from soak to planted. The plastic film covers the cubes for just a day or two and helps retain moisture until Sprouts push to the top.
Lights for Sprout and Veg are T5 HO Fluorescents. I start them 12 inches away and move them to a distance of 6 inches from the tops of the Plants. With LEDs I start 18-24 inches away, then move closer as needed. The Quantum Boards need more distance and less intensity if the Plants start Bleaching.
If Sprouts get leggy, brace the Stem.
Creeperpark has a foolproof sprouting method in the Propagation forum.
Good luck with your grow fletch!
9 weeks from flip. Coming in faster than expected as it looks from here. Haven''t checked under the scope yet and don't plan to for at least 2 more weeks. I want this one well done. Using Coco/ organic soil, insect frass, basalt, oyster shell, azomite and a touch of dolomite. Feeding only water and home brew tea. She Seems to be happy with this recipe.
9 weeks from flip. Coming in faster than expected as it looks from here. Haven''t checked under the scope yet and don't plan to for at least 2 more weeks. I want this one well done. Using Coco/ organic soil, insect frass, basalt, oyster shell, azomite and a touch of dolomite. Feeding only water and home brew tea. She Seems to be happy with this recipe.
Much thanks for this reply, Fletch. It looks like I've made two mistakes. First, my LED lights were not close enough to the seedlings, and secondly, I added soil to bury the seedlings elongated stems, rather than supporting them as you have advised. Perhaps burying the stems resulted in a softening of the stems under the moist soil, ultimately leading to the seedlings simply rotting. I pick up valuable lessons virtually every day I tune in to ICMAG. Much obliged.
I'm not sure where the idea came from to bury the seed stems all the way under the soil like tomatoes. Jorge Chavez's video shows him burying the seedling stems all the way to the top of the seed sprout. I tried this method outdoors and indoors and both proved non-productive and slowed growth or killed my seed spouts. Maybe under perfect conditions, it may prove me wrong, but I will never bury seed stems again. 
These hairs can help reduce the amount of water lost from stems and leaves making the plant more drought tolerant.
These hairs can help reduce the amount of water lost from stems and leaves making the plant more drought tolerant.
Oddy enough CP, I have buried seedlings "up to their necks" in the past, without any adverse effects, and this is why I thought nothing of doing the same thing with my precious batch of Golden Tiger and Zamaldelica seeds. Regardless of why this technique failed so spectacularly this time around, I will never make that mistake again in the future.
I've got Malawi seeds inbound as I type these words, with a fresh batch of Zamaldelica and Golden Tiger seeds following closely in their wake, so my lessons learned about the need for closer proximity of the grow light, and about refraining from burying those fragile stems, will hopefully ensure that the mother plants I need will survive to produce several years of clone offspring down the road.
I've got Malawi seeds inbound as I type these words, with a fresh batch of Zamaldelica and Golden Tiger seeds following closely in their wake, so my lessons learned about the need for closer proximity of the grow light, and about refraining from burying those fragile stems, will hopefully ensure that the mother plants I need will survive to produce several years of clone offspring down the road.
goingrey
Well-known member
I'm not sure where the idea came from to bury the seed stems all the way under the soil like tomatoes. Jorge Chavez's video shows him burying the seedling stems all the way to the top of the seed sprout. I tried this method outdoors and indoors and both proved non-productive and slowed growth or killed my seed spouts. Maybe under perfect conditions, it may prove me wrong, but I will never bury seed stems again.
These hairs can help reduce the amount of water lost from stems and leaves making the plant more drought tolerant.
Hmm. I have done this time and time again without noticing any issues that could be attributed to the practice. Often multiple times going through increasingly large container sizes. I consider it an essential tool in the indoor grower's fight against limited height.
Conditions don't need to be perfect. Just can't drench the soil or let it dry out, either of which will surely kill a seedling even without up-potting (overwatering might actually be the reason for the weak seedling stems in the first place).
Still, sorry to hear about Swamp Thang's seedlings. Hope you find a method that works. No one right way to do things - just got to find a way that works for you.
It just occurred to me that there might be a genetic component to the variable consequences of burying seedlings that are growing too leggy due to weak lighting. It is possible that some strains of cannabis benefit from having their seedlings' stems buttressed with a light layer of added soil, while others like Golden Tiger and Zamaldelica could conversely wind up damaged or killed off by that same technique particularly if used too early following germination.
For some reason, this mystery reminds me of the lyrics to an old country song by Don Williams : " A panel of experts could shout all night, and never figure out which one is right."
goingrey
Well-known member
You could well be right. I have been meaning to grow Malawi for a while now but haven't got around to it yet, will have to keep this in mind when I finally do.
Ha! Ain't that the truth.
You support and direct "wind" so you strengthen stem.Might be a good point to maybe start thinking of LSTing plants into shape
Number 12 came through!! 100% germination again!! Tomorrow they go into Soil and under LED.
Malawi unleashed.
Hombre del mont
Dr of Stupidity
Wow, things have moved on from my day! that looks "Space age", love it! or maybe I should say "Spaced Age"
Looking great, i shall watch this with intrest. One day I'm hoping to do some indoor growing again.
captainrelief
Member
Soil mix was a little Hot, but misting with plain water helped them settle in.
Thanks Hombre del mont ."Spaced Age" indeed!!
