Creeper is creeping again.

[Creeperpark]

I'm going to get a little serious for a minute.
I have found that every garden can be a teacher if one asks questions and is determined to find the answers. Rather than taking a chance with damaging the valuable female plants one can use the males or extra females to do controlled experiments and learn from them in every garden. If one experiments with every garden using extra plants, one can advance into advanced horticulture where one that doesn't will stay the same. There is no failure using this strategy there is only learning what works and what doesn’t with every garden.

 

[Creeperpark]

As an example, the two males I transferred to outdoors under a 12/12 photoperiod are being used in an experiment using high-EC tap water. The starting tap water EC is 490 ppm with a pH of 8.6 before adding anything. Using this method, I had to raise the nutrient content extremely high to overcome the excess tap water pH and high EC. The ppm is in the 800s to make the tap water work. (photo of the males) below.

In another experiment using a different plant in the extra garden, I do not allow discharge. I only used water nutrients starting at 7.1 pH or above with a low ppm of only 290 counting cal mag carbonate. How long will the plant thrive using this method? One observation is the leaves are darker the plant smells are much stronger than the non-experimental plant. Question how will the higher pH affect the flowering?

Lastly, I’m using a pruning technique on one of the bigger plants in the OG garden using the same strains. Comparing growth between fan leaf pruned and non-pruned fan leaves is a continual experiment that is ongoing from many past grows. My conclusion is I’m still open to more research. At the end of every garden, one walks away with more experience that can be used in future grows.

 

[Creeperpark]

The trick is to start the seed in low humidity and the plant will adapt easily. In low humidity, the exchange process starts early. Very importantly make sure there's plenty of cal mag in RO or Rainwater. Growing in low humidity helps the plant tissue become stronger tougher and more resistant to mold compared to a wetter environment. Wetter environments grow soft spongy plant tissue and are easily attacked by mold Hyphae.

Hyphae are the thread-like structures that make up mycelium. They anchor the mold to its food source and absorb nutrients, similar to plant roots. Google

I need to clarify the growing humidity to prevent misinterpretation. Here, when the wind blows out of the NorthWest, the humidity can drop and stay in the 30s for long periods, and when the wind changes out of the South, the humidity rises to the 50s and upper 60s. I don’t run a humidifier or dehumidifier and will have periods during the growth in both ranges.

Winter almost always falls in the lower ranges, and Summer grows in the higher humidity ranges. My humidity can change in the blink of an eye in either range. The key is to maintain proper hydration to match the humidity.

 

[Creeperpark]

I'm starting to get a nice stretch on my females. The room was way overcrowded and I was in a strain every time I did anything in the garden. Yesterday I noticed a male in there that I missed. I can't see well enough to find them until the flowers are well formed using a magnifier. I got it out before it did anything and put it outdoors with the other males. That was a nice surprise because of my limited space, now I have a little more room. This 6x6ft is full with no extra space.

 

[Creeperpark]

Some may think I’m crazy for switching plants from pure water to tap water as an experiment. The water pH is above 8 and a starting ppm above 400. The main reason is I don’t want to waste my RO water on males but I still want pollen. Another reason is to reduce the plant's vigor and maintain a slowdown for observation. It would be interesting to see how hard water will change the plant's overall growth rate and appearance and the amount of time as well as how long it takes to go into a lockout.

So far the plants in question have slowed in vigor but still gaining height and still making plenty of pollen sites. Their color has changed into a dullish green and the smells are becoming minimal. The plants have to be watered every day because of the low humidity and daily warm temperatures. The more alkaline water the plant receives over time the more hydroxyl content accumulates giving way to less hydrogen which is needed to break down micronutrients. How long does it take before a lockout or nutrient deficiency takes place? Will tap water affect the pollen quality or hormonal ratio of males/Females of pollen?

My dog thinks I'm crazy.​

"I may be crazy"?​

 

[aCBD]

very interesting project and stress test!
your dog might think you're crazy.. but crazy in a good way

 

[hfm]

nice looking plants!

 

[Lester Beans]

Thanks for sharing your grow Creeper!!

Plants look healthy as can be! Love the doggy!

 

[Rocket Soul]

As an example, the two males I transferred to outdoors under a 12/12 photoperiod are being used in an experiment using high-EC tap water. The starting tap water EC is 490 ppm with a pH of 8.6 before adding anything. Using this method, I had to raise the nutrient content extremely high to overcome the excess tap water pH and high EC. The ppm is in the 800s to make the tap water work. (photo of the males) below.

In another experiment using a different plant in the extra garden, I do not allow discharge. I only used water nutrients starting at 7.1 pH or above with a low ppm of only 290 counting cal mag carbonate. How long will the plant thrive using this method? One observation is the leaves are darker the plant smells are much stronger than the non-experimental plant. Question how will the higher pH affect the flowering?

Lastly, I’m using a pruning technique on one of the bigger plants in the OG garden using the same strains. Comparing growth between fan leaf pruned and non-pruned fan leaves is a continual experiment that is ongoing from many past grows. My conclusion is I’m still open to more research. At the end of every garden, one walks away with more experience that can be used in future grows.

View attachment 19089275

This is interesting but you should remember that sunlight, both spectrum and intensity, is a confounding factor in this experiment: to get real info on the nuteregime effect you would need to flower them under the same light as the fems. To me the extra green leaves and stronger smells would be more indicative of the effect of sunlight, which hits the genetic expression much more different, than any led light.

But that doesnt mean im saying stop experimenting, rather the opposite make sure to collect pollen

 

[mr.brunch]

Plants looking lovely mate.
Tap water for the win

 

[Creeperpark]

I use a starting pH of 5.7 in my main garden. What? Isn’t that too low? Everyone else uses 6.2 in the type substrate I use. How can that be without tip burning or leaf bronzing? Let me explain.

As you already know the range goes from 0 to 14 with 7 being a neutral pH of less than 7 indicator acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base. pH is a measure of the relative amount of free hydrogen and hydroxyl ions in the water.

Alkalinity is a measure of a water body's ability to resist acidification and maintain a stable pH level. It measures the total amount of titratable bases in a sample such as bicarbonate, carbonate, or hydroxide.

 

[Creeperpark]

Alkalinity takes precedence over hydrogen because when hydrogen links with a nutrient or base and transports the nutrient, it changes the hydrogen making way for the alkalinity of the water. When a base is dissolved in water, the balance between hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions shifts the opposite way. Because the base “eats up” hydrogen ions, the result is a solution with more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions making precedence over hydrogen raising the pH.

When the pH “climbs up” or increases, it is called alkalosis, this means the solution is becoming more alkaline or basic, as a higher pH indicates a greater concentration of base substances

There are two ways to use alkalosis I described above. One is to add the base and the nutrient together giving a lower starting pH of 5.7 and use it before it rises and the other is after it rises. The climbing pH slowly goes from 5.7 pH to 7 over time giving the plants complete nutrient exposure as the pH changes upwards. This allows complete nutrient sequence and absorption from the climb before stabilizing.

 

[Creeperpark]

In the second experiment, I’m using only pure low EC nutrient water that has a stabilized pH after alkalosis in the neutral range or a 7 pH. This makes a pH equal in hydrogen and hydroxyl quantities. Can the plant still get what it needs without excess hydrogen using fortified pure nutrient water without impurities?

A stabilized pH means alkalosis is completed before using it on plants. This allows the pH to stabilize before use making the plants have to search and find nutrients in a neutral pH of 7. What are the differences in the plants between the two? I'm using both methods with the exact nutrient ratios and water.

Lastly In other words, because of this process, the pH starts at 5.7 but immediately starts moving upwards slowly to 7. It's fast enough not to burn the plant roots because the move upwards starts right away. The main benefit is the rise of the pH gives the plant a perfect pH range match in all different micronutrient ranges needed to complete total nutrient absorption.

Let's see the differences between the two over time.​

 

[exoticrobotic]

In the second experiment, I’m using only pure low EC nutrient water that has a stabilized pH after alkalosis in the neutral range or a 7 pH. This makes a pH equal in hydrogen and hydroxyl quantities. Can the plant still get what it needs without excess hydrogen using fortified pure nutrient water without impurities?

A stabilized pH means alkalosis is completed before using it on plants. This allows the pH to stabilize before use making the plants have to search and find nutrients in a neutral pH of 7. What are the differences in the plants between the two? I'm using both methods with the exact nutrient ratios and water. Let's see the differences between the two over time.

Love the experiments @Creeperpark your plants always look so healthy

I keep pondering upon whether to add a tiny amount of clay to my medium as you previously explained for cation exchange purposes. Do you have any in this medium's experiments?

I bought a cheap pH pen and realised my pH after adding feeds was 7.2.

The chart in the link

Impact of pH on nutrient availability - Potash Development Association (PDA)

When it comes to crop nutrition, soil pH must be considered the starting point, as the availability of all nutrients are affected by the pH of the soil. The optimum availability of most plant nutrients occurs around a neutral pH of 6.5 to 7, however the optimum pH for soils will vary depending...

www.pda.org.uk

shows pH and nutrient availability and says i may be low on Manganese and Iron at that pH.

I was only thinking the last few days that my plants look a bit pale green though it could be the hps light colour though.

Great thread

 

[Creeperpark]

Love the experiments @Creeperpark your plants always look so healthy

I keep pondering upon whether to add a tiny amount of clay to my medium as you previously explained for cation exchange purposes. Do you have any in this medium's experiments?

I bought a cheap pH pen and realised my pH after adding feeds was 7.2.

The chart in the link

Impact of pH on nutrient availability - Potash Development Association (PDA)

When it comes to crop nutrition, soil pH must be considered the starting point, as the availability of all nutrients are affected by the pH of the soil. The optimum availability of most plant nutrients occurs around a neutral pH of 6.5 to 7, however the optimum pH for soils will vary depending...

www.pda.org.uk

shows pH and nutrient availability and says i may be low on Manganese and Iron at that pH.

I was only thinking the last few days that my plants look a bit pale green though it could be the hps light colour though.

Great thread

When the pH drifts upward in the 7 range Manganese is available in soil. I use a soil-less with an organic plug in the middle. I use the hydroponic pH table so the pH is a little different from soil. Thanks for sharing friend, its good to see you.

 

[Creeperpark]

Sorry if I confused anyone with my runaway monkey mind. I'm not going to spend too much time on my side projects and take up everyone's time. I was trying to make a point about how someone can learn from their own gardens if they ask questions. I will stay focused on the main grow and keep it simple from now on. Thanks for riding if you still are.

 

[Creeperpark]

. The plants are stretching to the point where I started tying the tops down on a few plants. As you can see the humidity is up for now.

 

[Airloom]

. The plants are stretching to the point where I started tying the tops down on a few plants. As you can see the humidity is up for now.

View attachment 19091978

View attachment 19091977
View attachment 19091979

View attachment 19091980

Following along here

on the cations and soil science

I tried to educate myself with Steve Solomons Intelligent Gardener but that made my hair hurt.

Your examples rock!!

Gorgeous plants and inspiring journey!!

 

[mr.brunch]

I have notifications set for this thread but I don’t seem to get them very strange

All looking nice

 

[Creeperpark]

Had some changes. The wind switched out of the North and the humidity dropped in the upper 30s again and will probably fall even lower for a few days. This triggers transpiration and more nutrient water is being used by the plants causing plant growth to increase.