Red's back

[banjobrain]

I'm having fun rebuilding the old cabinet and getting the seedlings going. I always took a little break between grows. My style has been to grow from seeds, reveg and shut down for a while with 3-6 zips. I enjoy growing and the fruits of my labour. It's not a big deal to take a break for a bit.

The only dumb question is the one that remains unasked, so, here goes...

When you say you "grow from seeds, reveg and shut down" - what exactly do you mean?

I'm not sure what you mean by the term, "reveg." Can you further explain for this noob?

Thanks

 

[guest 77721]

Hey Banjobrain,

I like to grow a plant from seed to harvest. I'm careful to keep a few leaves on the stalk while harvesting. I put the plant under 24/7 lighting until it returns to vegatative growth and I can grow it to another harvest or use it as a mother plant for clones.

 

[banjobrain]

Hey Banjobrain,

I like to grow a plant from seed to harvest. I'm careful to keep a few leaves on the stalk while harvesting. I put the plant under 24/7 lighting until it returns to vegatative growth and I can grow it to another harvest or use it as a mother plant for clones.

Cool. That's kind of what I was thinking but I wasn't sure...

Now, I don't want to take away from your thread, but seeing as I'll have some seeds arriving in a few weeks - I've got some questions for you.

Would you prefer I ask you here or through a PM?

Thanks!

 

[guest 77721]

Ask away. I'm having problems with seedlings right now so there's not much to see.

 

[Joey56789]

Red, I am curious as to how you grow from seed in a Rubbermaid. If you were to plant some seeds, how many would you keep till they were sexed, and how long of veg time and flower time would you expect that to take? It seems so many of the posts around here have to do with clones, and I would like to know the plan you use from seed to harvest.

 

[guest 77721]

Red, I am curious as to how you grow from seed in a Rubbermaid. If you were to plant some seeds, how many would you keep till they were sexed, and how long of veg time and flower time would you expect that to take? It seems so many of the posts around here have to do with clones, and I would like to know the plan you use from seed to harvest.

That's a good question, Joey.

The overall plant yeild is determined a lot by the size of the pot the plant grows into. The trick with growing in a small space is to not get stuck with unused soil space. The plant will fill up your container but if it grows in a tiny pot the yeild will be low.

Basically what I do is figure how many of my final pots will fill the growbox and start that number of seeds. I have a larger pot size to go to if males are removed, that's PLAN B.

I've been starting just two plants and vegging for 30 days when the plants are repotted into 8" 1 gal pots with a screen and flipped to 12/12. If a male shows up, the single female will go into a 10" pot with a full growbox sized screen.

There's lots of guys doing the Dr Bud method with 20oz pop bottles. I'd start a full box full of plants and repot the nicest ones into a larger pot when males are taken out. A 6" pot would be a nice size for the loveliest lady.

As far as the time to flower, there's a bunch of factors one of them is genetics. My strains are done around 55 days. I had one plant get stuck that took 85 days.

 

[Joey56789]

Thanks Red. I will go look for some pots and see how many I can fit. I think I should look for those rose pots that are square.

 

[Joey56789]

Red, here are pics of mine as promised. Thanks again for being an inspiration.


I cut a piece of .5" plywood so it fit into the top of the middle chamber, then put bolts through the top chamber, the middle chamber and the plywood to attach them. There is a hole for the PC fan in the middle of the plywood and rubbermaids. The lights are mounted with some 1x4"s. I wanted them horizontal as it is supposed to make better use of the light.

top middle and plywood:




After bolting it together (and wiring) the scrubber with fan attached is mounted in the top.

Pic of scrubber:


Info about construction of it here:
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=2154500#post2154500
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=2180816#post2180816

Here it is mounted in the top with the light timer and power strip.


Inside middle chamber looking up.



I also mounted some hooks to the wall so I could just lift the top up, and hook it in place. It is nice to not have to try and remove it from it's closet, and the light shines down and provides nice light for working in there.

It is working well so far! *knock on wood*

 

[guest 77721]

Nice work Joey! That's a well made Rubbermaid.

How are your temps?

 

[trueblu8]

R2D2. Awesome. Welcome back.

 

[guest 77721]

Miracle Grow KILLED my seedlings

Miracle Grow KILLED my seedlings

I've helped out lot's of newbies with seedling problems and most of them have been victims of Miracle Grow Potting soil. Put me on the victims list cause MIRACLE GROW POTTING SOIL JUST KILLED MY SEEDLINGS.

At this time of year, up in the Great White North, there is bugger all for gardening supplies. Actually, they are just putting out Spring stuff this week when we are looking for snowblower parts but that's another rant for another day.

I had the misfortune of starting my seedlings in this stuff mixed 50/50 with Perlite for drainage. I had 100% germination and the seedlings popped and just got stuck and then went crispy. I'm experienced enough to know that this isn't me.

Sadly, the only seedling soil I could find is from MG, so I'll be trying that. Wish me luck cause I've got some quality beans .

 

[Joey56789]

Thanks Red! Temps seem to be pretty good. I've got the fan set to about 33% from as low as it can go. My temps are maybe 10 degrees F higher then ambient (measured 2 inches under the bulbs) with 4 26 watt 6500K CFLs in it. It is very quiet as well. I could turn it up, but it's pretty cold in here anyway. It's not all that loud on full blast either. I really love the Scythe fans (for this application and computers) and I can't recommend them enough. I know you're system with a separate light chamber is more efficient, but I don't have a place to lock it up, so I was trying to make it so it just looks like a few Rubbermaids stacked up if anyone should happen to catch a glimpse of it. I would have a hard time explaining R2D2's arms

Sorry to hear about your seedlings. I read that the miracle grow organic isn't as bad as the other kind, so maybe you can find that (I saw it at home depot). Perhaps Jiffy mix seed starter will be something you can find (I guess it would work)? Perhaps the MG seedling soil you got isn't as hot. I definitely hear you on it being hard to find stuff in the winter though. I'm not sure what all these people with normal house plants do. I guess they go to the upscale gardening shops and pay 2-3x as much.

Good luck!

 

[I2KanGrow]

So RED - how's it going with take 2??? I checked - looks like the home centers are now starting to put-out potting/seedling mixes here, any luck there?

Have you considered perhaps going outside, chipping/thawing some of the ol' backyard out, and mixing that with the MG mix you have - may help some. We've had some thaw just yesterday & today, which has weakened the permafrost a bit.

 

[guest 77721]

Hey I2, I picked up some MG seedling starter that has no fertilizer in it the other day and have 2 Thai Lights and 1 LUI out of 4 seedlings pop. This MG starter soil is much finer ground and no sticks and junk in it. I mixed it 50/50 with perlite. Wish me luck.

The survivors from round 1 are doing so/so. I flushed out the MG potting soil on the last watering and did the same this morning. 2 of the plants are doing better but it looks like 2 more are just about toast. I'm going to be lucky to salvage 4/8.

 

[poina]

i wanna say thanks for the inspiration red, rubber maid wont work for me but the light setup and air systems are great engineering! again many thanks

 

[Max0r]

Red:

It think you'll be able to manage with the MG starter mix until you find something better to transplant to. You may just have to start feeding earlier since it's so sterile.
I always forget I'm looking at a homemade cab when I see your pics, it looks like a laboratory!

 

[I2KanGrow]

Yo Red:

I looked-up that seedling starter mix over on the Scotts website, there are indeed small amounts of ferts in there: .05 - .01 - .05, and I think they use something in there to hold water in, like that polymer moisture crystal stuff, so it may take time for your girls to get good and dry.

Give a review of that stuff, seems like you can buy it rear-round - and may be good in a pinch, such as yours.

Keep us up on the progress, inquiring minds need to know!

 

[guest 77721]

Looky here, I have 3 more seedlings popped, 2 Thai-Lights and 1 LUI. The other LUI bean didn't germinate yet.

I hope the MG seedling starter works for me. It's like 0.1-0.1-0.1 so that must be just the nutrients in the peat moss.



Four of the survivors are starting to grow finally so I moved them right up close to the lights. I've flushed them a few times so I think they were rooted to a chunk of that MG potting soil that was too hot.

 

[guest 77721]

Here's a quick update on my shrubbery...

The big one is a Shiskaberry and the LUI is the smallest of the healthy plants.

I'm pretty happy with both Thai Lights.

Here's my 2 TL and 1 LUI seedling working on thier first true leaves. No problems so far with the MG seedling starter mix.

This Shiskaberry is just hanging in there. It's alive but I think the roots are rotted.

 

[Max0r]

Lookin good red! Sending positive vibes your way!