Wedding cake

[kritios]

I thought I would do a grow log, been posting here on and off for a few years. I have a small 2'x3'x6' tent that I used to run with t5s, now use an HLG to light it. I don't remember the model, but it runs on about 250 watts (and it has heat sink fins).

I have had some issues with the transition to LED. Mostly I think my problem was I was used to running the t5's right up next to the canopy. I was running the LED too close and burning the top of the plant.

This grow is already underway, so I'll make a few posts to show the progress to date.

Enough about me, here was the plan

Strain: wedding cake
medium: promix from the garden center, plus perlite to improve drainage
Ferts: osmocote 15-9-12 plus some hi-cal lime, gypsum, small amount of blood and bone meal
Light HLG 250-ish (probably overkill for the space, but I dim it some)



Seed came in a breeder pack. It got off to a quick start: root was showing within 24 hours. I have never had a seed pop this fast before.

 

[kritios]

I started in a 3 inch pot, then 5 inch, then a 2 gallon, with a final pot size of7 gallon. I was aiming to veg for about 7 weeks. I didn't add any fertilizer to the smaller pots as it grew out: I figured this commercial mix probably has a small fertilizer charge that ought to be enough.

I topped the seedling around the 3rd node: I was trying for flat canopy in my little tent.

 

[kritios]

I added the fertilizer at labeled rates to the soil mix that went in the 7 gallon. The osmocote indoor/outdoor is pretty complete but I didn't see calcium on the label. I added a mix of high-cal lime and gypsum. Since the osmocote is prilled/slow release, I also mixed in some blood meal for immediate N, and some bone meal for a later P boost.

I got these 7 gallon pots from a greenhouse supplier online. They are nice and thick, and have a sturdy rim so I can lift the pot even after watering. I like to be able to lift the plant out; it helps me get at the back for tending the plant.

I have tried tying screens to the tent-but then I can't lift the pot out. I made a little screen out of bamboo and staked it right into the pot. Seems to hold up so far.

 

[kritios]

The second pic above, with the bamboo, is about 1 week after the flip. I had been running the HLG fully dimmed, after the flip I start turning up the dimmer a bit each week.

I'm happy with the osmocote to this point. I may have had too heavy a hand with the blood meal: the plant is showing signs of too much N. That dark green growth isn't ideal, tho its my first time with this strain.

I'm watering with collected rainwater, pretty close to 0 ppm. I didn't try flushing, I thought I'd see if my normal watering process would wash out the imbalance.

2 1/2 weeks in there was plenty of stretch. Maybe too much stretch because of the N.

 

[kritios]

Now it is week 4.5 of flower, still happy, still probably have excess N. Stretch was outrageous: probably 2/3 of the height is above the screen.

Been cleaning out all the little low flowers, particularly below the screen. I do trim the lowest leaves so I can get my watering can in there. I cover the soil surface with expanded clay to prevent crusting and slow the fungus gnats. It mostly works.

I'm probably pushing my luck on mold with this density of canopy. I do have a little clip on fan that runs for a few min every half hour just to keep the air moving.

The flower hairs are longer than I've seen before, pleased with the strain!

 

[kritios]

Week 5.5 update. Sticky!

 

[Gato420]

Looks nice, how does it smell?

 

[Brother Nature]

Nice grow so far. Cool to see you using osmocote, have been planning on a run with a couple plants using it, looks to be a good low maintenance fert.

 

[kritios]

Looks nice, how does it smell?

It's very mild scent: I was surprised.

 

[kritios]

Brother Nature: I would recommend it; I have found it easy and low maintenance for my little grow. I would suggest adding calcium, and a form of N that is available early.

Looks like I may have a decent yield: did a coarse trim and the sugar leaves are very frosty.