1st Grow, 2 Feminized Dracary's from Katsu Seeds

[PHRosin]

I started this grow journal to document the process for future reference and to get advice from veterans on the forum. There are a million ways to skin a cat, everyone has their own way so I just decided to try to copy this guy on youtube who had some good reviews. Anyway, I'm a little over a week in and originally started 3 seeds in Rapid Rooter starter cubes in one of those germination domes with a 25 Watt T5 on top 24 hours of light. I regret not getting Root Riots instead because it looks like they dry out too fast...

I used a 16 oz bottle of regular water, 3ml of Clonex and a half scoop of Great White and watered all 50 Rapid Rooters. I placed 3 seeds in the bottom left, top right, and bottom right corners on advice of the grower I watched on youtube. He said the outside edges dry up slower because the light isn't directly over them so to plant there. After about 3 days they started to sprout up, the top right was very eager. After they broke ground I took the dome off and kept the lights at the same level they would be as if the dome was still on. I think that was my main mistake so far.... As you can see the seedlings are stretchy and leggy. I'm an idiot and didn't want to burn them but then I realized its a low power light I'm using. The guy I'm following typically keeps his seedlings in the Rooters for 3-4 weeks before transplanting into solocups. I want to get them in ASAP because they are looking mightly spindly. I have an oscillating fan blowing lightly on them. Some times they fall off their support sticks and one time I accidently bent the stem off the bottom right one....

I'm 9 days since I put the seeds in the Rooters. I feel like they are growing slow- just the first set of leaves. I want to wait about 7 more days until I transplant into solo cups to give the roots time to grow out more.

 

[exploziv]

Stems are stretching too much, sign light is not enaugh or too far away. I'd fix that and also I'd plan on transplating them soon so you could bury some of that stem lenght to offer them more support. If you don't do that you risk loosing them. Stretched stems are pretty easy to bend/rip when seedlings are small.

 

[PHRosin]

Thanks exploziv. Do you recommend watering before or after transplanting? I just watered yesterday for the first time since the first time but these rapid rooters are pretty dry already. I soaked the shit out of them too....

 

[exploziv]

They should be a bit moist so they don't break down easily when you manipulate them to transplant. So not wet, just not dry. Also, if roots are already a bit spread in the rooters it helps them keep form and protect the roots during transplant.

 

[PHRosin]

Cool. I'll mist them with a spray bottle before. Also one more thing- is it better to water a little bit ever couple of days or a lot once a week or so? I won't be surprised if environmental factors like relative humidity could have an effect

 

[exploziv]

Cannabis likes a bit of a dry-wet cycle. So you should water normally (usually with about as much water as it is needed to get a bit of runoff). For most soils that means 1/3 to 1/4 of soil quantity. So in a 1 liter pot, that's about 250 to 300 ml of water per watering. Then let the pot get drier, usually till the top 2-3 cm are almost dry (you can test this with your finger, and also once you get the hang of it you will be able to pick the pots up and guess where they are on the dry-wet cycle by weighting the pots with your hand). Then water again and so on..

 

[PHRosin]

Thanks again

 

[PHRosin]

I'm looking at these things.... Does it make sense to transplant to solos now? Is there any benefit to keep this structure for the root system? Any advice?

 

[exploziv]

Well with the risk of loosing them because of the tall lanky stems.. I'd say you have to transplant to solos soon. And I don't see how planting them in solo cups could be worse than they are now. Roots will grow if they find good conditions. Just don't overwater when they are little. That's the only increased risk when you have a small plant in a big pot, overwatering will hurt it more. But solos are ok, and small enaugh. Lots of people germinate straight into them.

 

[944s2]

As explosive posted,,,
Also when you lower the lamps then your cubes will dry out even faster ,,,you could water the tray and let the cubes suck up the water then tip any excess water away,,,
Your seedlings will need support unless you transplant,,,
Best of luck,,,,s2

 

[PHRosin]

Well, those 3 seedlings wilted the heck out.... in retrospect I could have probably saved one if I transplanted but I opted to restart from scratch because I still had 3 fem seeds, same strain and I wanted to grow uniformly at the same rate. This time I ordered Root Riots and paid a couple bucks more for peace of mind. This time instead of planting on the outer rims i planted right down the middle.... my seedlings were too stretchy I need the lights to be closer. I'll sacrifice the dry out instead of light stretch, ill just water the rooters every 6th or 7th day and as the plants grow maybe every 5th day until they get into solos

here are my updated seedling sprouts.... also this time I germinated in paper towels and put the taproot down instead of the full seed right into the root starter plugs. As you can see the most right seedling is bursting and a real over achiever, the middle and left are kind of short and have semi darker leaves.... all 3 seeds are allegedly the same and have been watered on the same schedule. These pics from earlier on 05/10, 1st watering since planting down the taproots...

the one on the right is shooting up so i've angled the lights, a 24 watt about 2 inch from the leaves

 

[PHRosin]

1 more thing, I used the humiditiy dome until the seeds sprouted out of the ground then I took the dome off and lowered the light very low as to not allow much stretching. Fortunately I found a short dome on ebay. Has anyone found any difference in keeping a dome on the whole time during the seedling stage rather than taking it off as soon as she sprouts? I;m a brand new grower and cant seem to find a universally accepted approach to a lot of aspects of growing, everyone has their own ways about it

 

[PHRosin]

During this first 7 days I havent had the chance to use the short dome yet. In fact I havent used any dome and my RH is in the low 50s high 40s at worst. Perhaps thats the reason my left and center plants are stunted.....

 

[Dee.S73]

Rh should be quite higher than 40% when they are so young...put the dome on and they'll be better.
after a few days start open/closed cycles to get them used to the lower rh, but keep them around 60% for the first 2 weeks of veg(start counting after the first set of true leaves grow)
Peace,
DS

 

[PHRosin]

The 2 seedlings I had in the patch wilted. I watered them, came back a couple days later and hanging dead... FAIL

I still had 3 fem seeds left and decided to try my hand

I ordered a new round of 50 Root Riot starter plugs and this time germinated the seeds in paper towels and planted the taproot into the root riot cubes. As of today, it's 2 weeks since putting the taproots into the soil. This time I placed the seedlings down the center line as to earn more light particles. I'm 2 weeks in right now from this photo, seems they are not as mature as can be after a cople weeks out of soil. I planted all of these taproots on the same day at the same time and they are all the same fem strain. The 2 most "mature" seedlings are showing a bit of yellowing, havent fed them yet but my humidity has been as low as high 30% TO 70%,

I just watered all of the cubes, 1st time in 5 days- I'm using a humidifier to keep my tent over 60%


Per Yellow first leaves, I havent added any nutrients- just clonex and microrizah

 

[PHRosin]

The 2 seedlings I had in the patch wilted. I watered them, came back a couple days later and hanging dead... FAIL

I still had 3 fem seeds left and decided to try my hand

I ordered a new round of 50 Root Riot starter plugs and this time germinated the seeds in paper towels and planted the taproot into the root riot cubes. As of today, it's 2 weeks since putting the taproots into the soil. This time I placed the seedlings down the center line as to earn more light particles. I'm 2 weeks in right now from this photo, seems they are not as mature as can be after a cople weeks out of soil. I planted all of these taproots on the same day at the same time and they are all the same fem strain. The 2 most "mature" seedlings are showing a bit of yellowing, havent fed them yet but my humidity has been as low as high 30% TO 70%,

I just watered all of the cubes, 1st time in 5 days- I'm using a humidifier to keep my tent over 60%


Per Yellow first leaves, I havent added any nutrients- just clonex and microrizah

These pics are wrong, damn.

Those are the old seedling here are the new pics:

 

[PHRosin]

I put these taproots in the root riot cubes 14 days ago, figured they would be more lively than this... I have 1 24 watt T5 light on 24/7 but my humidity stinks until this week. I had any where as low as 40 percent throughout the night. I didnt have a dome on because when I did the dome wat too high and my light sitting on top made my seedlings stretch. Ipsofacto when I started these new seeds I took the dome off when they broke ground and was able to keep the light right overhead.... Im guessing it could be humidity factor or I've been using too much clonex solution?

 

[PHRosin]

Here I go again....

I'm uploading new pics from today, 15 days after planting the taproot into Root Riot cubes. This time I set the seedlings right under th light and brought the light closer, thereby sacrificing high humidity. I am concerned about the height of the smallest sprout. Also the tips of the first true leaves are yellowing on the other 2 faster maturing plants, the little guy is all green. The only thing I added when watering was a couple mls of clonex and a bit of microrizah (great white). Any tips appreciated, I plan on transferring to solocups next week and putting them under a 600 HLG Rspec at 150watts out of the wall and 30 inches above the tops of the plants. This is my first rodeo, please chime in with advice, thanks.

 

[PHRosin]

here are the pics: