PC Case 92w CFL

[Bettysmith]

Howdy.

Case: Old dell PC case
Seeds: 3xUnknown (Random Freebies from a seed order)
Lights: 4x23w CFL (2x3500k 2x?k)
Intake: Passive
Exhaust: 2x80mm PC fan (cfm ?)
Soil: Dirt taken from near a stream in my bark yard.
Light Cycle: 12/12 from seed
Training: FIM & LST (Planned)

Start Date: 2/26/2011 (Germinated seeds planted)

Pictures as of today:

Need to: Design / craft a light trap, and eventually a carbon scrubber.

If anyone has suggestions or criticism please let me know. One can only further their knowledge

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

My guess is that "dirt" from your back yard isn't gonna cut it.
What's the purpose of the wire cloth?

 

[HighDesertJoe]

Good Luck
but I too think the DIRT well be problematic

 

[Bettysmith]

Hah, I will soon have the appropriate nutes to counter any issues I believe I'll come across. Trying to go organic here .

The wire is to keep the plant from coming into contact with the lights after it sprouts.

As for the dirt, do you have any specific ideas of what issues may arise?

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

Poor drainage, poor aeration and poor pH buffering to start.
You can go "organic" with the correct soil.

 

[Bettysmith]

Poor drainage, poor aeration and poor pH buffering to start.
You can go "organic" with the correct soil.

The organic bit was more in jest about how I had used soil from my back yard, however I do plan on keeping it organic throughout growth.

From what little I've read it sounds to me like it will work, albeit not being ideal. Like you said though, from what I've gathered those are the main issues that are most likely to arise. Going to get dolomite lime and some perlite (among other things) to hopefully counter those if / when they arrive.

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

Good call on the lime and perlite.

 

[micro420guy]

Poor drainage, poor aeration and poor pH buffering to start.
You can go "organic" with the correct soil.

one more thing to add... possibility of pest in back yard soil.

 

[Bettysmith]

Got 2 sprouts and 1 late comer (hopefully).

BS #1

BS# 2 (Seed had barely protruded the soil surface, however I brushed a light layer on top)

BS# 3

 

[Bettysmith]

One of three survives. One of the seeds disconnected itself from the flowering section (it looked ill from the start, maybe weak?) and the other simply didn't sprout.

Looks like it will be #3 that carries on!

 

[IcmagUser]

man that earth is so shitty..didn't u had money to take some good earth?the plant which died wasn't ill, i think, the earth was not good.

 

[its.always.420]

Damped off from poor drainage did they? Perlite from the get go next time. No "dirt". Use soil meant for containers.

Also, by the looks of no tray underneath the cups, I'd assume there were no holes in the bottom? That will preclude failure with the best soil known to man.

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

Going to get dolomite lime and some perlite (among other things) to hopefully counter those if / when they arrive.

Uh, they arrived.

 

[Bettysmith]

Damped off from poor drainage did they? Perlite from the get go next time. No "dirt". Use soil meant for containers.

Also, by the looks of no tray underneath the cups, I'd assume there were no holes in the bottom? That will preclude failure with the best soil known to man.

They all have 3 holes in the bottom. I have yet to acquire drainage containers.

@ICmaguser: No, unfortunately I did not. As far as the plant which was ill, I don't know if it were ill or what the deal was. It had no sprouts and that plant intself had (what at the time appeared as this) grown no leaves, and then later I had found that the leaves disconnected themselves from the root section. Maybe I had torn it off myself, I am uncertain.

I agree, the soil seems terrible. Hopefully I am able to get some new stuff soon and either start fresh or assist the one plant I have left throughout it's cycle.

 

[Arthur Dent.]

Betty smith, regardless of how many times you get told your dirt is shitty, its still dirt and If you roll a J and throw all the seeds out the window on a rainy day those seeds will almost definitely try to grow,Like the law of survival,

I have been broke and used all sorts of ideas, stuff buying a promix, do some bundu bashing if you can?, get some horse manure, chicken manure, earth worms, also look for plants that are thriving and have the simmilar anatomy to marijuana, if the soil they are growing in is working for them, dig some up, make sure you dont over do the manure side of things as smell and obviously over ferting can be an issue.

you will find that paying for special soil mixes can be a thing of the past, you can also always amend the soil you have like i think you intend to do already, Lime, per lite, vermiculite,bone meal, and so on.

You will develop skills this way and learn alot more about what your plants are hungry for,
If you get a big black dust bin you could even begin composting yourself, banana peals egg shells you know the story.

I say props to you for trying to be super DIY organic,

If you take a look at African Herbmans plants you will see full grows with home made soil mixes. and those buds were dank.

Namaste