Peach and Toad starting to grow

Hi everyone,

we are Peach and Toad, a couple from Europe and started our first grow three weeks ago. Somehow we found this forum and enjoyed reading it. So we thought why not give something back, start a grow journal and help our plants while doing so.

Somewhere (probably here) we read, many growers find it really important to keep record of everything they do, so it's easier to analyse and remember what happened. It made sense to us and so we started writing a little notebook and keeping track of as much as possible and started making photos along the way.

After we decided to start growing a few months back a friend offerd us to use his old equipment. He stopped growing a couple of years ago and had most of his stuff still in his basement. Lucky we, he also had some seeds left: two "white ice", two fem "super skunk" and a bag (~50) of some plants he and his friends got from Swiss and growed outdoors.

Some more details about our setup:
- we use a 3'3"x3'3"x6'6"/1x1x2m tent
- currently we have a 125Watt CFL around 10"/25cm hanging over our plants running at 19/5. We started with 20/4 and planning to reduce every (other) week by 1/2h.
- a 600Watt HPS with ballast waiting to be used
- 340m^3/h carbon scrubber also waiting to be used
- a little fan running
- sometimes I refer to the little plants as smallies

Before starting the journal, here some pictures taken a few moments ago.








looks like momy and daddy having a trip with the kids..

Very nice. Are these autos or photos?

Welcome to Ic, good luck with your first grow and don't be afraid to ask any questions you have. this place is full of great people and info.

And off with the journal:

== Mo March 23 ==

Started geminating 10 of the Swiss gems (paper sheets method). We thought to spare the other seeds for after our first run. Also we don't plan on keeping a mom (even if we have already a little growbox (24x22x36"/60x55x95cm) left). And planning to grow in soil (we brought some basic organic soil), though thinking coco sounds interesting and probably mix 10%-20% coco in the soil for better drainage.





== We. March 25 ==

Gems popped.





== Fr. March 27 - day 1 ==

After 4 days 7 the seeds had 0.2-0.3"/0,5-1cm long roots and we plant them about 0,3"/1cm deep in mini pots (2.3x2.3x3.5"/6x6x9cm) and normal soil (cheap - not the organic one). On two of the plants we tried putting about 2 fingers of hydroton, hoping for better drainage and that the plants like it.
The soil felt pretty moist (we forgott it on our balcony one night), so we didn't water them yet.
We need time to prepare the tent so we put them in the kitchen near the window under a dome first.





== Sa. March 28 - day 2 ==

We watered them for the first time, with a tiny bit of water.





== So. March 29 - day 3 ==

Today we moved the 'smallies' into the tent, still in their dome. Also we put two cups with water inside to keep the humidity up. The plants have a 125W CFL about 8"/20cm above them.
Also we made a light nutrition solution with root stimulator, diamond nectar and canna veg. The ph from ph-stips was around 5,9-6,2. Then we watered them with filtered tap water and a bit of the nutrition solution.





== Tu. March 31 - day 5 ==
morning temp: 80,6°F/27°C
RH: 50%

We took off the dome for a while for air circulation. At the evening, we removed the cups of water, because the soil still felt pretty wet.

evening temp: 75.2°F/24°C
RH: 55%





== We. April 1 - day 6 ==
temp: 77°F/25°C
RH: 75%

The dome was removed at least once a day during the week to let fresh air in.




== Fr. April 3 - day 8 ==
temp: 77°F/25°C
RH: 75%

Sprayed them with water and a bit of nutritions. After that the humidity was up at 80%.


Just sprayed.


As you can see, two of them not looking really good, we plan to move them out of the tent and maybe let them grow at the window and see how far they go.

The light needs to be closer they're reaching for it. Other then that they look healthy in the pics.

sandie66 said:

Very nice. Are these autos or photos?

Click to expand...

we think they are not autos, but are not sure since we have no further information about the plant, than it's from swiss and a nice

== Sa. April 4 - day 9 ==
temp: 77°F/25°C
RH: 75%

Around 6 p.m. we sprayed them again, they seem to like it.




good morning.


this one is small.


looks like a bird.


looking happy.

== So. April 5 - day 10 ==
evening temp: 72.5°F/22.5°C
RH: 45%

After a week without watering the soil was still pretty moist and after some research concerning the dome and realizing we might have mixed up the care of seedlings and clones, we stopped using the dome and started aiming for a lower humidity.
The humidity went down to 45%, the temparature to 77°F/25°C and higher, so we lifted the lamp for another 2-4"/5-10cm to keep it below 77°F/25°C.






== Mo. April 6 - day 11 ==
temp: 75.2°F/24°C
RH: 30-45%

We realized that we had five nicely growing and two somewhat misshaped ones and in each group the bigger greener better looking plant is the one with the hydroton. So we decided to give the weakest looking plants of both groups a hydroton transplantation.
Also we lowered the lighting time to about 19/5.


standing on hydroton now


standing straight





== Tu. April 7 - day 12 ==

Watered them with tap water.





== We. April 8 - day 13 ==
temp: 74.8°/23,8°C
RH: 46%

Happily growing.
looks like they are dancing

Midwest sticky said:

The light needs to be closer they're reaching for it. Other then that they look healthy in the pics.

Click to expand...

thanks, we'll give them that.

we have one more stetchy than the others.

They look perfect in the last set of pics. And I have no clue why but I'm rooting for the mutant.

== Th. April 9 - day 14 ==
temp: 75°F/23.9°C
RH: 47%

Watered and spayed them, also added some of the nutrition solution to the water.

hello?


it is


water time






== Sa. April 11 - day 16 ==
morning temp: 75.2°F/24°C
RH: 50%

The soil looked dry, watered and sprayed. Also lifted the light about 2"/5cm because the temps were getting near 77°F/25°C. The positions got rotated too, not the first time also.

evening temp: 74.1°F/23.4°C
RH: 50%


For watering today we brought them outside in the sun. It was a bit windy though and one plant took a hard blow.
- Maybe it is a good idea to put them under some more wind somehow, to strengthen their stems?


are they breakdancing?

Here is one with some yellow spots.

What is that growing in the corner of 2 of your smallies?
Not sure why you have yellow. Have you started feeding them? Or could the sun have done something to it?

A fan in your tent will help w stem strength and breaks up the microclimate around the plants. The yellow could be sunburn when you go directly from CFL to sunlight it can be a bit too much for plants . Also best way to check water status is to get used to the feel of the weight of the pot before and after watering and only water when the planter is the about same weight as it was when you first put the soil in before wateri

looks like a winning team

Looking healthy, goodluck.

I love couple growers! Me and mine do the same, but she doesn't smoke, she just likes the growing. Very basic CFL setup for mine, but I've gotten through a few grows now. I'll tag along with you on yours. They smallies look great lol.

sandie66 said:

What is that growing in the corner of 2 of your smallies?

Click to expand...

not sure, they were growing from the soil.

sandie66 said:

Not sure why you have yellow. Have you started feeding them? Or could the sun have done something to it?

Click to expand...

we added nutes to the water from the beginning. most of the time we prepared the water and added a sip or two of the nutrition solution to it. sun is possible, but they were not exposed to sun very long and the sun is not very strong up here.

one other plant showed some 'bleaching' leaves? We guess we should start feeding them more?

atk7 said:

A fan in your tent will help w stem strength and breaks up the microclimate around the plants.

Click to expand...

We have a fan, but we are not sure how to position it. This is our current set up (since yesterday). From time to time the plants move a little from the wind.

@al70: thanks!

NoSocSlic said:

I love couple growers! Me and mine do the same, but she doesn't smoke, she just likes the growing.

Click to expand...

yeah it's great growing together and the plants get like four times the love jealous about your garden though, we'll grow some smaller vegs/herbs on our balcony this year. I successfully cloned some basil already...