A customer has a question and I hope we can get some opinions on it, thanks
I have planted my seeds and my sprouts are now about 2 feet tall, some in good shape and some not so healthy. We have had an incredibly high rainy season, but lucky for us it is hot here, in the 90’s, so my plants are continuing to grow, however, I am loosing lower leaves to too much water. I originally had them under my pergula, in an effort to keep them from burning in the sun, but now they have to be moved back and forth from under the pergula to the covered porch, to keep them from drowning. Our rain is very heavy this year. In addition, our soil, (if we put them in the ground, is called “Gumbo” Very thick mud mixture, that we can’t even get our tomatos to flower in, so we are mostly considering keeping them in pots on the porch. Having some trouble with loss of lower leaves. I have been using a fertilized container soil, and they seem to like it. Any hints I need will be welcomed, as I use this for pain management, and anxiety control, to replace medications prescribed by my physician.
Strain (type, bag seed): NA
Soil in pots, hydroponic, or coco?: In Pots
PH of runoff or solution in reservoir?:How do I check
What is strength of nutrient mix? EC, or TDS: I couldn’t find EC or TDS on the bag, however, the nutrients are as follows:Nitrogen 0.14%, Phosphate .11%, Potash .08%
Indoor or outdoor: Outdoor under pergula
Light system, size?:NA
Temps day, night:90 80’s
Humidity day, night Day 95% Night 95%
Ventilation system (yes/no, size): NA
AC, humidifier, de-humidifier?: NA
Co2 (yes/no): NO
I welcome any suggestions for success
Understand your need for a safe source of pain relief. My old age aches remind me how much weed helps me relax and enjoy a good quality of life.
Suggestions:
1----use 5 gallon containers. Cloth bags would be best. Plastic buckets with at least 5 —1.5" triangular drain holes. And, numerous 3/8" holes around the sides would help aerate and drain excess moisture.
2----growing media from a weed orientated mfg would be much better than the “potting soils” at WalMart, Home Depot and Lowe’s. That stuff will hold water like a sponge.
also, the fertilized stuff will make it hard to adjust and control food levels. Easy to burn. Even some of the Hydro stuff will burn. A layer of medium sized rocks on the bottom will help drainage.
My soil is a hard clay take makes major cracks when dry and once it gets wet, it turns into a gumbo that is not good for drainage. I ONLY use loose fluffy microbe loaded hydro store planting media.
3—buying from an established seed company will allow you to choose the best genetics for your needs. As well as, the growing patterns that work best for your situation. I would suggest you take a look at the auto-grow fem’d selections. This will allow you to plant and harvest in as short a time as two months. And, not waste time and resources on growing males. BTW…most auto’s are best NOT topped or trimmed. Their life cycle is so quick, it’s best just to plant, feed and love till they are harvested.
4—plant more than what you expect to harvest as not every seed is going to be a big fat healthy Lady. Cull the puny ones quickly. Focus on the ones that are big and proud.
5----dun be skeered to post pics and ask questions…and decide which replies are informed and best for your particular situation.
Best Wishes
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Some questions: I have the buckets, and will transplant in the next several days. I assumed the soil I was using that was holding the moisture, was fine, given the temperatures here , the heat dries out the soil quickly, depending on the container. Cloth around the soil I am assuming?
Next Question: I am checking my stalks as they are in the beginning stages now of showing sex. I can’t believe it, but is it possible, out of 9 plants, I have 9 females? I see no signs of male.
Thanks for helping
BTW, I have planted seeds from I don’t know, because they came out of a bag I purchased. However the smoke was good, and I had enough to plant. Took away my anxiety, etc
@bcsmall14…bag weed can be really nice to grow. the feeling of “I did this” is wonderful.
Especially, if it turns out really good and helps the body release the aches and pains. Being over 60 myself, my body tenses up with the end result of a lifetime of hard physical labor building refineries. With the very first hit of decent weed, I can actually feel my whole body relax and feel “normal” and healthy. The escape from the pain is wonderful.
Having said that, bag seeds are not sexed and it’s a “hope they are mostly female” situation.
Even buying store bought seeds----20 years ago—50 seeds would turn out to be: 30 to 70% males, of the rest…only about 7 to 15 females would be really worth the effort. Like any group situation, some will be puny and worthless.
Females and male will look pretty much the same at first…check daily. The males generally are taller, grow faster and once the dingle berries are ripe…they will pop open and spew very fine yellow pollen that will seed any female within a city block. Unless you want a bucket full of seeds…cull as soon as you see the dingle berries. Hint: females will have only one pod at the stalk —look for two fine white hairs to confirm. Males will have multiple pods at the same location…cull immediately.
@bcsmall14------The two plants on the bench look very good. However, all except one on the deck are overwatered…yellowing leaves. When you move to larger buckets…a layer of small rocks on the bottom would help drainage. For sure, change the potting soil into hydro store media…fluffier, loose and loaded with microbes plants can use. Instead of watering a lot once a day, try watering early morning and late afternoon with less water. As long as the soil a few inches down is moist, it’s good.
Get a PH and PPM meter set off the internet…around $20 for decent set. Test the water after adding nutes. Adjust PH to 6.2 to 6.8 after nutes added. Test runoff water to see how PH is. A hydro store will have lots to choose from or order online…walmart and home depot are loading up on growing supplies…and even a little in the stores. Get some three part nutes. DO NOT FOLLOW THE FEEDING SCHEDULE…I have lost many many plants trying to make them follow the schedules. Start very very low…like 20% of feeding schedule…but, keep the percentages the same.
Less is better. You can always add more…the Ladies will show you what they like…or don’t.
also…tomato stakes…bamboo or plastic will help the girls focus on growing leaves and flowers instead of roots n stalks. Sink the stake down to the bottom, then wrap some plastic coated wire around the stake and very loosely around the main stem. Once they get to be big happy girls, a tomato cage would be a good idea. Some buds get so big it breaks the stem…supported they get even bigger
Ok, I’m a beginner, but understand some of the shortcut words you used, but Cull (cut or destroy?) and Nutes? and auto grow? and of course bag seeds are not sexed?? what does that mean? sorry for being ignorant about some of this stuff, this is my first time growing, you would think I would have tried this many years ago.
Thanks for the info
*** Ignorance is no shame. No one is born with full knowledge of everything.***
The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask. You would do well investing the time to read the Free Grow Book so thoughtfully provided on this site.
Cull is a common term=get rid of/destroy
Nutes=nutrients we get lazy typing long words.
Auto grow=strains that are bred to grow fast. Usually shorter plants that will flower without changing the light schedule.
SUGGEST YOU CHECKOUT the beginner seeds section here. Quality seeds, especially fem’d will make your life much less complicated.
Ok, on July 24, my plants began to show signs of sex. I was beginning to think that out of 9 seeds planted, I had all females, however i finally can see the little dingle berries showing signs, so 3 out of 9 were males. I immediately separated them until my Husband returned home. He kept saying how can you tell, I tried to show him, but he couldn’t make it out. I finally simply said, burn these, here, and the rest we will save. After I was sure he burned the males, i now can simply watch my ladies grow. I sang to them yesterday, lol I know, I know. silly.
At any rate, my ladies are safe, (unless of course, there are males in the woods around here.) which is doubtful, as we have 12 acres, the woods across the street have nothing but bees. so we are safe.
Thanks for your help in all, I will send new pics of my beautiful ladies soon.
@bcsmall14…the dingle berries take 5+ days to grow and start to mature. by that time, the multiple pollen pods will hang like grapes and be very easy to see. The males will give you plenty of time to cull them…if you check every day, they will be easy to spot and remove BEFORE they burst open spewing millions of fine yellow pollen.
The females will show a seed pod at the base of stems where they join the main stalk. Look for a single seed pod on each side of the stem and TWO VERY FINE WHITE HAIRS…a small flashlight will make it easy to spot.
BTW…talking to them is good and singing to them is better…
Best wishes with your Ladies.
Thank you for reminding me, about the other book I got from you. I will read up and get back to you. Pictures are an update.
