The Watchman's First Grow Journal

@Nicky and @TheWatchman

I used to be a big fan of flood/drought method. Recently I have been reading a lot about keeping a constant soil moisture, don’t remember exactly but lets say 10-15%.This allows for air and water at a constant rate. If you are in organic or living soils this keeps your micro herd alive without any swings in mortality rate.

So, this grow I will be micro watering daily. With your system you could definitely achieve this.

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Side by side comparison sounds in order @AAA, my money is on the dry/flood plant though.

I agree not allowing a medium of living soil to dry out toooo much is beneficial but I stick with soil and dry/flood

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Im just trying to get to that point lol. I had one plant I was really worried about. Upon closer inspection I found that the shell of the seed was still stuck on the initial leaves. I really gently pulled it off and the leaves just popped out and it looks healthier than the other plant. Just ordered my second light this morning and a bluetooth humidity/temp gauge/data logger. I do have a third seed germinating because I was worried about pot #2. Looks like I’ll be setting up a third pot. Not complaining. LoL

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Ok, so I suppose it is time for a report. I will try to make regular weekly posts from one week after sprouting. I wound up with 3 plants although I only intended 2 originally. But well talk about “Karen” later.

So let me introduce you to my ladies.

This is Susie. She appears to be doing healthy to me. She sprouted on 12/18/2019.

This is “Sally”. She appears healthy now and although she sprouted the same day as Susie I really didn’t think she was going to make it. She just looked weird. Dark and bunched up. I really didn’t think she was going to make it. At that time I decided to start germinating another seed so that I would have 2 as close to the same age as possible. After close inspection with my microscope camera, I realized it was the seed shell still stuck on the plant. I very carefully pulled off the seed shell and her leaves spread out beautifully instantly and today as you can see she looks healthy.

Oh, that seed that I started germinating? Well, I didn’t want it to go to waste. So I planted it as well. It just sprouted today. And since she was never really wanted to begin with (a third plant) she was aptly named “Karen”. LoL

Also to note: I did add a second light to my system. So now I am using 2 1000W Triple Chip LED lights. That’s 360 watts at the wall total.

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Ok folks I need a little advice/help. My girl Sally is all bendy. Here are pics from today. First is Susie which looks good to me. Then is Sally who is the bendy one. Then Karen which although sprouted later looks to be fine by my account. I also included a picture showing my light positions over the pots. Thanks in advance for your help.

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They look so cute at that age

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I know right? I want to take them out for ice cream and treats but they can only have their formula right now. I really can’t wait until I can teach them quantum physics. LoL :crazy_face: :joy: :heart_eyes:

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If you are worried about Sally, You could always put a stake beside her to help support in the straight up position until she gets stronger and can do so herself :v:

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Thank you for your answer. My main concern is that I was doing something wrong or maybe she was stretching or something like that. I’m of the “If Its Not Broken Don’t Fix It” tribe. So as long as there is no issue that needs correction I will probably let her do her thing. Maybe she aspires to be a pole dancer. I don’t want to judge. LoL

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Some plants grow a little lankier than others and sometimes need assistance until they are able to stand straight on their own

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Do they have a fan giving them a bit of a breeze, they should shake a bit builds roots.

Get a LUX meter app on your phone and take canopy readings then give me your average and we can ensure your lights are at the right placement in order to avoid stretch

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Ok then maybe I’ll give her a little support. A little counseling could never hurt. LoL

No fan. The only fan I have is a big box fan. I have some youtube fans but I doubt they would want to sit and blow on the plants all day. LoL

I have a light meter. As the images indicate the outer plants are about 550 and the center plant which is Sally is at 600.

Use one on your phone, those little soil sticks are terrible to be honest I’ve bought them before to.

Also you need a fan inside, there is no reason for plants to be strong if there is no breeze. The roots are smaller and the branches are twigs that can’t hold buds when they pack on weight, it also helps keep mold and mildue away etc.
I have 1 clip fan per plant

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Ok I will have to get some small fans ASAP. I need to get some fish tank bubblers so I can keep my nutrient solution stirred as well.

I already had a LUX app on my phone but just never used it. Here are the results from left to right.

Over Susie:

Over Sally:

Over Karen:

Happy Birthday BTW @Nicky and thank you!

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So you have just veg on or veg and bloom?

I’m not used to these burple lights so I will tag @dbrn32 to make sure I’m doing this right but I do believe you want you veg switch on and according to our handy dandy online Lux-PPFD calculator you want 5000 lux of just straight veg light right now. This will give you 500 PPFD roughly (that seems off to me @dbrn32, sounds like to little but the calculator followed by HLG’s recommendations for 500 PPFD and the waveform calculation reading that 5000 blue is equal to 500ppfd in turn makes sence)
Of course lower your light to increase intensity since you don’t have a dimmer.

And your 18hr lights on right

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I am on just veg at this time. And yes I’m on the 18hr cycle at this time. I did read somewhere that the LUX meters on the phones could not accurately read these blurple LED lights which is why I was using the cheap stick meter. Maybe @dbrn32 would know more about that.

Yeah lighting doesn’t seem to be your issue right now ide leave it as is.
Just add a fan or two

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Lux to ppfd conversion is different with blurple than white light. I’m sure there is conversion for it that is halfway close, but I’m not sure what it is.

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The calculator here let’s you select burple or just red or just blue amongst other things
@dbrn32

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I think I seen that before. I don’t use any of that stuff, it’s all estimates and not usually worth the effort. The plants will take what they take, some a lot more or less than others.

Happy Birthday btw

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