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Naturelover · #1 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 12:29 AM

Here's what my wife and I have going on. Some have heard a little bit about this grow in some other threads but basically, I started 14 seedlings before I was really organized and got crappy MG organic potting soil with compost peat moss and chicken litter in it. No perlite or anything, 100% MG mix. The second problem was that I didn't have enough light at first and I tried to cheat by giving the plants a little extra plant food, Organic MG again, and I gave them some Vitamin B Plant Starter as well to stimulate root growth. The combination of all that burnt the seedlings, most of them pretty badly.

They were all bag seeds to start with, collected over the years from decent batches. There are now 14 seedlings in all. Rather than giving up on them and starting over (and they were definitely burnt badly enough for that) I'm going to try and salvage them and simultaneously try to experiment with techniques that I haven't really tried and stuff. In short, it's not a serious grow meant to yeild a high quantity of high quality bud, but it will be a fun bunch of learning experiences and if all goes according to plan there will be some quality herb at the end to celebrate with.

So, attached is what we got so far. The 14 seedlings are all about 12 to 14 days old or so and they recieved the vitamin B when they were repotted at 4 days old and the MG organic plant food (nitrogen only) two days after. They're under 4 48" floursecent tubes and two 2700k 23w CFL's with more light to come soon. They're currently on a 24/0 light schedule, but as soon as I get a connector thingy for my lamp timer so I can plug a 3 pronged surge protector into it I'll ease them onto a 18-6 light cycle over about 6 days, changing the light cycle by one hour each day. I've got my fan on a different surge protector than my lights so I'll be able to keep the area ventilated while the plants are asleep.

So after day 6 they recieved nothing except water until yesterday when I gave them each a dose of some eggshell water that I made in an experimental attempt to correct the pH in the pots, because most of the plants were showing severe nute burn, many of them have lost their first sets of true leaves to nute burn. I pruned the most badly burned of the leaves and today most of them are looking much better than they have been for the past several days. Also, my MG Organic soil mix apparently had fungus gnat eggs in it, along with whatever fungus they're feeding on. At first they were barely noticeable but they've become an increasingly annoying problem and this morning when I checked the garden I got the impression that there were far too many of them. I was reading one of the stickied threads in the organic growing section about using cinnamon to get rid of the fungus gnats, so this morning I decided to try that. You can see in the pics the generous layer of cinnamon blanketing the surface of the soil. We'll see how that goes. So far the gnats seem to still be alive but staying far away from the soil and my seedlings. They are also much less active, a lot less of them flying around when I'm in there which is nice.

Feel free to leave comments/suggestions/general wisdom. Enjoy!

Naturelover · #2 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 12:32 AM

A few more pics, not one of each individual plant unfortunately. The ones I didn't take pictures of are in even rougher shape than these. I think we're going to do a little culling of the herd soon.

DaZ · #3 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 09:09 AM

Hello ;)

quite amicably = I think you're complicating the live ...
much fertilizer or vitamins when plants are small = it is not necessary !
With 1 good soil and 1 little water (or 1 little Rhizotonic) that is very sufficient. I will post 1 photo of plant has 15 days to Grow ;)
Just 1 good soil + 1 lamp FCL 125w + WATER ...

Fertilizers are not a miracle potion ! If you add fertilizer, and vitamins with very little light: your plants will burn ...

If you put fertilizer = wait until your plant is strong, + great, with some consistency ... 1 small plant not support a lot of fertilizer! It is 1 baby !!!!!!

leaves minimum of 4 hours has your black plants in 1 day ! The root network (with little light) will be better ..
Fasten your ventilation: this is important !
Fasten your humidity = humidity is very important !
1 light soil + perlite = this highly enough ... add a lot of material: peat, compost, sand, manure, ETC ... TOP is not for baby plants !

1 farmer with 600w HPS or HID, or 1 cultivator with 2000w HPS or HID worked differently ... power lamps provides different working conditions! If you have a few Watts FCL with TOI = simplify you life! ! !
Do some tests ...
Always begins and SIMPLE + + easy, + LOGIC ...
Warning I NOT criticize your work !!!!!
This is not my mentality !!!!!! I tests give you simple tips ... When 1 Research grower many different processes, many different fertilizers, many different mixture = this is the start of complications!
Simplify the way you work ...
To understand the culture ...

Of the 2 photos = plant the wet and has only 16 days and leaves in Flowers / on the photo with 2 = plants have 11 days ...
Just Earth + water + Perlite and Rhizotonic in 1 FCL 125w lamp.

I'm not GOD but has 14 days to Grow your plants should look like mine!
If you realize 1 = bad Grow it will be very difficult to have 1 very good Bloom ...
Everything is logic 1 question ...

I wish that you are not EVIL took my post ? it is not to criticize you but just trying to help YOU !

Respect !

& sorry for my bad English ;))

Naturelover · #4 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 11:49 AM

My plants were seeds 14 days ago, i looks like maybe yours were clones? Maybe not, but either way don't worry I know you're not supposed to fertilize baby plants, etc but like I said this is not a serious grow with profit potential. It's just for fun with a little smoke potential at the end. If this were a serious grow I would have a serious setup rather than a small closet.

But anyway, the seedlings appear to be recovering and I'll nurse them back to optimum health and thriving growth in a jiffy, just you watch. ;)

DaZ · #5 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 12:16 PM

> I wish you a good Bloom and 1 good harvest !

anyway we learn + from our mistakes than our successes ...

Good continuation has you

Respect,
Daz

Naturelover · #6 (**permalink**) 09-16-2009, 10:13 AM

So, about the cinnamon's effects on the fungus gnats.

After a couple days I was convinced that some of the fungus gnats were dying but that I was gonna be stuck with an infestation. But actually I haven't seen a single one in there for the last three days (including today).

I went a little crazy with the cinnamon, basically covered the surface of the soil in every pot. It definitely smells like cinnamon in there every time you open the door. I read somebody else had a problem with fungus growing on their cinnamon so I was very careful with the watering. I watered before I applied the cinnamon and didn't apply it until the soil surface was dry and then I didn't water again at all for maybe 4-5 days. This was intended to make the environment really dry for the starving fungus gnats and also so as not to disturb the layer of cinnamon on top of the soil until the fungus gnat population was severely reduced. After four or five days I began watering again just a little around the base of the stem and over the last three days I haven't seen any of those little bastards at all.

Anyway, I'm very happy with my cinnamon experience

Naturelover · #7 (**permalink**) 09-16-2009, 11:42 AM

Okay, this week's photo update.

I tried to label the pictures with the same number as the plants in those pictures had in my first picture posts above so that you can track the progress of the individual plants. In the previous posts the plants labeled 1 and 2 are the same plant, so this time it's just labeled as 1 and there is no two. The number 3 plant isn't doing well at all and will probably get the axe soon so no photo was taken of it.

Of 14 original seedlings on life support only 11 remain, only 5 of which look promising in terms of recovery to a thriving growth stage, so those are the 5 in this week's photos. Photos 4 and 4a are the same plant.

Updates as far as changes this week: Two more CFL's were added to the setup, the cinnamon appears to have gotten rid of my gnats as I haven't seen any in 3 days, but that's all covered above.

A timer was also added and gradually the light cycle was changed from 24/0 to 18/6, stopping for one night each at 22/2 (this one was stupid as it probably only confused the plants and I should have gone right from 24/0 to 20/4) and 20/4.

Whenever the containers were completely dry after the 4-5 day drought following the cinnamon application, each dry container was given a small (less than 1/8 cup) dose of eggshell tonic water until today. This morning the healthy ones got pure water for the first time in a week. Mostly, watering was avoided this past week and any watering that was done was done with a very small amount of water. I'm enjoying playing doctor and learning some new stuff.

It appears I no longer have a bug or fungus problem, and my plants are doing well for such poorly aerated soil. I am thinking of giving them some milk water even though there is not currently a fungus problem (it could come back anytime with this soil) in order to boost the plant's immune system, as I read could be done in another thread.

Also, I believe I have either a Phosphorus or Potassium deficiency manifesting itself in a red stem in some of the plants and slow growth in most or all of them. I'm hoping the milk will help to solve this, since adding any strong store-bought nutes is not an option right now.

jangel · #8 (**permalink**) 09-16-2009, 12:31 PM

Hey Nature Lover! I think they will do fine after their rough start. Here is one from my first indoor grow... pretty bad aiy?

Have you checked the PH of your water? I think that is your problem. The seedlings look too young to have a shortage of anything yet. Some varieties do also have purple stems so don't go reaching for a solution until you truely know there is a problem.

Next time you repot them, bury the stems up to where the water rounded leaves came out. I let my plants stretch on purpose so I can do this. It gives them a bigger root zone and makes them stronger plants in the long run. I prefer to have my plant pots taller as opposed to wider. This way the plant can have a longer, deeper root zone, and not just rely on the surface area and a few inches of depth. The taller yogurt containers work well for me. Nice depth to them, and if you like yogurt, they are free! Just make holes in them with a soldering iron, but do it outside, as it is toxic.

I am using cinnamon too. To see how I solved some problems, read the first link in my signature. You have the right attitude to learn with, not hard fast but open to new ideas. You will do well, and have fun!

Good for you!

Naturelover · #9 (**permalink**) 09-16-2009, 12:43 PM

Yes, I'm sure that I have a pH problem - the first grow I do with a pH tester will be my first grow, haven't gotten there yet but it's next on my list...well next on my list for the closet anyway, lots of other things on the list in real life, at least for the next week or two.

Your first grow does give me some inspiration though, I hope my plants are able to have as bright a future as yours did.

I8ntLucky_UR · #10 (**permalink**) 09-16-2009, 01:19 PM

Hi there NL as I am only on my 2nd grow I know where you are. I had something early on I called the "fiddle factor" this was my own self diagnosis of course. I found myself doing too much sometimes and could never leave them alone long enough for cause and effect.

Take your time and they will come along. You can see some progress so that is a good sign. Take care and best of luck with your grow.

Naturelover · #11 (**permalink**) 09-21-2009, 09:00 AM

I just bought an extremely cheap little soil pH meter from Lowes, the only one they had, for about 6 bucks. I'm not at all confident in its accuraccy or its ability to read pH's straying from the 6.8-7 range. In any case, it says that the soil in each of my pots following a flush is 6.8.

Naturelover · #12 (**permalink**) 09-21-2009, 09:42 AM

Alright, I'm a little more confident in my pH meter's accuracy now.

In a glass of my regular tap water, the pH is 6.8-6.9.

In a glass jar with loose change at the bottom the pH is 6.7 unless the meter touches the metal change, in which case it shoots up a little past 7. If the meter touches the glass, the pH drops very low and if it touches the metal and the glass at the same time the needle goes haywire.

It read the pH of a glass of my tap water with lime rinds in it as 5.5, so I think it's probably accurate enough. At least I can be satisfied that the needle will move after total uniformity in the pH of the soil in each of my pots.