Dinafem Dinafem 2020 Grow Battle - Purps1 & Purple Afghan Kush (Only1Sky)

[Only1Sky]

Greetings folks, I'm super excited to be trying out these two strains: PURPS #1 and PURPLE AFGHAN KUSH for the Dinafem 2020 Grow Battle.

My kit for this grow is:
Gorilla Grow tent: 4x4x8
Lights: AutoCobs from CobShop (2x 3500 & 1x 2700)
6" intake fan, 6" exhaust fan, two interior circulation fans
Analog humidifier with Inkbird Controller
3-Gallon RainScience Grow Bags
Medium: 60/40 Coco hydroton clay balls
Nutrients: Prescription Blend

Germination process was: two days in a shot glass with RO water. Usually I just do 12-24 hours in water and then into a wet paper towel in a dark warm space. But this time, for no particular reason, I skipped the paper towel step and let them swim longer in the shot glass. Both seeds were opening up at that point, so then they went into a
Jiffy starter plug. The plugs were in a humidity domed tray on a heat pad and under T5 lights. After 2 days of this both seeds popped their cute heads (see pic), and so the jiffy pellet was then planted in the RainScience Grow Bag and moved into the tent with COBS up high.

 

[Only1Sky]

Day 11 since emerging from the Jiffy Starter Pellet. They've been getting daily misting; usually with a kelp dilution, but occasionally with Optic Foliar's Overgrow. Both have had a humidity cover on them, which I've just removed today. The Afghan's leaves are a bit funky, maybe from the humidity cover? :smoking:

 

[Only1Sky]

Day 14 and things not going super just yet. The Purps#1 is OK, but the Purple Afghan Kush is in real trouble:

Probably a "damping off" issue (I seem to do that with some regularity). Maybe I just rushed her too soon into the big bag under the COBs. ??
Here she is again two days later:

Too bad. Oh well, fortunately I can send in reinforcements. So here we go with a 2nd shot at Purple Afghan Kush:

 

[Dinafem-Mark]

Best of luck with PAK#2 mate

Purps#1 & PAK are 2 of our most photogenic strains with PAK being a firm favourite around the Dinafem office

I'll be watching with interest mate

All the best

Mark..

 

[Only1Sky]

Well, the 2nd attempt at Purple Afghan Kush (PAK), sprouted, but then never progressed. I nursed her along for 10 days, but then gave up and dropped a 3rd PAK seed. Shortly thereafter the 2nd one passed away. RIP.

 

[Only1Sky]

Meanwhile, its day 27 for the Purps#1 and she's doing just fine.

 

[Only1Sky]

Day 34 for Purps. Three days prior she got topped, and didn't bat an eyelash.

 

[Only1Sky]

Day 40. It was getting crowded in the 4x4 tent with 7 plants starting to strut their stuff. So Purps got moved to a utility room with lots of space and her own dedicated AutoCob light.

 

[Only1Sky]

Oh, by the way, nothing ever came of the 3rd PAK seed that I tried to germinate. The seed shell cracked and showed a bit of root, and so got planted in a little root started plug -- in a humidity dome tray on a heat mat. But she never popped above ground.

I still have two more PAK seeds, but getting one going now will be awkward in terms of timing relative to the six week head-start that Purps has. So I'm going to hold off on further attempts until I start-up another photoperiod grow cycle a few months down the road.

Very sad, I was so looking forward to trying out the PAK. Fingers crossed that one of those last two seeds will deliver the goods in the next cycle.

 

[Only1Sky]

Day 47 for Miss. Purps #1. Moved her off of the AutoCob and over under my Amare SE450UVB light. Much more powerful.