Mephisto Fantasmo Express and Tyrone Special in Stonington Blend

[Bekay]

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. My second grow is underway. I chose two Fantasmo Express and two Tyrone Specials for this run. Seeds were watered for 8 hrs. and planted into 5 gal fabric pots. Each pot was filled as follows per Waximus' recommendations: 1 inch drainage rocks covered with 5 inches moistened soil and then more Coast of Maine Stonington Blend to the top with the center 6 inches filled with a 3:1 mixture of Promix BX and Stonington Blend. Seeds popped through in 3 days that being Nov. 1st. The tent is 2.5 ft x 2 ft. with a 400 watt Metal Halide conversion bulb in a vented reflector 18-24 inches above tallest plant.
Day 26 and here's what they look like:

Back Left, FE #1 water only 14-1/4 inches (will add nutes if needed)
Front Left, FE #2 water and nutes* 10-3/4 in.
Back Right, TS #3 water and nutes* 5-1/4 in.
Front Right TS #4 water only (plus Stonington Blend Plant Food as topping when needed (maybe 5th week?) 5-1/2 in.
* Nutes used/planned: Roots Organic Buddha Grow, Buddha Bloom, Trinity, General Hydroponics Rapid Start rooting enhancer, Soul Synthetics Big Swell, Technaflora MagiCal
They have been growing fast and looking happy. Weekly height as follows:
Day 13 First measurement #1: 2-1/2 in. #2: 2 in. #3: 1-1/2 in. #4: 1-1/2 in.
Day 19 5-1/2 in. 4 in. 2-1/2 in. 3 in.
Day 26 (as above) 14-1/4 in. 10-3/4 in. 4-1/2 in. 5-1/2 in.

Looks like the Tyrone Specials are going to be dense little shrubs, but the Fantasmo Express are stretching up nicely.

Though I planned to test soil with and without nutes, with Top feeding C-of-M's plant food with and without, it is clear that FE plant #1 has some better genes and is outgrowing the #2 plant which got nutes. The Two TS's are about equal.

Feeding has been at 50% mfr. dosage for soil and only fed twice so far. About 2 qt per plant. Common run off water had a pH of 7.3 and waterings have been done with tap-filtered (Culligan activated charcoal, to get rid of town water's Chlorine) water with 6.2-6.8 adjusted pH. Un-adjusted it has measured 6.5 - 6.8 pH. Feeding was 593 ppm on day 21.

I had a bunch of gnats (welcome to soil, right? last grow was Promix BX and never saw a bug) and the yellow sticky traps caught a bunch. A friend suggested a Hot Shot pest strip and that has been added. Though the tent is vented through a 400 cfm 6 inch fan, it seems to have knocked the bugs down except for the rare one seen scampering when watering.

The plants are due a feed and watering today but I notice that plant #1 has some problem starting to show. I had been told that I could expect "modest tip burn followed by explosive growth" when the roots reached the hot soil. Maybe that is what is happening? I find it interesting that this plant has only seen water and no nutes. Plant #2 is not showing the same symptoms. Any thoughts? I am wondering if the cause of the yellowing between the veins on the upper leaves and the twisted leaves are something I should take corrective action against. The lamp was as close as 17 inches recently but never warm to the back of my hand. I moved it up to 24 inches above the tallest plant this morning.

In contrast plants #2 & #3 have gotten fed on day 16 and day 21 and here's a closeup of #2 looking good but maybe something going at the tips of the new growth? They look a little darker and leathery. Maybe I'm looking too hard!

Thanks for looking and for any suggestions.
Bekay

 

[Waximus]

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. My second grow is underway. I chose two Fantasmo Express and two Tyrone Specials for this run. Seeds were watered for 8 hrs. and planted into 5 gal fabric pots. Each pot was filled as follows per Waximus' recommendations: 1 inch drainage rocks covered with 5 inches moistened soil and then more Coast of Maine Stonington Blend to the top with the center 6 inches filled with a 3:1 mixture of Promix BX and Stonington Blend. Seeds popped through in 3 days that being Nov. 1st. The tent is 2.5 ft x 2 ft. with a 400 watt Metal Halide conversion bulb in a vented reflector 18-24 inches above tallest plant.
Day 26 and here's what they look like:
View attachment 508979
Back Left, FE #1 water only 14-1/4 inches (will add nutes if needed)
Front Left, FE #2 water and nutes* 10-3/4 in.
Back Right, TS #3 water and nutes* 5-1/4 in.
Front Right TS #4 water only (plus Stonington Blend Plant Food as topping when needed (maybe 5th week?) 5-1/2 in.
* Nutes used/planned: Roots Organic Buddha Grow, Buddha Bloom, Trinity, General Hydroponics Rapid Start rooting enhancer, Soul Synthetics Big Swell, Technaflora MagiCal
They have been growing fast and looking happy. Weekly height as follows:
Day 13 First measurement #1: 2-1/2 in. #2: 2 in. #3: 1-1/2 in. #4: 1-1/2 in.
Day 19 5-1/2 in. 4 in. 2-1/2 in. 3 in.
Day 26 (as above) 14-1/4 in. 10-3/4 in. 4-1/2 in. 5-1/2 in.

Looks like the Tyrone Specials are going to be dense little shrubs, but the Fantasmo Express are stretching up nicely.

Though I planned to test soil with and without nutes, with Top feeding C-of-M's plant food with and without, it is clear that FE plant #1 has some better genes and is outgrowing the #2 plant which got nutes. The Two TS's are about equal.

Feeding has been at 50% mfr. dosage for soil and only fed twice so far. About 2 qt per plant. Common run off water had a pH of 7.3 and waterings have been done with tap-filtered (Culligan activated charcoal, to get rid of town water's Chlorine) water with 6.2-6.8 adjusted pH. Un-adjusted it has measured 6.5 - 6.8 pH. Feeding was 593 ppm on day 21.

I had a bunch of gnats (welcome to soil, right? last grow was Promix BX and never saw a bug) and the yellow sticky traps caught a bunch. A friend suggested a Hot Shot pest strip and that has been added. Though the tent is vented through a 400 cfm 6 inch fan, it seems to have knocked the bugs down except for the rare one seen scampering when watering.

The plants are due a feed and watering today but I notice that plant #1 has some problem starting to show. I had been told that I could expect "modest tip burn followed by explosive growth" when the roots reached the hot soil. Maybe that is what is happening? I find it interesting that this plant has only seen water and no nutes. Plant #2 is not showing the same symptoms. Any thoughts? I am wondering if the cause of the yellowing between the veins on the upper leaves and the twisted leaves are something I should take corrective action against. The lamp was as close as 17 inches recently but never warm to the back of my hand. I moved it up to 24 inches above the tallest plant this morning.
View attachment 508988 View attachment 508989
In contrast plants #2 & #3 have gotten fed on day 16 and day 21 and here's a closeup of #2 looking good but maybe something going at the tips of the new growth? They look a little darker and leathery. Maybe I'm looking too hard!
View attachment 508990
Thanks for looking and for any suggestions.
Bekay

Happy Thanksgiving, my Brother! Your Girls are looking good!
I think what you're seeing is indeed coming from the hot soil. Each strain, and even each pheno, may find a supersoil to be quite hot, early on.
The conservative approach-water only for the batch, perhaps for a week, to see how they "feel" without the added "heat" from the nutes. I had the same thing happen with my Sweet Cheese, and they just didn't want more than the soil nutrition until week 4 in flower.
The liberal approach- keep feeding nutes, but use only water every other feed. They might continue to show some leaf burn, and if it doesn't ease up, then just water is the cure. Again, by mid flower, they'll likely tolerate more nutes, and are probably getting PLENTY of nutrition from the soil, right now.
I grew a purple kush next to a shishkaberry, using Stonington and hand watering, a long while back. The PK could take both nutes and Stonington, the Shishk nearly cooked where it lay! lolol
Cameron, at Coast of Maine, and I were chatting about you at the CannaCon, recently. I hope all is bliss up in your corner of the world!
some love

 

[Bekay]

Thanks for looking in, Waximus. Hope you and the Mrs. had a great day. Took your suggested "conservative" approach and gave water only. Except for #3 TS which is the smallest in the tent. Neither TS show any sign of tip burn or claw so I think they may tolerate the hot soil well. Mixed up a batch as in the first post and diluted till 672 ppm. I'll look in on her in the morning and see how she's doing. If she likes it, I will alternate with water only and slowly inch the nutes up (like +200 ppm at a time). I will keep the other three on water only as suggested. Do you think the MagiCal and the RapidSart should be suspended in the other three as well?
One other question about your reply.

they just didn't want more than the soil nutrition until week 4 in flower.

How could you tell when they were ready for some nutes? Did you spy some evidence of N deficiency or did you try to feed every couple weeks and see tip burn and stop, or what?

 

[Waximus]

Lady Waxi made a Thanksgiving FEAST! And, I am a consumate sous chef! lolol
I'd keep the MagiCal going, and perhaps suspend the rapidstart, just for a couple "feedings", to ensure you're not too hot on them.
The plants started yellowing, and it happened over just 3-4 days-depleted soil, for sure. And, a 1/2 strength nute hit made them take off, too

 

[Bekay]

Waxi,
Will do...thanks for the love, explanation clear. Sleep well.

 

[Bekay]

All plants seem to be chugging along. Hooked up the carbon filter as the FE's are pre-flowering and starting to fragrance the room. The FE's got straight water yesterday night and the one TS got a light feeding. No signs of over fertilization this morning. Tucked some fan leaves under bud sights on the two TS's.

 

[Bekay]

Day 30
Elevated the Tyrone Specials to get them up towards the 400w MH light 20 inches above. About even with the FE's at this time.

As you can see the Fantasmo Express is about 21 inches and the TS about 9".

I was talking to AFN member Kurt about when I should switch to the HPS bulb and from what he described I think they are ready with the longest pistils being 1/4" or so. Tomorrow I will swap out the MH for the HPS.

I still wonder about the feed and nutrient level of the Stonington Blend. This plant has only seen pH'd water for its 30 days and there is some yellow tips and a few crooked leaves.
Lots of nice bud sites starting and if I look closely and wish hard I think I'm seeing the start of some trichomes.
FE #2 has seen some nutes (lightly fed, 593 ppm) and has gotten MagiCal and RapidStart in her water. It looks to be a couple days behind her sister. I don't see the yellow tips so I wonder if the yellow tips could be some deficiency in the FE #1 plant that the MagiCal supplement is helping?

TS #4 (water only) has some bud sites showing too.

But the TS #3, which got feed, is not showing any pistils tonight.

All I know is the two plants that only have been allowed to drink water and find all their food from the soil have seemed to have grown the fastest. Small differences which could be negligible? This is my first time using Coast of Maine's Stonington Blend and only my second grow so I am really thankful for any comments and advice.
I kind of miss the ritual of mixing nutes and using the meters. Especially now when its below freezing and I can't ride the motorcycle.
Cheers all.

 

[Bekay]

Day 34 update and a mistake!
Back on day 31 I was watering the plants and based on the pistils showing 1/4 inch or more on each plant I planned to swap the light to HPS for the bloom period. I checked the growth rate log (more about that in the next post) and figured a couple more days until the growth slowed for all the plants. This being the last opportunity for veg phase feeding, I gave FE#2 and TS#3 a light shot of love in the form of: 7.5 ml Buddha Grow; 5.0 ml Trinity; 0.5 ml Rapid Start; 1.3 ml MagiCal per gallon all pH adjusted upward to 6.3 using Baking Soda ending with 453 ppm. Only 1.5 qt.'s was fed to #3 as left-overs from feeding FE#2.
The next day all the plants looked happy except for the TS#3 which developed this claw on the newest leaves.

The sister plant TS#4 had only gotten water and looks like this.

With limited experience, I concluded that this was a reaction to too much N so last night I took her to the bath tub and did a thorough watering of 2 gal. water at 6.4 pH hoping to rinse out the added nutes. Was that the right course of action with a soil grow? I know that would be the remedy for coco but soil I'm not so sure.
The FE's both look fine and seem to be happy.

I swapped the bulbs and put a new HPS in the reflector and switched the timer from 24/7 to 20/4 where I will keep it through the rest of grow. I watered the other plants today and only added MagiCal to FE#2 which is my feeding guinea pig.
I got some more GenHydro pH UP and refrained from the baking soda to raise the pH.
Next post I will show you my plant height log.
Peace all,

 

[Bekay]

From what I read in the Life Cycle of an Autoflower post (thank you for this info!) the change from grow to bloom can be determined from the slowing of vertical growth rate. So this time I have kept a log of the height of each plan out of curiosity. Here's the current chart:

Looks like all but #2 have slowed their growth and as you can see from the photos posted today, the flowers are coming! I'll continue to log this to see if I get more growth as the flowering continues.

 

[MediScrogs]

Cool grow you've got going, Bekay

You have any thought of bending the tops on the FE's to help the side branches and even the canopy a bit?