Olderfart's Dive Down the Living Soil Rabbit Hole

[Olderfart]

Greetings gro peeps. I was not going to start this yet, but I have already screwed up, so maybe there is a lesson here for someone. In any case, this will start the documentation of the grow I will start in ~November once the dearest and I return home for the winter.

Let's start with the soil I mixed up about a month ago. This is inspired by @pop22, with many thanks for his help, but the blame will be all mine as I have not followed his latest recipe. Just couldn't resist doing something a bit different... Personality flaw of mine I suppose. Along with the DIY thing.

The recipe:

Starting with the Bugbee peat mix instead of a prepared organic mix is different from the usual approach, but I decided to start straight peat in order to better know what is in the mix. I also stuck with ingredients easily available either locally or online to me where I live in Canada. The idea, and the hope, is that in ~30 liter fabric pots irrigated by autovalve(s) this stuff will finish a grow with water only.

I mixed this stuff up on the shop floor before moistening it as I loaded it into a kiddie pool to cook until I start the grow. I made a cloth cover which will prevent gnats or other bugs from getting at the soil.

My first screwup was over moistening the mix. I just used a hose to make sure it was thoroughly wetted down. I didn't measure the water. That was a mistake. After a couple weeks of cooking while I was away, I returned home to find that the soil was still far too wet and had standing water in the bottom of the pool. The lower part of the mix might have even gone anaerobic.

Not the end of the world, I hope, and here is what I did about the problem:

This pile has had warm air from a space heater blowing over it for over a week, and is just now more or less ready to put back in the pool and get covered again before I leave home for a couple weeks.

I hope that the cook is back on track. Bottom line peeps, measure the water, don't do it by feel. Especially if you are going to cook in a container that will hold water in the bottom.

@Zeromitch, you are now tagged as requested mate, pull up and enjoy the show!

Happy soil mixing peeps.

 

[Olderfart]

Well peeps, it is time to get this project going. First a few updates on what's up now that a few decisions have been made and stuff done.

I have expanded my 2x4 growdrobe into a 4x4, and will be growing in 4 ~30 liter fabric pots:

1. a multipot with two or three pure CBD girls, all Dinamed, likely at least a couple of their Auto CBD Kush, and maybe one of the Auto CBD Kush x Auto CBD cross made by @GeorgeCloney with pollen from my reversal last winter,

2. a SSSC Auto Ellephant girl from the seeds so generously provided by SSSC for a grow and show,

3. one or two Mephisto 24 Carat girls, still by far the best sleep meds I have tried, and

4. a Mephisto Fugue State girl.

All will be irrigated in their own DIY autovalve trays. My hope is for a water only grow using the soil described here earlier. Lights are 4 independently hung screw in arrays, roughly 700-800 watts total from the wall.

I will try making seeds with both the 24 Carat and Fugue State girls. One seed of each is now in its peat plug with a root starting, both should be head's up in a day or two. I plan to reverse each of these plants with CS and use the pollen on a lower branch or two of mother plants that will be started in several days. I will not be doing crosses, just making seeds of interesting strains.

That's it for now, pics will follow later. I don't have time to do them this morning, but will get some done later today or tomorrow. Maybe by then I will have a couple babys showing their stuff.

 

[Olderfart]

First, the new autopot trays. These are made out of scrap I had in the "inventory". This is prior to lining with two layers of 6 mil poly:

And after the liner is installed and the water distributor strips put in place:

The distributor strips are just solid scrap acrylic, the liquid will move in the space left by the right angle corner beneath the fabric pot bottom. At least so goes the theory.

And, here is the expanded growdrobe, one sheet of plywood and a heck of a lot of work later:

There are two doors on the back wall, same as the front, so I have good access from either side to take care of the girls.

The two yogurt containers on the small table are where the pollen plants will go as soon as the tap roots show up. The four computer fans will be controlled by a pwm module, and will move air in the lower canopy. There is also an overhead oscillating fan above the lights on the left, and a small space heater above the lights on the right. The heater is controlled by an Inkbird thermostatic control. The extraction fan is outside the growdrobe, the filter inside above the lights. The soil has been in the large pots for a week or so, covered with cloth to prevent extra gnats. The soil just received its second watering with BTi water. There are still a few gnats showing up, but not many, and I have never been able to find any larvae. Maybe I will keep a lid on the little buggers this time around.

And finally, the overhead view:

 

[Olderfart]

Well peeps, the two pollen plants have made it to Day 7, and it looks as though they are in reasonable condition other than a bit of initial claw which I put down to excess VPD which is now under control with a new humidifier. At any rate, they are alive which is all that these pollen plants need to keep going. Here they are:

These girls are in SS#4 with perlite/vermiculite, on MCII at ~300 EC, and these are their final pots. I intend to reverse them with CS when they are ready.

The SSSC and CBD Kush are also progressing at Day 3:

The CBD girls are on the left, the SSSC Auto Ellephants on the right. These are in a ~50/50 mix of SS#4 and my soil mix described earlier, mixed in case the soil is a bit hot for babes, and are getting water only, with some BTI to keep the gnats under control. So far so good with the gnats... Three of the CBD girls will go into one of the 30l pots, one of the Ellephant girls will go into another. One of the five germinated CBD babes was culled already, it was growing slowly, but too far behind.

Wish I knew someone local who could adopt the extras...

Happy growing peeps, and thanks for checking in.

 

[Olderfart]

Greetings gro peeps. I am back after being away for a couple days, during which I seem to have screwed up and left the main humidifier turned off. Things got a bit dry even though the better half kept the tank full. Anyway, all survived if a bit on the thirsty side.

The pollen plants at day 16:

They will be topped shortly. 24C has shown sex, F.State not yet. I need to get the CS generator flashed up pronto.

SSSC Auto Ellephant at Day 12:

Looking more or less on track to my eye. Topping still not decided, but likely.

Dinamed Auto CBD Kush at Day 12:

Looks like one more or less on track, one not too far behind, and one not happy about something. I may soak seeds for replacement of #3 if she does not pick up her skirt by the time new seedlings are ready. It is nice having lots of these seeds.

Mephisto Fugue State at Day 4:

And Mephisto 24 Carat at Day 4:

The Day 4 girls were put into the final pots directly as peat plug babes, a couple with taps just showing, one not, but all went in anyway because I had to leave for a few days. They look like they may have been set back a bit by the humidifier screwup. They were covered, but likely still got a bit too dry for a few days.

That will do for now peeps, happy growing everyone.

 

[Olderfart]

Well peeps, here they are. First the pollen plants, now at Day 25, about four days into CS application:

Not the prettiest girls in the bunch, but good enough to make pollen. They are on MCII at ~750ppm and 6.0-6.3 pH. Earlier leaf color seems to be sorted on new growth.

Dinamed Auto CBD Kush at Day 19:

The top plant is the best, very healthy, but she is going to be small. The bottom plant is the same age. I removed one fan which appeared potentially diseased and topped her. It remains to be seen whether she perks up. The jury is still out whether I will let her continue or replace. The seedling on the right is at Day 4 after direct planting in the final pot to replace the runt that was going nowhere. She seems off to a slow start, but I am hoping that she gets her game going before long. I put two seeds into the pot and pulled the slightly smaller one at ~day 2. It had a tap root more than 6 inches long. I hope the remaining babe has been growing roots, she hasn't been growing much else. This pot has been on the reservoir for several days. The seedling is just going to have to put up with it, but I have been helping it with a bit of top watering which will continue on her side of the pot for a while to make sure she does not get dried out up top.

Mephisto 24C at Day 12:

They may be a bit slow, but healthy and growing nicely. Perhaps the big pot means more early effort on roots... One of these girls is destined to have a couple lower branches pollenated.

Mephisto Fugue State:

She is also destined for pollenation of a couple branches. If, of course, I get any pollen from her sister in the yogurt pot.

And finally, the queen of the grow so far, SSSC Auto Ellephant at Day 19:

She was topped above #4, and leaf tucked to get the side branches into more light. She now has dry sand on the top of the soil to discourage the evil gnats. The other pots will get the same once the plants are big enough. She has been on the reservoir for several days.

So far, I'd say the DIY soil mix is doing reasonably well. Minor toxicity on one of the CBD plants, but other than that, all healthy and happy so far with the one CBD plant exception. All plants were started in a mix of the full strength soil and ~50% SS#4 to cut back on early nutes. Given how quickly the tap roots grow, I do wonder whether the staged soil strength accomplishes much.

That's all she wrote for this update peeps, happy growing all.

 

[Olderfart]

Well peeps, here they are on Nov. 17.

First the pollen plants at Day 32:

They have been on CS once a day for about a week and a half. No sign of balls yet, but it is still early.

The CBD pot in with its mixed results:

The two larger plants are at Day 26, the seedling at Day 11. The seedling is unlikely to do much at this point, and I have a replacement started, but it remains to be seen whether the replacement shows stronger growth and actually gets planted. These CBD seeds have been fussier than usual, at least in my hands they have.

The 24C sisters at Day 19:

They are progressing ok after topping a few days back. They are still on top watering, but the reservoir will be turned on shortly, maybe later today.

The Fugue State girl, also at Day 19:

Also progressing ok after topping a couple days back, and ditto re. irrigation.

And finally, the Queen of the show, Ms SSSC Auto Ellephant at Day 26:

She is doing well, maybe headed for monster territory. Keep in mind that that is a 30 liter (so called 10 gallon) pot.

Nitrogen might be a bit on the rich side given the clawing, but so far, she is just growing happily through it all.

I have not seen a gnat in over a week...

Happy growing peeps.

 

[Olderfart]

Weekly update peeps. All goes reasonably well other than the one seriously stunted DMK. I have a couple potential replacements at about Day 3, we will see what transpires with the runt and replacement in due course.

In the meantime here they are. First up, the Ballsy girl boys, happily isolated in their final home in the far corner of the basement:

And a hint of the boy parts to come:

Sorry about the crap photo, I don't have time to go full macro setup.

Next, the Mephisto 24 Carat girls:

Apparently two slightly different phenos, one a bit smaller and earlier. Hey, I get to choose who becomes a mother. Maybe both.

Next up, the Mephisto Fugue State girl:

She has a dramatically different growth form than the 24C's. Going to be far more open canopy, and likely a lot taller.

Next up, the Dinamed Auto CBD Kush:

The higher girl is doing very well, starting to stack up those buds. I will get more from her than I initially expected. The lower right girl is trying, but she has had issues from the beginning. And the stunt runt in the back may yet be replaced. She was a direct plant of a seed to replace the previous runt. Didn't accomplish a damn thing so far.

And finally, the queen of the show, the SSSC Auto Ellephant in all her glory. Keep in mind that the pot is 30 liters. She is a big girl.

I have already removed four loads of leaves in order to open things up for air flow. The worms are getting some of their poop back in leaf form.

That's all she wrote peeps, happy growing all. I'd throw in a happy face or two, but I give up fighting over where they end up in the post - usually not where I want them, and fixing is often a serious pain in the ass. It sure would be nice if this bloody bug could be fixed.

 

[Olderfart]

Early update peeps, regular updates will now be on Sunday (unless I go skiing or something like that ).

First up the pollen girl/boys at Day 43, Mephisto 24 Carat to the left, Mephisto Fugue State to the right:

And, some boy bits porn:

These are on the 24C, the Fugue State is a bit slower making boy bits, but seems to be started. Neither plant has produced visible pollen yet, but 24C is getting close, right on time given progress of her sister in the main growdrobe.

Next up, Dinamed Auto CBD Kush at Day 37:

The tallest plant in the back left is stacking on the buds big time. She is going to produce well for her size. The lower right one will produce a bit, but has never been that healthy. The third plant above right is the stunted runt planted direct to replace the original runt. She is unlikely to do much, but has perked up slightly. I have a couple seedlings going at about Day 4, but they too are slow, and may not catch up well enough to warrant pulling the runt once again. I have not been having a lot of luck with these DMK seeds...

Next up, Mephisto Fugue State at Day 30:

Doing just fine, but a bit slower than her 24C cousins started at the same time, and a dramatically different growth form, far more open and leggy which is no surprise given her sativa lineage. A branch or two of this girl will be pollenated by her sister in the pollen room.

Next up, Mephisto 24 Carat, also at Day 30:

Two slightly different phenos, one a bit larger and later, both doing just fine.

And finally, the undisputed queen of the grow so far, the SSSC Auto Ellephant at Day 37:

I keep taking leaves out to make more air movement, and she just fills it in again in short order. She is still stretching, but may end up a bit more compact than I expected given the reputation for getting tall. Mind you, she ain't done yet...

That'll do for now peeps, happy growing, and stay safe. Omicron is likely already here, and it seems to be kicking Delta's ass elsewhere.

 

[Olderfart]

Here they are as of today, a day late for the Sunday update, but hey, who cares?

The "drobe" in its current state:

SSSC Auto Ellephant front left, Mephisto 24C, front right, Dinamed Auto CBD Kush rear left and seedlings, and Mephisto Fugue State rear right. The CBD Kush seedlings were planted in case the runt in the multipot needed replacement, but the runt suddenly exploded, so she will finish. I may see what I can do by leaving the seedlings in their yogurt containers. Kinda like a solo cup but not. Jury is out.

Miss SSSC Auto Ellephant at Day 45:

Miss Auto Ellephant continues to fill out. The buds go pretty much all the way down, she is going to produce if she stays healthy.

Miss Dinamed Auto CBD Kush at Day 45:

There are three plants, rear left has always been the healthiest, and is packing on the bud in a big way for her size. It looks as though she is running out of food, but maybe dealing with a bit of lockout, I am not sure. In any case, since there is a much younger girl (the former runt to the rear right) doing fine, the big girl is just going to have to weather it out. The sad looking thing in the front is somehow going to produce a bit of bud, but she has been sick or buggered from the get go. Dunno about what, but virus is my suspicion. Either that or something I did early on buggered her up.

The two seedlings in yogurt containers are both showing signs of the same leaf distortions:

This is odd since I sterilized the mix they are planted in. Whatever. I may just grow them out in the yogurt containers to see what they do. The Auto CBD Kush plants have been a bit of a shit show.

Mrs. Mephisto 24 Carat at Day 38:

There are two plants in the pot, two slightly different phenos, one a bit earlier and larger, the other smaller and a bit later. Both growing well. The two bags on branches are one branch of each pheno for pollenation. They have both been injected with pollen from a syringe twice today, and will get a few more applications soon. This was my first attempt with the bag isolation approach, and I do not like how much condensation happens on the inside of the window for light. Thinking cap is on about alternatives for getting branches pollenated inside the growdrobe.

Miss Mephisto Fugue State also at Day 38:

This girl developed issues over the last couple days. She has been canoed and curled and started developing signs of calcium issues, I think lockout due to too much nitrogen for this strain. Also, for some reason, this pot has run a fair bit drier than any of the others, so it is possible that the leaf curling might have been exacerbated by that. At any rate, she looked headed for serious trouble this morning, and I figured the problem was calcium lockout, so she got a damn good flushing with tap water to see if I could dial back the nutes a notch. The jury will be out for a few days. In the meantime, her water is turned off for now.

Miss 24C pollen plant is gone. Here is what's left :

The photos show my setup for collecting pollen. The bottom photo shows what is inside the big jar, namely a smaller jar with metal coffee filter mounted in the ring, male flowers tweezered from the pollen plant sitting in the coffee filter mesh, and fresh silica gel in the bottom of the big jar. The collected flowers get bone dry in the larger drier jar, and with a bit of agitation, the pollen from the dried flowers drops through the screen into the bottom of the small jar. On this run, I might have collected about a half cc or more of pure pollen to load the syringe with, and I will get another batch from the flowers before I am done. This system works better than grinding the flowers the way I did last year, the pollen comes out absolutely pure with no plant debris.

I have already done two pollen applications with the syringe in the photo. I just open it and put it in the drying jar until next time to keep the pollen left in it dry.

Miss Fugue State pollen plant will follow sometime soon, no pics today. She is a whole lot less responsive to the CS, but I think I will get enough pollen to make least a few seeds.

That will do for now peeps, thanks for checking in.