Solo Cup secrets [wanted]

I was going to plant this out, but I've changed my mind and decided to grow the plant in it's 5" pot. I am hoping to get something like what I've seen in a good solo cup challenge. This is purely for fun and to make use of my photon spill.

I have obtained a seedling mix with fertiliser already in it and I mixed in some perlite, I used that to surround the little eazyplug, for the bottom of the pot, I mixed in a little extra tomato compost also with added fertiliser, into the seedling mix and put that in the bottom 2". Mixture is loose and damp, but not wet.

My plan is to use the GP3 nutrients I'm using for my hydro, in fact I can just scoop some out of my reservoir but I'm happy to mix up something tailor made. I have not used any hydro solution in it yet, I figure there should be enough already in the soil to last a couple of weeks.

I'm hoping to get some tips from people who have grown a decent plant in a solo cup. This is going to be under indoor lights. At 5 days she is looking similar to a hydro grow so far.

 

[DCLXVI]

Do you think it's too early at the one week stage to give her a good soak and drain?

I haven't done a soil solo so I'm not sure. I usually presoak all my soil and coco pots before planting until I get a decent bit of runoff. Especially with the pre-buffered coco, I think it has too much stuff/high EC so I run weak seedling mix through until the runoff ppms are in the low 300's.

I bet a quick soak and drain would be fine if the solution isn't too strong. Silly question but, you've got some decent drain holes in the bottom of the solo? I used St.Toms method and cut slits around the bottom edge in a few spots. The roots eventually find their way out and then get air pruned.

 

[2budz]

I haven't done a soil solo so I'm not sure. I usually presoak all my soil and coco pots before planting until I get a decent bit of runoff. Especially with the pre-buffered coco, I think it has too much stuff/high EC so I run weak seedling mix through until the runoff ppms are in the low 300's.

I bet a quick soak and drain would be fine if the solution isn't too strong. Silly question but, you've got some decent drain holes in the bottom of the solo? I used St.Toms method and cut slits around the bottom edge in a few spots. The roots eventually find their way out and then get air pruned.

I always water all my pots to runoff before dropping beans. That's why I only use a spray bottle to keep the top moist. It traps some of that moisture in the soil and keeps me from having to water and potentially overwatering. Which apparently, I am VERY good at LOL.

 

[The Iconoclast]

Something appears to be a bit awry, but not sure what. She seems to be growing pretty well so far at about the same rate as in hydro, however she is a very pale green. I have her one bit of watering s few days ago but not much has changed. Haven't given any nutrient solution yet.

Do you think this is some sort of deficiency. The first leaves didn't look very good, shall I supply some nutrient?

 

[DCLXVI]

What medium did you end up going with?

 

[2budz]

Something appears to be a bit awry, but not sure what. She seems to be growing pretty well so far at about the same rate as in hydro, however she is a very pale green. I have her one bit of watering s few days ago but not much has changed. Haven't given any nutrient solution yet.

Do you think this is some sort of deficiency. The first leaves didn't look very good, shall I supply some nutrient?View attachment 1423880

To much water. The way those bottom leaves are going brown and brittle. I’ve seen this my last 2 rounds and it’ll pull through. Let it dry a bit and water it less but more often.

 

[The Iconoclast]

@DCLXVI, just gonna stay in the same seed raising mix with perlite and some tomato compost at the bottom.

@2budz ok, i'll do nothing and hang in there. soil only seems slightly damp though.

 

[2budz]

@DCLXVI, just gonna stay in the same seed raising mix with perlite and some tomato compost at the bottom.

@2budz ok, i'll do nothing and hang in there. soil only seems slightly damp though.

Honestly, young plants don't need much water at all. I just keep the top wet with a spray bottle 7-10 days after sprout. My issue has been once I start actually watering them. I get those same brown crumbly leaves at the bottom, usually just the 1st and 2nd set. I just leave them alone until theres 5-6 sets of leaves then pluck them off.

 

[DCLXVI]

For a reference point on water volume, my seedling stage coco solo cups seem to hold onto about 200ml of water. I ran 250ml through in the early seedling stages but that was also in wanting a fair bit of runoff. I'm sure the soil probably needs less. I agree with @2budz on more frequency less volume.

I'm at week 8 on my current coco solo and it takes 400ml in the AM to get runoff and 300ml in the PM session. The AM is just before lights out so maximum dryness at that time.

Solos are a tricky number.

 

[2budz]

Once she starts flowering you can water as much as you want really as long as you have nice holes and slits and its draining well. Veg vs flower watering is two totally different things. I typically don't water to runoff anymore just because I have the pots I use pretty well dialed but in flower it's probably better to do so.

 

[The Iconoclast]

OK, she got fairly dry and I just gave her 70mls from a spray mist on the surface no nutrient yet, I think the pot would hold about 250ml. Although she seems to be growing normally the leaves are still annoyingly very pale. The damage does not seem to be getting any worse so I'll just hang in there.

Meanwhile I have started a seedling in one of the Eazyplug Mini Pyramids, they are supposed to be impossible to over water, so far she is looking nice and dark green. Gave the Pyramid a solid soaking in plain water first and I'll wait till she dries on the surface. , if this works out I might try the larger pyramid although it's a bit pricey.