I took the larger black containers you see here and added pretty much the rest of my seeding soil. Added saved water, the soil went down by at least a third, added more water.

When I put in Lady Luck, she appeared to have some sort of mild root system, the dirt held together (roots may not have developed well from being in a clear, shallow container).

But when I did Stretchy2, most of the dirt fell away and that boy was still sittin in his peat pellet. He seems the healthiest of all though.

Packed up more dirt to cover up the stem (still hasn't shown new growth, so might as well fix the stretch) and misted this top inch of soil or so pretty aggressively to make the wetness match the rest of the soil.

For all of them I used water that I'd let stand but for Stretchy2 I was out, and had to use tap water.

The biggest problem by far now is the light situation, obviously.

That 5th light at the top might as well be for looks since it's so far away and the other lights block it...

But that's a project for this weekend


Pics:

1) Rear to front: Original Mr. Stretchy, Lady Luck, Stretchy2
2) We keeps it ghetto

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These pics show that since last night some growth has occured for the two stretchys but not for Lady Luck, though she seems to be slightly more stabilized. But she doesn't seem to be growing.

Maybe she's a runt?

Anyways the one who has shown the most growth is actually Mr. Stretchy, but I haven't transplanted him yet so maybe the other two are dealing with a lil transplant trauma (sounds like a bad hospital TV show-- "Transplant Trauma")

pics

1) left is Mr. Stretchy, rotated (he had moved towards the light), middle is "stealth" Stretchy2 and right is Lady Luck (I just now put that third light on her, because it fit... not sure if she needs that right now-- she seems a lil traumatized-- any ideas are welcome, she's lighter green than the others)

2) Stretchy2. Notice that the stocks are not thickening though growth seems slow... but maybe I'm impatient.

Slow growth is fine for me at this stage as I still have to build the closet they will flower in... waiting for money for that.

I also wonder how keeping a slow-growing plant in veg for so long will affect anything-- final buds, flavor, and so on.

3) sorry... I should have turned off the lights and stood back.

4) The whole setup, for now. Notice that it is slightly less ghetto than when I first started.

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Mr. Stretchy has been in the longer but clear container and he's ready to transplant.

I felt this urgently when I looked at the container and the drainage is not good enough. There was some risk of mold or root rot so over the past couple days I've been cutting slits in the plastic but it's not aerating fast enough.

So this morning I woke at 3:30, took the pot and set it on a chair near the heater, turned the heater on and went to Wal-Mart to get more lights and stuff.

Came back an hour later, this may have helped the drying some.

I have to dry out the soil before I transplant, so I don't pull away roots (soil on top is dry and moist on bottom).

So now as you see in this pic I have it sitting on top of the stove while I heat up some enchiladas...

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Yesterday I gave the plants a rest from all the light. I'd been running 24 hours a day from about day 3 or 4 and they seemed fatigued, needed some rest.

So I turned off the lights yesterday night and they seemed healthier.

pics

1) Stretchy2
2) Lady Luck (any comments on why she's lighter green are welcome)

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Last night was the 2nd night I let them rest, turning off the fan as well as the lights.

pics

1) Stretchy2
2) Mr. Stretchy (no mo')
3) Lady Luck

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I have been waiting to do the final transplant of the third plant, Mr. Stretchy, and today the soil was dry enough. Noticed the roots had gotten fairly extensive on the bottom-- long white tendrils.

I thought I was about three weeks into this but I only planted these on the 25th, it looks like-- so we're just 16 days, barely over two weeks. Seems like it's been much longer.

So I bought this Miracle Gro organic potting soil. It's pretty rich looking stuff. Luckily I had just enough leftover starter mix to make about a 40/60 split for Mr. Stretchy-- that is, about 40% starter and 60% organic. I have to remember that this plant will have more nutes than the others because the others are just in starter mix though I now realize the containers are quite large for these plants so they may not need any nutes for a while. I'm thinking maybe 1-2 weeks from now, maybe even longer. I'll feel how they grow and judge it from there.

I re-did my ghetto light setup. I am waiting for some more money so that I can buy the wood and tools I need to build the grow closet, but I have no tools whatsoever-- I even had to buy a hammer and nails the other day. I remember when there were always tools laying around.

As you can see I am using two strips with some lights in 'em. I went out and bought more powerful cool floro's which are on the back plant (2 75 watts each equivelent) and my original 4 smaller lights with a 100-watt equiv in the shroud.

Height to the lights is adjusted by moving the plants down-- they're sitting on books so to lower them you just remove a book.

I bought Neem oil today-- I don't need it for these plants (thankfully) but my houseplants are having serious infestation of gnats but also something I think is eating the roots. So I'm trying it on that plant, to get a feel for it though I may be too late-- that thing got sick really quick-- probably because I set it outside when I found the gnats and I think some stuff from the field next door got in ma plant.

pics

1) Mr. Stretchy in his new container (that stalk is looking pretty weak though I've had the fan on all of them regularly-- however it is not an oscillating fan and this may make some difference or I may need to up the fan speed)
2) The grow space

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looks like youve got everything going okay but im a fellow noob too so you're learning for me too! the only thing i would recommend at this point is something to keep all the light so its not dissappearing. i heard printer paper is good, and mylar if you have the funds, but stay away from tin foil.. any way good luck, ill be watching

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think smarter, not harder http://eecs.harvard.edu/~nesson/sequencer.html http://www.rollitup.org/grow-journal...eneration.html

looks like they are growing right on track. i have the book method of raising and lowering my plants too lol.

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http://www.rollitup.org/grow-journal...-buds-2-a.html

Thanks, Koosh! I appreciate you checkin in. Funny how exciting it is to see someone checkin out yer grow.

Okay, so someone else does the book thing, I ain't crazy!

I'm biding time until I build the closet but I'm very tempted to start flowering one of these pretty soon.

What I would do, is put it with some lights in one of the milk-crates here and put a thick blanket to block out light.

Even as I type this I'm realizing-- no ventilation. That wouldn't be so bad now, it's been raining (unusual) and temps in the room are 60-78... but we're supposed to get a heat wave come Thursday and this room will be baking.

But I need something to do this weekend.

Well, my friend DID give me an old PC case...

Thanks for checkin it out Brendon, you're right. I have been lamenting this and surprised at how fair they've grown without it. I recently saw a guy using inside-out chip bags. Apparently, this is mylar.

Only I don't eat that many chips, I have one empty bag (I saved it, too).