First time Aerogrow Journal

Hey guys!
Just started my 1st grow...I read up on all of the aerogrow advice for about a month and finally broke down and bought the damn thing. My setup is

AeroGrow VeggiePro
2 additional 26W CFLs on the sides (I have both 6500K for vegging and 2700K for flowering)
Technaflora nutes
5" airstone

I bought the Greenhouse Green-O-Matic seeds from Attitude...I've since heard that maybe it isn't exactly the best strain, but oh well it's only my first grow. Here's a pic from today, which is Day 18 since germ. It is still pretty small, I think because it took a while for the tap root to reach the water, but it has been picking up in the last few days. Its also really short, but I have heard that is normal for autoflowering strains. What do you guys think? The new growth looks a little lighter green than the rest. Is that normal? Thanks!

Looks a really small for 18 days.... The small girl in the pic is only 12 days old...she is a feminized Autoberry. The big girl is the same but 26 days old.

View attachment 1236283

I know its small....the seed casing wouldn't fall off for a week (even though the stem was green), and so I had to surgically remove it. I think that it may have stunted the growth and its probably about a week late. Does it look ok to you otherwise?

Looks like she may be a little stressed or something. I can't wait to see where this one goes

yeah....neither can I! I like to think that she was really stressed out initially after the casing wouldn't fall off (and the root needed some help getting out of the sponge...did I mention that?). But really, she has gone from 4 little leaves to this in the last 2 days or so. I'll post some more pics in the next few days and hopefully this one will go somewhere special

Dude, poke a hole straight through the sponge with a chop stick, it helps secure the seed and makes it easy for the root to go straight down.
The plant in the pic is 2 weeks old

I just ditch those shitty sponge things next time and use rapid rooter

yeah, i should probably not use any more of those sponges. I thought it would break through pretty easy, but when I checked it out after like a week, nearly 1/2 of the tap root had broken off. I re-planted the rest, and it has apparently survived for the time being. **Anyone who uses these sponges should poke a big hole down the center first**

I will be keeping my eye on her....she may have started out a bit slow as one of mine is doing but she looks good and will probably do fine...."subscribed"

Thanks for the support, yo! Here's 1 day later....I think she's starting to come along nicer now. Sorry for the overall yellowishness of the pic compared to yesterday (its my camera, I think). Does the fact that the new leaves are a light green rather than a dark green means anything is wrong?

Looks like you put the seed too deep in the sponge, I'm by no means an expert though

Here's the girl now at 21 days....I KNOW she is small, but she obviously is starting to grow better now. Is there any way I can get her to grow a bit taller? She seems to want to be a bush rather than a flower.

I also included a pic of my setup for those who might care....

So, any advice?

What are you feeding her?

Technaflora Recipe for Success....I'm using the vegetative formula right now. But since its an autoflower strain, should I just be using the Flowering formula?

No you still use the vegetative formula but start at only 1/4 strength...some autoflower strains are fussy with nutes...

Cool, thats what I did...I don't have any pics today but it is really starting to grow now! I'll add some more pics in the next few days or so.

She's aliiiiiiiive!!! Ok...maybe she's no frankenstein yet, but she is finally picking it up now (just look at her 6 days ago). Should I position the lights differently so that the new growth at the bottom of the plant has better light? And when should I switch to my 2700K bulbs?

She is looking much better!!!You should really see her growth take off now You don't switch to 2700k until she flowers. Keep up the good work!

Hey world,
Sorry for the frequent updates....but just wanted to show everyone the rapidness that this girl is growing. I have to top the res off twice a day! But seriously: has anyone ever seen a plant like this where it is pretty much just growing like a bush and doesn't seem to be growing vertically at all???

Whats Up richy77, I feel ur excitment! I'm growing in a AG 200 De,
If I we're u I would place her were u have theair tube in..? REALLY !! If ur plant grows like mine is, the roots will smother ur pump, mine is in Front hole which is ok, I
should have moved it 1 more spot . I've got 1 & she is starting to take off @54
days old, But the first 3wks Wow it went wild , here r some pics from day 14 til now
in order ,she is 16" H, 27" W, 24" D, Buds going off the hook !!!, I'll stay up w/ur's , she
looks like mine..