LED and soil tent grow - Cannalope, Kushberry, Sour Kosher

9/29 - Day 35

7am - yesterday afternoon, I up-potted KB2 & CH2 into 7 gallon pots, adding Xtreme Mykos and watering through with filtered water and CaMg+. I did run out of FFOF soil...I mixed in 30% perlite and then had to top layer about an inch of RO microgreens in both pots. It’s not ideal, but I honestly doubt it makes much/any difference.

Both plants were getting a bit root bound, and the 3 gallon fabric pots I have really aren’t very big (upon closer inspection, I don’t think they actually fit 3 gallons of soil). So I figured the 7 gallons were a better choice. It’d actually be ideal to have 5 gallon fabric pots so I could fit 4 plants comfortably, as 7 gallons are really too big for 4 including pot trays. For future runs, I’m going to go from solo cup to the 2 gallon plastic pots then to 5 gallon fabric pots. I really like the growth of the SK’s and CH that went into the 2 gallons compared to the 1 gallons (even with putting the smallest plants at the time into those pots).

If the CH plant I put into 7 gallons doesn’t handle the transplant well by next week, I’ll take it out and replace with the CH plant in the 2 gallon. I can replace the KB too if needed, but the other is in a 1 gallon, so I don’t have much time to wait. It’s nice to have backups like that. If I don’t end up needing them, I’ll be giving them to a friend. Really hope KB2 does well though, because it’s by far the most fragrant of the lot...

The SK’s (reg seeds) in the 2 gallons are looking groovy, and both will go into 7 gallon pots next week. Hopefully will be able to get one female! I put the smallest SK outdoors yesterday, as it’s not growing as heartily as the others, and will use it to see what the SK’s look like when showing sex.

Big tings a g’waan, bredren!

Back row (l-r): KB2 & CH2
Front row: SK2, KB2, SK3, CH1

I put my money on the SK2 being a keeper. Look at that big beautiful bitch!

TheDifferenceX said:

I put my money on the SK2 being a keeper. Look at that big beautiful bitch!

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Totally with ya on that. I’m crossing all of my fingers that it’s gonna be a lady!

9/30 - Day 36

6am - looks like KB2 & CH2 are really digging the 7 gallon pots. The SK’s and CH1 that went from solo to 2 gallon pots are looking even better, though. Next week, I’ll up-pot the 2 SK’s into 7 gallon pots. It’ll be a tight fit in the tent for 4 plants in 7 gallons, but at least one SK is likely to get tossed when sex finally shows (hopefully not SK2). Also looking possible that I might replace the CH in the 7 gallon with the other in the 2 gallon, but we’ll see next week...

KB2 & CH2



KB2



CH2



SK2

Those babies in the 7 gallon pots looked a bit droopy yesterday. They sure do look happy today! Nice, those 7 gallon pots are massive!

I'm impressed with where you're at 5 weeks in. This looks promising for sure.

TheDifferenceX said:

Those babies in the 7 gallon pots looked a bit droopy yesterday. They sure do look happy today! Nice, those 7 gallon pots are massive!

I'm impressed with where you're at 5 weeks in. This looks promising for sure.

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Thanks for the good vibes! The two in the 7 gallon pots do look a lot perkier today. I really like how tall the 7 gallon pots are for 12” diameter...get lots of soil in without taking up too much width in the tent. I’ll barely be able to fit 4 in there though, so hopefully the SK’s will show sex quickly.

I usually veg for like 5 weeks going from solo cups to 1 gallon fabric pots then flip and sex. Once sex is determined I transplant to 3 gallon fabric pots and they stay there for the duration of the grow. This method saves a lot of soil being wasted on a Male plant. Also make sure you are able to get at all your plants inside the tent. You are going to need access to all your plants for pruning and checking for problems etc. I think 7 gal pots are overkill unless your growing massive plants. 3 gal fabric pots usually get me 4 zips per plant inside a 3x3 tent. Also that light I don't think could get the full potential out of using so much soil. Here's my current grow around the same age as yours. My honest advice would be to get a better light if you want phenomenal results. Cobs or CMH. Best of luck on the rest of your grow.

I post with all due respect as well my friend. I started out with blurple lights as well. Had 2 viparspectra lights when I started and the results were consistently sub par.
When I switched to cobs my grows exploded.
Imo quality light and airflow are the most important factors to a successful grow. Also plant training is critical if you want big yeilds. I usually top multiple times in veg and wind up with around 8 main colas per plant. Nutrients and whatnot are secondary to the above. Also genetics are critical but you seem to have that covered. For 7 gallon pots I would most likely do a single female vegged for 2 plus months in a 3x3 tent. Just my 2 cents. Again best of luck.

Southside112 said:

I post with all due respect as well my friend. I started out with blurple lights as well. Had 2 viparspectra lights when I started and the results were consistently sub par.
When I switched to cobs my grows exploded.
Imo quality light and airflow are the most important factors to a successful grow. Also plant training is critical if you want big yeilds. I usually top multiple times in veg and wind up with around 8 main colas per plant. Nutrients and whatnot are secondary to the above. Also genetics are critical but you seem to have that covered. For 7 gallon pots I would most likely do a single female vegged for 2 plus months in a 3x3 tent. Just my 2 cents. Again best of luck.

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Thank you for the advice! Any and all info I can get is very much appreciated.

I’m just getting back to growing after several years, and my past experience is with hydro running clones under HPS. So I’m just getting my feet wet now with soil, seeds, and LED’s. My focus for these runs isn’t really on yield since it’s just for my meds, but on ensuring I end up with quality Sativa-dom and Indica-dom herb both, and (ideally) a middle-ground hybrid too if possible. I live in a legal state with no shortage of bud...I’m doing this to take more control of my meds and my health, but if my runs don’t yield enough, I can easily buy what I’m missing. But at the moment, I have more needs for growing the combo of Sativa-Hybrid-Indica then I do for growing one plant in the tent to its maximum potential. You are really making me want to get another tent though (long and narrow fits well in the space I have available, so that’s why I’ve got 4x2)...two really would be perfect...

I’m totally with you on the Cobs...the more I read the LED threads (and damn, do the Cob folks get super technical), the more I have the itch to switch lights. But the SolarSystem I have now is so easy and hassle-free that it works well with my current vibe of focusing primarily on learning to grow in soil and start from seed. Once I get a couple runs under my belt, I’m going to spend the time and focus to upgrade the light (probably DIY). I just really wanted a quick and easy setup to get going and get learning...

I feel you on the pot size...the 7 gallons actually is accidental, as I was planning on 3 gallon fabrics, but then I discovered the ones I’d ordered only fit as much soil as my 2 gallon plastic ones (think I got swindled a bit). The 7 gallons were what I had available, even though I knew they’d be overkill, but I really want to use 5 gallons from the same manufacturer. It would be ideal for me to have 3 fems of different strains in 5 gallon fabrics, even though that’s still a little tight in the tent. Next time, this pot size issue will be sorted out.

Honestly, I keep hearing conflicting guidance on up-potting after flipping. It would work great for me to know sex before the final transplant, but I’ve got a couple old-timers who’ve warned me not to transplant once in flower. I’ll likely go ahead and try that next run or two, since it’d work better for me than tossing transplanted plants once I find out they’re male. Thank you for providing more evidence that it works to sex in flower and then do the final transplant!

Edit - your plants look fantastic, by the way. Very impressive!

10/1 - Day 36

7am - all’s well with the wee ones. I’m actually beginning to think I’ll up-pot SK2 and CH1 (not SK1), since I’m having a hard time deciding between the two CH’s, and CH1 looks better structure than SK1 (plus, I already know it’s fem). But since I’m trying to get three different strains to finish, it might not be best to risk all my marbles on just one SK, hoping that it turns out female. We’ll see how they look in a few more days before deciding...

Those babies look just fine for LED lighting. And your not using normal LED blurple lighting like most are. Your light is fine.

Keep on keepin' on!!!

10/5 - Day 40

6am - tent population is decreasing while plant size is increasing...good times! SK3 was up-potted yesterday to a 7 gallon fabric and got a slight trim as well (lower growth seems to quickly get leafy). Went into FFOF with some Perlite, Extreme Mykos, and watered through with filtered water & CaMg+. It’s a bit droopy from the stress, but I think it should be just fine. Not super strong smelling, but starting to bring some fuelly funk.

KB2 & CH2 are grooving along in their 7 gallons for a week now. Yesterday, their watering got upgraded from filtered water and CaMg+ to adding BioThrive Grow, Bio Root, & Bio Weed at 50% recommended ratios. KB2 is still the most fragrant of all the plants with an earthy kush smell, while CH2 has the mildest aroma (faint fruity smell).

I am holding onto SK2 & KB1 for a few days as backups, but there’s really not enough room for more than 3 plants in 7 gallons, so both will be given away to friends if SK3 looks perky again by the end of the weekend. CH2 and SK1 are both gone now, given to a friend this week.

KB2


SK3


CH2

Looking sexy. I bet that droopy one perks right up by tomorrow.

10/8 - Day 43

8am - and now we’re down to the final three...

Taking a gamble that Sour Kosher 3 will turn out female, because there’s just not enough room now for two SK’s in there. SK3 is still a bit droopy in the leaves, but otherwise fine. All plants got watered this morning with two liters of filtered water, CaMg+, BioThrive Grow, Bio Root, and Bio Weed, still at 50% ratios for the last three nutrients. Also trimmed up Kushberry and Cannalope Haze to get more light and air through.

L-R: Kushberry, Sour Kosher, Cannalope Haze

10/9 - Day 44

6am - Sour Kosher has almost got its groove back. Kushberry and Cannalope Haze are both looking solid and strong. And hot damn, the stalk and branches of CH look thicker than a bowl of oatmeal...

KB


SK


CH

10/10 - Day 46

6am - looking groovy and smelling strong! Same watering/nutes routine this week, and all three seem to be digging it. On track to flip on Sunday...

KB - CH - SK


KB - CH

Dude, your light is killing it!

When you going to switch to flower? Careful, you might outgrow your tent. lol

TheDifferenceX said:

Dude, your light is killing it!

When you going to switch to flower? Careful, you might outgrow your tent. lol

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Plants are definitely getting crowded in there. Switch to flower starts tomorrow...doing last minute light-leak checks today...

Awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing how your light produces in flower. I think you are going to have a pretty big yield.

TheDifferenceX said:

Awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing how your light produces in flower. I think you are going to have a pretty big yield.

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Thanks for the good vibes! I’m very impressed with the light so far, including how little heat it throws out. Hopefully it continues its performance after switching the spectrum for flowering.

It really has been easy to setup/program, and really easy to adjust positioning because it’s so lightweight. Been perfect so far for setup/operation with minimal effort on my part.