GiggleGirl Tries Again-- Magic Bud-- Pics-

[GiggleGirl]

Hi.
I germed these seeds on Monday, and got tap roots in 24 hours. Planted them lightly in soil on Tuesday night. One has popped up! Looks good!


It was at this stage that my last one's died. -- The stems shrivelled and then they fell over dead. SOOOOOooooo if anyone can help me prevent that this time I'd be stoked. Last time the temps kept spiking up into the mid 90s. I think that's what did it. Or watering? I don't know...

 

[GiggleGirl]

Sooo I am using CFLs. My veg space is a little cupboard cabinet. I recently added a couple of computer fans on the top for exhaust. Seems to be helping reg. temperatures. It still tends to be around 80 with only half the lights on. Sigh.

My seeds are in jiffy pots-- I've put them inside beer cups to keep them from drying out too much on the sides (the last set seemed to dry really quickly from the fans etc.).
The soil is a "Seed starter soil" but doesn't have any nutes listed on the bag.

I thoroughly watered the pots before I planted the seeds-- my water was tending to pool on top last time-- so I thought starting with a good saturation might help that this go round. (I'll try soap if I have to)

Ummm so yeah... I'll post lots of pix because I really want this to work-- I had to work up courage (and cash) to go buy these seeds so I want some product!
Appreciate any help/thoughts comments etc.
I am sticking with CFL-- so no need to open up that debate ok?

GG.

 

[BIGMIKE13]

you grow girl !!!!!!!

try and watch the temps when the seedlings pop and maybe raise the lights for the first week.

edit : lower plants.........

 

[titleistbudz]

Yeah I would say try to move the lights away from the plant for the first few days at least, let your girls get some air first! Once they grow about a half inch out of the soil, lower the lights down.

I find I have to water every other day with seedlings, so keep an eye out. My suggestion, go to a hardware store and buy a Soil Moisture Meter. They are about $5 and it tells you the exact moisture level.

I'll be watching, good luck!

 

[GiggleGirl]

So all three are up. Much better result than the crapola old Bubblicious seeds.
So the leaves are curving down in a major way. What's that mean? (I am the worlds worst gardener-- I warn you all now) The soil in the bottom of the pots is still quite most--- the tops look pretty dry though.

Thanks for the advice titleistbudz and bigmike13
I've got the plants further from the lights. Temp is staying at 80 and humidity is about 30. I have a moisture meter. The pots are pretty small and I find the meter seems like a big disruption in such a small pot. It's reading pretty dry, but if I stick my finger in the bottom (ohhh babbby) the soil is wet and firm. (versus the soil being really light and loose on top).

Thoughts?
I am glad I wasted all of the giddy excitement neurosis on the crap seeds, I am much calmer and less likely to poke at them this time.
GG

 

[BIGMIKE13]

they look fine. do you have a pic of the meter ? is is just the single prob ?

when using the meter, if the soil is dry a few inches off the bottom then water. also at this time pick your pots up and feel there weight (dry), you will start to get a feel for when they need water.

i like to let my soil almost dry out before watering. this helps with building a better root mass as the roots go in search for the water.

 

[titleistbudz]

All three sprouted I'm excited for you. I put an ounce or two of water in my pots everyday or so when they first sprouted and popped leaves.

 

[GiggleGirl]

Hi.

Yeah, it's a single probe. I watered them today-- using a turkey baster-- gave each one about 1/2-3/4 of an ounce since the soil was blowing out of the pots in the very minimal fan currents. Now the moisture meter reads middle of moist.
I'll have to keep an eye.
Still-- they are looking pretty strong stem wise! LAst time the stems shrivelled and died within 24 hours. (temps up to 95 were the cause I think.)

Have a great night
GG

 

[scias]

poke poke...

 

[titleistbudz]

Hi.

Yeah, it's a single probe. I watered them today-- using a turkey baster-- gave each one about 1/2-3/4 of an ounce since the soil was blowing out of the pots in the very minimal fan currents. Now the moisture meter reads middle of moist.
I'll have to keep an eye.
Still-- they are looking pretty strong stem wise! LAst time the stems shrivelled and died within 24 hours. (temps up to 95 were the cause I think.)

Have a great night
GG

Sounds good, don't be afraid to add a little moisture on the soil every day. They are small pots and will dry out faster then you'd think. Let the plants tell you when they are thirsty.

You know how girls are; when they want something you'll know .

 

[scias]

except you wont REALLY know cause theyll be telling you one thing and mean another...

 

[GiggleGirl]

Hey Hey gentlemen, we are NOT that bad. Welll.... ok, yeah, women are pretty bad for it aren't we? When we want something we either hint like crazy and hope you guys figure it out, or flat out get it ourselves! And then on all of the softer stuff (like everything being "fine") we are pretty ambiguous sometimes! I think it's because we don't think you really WANT to know the truth. -- 'Cause then men try to run off and fix things before we are even done explaining what's up.

So... gender issues aside.....

Day 3-- things look good. Soil got dumped all over the grow space today, so major clean up is needed tomorrow when I've got a few hours. The inside of the box is painted white, but I was still tempted to make pepsi can reflectors-- any benefit, or jsut wasted effort?

Here are today's pics. I'm content. I may get around to starting 2-3 of my Northern Light Specials. I think I can handle 5 plants, and things seem to be going ok so far. I'm excited now!

Have a great day all, and thanks for stopping in!
GG

 

[CALIGROWN]

looking good girl.........keep it up

 

[GiggleGirl]

Hi.
The kid was napping, Daddy was at work, so rather than doing laundry I tinkered with my set up. lol. Will be worth it later right?

Soooo you may have noticed that there was a wooden shelf everything was sitting on. I covered it in mylar gift wrap from the trusty dollar store! I also covered the doors to the cabinet. I moved the lights a bit and put all of the plants together. So there are 4x 42 watts plus 2x 23 watts-- the 23s are because they are bluer and help with teh spectrum for veg. I'll just have to keep an eye on temps. I also added the soil covers, just because they were drying out so quick from the fan.

Thoughts! It's pretty bright in there!

GG

 

[GiggleGirl]

Day 4
Watered the plants-- about 1oz each.
Yesterday a big (tap) root was coming out the hole in the bottom of pot A. I just tucked it back in. I think some drainage water had gathered in the bottom of the red cups. I am going to periodically take them out to let them dry since I don't want mold issues.
Growth looks good. Although the very very very tiniest of tips of the real leaves look a tiny bit brown. I'll add a few pics in a couple of hours. I'll wait for the next set of leaves before I panic.

EDIT-- I added pix. I also have turned off the lights for 2 hours-- need to do some electrical stuff. Is it good to give them a rest now and then, or must it be regular 18/4 or 24/0?
Thx.

 

[HoLE]

except you wont REALLY know cause theyll be telling you one thing and mean another...

Women!!!!!

Keep on Growin

HoLE

 

[GiggleGirl]

Thanks for stopping by HoLE. Lol.

 

[HoLE]

Thanks for stopping by HoLE. Lol.

lol,,not directed straight at you ,,sorry,,babies look great though,,good luck to the end GG

Keep on Growin

HoLE

 

[GiggleGirl]

Things look good.
Gave them a good watering this evening.
It was about 87 degrees in there when I got home. Adding that extra light made it toasty.
CFLs still make a fair amount of heat in an enclosed space. I opened the cabinet doors wider and turned the fan higher. It's hovering around 83 now. I'm fucking up my eyes by forgetting my sunglasses half the time-- those lights are crazy bright!

Here are the new pics. -- I took these first thing this AM. Now one of them had its leaves pointing up in a V and instead of flat (or rounded down a bit) the leaves are in a lenghtwise V too. I remember seeing somewhere that it means something... I will have to search back through everything that I read to figure out what. Unless someone just wants to tell me!

Burnt my ass in a tanning booth this afternoon, so I'm not going to spend too much time sitting here!

Wish these plants were done since I'm dry... Hope it never happens again now that I'm becoming a gardener.

GG

 

[titleistbudz]

They look beautiful. 87 degrees isn't too bad, but im happy you caught it.

Don't worry about the pointed leaves quite yet. You gotta remember these things are a weed, and they will adapt to their environment. Too many people baby them!

They look great for day 5!!!