SuperNeeGROW
Member
Welcome, and thanks for stopping by! Feel free to follow along as I attempt my first outdoor project, just please do not post here. I'll create a discussion page 
This project started with 2 plants I attempted to grow in earth soil and plastic cups. I wanted, and still want, to grow 100% organic. I started the seeds with the paper towel method, dug up some earth dirt from the woods behind my house, and planted two germ'd seeds on 5-1-12. The soil kept drying out, it was hard to keep moist enough for the babies, and the idea I HAD to nurse them a little came to mind. The investment idea was born on 5-8-12, after a full week with no signs of life. I tipped out the soil in the plastic cups, cracked open said soil, and went looking for my seedlings. I found them, half growing, yellowish, trying their hardest to break through the top layer of the soil, but they still had about a quarter of an inch to go. Their taproots looked very furry, almost cotton-like but very brittle, but I managed to painstakingly remove them with ZERO damage to their roots! I planted them back into the same plastic cups but with some seedling mix I had bought, and covered them all the way just like they were when I took them out of the earth soil, and watered vigorously. They're now my miracles, and within this journal will be referred to as my "plastic cups."
That day I decided to go with a $100 budget. So far I've spent about $50. I bought a Jiffy tray and lid, to create a makeshift humidity tray, for $3. Got 24 Jiffy Pots size 2, cost $1 for a pack of 12. I chose the Jiffy pots because they're perfect in size, are very affordable, and are 100% organic. I've never used them before, so originally I chose them for the ease of which they claim to transplant. I'm a little skeptical I wonder if the plants will actually be able to grow their roots THROUGH the cups. If so transplanting will be a super easy task. However, if the claims are right, I suspect I'll have to break the pots apart during transplanting, which me being a worrisome individual will end up doing anyways. The bag of Jiffy Organic Seed Starting Mix, cost $4, was my best investment so far. The seed starting mix is both affordable and 100% organic, and right off the bat was a hit. Never used it before but it looks good and my seedlings are responding well to it, and I LOVED how it brought my plastic cups back from what appeared to be sure death. Single GE 55 watt CFL, cost $12 online. Sunbeam heating pad, chosen for it's "auto on/continuous" feature, which is a MUST unless you want it shutting off on you after an hour or two, cost $23. Reverse osmosis bottled water, case of 32 kept at room temp, cost $4.
I've been gathering a bunch of bag seed over the past month. Haven't a clue as to what strain these seeds are, but the buds they came from is what we call the usual reg, which around here cost about $20-$25 an 8th, or what we call a half quarter. Altogether I collected about 50 seeds, tossed out all white immatures, and placed them into a shotglass of bottled water. On 5-6-12 I set the glass on top of my water heater, a perfect warm/dark spot, and covered it up so any light didn't leak through. I checked them everyday, and on the next day, 5-7-12, they were just starting to sink to the bottom. On 5-8-12 I noticed 2 seeds had split open and showed a little tap root. As soon as I saw them I took them out and planted them about an inch down in my Jiffy mix and cups, one seed per cup of course. On 5-9-12 I pulled another 4. The next day, 5-10-12, I removed the rest of the seeds, changed the water in the glass due to a murky appearance, and replaced all back like it was, after removing another 4 for planting. 5-11-12 yielded another 4.
Yesterday was 5-12-12, a.k.a. day 6. No other seeds looked like they were going to show any life. Water temp is low 80s, so it couldn't be that. No light, couldn't be that. Maybe they're bad seeds, maybe they've drowned...or maybe they needed help. I had an idea so I took them out of the glass, placed each one between my fingers, and gently cracked them all open taking great care to make sure I split them exactly where the others that showed roots had split. Once done I placed them all back in the glass and went to bed. Today, day 7, I pulled and planted 4 more seeds. I see a few more seeds in the shotglass that look like some white is peeking, just about to poke through, so I could plant some more tomorrow. If not, I'll let them soak some more!
Side note: I actually learned something about MJ seeds that I haven't read anywhere. You can soak them for a week, crack them open, and force them to germ. Seemed like everywhere I read on the subject said don't let seeds soak for more than 3 days MAX. I haven't claimed I've read every single book, or e-zine, or article on germination, but what I did read all said 3 days. Also too I never read about someone cracking open 6-days-soaked seeds and planting them the next day. Hopefully you've read about it first here and it'll save you from throwing out what could be potentially LATE bloomers. I'm keeping track of these seeds to see if this works, and if so I'll soak my seeds for 2 weeks from now on...what do I have to lose?
All together I have 20 potted seeds...18 in Jiffy pots and my 2 plastic cups. All together I have 4 sprouts. The next couple days should be exciting!
This project started with 2 plants I attempted to grow in earth soil and plastic cups. I wanted, and still want, to grow 100% organic. I started the seeds with the paper towel method, dug up some earth dirt from the woods behind my house, and planted two germ'd seeds on 5-1-12. The soil kept drying out, it was hard to keep moist enough for the babies, and the idea I HAD to nurse them a little came to mind. The investment idea was born on 5-8-12, after a full week with no signs of life. I tipped out the soil in the plastic cups, cracked open said soil, and went looking for my seedlings. I found them, half growing, yellowish, trying their hardest to break through the top layer of the soil, but they still had about a quarter of an inch to go. Their taproots looked very furry, almost cotton-like but very brittle, but I managed to painstakingly remove them with ZERO damage to their roots! I planted them back into the same plastic cups but with some seedling mix I had bought, and covered them all the way just like they were when I took them out of the earth soil, and watered vigorously. They're now my miracles, and within this journal will be referred to as my "plastic cups."
That day I decided to go with a $100 budget. So far I've spent about $50. I bought a Jiffy tray and lid, to create a makeshift humidity tray, for $3. Got 24 Jiffy Pots size 2, cost $1 for a pack of 12. I chose the Jiffy pots because they're perfect in size, are very affordable, and are 100% organic. I've never used them before, so originally I chose them for the ease of which they claim to transplant. I'm a little skeptical I wonder if the plants will actually be able to grow their roots THROUGH the cups. If so transplanting will be a super easy task. However, if the claims are right, I suspect I'll have to break the pots apart during transplanting, which me being a worrisome individual will end up doing anyways. The bag of Jiffy Organic Seed Starting Mix, cost $4, was my best investment so far. The seed starting mix is both affordable and 100% organic, and right off the bat was a hit. Never used it before but it looks good and my seedlings are responding well to it, and I LOVED how it brought my plastic cups back from what appeared to be sure death. Single GE 55 watt CFL, cost $12 online. Sunbeam heating pad, chosen for it's "auto on/continuous" feature, which is a MUST unless you want it shutting off on you after an hour or two, cost $23. Reverse osmosis bottled water, case of 32 kept at room temp, cost $4.
I've been gathering a bunch of bag seed over the past month. Haven't a clue as to what strain these seeds are, but the buds they came from is what we call the usual reg, which around here cost about $20-$25 an 8th, or what we call a half quarter. Altogether I collected about 50 seeds, tossed out all white immatures, and placed them into a shotglass of bottled water. On 5-6-12 I set the glass on top of my water heater, a perfect warm/dark spot, and covered it up so any light didn't leak through. I checked them everyday, and on the next day, 5-7-12, they were just starting to sink to the bottom. On 5-8-12 I noticed 2 seeds had split open and showed a little tap root. As soon as I saw them I took them out and planted them about an inch down in my Jiffy mix and cups, one seed per cup of course. On 5-9-12 I pulled another 4. The next day, 5-10-12, I removed the rest of the seeds, changed the water in the glass due to a murky appearance, and replaced all back like it was, after removing another 4 for planting. 5-11-12 yielded another 4.
Yesterday was 5-12-12, a.k.a. day 6. No other seeds looked like they were going to show any life. Water temp is low 80s, so it couldn't be that. No light, couldn't be that. Maybe they're bad seeds, maybe they've drowned...or maybe they needed help. I had an idea so I took them out of the glass, placed each one between my fingers, and gently cracked them all open taking great care to make sure I split them exactly where the others that showed roots had split. Once done I placed them all back in the glass and went to bed. Today, day 7, I pulled and planted 4 more seeds. I see a few more seeds in the shotglass that look like some white is peeking, just about to poke through, so I could plant some more tomorrow. If not, I'll let them soak some more!
Side note: I actually learned something about MJ seeds that I haven't read anywhere. You can soak them for a week, crack them open, and force them to germ. Seemed like everywhere I read on the subject said don't let seeds soak for more than 3 days MAX. I haven't claimed I've read every single book, or e-zine, or article on germination, but what I did read all said 3 days. Also too I never read about someone cracking open 6-days-soaked seeds and planting them the next day. Hopefully you've read about it first here and it'll save you from throwing out what could be potentially LATE bloomers. I'm keeping track of these seeds to see if this works, and if so I'll soak my seeds for 2 weeks from now on...what do I have to lose?
All together I have 20 potted seeds...18 in Jiffy pots and my 2 plastic cups. All together I have 4 sprouts. The next couple days should be exciting!
