Project "Alice" - Testing grounds

Sup guys

So I decided to start a trial grow, just to see how far I could take plant with JGS Orgasoilux... This is my progress so far.

16/09/2015 - Dropped a random bean into a cup of soil and watered until there was some run off. I didn't pre soak the bean, just stuck it in the soil, possibly too deep as well.

21/09/2015 - No signs of life, just a much lighter, drier cup. Watered again until there was some runoff, moved from the garage to the windowsill.

22/09/2015 - SPROUT!!!

23/09/2015 - Say hello to my little friend

27/10/2015 - Watered and started giving 6 hours under the CFL's after sunset. Cabinet wasn't ready yet.

01/10/2015 - Got home from work to find Alice out of her cup, on the ground. Apparently my dog doesn't approve of all the attention she'd getting. The roots were all the way to the base of the cup, started to wrap around the bottom about 2 or 3 times. So i was forced to pot up 1 week after sprouting. Added some JGS Orgasoilux to a bigger pot along with 2 heaped teaspoons of mycorrhizal fungi and then dropped her ontop of that and filled the gaps with more soil. Watered until there was runoff.

07/10/2015 - Watered until there was runoff. I've noticed that my girl's looking a little yellow since she's been getting the full 18/6 under the cfl's. Temps range between 18 degrees (dark) and a max of 31 (light). Usually it's about 26 degrees in the light period. RH ranges between 70 and 40%. Right now the cabinet is at 28 degrees, RH 62%

So what do you guys think? Has the Orgasoilux run outta juice? Could she be suffering from heat stress or am I just paranoid?

PS, no idea how to reorder the pics, so you'll have to check the dates

When you watered previously, was your soil mix completely or close to dry? It could be that your seedling is drowning. Your JGS mix looks very low in perlite similar to my batch but it seems as if you have bigger chunks of wood in your mix when I compare it to mine. I would suggest that you only water once every 7 - 10 days or when your pots feel very light, compared to when you watered them.

I tested the drainage of my soil before I started growing and realised that it had poor drainage. Yesterday I added more perlite and some Coco Compact Potting Soil to my JGS mix and drainage has improved dramatically.

Today I transferred 3 Coco / Perlite plants which are together in 1 pot to my amended JGS mix. Now we wait and see. I'm sure that the more experienced members will be able to give you more accurate advice.

Shot bud, I've actually been watering by weight. I weighed her before her 1st watering and went from there. I did feel the top of the soil, that was dry, stuck my finger in one of the holes in the bottom of the pot, that was damp, barely left any moisture on my finger. Also, I'm not sure what good drainage is supposed look like, but basically, I am watering once a week, expect for when I did that premature pot up.

The amount of run off is close to, but less than half of the amount used to water, if that counts for anything?

Shot bud, I've actually been watering by weight. I weighed her before her 1st watering and went from there. I did feel the top of the soil, that was dry, stuck my finger in one of the holes in the bottom of the pot, that was damp, barely left any moisture on my finger. Also, I'm not sure what good drainage is supposed look like, but basically, I am watering once a week, expect for when I did that premature pot up.

 

The amount of run off is close to, but less than half of the amount used to water, if that counts for anything?

Based on what you are saying about your run-off it sounds like your drainage is ok as long as its not taking too long to drain. I wouldn't do anything dramatic, just continue your watering regiment as usual and monitor if the situation improves or not.  I don't think your soil is lacking in nutrients. Maybe your seedling is just reacting to the shock of the fall. Maryjane is very hardy, I'm sure she will recover!

I was thinking that same thing since the day I found her on the ground. I have no idea how long she was lying there, and in the direct sunlight too... I'm hoping it's that and not a soil issue. Shot for the pointers Sir Smokalot!

I was thinking that same thing since the day I found her on the ground. I have no idea how long she was lying there, and in the direct sunlight too... I'm hoping it's that and not a soil issue. Shot for the pointers Sir Smokalot!

You're welcome CK!:thumbups

I agree with Sir Smokalot. Your girl will recover after the prior stressful ordeal it suffered. I usually keep my girls out of the strongest part of the light by placing them at the perimeter of the garden until they fully recover and can utilise more light once again. I'm sure your girl will recover.

I've got her out of the cabinet and in the sun today. Maybe the natural light will help her along?

I would personally keep her out of direct sunlight until you start to see new growth. When you see new growth a.ka growth returning back to normal, then you know that your plant is recovering well enough from the ordeal to be placed in stronger light conditions. A fallen seedling left in the sun most def caused root and plant stress. She may take some time to use all of her resources to recover from this so keep her in a shady spot for now and you will be fine. If you throw her out into the harsh sun you could cause permanent damage and then its over for your girl. Especially if the tiny roots get cooked. So you can take that risk but i would rather keep her shaded until she recovers.

Noted sir! Thank you. I'll get her outta the sun asap! The growth hasn't stopped, she's growing faster after the incident, but the yellowing worries me. I'll take your advice and keep her out of direct sunlight for a few days and let you know how she does. Hopefully she's not buggered.

If the roots were exposed to the sun and damaged, as you say, then the damage seedling could draw energy from its leaves to use it to repair/regrow roots. When taking clones, this can be seen when some leaves turn yellow and the cutting starts to create new roots. So there is a good chance that your plant could just be yellowing for this reason. Just keep your eyes on her and don't over-water her either because a plant with such a small root system cannot handle heavy watering until they have a larger root system. Cheers.

Thank you, will keep you posted on her progress over the next week. I'll keep her out of the cabinet, maybe in my room...

... and don't forget to tell her how much you love her ;-)

Lol, I speak to her daily... In fact, she's looking greener towards the middle already

Ok guys, it's been a few days, Alice is due for watering soon, probably gonna water tomorrow, but she's still yellow. The lowest set of leaves are yellower than before... What are your thoughts? I don't think she's dying, coz she's gotten bigger and new leaves are appearing.

Bro I think you're just over-reacting. The cotyledon leaves have to die and shrivel off eventually, this is probably their starting phase of dying. You plant looks fine.

Bro I think you're just over-reacting. The cotyledon leaves have to die and shrivel off eventually, this is probably their starting phase of dying. You plant looks fine.

I agree @Heisenberg

@CK Alice will be fine!

Thanks guys, the whole plant was actually yellow, this pics didn't show it coz i have a shitty camera phone, but the new leaves seem to be showing positive change. Will water her tomorrow again, the soil started to pull away from the pot and the weight is almost the same as it was before watering.

Ok guys, it's been a few days, Alice is due for watering soon, probably gonna water tomorrow, but she's still yellow. The lowest set of leaves are yellower than before... What are your thoughts? I don't think she's dying, coz she's gotten bigger and new leaves are appearing.

She isn't dying but isn't looking that happy either and a bit pale. What happened after your watering? Maybe it's time for a weak compost tea

*edit - she definitely looks hungry... have you got what you need to make compost tea?

@420SA, she fell and the roots were exposed to the sun for an unknown period of time, coulda been hours. Potted up, watered and following the advice of the homies here, I kept her out of the cabinet and direct sunlight until Tuesday. She's been back on the 18/6 cycle since then.

I don't have an airpump just yet, but I figured I could grab a handful of fresh earthworm castings from my worm bin and leave that in the water for like an hour then water with that? Could that work?

That doesnt look good bro. Id just suggest you leave the plant in its usual grow area, water it ever 3-4 days and wait for it to bounce back. Same thing happened to my first plant, fell out of its pot, roots exposed, put it back together, plant seemed to have died for a few days and then bounced back just fine.

@Heisenberg, I knew something was up, but I didn't have good enough pics to bring my message across to the forum.

So it seems like this cabinet grow of mine won't work during the summer months. The ambient temp in my garage is way too high on the warmer days. I've picked up that the garage temp is 3-4 degrees higher than outdoors. The cabinet temp is 3-4 degrees higher than the garage.

Thank goodness I put the kids outside yesterday. My hygrometer had yesterday's max temp at 40 degrees in the shade. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the seeds I dropped in cups on Monday broke the surface yesterday, and my 1st plant was looking alot better than the day before. As you know, I've been struggling with Alice since she got knocked over.

I took a few pics yesterday after dark when they were all back in the cabinet. Also, I watered the big one yesterday morning. You can see how much the top soil dried from being outside.

As for the dying leaves, any ideas? New growth looks good. No nutes have been used, just watered on the 15th (200ml water mixed with fresh worm castings). Should have aact going by the next watering.

Aact is not a nutrient... it's a microbial inoculation. Keep it simple this is your first grow? Get yourself a bottle of biogrow and give her a feeding.  You can't absorb everything for your first grows. You have to grow your skills as well as your plants. Once you feel comfortable with a few grows then start to refine your techniques. Soil mix simple worm casting, soil, coco , lime and  perlite. Feed with biogrow and get that girl looking good.

Cheers

GLO

Thanks for the advice guys, I was under the impression that this soil I got would be good for 3 to 6 months. As in just water and use the occasional aact with no need for nutes at all? So the soil's only good for like 3 weeks?

Yes GLO, 1st grow... I was hoping to do a complete grow, trial and error, but without the use of nutes and having to measure pH's and so on. Impossible for a 1st timer?