PAR, LEDs and Organic Bio-dynamics

Hi!
This thread began on the hydro-forum but has since "morphed" and belongs here now.....

Quote: "Ah yeah "ring-culture" pots are placed on a mixture of gravel and sand, that is the Arthur Bower's method but they are certainly useless indoors as they absorb moisture and promote mold (nearly killed the lot!), however the question as to whether MJ can be cultivated that way remains (I have studied a bit of veg culture), they did not seem to "wick". I was trying to prevent transplantation shock whilst maxing out on space. I just asked "Monster Grows" (re: grow-bags etc.), the same question; "I can't just place my new aero-pots on top of the soil-less then?" I guess tomatos just draw a lot more water...

P.S Bought two high wattage (30 & 40w), white cree LED spots to balance out my two UFOs and pair of glow-panels, they're like Zeppelins! Spent less that £35 quid, no-shipping from China and they arrived (in one piece), within a fortnight! .....

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http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Dimma...851836582.html Do these seem cheap to you?
£26.99 for one 30w & one 40w Cree white LED Spotlight (no shipping!)? Mine arrived in nine days! http://www.aliexpress.com/buyerprotection/index.html " If purchase "not as described" ...

LEDs ARE the future (all cultural practices should be adapted to the pursuit of sustainable horticulture), the outside fitting has infact proven to be ideal although I have replaced the soft resin chain with a longer stainless one so that I can get the light "over the canopy" from seed to bud. I cannot afford to upgrade the LEDS I've got (and doubt I am the only one), but with the 30-40w Crees I get significant extra lumens and the reassurance of providing the entire PAR for my small scale grow. Pictures to follow once new camera and software sorted (don't hold your breaths though).
Thanks for the advice on soilless but as a soil-head until now I'm sticking with soil for a slightly unconventional bag grow (two 30-50l grow-bags -99p store!-, taped around to give shape and stature in large round trays), with tube inserted (from "passive-hydro" single pots from Haskins), in centre for feeding (this has virtually maxed-out the soil-space for the chamber). Coincidentally my Bio-Green thermostated heat mat fits the space exactly (heat from the base in the Winter -and during propagation-, NOT heat at the "control centre" of the plant's hormonal sensor -the growing tip-, but gently and thoroughly throughout the roots). I have fittings for a 200w frost protector (Chinese solid-state very nice -B&Q used to sell them-), should the air-temperature really fall in the Winter (don't heat roots to heat the air folks, use a soil thermometer and keep the soil at the correct temp.) "

The Hemp Goddess
Quote: "I will quote PJ here: "Good LEDs are not cheap and cheap LEDs are not good"

He is our LED guru. You might want to shoot him a PM before you buy any LEDs. The reason that I do not have an LED is because I cannot afford a good one right now."

"I've already got my LEDs, I started out with 45w "GlowPanels" with U.S plugs and used them with 250HID with excellent results. My LED set-up is not cheap two Prakasa UFOs 90w each (one is triple the other 7 spectrum -£80-£90 each-), and one Cree (Good deal £15 plus fittings), thats £175 worth and 210-220w LED in a very small space with no PAR issues (other Cree to use with Glow Panels for vegging -might "double-up" there & put a 50w in with the UFOs eventually-)....

Deals done, headed that way to be more sustainable now I'm using 220w in 40/70cm chamber! Mandala Hashberry slow to germ but coming up now found they were a bit "fussy" before (having done Speed Queen, Safari Mix and a few others). My two "Cobra" reg. autos. were "out-of-the-gate" like a storm. Cree do a 60w (those ARE good lights guys I observed a visible reponse and increase in vitality when I first put the bulb in -even though then the fitting was in the ceiling of the chamber-). I'm thinking of using a 60w in the flowering chamber and then putting the 30 & 40w Crees in series in the veg. chamber -not yet appointed-, with the two 45w "Glow-Panels").
Soil 30% "Fertile Fibre", 30% "Grow-Char Bio-Char", 30% Westand's Peat Free with "nutes" and 10% Peat Free "recycled" Soil-Conditioner (great stuff you can use throughout -like to shred it more though-, 99p from 99p Shop!), dried ecklonia and "AfterPlant" Rootgrowtm mycorrhizal fungi. I don't usually feed my plants in soil indoors (Mandala recommendation). I also use "Super Kukulus" (www.ph-ec.com), and am hoping that it will be useful when ensuring the health of the big budded "Hashberries". Infact it will be my first full indoor grow using "Super K" so I'll let you know how I get on (excellent results against spider mite outdoors!). ....

Super Kukulus:
http://www.google.com/translate?hl=e...concentrado%2F

(re: Hemp Godess: You are right though...look how much it has cost me to cover just over 0.25m2! Research is research though -& I'm pleased to be able to report "visible improvement in vitality" as it confirms that the PAR available to the plants is now correct-, I may go all white panels eventually OR just build up my Big Cree collection and purpose build for them!)...

Only 1/2 the Hashberries germed (although there is nothing wrong with the five I've got which are healthy, vital & expressing really well), and it is not the first time with them (NOT for the absolute novice). Think I'll tell Mandala I only got a 50% strike rate though (I'm not an idiot and have been germinating and propagating MJ for years)!"

Thanks for the info.

I have never had any real problems with any of Mandala's strains germinating and I have been buying seeds from them since 2007.

Neither am I an expert (one more came today), but I certainly had to take more care (I'm pretty convinced the first one will express male), but there was nothing wrong with my cultural practices (the only thing I was worried about a bit was the "nutes" in The Westlands but I read The Mandala blurb and they were o.k with it -and as you see I diluted it with some rather better balanced compost-), maybe a bit overmoist I was using open ended "baby" props (clear plastic bottles cut in half using the bottle mouth for air-flow), but stopped after humidity and saturation clearly a little high (but only very briefly say 8-12 hrs), this was probably the clincher but again they are vented "baby" propagators so not contrary to Mandala advice (and I do remove them as soon as the seedlings break the surface).

Two more up now! The don't like it too moist but then niether do any seeds, I still believe however that they respond to a narrower spread of humidity and soil-saturation levels, I've grown White Satin as- well and I would say that they were slightly fussier too.

This strikes me as a very good article (having searched some of the "avowedly" Bio-Dynamic sites), for it avoids any "unnecessary complications" not that "Lunar-Planting" is not a vast over-simplification of what true "bio-dynamics" (which is Astrology), is all about...

Quote: "Lunar Cycle

The lunar cycle sees the moon move through four quarters, which includes the previous phases one through eight.

1) First Quarter
(New Moon to First Quarter Moon)

The first quarter begins with no visible moon moving into new moon, marked by a small crescent. Moisture is at its peak, so this is generally a fertile time, good to take cuttings and to plant. Growth of the roots and the leaves are in balance.

2) Second Quarter
(First Quarter to Full)

The second quarter begins approximately seven days after the new moon, and ends with the full moon. From the new moon to the full moon is a time of waxing, characterized by increased, sometimes
rapid, growth and fertility.

3) Third Quarter
(Full to Last Quarter)

The third quarter of the lunar cycle begins with the full moon, a time of completion. Celebrate the fruits of your labor by harvesting under the sultry glow of a full moon. While the full moon brings a peak in moisture levels similar to the new moon, it is generally not recommended to plant on the full moon, as the subsequent waning in light and gravitational pull diminishes growth in the leaves.

4) Fourth Quarter
(Last Quarter to New)

During the fourth quarter of the moon’s cycle, energy is waning. The growth energy is pulled down into the roots. Planting is not recommended, but general maintenance is. This is an excellent time to give your girls a little extra water, fertilize organically, thin plants and employ natural pest management if needed. The waning time of the third and fourth quarters is also a time of rest and reflection.
Compose and FertilizeMoon in taurus: Compose and Fertilize

The Zodiac

Applying the lunation cycle also takes into account the planets and the 12 zodiac signs. The moon spends approximately two-and-one-third days in each sign, going through all 12 signs every 28 days. Each sign holds qualities of one of each of our four earthly elements: earth, air, fire and water. Each element is also given masculine or feminine characteristics: dry, hot, barren attributes are considered masculine while moist, cool, fertile attributes are feminine. The following is a brief description of each zodiac with its corresponding qualities and growing advice." Go to: http://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2008/08/22/Lunar-Planters Unfortunately he is not using Brythonic Astrology his "foreign stuff" doesn't work here (see James Vogh "The Thirteenth Sign" et.al*).

*Go to: http://gkhales.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/the-cerridwen-update-on-mesolithic.html & http://gkhales.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/beth-luis-fearn-brethonic-tree-calendar.html

Hi guys!
Had some cultural issues but quick action (some improvements to air-flow etc.*), and Kukulus seems to have sorted out fusarium wilt (for I think this was "she"), some have been transplanted & moved until I'm sure there is no further need for quarantine. Something very unusual has happened though! As you will recall I'm raising two Cobra and Hashberries. Both Cobra developing nicley (as are the Hashberries), but the first Hashberry to germinate seemed a different "pheno" to the others and began flowering as soon as she was able (NOT you will note either of The Cobras which are behaving themselves nicely -all still on 18hr veg. cycle-), if she proves sexually stable I will cross her with a Cobra male (which may mean purchasing some more!), I will keep you posted (she seems otherwise normal but is thin leaved much more like a sativa than the others but I'm perfectly sure this was a Mandala seed from the pack).

*New system, different methods new problems.

P.S Didn't realise at first that Kukulus also used as DRENCH (like many I now use mycorrhizals so hydrogen peroxide a NO NO)!

P.P.S Good "squat" plants, no stretching P.A.R and lumens seem v.good.