Starting my first grow with Blue Kush

[Mr.Do]

Hey all. I guess I will start a journal for my new adventure. Everything I know about growing I learned over the last few days here. Hopefully I can continue to learn and have some great results for my efforts a few months down the road.

I got in my light, tent and fan kit the last few days. One thing is for sure I am glad I upgraded to the SP-250 light. I saw the SP-150 and that thing would not have worked at all. So far the tent and light are installed. I will work on the fan over the weekend.

I did have a question as I wait for my seeds yo arrive.

1. I've watched a few vids and they soak their seeds for up to 24 hours before putting them into a paper towel for a few days. One soaks them in plain tap water, the other sued distilled water with a few splashes of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. Is there an opinion on this process?

I read in another thread. Hemp Goddess recommended the soil to be ;

1 organic soil
1 perlite
1 peat moss
1 worm casings

Is there anything else I need to add as far as nutrients at this time?

Thanks all.

 

[Lesso]

I dont soak them at all. I use the paper towel/ziplock method. I get great results.

If you are growing organic, you will probably be feeding with teas. Even if youre organic you should get a good ph meter and a tds meter. That doesnt mean expensive, just reliable or well rated.
You should also have a good thermometer and hygrometer. Both temp and humidity need monitoring.
You probably already have this kind of stuff, but it was worth mentioning

 

[Mr.Do]

Thanks for the tips. I do have a temp and hygrometer on order I should get then this weekend. I still need to get a PH and TBS meter. I'll see what home depot has for them. I got an email from OASeeds with a tracking number. Looks like I am due to get them on Monday.

Is plain tap water OK? I imagine I will need to control the PH in it, but will I need to filter it or anything like that?

I will star researching tea formula over the weekend as well.

 

[oldfogey8]

I am by no means an expert and the pH and TDS of my water is undoubtably different than yours but I have tried chemical nutes and organic nutes. Organic for me is way easier as I don’t check(and more importantly don’t have to adjust) my pH. The microherd (from what I am told) take care of keeping the pH to their liking. Not checking and adjusting pH if you go with chemical nutrients will be a disaster. I had a really cruddy grow or 2 trying to go that route.

As far as germinating seeds, I had very good results in rockwool cubes and soil plugs. I have damaged the tap root too many times going with the paper towel method but I am ham fisted and clumsy and a lot of folks swear by that method. I prefer the soil plugs but used rockwool last time with 100% success. Rockwool does need to be soaked in some acidic water first because it is very alkaline. I have always used tap water but if your tap water is very alkaline it would be better to pH it or grab a gallon of distilled water at the grocery store. Too wet isn’t good whatever route you choose. I think soaking seeds for 24 hours works well if your seeds are old but I have never had to soak.

Bottom line is there are a million permutations of all the variables and methods out there but cannabis is a plant that had millennia upon millennia of adaptations to grow and propagate so those seeds will try to find a way no matter what. Your job is to make it as comfortable as possible. You will learn as you go. We all want a trouble free grow from newbie status on but you will inevitably run into problems. Keep a close eye on your plants and ask questions(as you are doing) and you should do well.

 

[Keef]

I'm having to learn about this dirt stuff on the fly -- The nephew wants to grow in dirt -- I'm a water pharmer !-- So right now there is a mess of seed plants and one my aero boxes in the grow room with a bunch of rooted cuttings 18 out of 18 rooted --in it !-- I'll be back in water soon enough !
I think I'm about the only root sprayer around but I think I'll be changing to drip and drain with the same nute formula !-- I also run a live res. Instead of a chemical res. --
I add beneficial microbes to my nute water -- I had bad water in Corpus and got a $100 reverse osmosis system --
Make water almost clean as distilled--
Mr. Do -- I suggest U let your water sit before U water with it - I assume U will be using city water - it has chlorine in it - by allowing it to sit over night most of that will leave the water -- it wouldn't hurt to use a household water filter either !-- I'm rambling !
Time for some more coffee and a toke or 2 !

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I do not soak them or put them in paper towel unless they are old seeds and have dried out some. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to do this. I recommend putting the seeds directly into the medium. Every time you touch or handle a seedling, you risk transferring disease to it or damaging it. Tiny tap roots are very fragile. I don't even really understand the reasons for pre-sprouting in paper towels?

 

[Mr.Do]

The one thing I can see that makes pre-sprouting in paper towels is that you know which seeds sprouted and which didn't. You can get an easy photo so you can contact the bank per hopefully get replacement sent to you. Other than that I have to agree with THG. nature intended the seeds to sprouted in the ground. There shouldn't be any reason to risk damaging them.

I did buy a good set of tweezers so I should not have to touch them more than necessary.

Keef, I to am concerned about my tap water. One idea I have is to get a couple 5 -gallon water bottles. I can buy filtered water at the grocery store for about $0.25 a gallon. Hopefully it'll be better quality than out of the tap.

I am only going to have 5 seeds. I want to make sure they all count. I plan on starting with 2 and saving the other three.

 

[Keef]

Knowing if the seed will germ is about the only reason to germinate in a paper towel -- Listen to THG she knows about this stuff !-- I start seed in these biofoam cubes then have to rip foam away from the delicate little things to get them in an aero basket and collar --The roots just swing in the wind and the sprayer comes on 15 minutes then off 15 My plants never know dirt -- Except for helping the nephew here -- Dirt is new to me !-- I'm ready to get back to what I know !

 

[Lesso]

Tap water is fine. Let it sit out for 24 hrs. Check the ph.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

You should get your water tested. If the ppms are high, you are going to want to use another water source or use an RO. Most simple filters do not remove dissolved solids, so if you want to purify your own water, you would need an RO. There are filters that will remove chlorine, chloramine and other nasties that are not in solution. Tap water does have some good things in it and if yours is good, let the chlorine off-gas overnight and use that. If your dissolved solids are high, then buying bottled water is probably your best choice. Two plants are not going to require a huge amount of water. You really do need a pH meter and an EC meter.

LOL--If you plant directly into your medium, you also know if the seed sprouts or not...it just takes several days. My method is to plant directly into the medium unless the seeds are old. In which case, I soak them for about 12 hours and then plant. Still don't sprout them on a paper towel...just seems like there are too many downsides to that and really no upsides. I am real partial to rapid rooters to start seeds and clones. You can plant them right in the dirt or put them into a hydro system.

 

[Mr.Do]

OK I will just put them into the ground (edit: ummm, I mean soil, I will plant them into the soil that is in a grow cup...LOL). About 1" deep correct? Do they need to be pointed in any particular direction?

For my water I intent to refill these 5-gallon water bottles I already use at http://www.watermillexpress.com/ at my near by Kroger.Water there is only $0.25 a gallon. I will still check its PH and PPM but hopefully its should be ok. Do you think this water is ok to use?

My question is do I need to add anything to the water?

This will be great because I already use filtered water for my own drinking and for coffee and other drinks. I stopped using it when I bought a refrigerator that had its own filter built in. I can just move the dispenser into the grow room. Easy peasy.

 

[Keef]

About 1/4 deep in the dirt -- Right THG ?-- I tried cloning in dirt for the 1st time -- had success in 3 outta 8 -- Got my aerocloner out and got 18 outta 18 to root -- I think it depends on what U used to doing ?-- I only needed about a dozen clones -- They still in the cloner -- might just add nutes and leave them there ?--

 

[2RedEyes]

Yes don’t put them in too deep, 1/4 to 1/2” make sure that soil drains well and don’t over water or the seeds will just rot...what I’ve been using lately is just some peat and perlite on about a 1/1 mixture...

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

If you are planting directly into soil, I would recommend using a seed starting mix. It is pretty much inert and won't burn your seedlings. Or you could use something like rapid rooters. If you start in container too large, it can be hard to supply the seedling with the correct amount of water.

I would only use bottled water if your water is too high in dissolved solids. There are things in water that your plants do need. Bottled water takes away the good stuff along with the bad. Filters will not generally removed dissolved solids, so don't count on a filter to be able to do the work of an RO. Most of them, though, will remove chlorine and chloramine.

 

[Mr.Do]

Got my pH and tds meters in today. Did a quick check and got 250 ppm. I need to get some distilled water to calibrate the pH meter. I'll have that tomorrow.

 

[Mr.Do]

Hey guys. Well the seeds are due in tomorrow. My area is pretty much set up. One last few questions.

1. Since I am planting directly into my soil, how should I treat them before they sprout. Keep them cool and dark or under the lights? When should I start the 18-6 light schedule?

2. I am using THG's recommendation of;

1 organic soil
1 perlite
1 peat moss
1 worm casings

Is this OK for seed starting? Anything else I should do or add?

3. My water has a PPM of 250 and I am pH balancing it at 5.8. Is there anything I need to add to the water at this point?

 

[Lesso]

Ph seems low to me. The soil might be too hot for seedlings, but THG would know more about that than me. I go with moist substrate under 24h lighting. I pull my light pretty far off the plant till it spouts, then pull it closer in increments .

 

[Mr.Do]

Ok I am rereading her post above. I guess I do not know what a seed starter mix is. Can you specify you recipe?

Sorry for all the questions. This is totally new to me and the seeds are expensive as I am sure everyone knows.

 

[oldfogey8]

Walmart or Home Depot probably has some sort of seed starter soil. Sumpin’ Like this - Espoma SS8 8-Quart Organic Seed Starter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Y0CFRA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qtvKDbHFAZRVJ

 

[Mr.Do]

That makes it easy, thanks.