To Top, Or Not Too Top. That Is The ?

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
Just the perlite on top of the medium. I have some BT but usually hesitate to use them unless its an all out infestation. This is just a minor issue so the perlite should do just fine. Thanks for the info, you are correct. Dunks (neem oil cakes) work very well. I just spray some neen oil on top of any standing water in the catch basin. Or sometimes a few capfuls of bleach if they are getting yuckie.

The reason I do not like to use BT is they do a great job of eating larva but I also think they compete with the beneficials already in the medium. But always keep some on hand just in case. Thanks for checking in.
 

bigman4270

Well-Known Member
Hey Cowboy, Just cought up on the thread and let ya know I am subbed. Can't wait to see your Purple Rain start to take off. I think I am going to start 2 of those, 2 of the ISIS, and 4 of some Purple Kush X's I was gifted also. I just put three of the PK's in flower 4 days ago and man they are loving the CMH.(first time with HID). They are exploding with new growth and hope they sex out to females. They were veged 5 wks and when I chop the ones in flower then the three3 babies are off to flower( 5 wks to) also. Trying to get the semi perpetual thing going.

I am with ya on the 4 way journal. Sounds like a kick in the pant's.

Peace

Big
 

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
Hey Cowboy, Just cought up on the thread and let ya know I am subbed. Can't wait to see your Purple Rain start to take off. I think I am going to start 2 of those, 2 of the ISIS, and 4 of some Purple Kush X's I was gifted also. I just put three of the PK's in flower 4 days ago and man they are loving the CMH.(first time with HID). They are exploding with new growth and hope they sex out to females. They were veged 5 wks and when I chop the ones in flower then the three3 babies are off to flower( 5 wks to) also. Trying to get the semi perpetual thing going.

I am with ya on the 4 way journal. Sounds like a kick in the pant's.

Peace

Big
Welcome aboard and most happy to have ya. And the 4 way journal is a must. Just getting ready to post the grow journal within this journal. Querkle, Purple Rain and Red Diesel. Also some Amnesia Lemon clones. Still trying to preserve some of the original spirit of the thread.
 

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
Here we go. My first start to finish grow journal. Seed to harvest, everything included, beginning to end.

The strains: 3 Querkles planted on 7/22
3 Purple Rains planted 7/29
3 Red Diesel (fem) planted 7/31
Plus 7 Amnesia Lemon clones cut on 7/29 (try and keep a bit of the threads
original spirit alive).

I will start with my germ method. I do not pre-soak my beans. They come from the fridge and are allowed to come to room temp for a few hours. Then placed directly into peat pellets that were hydrated with rainwater, greenzone root stimulator and liquid karma. Once in the pellets they are placed in a small dome and put on top of a crockpot. Yep, a crockpot. The crock is filled with plain water. I flip the lid upside down. Place a hot pad or two and sometimes use a cake pan for space. This all depends on the room temp, crockpot ect... But I have it now so I can bring the dome and pellets together up to a CONSISTANT 90-92 degrees. This I believe is the key. I have great germ rates and get strong seedlings. The after when I see some roots sprouting out of the pellets. Usually 4 or 5 days they are planted in 24oz cups in a pretty basic mix of just peatmoss/perlite and a few worm castings. Pre-moistened with the same solution used for the pellets. In the next day or so I water with just liquid karma and superthrive. My clones are pretty straight forward. Cut/clonex/peat pellet, soaked the same. Enough rambling. Here are the first pics. And i will give more detail on my final medium mix/nutes/lights shortly.
 

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cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
Well about 63 hrs from planting and we have three Purple Rains. And you can see were the Red Diesels are starting to push up on the peat. They should be up and about tomorrow. So we are off to a good start.

Next few entries will cover lighting and medium. I will get into nutes a bit later.
 

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bigman4270

Well-Known Member
Well about 63 hrs from planting and we have three Purple Rains. And you can see were the Red Diesels are starting to push up on the peat. They should be up and about tomorrow. So we are off to a good start.

Next few entries will cover lighting and medium. I will get into nutes a bit later.
I was telling the wife about the crockpot thing and she gave me the "don't even try it look". lol So I went to the used store yesterday and found a heating pad for $2.00. I checked and it does work so I am going to mess with it and see how stable I can keep temps. 63 hours to pop, now thats a nice germ period.
 

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
I was telling the wife about the crockpot thing and she gave me the "don't even try it look". lol So I went to the used store yesterday and found a heating pad for $2.00. I checked and it does work so I am going to mess with it and see how stable I can keep temps. 63 hours to pop, now thats a nice germ period.
Cool. Maybe a bowl of water on top of the heating pad? Then your tray on top of that. Or maybe even a couple of bricks. Just some thermomass to help buffer and maintain a constant temp. But I am sure the pad will work one way or another. And you can get Crockpots at the Dollar store for like 10 bucks.
 

ENDLSCYCLE

Well-Known Member
or............for $20......you can buy a heating pad that fits under your standard 10"x20" propogation tray......it heats up to about 10*F above the room temp....from the soak to the pop out of soil is about 3-5 days for me.
 

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
or............for $20......you can buy a heating pad that fits under your standard 10"x20" propagation tray......it heats up to about 10*F above the room temp....from the soak to the pop out of soil is about 3-5 days for me.
They are ok. But the temp fluctuates with the room. With the crock I can maintain a constant and consistent 90-92 degrees. Thats tough to do with a propagation mat. Spend another 25 bucks for a controller and still tough to equal the consistency of the crock. Its the water that helps stabilize and maintain an even temp no matter what the room temp does.
 

ENDLSCYCLE

Well-Known Member
yeah...thats pretty cool....never really thought about the temp fluctuating up and down with the room temp but i have never really had a prob. germ'n....i might try this crockpot idea just for something diff. to try....thanks
 

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
yeah...thats pretty cool....never really thought about the temp fluctuating up and down with the room temp but i have never really had a prob. germ'n....i might try this crockpot idea just for something diff. to try....thanks
No worries. And glad you stopped by. 3-5 day germ times is nothing to sneeze at. Its all about what works for you. You may even try some bricks on top of your mat for some thermomass to help even temps.
 
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