Absolute newbie, 1st grow, very little time to set up!! URGENT

R

Regulous

Member
Okay so I have a few questions that I would love some help with ASAP as I am going away on a holiday in 5 days and need to set up before I leave.....

I've got a box setup with lights/fans/filter, all that good stuff. I had a failed attempt at a DWC system with just 1 plant that I got given (was only a few weeds old from seed) and I bought some seeds online and somehow they got through (mad anxiety problems until they arrived, I live in NZ so I thought I'd be dead meat, bought off ILGM btw).

Anyway now I have 5 seeds germinating in Jiffy-7 Pellets and in 2 days I have checked and they have all got tap roots coming out (YAY) they are now day 3 from straight seed (not germ). My problem is now just sorting out what I'm going to grow them in. I was going to use just potting mix but after reading up on a bunch of forums and sites about slow release ferts etc I am having some doubts. I'll explain what my plan is and hopefully someone can tell me if its an okay plan for the time being...

So I was going to maybe use coir (https://www.bunnings.co.nz/besgrow-coir-briquette-9l-be-cmbrq650_p00212542) and then mix with perlite as well as dolomite lime; however I'm not sure as to how this stuff actually works like do I just mix the lime with water and then pour that over the coir brick and let it soak it up or just mix it in with the perlite and coir? Also not sure if I need to keep adding the lime as it might fade away leaving ca/mg deficiencies...

The time I am going to be away for is from Dec 29th to Jan 18th but decided to start before so that I'd be away for 20 days and get it kickstarted while I'm away.

So the questions I have are...
1. What ratio to coir/perlite should I use?
2. Since the seeds won't be able to grow in the jiffy pellets long enough to transplant, can I just place the pellet in with the coir/perlite mix? (I'll also remove the netting)
3. How often should I set the timer to water? (have a water pump in a reservoir of water)
4. Do I need to be watering with added nutes since the coir doesn't have any? or not because it will only be the first 30 days from un-germed seeds? The nutes I already have are seasol power feed (https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/seasol-powerfeed-liquid-fertiliser-500ml/p/166030) and seasol seaweed concentrate (https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/seasol-seaweed-concentrate-500ml/p/166028) I can buy anything from that store so if you can find some better stuff to use then let me know :)
5. when I leave hopefully they will be sprouted so I guess I should turn the lights on but for what time intervals and how far away from the plants? (CFL setup, 6 23w Cool Daylight bulbs)

One last thing... Is it okay to switch from 6 23w CFLs, to... 3 23w CFLS and 3 80w full spectrum LED's when I get back, I have ordered them online and they should be here by that time.

Thank you so much for anyone that helps out a newbie like myself, much appreciated :)
 
Tupapa

Tupapa

Well-Known Member
I mean its too late now, but u should it wait until u got back from vacation to germ the seeds., Seedling stage is the MOST critical and crucial stage of grow., Is when they are more vulnerable to EVERYTHING.,. Just like a baby. Do u have any friends that live alone that can take care of them? Because u would need some sort of automatic system to water them at least because for the time u will be gone they won't need no food., I mean if a tender seedling dry out she most likely will die. Talk to a Friend to take care of them for that period of time., JUST WATER LIGHTLY WHEN THEY DRY UP A LITTLE., BUT NOT BONE DRY... LOL. GL
 
R

Regulous

Member
Yeah I have a water pump in a reservoir in which tubes are connected to the inside of the rim of the pots for even dispersion of water. Just wondered a roundabout kinda time I'd need to water them. I do have mates but they are all in a different city while I'm away!!! I do have an idea on most of my questions however as I bought these seeds I really wanted them to survive and just wanted to make sure that I was having a decent setup for them :) thanks guys!! however I have tried to download the grow bible but it never seems to email it to me... I'll just try download it somewhere else :)

Thanks again for the replies :) I know I messed up by already starting but I have and there's no turning back now!!
 
Dr Magill

Dr Magill

Well-Known Member
Tupapa said:
I mean its too late now, but u should it wait until u got back from vacation to germ the seeds., Seedling stage is the MOST critical and crucial stage of grow., Is when they are more vulnerable to EVERYTHING.,. Just like a baby. Do u have any friends that live alone that can take care of them? Because u would need some sort of automatic system to water them at least because for the time u will be gone they won't need no food., I mean if a tender seedling dry out she most likely will die. Talk to a Friend to take care of them for that period of time., JUST WATER LIGHTLY WHEN THEY DRY UP A LITTLE., BUT NOT BONE DRY... LOL. GL
Click to expand...
I agree . Your on the path of fucking this up. But if you can get some help don't know. Maybe you want to be discreet so the friend thing won't work. Cancel your trip
 
R

Regulous

Member
I mean I can't cancel the trip I'm going to Thailand with my family and tickets are $2k haha. Not sure what the point in telling me it's not going to work as I've started and all I am asking for is help not negativity :)

So I've made up a coco coir/perlite mix, picked up some hydroponic nutes A+B at the local bunnings that I've never seen before but had some cal (15%) mag (2.5%) (https://www.bunnings.co.nz/egmont-hydroponic-nutrient-a-500ml_p00238827) (https://www.bunnings.co.nz/egmont-hydroponic-nutrient-b-500ml_p00238830) as well as good NPK rates from what I know. Not actually sure about how much cal/mag I need but it's something at least.

The plants have started to sprout now so I'll transfer them to the coir/perlite mix before I leave and set the water pump to water once every 2 days for the amount of time it takes to have a bit of run off water. I think thats allgood as it will drain excess and should dry a bit in 48 hrs so watering every 2 days will ensure it doesn't dry and I'm just hoping that the fact that it's hard to overwater coir is true.

For the reservoir I will add the nutes but only at 1/8 of the suggested which should be dilute enough to not burn the plants but give them enough build up to the point that they start wanting it. I may actually tone it down to 1/16 so its very dilute.

Let me know if my plan seems stable enough to keep them alive. Will post pics when I get back from holiday :)
 
R

Regulous

Member
Okay little update after checking them.

I set up the watering system but didn't have it running since I haven't left yet and i left it for 15 hours and when I checked it my tray was full of water so I suspect the tubing must have acted as a siphon... NOT GOOD...

I have decided to maybe use this technique (
) Let me know what you guys think, should this be allgood for when I'm away?
 
Tupapa

Tupapa

Well-Known Member
Regulous said:
Okay little update after checking them.

I set up the watering system but didn't have it running since I haven't left yet and i left it for 15 hours and when I checked it my tray was full of water so I suspect the tubing must have acted as a siphon... NOT GOOD...

I have decided to maybe use this technique (
) Let me know what you guys think, should this be allgood for when I'm away?
Click to expand...
Yea
 
moondance

moondance

Well-Known Member
There are gardening water globe thingys you fill them with water feed and they slow release for days at a time great for trips. MD
 
R

Regulous

Member
Okay so I've been a bit late on the update!

I've been back for a few weeks now and in the end I found someone to look after the plants for the holiday.

I've made a new grow closet and set up and I will post a few photos. There may be a few more problems that I haven't paid attention to but one of the new seedlings has a bit of yellow colouration on the lower leaves. Other than that they are all looking fairly healthy and have tied the 3 bigger ones down a little and topped them and they seem to be doing alright. Tell me what you think.
 
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