Grow Dots and Recharge for the Real Growers Challenge 2022

Day 23 & 18 - Photos & Notes:

Double Grape is starting to add to biomass. That's comforting.

Super Skunk has the funniest Pheno with the split leaf.

Photographer Note: No more Foliar with Recharge or Kelp & Seaweed. Those really made the leaves look horrible.

I did put 8 oz of light nutrients and bio-stimulants around the outer perimeter and about 4 oz circle within 3 inches of the base of the stem. Hopefully, this can be the last outside nutrients before the roots find the Grow Dot laced coco.

After that, I intend to do a Sunday top drench of Recharge (once a week). Most likely, I will make a cocktail of Recharge, Kelp & Seaweed with some Humboldt Enzymes. The coco is already bottom feeding SLF-100 enzymes.

I'm also toying with the idea of shutting off the water valves from the reservoir and having the AutoPot valve chambers begin to lower, add in a Recharge mix from the bottom. Once that fluid volume drops then turn back on the water valve to the reservoir. I'll certainly try it once.

The pictures tonight are not that great, but I did want to document the sizes. I won't continue size monitor after they are out of the seedling stage. Height might be more important during full-on veg.

I was thinking about your concerns for the lack of N during the flower stetch and I remember something I bought when I first started growing.

Like a lot of newbies I was soaking knowledge. Part of that included learning about bio-stimulants like amino acids and peptides. So, I found this product calle PeptideSP from HardyGro. The problem is I didn't know enough to realize all of this plant goodness was 13-0-0 nitrogen. When I realize, I was afraid to use it because I didn't want to throw my nutrients off from my Jacks 3-2-1.

Instead of coming up with some Cal/Nit spray, this stuff might be the missing link during those 3 weeks and it comes with all the benefits of these Peptides.

I'll post a pic and a copy and paste from their website.





Speaking of this product, they also have a product that is not an exact match for Recharge, but does have a lot more Microbials.

Hiphophippo said:

You might be okay if anything just pick up basically any food with a little extra nitrogen and introduce it for those first three weeks of stretch after that ease back on it and let the dots take over for flower if I where you though too If you take your plants to weeks 13/14 of flower start looking for potassium and phosphorus issues because the dots aren’t meant to go that long the concept of the dot is really good but it’s not really practical with weed yet and will definitely need some fine tuning for those longer running plants but running these experiments is how you figure that out I think you’ll be alright running the jacks part b to cover your nitrogen issues when stretching sorry for the run on sentence I’m driving using voice to text

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ExNavyInSTL said:

I was thinking about your concerns for the lack of N during the flower stetch and I remember something I bought when I first started growing.

Like a lot of newbies I was soaking knowledge. Part of that included learning about bio-stimulants like amino acids and peptides. So, I found this product calle PeptideSP from HardyGro. The problem is I didn't know enough to realize all of this plant goodness was 13-0-0 nitrogen. When I realize, I was afraid to use it because I didn't want to throw my nutrients off from my Jacks 3-2-1.

Instead of coming up with some Cal/Nit spray, this stuff might be the missing link during those 3 weeks and it comes with all the benefits of these Peptides.

I'll post a pic and a copy and paste from their website.

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Speaking of this product, they also have a product that is not an exact match for Recharge, but does have a lot more Microbials.

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Worth a shot it doesn’t look bad at all and I think you’ll only have to use it a few times during that stretch make sure and use it lightly I’d introduce it at 1/3 strength and probably only get up to half strength when using it unless you notice some lighter green growth

Day 26 & Day 21:

Nice growth. It looks like any problems from the start are continuing to fade into the distance.

Plants are shut off from the reservoir, while I load up Recharge and some enzymes from the AutoPot valve chamber.

Note how the Double Grape's initial light damaged leaves are not really noticeable anymore.

Plus, Super Skunk is now growing in normal leaves.

I'm using the charts from Pulse for my VPD calculations. I do take issue with the numbers saying that I am "High / Critical." I'll try to use graphics to help explain.

First, here are my logs for the last 3 days. I've been tracking all along, but the Solo Cup phase etc, there is just no real consistency. Now that the roots in search of the Grow Dot Magic, I think we can start to track the data. Plus, it helps keep me engaged and not letting anything become a runaway train.



As you can see, my environment is consistent ... 75/76 for temps (leaf) and about 52% for RH. From just about any chart, young veg plants would be okay in this zone. Sure, we can argue they are still seedlings. Even so, my tent environment creates a confortable growing environment.

First off all the graphic is my "grading" system. Meaning the terms are mine that I appy to the Pulse Calculator and Chart of Results:



This grading system will make more sense when you see what Pulse presents.

So, the first thing you do is enter your data on the front page o the Pulse Calculator:



Once you enter the day you click on the tab at the bottom of the page that says "Chart Maker."

Below I will paste the results that I got based on the numbers I added in. You see there are THREE (3) data point you need to add in:

Blue Oval: Growth Stage (Clone, Veg or Flower)
Red Oval: Your Temp scale
Green Oval: Difference in Tent Temp vs Leaf Temp

I leave mine the same room temp, especially at the stage because the LEDs are not that hot and they are considerably higher than the leaves.



So now, let's dial in to my results.




If you were to go by this chart, with the data you input yourself, I would need to be 75ºF and 67% RH. Does this sound reasonable?

Just to give you an idea of just how bad I stunted the Double Grape ... here is Day 21 the first time I grew it:



Compare this to Day 21 this time:

Day 27 & Day 22: Photos

Day 27 -- Stats

VPD is better. Mainly, because I added a Swamp Cooler. They may not really cool all that well, but they do add extra humidity to help with my purpose-built humidifier.

Note: I see I was off one day on the photos above.

Day 28 - Stats & Notes

Last day of Week 4

Notes:

• Raised the DLI to 32

• New Macro Lens Arrives today, pictures to follow.
- This new lens is meant for trichome photography, but I'll give it whirl on the young plants as well.

• Started logging reservoir temp.
- Turned of Rez Agitator to see if its motor was adding to increased temps.

6 Days Difference:

Day 24 (DG) & Day 28 (SS) - More Realistic Photos

These photos are more realistic for checking for deficiencies.

Just for Shits and Giggles:

Let's take a look at the Super Skunk growing patterns.

What a difference 5 days makes.

Day 29 - Week 5 Begins

Today was Recharge Day.

I made up a batch of about 1.5 liters of the following goodies:

1. Recharge
2. SLF-100 (enzymes)
3. Front Row SI (mono-silicic acid)
4. Fulvic Acid (90% before dilution)
5. Calcium EDTA 9.7% (approx. 100ppm)
6. Humboldt Plant Enzymes
7. Natural Wet (Yucca Sufactant)
8. pH'd to 6.02

• I was going to let the valve area of the AutoPots dry down and then add the mixture for bottom uptake.
• However, I decided to apply from the top in 2 circles, one far edge and one about 3 inches from the stem base.
• My guess is that each plant got around 650 ml in the top, and the balance was split into the valve chambers.

Day 28 ? This is day 28 from seed…. Thanks ! I know what I won’t be using .

Bubba73: Yours look great.

Don't blame the "products" for the stunted growth. I take ALL the blame.

I did two things wrong right off the bat after germination:

• Kept the Solo Cups too wet,
• Way overblasted them with lights.

They look held-back by at least 2 weeks and it is all my fault. I hurt these babies way before they ever set roots in the pot with Grow Dots. Although, there is no doubt I unintentionally tried to drown them in Recharge in the Solo Cups. Sorry Scotty!

They are growing like crazy now. Hopefully, they catch up more before the "auto" pistils start to show.

I'm still a newbie, and making dumb mistakes. I have yet to grow a plant much taller than yours are now. But, I keep trying. At least there is still weed there when I harvest.

Thanks for stopping by. I post my diaries because I welcome advice.

bubba73 said:

Day 28 ? This is day 28 from seed…. Thanks ! I know what I won’t be using .

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Just to make the pain more obvious. I went out to Grow Diaries and pulled a photo mix of Super Skunk Autos at "4 Weeks" to compare what the average plant looks like at at this point. I see I am not the only one who stunted. However most folks are way taller and fuller than mine.

All I can do now is just love and treat mine with respect. I have no regrets, because I learn something from these adverse situations.

Now let me get back in my rocking fetal position while I keep muttering, "no regrets."

I'd say kiss next time. This is at day 25 from seed, and I consider this a stunted run and early flower. In a cactus/succulent mix and has only had water as a feed so far. Just seems like a lot of effort for nothing. Has had 30k lux over 20hrs from day one and is at 45k now, do I don't think light was an issue.

This was at day 30 last run.


I'd give it another go without all the extras.

Yesterday, I posted a series of photos comparing my 28/29-day-old Super Skunk Auto to other grows on Grow Diary, Well today, let's take a look at my "reduced-sized" Double Grape.

As a reminder, let's start with my plant:




Now, let's have a look at a few other Double Grapes around the same age: