Four strain auto grow journal!

[MAAANDUDE]

I am a long time grower with about 7 years under my belt, but a first time cfl user. I have a small cabinet I will be using that I have used in the past, but because of a move to a smaller house, heat was an issue last go around, so I will be using cfls this time. So lets get on with it. I am currently waiting on my beans from attitude so there will not be much to post for a couple weeks, but I did germ one and she is popping out as I type.

Strains: Lowryders "Easy Ryder" fem- I have two grows completed with her and have one started. She is popping ground now. Will have pics in a couple days.
Short Stuff Seeds Blue Himalaya Diesel Feminized- no experience with this one.
Nirvana Seeds Bubblelicious Autoflowering Feminized- no experience with this one.
Lowlife Auto Hindu Kush Feminized- no experience with this one.
If anyone has any experience with thee last three and have some advice, please do tell.

Set-up : Lights- To start I will be using two 23 watt 6500k cfls for the first 2 weeks. When it is all said and done I plan on have 8 of these, with half being 2700k, and also purchased two LED panels that will be on the sides, while the cfls hang around the tops in between.
Soil/nutes- I will be using Foxfarm Ocean forest soil, and because of that will not use nutes for first few weeks, up to a month depending on what the girls tell me. As far as nutes go I will be using Foxfarm Open Sesame, Foxfamr Big Bloom, and Earth Juice Micro Blast for the micro nutes. The soil is already p.h. ready at 6.5, and I using spring water with a ppm reading of 35 and I ALWAYS balance my p.h. so that the soil stays with a constant p.h.

The area is 4'hx4'lx2-1/2'w. It has mylar, an intake and out take fans as well. I did have an air cooled tube for my mh/hps setup, but took out the tube and everything else. I am going to leave the fan in to help keep temps low, not that I think there will be a problem, and help bring in co2.

I think that is about it. If I missed anything just ask. These are picks of the construction of the light. I used electrical tape after I took the picture to cover the wire nuts to keep dust and anything else out, and to help strengthen it. As I said I will have a pic of the Easy Ryder as soon as she breaks ground. Maybe later tonight, but probably tomorrow.

Also, does anyone have any ideas on cheap homemade reflectors, preferably ones that are not to terribly ugly looking? Thanks for looking, and hope to have some amazing pics to show you guys.

 

[MAAANDUDE]

My dog killed my Easy Ryder a couple days ago, but have not had a chance to get n and et you guys know. My beans should be hear about Tuesday based on the tracking info. On another not I decided to only do two girls at a time instead of three or four. That way I can concentrate more light on them. Also decided to go with a 2:1 ration on the 6500k and 2700k during veg, and reverse it during flower. Also am going to move up to the 43 watters or whatever they are. After these finish I am going to attempt a scrog grow with the free DNA UFO#1 i got from the tude'. Also, reflectors or not. Should I stagger the light vertically around the girls and get them as close as possible over more of the plant instead of just the top, or horrizontal? Thanks!

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Just received my beans today. Few days later than I thought, but hey. When I opened my order I was interested to see what the "guarantee" shirt looked liked that I bought from the tude' to guarantee. Actually pretty cool looking shirt, also got an extra Sour Cream so that made two freebees. Going out of town to watch my team play, but will be back tuesday. Germing the girls now and going to put the straight into soil after 12 hours of soaking. Hopefully they will be popped by the time I get back. Going to hold off on the DNA Sour Creams until my three autos finish, and then going to give scrog a shot. ANY IDEAS ON THE REFLECTORS???

 

[`SoA || Asi]

sweet bro ill be watching
nice strains bro

iv growin Easyryder it was sweet i got 15grams but it was my first auto
second plant ever i used cfl aswell

after that i grew ladiva now i have Cobra and Stoned
there is a autoflowering thread on second page under general
post there aswell bro

btw nirvana stoped selling autos cause they dont autoflower most the time
just a warning

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Well, I got back in town last night and found that the Short Stuff Blue Himalaya popped ground but the Kush did not. i am kind of worried it was not viable because the seed was rather small and crappy looking. Both the kush and bubbleicious were like that. If they dont germ this will be the first time, but still I expect better from the tude. Holding off on the Bubbleicious, but I do have a few questions about it. Is it not going into flower stage at all or is it just not an auto flower? If the latter is the case Ill guerilla grow it next summer, but if not might try to Scrog it after the Sour cream, but thats months away. here is a pic of the Himalaya girl, and lets hope the kush comes through in the next few days.

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Day 4

Day four and the SS Blue Himalaya is looking great. Hindu Kush has not sprouted yet. I would also really appreciate some suggestions to the questions I have asked in other posts. Not to much to update right now.

 

[YarndiYarns]

Day 4

Day four and the SS Blue Himalaya is looking great. Hindu Kush has not sprouted yet. I would also really appreciate some suggestions to the questions I have asked in other posts. Not to much to update right now.

Hi, Yours and mine are the same age, I've got two easy ryders&days out of the soil) and a Hindu Kush Auto (not yet popped through the soil either); My white Widows didn't even crack the shell in germination (Demon Seeds freebies), I did have one small Blue cheese that was struggling to live and today I put it out in the sun for some of nature's TLC and BAM! a bird ate it! Oh well, I'll be following yours to see how you do, I'm just using generic ferts from the local super market.

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Day 7

Hindu Kush still hasnt popped ground, I can see the bean where it has pushed its way up, and there is a root. Starting to get worried about her. Day 7 since the Blue Himalayan has popped ground, and she is looking pretty good. If my experience serves me correct, after this next week she will really start to grow. Good luck all.

Actually day 6!!!

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Day 10

Blue H.

 

[lince]

Hey man! I'm sure there are many people following your grow as I'm Blue H is looking good, will you keep going till harvest with this plant only ?

 

[DSB65]

A lot of people just want to look and youve had a bunch looking..so dont get down keep posting..its just the way these forums are...happy growing...

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Thanks for the encouragement. Just did not think there was much interest, but ill keep it going. No that is not the onlyone I am going to do. I initally was going to do four, but only two now. I have been having issues with seeds, but I have a DNA Sour Cream germing right now that will go into soil tomorrow. I also transplanted the Blue H earlier.

 

[DSB65]

My first grow was great..but my second was a total failure..just got to keep at it..plus rep

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Day 13

Been a lot of growth the last three days, but starting to get concerned about height. I feel like at day 13 it should be a bit taller, but it is an AF so I know it will not get that tall. Last time i did AF they only got to around 16". She is currently only about 2 1/2". Transplanted it at day 10 after my last update. Should start to flower in another week. Getting more light this coming week. Also, germed the Sour Cream and its been in dirt for about three days now, but still has not popped.

 

[MAAANDUDE]

Day 23

Well it has been awhile. Something came up and I had to ditch the last girl. I now have one DNA Sour Cream Fem at 23 days, 2 days of 12/12. I only have 24" of usable height and she is sativa dominate. I am trying out some light LST, so to have three main sites getting the light. When can I cut back on the foliage such as some fans and some side branching? Is it to late or to early? Anyone ever grown her? First pic is her today and second is a nug from the White Dwarf from my last grow.

 

[h&p]

Hey man, the plant is looking nice. That nug looks fat too! I don't know anything about cutting foliage but if you're planning on LSTing her now's the time to start getting her bend on.

 

[lince]

Hey dude! the White Dwarf bud looks great, do you have any details on that grow ?

 

[cj7420]

on day 13 you thought they should be taller, when you use CFL's everything veg's and flowers slower then if you use HPS/MH. from the looks of it everything looks good. Also with auto flower strain you dont have to have lights on a 12/12. a friends of mine left his on 18/6 the whole time with CFL's and it didnt seem to bother it one bit. if anything i would think the plant may grow a little taller? I have never used an auto flower strain so i couldnt tell you.

Grow looks nice. cant wait to see the finish product

 

[MAAANDUDE]

on day 13 you thought they should be taller, when you use CFL's everything veg's and flowers slower then if you use HPS/MH. from the looks of it everything looks good. Also with auto flower strain you dont have to have lights on a 12/12. a friends of mine left his on 18/6 the whole time with CFL's and it didnt seem to bother it one bit. if anything i would think the plant may grow a little taller? I have never used an auto flower strain so i couldnt tell you.

Grow looks nice. cant wait to see the finish product

This is not an auto strain. The one I started with was, but this is a regular photoperiod girl.