HYDRO Project Sam

[UndergroundFarmer]

Week 0 of veg! This will be a four-plant grow of Skunk #1 regs for seed and for curiosity. I first tried Skunk #1 about 1990 and of course it was not sinsemilla. I wanted to revisit Skunk legally and try my hand at producing seed - on purpose. I'm curious to see if the finished product will smell and smoke like I remember it, seeds and all. The seeds are from Sensi. I guessed the unknown grower from thirty years ago probably got them from there. I started six seeds, five sprouted. The one that didn't was likely my fault cooking it under a seedling mat in direct contact with the plastic box I was germinating it with. I moved the four most mature ones to the RDWC setup I built for Project Blueberry. Pictures to follow when I am sober enough!

[JohnEmad]

of course you had me at Acapulco gold. Look forward to the grow.

[Farmall]

Me too!

[UndergroundFarmer]

Week 1 of veg is happening since Sunday. Pardon the blurple in the picture - I swear it looks more like natural light in person. I've taken them from plain water to a light feed (about 400 ppm). I've changed out the kitty litter buckets with some black 3.5 gallon grow buckets to match the big tent setup. More importantly, I've gotten around to enclosing the grow space again to conserve heat and to satisfy a requirement of the state. Temps are ranging from 70-75F now after a week of hanging around in the mid sixties. The skunks are off to a bit of a slow start but they have finally dipped their roots into the nute solution so it shouldn't be too long before they take off.

I swore I had more than one photo from this tent. I must be doing that stupid trick where I tell myself to do something then my brain checks it off as if it's done already.

[Drekthar]

looks like your letting some light into the reservoirs by not having sufficient clay in the baskets. I find best to cover to avoid algae. tin foil works ok with small hole in center per attached.

[UndergroundFarmer]

You're right. I forgot to mention it, but just before I made that post I added more hydroton to help stop light leaking in through the net pot lids. I might just cover the openings with foil once the babies are tall enough.

[UndergroundFarmer]

Week 2 of veg started with their first water change and a little stronger feed. I've also topped off the hydroton to keep light from getting in the buckets. From the pictures, you can seed some of the uneven growth from a week of temps too cool for their liking. They all have their toes in the water now so I've lowered the water level to below the bottoms of the net pots. I'm hoping to see them take off over this next week. In other news, the one spare seedling survived neglect and has been moved to coco until I can figure out what to do with it.

[Drekthar]

in my experience i'd still cover the pots with foil as light can get through the clay pellets still. Looks like you built your own system there. Are you circulating the water throughout the buckets?

[UndergroundFarmer]

Yep. The pump is in the tall reservoir bucket at front center. The water flows from there through black tubing via a series of tees then into the buckets then the water returns to the reservoir through the PVC piping. Airstones in the bottoms of each grow bucket keep the water churning. The previous grow journal for Project Blueberry details its construction fairly well. The big difference is that I used kitty litter buckets for grow buckets in that setup.

[Drekthar]

thanks I will have a look at your setup in your other grow journal.

[SoOrbudgal]

I'm diggin these hydro grows of yours UndergroundFarmer i grew both this last summer not those strains but i grew skunks and hazes. Not really the strains i like but they were gifted so i grew them out and gave an traded with them. Just kept the lemon skunks

[UndergroundFarmer]

Week 3! I've added a spare seedling in coco to this mix. I took out the kitty litter bucket at back and replaced it with the extra Skunk baby (after the photo shoot, of course). Skunk seems to be growing a bit more slowly than the GTH in Project Psychonaut but at least they are healthy. They've even grown noticeably since the feed this weekend. I like having another one in the mix just in case the male/female ratio among the four didn't work out too well.

[UndergroundFarmer]

The skunks are still slow-going but healthy in week 4 of veg. Next week they may get haircuts to get them started manifolding if they can get big enough. The baby in coco (like in Project Psychonaut) is likely putting down roots instead of growing above ground, so we'll see if it can get big enough to manipulate. Otherwise, I may just do a simple topping on these two extras.

[UndergroundFarmer]

At week 5 of veg, the skunks are about another day or so away from being big enough to manifold. The one at right rear is there already but I'd like to wait for the others to catch up. I will likely make the cuts on Tuesday after an expected growth spurt from a fresh feeding.

I seem to have picked up a hitchhiker from Sri Lanka. The label on the coco block promised no pathogens and no seeds, but what is that growing alongside the baby skunk?

I yanked it. I'm not curious enough to find out what survived being processed into a hard dry block! I will probably not buy that kind of coco again. The last block was much better quality!

[UndergroundFarmer]

Week 6 and they've had their trim. I noticed spotting on the right front plant so I pulled it off the bucket, lid and all, and gave its roots a good rinsing out. There was a fair amount of debris caught in there. I suspect it was crust (that formed during the last grow) from inside the piping that dried out and was later reconstituted. Next tear-down, the return pipes get blasted out.

[UndergroundFarmer]

It's week 7 and a slow grow for the skunks. The right front may need another rinse, hydroguard has been added and I'm waiting to see if it helps. Next week is colder still so I may have to beef up the heating in the grow room. Temps are staying consistently under 70F.

[UndergroundFarmer]

Week 8 of veg and growth is very uneven (because phenos!) The front right one is still stunted from root trouble but is hanging in there. The skunks are just beginning to smell a bit. I wish this polar air nonsense would end! It's a bit better with another heater added to the grow room though. These are some seriously bushy plants! I think next time I'm stopping at four main colas per plant. The picture doesn't do justice to how pretty the deep green fans are.

[UndergroundFarmer]

I flipped the lights to 12/12 at another mid-week feed. The skunks are pretty uneven with their growth. I wish I had my cloning tent free to take a few from the one at the right rear! The skunks make absolutely gorgeous dark green foliage with 9 and 11 finger fans fairly common. No male parts spotted yet, but it is way early. The skunks are perking up a bit with the warmer temps the past few days so I'll be watching the new growth closely.

I think I'm beginning to see why it's worth it to buy the best genetics you can afford. Both the GTH and Skunk are as forgiving as any plant I've grown yet, even in too-cool temps.

[UndergroundFarmer]

No male plants have been spotted out of the five. How's that for luck? I may just have to save some pollen from next door in Psychonaut and make some Skunk #1 X Ghost Train Haze. SkunGTH?

Or I could, ya know settle for sensimilla.

[UndergroundFarmer]

Week 2 of flower is underway with no sure males spotted although the dwarfed on at front right may be trying to show boy parts. It's just too hard to look that close under the lights because of the intensity. Time will snitch. The close internodes on Skunk also make it more difficult to look for preflowers compared to the GTH which is a week ahead in flowering. The better weather is helping with faster growing. At one point, the inside of the tent nearest the basement wall was always wet with condensation, which isn't a thing I like to see. I've been able to turn the fan up again which will help all around. I hope to get the heaters out of the grow room altogether in another week or two.

The one in coco may wind up going into the Project Psychonaut tent for pollination if no male Skunks appear.

[SoOrbudgal]

They sure look happy

[UndergroundFarmer]

Thanks! They are loving the warmer temps to go with good genetics, good food and a good strong light. Skunk #1 is gorgeous when it's healthy. It's a wonder more people don't grow it.