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Challenging Grow Experience with Very Old Seeds

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    SOIL Challenging Grow Experience with Very Old Seeds

    Hey everyone. I just started my second grow (first was six years ago) so figured I would post where I am at to share my experience and get some thoughts from the community.

    This story begins back in 2015 with my first grow. A friend and I decided it would be fun and challenging to plan and grow a crop of cannabis. We did our research, each spent a few hundred dollars on gear and a few hundred on seeds and off we went. Six or seven months later we had a few pounds of delicious buds, some of which we enjoyed and most of which we gave away to friends.

    I’m not sure if I can mention where I got my seeds, but they were from two of the most popular places online. I purchased a total of forty seeds. Ten each of AK-47 and OG Kush from one site and ten each of Purple Kush and Super Silver Haze from the other. In the original 2015 crop, I germinated two seeds of each strain and all were successful, eventually growing a total of four amazing plants. Having more bud than I knew what to do with, I packed up my gear seeds. I stored the seeds in Ziplock bags with lots of silica gel. I put them in a small box and in the top of my bedroom closet where they sat for six and a half years.

    Fast forward to about a month ago and I decided that although I have a legal weed card, it is too expensive and inconvenient to use dispensaries while other channels of obtaining cannabis are few and far between. So here I am starting out another crop. Since I had all the gear from the previous grow and still had my seeds in storage, I only needed some soil and was all set. I setup four seeds of each strain on papers towels to germinate. Since the seeds were old, I started with twice as many hoping to germinate just one seed of each strain. After searching and failing to find many stories about successfully germinating such old seeds, I had very low expectations.

    Not surprisingly, after three days of germinating I only had one shell start to pop, an AK47, with the tiniest taproot showing. I put the plate of old seeds back in a dark, warm, and dry location and added a second plate where I started germinating the remaining 16 seeds. Another two days pass and now the AK47 from the first batch has a healthy-looking half inch taproot. One of the other two AK’s has split as has one SSH. From the second batch, no movement at all yet. I planted the one AK in a starter pot and put the rest back. Another three days pass and the second AK and the SSH from the first batch look good and there is one AK, one PK, one OGK from the second batch. A total of 6 out of 36 germinated successfully. Pretty good for six-year-old seeds… or so I thought. Also, I think I may have overwatered the seedlings when they were very small which didn’t help things.

    My setup is a 48 x 48 x 80 tent with a 1000w HPS 24/0. My last setup was 18/6 so I figured I’d try something different. I use Fox Farm Ocean Forest and I water twice a day, just enough so that the top of the soil is almost dry about 12 hours later. I regulate the temp around 80 and the RH about 50%. I'm feeding according to FF schedule. Haven’t tested ph yet. Meter is on the way from Amazon.

    21 days here is the current status:
    • AK1: Looks healthy
    • OGK: Looked healthy - recent discoloration of leaves – about one week behind AK1
    • PH: Looks healthy but is growing at slower pace than OGK
    • SSH: Seed casing got stuck on and seedling was damaged removing. Currently growing slowly and unevenly.
    • AK2: Seed casing got stuck on and seedling was damaged removing. Currently growing slowly and unevenly.
    • AK3: Only initial pedals grew, not even first set of leaves. Pedals continue to get larger, but I don’t think this plant is going to make it.
    I never had the seed casing problem before so I assume this is because the seeds were so old.

    I bought a cloning kit, so my hopes are to get each of the four strains to grow large enough to clone, then start a fresh crop from those clones so they are all the same age/size. Then I’ll salvage whatever bud I can from the batch that is growing now.

    My only real immediate concern is the discoloration on the OGK leaves. Pics of all plants below.

    Thanks for reading. Any comments or suggestions welcome.

    #2
    First I'd like to welcome you to the neighborhood you'll find most people here to be very helpful and we have a good place to share our growing experiences without all the bs found on other forums.

    I read your process and I'm looking at your pics and my first thought is that your plants are getting a little to much light, that tends to keep plants short and they will grow slower. I would dim your light if you can or simply move it up a bit, this will get them to stretch out for the light. Just watch em if they stretch more than you want Just lower or turn your light back the other way.
    I had to start buying seeds myself because of unreliable old seeds some of what I have have to be as much as 12 15 years old. They were fine 7 years ago when I had to stop growing (became ill) but others moved my stuff to my new house and my box of seeds ended up in my garage for 3 years when I started getting better and I decided to start growing indoors because I just can't get out like before. I was dropping 15 20 seeds hoping for 6 8 plants. What a pain in the ass right 😤 I'm not sure where you are in the world but I was told that graybeard and 420newguys were good places in the US to buy seeds and I've made three orders from Greybeard and twice they shipped the same day and my current order was just shipped about 4 days after I placed it because they were doing inventory.
    well now you know my life story 😆 again welcome and good luck 🌲😎
    TENT 1 4x4 SF7000
    s silver haze... strawberry haze...
    .. gg4 and cheese berry auto thrown from the auto hut
    TENT 2 2X4 SF2000
    2x Thundersuck... og Jimmy... flo.... blue cheese
    TENT 3 2X4 SF2000 + 2 113w blurples
    3 gallon pots all autos
    Weddingcake..2 red Gorilla girl..2 cinderella jack

    All growing in living soil using Earth Dust
    👇my one n only journal👇
    https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...oh-and-journal

    Comment


      #3
      For very old seeds You can use GA3(gibberilic acid) to promote germination, if they mold before opening You can sterilize them using h2o2 mixes with water for a few seconds rubing it around to sterilize the seeds surface

      Comment


        #4
        Welcome to the forum. Great write up and start. My seedlings looked exactly like yours i would not be overly concerned they will grow healthy looking leaf it has no deficits from my view. They appear to love the environment, i would give them some time. Be a little flexible with yourself you got this. If ever you get another " helmet head" cull stuck, just drop some drops of water on it allow the colyendrons to push it off it will happen quickly cause it's softens it.
        Smoke Ganja create Peace Respect Nature don't trash the Planet

        Soil grower with coco/perlite mixed in
        indoor/outdoor grower
        1 36"x36"x66" tent- Viparspectra P2500
        1 3x3x6 tent- used in late spring for seedlings both veggies & weed. I have 2 viparspectar 450r for that tent.
        I use a t-5 & 54watt CFL for seedlings
        Sometimes i use plastic sometimes i use fabric grow containers
        Currently using fish/guano during veg growth & FF Grow Big 6-4-4 teens to bloom. Once i see pre-flower i switch to
        Age Old Organics Bloom 5-10-5

        Comment


        • Halmohlka
          Halmohlka commented
          Editing a comment
          Thanks, I appreciate the advice. I did try to irrigate the stuck seed and it did help, but I think I was too eager to save the struggling plants and did some damage, but not enough to kill the whole plant. The ones that are growing seem to be doing ok, but there are is one AK that is now about 3 inches tall and one half has a beautiful full set of leaves and the other half is just starting to get the first sign of growth. It's bizarre. The small side seems like it might catch up, or at least be somewhat productive eventually. I guess we'll find out. If nothing else I hope to get some good donor clones off of the good half of this plant.

        #5
        Give them some time. If the Fox Farm is fresh then you likely needn't worry about adding nutrients for 3 or 4 weeks. if the leaves start looking a pale green then add a nitrogen nutrient with the water. make sure you properly PH the water and remember that you test the water after you add the liquid nutrients. For soil the water should be PH 6.5 when it's ready to go in the pot. soil should never completely dry out so watch that you are not underwatering in a high heat environment. Make sure you have a fan to circulate the heat and humidity.
        I hope there is an afterlife...there are a lot of friends and family I'd like to see again, one day.

        Comment


        • Halmohlka
          Halmohlka commented
          Editing a comment
          Thanks for the feedback. I am using Fox Farm Ocean Forest, but also started nutrients at one week. I'll try straight water for the next day or two. My PH meter isn't here yet, but I will begin checking as soon as it arrives in a day or two. My last (and only other) grow I never checked the PH at all and never had a problem, but this time no such luck. I do have two small oscillating fans in the tent for circulation. Thanks again. I'll post some pics with progress when there is anything to report.

        #6
        Originally posted by MeEasy View Post
        First I'd like to welcome you to the neighborhood you'll find most people here to be very helpful and we have a good place to share our growing experiences without all the bs found on other forums.

        I read your process and I'm looking at your pics and my first thought is that your plants are getting a little to much light, that tends to keep plants short and they will grow slower. I would dim your light if you can or simply move it up a bit, this will get them to stretch out for the light. Just watch em if they stretch more than you want Just lower or turn your light back the other way.
        I had to start buying seeds myself because of unreliable old seeds some of what I have have to be as much as 12 15 years old. They were fine 7 years ago when I had to stop growing (became ill) but others moved my stuff to my new house and my box of seeds ended up in my garage for 3 years when I started getting better and I decided to start growing indoors because I just can't get out like before. I was dropping 15 20 seeds hoping for 6 8 plants. What a pain in the ass right 😤 I'm not sure where you are in the world but I was told that graybeard and 420newguys were good places in the US to buy seeds and I've made three orders from Greybeard and twice they shipped the same day and my current order was just shipped about 4 days after I placed it because they were doing inventory.
        well now you know my life story 😆 again welcome and good luck 🌲😎
        Thanks so much for the feedback. I always thought that more light would be better, but I never thought that maybe it would be better to help stretch the plant. My ballast does have 50/75/100% settings. I kicked it down to 75% and will report if I see any change. The odd things is the little OGK is tall and skinny and looks like it is reaching for the sky, yet the AK is short, fat, and bushy, and I have done everything identical to both plants. I suppose part of that could be the different strain, I'm not sure. I'm just hoping I get one viable plant of each of my four strains so I can clone them and start a fresh crop of healthy plants. Appreciate the welcome and assistance. I'll try to keep this updated with progress.

        Comment


        • MeEasy
          MeEasy commented
          Editing a comment
          You can cover the stem (with some soil) of the one that stretched to much when you repot them or if it's growing crooked you can plant it a little sideways to straighten it up. Plants are a lot like people just because they are from the same parents doesn't mean they are going to grow the same

        #7
        Originally posted by 9fingerleafs View Post
        For very old seeds You can use GA3(gibberilic acid) to promote germination, if they mold before opening You can sterilize them using h2o2 mixes with water for a few seconds rubing it around to sterilize the seeds surface
        Thanks for the feedback. All of the old seeds are gone and my recommendation to anyone else who was thinking of using older seeds would be to get new seeds if at all possible. If not, just don't expect too much. It's stressful waiting to see if any of these little plants are going to make it!

        Comment


        • SoOrbudgal
          SoOrbudgal commented
          Editing a comment
          Best of luck in future grows

        • 9fingerleafs
          9fingerleafs commented
          Editing a comment
          It is, Good seeds open up in the water after a 24 hour soak

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