Coco Coir - LED - Purple Ryder Autoflower Grow Journal

[growdc]

So, due to my lack of confidence in seed germination, I cheated and waited till my seeds actually germinated before starting this grow journal. But I do have all pertinent information recorded. Still a little hesitant because they are still seedlings and might go kaput any time. Also this is my first time growing an autoflowering strain. So, here goes.

Strain: Purple Ryder Autos
Number of seeds: 3
Breeder: Seedsman
Grow Medium: Coco coir + perlite
Grow Lights: 2 x Roleadro LED GRow Light Full Specturm 300 watts (actual wattage draw = 124 watts)
Environment: 2 feet x 2.5 feet x 5.6 ft Grow Tent

Germination
I used to try and make germination really complicated (add beneficial bacteria, soak seeds in light nutrient solution etc.) and I pretty much got 0% germination rates and rotted seeds. This time, I tried something different. Here are the tools I used:

1. VIVOSUN Seedling Mat 10" x 20.75"
2. VIVOSUN Digital Seedling Heat Mat Thermostat Controller (I believe this is my saving grace this time)
3. General Hydroponics Rapid Rooters
4. EarlyGrow Small Domed Propagator, 8.5" x 7" x 5" (probably the most durable thick propagator tray I've found)
5. Small Rapid Rooter tray that fits inside the propagator

What I did
06/24/2017
1. Plugged in the mat and put a glass of municipal tap water (Washington, DC) on it. Threw in 3 Purple Ryder Auto seeds in it and they all floated.
2. After a few hours, I just used my finger and stirred around and all 3 seeds sunk to the bottom.
3. 24 hours later, inspected visually, and all 3 seeds cracked opened.

06/25/2017
1. Got 1 liter of RO Water and added 1 mL Clonex Solution to it. Don't ask me why?? However, the solution measured out to 130 ppm (RO Water started out at 0 ppm) & pH 6.1.
2. Put in 3 Rapid Rooters in the solution, squeeze them in the solution and the air got squeezed out and the solution got sucked into the rooter.
3. Took each rooter out and gave it a slight flick to flick off the excess solution and placed it in it's individual chamber.
4. Placed each seed (tried to place them pointy end down, but I was too shaky and didn't want to damage the stuff inside the seed, so they kind fell in however) into the rapid rooter hole.
5. Pinched off the side of each rooter a bit of rooter material and stuck it loosely into the hole.
6. Covered the tray with the dome.
7. Plugged the mat into the Heat Mat Thermostat Controller and set it to 77 F.
8. Sat the dome on the mat.
9. Clipped a 60 watt CFL Grow Light Bulb of 5500K about 3 - 4 inches above the tray.

06/28/2017
1. 2 seeds germinated!! I figured going from 0% to 66% germination rate wasn't too bad. LOL.

2. I would keep a spray bottle of tap water and made sure that the rooters were moist everyday. The dome vents were opened the entire time.

06/29/2017
1. Continued to keep rooters moist with just plain tap water spray. Seriously hoping that the middle one would sprout. But nothing.

 

[growdc]

Transplanting

06/30/2017
1. Couldn't wait for the last seed anymore, figured it died, so I started transplanting.

Side Note: 1 seedling is supposed to go to a friend who wants to start growing. So, right now, I would designate them as PR (Purple Ryder) Auto 1, and PR Auto - Gift

Pot Order Mess Up
Long story short, my order of fabric pots got all messed up so I ended up transplanting PR Auto - Gift to a 1 gallon fabric pot and PR Auto 1 into a 3 gallon fabric pot. These were the only 2 I had left.

PR Auto 1

PR Auto Gift

Moved both pots now into my grow tent.

 

[growdc]

06/30/2017 - Slow Poke

Well whaddya know? Slow poke decided to germinate!!!

 

[growdc]

Slow poke will now be designated as PR Auto 2. I call her germination date as 07/02/2017. She needed help. I think 2 things happened:
1. I might have stuck that piece of rooter material too tight into the hole.
2. When she popped up, I had to flick off her seed hull.

 

[growdc]

07/03/2017
Transplanted PR Auto 2 (aka Slow Poke Auto) into a 2 gallon fabric pot.

Moved her along with the other guys into my tent.

This whole time only dribbling all 3 seedlings with only tap water.

 

[growdc]

Now the fun begins..... because it's going on real-time now. No hiding behind failed germination etc..... LOL. Wish me luck everyone!!!

 

[Sheesh]

Keep an eye on that one, she'll probably be the champ!

 

[Aloner]

50 days in, my late starter is one of my biggest plants!

 

[berrypilot]

🌱 What pretty seedlings you have! I may have missed it, but what nutrients are you using with the coco coir? 🌱

 

[growdc]

No berrypilot. You didn't miss anything. I hadn't started them on anything yet. But when I do, it will be Advanced Nutrients Connoisseur Grow A & B, B-52 & Rhino Skin. I've only used 1 brand of nutrients in my short growing experience, but am realizing now, that I'm literally buying water, paying for water to be shipped and probably paying someone's salary to write those fantastical stuff about nutrients. But before I can really think about anything else, I got like $1000 worth of nutrients to use up. YES, I'M THAT GUY!!!!

 

[berrypilot]

🌱 Hey, if the nutrients work and you're happy then that's all that matters! I know AN is insanely expensive, but people on here do seem to get good results with it. Growing is a constant learning experience of figuring out what works for you! Even if you spend $1000 on nutrients, if you get a good harvest it will still be totally worth it in the end because weed is EXPENSIVE to buy!

Just in my (rather limited) experience, I feel like seedlings grown in coco coir or hydro seem to grow faster if they get seedling-strength nutrients from the beginning. I believe it's because coco coir and water naturally contains zero nutrients, so the seedlings only get what nutrients are contained in the seed itself (and the Rapid Rooter), until you start adding nutrients to the water. In soil the seedlings have nutrients from the beginning since there's a ton in the soil, so you know they can handle it!

But your seedlings look great so definitely they are happy with what you're doing! It's what's worked for me, but that doesn't mean it's the right way or best way. Actually, you just inspired me. I should do an experiment someday and grow half the seeds in coco with plain water, and half with seedling-strength nutrients, to see which ones grow faster in the beginning. You could try it yourself, too, giving some of your plants seedling-strength nutrients, and some plain PHed water, to see if it makes a difference! 🌱

 

[growdc]

07/04/2016 - Fed 1/4 strength Nutrient solution

Got a little lazy to post yesterday. But update on these little girls.

1. Put 1 L of RO water into a container.
2. Added 1 mL Advanced Nutrients Connoisseur Grow A & 1 mL Advanced Nutrients Connoisseur Grow B
3. Added just a pinch of MycoGrow Soluble powder. (start early to inoculate with beneficial stuff).

ppm = 410 & pH = 5.8

Just dribbled the solution around all 3 plants until used up. No run off yet. Keeping it slow and steady.

Also finally gifted PR Auto - Gift today. So left with just 2 plants.

Note: Thought that 410 ppm was a little high, but luckily no signs of nutrient burn. In fact, PR Auto 1's leaves got much bigger. Slow poke PR Auto 2 is doing fine, just about a few days younger.

 

[growdc]

07/06/2016

Skipped 2 days of watering. I understand that IT IS POSSIBLE to over water in coco if the seedling roots are not well established yet. They seem to be doing fine despite of 2 days of NOT watering. In fact PR Auto 1 grew much bigger leaves.

Today watered each with 500 mL of RO Water + 1/2 mL of General Hydroponics CaliMagic at 350 ppm's. Figured that fulfilling the coco coir's CEC (whether it needs it or not, that low levels of CaliMagic shouldn't hurt). Just did not want to water with plain RO water as it will disrupt the osmotic pressure of the roots.

Purple Ryder Auto 1

Purple Ryder Auto 2

 

[Weed Pharma]

I'm subscribed for this grow, as I am trying the same, coco/perlite, 3 gal fabric bag, nutrients, purple Ryder,LED, etc..right behind you, just above ground and fed today for the first time.
Looking to see if it's easier in hot weather than my usual soil grows.

 

[growdc]

Weed Pharma. Oh no. Now you got me nervous!!! The less people watching, the more opportunity I can F up silently. Lol.

Well, for what it is worth, I am not the most experience grower, but you can be sure that I am a really really anal grower!!

I am still learning about the plant's botany, but I do have a much stronger foundation in chemistry which I believe is a good thing when dealing with coco coir's cation exchange capacity and how it works with nutrients.

I am however still trying to decide if I should finish up my ridiculously expensive Advanced Nutrients fertilizers or go old school with powdered fertilizer.

I usually get too impatient too fast.

Here is to our Purple Ryder's!!

 

[Weed Pharma]

growdc, every new seed/clone/grow makes all of us beginners- all over again, LOL

 

[growdc]

07/08/2017

Cleared out small tent, so it has just the space for my 2 PR Auto's. Set up ring irrigation.

Fertigated with 1 L each a solution of
- 1 mL GH CaliMagic/L
- 0.25 mL Clonex Solution/L
- 100 mg of MycoGrow Soluble/L (100 ppm)

Total ppm = 380 ppm & pH 5.9.

Plan is now to inoculate the 2nd time with beneficial stuff. Thoroughly water through the coco - coir. Let it sit for a day without watering and start drip irrigation once a day till run off first until significant growth and increase frequency. Seems like this automated drip ring irrigation technique makes them explode.

 

[growdc]

Oh, in the meantime, I'm soaking some nasty Amazon dirty ass clay pebbles in distilled white vinegar pH'ed up to between 4 - 4.5 pH. Letting it sit for 24 hours and rinsing off with tap water. Just to use a top dressing so evaporation and splashing don't happen too often.

 

[berrypilot]

🌱 Isn't the pH supposed to be between 5.5-6.5 in coco coir? Isn't 6.9 a little high? 🌱

 

[growdc]

Thanks for catching that!!!! Fat fingered it. 5.9!!! Thanks again @berrypilot!! Just corrected that.